Back To School

 So last night was the first of 6 Wednesday night classes sponsored by the JLI, or Jewish Learning Institute, this one on Kabbalah, or Jewish Mysticism, and also the Meaning We Seek. This is the 3rd go around for Barry, Norman,and me, and sometimes Jeff joins as well. Norman missed the first class last night, so Barry and I drove to the shiny new Center after dinner at Captain's Tavern.

Rabbi Moshe, Yossi's son, is teaching -- he also taught the last class on Talmud. This young fellow is gifted -- if he were teaching at a university, his classes would be oversubscribed -- he has a gifted mix of intellect, charm, and relatability.

We raised the basic questions: why, in this time of comfort and plenty, are nearly 50% of us anxious or depressed? We talked about how the Torah views trees -- those which bear fruit are never to be cut down -- and how people are tree-like in many ways.

We discussed the need we have for community, and for giving to others -- Jewish law requires even the poorest recipient of charity to himself give charity. We all shared what makes each of us fulfilled -- the difference between happiness and meaningfulness -- Barry and I both thought of the time we spend following our annually disappointing football teams -- lately meaningLESS and giving no happiness.

One fellow share how his sobriety has brought meaningfulness AND pleasure to his life. I didn't share that Barry and I each had 2 vodka martinis with dinner...

The class, per Rabbi Moshe, is like peeling an onion -- each week we go deeper. We spoke about the greatest of all trees -- redwoods -- and how they have surprisingly shallow roots, but the roots go wide and anchor to others -- thus making the "community of trees" stronger and enduring for thousands of years.

And the first reading was from Ecclesiastes -- about how all is vanity -- we come from dust and to dust we return -- why toil under the sun all of our lives?

I think about that all the time -- how the "Critical" and "Crucial" issues we face daily -- health, family, finances, relationships -- are so fleeting. Who among us even knows a thing about our great grandparents. Hell -- my paternal grandfather died years before I was born, and my maternal one when I was a small boy. Their lives, just going back 2 generations, are barely abstractions to me.

I guess we'll explore the answers more each Wednesday -- though I'm missing the final class for a Stevie Nicks concert. Norman and Barry better take good notes.

After class, Barry and I heard some sad health news about a Shul member's daughter -- she's 2, and was diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome with the acronym of GAND -- it causes a host of disabilities like developmental delays, muscle delays -- a lifetime of therapy awaits this adorable toddler.

And as I lay in bed last night watching a relaxing show with Wifey -- the Murdaugh Family tale of murder -- it struck me -- how DARE I complain about my hill of beans problems -- compared to dealing with a disabled child.

Hell -- hopefully my Old Man's Neck diagnosis is confirmed next week, but if not -- I have had a HELL of a run. I would like to finally collect some Medicare and Social Security benefits after decades of paying in -- but if Big Man says no -- well -- so be it.

All I know is, I enjoy being back in a classroom -- particularly one where we just learn and read and speak and don't have to come up with term papers (or, when I was the teacher, grade them).

As mid week events go -- it's a fine way to spend an evening.