Category: Parsha

Rav Avigdor Miller's Exeptionally Amazing Dvar Torah on Parshat Ki Teitzei

13/9/2019

Using examples from Parshas Ki Seitzei 2 – Justifying the Just and the Gemara, Rav Avigdor Miller describes the vital importance of both recognizing and praising a tzaddik.

Doing so is good for us; for the tzaddik who is a truly humble person, being praised doesn't matter.

WE benefit from searching out & praising our tzaddikim.

This directive is from Devarim 25:1:
"And they should justify the tzaddik and condemn the wicked."

Then Rav Miller explains how figuring out who is a tzaddik is as difficult now as it was in the generation of Hillel and Shmuel Hakatan.

"Many times there are great tzadikim who are unknown."

Once Again, We See that Real Greatness is Found in the Seemingly Small Things by Seemingly Regular People

And then Rav Miller delves into one of the topics that he covers so well and is one of the aspects that really draws me to his Torah:

Who is a tzaddik in HASHEM'S Eyes?

Rav Miller emphasizes it's not necessarily who we think.

Here it is in a nutshell:

“ 'The true chassidus that is desired by Hakodosh Boruch Hu is far from any picture we have in our mind.' [Mesillat Yesharim] You hear that? A real chossid, a man whose piety and devotion is desired by Hashem, is something that is far from what we imagine. It might be somebody that it’ll give us a big surprise to discover that he is the one."

Rav Miller goes on to explain that yes, the man with the impressive beard & payot who shuckles a lot while davening could be a big tzaddik, but it ain't necessarily so.

For example, the Gemara mentions a man who used to remove stones from the street to make traveling easier for pedestrians & riders. The Gemara calls such a man chassid — pious.

He looks like he's doing menial busy-work, but in Shamayim, such dedication to making life easier for others is actual a great act of chassidut, of piety.

Especially before there were smoothly paved roads, rocks tripped pedestrians and stubbed their toes. Stones made walking painful & injurious to those with less-than-excellent footwear. Horseshoes & wagon axles could be damaged by stones. Stones jarred the wagon in a way that wearied the riders.

So removing the stones was a very big chessed.

Thus, Rav Miller mentions that maybe a guy who kicks into the gutter every banana peel he sees (so that others don't slip on the peels) is a tzaddik.

He recalls a frum man he knew who, in snowy weather, filled a bag with sawdust or ashes, then as he went down the street, he scattered the contents around so that people wouldn't slip on the ice.

Sometimes, a slip on the ice leads to hospitalization, and this man was doing what he could to prevent that.

Maybe THIS man is a tzaddik, says Rav Miller.

Housewives, Booksellers, Halachah Experts, Teachers, and Refrainers from Lashon Hara: Singing the Praises of Our Unsung Heroes

Rav Miller recalls a frum book seller named Reb Shlomo Feldman who used to gather all the boys together on chol hamo'ed when the schools closed and organized prizes & Torah learning.

In his merit, there were Jewish boys learning Torah when they otherwise wouldn't be.

And he did such things all the time.

Rav Miller declares him "a tzaddik!" But acknowledges that people didn't appreciate the man's level of tzidkut.

Another man named Rav Asher Zimmerman never spoke even a smidgen of lashon hara — no matter what. And he was an expert in all practical halacha. In fact, people called him to ask about the practical halachot of issues, and he was always willing to respond to them.

Rav Miller also declares him a tzaddik, and yet:

"He didn’t look like a tzadik; he looked like a plain man. But I knew him personally — I knew him for at least fifty years...There’s no question that he wasn’t appreciated enough..."

(pg. 6)

Rav Miller continues:

"Now, while we’re on the subject of tzadikim you must know that it’s not only men — it may be a chiddush to you but there are many women tzadikim too."

(pg. 6)

He mentions Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan, who founded one of the first frum girls seminaries in America, earning the praise of Rav Aharon Kotler.

In her merit, thousand of Jewish girls were taught to build idealistic Torah homes and raise large families. From her merit & dedication flowed generations of female teachers and homemakers.

Then Rav Miller emphasizes the greatness of Rebbetzin Kaplan in her home, that she was a tzaddekes at home too, and raised 14 children.

Praising our unsung heroes (who could also be us), Rav Miller states:

"There are thousands of frum mothers and fathers who are sacrificing to raise large families...They’re being moser nefesh to build Torah families, they're raising tzadikim and tzidkoniyos in their homes. And our very important function is to always be singing their praises; it’s the principle in our parsha of [v'hitzdiku et hatzaddik]. We have to raise up the banner of the tzadikim as much as we can."

(pg. 6)

Hashem's Special Agents of Truth

Rav Miller points to the Russian agents of Communism strewn throughout America in the Reagan years. They constantly sewed propaganda in favor of Russia & against the USA.

Relentless propagandists of the dark side — can't we do the same for God's Side?

Instead of being agents of disinformation, says Rav Miller, we should be agents of HaKadosh Baruch, agents of Truth.

Look for good things to say about every shul you enter, every school you see, every yeshivah and whenever you're in a group of Jews.

