(By Rabb Moshe Meir Weiss)

Dear Reader,

Since it was just my beloved Rebbetzin’s shloshim, I am interrupting my recounting of my Rebbetzin’s life and lessons to share with you this important list.  I presented at the shloshim.  In our family, my children put up a reminder with the pneumonic, WWMD, What Would Mommy Do, and then reflect upon it when they confront certain life situations. So, for example, my daughter Devorah was woken up in the middle of the night by her daughter, Batshava Esther, asking her for a tissue. Her gut reaction was to tell her to get one from the bathroom.  But then, she remembered WWMD and got out of bed to get one herself.

Then, I got to thinking, why shouldn’t I share my dear wife’s unique practices with everyone so that all of us could benefit from WWMLD, What Would Miriam Libby Do?  Here they are. I hope they inspire you and cause you to imitate her beautiful ways. Please feel free to copy this and spread it in your schools and shuls.

1.       Set your clock (with your spouse’s permission) to wake up early (sometimes at 4:30 a.m.) to wish someone a successful surgery.

2.       Leave a muffin with a thank you card in the mailbox for your letter carrier.

3.       Adopt an older senior and brighten their life once a week.

4.       Have as many best friends as you possibly can.

5.       Always put your spouse first and let them know that you do!

6.       Bring out a cold drink in the summer or a hot tea in the winter for the sanitation men.

7.       Never ever embarrass someone when giving tzedakah.

8.       Read the obituaries in the newspaper to learn how to be a better person.

9.       Answer the phone (To a person of the same gender) with “Hello, Gorgeous!” or “Hello, doll face, what can I do for you?” (Without checking the caller id first!)

10.   Read the classified ads and cut out job offers for people who are looking for a specific job.

11.   Send a Mother’s Day card to someone who is like a mother to you (besides your own mother).

12.   Don’t wait for your friends or even your children to call you. Pick up the phone and call them.

13.   When you see a group of special needs children, give their counselor a dollar for a snack for each one.

14.   Treat your in-law children even better that your own children!

15.   When a collector comes to the door, besides a dollar, give them a drink and a snack.

16.   Let your children know you are always there for them and love them “to pieces.”

17.   When shopping, buy what your spouse asked for before anything else.

18.   Always have a Shabbos party with lots of nosh for the grandchildren.

19.   Spend your Hebrew birthday giving brachos to as many people as you can – since your mazal is strong on that day.

20.   Do at least one act of kindness everyday.

21.   What you do, if possible, keep between yourself and Hashem. No one else needs to know!

22.   Give many compliments. It costs nothing and brightens someone’s day.

23.   Even when she was in terrible pain, Miriam Libby prayed “Please, Hashem, Don’t take away my sense of humor.” So learn to make a joke and laugh to defuse tension.

24.   Go to a Tehillim group – before you need to go!

25.   Smile and the world will smile with you! Smile as often as you can!

26.   Never forget someone who did you a favor – so you could always show your gratitude.

27.   Say the names of all the cholim you know after lighting the Shabbos candles.

28.   If you need someone’s help, don’t refuse it. Remember, everyone needs zechuzim (merits)!

29.   Find something nice to say to everyone; the janitor, pizza maker, window cleaner, etc.

30.   “Adopt” a sister for someone who doesn’t have a sister.

Please send stories about Miriam Libby Weiss to [email protected]

Please learn, give tzedaka, and daven l’iluy nishmas of Miriam Liba bas Aharon.

Sheldon Zeitlin takes dictation of, and edits, Rabbi Weiss’s articles.

Start the cycle of Mishna Yomis with Rabbi Weiss by dialing 718.906.6471. Or you can listen to his daily Shiur on Orchos Chaim l’HaRosh by dialing 718.906.6400, then going to selection 4 for Mussar, and then to selection 4.   Both are FREE services.

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