Rashi & Psychology...

Dad, you'd love this...

I am studying psychology - it's true! - and the author of my book is trying to explain how advertisements are created to affect people in different ways. As an example he brings down the first פסוק in אחרי מות and then רש"י's explanation that of someone who went to a doctor who said don't do x, and then another doctor comes and says don't do that so you don't die like plony died.

Then he explains the Rashi according to how it pertains to marketing.

There's something to be said for a culture that is so entrenched in Torah, whether they care to recognize it or not, that in my secular public university you find yourself learning chumash and rashi....

Pictures

Yom HaAtzmaut Pictures

CLICK HERE FOR BBQ PICTURES

Baruch Dayan Emes

Theres a boy in Silver Spring who's been in a coma since he was 2.
He would've turned 17 in a month. Maybe two.
Shauli Mordehai. He's my friends twin brother.
Or at least, he was.
He died today. At 1:00. He just stopped breathing.
How can you just stop breathing?
Everyone knew it would happen. No one expected it to.
I never met him. All the people i know have met him though. They went to his house for Chessed.
Or at least, they used to.
Rabbi Katz talked to us today about him. He was crying. So was everyone else.
I cried. I never met Shauli. I cried anyways.
Rabbi Katz said that Shauli had a pure neshama. He said that he never spoke lashon hara, he never lied, he never offended anyone. All he did was bring Chessed to our community. He said that God wanted his neshama back, because it was so perfect. He said a lot of things. A lot of things that I couldn't hear because of all the crying in the room.
So many people cared for Shauli. So many people said tehillim for him every day. I did.
I would've davened harder.
I should have davened harder.
I'm going to the leviya tomorrow.
I'm kind of nervous. Nervous about what to say, nervous about how to react to Daniella when I see her.
Daniella's my friend. She's Shauli's twin sister.
Or she was. Does that change...when someone dies? You're always their sister, aren't you?
I don't know.
I'm just really sad.
Everyone in my school is.
Everyone in my community is.
I never met Shauli, but he still made an impact on my life.
He's going to heaven.
I know he is.

Israel Day

We had a very full Israel day this year. First we had Aunty Barbara up to visit us, and she joined all of our activities. Erev Yom Hazmaut we started with a tekes that took forever, but finally at 10 it was Simmy's turn to light a Massouee. Simmy represented all of the past and present olim to Maalot. He was told that his hebrew was better than some of the olim that have been here for much longer.
Yom Haazmaut day we went on a 5 hour hike!!! Yes I said FIVE hours. We circled the bottom of Har Meron. It was a great hike, not too difficult, just an hour too long. Simmy came back and took Aura for the last mile or i never would have made it up the last incline. But all the ids were great. We went with two other families and Aunty Barbra, She thinks she might not join us on the next hike!
And we ended off the day with an awesome meat filled BBQ at home. We were joined by our hiking partners and two more families. I think we wee 30 in all and everyone brought meat. It was so good. I guess a FIVE hour hike really works up the appetite.
And that was our fun filled Israel day.
Did ya'll celebrate?

I Hate Gmail - Blogger

I have two gmail accounts. One I started for blogging sake, and one i started for a project i am working on. Since I use the project account it is the one saved on my computer that i don't sign out of...{this makes sense to me, but it's 4:43 am after a night of partying ~ without alchohol} I could not remember my 1st account name, so blogger wouldn't let me sign on. For days I have had things to comment and posts to post, but to no avail. i tried all the combos of usernames and passwords but until just now i could not break my code. Luckily i have figured it out and now you will all once again be able to read my comments and posts :)

chag smayach

Shmuel Tzion - AKA sammy AKA sam I am AKA Shmacks

As you have probably heard, we have named our child Shmuel Tzion - and we will call him Sammy. I told Nat's grandma we named him Franken Stein. She was pretty nervous until I told her the truth. Here is Baby Sammy. Follow the link and see pictures from the Bris...Too lazy to post them here

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1999&l=b9d64&id=507089894

Nat's Hint

I was talking to Nat yesterday, trying to find out the name of my yet unnamed nephew. She would not tell me, but she said he would have two names, and one o them would be an Israeli-themed name. Since both Shiloh and T'chailet are already taken, I did not know what was left for her to use, but I took a guess. She has told me that the baby's middle name ewill not be Gurien.