Rav Miller nearly got swept up in the Shoah. He saw the Jews in Europe before the Shoah. The murdered korbonot are not just numbers to him. He knew them.

So despite the crowding that can occur when among a large group, Rav Miller instead rejoices in the crowding and the long lines at kosher stores Erev Shabbat.

"Look at all these Jews!" is his constant refrain. "Ken yirbu! — May they only increase!"

He recommends finding something to praise in every shul:

This congregation gives so much tzedakah.
That congregation davens with so much fervor.
This congregation contains such friendly people.
That congregation displays such refined behavior.

And then you go talk about it.

When you sit down to eat with your family, have something wonderful to say about your fellow Jews — and mean it sincerely.

Spread Hashem's Propaganda Near & Far — and Don't be Afraid to be Superficial about It

This parsha tells us that Hashem wants us to be good salesman for Him, His Torah, and for each other.

According to Rav Miller:

"You have to be a salesman to sell the Torah ideals to the world. Always say a good word about the Torah, about tzadikim, about the frum families. I’m not talking now about speaking to irreligious Jews — the frum Jews have to hear it; they’re the ones who have to hear these words. And what about yourself? You have to hear it too! After all, it’s yourself who’s most important. And when you speak up, you’re talking to yourself."

(pg.8)

Then Rav Miller gives some interesting advice.

He says that if you, say, go to Eretz Yisrael to see a tzaddik, then you should talk about ALL the good things about him — even the superficial things.

Yes, you can and should mention how careful he is in mitzvot. But you should also describe his beautiful eyes and beard, and how lovely his bekitche was.

It's okay to be superficial when praising the good, says Rav Miller.

Yes, enthuse about the atmosphere of learning in a yeshivah.

But also talk about the organization of the books or the freshly painted walls. (if there were these things). Talk about the wonderfulness of the staff.

If there is ANYTHING good to say, no matter how superficial, then speak up!

Our job is to fight darkness with...LIGHT.

"Aren’t the wicked doing just the opposite? The wicked are giving every desirable adjective to every wicked thing and making it beloved by the multitude — and the whole world is being being misled. The most ugly things are described today in the most glowing terms.

"So why don’t we fight back and describe the beautiful things, the holy things, in most glowing terms. We have to be propagandists for everything good in this world."

(pg. 9-10)

SO TRUE.

What is Wickedness? Who is Wicked? What is Compassionate Condemnation?

Now comes the tricky part: the last bit of Devarim 25:1.

"...v'hirshi'u et ha rasha — and they should condemn the wicked."

Am Yisrael must be speak up, point a finger, and say, "This is wicked!"

But WHAT is wicked exactly?

It may not be what we think.

Rav Miller clarifies:

"Now, before we continue, I need to stress something so that we shouldn’t make any error.

"It’s of the utmost importance to understand that when we speak now about making judgments and condemning the wicked, it means those who have forsaken the derech haTorah.

"A frum Jew is not a rasha!

"And even though he happens to be your competitor in business or he follows another rebbe who may be in competition with yours, or maybe he even wronged you in some way, that means nothing. If there’s a dispute between you and him, that’s for beis din to decide; but he’s not a rasha."

Giving the benefit of the doubt & loving our brothers and sisters are equally important mitzvot to condemning the wicked.

We also FEEL compassion toward a rasha (maybe).

Why?

Because if that person had a better upbringing or a better family or a better neighborhood, then maybe that rasha could've been a decent person. Maybe that rasha could've been better than any of us.

But he's not.

So we feel compassion, but we also act according to Truth.

"...any weakness in our attitude towards wickedness, is a weakness in our attitude towards Hakodosh Boruch Hu."

(pg. 11)

Holy Leitzanut

On pages 11-12, Rav Miller goes into deliciously sharp condemnation of liberal attitudes toward the most deplorable criminals. It's worth reading the whole thing inside.

But he notes that the liberals, despite their self-promotion, aren't actually kind. They spew hatred and venom at anyone who disagrees with them.

"And what that means is that they function in direct contradistinction to our possuk — they spend their lives condemning the good ones and justifying the wicked."

And here are more words that are absolutely geshmak to hear in these topsy-turvy times:

"And even if we would write letters to the New York Times, they won’t print them — this I know from experience — but at least among ourselves we shouldn’t give any credit to the evolutionists or the liberals for having good intentions. They are resha’im gemurim and open liars — they are enemies of the truth."

One way to condemn the wicked is via holy leitzanut — making fun of them cleverly and l'shem Shamayim, as a way to uproot their attractiveness from our hearts so that we don't get pulled after them.

Even Yeshayahu Hanavi did it.

It can save one's soul.

And yes, Rav Miller cautioned against hurting the feelings of non-Jews and emphasized the importance of darkei shalom — ways of peace, but for ourselves to know that any anti-Torah idea "is altogether kulo sheker from beginning to end."

Rav Miller makes the astute insight that any truth used by those in the wrong is only to give credence to their lies.

This is a brilliant insight.

Many people get confused by the dusting of truth sprinkled over all the mammoth lies.

But now we know what's going on with that and don't need to get confused anymore.

