download:posterGo to Tool Kit > Frames of MindSelect by:ArtistAuthorQuoteArtistAuthorQuoteMasters SeriesProudly JewishWall of FameMaster tabPoster Commentary"Keep two pieces of paper in your pocket at all times. On one: “I am a speck of dust,” and on the other : “The world was created for me.”"Rabbi Simcha Bunim of PeshischaPoster design:Nina DuranCommentary by Dr. Elana Stein Hain The Hasidic master, Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa, viewed life as a balancing act: each individual is, on the one hand, merely one of uncountable specks of dust; at the same time, each human being -- with their individual persona and potential -- is uniquely irreplaceable. And while we ourselves may vacillate between these two perspectives over the course of a lifetime, Rabbi Simcha challenges us to keep both sides accessible at all times, even when one perspective seems to naturally dominate. Moreover, Rabbi Simcha's statement rejects competition: if I am worthy, others are less so, and if others are worthy, I must be inferior in some way. Instead, he would have us resist the tendency to apply only one of the notes to ourselves, while reserving the second note for others. In this manner, Rabbi Simcha urges us to see all people as both humble and boundless in their significance. Lastly, it is noteworthy that Rabbi Simcha places these notes in our pockets. Peshischa Hasidism was the first of its kind to emphasize concealing one's piety in order to prioritize authenticity before God over preoccupation with what others may think. Thus, it is what is in one's pockets, not on one's sleeve, that counts. Consequently, this aphorism expresses yet another insight into the roots of healthy self-esteem: valuing one's own integrity over external sources of validation. It is not what people say aloud about themselves that truly matters, but rather what they think in their own minds and hearts. Dr. Elana Stein Hain is the director of leadership education for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, where she serves as a lead faculty member and oversees the content of lay and professional leadership programs. Dr. Hain earned her doctorate in religion from Columbia University on the topic of legal loopholes in rabbinic literature. She served as a clergywoman at Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York, and has served on the faculty of New York University and Wexner Heritage. Conversation Guide WHAT DO YOU THINK? 1. Do Rabbi Simcha’s pocket notes ring true to you about yourself? How do you strive to achieve the healthy balance between these two perspectives? 2. How do you respond when things feel beyond your control, as if you are merely a speck of dust, destined to be carried by winds not of your making? 3. Are you more prone to wear your opinions and beliefs on your sleeve, or to keep them in your pocket? Why? WHAT DO YOU SEE? 1. How do the objects portrayed tell a story about the person living out this quote? Describe her or him. 2. To whom do you think the owner is showing the objects? Would you be as brave and open with the personal belongings you carry? What do they say about you? 3. Does the poster convey the tension between humility and pride that this quote encourages? How so? Credits Frames of Mind@2015, Nina Duran, Quote: Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa, Harold Grinspoon Foundation, West Springfield, MA AuthorRabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa1765-1827PolandHasidic rabbiAbout Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa was a Hasidic leader whose transformative teachings emphasized both passion and analytical study in the service of God. By preaching that the in-depth study of classical rabbinic texts could draw a Jew closer to God, he represented a major challenge to the majority of Hasidic masters who emphasized joy and enthusiasm. Rabbi Simcha’s message prevailed, and many of his disciples became the next generation of Polish Hasidic masters. His oral teachings were collected and committed to writing posthumously. ArtistNina DuranNew JerseyartistillustratorAbout Nina Duran is an artist and illustrator whose works and paintings reside in corporate and private collections. Some of her works are displayed at Perrier, General Motors, and the U.S. Department of State, and are published in leading publications, such as The New York Times. Duran has also illustrated several cookbooks, most recently Cornelia Guest’s Simple Pleasures. Quote"Keep two pieces of paper in your pocket at all times. On one: “I am a speck of dust,” and on the other : “The world was created for me.”"Rabbi Simcha Bunim of PeshischaContext Rabbi Bunim said to his disciples: "Everyone must have two pockets, so that he can reach into the one or the other, according to his needs. In his right pocket are to be the words: 'For my sake was the world created," and in his left, "I am earth and ashes.'" Source Buber, Martin, The Tales of the Hasidim: The Later Masters Select by Artist Ofra Amit Orit Bergman Nina Duran Asaf Hanuka Frances Jetter Michael Morgenstern Robert Neubecker Einat Peled Rosalyn Schanzer Arnold Schwartzman James Steinberg Jean Claude (J.C.) Suares Select by Author Albert Einstein Anne Frank Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg Harold Grinspoon Franz Kafka Emma Lazarus Rabbi Nachman of Breslav Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso Hannah Senesh Natan Sharansky Select by Quote "A book must be an axe to break the sea frozen inside us." "The whole world is a very narrow bridge. The key is not to be afraid." "How wonderful it is that no one has to wait, but can start right now to gradually change the world!" "Until we are all free . . . none of us are free." "A life without a dream is no life. But a dream without limits is an illusion." "Imagination is more important than knowledge." "Keep two pieces of paper in your pocket at all times. On one: “I am a speck of dust,” and on the other : “The world was created for me.”" "We must believe not only that all people are created equal but also that all peoples are created equal." "At the heart of what it means to be a Jew is to ask questions." "It’s when the winds blow the hardest that you need the deepest roots." "Savor every moment of your life as if this is your last day." "There are stars whose radiance is visible on earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world though they are no longer among the living. These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark." Select by Artist Ofra Amit Orit Bergman Nina Duran Asaf Hanuka Frances Jetter Michael Morgenstern Robert Neubecker Einat Peled Rosalyn Schanzer Arnold Schwartzman James Steinberg Jean Claude (J.C.) Suares Select by Author Albert Einstein Anne Frank Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg Harold Grinspoon Franz Kafka Emma Lazarus Rabbi Nachman of Breslav Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso Hannah Senesh Natan Sharansky Select by Quote "A book must be an axe to break the sea frozen inside us." "It’s when the winds blow the hardest that you need the deepest roots." "At the heart of what it means to be a Jew is to ask questions." "We must believe not only that all people are created equal but also that all peoples are created equal." "Until we are all free . . . none of us are free." "Imagination is more important than knowledge." "Savor every moment of your life as if this is your last day." "There are stars whose radiance is visible on earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world though they are no longer among the living. These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark." "The whole world is a very narrow bridge. The key is not to be afraid." "A life without a dream is no life. But a dream without limits is an illusion." "How wonderful it is that no one has to wait, but can start right now to gradually change the world!" "Keep two pieces of paper in your pocket at all times. On one: “I am a speck of dust,” and on the other : “The world was created for me.”"
