The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things

By Steven Z. Leder

Book Overview

Finding meaning in the mundane is just a matter of knowing where to look. Herewith, the miraculous nature of everyday life is explored. Through vignettes at turns funny and poignant, Rabbi Leder points out those easily overlooked connections between everyday experiences and the teachings of Judaism. God and spirituality can be found in every aspect of our daily routines. Ordinary things--a pet frog, a weekend fishing trip, a roller coaster ride--become extraordinary when reexamined through Jewish eyes. Woven throughout Rabbi Leder's essays are midrashic texts, talmudic excerpts, and passages from the Torah, reflecting thousands of years of Jewish wisdom. Whether recalling a memorable walk along the beach with Dad, teaching a child the commandment of tzedakah, or stepping into the shoes of an anxious father-to-be as he paces the halls of the maternity ward, these stories reveal Judaism's power to illuminate our lives. On child-rearing: Eleven Suggestions for Raising a Mensch On the paradox of modern life: You can't put one tuchus in two chairs. On miracles: The miraculous is the common and the constant: birth, teaching, our breath. Discover The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0874416477
• ISBN13: 9780874416473
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Behrman House Publishing
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A thought provoking, often funny look at life for all ages

My 9 year old grandson raised with little Judaism, and 70 year old Orthodox brother enjoyed these stories, which they read together, in equal measure. It provided thought provoking insights into the extraordinary nature of everyday life in stories short enough for children raised on TV segments, and seniors with little time and patience for labored phliosophy.

Uplifting book for a Sunday afternoon

Rabbi Leder has written a wonderful book that reminds us all that there is beauty and greatness in the everydayness of life. It is an uplifting and insightfull read. This book shows the reader that there is more to life and it is right in front of you. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Provocative and Nourishing

This book is deceptively easy to consume. The chapters are relatively short, and dosed with just enough humor, perfect for reading in bed, no matter how tired you are -- or for reading aloud at the dinner table. However, there is more depth and complexity to Leder's writing than it may at first appear; I found myself thinking about and then re-reading many of the pieces. Among my favorites: his "Eleven Suggestions for Becoming A Mensch", and the calculations of how many diapers his mother changed and how many plates of food she served while raising him and his siblings (27,375 and 183,960). Rabbi Leder does not merely show us how extraordinary ordinary life is; he draws us a practical and inspiring map for our own journey.

Telephone Poles and Jumping Into Life

Rabbi Leder is an extraordinary observer and pretty good at telephone poles, too. The poles I am referring to are from an activity that Rabbi Leder describes in his book, one that I recently attended with him. Whether balancing 20 feet in the air, or just leading a small group discussion, Rabbi Leder always amazes me with his insights and his menchlichkeit. This book captures both in deeply personal stories that, if you let them, will connect to your soul and change the way you see life. They will change the way you prioritize, putting into perspective your everyday struggles, and opening your heart to family, love and living life in the present. This book helped put my telephone poles into perspective. It's a perfect gift for yourself and for anyone jumping with you.