Begin with the end in mind

“There are three crowns to a man….the greatest is a Shem Tov,” a Good Name.

There have been several celebrity deaths of late, and it was interesting to see the public reaction regarding two of them who were Jewish. One was a famous director, the other an actor-comedian.

The outpouring of love and respect for the actor-comedian was overwhelming. He was universally described as caring, sweet, compassionate, giving, supportive, loving. The director? Crickets.

In his best-selling work, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, Steven Covey lists one of the habits: “Begin with the end in mind.” He didn’t mean a project; he meant “THE end.” Our end.

What do you want people to say about you after you die?

Answering that question will not change the way you die, but if you are real with it, it will change the way you live. Certain last names are tainted now and for generations to come, because of the choices one person made.

Choose wisely.

This week marks the yartzeit of our rabbi and teacher, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of blessed memory. His teachings changed our lives, and his name will be forever associated with wisdom, pioneering innovation, and taking responsibility for the Jewish world. May his great neshama continue to have an aliyah.