"The Path of the Just"

Originally Posted by forestfire

Indeed Yamah and in some mysterious ways your comment is very helpful, it reminded me something about a mountain I was supposed to climb during this full moon period before Christmas. Oh well, there is still plenty of time to do it!
Thanks again (for the joke and the Bruce Lee reminder!).

You are climbing it

Originally Posted by Yamah

I don't remember that statement well but it sounds out of context. Laughter is a big part of Judaism and all the great sages loved to make jokes and witty jabs. How is he defining 'levity'? It probably means something like 'don't laugh at penis jokes', not 'don't laugh ever'.

what chapter are you on btw?

Keep in mind also that this book is a guide to go from normal person (Ch.1) to Righteous (Ch.4) to Saint (Ch.7) to Divine Holy Sage (Ch.10). It is meant to be read slowly and worked on/with. If you're at chapter 5+ I'd suggest stopping, going back to Ch.1 and start practicing some of the exercises he suggests. My first time reading I got up to chapter 7 and I thought to myself 'there's no way I can do all this'. Then I went back and started from the beginning. I probably read the first 4 chapters 5 times before continuing and reading the whole book.

Yamah,

1.) Do not make any attempt to decipher what FF had to say. He is extremely clever and hilarious, and makes me smile and laugh all day. But his comments were full of inside jokes, that no one else could possibly appreciate. He is also sometimes sinful company and perfect in my eyes.
2.) Which brings me to Chapter 5 "The Factors which detract from this trait (watchfulness) and withdraw one from it are three:The first is worldly occupation and involvement, the second, laughter and levity, and the third, evil companionship." Before sparing regarding this topic (which for the non Jews is also a big part of our tradition). Let us back up a minute. So far everything you have said about the religion, has been my experience, but this book does not seem to jive with your/mine view. However, this book helped you on your path towards living a more authentic life. What is your definition authenticity?

Here is a the definition that i am working from:

Authenticity is a technical term used in psychology as well as existentialist philosophy and aesthetics. In existentialism, authenticity is the degree to which one is true to one's own personality, spirit, or character, despite external pressures; the conscious self is seen as coming to terms with being in a material world and with encountering external forces, pressures and influences which are very different from, and other than, itself. A lack of authenticity is considered in existentialism to be bad faith.

Lol, thanks... I was a bit confused in the middle there.

Regarding my previous comment regarding chapters to midot I meant to say Midot 1-4 (Chapters 1 to 12) are for Righteousness, 5-7 (Ch.21) for Saintliness and 8-10 (Ch.26) are to become a Divine Holy Sage.

By 'laughter and levity' he doesn't mean 'don't make a joke' or 'don't laugh at a person's joke'. He means don't involve yourself in activities which are solely intended to entertain.

Back in his day I'm sure he intended things like going out and drinking every night or I don't know what. He certainly had no idea what we would be up against nowadays.

It is especially difficult nowadays because the entertainment industry is so strong. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that Television rots your soul, as do Video Games, Pop Music, etc. After talking about Levity he talks about hanging out with evil people - this also rots your soul, especially because evil people (or even neutral people in some cases) want to engage in activities based around Levity.

Now, this is not a black and white case of 'anything that makes you happy is wrong'. Also it isn't a case of 'all entertainment is bad' and, depending on your level, giving up all TV and Movies might be the wrong call.

At one point while reading this book and going through my own metamorphosis I swore off all entertainment media, broke all my DVDs. God even helped me by making my computer crash and not start up for the next few months. To top it off, I was living in Bene Berak - a city in Israel based on Torah learning where nobody owned a television, there were no bars or distractions of any kind. I was completely isolated from the entertainment industry.

For the first few days my motivations towards growth kept me strong and I didn't feel like I needed entertainment. Then I went through heavy withdrawl, like I quit heroine (not that I'd know, but that's how I imagined it). I was daydreaming constantly about movies I watched or movies I'd like to see, I couldn't concentrate on anything. I tried to meditate and keep myself calm and it worked to an extent but I really just didn't know what to do with myself. After the first month I felt better. By the end of the second I had a breakdown - a build up of rage and tension from the whole transformation process. I held it back until I dragged one of my friends with me out of town so we could buy a beer (because beer wasn't sold in Bene Berak). We vented to each other about how hard it was to be there and cut yourself off from entertainment media. I missed my video games and he missed his comic books (I've been a gamer since i was a kid and he used to be a comic book artist).
I held it together for another couple of months until I snapped and couldn't take it any more. The whole time I was checking my computer weekly and sometimes daily to see if it would work and it never did, until one day I pleaded with God and told him I couldn't take it any more and, miraculously, my computer turned on! (it might have been the second or third week of pleading but anyways...)

My roomate said I was like a demon for the next week; I spent every moment I could in front of that computer, invested in whatever video game I didn't manage to delete in my previous bold declaration.

