Barry H. Block > Quotes

“That focus contrasted sharply with what I had experienced growing up in the Jewish world of the late twentieth century, where everything I encountered seemed to focus on the collective, and the inner life of the discrete individual was nowhere to be found on any Jewish agenda. But I speculated that the Jewish community could not have endured for thirty-five hundred years on responsive reading alone, and I knew that I could not be the only one feeling that my”
― Rabbi Barry H. Block, The Mussar Torah Commentary: A Spiritual Path to Living a Meaningful and Ethical Life

“He gives seven criteria for placing one’s trust in someone: they must be compassionate; they would never desert you; they must be strong enough to accomplish what you need; they must know what is good for you; they must be responsible for you throughout your life; your well-being must be in their hands alone; and they must be generous and kind. Even before Bachya ibn Pakuda suggests it, we know that God alone can fulfill all of these seven criteria. Therefore, we should place our trust in God alone. Looking”
― Barry H. Block, The Mussar Torah Commentary: A Spiritual Path to Living a Meaningful and Ethical Life