Ingredients
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Ingredients |
To Succeed We Must Use the Proper Ingredients
There is an old German expression
that explains it well: “Backe, backe Kuchen der Backer hat gerufen, wer will
guten Kuchen backen der muss haben sieben Sachen: Zucker und Saltz, Butter und
Shmaltz, Milch und Mehl und Safran macht ten Kuchen gel.” (If you want to bake
a tasty cake you must have seven ingredients: sugar and salt, butter and grease,
milk and flour, and saffron to give it a yellow color). This recipe can be used
for life situations. When we want to
bake a good cake we must have all of the necessary ingredients that make it
good. To earn a living it is
necessary to work hard, to be diligent. If
we want a profession we must examine what is needed in the work world, what is
necessary to reach our goal, attend an educational institution, apprentice for
the chosen trade, and have the personality to achieve that which we are yearning
to be and do. To be a good secretary
we must be able to utilize the computer, to be friendly, forthcoming and dress
neatly and to some extent conservatively and appropriately. To become an
engineer we must attend an authentic university, be bright, understand
measurements, numbers, and much more. To
achieve being a competent social worker or human services professional we must
understand what is expected and needed, attend a college and graduate school
where our subject is taught adequately, and must know how to handle people and
their problems. We must recognize
that the salary in that field will be relatively small compared to most other
professions. To strive for being a
physician it is essential to recognize that a minimum of eight years are
essential with addition of more years in a residency in the specific field into
which we must enter. As an
accomplished physician we must be reserved but professional, be able to deal
with the human body as well as with the patients and their varied personalities.
If we want to build homes, be builders, it is essential to be skilled
craftsmen, know what tools and products to use to be sought after because of the
finished products we are able to use as well as all the necessary ingredients to
produce what is wanted. The same is true of religion.
We must recognize what it is that is needed to fulfill the tenets of our
religion, whatsoever that may be. As Jews we are very much aware of this. There
are some of our religious kin who have abandoned the Jewish religion.
They may have changed their name, and superficially taken the habits or
pseudo practices of others. Basically they cannot hide from their
innermost being, regardless of their efforts.
Our very orthodox compatriots must follow as many of the “caryagym
mitzwot” (613 duties/blessings) as possible.
Orthodoxy has many rules, regulations, tenets which must or must not be
done from birth to death. Examples
are numerous but only a few will be mentioned here.
The Jewish boy must have a circumcision eight days after he is born,
which must be done by a competent “moyle” who is religious and capable to
perform the surgery. There are
innumerable prayers that are recited before and after meals, at bedtime, on
particular holidays, and much more. Boys have a bar mitzwah when they become
thirteen years of age and are considered as “men,” competent human beings
who must follow the edicts of all that must be done as a responsible orthodox
Jew. All of life has the directive
for men and women from birth to death. At
the end of life, “Tachrichim”, burial clothing, cover the body and the
burial instructions and ceremonies are given and applied. Lehitraot. Dr. Ursula A. Falk is a psychotherapist in private practice and the author of several books and articles. |
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