May. I have patience?

Beloved, It’s May. Which is, pardon the bad pun, A-may-zing. The calendar seems to have flipped from March to May instantly. Time flies like an arrow. (And pardon the dad joke: fruit flies like bananas.) — All minutes (or any other quantity of time) are not the same length. Some time passes quickly. Some slowly. Zall’s second law: “HOW LONG A MINUTE IS DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE OF THE BATHROOM DOOR YOU’RE ON.” — And. Time does not pass on my schedule. — I don’t publish an article on the last Monday of the month to remind us that 77% is often enough, and pushing ourselves constantly to strive for perfection is deleterious to our souls. And a tradition started this year: the first article of the month is a chatty one. So here we are, chatting about time and patience. — I really thought I’d have the book done and in your hands by now. But the launch is happening on its schedule. Which isn’t the same as the schedule I had in mind. And, that dissonance can lead to frustration. So, I practice patience. — It’s hard to stay patient. But what choice do I have? Suffer with being frustrated? — I’m learning to talk compassionately to myself—as I would to a 10-year old—acknowledging that the thing I want is not happening (or going to happen on my timeline) and reminding myself that it’s OK to feel frustrated. — I’m frustrated that the book isn’t yet in your hands. — Happy May! 💙rB Rabbi Brian Zachary May-er

Mark was wrong

October 14, 2026

Mark is smart. He’s one of my smarter friends. He is able to contort his words so as to not split an infinitive, as I just did in this very sentence. (Mark would have written, so as not to split an infinitive.) ⟡⟡⟡ Four or five years ago, Mark’s youngest child—assigned female at birth and named Clara—told him that they

Except if you are Jenn F.

October 8, 2026

I’m here to help. As far as I can figure out, that’s why I’m here. To help. A saying attributed to John Wesley: Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As

Misplaced Righteous Indignation

September 24, 2026

I’m fuming. FUMING. F-U-M-I-N-G! I’ve just removed my key from the front door and crossed over the threshold. The setting is my first floor apartment at 7 Keren Hayesod in Jerusalem. I lived there for a year — two buildings down and across the street from the Super Sol where King George starts. About a 1¼-mile walk from the Western

May. I have patience?