And on page 14, Rav Miller says a bunch of very sharp things that are better to read in the original, and he makes another astute insight about people we are no longer allowed to condemn, despite their actions being wholly condemned unequivocally by the Torah, and also that this behavior has led to an increase in violence, drugs, and an incurable 100% fatal disease.

And they're targeting children.

How did he know that back then living ensconced in a Torah community?

I don't know.

But he says:

"And that’s they’re doing today — don’t think otherwise — they’re headed for your children. And you want to love them?! You want to love a snake?"

What is the Most Open Mind You Could Have?

And here is a stunning excerpt that turns everything on its head in presenting the crystalline Torah viewpoint:

"And don’t think that we’re being selfish or we’re being limited in our outlook.

"We have to know we are the ones who are broadminded.

"We are broadminded enough not to be influenced by the fads of the day. We’re proud to be close-minded!

"You know, if your mind is closed, and it’s open only to the subject of Hashem, that’s the most open mind you could have.

"But if your mind is open to anything at all, if it lets everything in, then it’s the most closed mind there is because everything settles in your thoughts. And what is the result? All kinds of sewage collect in your head, and your mind becomes just a garbage disposal, that’s all.

"An open mind is a mind of sewage."

(pg. 14-15)

I find that very liberating.

Let's take out the key point and put it in a special snippet:

"...if your mind is closed, and it’s open only to the subject of Hashem, that’s the most open mind you could have."

Geshmak. I just love it.

"I'm an Apikoris When It Comes to Art!"

On pages 15-17, Rav Miller gives very funny descriptions of the worlds of baseball, art, and music.

It's not that you can't ever play ball, paint, or whistle.

It's the whole culture & worship of it.

What's it being used for?

That's the problem.

"The world stands on the righteousness of the Jewish people; that’s a fundamental truth that is constantly reiterated in the Tanach."

So we'd better be good. Everyone is depending on us (whether they know it or not).

And notice our good. Talk about our good.

Praise tzaddikim — ALL tzaddikim, not just your favorite tzaddik.
Praise frum Jews — ALL frum Jews, not just the group you identify with the most.
Downplay the outside world.
Talk about how wicked & ridiculous it is.

"...without Torah ideals, there can’t be true good."

Rav Miller declares that Devarim 25:1 is fundamental for fulfilling our purpose in this world.

Then he quotes Rabbeinu Yonah:

"...by doing this, by merely preparing your thoughts and using your words for the cause of praising the true good in this word, then without any effort and work of your hand, you will acquire merits without end, because this is one of the most important purposes of the creation of man.”

Credit for all quotes goes solely to Toras Avigdor, may they be blessed with increasing success & bracha.

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Rav Avigdor Miller on Parshat Shoftim & Using Minuscule Acts to Reap Tremendous Reward

6/9/2019

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In the dvar Torah for Parshas Shoftim 2 – The Third Witness, Rav Avigdor Miller actually takes us back to Parshat Noach to show us the importance of lending a hand — even when it's not necessary.

(He's doesn't mean being nudnik or getting in people's way with fake helpfulness, he means granting real assistance, even when it's not absolutely necessary.)

When Noach falls asleep after drinking a bit too much wine (in an effort to thank Hashem), his son Shem picks up a blanket and out of respect for his father's privacy, Shem walks backward.

Shem's brother Yafet reaches out to take hold of the blanket and also walks backward. Together, they cover their father.

Why would Yafet do that?

A blanket is neither heavy nor unwieldy. Shem could manage perfectly well by himself.

The answer is: Yafet wanted to be part of something worthwhile.

In return for Shem initiating this respectful act, Hashem decided that He will dwell in the tents of Shem.

And Yafet the tag-along ended up ruling the world until this day: Rome, Greece, Europe, Persia — they're all the descendants of Yafet.

How to Hitch Yourself on to a Mitzvah

What do we learn from the above?

Small things count.

As Rav Avigdor Miller says on page 8:

"When you take hold of the corner of the blanket and say, 'Me too!' it’s a demonstration of where you want to be; where your heart is."

And Hashem grants you reward for that.

Another example is giving tzedakah. Someone wants to build a yeshivah? Maybe you can't pay for all that. But maybe you can still give a few dollars/shekels/euros to show your desire to participate in erecting a house of Torah.

And this applies to many opportunities to give tzedakah (page 9):

"Whether they need your five dollars is not the question — even if they don’t need you, you need them."

When you give any amount of money to a mitzvah, you are becoming part of that mitzvah. You're attaching yourself to the tzaddik, if it's an organization or a yeshivah run by a tzaddik.

Rav Miller describes seeing how Rav Aharon Kotler of Lakewood lived: very poorly.

So this increased Rav Miller's admiration of Rav Kotler because Rav Miller understood from this that all the money donated was definitely going to the yeshivah, and Rav Kotler was not pocketing it, even for his very real needs.

"Identify with All the Good Jews Everywhere They are."

This kind of thinking affects other acts too, not just tzedakah.

For example, if you sit down at shiur (even if you don't understand it), you get reward for that because you're showing that you want to be there.

