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Intense Sukkos no. 2

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max
on November 15, 2008
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Shabbos night I went to an important and influencial guy from London who is somehow connected to the yeshivah. An allways on top, controling type of person, probably Dynamic Aggressive. He has something which I call ‘high self esteem humor’ and I can definitly relate to that. I think we like each other. Throughout the meal I was trying to understeand him psychologicaly. Threre were bottles of expensive alcohol. MoMo was entertaining the meal also.

Shabbos lunch I went to Avi Ma, the small fighter. I was crazy, I was talking all the time - I was very extroverted. All that because of my previous meal.

On Shmimi Atzeres night I went to Terry. I was talking all the time.

Than for Lunch I went again to the English influencial guy. We davened micha after the first course - for a reason. We got into singing and we ended up dancing. It was amazing! I don’t remember leaving his house.

Simchas Torah evening somebody woke me up in the middle of Maariv so I missed part of hakafos. Later I was really missed it.

I was crazy. Both during hakafos and my meal at Ze’evie. I had so much energy! I appointed myself to introduce everybody and so once I was, you know, appointed I had to do it, and with details. Somebody later told me that he never saw somebody talking so much.

Shachris and morning hakafos were weak but we parcialy made it up with Mussaf, which. was crazy as we singed everything there was to sing, sometimes for few minutes.

Some yeshivah underminers were davening at Netzach. By the meal I asked them ‘Why? The the yeshivah davening was so cool?’ and one of them answered ‘That’s the problem.’.

In conclusion it was my best Sukkos ever. It was wery intense. I reached levels of happiness which I never did. I became aware of few things. That people like me and not only from my generation but also generation higher. That I can be funny in different ways than I thought. I can addjust to people (allways in my way though). I can be crazy and extroverted. It was a great time.

The End.

Intense Sukkos no. 1

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max
on November 14, 2008
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First of all I myself was around for Sukkos. Not any swordsman from another realm guy. Not that he isn’t real. He definitely is. For Sukkos I myself was around though.

A lot things happened and it was a very intense time.

Sunday night I still had no meals. Outside the Gra shull I’ve met one person who invited me, than few minutes later somebody else invited me for another meal, than after shachris next day somebody invited me. Sill I needed first night meal. I knew somehow it will work out.

Around 1 pm. going back from Geulah I’ve met Ari, one crazy New Yorker. I’ve told him I have no meal that night and he called the place where he was eating and asked whether another person can come and so I came.

It was by another joke cracker from Toronto, father in law of a spiritual/emotional guy in my yeshivah who is named after a hebrew month. I really enjoyed that meal and I’ve realised that I can adjust to humor of other people. I can relate to them through that also.

Lunch I ate by very strong and charismatic man from Chicago. I even told him on Simchas Torah that he is very charismatic, when I was was in a state of craziness.

Second night, since my meal was starting late, I decided on walking the Rosh Yeshivah to his Sukkah. Than we sat down in his Sukkah and He made havdalah. When I felt it was a good time I asked him some queston regarding chinuch and business. That lead to something else and we ended up talking about types of way that a person can be charismatic. Than I felt it’s a good time to mention NLE, natural life energy theory, which says that there are 7 types of people. We talked about it for a long time! It was amazing, really. A turning point.

Than I run to this hotel for my meal. I thought I will be really late. It ended up i wasn’t. I was had very high level of adrenaline after talking to the Rosh so I was little crazy. I enjoyed man of war’s company.

Than lunch I went to somebody who used to be in my yeshivah and now is a doctor in Egeware.

End of part nr. 1.

The depth of being back in Jerusalem

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max
on October 12, 2008
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Some time after I came back I was in a Polish mode. It’s some sort of depth and maturity. One avrech (married man) said that always after I come back from Poland he sees this spark of difference in my eyes.

During summer when I was in Warsaw I had more time to think… It passed through my mind that I need to be more on top of things. I was also lonely…

There are two of me. Max and Hillel. I have two personalities. The first is more emotionally exchanging with people and mature. The second is more loud, more of a player and a hacker. Max is more polish and so deep and real. Hillel is more western and self conscious, he may also seem fake because things are more means to another goals. Changing subject..

‘Who am i?’ I’m asking myself. ‘What do i want to do?’ is bombing my conscience and not only.

On one hand I would like to learn holy Torah.

I would like to change the world also.

In any case I want to grow, change, get smarter and gain perspective. Again changing subject.

I’m glad I was young enough when I was exposed to Americans to pick up self conscience from them. They are masters of it.

Bein hazemanim came. It strengthened my feelings. I feel the world is too big for just me… much too big… and i want to change it… (both sences)

Happy new year!

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max
on September 29, 2008
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Tonight is new jewish year.

