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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Face Off
By Rabbi Yonason Goldson
What Judaism has to say about the secret of the Mona Lisa's smile
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
What is the Mona Lisa really thinking?
Structurally unremarkable and noticeably unfinished, Da Vinci's most famous masterpiece has intrigued experts and laymen alike. One can spend hours gazing at the mysterious woman, wondering where she is looking, why she is smiling and, perhaps most perplexing, what is it about her that captures our attention and imagination more compellingly than any other portrait.
Let's face it: something about her face grabs hold of us and will not let go.
But is she real? Or was Leonardo's model merely a foundation on which the artist created that breathtakingly timeless expression from his own inner genius and his painter's pallate? Is the serene and stately woman really a composite, as suggested by the misty and magical world that swirls behind her? Or was she perhaps no more than another pretty face, with little going on behind those enigmatic eyes but an endless recapitulation of the chores that awaited her after the sitting or the grocery list she would have to fill on her way home?
We will probably never know. But there is good reason to believe that La Giaconda was in fact a woman every bit as complex and multifarious as her inscrutable expression would have us believe.
In his bestselling book Blink: the Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell cites the work of psychologists Silvan Tomkins and Paul Ekman, who mapped the expressions of the human face and identified 43 distinct muscle movements incorporated into facial expressions. Their research has been applied to the study of marriage counseling, schizophrenia, heart disease, and the computer animation that brought us Toy Story and Shrek.
Intuitively, we all read minds by reading faces: smiles reveal joy and friendship, frowns show unhappiness and frustration, scowls express disdain and contempt. When understood more precisely, facial expressions can reveal subtleties and nuances of personality and character. When read with training and discernment, the face can uncover deception and deceit which, no matter how expertly, cannot completely sever the connection between inner feelings and outward expression.
Conversely, our expressions not only display emotions — they can evoke them. Smiling can improve your mood; creasing your brow can increase anxiety; narrowing your eyes can increase anger. Relaxing the face into an expression of calm can lower your heartbeat and respiration; tensing it into a scowl can have the opposite effect.
Fascinating as it is, the research of Tomkins and Ekman comes as little surprise to those well-versed in Jewish tradition. The Hebrew word ponim, meaning "face," also translates as "inside." That the most ancient of all languages should conflate the external appearance of the face with the interior workings of the soul might have baffled scholars through the ages if not for their implicit understanding that the human face is inextricably bound to the human heart.
In contrast, the Hebrew word for "garment" is beged, which shares its grammatical root with bogad, meaning "betrayal." We may change our clothing in an attempt to disguise ourselves or adopt an alter ego, but as much as we try to mask our expressions, our inner thoughts and feelings will eventually give us away.
King Solomon said as much in his Proverbs: As water reflects one face to another, so too the heart of a man to his fellow. Just as the heart pumps the blood that cycles through the body, similarly will a man's countenance revisit him in the form of the relationships he affects through his outward expression. The inner self becomes public through the face, defining the course of our lives and our place among our fellow men.
Perhaps this is why the great sage Shammai taught, "Encounter every person b'saiver ponim yafos … with a pleasant countenance." On the most basic level, we cannot help but feel drawn to others who greet us with a smile and a friendly word. Not only to we bring joy into the world around us, but we make others want to seek out our company and companionship.
Beyond the effect we have on others, however, is the more immediate effect we have upon ourselves. As Tomkins and Ekman observed, by acquiring a pleasant countenance we can refashion ourselves into more pleasant individuals.
Perhaps this, then, is the secret of the Mona Lisa's smile. With only the most subtle upward twisting of her lips, the mysterious lady has awakened in her own heart the first stirrings of joy and contentment. Captured by the artist's brushstrokes, her gentle expression has become iconic by transcending time, bringing the wisdom of the ancients forward into the contemporary era by reminding us of the power of a look, a glance, or a smile.
In a generation in which we have become increasing adept and concealing our identities and severing all but the most superficial connections to one another, it's reassuring to recall how easy it can be to restore our relationships. With one little smile we can truly change ourselves, and change the world.
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Comment by clicking here.JWR contributor Rabbi Yonason Goldson teaches at Block Yeshiva High School in St. Louis, MO, where he also writes and lectures. Visit him at http://torahideals.wordpress.com .
© 2009, Rabbi Yonason Goldson
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