And even if you can't learn, just sitting next to people who are learning earns you merit.

Why?

Because you are showing God that you wish to associate yourself with Torah learning.

When you participate in a hachnasat sefer Torah (including that of another group), when you order a subscription for a frum newspaper or magazine to be delivered to the home of someone who doesn't know much about Torah Judaism (I suppose forwarding Aish videos and the rest is the modern equivalent)...you get reward for joining them even though you're not doing the main mitzvah.

And if you can't contribute physically?

Then at least contribute in your heart (page 13):

"Join in whichever way you can; but at least think in your heart, 'I am part of it.' And Hakodosh Boruch Hu gives you credit for taking hold of the blanket, for joining in with them."

Rav Miller sums it up for us like this (page 13):

If we had to sum up our lecture in one sentence we’d say that we must begin to join in with good people. As much as possible we try to be [nitipal l'osei mitzvah] to those who are doing good things.

And even though we ourselves sometimes might be far away from their perfection, we still identify with good ones as much as we can.

Now that’s a very important lesson.

Identify with all the good Jews everywhere they are.

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Rav Avigdor Miller on the Great Truths & Parallels Revealed Parshat Re'eh

30/8/2019

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In Rav Avigdor Miller's dvar Torah for Parshas Re’eh 2 – Parallels in the World, the following stands out on pages 2-3 (italics mine - MR):

There’s nothing among the nations of the world that can equate to what the Jewish people stand for.

Because it’s only the Jewish people who stand for Hashem Who gave us the Torah at Sinai.

That’s how we sum it up in one sentence:
We’re the nation that accepts to live by the attitudes that Hashem delivered to us at Har Sinai.

And that means that we, the smallest nation, have to stand up against the whole world – all the falsifiers who stand up against us.

And once again, Rav Miller answers questions that may have been lingering in your subconscious (or conscious):

Does it make sense that a Nation of Hashem's representatives is such a tiny group?

And today, we're an even smaller group within the group, if you look at the Jews who actually serve Hashem.

But instead of being disdained or ignored by much of the world, shouldn't our truly great Sages be installed on thrones as leaders of the world?

These all-important questions are answered with the dvar Torah.

But the short answer is that it gives us tremendous reward to cling to Hashem within a sea of apikorsut and opposition.

Rav Miller explains that all the new "isms," the new fads, the Eastern religions, the missionaries, the new ideologies...they all come to tempt us.

And saying NO! to these temptations earns us TREMENDOUS reward!

The Profound Humility & Insight of Rav Isaac Sher of Slabodka (pg. 7)

We always must remember what the chachomim admonished us: [Da mah sheh tashiv l'apikores] – You should know what to reply to an apikoris.

Now, the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Isaac Sher, zichrono l’vracha, used to say that it means, “Know how to answer up this apikoris right here” (The Rav pointed at himself).

Because inside of everybody there’s a yetzer hara that’s talking.

All the ideas of the outside world are seeping into our minds and therefore you have to answer yourself.

How Drawing Intelligent Parallels Reveals the Truth

Rav Miller emphasizes that essentially, we have only one answer to all the other ideologies: "I'm loyal to Torah & that's it!"

But Hashem also gave us other answers to help us out.

For example, the mention in this parsha of "gods who are nearby & gods who are far-off."

This is an instruction to make intelligent observations, and then draw intelligent parallels.

Rav Miller uses the examples of "Saint" Andrew & "Saint" William to make this point (pages 9-11).

He then reveals the truth behind the myths of the "great" sheriffs & cowboys of the Wild West. (pages 12-14)

And then the truth about many of the sciences & travel books (pages 14-17).

It's all quite revealing & amusing & thought-provoking.

As always, all credit goes to Toras Avigdor.

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Rav Avigdor Miller on Parshat Eikev: Falling in Love with Hashem Every Day & What Saying 100 Blessings a Day REALLY Means

22/8/2019

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Rav Miller's dvar Torah on Parshas Eikev 2 – One Hundred Blessings is full of his usual insights and practical applications.

Mesilat Yesharim states that all the components for personal perfection in serving Hashem are found in the verse Devarim 10:12-13.

And they are:

To fear Hashem Elokecha
To walk in all of His Ways,
To love Hashem
To serve Hashem with all your heart & all your soul
To keep all the mitzvos of Hashem & to keep all His Laws

To achieve this, says Rav Miller, takes learning (you need the knowledge to know how to keep the mitzvot and also to know what are His Ways) and making a mental & emotional shift.

If you're male, learning Shas can bring you very close to Hashem.

Rav Miller also recommends learning the following 3 books cover-to-cover many times:

Mesilat Yesharim (Pathways of the Just)
Chovot Levavot (Duties of the Heart)
Shaarei Teshuvah (Gates of Teshuvah)

That's pretty heavy-lifting, as Rav Miller notes.

This learning is very important.

But there is also an easier way...

100 Happy Feelings a Day

Rav Miller extracts some precious advice from the Gemara (pages 3-4):

A hundred times a day you have to thank Hashem.