I wish all best to everybody. To get most of our lives. In spiritual, mental, intelectual and every other sence.

And don’t overdo it. Like the Rosh Yeshivah said. The life is not short run it’s a marathon.

Tikosvu v’sechosmu l’altar l’chaim ulshalom.

maxio

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Hear it here!

Busy arrival

Published
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max
on September 6, 2008
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Thursday morning I’ve picked up a train from Warsaw to Berlin. Before 2 p.m. I’ve poped for few hours into ‘Beis Tzion’ my previous yeshivah. Everybody there seems to be becoming a rabbi. In the evening I’ve caught a plane to Tel Aviv and arrived there after midnight. Than I’ve taken a sherut to Jerusalem and arrived at the yeshivah.

One way or the other I was in 3 countries in one day.

I’m happy to be back.

Netscape is not away

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max
on August 18, 2008
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After I came back to Poland my computer was working slowly so after some time I decided to reinstall windows. I’ve copied important things from C disk to D disk and put the xp installation disk in the dvd drive, than I’ve formatted the C disk and then I’ve run the installer.

Last years I’ve used Firefox, and before that Netscape. I’ve switched to Firefox because it was installed on the computers that I was using and it was related to Netscape. But this time when I was planing on installing a browser I said to myself ‘No, install Netscape, the older brother of Firefox whom you used so much in the past’.

Right after installing Windows from scratch I opened home.netscape.com in IE. First thing to surprise me was that it redirected me to netscape.aol.com. Even if AOL bought Netscape and it may have happened long time ago why would they change the address now? What is the change for?

Than I looked for link saying Netscape browser and I’ve found it and clinked it. I’ve scrolled the page down and there was option of downloading 4 different applications. I didn’t see Netscape over there…

I used internet for the first time when I was about 12 and I was a Virtua Fighter fan. Most probably I did it with IE. But it was just once or twice when internet was practically  unknown. It was 96 or 97. Year later I started to use the web more in a Jewish computer center. People in charge were Netscape inclined. I’ve picked up on this quickly and became a big Netscape supporter. Throughout the years  I’ve mostly used Netscape and over time my emotional connection with the program grew.

At that point (beginning of 4) Netscape was subjectively better. It was more secure and showed more of HTML, JavaScript and so on. I also preferred the way it looked and some things in IE annoyed me.

Till 1997 Netscape won having at certain point close to 90% of the market. Than the browser war started and eventually Netscape lost. Microsoft was giving IE with every Windows and integrated it as part of the system, so most people just stayed with that. Netscape didn’t change so much within the version 4 and between version 4 and 6 (5 was skipped) more than 3 years passed and at certain point IE was more functional than Netscape. Also AOL made a mistakes and at certain point added a lot of external programs to Netscape installer. All that resulted in that new people used IE and a lot of old Netscape users switched. It ended up that only hardcore users stayed with Netscape. So did I.

Announcement on the AOL website said:

Official support ended on March 1st, 2008.
Given AOL’s current business focus and the success the Mozilla Foundation has had in developing critically-acclaimed products, we feel it’s the right time to end development of Netscape branded software. Read the history page for more details about this decision.

That what it said. They don’t care that the program existed for close to 14 years, people grew up with it, changed with it and matured with it. Like me, I’ve changed completely during this time. But taking into account their business plan they don’t care. I felt sadness and injustice.

What could I do? I could install Netscape theme for my Firefox.

So I did. At last that way Nescape will stay alive. And I’ve singned two petitions.

http://www.petitiononline.com/netscape/petition.html

http://www.petitiononline.com/saveNS/petition.html

Intensity of the flight and arrival in Warsaw.

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max
on June 20, 2008
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Monday night I left Jerusalem for the airport. Except for few things (security guy was starting to get suspicious after I wasn’t sure how to answer him some questions and than I’ve forgot my suitcase when waiting by the Lufthansa office, later to find it, and that another member of airport personnel was shouting at me when I was the last person to enter the plane - when he got upset he asked me whether I come late to the synagogue, I preferred not to answer :)) everything went smooth and after 3 hours 40 minutes flight I arrived at Frideric Chopin airport. At ‘home’ I’ve arrived about 10 o’clock in the morning.

Except of one other person the flight was completely not religious made of both Polish and Israelis. Interesting that a lot of Polish fly to Israel and vice versa. I’ve overheard two Israelis talking and one was explaining to the other that he was buying some property near Warsaw.

Sometimes during my journeys I meet somebody whom I know. Last year I’ve meet next building neighbor of my previous flat. He works at the Jewish Theater and he came to the Holy Land for the Bar Mitzvah of his nephew. I’ve than realized that Jews sometimes may live in such a close proximity, even though there is so little of them in Poland.

