Last year, before Yom Kippur, the Grand Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, wrote his reflections as if they were 10 letters from a father to his children. To transmit them to the British Jewish community and around the world, the Grand Rabbi published them in the form of a small book: Letters to the New Generation.
Jewish Wisdom
Dear children, although wisdom is a good that has no cost, it is, however, the most expensive of all, since we usually acquire it through failure, disappointment or suffering. Therefore, we must try to share our wisdom with others, so that they do not have to pay the price we paid to gain it.
These are some of the lessons that Judaism has taught me about life and that I want to share with you:
Never try to be smart. Always try to be wise. Respect others even if they disrespect you.
Never seek publicity for what you do. If they deserve it, they will receive it. If they don't deserve it, they will be attacked. In any case, kindness does not need to draw attention to itself.
When you do good to others, the beneficiaries will be your own person, your conscience and your self-respect. The greatest gift of donating is the opportunity to donate.
In life, never take shortcuts. There is no success without effort, nor achievement without commitment.
Stay away from those who seek honor. Be respectful, but remember that no one has the obligation to serve as a mirror for those who are in love with themselves.
In everything you do, do not forget that G‑d sees everything. There is no way to deceive Him. When we try to deceive others, usually the only person we can deceive is ourselves.
Be very, very cautious about judging others. If they are wrong, G‑d will judge them. If we are the ones who are wrong, we will be the ones judged. Much greater than the love we receive is the love we give.
It was said of a great religious leader that he was a man who took G‑d so seriously that he never felt the need to take himself seriously. That's something worth aspiring to.
Use your time well. Our life is short, too short to be wasted in front of television, computer games and unnecessary e-mails; too short to be wasted on gossip or envying what belongs to others; too fleeting for feelings like anger or indignation; Too short to waste time criticizing our neighbors. “Teach us to number our days,” says the Psalmist, “that we may have a heart of wisdom.” But a day in which we do something good for others is not a day wasted.
Life will offer you many reasons for annoyance. People can be negligent, cruel, inconsiderate, offensive, arrogant, harsh, destructive, insensitive and rude. It's their problem, not yours. Your problem is how to react to them. A wise lady once said that “no one can make you feel inferior unless you allow it.” The same applies to other negative emotions.
Don't react. Don't respond. Don't get angry. But if you do, give it time until the anger dissipates – and only then move on with your life. Don't give others victory over your own emotional state. Forgive – or, if you can't, ignore.
If you try and don't succeed, don't feel bad. G‑d forgives our faults the moment we recognize them as faults. This saves us the self-deception of trying to see them as “successes”.
None of the people we admire has been successful without facing many failures along the way. Great poets have written horrible poems; great artists painted indecipherable canvases; Not all of Mozart's symphonies were masterpieces. If they lack the courage to fail, they will lack the courage to win.
Always seek the friendship of those who are strong in what you are weak. None of us possesses all the virtues. Even a man of Moses' stature needed an Aaron. The work of a team, a partnership, collaboration with others who have gifts or different ways of seeing things, is always more than what an individual can achieve alone.
Create moments of silence in your soul if you want to hear G-d's voice.
If something is wrong, don't blame others. Ask, “How can I help make it work?”
Always remember that you create the environment that surrounds you.
If you want others to smile, you must smile. If you want others to give, you must give. If you want others to respect you, you must show respect to them. The way the world treats us is a mirror of how we treat the world.
Be patient. The world is sometimes slower than you are. Wait until it catches up, because if you are on the right path, the world will eventually catch up with you.
Never have your ear so close to the ground that you can't hear someone standing there.
Never worry when people say that you are too idealistic. Only idealists can change the world; and do you want this world to remain unchanged throughout your life?
Be correct, honest and always do what you say you will do. There really is no other way to live life.
Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks
Chief Rabbi of the United Jewish Congregations of the British Commonwealth since September 1991, Jonathan Sacks was born in London in 1948, and was ordained as a rabbi by Jews' College and Yeshivah Etz Chaim, later obtaining a Doctorate in Philosophy from the renowned King's College in London . A remarkable personality, he frequently collaborates with the English media, through radio, television and major newspapers. A prolific writer, many of his books have been translated into French, Italian, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Korean and Hebrew. Shortly after being elevated to the important position, the Chief Rabbi launched a project entitled “A Decade of Jewish Renewal”, which triggered a series of innovative community projects. Among these are “Jewish Continuity”, a national foundation dedicated to Jewish education and outreach programs; and “Community Development”, a national project to improve Jewish community life. The Chief Rabbi began his second decade in office with a call for “Jewish Responsibility” and a renewed commitment to the ethical dimension of Judaism. Dr. Jonathan Sacks was awarded the 1995 Jerusalem Prize for his contribution to Jewish life in the Diaspora and was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2005. Raised to a Peer of the Kingdom, he was given a seat in the House of Lords in 27 October 2009, as a non-partisan member, peering Baron Sacks of Aldgate in the City of London.
