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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>From: Micha Berger <A href="mailto:micha@aishdas.org">micha@aishdas.org</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>RSW's first vaad in Alei Shur is one for "Hislamdus"....</FONT><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial><BR>The
goal of this particular avodah is to say Adon Olam with hislamdus --<BR>not to
actively increase one's kavanah, but to become more aware of how<BR>one says it
as it is being said. </DIV></DIV>
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<DIV><BR>.....Where should tzedaqah go -- is it better to give to
established<BR>institutions, which have more skill at using the money, but you
end up<BR>paying for that skill, or to private individuals?<BR><BR>Perhaps it
depends on which aspect of our relationship to HQBH we are<BR>trying to
emulate.<BR><BR>Emulating the Adon Olam would be working wholesale, and thus
push more<BR>toward supporting communal institutions.<BR></DIV>
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<DIV>Emulating Chai Goali would be having a personal stake in an
individual,<BR>and therefore push toward the matan beseiser in the mail-slot
kind<BR>of giving.<BR><BR>What do you think? A valid take-home lesson from Adon
Olam? No?<BR><BR>Tir'u baTov!<BR>-Micha<BR><BR>-- <BR>Micha
Berger <BR>micha@aishdas.org <BR> </FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>I'm going to tell you what I think, but you're not going to like it.
I think that chassidus has much more warmth and heart than does mussar, and
there's a good reason why the one attracted hundreds of thousands while the
other attracted...dozens. That was in Europe and kal vechomer in
America.</DIV>
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<DIV>I think a heart-warming story and a beautiful niggun will inspire many more
acts of tzedakah -- whether communal or private -- than will weeks of pondering
Adon Olam and how best to practice Imitatio Dei. </DIV>
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<DIV>Furthermore, chassidus includes a hefty dose of kabbalah -- even if it's
just kabbalah-lite for most people -- which makes people feel that every good
deed, every mitzva and every tefillah, activates wheels within wheels in
the Heavenly spheres and has powerful effects throughout the cosmos.
By contrast, mussar inspires the thought that you can spend a whole lifetime
trying to change just one midah without succeeding, and most of what we do is
just an exercise in futility. Hevel havalim, hakol hevel.</DIV>
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<DIV>People need a combination of mind and heart to inspire them. I
really think that thinking about Adon Olam just won't cut it. However,
singing Adon Olam to a beautiful melody -- just might.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><B>--Toby Katz<BR>==========<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"></B>--------------------</FONT></DIV></DIV>
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