I'm really happy to see you fighting the good fight (against the parts of yourself that inhibit your Self), and that you've used your writing towards that end. Keep up the good work FOR YOURSELF!
When I read your article this morning I laughed that I had posted one about the same subject lol. I think the biggest Chiddush for me from the way the Rambam expressed it was saying it was for God. We’ve spoken about the importance being selfish in your learning (and you do so in those articles as well), but it took such a clear statement from the Rambam for me to internalize that that really is acting for God.
Wow, I love how you brought philosophical ideas from both secular and Judaic schools of thought to make your point.
To answer your final question - it is tremendously applicable to my life insofar as any good therapist will say, I must live my life for ME. Not for the likes, or the comments, or the perfectly curated profile. I have to follow what I am interested in and what speaks to me (whether in my life as a person or as a parent or as a friend, etc. - you can take this in a million directions), rather than focusing on the intended outcome and how others may receive it. Your phrase “North Star” really spoke to me - when going off course, or perhaps focusing too much on intended outcome, one’s North Star (whatever that might be) is integral to getting back on track and living with authenticity. Thank you so much for bringing up this topic.
LOVE! As I'm sure you're aware, I have gone through (and will probably continue to go through) similar cycles, and have written similar articles to this one in order to get myself back on track, such as "Playing With Torah" (https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/playing-with-torah-updated-for-2015) and "Octopuses, MDMA, and the Ecstasy of Torah" (https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/octopuses-mdma-and-the-ecstasy-of) and, most recently (i.e. this morning!) "Stephen Nedoroscik is My Hero" (https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/stephen-nedoroscik-is-my-hero).
I'm really happy to see you fighting the good fight (against the parts of yourself that inhibit your Self), and that you've used your writing towards that end. Keep up the good work FOR YOURSELF!
When I read your article this morning I laughed that I had posted one about the same subject lol. I think the biggest Chiddush for me from the way the Rambam expressed it was saying it was for God. We’ve spoken about the importance being selfish in your learning (and you do so in those articles as well), but it took such a clear statement from the Rambam for me to internalize that that really is acting for God.
Agreed! Great point and great chiddush - one that I hadn't noticed in that letter before.
Wow, I love how you brought philosophical ideas from both secular and Judaic schools of thought to make your point.
To answer your final question - it is tremendously applicable to my life insofar as any good therapist will say, I must live my life for ME. Not for the likes, or the comments, or the perfectly curated profile. I have to follow what I am interested in and what speaks to me (whether in my life as a person or as a parent or as a friend, etc. - you can take this in a million directions), rather than focusing on the intended outcome and how others may receive it. Your phrase “North Star” really spoke to me - when going off course, or perhaps focusing too much on intended outcome, one’s North Star (whatever that might be) is integral to getting back on track and living with authenticity. Thank you so much for bringing up this topic.