Nowadays I live in Jerusalem; Bene Berak got too intense for me very quickly. As you can tell I have computer access. I try to moderate my media levels but it's a constant struggle. Watching some shows is necessary to maintain sanity levels but too much is a waste of life. I realize they are evil and that I am addicted, as the whole world is, but I'm not strong enough to stop completely.


Authenticity: I agree with your definition except that I would add 'and is on a spiritual path leading towards true fulfillment of self and not base ego gratification.'

Originally Posted by Yamah

Lol, thanks... I was a bit confused in the middle there.

Regarding my previous comment regarding chapters to midot I meant to say Midot 1-4 (Chapters 1 to 12) are for Righteousness, 5-7 (Ch.21) for Saintliness and 8-10 (Ch.26) are to become a Divine Holy Sage.

By 'laughter and levity' he doesn't mean 'don't make a joke' or 'don't laugh at a person's joke'. He means don't involve yourself in activities which are solely intended to entertain.

Back in his day I'm sure he intended things like going out and drinking every night or I don't know what. He certainly had no idea what we would be up against nowadays.

It is especially difficult nowadays because the entertainment industry is so strong. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that Television rots your soul, as do Video Games, Pop Music, etc. After talking about Levity he talks about hanging out with evil people - this also rots your soul, especially because evil people (or even neutral people in some cases) want to engage in activities based around Levity.

Now, this is not a black and white case of 'anything that makes you happy is wrong'. Also it isn't a case of 'all entertainment is bad' and, depending on your level, giving up all TV and Movies might be the wrong call.

At one point while reading this book and going through my own metamorphosis I swore off all entertainment media, broke all my DVDs. God even helped me by making my computer crash and not start up for the next few months. To top it off, I was living in Bene Berak - a city in Israel based on Torah learning where nobody owned a television, there were no bars or distractions of any kind. I was completely isolated from the entertainment industry.

For the first few days my motivations towards growth kept me strong and I didn't feel like I needed entertainment. Then I went through heavy withdrawl, like I quit heroine (not that I'd know, but that's how I imagined it). I was daydreaming constantly about movies I watched or movies I'd like to see, I couldn't concentrate on anything. I tried to meditate and keep myself calm and it worked to an extent but I really just didn't know what to do with myself. After the first month I felt better. By the end of the second I had a breakdown - a build up of rage and tension from the whole transformation process. I held it back until I dragged one of my friends with me out of town so we could buy a beer (because beer wasn't sold in Bene Berak). We vented to each other about how hard it was to be there and cut yourself off from entertainment media. I missed my video games and he missed his comic books (I've been a gamer since i was a kid and he used to be a comic book artist).
I held it together for another couple of months until I snapped and couldn't take it any more. The whole time I was checking my computer weekly and sometimes daily to see if it would work and it never did, until one day I pleaded with God and told him I couldn't take it any more and, miraculously, my computer turned on! (it might have been the second or third week of pleading but anyways...)

My roomate said I was like a demon for the next week; I spent every moment I could in front of that computer, invested in whatever video game I didn't manage to delete in my previous bold declaration.

Nowadays I live in Jerusalem; Bene Berak got too intense for me very quickly. As you can tell I have computer access. I try to moderate my media levels but it's a constant struggle. Watching some shows is necessary to maintain sanity levels but too much is a waste of life. I realize they are evil and that I am addicted, as the whole world is, but I'm not strong enough to stop completely.


Authenticity: I agree with your definition except that I would add 'and is on a spiritual path leading towards true fulfillment of self and not base ego gratification.'

Dear Yamah,
I apologize indeed for my puzzling comments and would like to thank you for continuing this thread even if my beloved TP left this forum (for reasons of her own which have nothing to do with this thread by the way, and she is fine by the way, I didn't lock her in a dungeon for communicating with an other man, lol!)

If I may ask you something is why this religious obsession (not only in Judaism Bene Berak style) against media, entertainment etc? I mean I know most of TV is **** (don't watch it at all), many games are too (although I love the Civilization serie), and most of current pop music makes me cringe. So I get the point but isn't it too extremist to refuse EVERYTHING? If we follow that school of thought (also present in the strictest Christian or Muslim groupings) then pretty much any form of expression is evil: newspapers, music, art, the internet etc. only allowed "entertainment" is the authorized religious books and ceremonies. Well, for me that sucks. I will never visit Bene Berak! (Although I'd love to go to Israel someday) and I'm glad for you that you came to a more balanced life.

In my goyim & not so religious & very hedonistic perspective, on the contrary the progress of media in history (from papyrus to internet) and most of "real" art and good entertainment are not mindless levity. On the opposite I think they are gifts from above and can help to enhance mankind's condition, even spiritually. And that were just my 2 drachma (it doesn't exist anymore so even cheaper!)
Hugs and thanks
Forest Fire

Ps: why did you pick up "how I met your mother?" Btw? Call me even more media-adverse than you but I don't know this serie. Thanks a lot. Also I fully agree with your addition to the definition of "authenticity". But taming the ego is no small achievement and I guess we all struggle with this issue on this forum. But at least we know it's a nice goal to have.