Now, whether it means technical brachos [like "Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Haolam"]...or saying your own words, “I thank You Hashem for this. I thank You for that,” it’s all included – a hundred times a day we have to thank Hashem and that’s going to bring you to all of the great qualities.

The hakdama, the preface to yirah and ahavah and all good things in that possuk [verse], is to make a hundred brachos every day.

It's worth reading the actual dvar Torah because Rav Miller details everything a lot more than this post.

But in short, Rav Miller emphasizes the importance of feeling the gratitude 100 times a day.

Whether you say a halachically worded bracha (like al netilat yadayim) or your own expression of gratitude, you need to actually feel it.

Why do we say brachot?

Rav Miller quotes his rebbe from Slabodka, who quotes the Kuzari:

"It adds pleasure on pleasure when one says blessings."

This is so true.

If you've ever followed Rav Miller's advice and really looked at all the positive attributes of an apple, then said borei pri ha'etz with kavanah, and then bit in...the apple tastes DELICIOUS.

It is a sign of the strength of the yetzer hara that we get cooled off from saying blessings with warm kavanah because saying the brachot makes everything taste, smell, and feel better!

Rav Miller explains that Rebbi Meir in the Gemara did not mean that you just count up your brachot, i.e. 16 from the Morning Blessings, 5 more from Birchas HaTorah, 19 from each Shemoneh Esrei...

That's all excellent, but not enough.

Instead, Rav Miller emphasizes:

"You must be happy and grateful to Hashem one hundred times a day!"

Falling in Love with God All Over Again

At this point in the dvar Torah (starting from Part II: Walking the Pathway on page 8), Rav Miller invites you to join his "walking club" and takes you through your day from the time you wake up and points out (with insight & humor) all that you have to be grateful for.

You have to read it. It helps so much.

Here's one sample of something you can do right away (if it's daytime by you).

Rav Miller says:

“Why is the sky blue?” ... And I’ll tell you a secret – it's good you came here tonight. There’s a reason why it’s blue.

It’s for you to enjoy the sky.

The color blue is soft and sweet on the eyes (Chovos Halevavos, Bechina 5), and you’re expected to enjoy it.

Isn’t that a good thing to practice? See if you can do it tomorrow morning.

Rav Miller also encourages us to take note of any disabled people we see (in a discreet & respectful way) to feel more gratitude for what we have (while at the same time wishing them well, a refuah or whatever they need, in our head).

Seeing a blind person or a toothless person should awaken gratitude within those of us who are not blind or toothless.

Finally, at the end of the day, you say Bedtime Shema with all its accompaniments, and you go to sleep (page 16):

So as you fall away into dreamland you’re still thanking Hashem.

That’s the last thought you have as you drift off into your sweet sleep. “Thank You, Hashem, for giving me a pillow and a mattress and for giving me the gift of sleep. I love You, Hashem.”

And in a few hours we’ll be getting up again to say modeh ani again and to start loving Hashem all over again.

"...to start loving Hashem all over again."

It all sound so nice.

Anyway, to sum it up, this kind of gratitude is self-transforming.

This is how you make yourself into a true eved Hashem.

This is how you achieve the 5 goals commanded in Parshat Eikev.

Let's conclude with Rav Miller's final words:

"If we’ll enjoy this world one hundred times a day, and if we express our gratitude to Hashem each time, that’s the royal road to happiness in this world, and to the perfection in avodas Hashem that brings you eternal happiness in the Next World."

As always, credit for all quotes goes to Toras Avigdor, may they enjoy growing success.

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Rav Miller on Parshat Va'etchanan with Wonderful Advice on Transforming Your Home & Family

16/8/2019

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In Parshas Va’eschanan – Sanctuary of the Jewish Home, Rav Miller discusses a question I think many of us have wondered about: Why was Moshe Rabbeinu so resistant against going on to the Next World?

After all, Moshe Rabbeinu was the epitome of emuna.

He knew Hashem was guiding everything in the Universe.

He knew that death is nothing to fear.

He knew he had a wonderful Paradise beyond comprehension waiting for him.

Also, Moshe Rabbeinu achieved more than any other human being ever had.

So why didn't he go peacefully?

Why did he daven 515 tefillot and with such intensity, he shook up the Universe?

The short answer is that Moshe Rabbeinu loved us very much and also wanted to perfect himself even more.

The long answer is in the dvar Torah itself.

Personal Royalty

At this point Rav Miller emphasizes each home is basically an empire in which each father is a king and each mother is a queen.

And he delves into all the responsibility that entails, which is admittedly a bit intimidating.

He paints the great example of Rav Channa's house of chessed, as described in the Gemara. It sounds very difficult to dedicate the entire home to chessed in the way Rav Channa did, but Rav Miller explains that Rav Channa and his wife did it in a way that made each other and their children happy.

And that's definitely food for thought.

Yet Rav Miller acknowledges that the vast majority of us can't be like Rav Channa.

So what can we do?

We can take steps to fill our home with kedushah, with mitzvot...with Hashem.

And we do this one step at a time, elevating the routine mitzvot:

You have to train yourself and your family to think, “Right now, we’re doing the mitzvah of washing the hands; Hashem commanded us to obey the chachamim.”

