This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Life is not always wonderful, but it is an experience filled with wonder.
Character | Experience | Life | Life | Wonder |
Good sense, disciplined by experience and inspired by goodness, issues in practical wisdom.
Character | Experience | Good | Sense | Wisdom |
Shantananda Saraswathi, fully Swami Shantananda Saraswathi, born Chandrashekar
Self-pity deprives us of the beauty of the past; fear deprives us of the beauty of the future; and jealousy deprives us of the beauty of the moment.
Beauty | Character | Fear | Future | Jealousy | Past | Pity | Self | Beauty |
Shantananda Saraswathi, fully Swami Shantananda Saraswathi, born Chandrashekar
Fear arises in two forms. Either you fear losing what you have, or you fear not getting what you want.
Pinchas Shapiro of Koretz, aka Pinchas or Pinchos of Koretz
Imagine a man was standing before a king. Someone comes along and slaps that person in the face. Out of fear of the king the man will be almost oblivious to the blow. Moreover, he will think to himself, “I can’t retaliate now. The king witnessed what he did tome. If the king approves, nothing I do will help. If the king disapproves of what he did, the king himself will punish that person for what he has done to me.” Similarly we are in the presence of the Almighty and should not reply to insults.
Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, aka Beis Halevi
Fear destroys desires... Even a small amount of fear of the Almighty will remove your coveting.
Jealousy is the fear or apprehension of superiority; envy our uneasiness under it.
Character | Envy | Fear | Jealousy | Superiority |
Avraham-Haim Shag, born Avraham-Haim Tzvebner
There is no greater fool than one who makes his happiness based on receiving honor and approval. Such a person’s happiness is always in the hands of others... Such a person is dependent on other people his enter life and will frequently suffer humiliation. Only an idiot would knowingly and willingly put himself in a situation where he will constantly be in need of others and will humiliate himself for a dubious and questionable benefit.
Character | Honor | Life | Life | Need | People | Will | Happiness |