Anyone else have any guesses?

Yom Hazikaron

Six Zacks' have died in service of Israel. The most recent was Avraham Zacks, son of Yakov. Another Avraham Zacks, son of Shmuel and Rivka, died in 1969. He was born in 1929 in Romania. His family made Aliyah in 1935. He died a general in the South when his jeep ran over a mine.
Aharon Zacks, son of Isaac and Sarah, was born in 1926 in Poland. He came to Israel in 1947, and fought mainly in breaking the siege on Jerusalem. He also fought in the Sinai Campaign, and was killed in the fighting. Yitzchak Zacks, son of Mina and Yisroel, was born in Lithuania in 1926. He came to Israel in 1936. When he was only 14 he started serving in the Hagana. Hewas killed in battle against the Arab Legion near Chaifa. Michael Zacks was the son of Shmuel (Sam) and Ruth, born in Tel Aviv in 1943. His parents were originally from America. He volunteered a lot of his time when he was young to help injured kids. He said "my dad has money and helps with it. I want to pay my dues, and for me thats to help with all my energy." He was drafted into the air force in 1961. By the Six Day war he was in reserves. He was ambushed with his group on the thrid day of war. He fought and was injured, but before he fell he managed to take down two of the ambushers. He died from is injuries eight days later. He left behind a wife and a baby girl less then six months old.

just a little poop

ahron has a very liquidy stomach these past few days and at 5:22 this am when he woke up very happily cooing i went to get him so he wouldnt wake up his sister or his mother. when i brought him back to the room o change his diaper, which i knew was dirty, i was unrepared for what i was about to find. needless to say devorah was clled in to clean up the mess that was his diaper, i went into the bathroom for a moment while she finished up the diaper situation, and thats when i noticed what was on MY BED. devorah looks at me and says "its just a little poop" ON MY BED!! when did that becomean okay thing to say to someone, at wha point can you look at someone and say just get back into your bed theres just a little poop on it, we're changing the linen in a few days anyway. well, needless to say i got back into bed and went to sleep happy poopers y'all and happy earth day

Here's What I Know NOW

Milaine has lost 85 pounds, and (unrelated) two of her kids have broken bones in the past month.

Somebody who's last name is Zacks bought $258 worth of medication this week at the Medicine Cabinet on Greenfield. I know because my account was charged. So whoever it was, you're welcome. Also, they reimbursed my account, plus the overdraft fees. Whew!

Nat's home from the hospital and is lookin' hot! Really, stay on the couch for the next 3 weeks!!!!

Joe is growing his hair out, and it's adorable!

I haven't spoken to Dad since Purim week. I miss you.

Shoshana's coming for Shabbos. Please bring my pedometer...

Aura weighs 12 pounds.

Sar is making potato kugel for Shabbos.

We made an Israeli flag for our front door using white cardboard, and blue and techelet crepe paper, and blue sequins.

Ar and I went to a "secular" wedding last night. I say secular in quotes because everything was done K'Halacha for most of the wedding. (The club dancing notwithstanding.) Ar's work girlfriend Liat got married, and was beautiful. I met all of his work buddies and they all had great things to say about him. (Of course.) And, as usual, like every person he has ever worked with, who meets me, they all wanted to know if he EVER gets stressed. Yes, I said, about twice a year. :)

It's a BOY !!!

So here is how it all went down..