You’re making the house kadosh by doing that.

Developing a real love and appreciation for mitzvot is the way to transform your home.

When you feel that way inside, you project it out to your family.

Here are some ways of looking at yourselves:

That element should be introduced in the building of Jewish home as much as possible.

“Our home is a makom kadosh,” you tell your family. We must accustom ourselves to this thought:

A Jewish house is a holy house. The same Shechina that came down on Har Sinai is in every Jewish home – it’s not a mashal.

Where else would Hakodosh Boruch Hu come if not in the place where constantly His word is obeyed?

Milchigeh dishes, fleishigeh dishes, pareve dishes, everything is done k’halacha. Shabbos, kashrus, everything!

***

A child wants to eat something, so he asks, “Am I still fleishig? Can I get ice cream yet?”

“No, not yet.”

The child watches the clock.

A little boy is watching the clock - there’s nothing like that in the world.

You won’t find such holy children anywhere else!

The Rav Miller offers many ideas for raising your children with kedushah, even when surrounded by modern secular values.

That's very worth reading.

He concludes that section with this advice:

And so the house is kadosh.

It’s something we have to say to ourselves and to our children - you should repeat it constantly.

You can tell them, “Every time you do something good in this house, you’re making the house even more kadosh. Every time you learn Torah in the house, every time you daven, every time you say birkas hamazon, any bracha you make in the house, the house is becoming more and more kadosh.”

Tell them that - they won’t listen; they’ll say, “Yes, yes,” but it’s going into their little heads.

Don't Forget This Part of Meal-Planning

Rav Miller offers a great many wonderful ideas for using meal times as pleasant chinuch for the children, a time to inculcate authentic Torah values into the family and the home.

He calls it a form of "meal planning," which means you need to have an idea of what you want to mention before you sit down to eat with everyone. (But he recommends against telling the kids that you planned the topic; let them think it's inspired.)

Which Building is Really Built to Last?

Incredibly, our homes that were dedicated to kedushah will rise again with Techiyat Hametim (Resurrection of the Dead)!

(Rav Miller derives this from the Gemara.)

The holy homes of our holy Sages, which are in ruins now, will also rise again!

The strongest & tallest & most beautiful edifices of today will fall at some point.

Yet the humble abode of the Chafetz Chaim, of all the holy people, will rise again.

It's a whole other way of looking at the world.

What Kind of Home are We Creating?

And these are important questions we need to answer ourselves:

And therefore an honest parent should stop and ask himself: “What kind of home do we have? Am I accomplishing in my home what Moshe Rabeinu begged for many many days to have the opportunity to accomplish?"

The most rewarding life for a man and a woman, is to make use of that opportunity that Moshe begged for, and put the best that they have into that house.

The walls of their house should witness only kindliness, only politeness, good character, kindly words, avodas Hashem, joyous Shabbosim, zemiros on Shabbos, divrei Torah, helping each other, performing acts that Hashem commands us to do.

All day long the bnei bayis are putting idealism into the walls of their home.

***

Of course theory is always easier than practice.

But we have to strive for the ideal, for the building of a home that Hashem intended when He told the Am Yisroel, “Return to your tents.”

The creation of a home founded on the principles of Ma’amad Har Sinai is a creation that is eternal.

Regardless of what kind of family we have (even if it's just yourself), may we all succeed in making our families and our homes abodes of kedushah and Torah idealism.

What kind of home do we want?

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Rav Avigdor on Practical Steps to Cultivate Ahavat Yisrael in Parshat Devarim

8/8/2019

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As usual, Rav Avigdor Miller brings new light to Torah passages that have been staring us in the face all this time, making us say, “WOW. I never realized that before.”

In Parshat Devarim: Learning to Love, Rav Miller notes that who we love & how we love should be determined by Hashem, not by our own emotions and sympathies, nor social pressure.

So he points out that the Torah calls Edom (Esav) acheichem—your brothers.

That’s weird, isn’t it?

270 years since a common ancestor, and Am Yisrael in the Wilderness hear bnei Esav called their “brothers”?

Furthermore, the Torah also tells us “Lo titev Adomi ki achicha hu—don’t abhor the Edomite because he is your brother.” It also warns: “Al titgaru vam—Don’t antagonize them.”

In this way, Hashem tells you how to shape your attitude toward different types of people. You need to use both your mind and your heart to do so.

So while Hashem doesn’t want us all buddy-buddy with Edom, He also doesn’t want us to abhor or antagonize Edom.

And to facilitate this desired emotional state, Hashem reminds us of the shared kinship with Esav.

Shared Ancestry Fosters Fraternal Feelings

We see this with all the ancestry research today.

People feel a kinship going back, whether it’s their shared Irish clan or something more official, like ancestors who took part in the American Revolution.

(There is even an organization called “Daughters of the American Revolution” which is open only to those women whose great(etc.)-grandfather aided the American cause against the British in the 1700s.)

So reminding people of shared heritage is a way to bring out certain fraternal emotions.

“Attitudes of the mind cannot be developed in a vacuum of emotion.”