I left the plane through the new terminal. The arrival terminal has a year or so but the departure terminal is really fresh. It looks good but but plain and not impressing, more of late 20th century style than 21th. They should have designed it better, airport makes the first impression of the country.

Psyhoanalisis of polish people comming.

The Purim Story

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hillel
on April 16, 2008
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So it’s me, Hillel. My full identity is Hillel the Swordman from the Land of Truth. I’m Max just in the Land of Truth. I use a different name, but my name is also connected to Max.

How does it work exactly? I and Max are the same person just in two different worlds. On Purim we exchange. I come to Max’s and Your world and Maxio jumps there. I’m well informed of customs of Maksiu and I do a lot of things same way, especially if I’m in His world. And, yes, we look same.

Let me share with You what my Purim Story in Your world was.

Thursday night, the day of Megillah reading I planed on going to Yisroel P., the alternative Yeshivah minyan on Purim, but things outside of mine and Max’s power made me late for it. So, I went to Netzach instead. Afterwards I went to cheder ochel to eat, but I was late and there was little food left. To the people there who didn’t now me yet I revealed my identity. I ate a little of what was there.

I looked for a place where happy people are doing something happy, best among yeshivah guys. Most yeshivah people went to places outside of Jerusalem though. There was something small outside the KK”L dirah and somebody was throwing eggs from angels dirah but beside that nothing seemed to happen. Than I went around few dirahs and again beside few people here and there nothing was going on. Let’s jump two hours. Than I went to the corner of KK”L and Usishkin (it has a new name, which I don’t know of) where guys were sitting and dancing. At certain point a chasidishe looking (loosely chasidish though) guy came driving a car. He stoped right at the corner and all the dancing guys started to dance around his car. He turned on the music and danced with them. Than he wanted to go but the guys were sitting on his car and going around it and not letting him go. Michoel went into action and pulled the guys off the car and let the driver go. So the guy turned off the music and went… 6 meters and stopped again and turned on the music again and started dancing on the roof of his car. Michoel sad ‘I’m not helping him this time..’ :))

After the whole corner KK”L/Usishkin happening finished I overheard somebody saying that most off the cars that went this way did It only because there were guys parting and out of it entertainment there. He may have been right till certain extend.

That night I also went to Mayanot in Nachlaot but it was loud and non interesting there.

At certain point I went to sleep, not very late though.

Motzei Shabbos

First of all I’m vary thankful to Reuven Rastaslavitzka from Max’s dirah who was so kind and let me use his digital camera.

I came around Mogen Avrohom and they were setting up things for the Purim shpiel. Than there was shpiel. Before that boys were singing ‘The Rosh, The Rosh, The Rosh is on fire’. Than there was crazy dancing in Mogen Avrohom with the background of few yeshivah boys playing and singing professionally, among them Fredie and Danie Sh.

At certain point The Rosh Yeshivah started giving brochos(blessings) on the street and then in the outside of the cheder ochel. He also played with my Holy Sword from the Land of Truth. Than for a long time there was party in Mogen Avrohom and on the street in front of it.

Later that night I went to Terry for a small party.

Photos from all that.

Sunday Morning

I went to Yeshivah’s shachris and listened to The Rosh speaking. Than there was breakfast in the cheder ochel. While I was eating a long friend of Max and mine, Jubin M. (who was Max’s chavrusah for almost two years, and who understands Max at last in some sense), came and gave me mishloach monos, which was very appreciated. Let’s jump to the Seudah.

The Purim Seudah

(Sunday afternoon of Purim Meshulosh)

I arrived at Isroel P.’s house a little late. Everybody, including Zevie W. and Btzalel the fist fighter, were already there. During the seudah I’ve finished one bottle and 2 cups of Wine. It was cool.

About 20 minutes before shekiah I went to Max’s dirah, started second bottle of wine and made a phone call - I had something important to say to somebody, at last in my opinion, something positive though. Lets jump to s’feykoh d’yomoh of Purim.

