Grandmothers

Introduction by Rabbi Nadya Gross

GrandmothersWisdom\grandmas wisdom 02 - Meditation - Nadya Gross.mp3

Invocation

L’dor Vador

Grandmother's Wisdom

Perek 1, Mishna 1:

“According to Pirkei Avot, Moshe received Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Y’hoshu’a, who in turn transmitted Torah to the elders who transmitted Torah to the prophets who in turn transmitted it to the men of the great assembly...According to the lineage of Pirkei Imahot, Miriam received Torah at Sinai and passed it to Machlah, No’a, Chaglah, Milkah and Tirzah, the daughters of Zelaphchad, who passed it to Devorah who gave it to Hanna who passed it to Michal bat Shaul, eventually received by B’ruriah and transmitted to Hannah Rachel of Ludemeria, Regina Jonas of Berlin and, now, surfacing again, to walk side by side and share the light equally with the parallel lineage of men with which we began.”

R’Yocheved Mintz

Perek 1, Mishna 4 & 5:

Yosi ben Yo’ezer said, “Let the house be a meeting house for the wise; sit amidst the dust of their feet, and drink in their words with thirst. Yosi ben Yochanan said, ”Let the house be open wide.. and engage not in gossip with women...”

Perek 1, Mishna 6:

Yehoshua ben Perachya said: “Get yourself a teacher. Get yourself a companion. Judge all people favorably.”

R’P’ Shulamit Fagan

Perek 1, Mishna 14: 

Hillel used to say, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?  And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

Perek 2, Mishna 13: 

Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said to his disciples, “Go forth and see which is the good way to which a person should cleave. R’ Eliezer said, ‘A good eye;’ R’ Yehoshua said, ‘A good friend;’ R’ Yosi said, A good neighbor;’ R’ Shimon said, ‘One who foresees the fruit of an action;’ R’ Elazar said, ‘A good heart.’ He said, ‘I approve of the words of Elazar...for in

his words, all are included.’”

Your Children

Perek 2, Mishna 18:

R’ Shimon said, “Be careful in the reading of the Shema and the saying of the Amidah.

When you pray, do not regard your prayer as a fixed mechanical task but as an appeal for mercy and grace before HaMakom, the Omni-Present.”

Perek 2, Mishna 21:

R’ Tarfon used to say, “It is not your duty to complete the work but neither are you free

to desist from it.”

Perek 3, Mishna 3, 4, and 7:

R’ Chananya ben Te-rad-yon said, “If two sit together and interchange words of Torah, the Shekhina abides between them”...R’ Shimon said, ”If three eat at a table and speak words of Torah, it is as if they have eaten at the table of HaMakom, the Omni-Present”…

R’ Chalafta, ben Dosa, said, “When ten people sit together and occupy themselves with Torah. the Shekhina abides among them.”

Perek 4, Mishna 1: 

Ben Zoma said, “Who is wise? One who learns from everyone...Who is mighty? One who subdues his passions...Who is rich?  One who rejoices in his portion...Who is worthy of honor? One who respects all creatures...”

Perek 6, Mishna 8:

R’ Shimon ben Yehudah said, “Beauty, strength, riches, honour, wisdom, old age, white hair, and children are pleasing to the righteous and to the world as it is said, ‘White hair is a crown of glory, ‘Ateret Tiferet,’ if it is found on the path of righteousness...’”

Prayer for what is most precious in your life, and Kaddish

Comments

Concluding prayer