The Mishna says: If you look at three things you won't come to sin. Know what is above you- a seeing eye, a listening ear and all of your actions are recorded.

If we go through life with the awareness that our actions have lasting ramifications and nothing we see or do is forgotten the way we act will be much different. Even minor things that we all do, if we would look at our actions objectively we would be very embarrassed by our actions. This is the point that the Mishna is making, imagine if your actions were all being videotaped would you still act like this. How many times do our children or spouse want to speak with us and we halfheartedly listen while texting, emailing or doing something else? Don't they deserve our full attention? They bring us so much love and joy in life and want our attention can't we spare a few minutes? If we would see a video of this we would all agree to the great insensitivity, but many (including myself) continue to act like this. We just need to figure out how to internalize this message.

One of the greatest rabbis of the last generation was Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Aurebach. He tells the story about a visit his father in-law the Kapishnitzer Rav (a great rabbi as well) made to his house. When his father in-law was leaving R'Aurebach called for a cab to pick up his father in-law and take him home. R'Aurebach went out with his family to accompany his father in-law and wait for the cab to arrive. In the meantime R'Aurebach asked one of his children to go bring a chair so his father in-law could sit while waiting for the cab. The Kapishnitzer Rav refused this and explained to his great son in-law, that in heaven they will take a picture of this and when they see him sitting while his son in-law (the great R'Aurebach) standing it will be very embarrassing. The Kapishnitzer Rav was able to truly internalize this Mishna and live with it, may we all merit as well.

Enjoy your turkey and Shabbat Shalom,

Heath