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Rabbi Jamie Arnold's avatar

Kol hakavod.

I like the alliterative polarity - grievance vs gratitude. Nice.

Yes. And the root of grievance is our sense of justice / injustice. Thankfully jewish traction offers another piece of profound moral technology in the guidelines around loving rebuke - tocheichah, how to call out injustice as an act of love and thus guard the heart from hatred of other people (as opposed to hatred of injustice).

We all use some practice in effective ways to give voice to grievance. As well as gratitude!

Thanks Alan.

Alan Morinis's avatar

Thank you, Jamie. Grievance and gratitude both fit the Mussar paradigm that says that the qualities in themselves are neither good nor bad. It all depends on the measure and the context. Such as, there are valid grievances and ones that have no basis in truth. Our challenge is discernment. All good wishes, A.

734480's avatar

As usual, Mussar teaches us how to reach up, out, beyond. It helps us utilize our gratitude to effect the greater picture in a meaningful way, hopefully to make a difference. Thank you Alan for the assist!

Bonnie

Sacramento CA

Alan Morinis's avatar

Thanks to the trees, and to our wise ancestors who helped us know how to look at them.

734480's avatar

Spot on; each word seems chosen to carry us onward and upward. Thank you.

Susan Rose's avatar

Nailed it, Alan! Grievance vs. gratitude, yes 👍... And, I suspect if Kohelet were writing today, there would be a line, "a time to put down tools and write a check!" 😜

Alan Morinis's avatar

Hmmm. Wouldn't it be: "A time to pick up tools and a time to doff them, a time to write a check and a time to refrain from writing a check"? There may be a new version in the offing.