[Avodah] Mindfulness and does Judaism value it

[Yonatan Kaganoff]

Again responding to a number of posts at once:
   
  1) A am grateful for R. Micha Berger for clarifying his original post and position.  I find his ideas about avodas hashem always insightful and personally meaningful. 
   
  So MB does say that Judaism does not have Mindfulness 2.0.  Rather we don't have Mindfulness.  So someone, Jewish or otherwise, who seeks Mindfulness should seek it elsewhere.  Personally, I find it difficult when people in Jewish education or Kiruv tell people that Judaism teaches something that it does not or has a value is that is not manifest in most Orthodox Jewish communities.  
   
  I find it disturbing when when young idealistic Jewish activists who have been active in liberal, left-wing political causes, are told by Kiruv professional that these ideas could be find in Judaism, when the Kiruv worker knows, quite well how politically and culturally right-wing most Orthodox Jewish communities are.
   
  2) Many strains of Buddhist teach the idea of non-Judgementally, contemplating the moment and the world and cultivating compassion for all suffering creatures.  This aquisition of true compassion can and often does lead to acting to relieve suffering in the world.  I believe that propotionally, at least as many Western Buddhists as Western Jews are involved in relieving suffering in the world.  
   
  (I don't think that this is the forum to discuss the four vows of the Buddha, but if anyone wants we can get into that topic.)
   
  3) I think that there is a distinct LACK of mindfulness and inner-cultivation within many Jewish communities.  Of course, as members of the list have pointed out, this should be the case.  We should constantly strive, strive, strive. It's just a matter of striving for the right things (e.g. mastering shas, being a better Jew) and not the wrong things (e.g. material wealth).  
  Of course a Buddhist would say that this cycle is bound to end in want and misery as desires are left unfulfilled and people are left without inner peace.. 
   
  4) Perhaps, if inner-peace and Mindfulness was more of a Jewish value, many of the problems within the Jewish communities (Orthodox and otherwise) could be avoided.  Of course, this then means that these values are just a stepping stone towards another problem (which many members of the list have expressed a comfort with).
   
  Have a good Shabbos,
  Yonatan

       
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