Nat and I got up around 5:00 AM and headed to Providence Hospital to have our baby. We got there around 5:30, Filled out the registration stuff and got moved into the Recovery Room. We hung out there for a while, the nurse came in and talked to us, and the Dr came in also. Around 7:30 the Anesthesiologist came and chatted with us, and then took Nat for his spinal. Nat told him that her last spinal wasn't any fun, and this guy said he would do a better job (Which he did)

After Nat left I had about 20 minutes of hanging out in the recovery room, so I Davened, soon after I was done, in came the nurse and told me I was allowed to go to the OR. The OR was interesting, Nat looked like a disembodied head, there was a partition that went from her neck up, so all I saw was her head.


Around 8:10 we were told they were just about done, which was done, because Nat was feeling a bit nauseous, I was told if I wanted to I could look over the partition and see the baby come out. Initially I didn't want to, but I stood up anyways. It was like the scene in Spaceballs, at the end when Lone star and Barf are at the lounge, and the little alien comes out of the guys chest, except the baby didn't pull out a top hat and do a dance. But he was half in her stomach and then they pulled it out. Then I saw his manhood, or boyhood, and told Nat it was a boy.


After he got cleaned, me and Jr. went back to recovery and hung out.

Nat enjoyed, not sure if that's the right word, this C-Section much better than last time, when they put in the spinal, they also shot her up with enough morphine to let her stay pain free for 18-24 hours. She was nauseous at time,s but usually awake and in good spirits.

Jonah seems excited, tho he hasn't been to the hospital yet, he went shopping with mom and picked out so sports themed bibs and jammies. He recieved a Detroit Tigers baseball bat and ball, and a football for being teh big brother. He wasn't thrilled that I didnt come home last night, but I promised him when I put him to bed that I would be here when he wakes up, and we'll go see the baby.

If anyone is still reading this megillah I am impressed !!! You are rewarded with a bonus picture

MAZAL TOV SHU AND NAT
ITS A BOY!!!!

home sweet home

we got back last night after a long pesach away from home, i think our seperation from home was most detrimentl to our fish and secondly to our children, i came home to many bloodied fish and one fish that was dead and basically ripped and eaten to shreds, our children are just tired and will hopefully recover soon. but back to my fish, i have a platty that has gotten pretty beat up in our absence and a goldfish and a neon that have also . now dont think we are horrible fish owners and just didnt get pesach food, we bought pesach food for our fish but the caregivers of our fish skirted their duties and our fish went a hungry for a few days.
but we did not ! we had lots of food yummy crunchy matza and we also stopped in scranton for lunch for some post holiday family hoopla with devorahs brother and family.we topped it all off at the end o trip with some subs from KOSheR SUBWAY near cleveland. we met the hochheisers there and my sandek R. spiro and some other frielndly people, someone from boston that was in clevelnd for yomtov and other travelers.
well ahron is screaming devo is shopping chanalana is talking and other kids fought hard but they are in school this am
have a great day

Here's What I Know

Nat's still preggers.

N. has Pneumonia. And Scoliosis, incidentally.
F. went back to school today instead of Ulpan.
D. made the Little League national team, and will welcome sponsors...

I am still coughing from Bronchitis (but I think they read the x-ray wrong).
R. went back to work today and had a corned beef sandwich.

Mom and Batch were driving in a blizzard.

Snuffers is going to marry Sar.

Auntie Barb is on a boat that did not sink.

Shaul S. is going to bring me my mail. Think he'll have coffee with me?

Senjaya and Haylie are still in the competition. Oy.

Please fill me in on the rest.

Roasting marshmellows

Nat and I took advantage of the cold and snowy weather, by making a fire in the fireplace. I went outside found a nice twig, and we roasted marshmallows.

Great Pesach Break!!

Excellent Seder/Yom tov at the Maalot Zacks Estate

Fun & challenging hike around part of the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Movie night at my place.

Day with aunt in the Old City.

BBQ with friends at the park.


Hope all ya'll are having fun too!