Tuesday, June 21, 2005

My (crazy) schedule

This is my weekday schedule:

5:30 - 6:30 - learn in shul with a chavrusa before davening
6:30 - 7:15 - shacharis
7:15 - 8:15 - breakfast with the kids, help get them up and out
8:15 - 8:30 - take kids to school
8:30 - 9:30 - drive to work, while driving I usually go over what I learned in the morning
9:30 - 7:00 - work
7:00 - 8:00 - drive home, while driving I either, go over what I learned in the morning again, listen to a shiur, listen to the radio (news or talk), or just think about things
8:00 - 9:00 - eat dinner, help my son with his homework, talk to my wife
9:00 - 10:30 - Night seder in the shul/beis medrash
10:30 - relax, read blogs, have a snack, get ready for bed, etc.

All in all a very busy schedule with very little free time and not enough sleep time.

My schedule is so different from everyone else's at work that many times it feels like I am from a different planet. Most people at work don't get up before 7 and spend the night watching TV, movies, sports, etc. We have little or no common ground except for work.

Update
Of course to keep such a schedule requires a wife who will allow it and even encourage it. There is no question that my schedule is very tough on my wife. I am hardly around during the week. She needs to deal with the kids in the afternoon, give them supper, put them to sleep, clean up, deal with the house, etc. with little or no help from me. This is the mark of a true אשת חיל, encouraging her husband to go out and learn Torah even when it makes her life more difficult.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bluke,

Your schedule is impressive.

I think you are a tzaddik.

Kol hakavod.

bluke said...

A tzaddik I definately am not. I look upon myself as a regular working guy who learns Torah when he can.

Anonymous said...

When do you have time to blog?

bluke said...

I blog in my spare time. A lot of days I will come home at 10:30 (today I came a little early because I am tired and want to get to sleep earlier then usual) and write something up, sometimes posting it right away, many times saving it as draft and posting it the next day.

I also blog at work during lunch, short breaks, and when I am waiting for something to happen (I am currently working on a big project where every change I make takes 20 minutes to build and test).

Actually posting things take me very little time. Almost all my posts, before they are posted, have been gone over in my head at least 10 times (on my way to and from work) and therefore I know exactly what I am going to write and it takes me little time to actually write it.

I usually only post 1 item a day or less not such a breakneck pace.

In short, I blog when I have an extra few minutes. Since, most of my posts are about Torah, I feel that it is not a waste of time, rather I am spreading Torah.

Anonymous said...

Those seem like long hours to work. Especially for Eretz Yisroel. I thought people in EY work less hours than that...

Anonymous said...

You walk the walk.
kol hakovod.

bluke said...

Those are typical hours in hi tech in EY.

Anonymous said...

Bluke,

I wonder if your schedule is in fact too difficult on your wife. Not to get personal here, but an Aishes Chayil who takes care of the house so her husband can learn is one thing, but she is still human after all. Perhaps you guys should have a "date night" once a week when you don't go to night seder but spend time with your wife. I may be totally out of line here, but darchea darchei noam. What do you think your wife would prefer?

bluke said...

I have spoken to my wife about this and she agrees that I should learn as much as possible. A set schedule would not be a good thing. It is more like when she needs me I try to be there for her.

Anonymous said...

Bluke,

You have a very strong wife who, together with you will merit much in olam haba.

Sorry if I got a little bit too personal there.

2R said...

I have had many arguments/discussions with those in yeshiva education about stressing work & Torah together as you do here (and I have seen work in other homes as well). The argument back is that most guys can not handle it, and the would drop the learning. What inspired/inspires you to keep the double schedule?

bluke said...

My rebbeim always stressed that learning torah is what you do when you have free time and that Torah has to be the focus of your life. I guess I took what they said to heart.

I also enjoy it immensely. There is nothing like the feeling when you figure out p'shat in a difficult sugya, or when you give a shiur and you can see that people liked and understood it.

Anonymous said...

So what about the guys who aren't as "smart" as you and get get into a sugia in the same way?

bluke said...

I am not sure I understand your question so my answer may be way off base.

Everyone has to learn at their level and hopefully move up. For some people to figure out the simple pshat on their own without Artscroll is a big accomplishment, for others it is to understand Tosafos, and for others it is to figure out an answer for the acharonim's question on the gemara or the Rambam. The great thing about Torah is that it can be learned and appreciated on all these levels and a person can get enjoyment from it.

The Avnei Nezer in his introduction to the Eglei Tal writes that enjoying learning is the highest form limud hatorah.

Anonymous said...

Sorry,

I should have clarified. You were asked how you dedicate so much time for Torah, and your answer was that you enjoy it so much. I asked about guys who perhaps don't enjoy it for whatever reason (maybe they aren't learners in the same way and don't get enjoyment out of a sugiyah like you do). How do they get motivated to learn if they see it as a chore.

bluke said...

That is a very good question. I think the answer is similar to what I wrote. Everyone hopefully can relate to the gemara at their level and get enjoyment from that.

In addition, people can learn other things. Chumash, Machshava, Navi, Mishnayos, Gemara, etc. whatever interests them. Hopefully they can find something that interests them and run with it.

I have a friend who spends most of his time learning Tanach and machshava. He takes courses at Gush which appeal to him, he gets a tremendous amount out of it.

Anonymous said...

Fair enough.

Thanks for responding.