Quotes and Readings of the Day

Exodus 13:17-14:8

Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, "The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt." So God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds.

Now the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, who had exacted an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will be sure to take notice of you: then you shall carry up my bones from here with you."

They set out from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness. The Lord went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, to guide them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, that they might travel day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

The Lord said to Moses: Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, "They are astray in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them." Then I will stiffen Pharaoh's heart and he will pursue them, that I may gain glory through Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. And they did so.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his courtiers had a change of heart about the people and said, "What is this we have done, releasing Israel from our service?" He ordered his chariot and took his men with him; he took six hundred of his picked chariots, and the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in all of them. The Lord stiffened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he gave chase to the Israelites. As the Israelites were departing defiantly, boldly...

From Parshat BeShelach. From THE TANAKH: The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text. Copyright 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. Used by permission.

TAGS: Torah, Torah Reading, Judaism, Exodus

Whatever you put your attention on in this life will increase in your life. As you put your attention on angels, they will begin increasingly to make their presence known to you.

-Denise Linn,
"Sacred Space"

From "Angels Around Us." Compiled by Karen Maguire. Reprinted by arrangement with Andrews McMeel Publishing.

TAGS: Angel Quote, Angels, Life, Denise LinnbrSacred Space

Abandoning malicious speech, he abstains from malicious speech; he does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide (those people) from these, nor does he repeat to these people what he has heard elsewhere in order to divide (these people) from those; thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of friendships, who enjoys concord, rejoices in concord, delights in concord, a speaker of words that promote concord.

-Majjhima Nikaya

From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations," edited by Jeff Schmidt. Reprinted by arrangement with Tarcher/Putnam, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.

TAGS: Buddhism, Buddhist Quote, Speech, Malicious Speech, Concord, Malicious, Abstains, Divide

Knowledge or ignorance, Freedom or bondage, What are they? What is "I," Or "mine," Or "this"? Or the form of the true Self?

Ashtavakra Gita 20:3

From "The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita," by Thomas Byrom, 1990. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston. www.shambhala.com.

TAGS: Ashtavakra Gita, Hindu Quote, Hinduism

Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Dragons, Lives, Rainer Maria Rilke

True friends are like jewels, precious and rare. False ones are like autumn leaves, found everywhere.

-A Favorite School Teacher

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Truth, A Favorite School Teacher, Jewels, Autumn Leaves, Friends

Wisdom is the ability to do good and to abandon sin.

-Gerondi, "Shaare Teshuba"

Reprinted from 'A Treasury of Jewish Quotations,' edited by Joseph L. Baron, Jason Aronson Inc.

TAGS: Judaism, Jewish Quote

O God, it would be impossible for me to distance myself from you; it would be impossible for you to distance yourself from me. In the certainty of our relationship, proximity and distance are the same.

-Hallaj, "Tawasin"

From "366 Readings From Islam," translated by Robert Van der Weyer. Copyright 2000. All rights reserved. Used with permission of John Hunt Publishing, United Kingdom.

TAGS: Islam, Muslim Quote, Muslim

Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours.

-Richard Bach

TAGS: Inspiration Quote, Motivational Quote, Limitations, Theyre, Richard Bach