—Rav Avigdor Miller

But the deepest emotional connection needs to be among Am Yisrael.

Brothers & Sisters in Mitzvot

Rav Miller recalls Hillel’s famous statement to a potential ger, which asserted that the commandment to love fellow Jews, is “one of the prime functions of our lives.”

So when the Torah speaks of a distant fraternal connection with Edom, it’s teaching us to find an emotional connection to help us love our fellow Jews.

As Rav Miller explains:

It’s important to make use of every means available in order to facilitate and increase the love that Hashem wants you to feel.

Instead of being cold philosophers, stoics who are ashamed of emotions, the Torah encourages the employment of natural emotions in order to fulfill the mitzvah of [v’ahavta l’re’echa kamocha—and you shall love to your fellow like yourself].

The reason why the Torah refers to your fellow Jews as “your brother” so many times throughout the Torah is because He wants you to feel that kinship “a thousand times, a million times more” than the kinship Am Yisrael was supposed to feel for Edom as they passed them in the Midbar.

Rav Miller emphasizes:

Because it’s not a brother like Eisav who is merely connected to us by blood, by DNA…Chazal tell us that [achicha] means [achicha b’mitzvot], “your brother in mitzvos.”

It’s not merely a brother of the same ancestor; it’s a brother of the same mind! A brother living for the same purpose.

Practical Steps toward Ahavat Yisrael

And here Rav Miller reveals his humility and sincerity:

Now I’m far away from this myself.

I’m saying this not for you; I’m listening to it myself as I’m saying it. Maybe a little bit will stick to me. But I let you listen along with me because at least we have to learn it - at least that.

We have to make an effort, a career of loving our fellow brothers-in-arms.

Yet again, we see that Rav Miller understands us and our challenges with this all-important mitzvah.

Basically, we need to train our minds & emotions.

When we see fellow frum people (even those not from “our” group), we need to think: “This is my brother” or “This is my sister.”

Even when you pass by frum homes and you don’t see the actual people, Rav Miller encourages us to think, “These are my brothers and sisters and I love them.”

Rav Miller advises that even when you see a frum Jew from afar, you should look at him and think, “This is Hashem’s Chosen one.”

You should think about the mitzvot they do. Oh, look—this Jewish lady is covering her hair…wonderful! And this Jewish man over here put on tefillin this morning—love ya, brother!

Now, maybe this doesn’t blossom into full-fledged love, but Rav Miller reassures us that the resulting warmth we feel puts us on the right path toward real love.

Real Love Starts Small & Expands; Global Love is Usually Fake

Then Rav Miller makes a point that is very true, but many don’t like to hear it.

Those people who claim they love everyone? He claims they don’t love anyone.

I’ve seen this so many times. Someone can be swooning over injustices in Africa while they treat their own spouse, sibling, parents, neighbors, colleagues, or children poorly.

Many animal-rights activists are not the nicest people. Some are even cruel and callous types.

Rav Miller said in a previous dvar Torah that Hashem loves everyone—all human beings whether Jewish or not—and even birds, every living creature.

And love starts at home. (Like tzedakah, I guess.) Then you fan out from there.

But why is it so hard to cultivate love for fellow Jews?

Azamra with Slabodka

Rav Miller reasons that ahavat Yisrael is hard because of competition, rivalry, and friction (like many sibling relationships).

So we need to cultivate feelings of affection to overcome this.

Rav Miller’s Rebbe in Slabodka recommended starting off with one Jew.

Pick a Jew who’s easy to love and go from there. (If you read page 10 & 15-16 of this dvar Torah, Rav Miller goes into more detail about how to carry out this particular step.)

You can even take automatic love (like love for your own children) or superficial “love” (like based on the person’s appearance) and use that as a springboard for increasing your feelings of love and affection.

Why isn’t that self-centered or superficial?

Because you’re doing it FOR Hashem.

You’re doing it to fulfill a mitzvah and to make yourself more affectionate and loving.

You don’t REALLY think that a person’s worth is based on looks or that only your children matter.

You’re just focusing on positive aspects, no matter how automatic or superficial, then you’re going to fan those flickers of love.

And here’s a very important aspect of ahavat Yisrael, as told to Rav Miller by his Rebbe in Slabodka:

“A person is not one middah,” he said, “He's a bundle of middos.”

So one thing might not be to your liking, but something else is good in him.

And therefore you cannot form an opinion just in general about a person. A person is a big bundle of character traits; he’s not just one thing.

So in case you can’t love the person entirely, you can learn to love at least one aspect of his personality.

For those of you knowledgeable in Lubavitch and Breslov Chassidus, that sounds quite familiar.

It just goes to show you that we agree about the fundamentals. We have a place to connect. Many places, actually.

Nothing Compares to You

Needless to say, it’s very important to feel affection for your spouse (if you don’t always) and to increase whatever affection you already feel.

Love for ALL tzaddikim, whether you follow this one or that one, is paramount.

It’s very important to read Toras Avigdor's original PDF because there is so much this post is leaving out. Love, love, love.

