Purim, Providence, and 600 Days of Gratitude (Epictetus – Enchiridion 5,8,20; Discourses 1:6)

The Stoic Jew

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Length: 23 minutes
Synopsis: This past Shabbos was my 600th day of gratitude, and I decided to delay making an episode until Purim so that I could talk about the common themes. Unfortunately, I got zero sleep last night - yes, ZERO - which yielded a benefit and a detriment. The benefit is that I got to use last night's insomnia as an example of how the gratitude journal has changed my life. The detriment is that the quality of this episode is not up to my standards, and is a bit rambly. I decided to upload it anyway, in hopes that someone will gain something from it. If you feel you gained something after listening to it, please let me know, since this will increase the odds of me getting back into the routine of making episodes of TSJ again. Happy Purim!
Related Rabbi Schneeweiss Content:
- 11/26/20: A Stoic Emperor's Thanksgiving
- 7/8/21: The Gratitude Accountability Experiment
- 10/15/21: 100 Days of Gratitude
- 11/29/21: TSJ Interlude: Post-Thanksgiving Musings
- 2/18/22: 225 Days of Gratitude
- 5/4/22: TSJ Interlude: 300 Days of Gratitude
- 7/11/22: 365 Days of Gratitude
- 11/23/22: 500 Days of Gratitude

Sources:
- Epictetus: Enchiridion 1, 5,8,20; Discourses 1:6:1-2
- Esther 5:10-14
- Ralbag on Esther 5:14
- Avos 2:4
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The Torah content for the rest of Adar has been sponsored by my friend and chavrusa Zack, with the following dedicatory message: When asked, "Who is a leader you greatly admire?" my grandfather z”l immediately comes to mind. Each person who entered his presence was brought closer to a better version of themselves. This was due to his staunch belief in people and his uncompromising values. Knowledge is similar — it is indiscriminate and uncompromising in its power to help us become our best selves. Thank you Rabbi Schneeweiss for spreading knowledge, and may the memory of my grandfather, Naftali ben Tzvi, be a blessing.
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If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
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