You go with the flow,
you move like they do,
talk when they talk,
walk when they walk,
mimic them.
When they say jump,
you say how high.
When they tell you to swim,
you jump right in.
Cuz they seem to know what they are talking about.
You look to them for direction,
when you are lost.
You turn to them for answers,
when you have questions.
Cuz they are smart like that.
Or so you think.
But now you are not sure.
You question.
You observe.
You see that things are not as they seem.
They are not who you thought they were.
Cuz really, they are just like you.
One big question mark,
disguised in a body.
Stumbling along, same as you,
looking for answers.
So why follow them?
Why follow the blind when you are blind yourself?
Why turn to others for answers?
Who needs them?
They can't help you.
So you stop.
You turn.
You leave.
You find your own path.
Cuz you were following people all along,
until you realized,
that they were just following you.
here is my comment
ReplyDeletethat comment is not even worthy of publication.
ReplyDeleteso delete it, thats in ur jurisdiction
ReplyDeleteand btw, ur blog is on its own weird time zone
ReplyDeleteDo your own thing! Woohoo!
ReplyDelete"Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?"
ReplyDeletee- they might. unless they have a really good sense of direction
ReplyDeleteBased on what you wrote here, and two posts ago... you sound confused.
ReplyDeleteIf the officer leading the formation is reliable then continue to march in step.
but how do u know he is reliable? maybe he's leading u in the completely wrong direction.
ReplyDeleteyou know even if its the blind leading the blind at least its better than two blind people walking seperately.
ReplyDeletedovid- maybe. but what if the one with sight is walking alone? then at least they have a chance. in stead of the seeing following the blind. then neither has a chance.
ReplyDelete"How do you know he is reliable"
ReplyDeleteIf he is a tzaddik or has nullified himself to a tzaddik.
You have to know as best as possible and do your best. Hashem expects that you do the best with the materials you have to work with.
It is important to not fall prey to the Yetzer Hara of "I don't even know if I am doing the right thing at all so I might as well just do what I want/what makes me happy/what is easiest."
The world is already such a confusing place that even with the guidance of tzaddikim and mashpiim it is not easy. For any person to strike it out on his own is a tempting but ultimately foolish decision.
faivish- in this context, im not talking abt following a tzaddik or a group. im talking abt people, and society in general.
ReplyDeleteyou are right, you are smart. those things are easy to know, easy to say, easy to give as advice- but so hard to do.
mashpias, rabbis, friends, they can help you, yes. but if u are human, u are curious. u want to try. u question. theres no way every person can stay on the straight path his whole life and not stray a bit.
being a teen is especially hard. we are searching for something. we dont even know what.
im not confused, im conflicted.
thanks for ur advice. u sound like my mother. (thats not a bad thing.)
"you are right, you are smart. those things are easy to know, easy to say, easy to give as advice- but so hard to do."
ReplyDeleteIts a ma'amer chazal that a person can't free himself from prison. We all know the poshiter eytzos that never sound genuine when we say them to ourselves.
What people or society in general do is only nogeah to you as far as your responsibility to change them for the better. Otherwise there is no need to pay attention to or worry about their ways at all.
I understand that being a teen is especially hard. All the more so a religious one. Other people seem to have such an easier time. In reality they don't.
You are supposed to be conflicted. That would be the major symptom of having a neshama and a nefesh hab'hamis.
I don't know what you mean by not knowing what we are searching for.
Also not to be nit picky but I think this quote "theres no way every person can stay on the straight path his whole life and not stray a bit. " is untrue. Likutei Amarim demonstrates exactly that. Thata person can stay on the straight path his whole life and not stray a bit.
I think people have gotten into their minds (myself included) that its almost impossible to be a real beinoni and therefore we don't really actualize being a beinoni. It is really a shame.
if so, then why bother giving me advice? it wont help. u said so yourself.
ReplyDeleteoh really? so i'm supposed to close my eyes to what society and people say and do? so that connects with finding my own path. i.e. theres nothing wrong with that.
not knowing what we are searching for- i'll correct that and put in 'me' instead. and dont ask me, cuz i dont know.
obviously. in theory we have the ability to not stray, and even to be a benoni. but it is not realistic, as how many beinonim do u know?
a shame it is, but also the sad truth.
I didn't say it won't help.
ReplyDeleteI said that Chazal say you can not free yourself from prison.
That means that sometimes you can say to yourself something and it wont help at all.
You need someone ELSE to come along and say it before it can help.
You should close your eyes and ears to what society does whenever it is not relevant to your avodah.
I still don't understand this searching business but maybe I am too thick.
I don't really think it is so much about searching as it is about applying what we have already found.
"its not realistic, how many beinonim do you know?"
Why do you define the potential of reality based on what other people do?
The fact that I choose with bechira to be a RASHA in no way limits your potential to choose good. What we do though is excuse our inadequacies by measuring ourselves against everyone else instead of against our potential selves. I can be satisfied with who I am because so and so is considered a chassidish person and he makes whatever mistakes. As long as I can out do him a little bit I am set.
"how many beinonim do you know?"
I don't know. I don't think it is my business to quantify where other people are holding. Look with the right eye.
close your eyes and ears- good advice. again, not easy, or practical. they always judge. though i know its wrong, and i shouldnt care.
ReplyDelete'Why do you define the potential of reality based on what other people do?'
cuz the world measures. yes, its true. i judge according to the world. when it comes to smartness, we have IQ testing. why? cuz everyone wants to know where they hold in accordance with everyone else. it makes u feel better to know that you are smarter than so and so.
so it may not be right, but yes, people measure yidishkeit and chassidishkeit against others, and then it either makes them feel better, or worse abt themself.
(as a jew, im answering everything backwords.)
i know u need someone else. i just havent found that else yet. or i wont listen to ppl.
i could explain what i mean abt confused, and searching, and answers, but i think its complicated. or maybe im making it more complicated than it really is, and its rreally very simple. i dont know.
Just wanted to clarify that this was sarcastic "I can be satisfied with who I am because so and so is considered a chassidish person and he makes whatever mistakes. As long as I can out do him a little bit I am set."
ReplyDeleteK I require sleep now.
Goodnight.
Be Matzliach!
P.S.
ReplyDeleteDifficulty does not equal impracticality.
It ain't supposed to be easy.
i got it that it was sarcastic.
ReplyDeleteits not supposed to be easy- aaah, the joys of life.
why thank you wise old man. now i shall rest in peace.
gnite to u too.
you are unfairly spinning my comments.
ReplyDeleteI wrote that in response to "not easy or practical"
I layed out an approach to which you responded by saying that its not easy.
I know it isn't easy.
I am not trying to sound profound and I am sorry if that is how I came across.
its ok. i know that. its just hard. so im spiting your comment.
ReplyDeleteno harm meant. nothing taken.