The All Def Movie Awards!

Shana tova

May we all be inscribed in the book of life.

                                                                             May it be a sweet new year....

With prosperity, joy and laughter...

The Fear Factor

As most folks know, I don't own a television. For years I haven't and not having one really sensitizes one to many things.

Recently, I was looking for DVDs that I could share with my children. Documentaries, movies, etc. One thing that I realized that I never realized before is that alot of the children's movies are based on FEAR. That was a shocker. Most movies made for kids use the fear factor to keep them interested.

That was not good. For many reasons fear should be avoided and Joy promoted.

Endearing Disney movies which I loved so much, I never realized until now how much fear factor was used. While fear can cause a thrill, I wonder what it does in the long run.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH FEAR?

I am dividing fear into two categories. There is FEAR which is really awe and reverence towards something. And, there is FEAR as in scared.

The awe and reverence ought to be left to God. Or, if you don't believe in God then the awe and reverence should have no place. No other being can be trusted 100% and granted such reverence.

Sages of old have said over and over that one must love God and fear God. But we're from the earth -or at least we have earthly qualities so many of us start from the bottom up. First we begin to love God and operate on that mode. As time goes on, we eventually fear Him.

"The end of the matter, when all is said and done: Fear God and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of man"

(Koheles 12:13)

If we had only love for God, we could do A LOT! Nothing would be too great. However, a border could be breached. In the case of Nadav and Avihu, two of Aaron's sons, they loved God so much that they wanted to worship Him even at the time that was not appointed for them. They took their pans and incense and started their fires regardless.

However, it was a strange fire. One that consumed them!

This makes me think of a man who fell hard in love with a woman. The fire of his passion is raging. But if things are not checked, she's not given her space, her needs are not thought of; basically, she's not respected (which is a notch lower than fear), then she goes away and he's left consumed in his own fire.

But that is not the type of fear I mean from the movies. There they have fear as in scared. That is a defeating kind of fear, I believe. The thought that there are so many things that can come out and grab ya! Or things that are way overpowering. Its exhausting and stressful. But it keeps you in your seat because the viewer needs to win, needs closure that the innocent, sweet, whatever the character was made out to be- can overcome this bad. Each movie brings the viewers to that edge.

This type of fear draws out negative emotions from us. It is the basis for alot of other negative emotions such as distrust, hatred, doubt. Naturally, children have fears that come even without a movie producer's encouragement. The dark. A loud helicopter. Yelling people. You name it. As we slowly try to teach our children not to be afraid, I feel it would be self defeating to give them yet more things which then I have to coax them to not be afraid of. I even suspect its a kind of power ride -for me- that I'm trying to avoid. Keep the child scared then they come to me then I, the mighty parent, soothe them and the circle continues. Nope! Not this time.

While I"m glad that things haven't come to the point in which producers start making movies with bad endings for children, I am still not sure I like all the stress and fear they promote.

One great focal point in my life is to be Joyous. Not fearful, but joyous.

Joy brings out healthy and positive feelings and probably healthy and positive hormones in our bodies as well! When we have joy, we are capable of ruakh hakodesh /holy spirit. By Holy Spirit I don't mean talking in tongues. I mean having knowledge descend upon a person and/or seeing the world in a more whole view (mochin d'gadlut)

Joy causes us to breath deeper and cooler air. Fear gives us heated and shortness of breath. Breath is our life -wouldn't we want it deeper? That alone does much good for the body.

By Joy I don't mean the happiness one feels when hanging out with friends -that's great too. But I mean more the joy one feels when one does a good deed.

OMG! Rosh HaShanah is Around the Corner

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With all the excitement going on here, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is just around the corner!

There are several "new years" in the Jewish calendar. The month of Shvat is the new year for trees; Nisan (April, Mayish) is the new year for the Jewish people (they finally left Egypt and became a people); Elul is new year for tithe; and of course, is Tishrei (September-ish) where Rosh Hashanah falls. Its the new year for the creation of man.

I really love the high holiday service! The prayer melodies are so beautiful and the words are melting. My favorite part of the Rosh Hashanah service is when we ask God to "open the gates". In the sephardi synagogue I used to attend in Chicago, the Cantor /Hazan would lead the congregation in a melodic way through each gate (gates of income, gates of good health, gates of knowledge.....etc). What will be this Rosh Hashanah? I don't know. I'm not so capable to get up and go these days.

Whatever, I pray you all enjoy this day! May it be prayerful, reflective, and most importantly, Joyous. May we all be inscribed in the book of life.

Have You Hugged a Special Person Today?

I could be wrong...but I think there may be a nephew waiting, or perhaps a niece... An aunt, a mother, a father... a spouse... some giggly children just waiting for today's hug! Are you too busy? Naw, I don't think so. Go ahead, spread some compassion, some kindness!



Okay, how about just a shout out to a friend by telephone? (don't these guys act like Na nachim? Na Nachim are these Jewish guys with white kippahs who go around dancing and jumping on street corners.)



Here are some Na Nachim:



Funny thing about them, there always trying to get others to dance too!

Quick Israeli story:

I was on a bus heading back to my dorm. There was a bum in the back of the bus just making noise and singing his head off. I could see from the rear view mirror, the bus driver was keeping an eye on him. Others kept glancing back as well. At this time, I was new in Israel. I knew people could get very emotional and loud and wasn't sure what to expect. I waited hesitantly for the "big brawl" to get him out of the bus.

Finally one man got up. He marched over to the back of the bus. I watched wide eyed. He got to the bum and said, "Do you know such -and such a song?"

The bum replied, "yes." and sang the requested song. Afterwards, others began to put in their request to the bum.