Motzey Purim

I saw tho guys sitting on a bench and I’ve made photos with them - never saw them before. Than I’ve made friends with a completely random guy and had a photo with him. I’ve asked him wether he is Lubavitch (don’t know why?) and he said that yes, so I said that I love everybody and went on. I’ve pooped into Yochnan P. and said I will come back - photo. Than I walked towards KK”L - why? I don’t know and I don’t think I knew at the time either. Somewhere on KK”L, probably between Usishkin and Ibn Shaprut I’ve put my second bottle of wine, so that nobody will take it from me. I couldn’t remember where I’ve put it and didn’t find it ever. I saw some Rabbi, I guessed from Mayanot, and I asked him whether he teaches at Mayanot, he said yes and I asked him whether he knows Binyomin K. he said yes, so I said I also know him… great. Afterwards I had photos with one Lubavitch guys, than two with guys from Yeshivah and then I made photos of some children holding my Holy Sword. Than I’ve just like that… went into the house in front of which the photo with the  Mayanot Rabbi was made. I went into the dining room. I had a photos with a guy inside and sat down and started speaking with the owner of the house and asked him whether he knew some Lubavitch people which Max knows from Warsaw. He said he heard of them. So we spoke like this for maybe few minutes. Then his (think so) child started playing with my Holy Sword from the Land of Truth - photo. In meantime I started speaking with the Mrs. of the house. I’ve said few words about Midrash Shmuel. I asked whether the boys are too loud or something. She said something like ‘like these guys from next door’ implying that the guys there are loud. I believed her since there are few South Africans in that dirah - that explains everything. I’ve said that eventually Midrash Shmuel boys grow into serious and responsible individuals. She said that she doesn’t really care, which meant she has some self esteem and she doesn’t focus on others. Than everybody else left the room and I’ve stayed inside with the child playing with the sword and I drunk a bear. Summarizing the last point, I went into house that I was never in before, I started talking with people inside and they left me alone with their child. Did you think I’m more normal than Max? Later, from timestamps on the photos, I saw that I was there at last 40 mintes. Than I left.

Than I had photos with more or less known to me people. Among them Fishel (he makes big meals friday night for people which daven at the Kosel) who asked me why didn’t I pope into his seudah (on purim Fishel has a tradition to make seudah for the cats of the neighborhood, some pronouce it Katz), I’ve said that he didn’t want to tell me the address earlier when I asked him and he said he thought I knew it anyway… such a classic Fishel…

Going back to the photos. I had one made with some cyclist and with Josh R.’s (guy in yeshivah) father. Than I caught few other people around KK”L and had photos with them.

Than I saw Yosef, guy from yeshivah. He said there is party at Naftie. When we went into Naftie’s house only the owner was there - a photo (Naftie and Martin didn’t want to be on-line). Yosef asked Naftie, think in english: ‘There were <some number, but big> kollel guys at your party’ and Naftie answered ‘Yes’. I wandered, if so many avrechim were at his seudah that means they came after their seudahs, and seudah would end like at let’s say 7, so how come nobody was there, if it was just about 7: 30? From the timestamps at the photos I worked out that it was 10 pm… I was 2 and a half hours behind.

I went back to KK”L and again had photos with people. One - Dovid Greenman, spiritual guy from Golders Green; second - Elie Meyer, or just Meyer; third - Yehudah Fish, or Fish, sweet guy; forth - Elie Wohl; fifth - Wiss (spelling ?). With Fish we decided that we should go to Meyer’s house, so we went. I saw a great book ‘7 habits of highly effective people’, which happens also Max was reading at the time, and since Elie Meyer’s wife was the one reading it, I started discussing the book with her. Here are few photos of me, Meyer and Fish.

At this point, thinking it’s like 10 pm, I went on a ground level porch of some house on KK”L where few midrash guys were. Than something happened to my sword, I just remember picking up batteries. Than somebody on the porch said that police was comming. He was completly sober, I think it was son of the owner of the house. He had something against Midrash guys. I felt It can’t be like that. He looked so mean, his face… really like a guy who doesn’t try to be happy and only makes life of others misserable. I highly dislike this type. If I see him again I will tell it to him straight and he may see the colors of my sword. At certain point then I felt weird fear that I did something wrong… but I can’t remember what it could even possibly be. Out of this fear I decided to go to Max’s dirah. So very carefully I walked toward the dirah hiding behind trees and cars like afraid of somebody being after me. Than I reached the dirah and told the guys like Mimoun and Daniel that Midrash guys are oppressed on KK”L and we need to avenge them. They say I went in this theme for an hour at certain point switching languages… I don’t remember it though. I went back to my world… to the Land of Truth…

Happy Purim

Published
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max
on March 19, 2008
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The holy Ari said that Yom Kippur is like Purim, meaning it’s less than purim. Rav Dessler based on it sad: The happiness of Purim is greater than fear of Yom Kippur. That’s amazing vort.

I wish all of us to achieve level of happiness as never before, which is possible in reality.

Purim is also great time to work on relationships.

But everything should be for haven’s sake.

Hopefully will have some remnants in form of photos to show.

Bye

Last Shabbos (Terumah)

Published
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max
on February 10, 2008
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For Shabbos I went to Gordon family. MoMo, YoYo, my room mate Daniel and my dirah mate Reuven came with me. It was very cool. Click here to see the photos.