Rav Miller quotes Chapter 19 of Mesillat Yesharim:

**"Ein Hakadosh Baruch Hu ohev eleh mi sheh ohev Yisrael - I love you because I only love those who love My People."**

Your love for your fellow Jews and Hashem’s Immeasurable Love for you are the root of everything in Torah.

So it’s very important to ingest as much of this as you can.

Let’s wind down with a final quote from Rav Miller (emphasis mine):

You’ll say, “Yes, in general, all Jews, I love. I love all of them. But when it comes to this Jew, no,
not this one.”

“He’s from a different shtibel,” you might think.

He's not in your neighborhood, maybe not your nusach, maybe he’s a Sefardi or a Teimani. Maybe he’s a Russian Jew or a Polish Jew, so you think, “Not him, not him.”

No, nothing doing! If he’s from the zera Yaakov, then he’s yours!

There is nothing Hashem loves more in the world than the offspring of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov.

Nothing compares to Hashem’s love for you.

And who is “you”?

You could be the most foolish fellow; a fellow with all faults. Ugly, slow-witted, nothing to love.

No matter!

Hashem loves that person with an intense and fiery love.

Here's the original dvar Torah again:
Parshat Devarim: Learning to Love

Here is an AMAZING brand-new video on the topic:
https://torasavigdor.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Nine-Days-Video.mp4

And as always, all credit for any quotes above goes to Toras Avigdor.

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Rav Avigdor Miller on Parshat Masei: Recalling All the Awful Things that DIDN'T Happen

2/8/2019

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In Parshas Masei – Remembering the Journeys, Rav Avigdor Miller notes that the list of journeys written there hint at our need to remember our own journeys in life and most of all, Hashem's Great Kindnesses that He showered on us during those journeys (whether we appreciated them or not; whether we even noticed the Kindnesses or not - we can notice & appreciate them now).

Rav Miller gleans this interpretation from Rabbeinu Yonah.

You can even write your journeys down.

Or you can go over them in your head, which could make a nice Shabbat activity.

And from this aspect of the parsha, we learn to look at our own journeys and say, "Things worked out like so — but really, it could have been much worse. MUCH worse."

Just as someone somewhere should've been stung by a scorpion while traipsing through the Midbar — but it never happened, baruch Hashem! — we also have aspects of our life journeys in which the worst should have happened...but didn't.

I can definitely think of times in my life where, according to the natural & most expected way of the world, very bad things should have happened:

Maybe I should've died...but didn't, baruch Hashem.

Maybe I should've been scarred for life...but wasn't, baruch Hashem.

Maybe I should've remained a fully assimilated numskull Leftist...but didn't, baruch Hashem.

Maybe I was about to innocently commit a particularly severe sin...but didn't.

Why? Because Hashem tweaked things so that the natural, expected outcome never came to full fruition — or never happened at all.

Just a little tweak in the journey was all I needed to avoid disaster.

(Okay, and not always just a little tweak. Let's be honest: Sometimes, I needed a great massive shove to catapult me out of harm's way. But the point is, the really bad thing that should have happened...didn't.)

Likewise, in the Midbar, people were not stung by scorpions nor did they suffer epidemics. (Plagues of Punishment, yes. Smallpox or measles? No.)

No dehydration or heatstroke.

Yishtabach Shemo!

Thanking Hashem for What DIDN'T Happen

Rav Miller gleans from David Hamelech that you even need to go back to your first months of conception when you do this!

No joke.

My great-grandmother looked for an abortionist, but he was out of town. By the time, the abortionist came back, it was too late.

And Grandpa was born, baruch Hashem.

(For more on the benefit of Grandpa's existence, please see: The Abortion Stories You Never Hear.)

Rav Miller goes through conception, babyhood, childhood, and more.

He recalls the time in his own childhood when he found a bullet, stuck it into some wood, pounded its back with a hammer...and it exploded in his face. There was lots of blood. Rav Miller says he should've lost an eye, but he didn't. Baruch Hashem!

We all have stories like that. (In fact, it definitely sounds like something my own kids would do.)

Anyway, Rav Miller goes through the many things that COULD happen and DO happen to some people, but DIDN'T happen to him. (Nor to you or me. That's right. If you're reading this, then that's a sure sign you're still alive and the examples he gave did NOT happen to you...baruch Hashem!!!)

"Boring days are a blessing!"

- Rav Avigdor Miller

Fabulous Failures

You think you just spent your whole life working?

Baruch Hashem! You were able to work.

What about failures?

Rav Miller mentions 4 big failures he endured, all of which turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to him, only he didn't perceive it that way at the time.

And haven't we all had "fabulous" failures like that?

Thanks for the Nervous Breakdown!

Another man ("an am ha'aretz gamur") suffered a nervous breakdown.

While hospitalized, someone handed him a copy of Rejoice, O Youth! and it changed his life.

Now he's a talmid chacham with a big beard and a big family in Yerushalayim — all thanks to a nervous breakdown.

Thanks for the Targeted Bombing!

Another man was so enslaved by his work, he often couldn't make it to Shacharis.

Then he unknowingly "stole" a customer from the Mafia, so the Mafia bombed his store.

Rav Miller gave the terrorized man helpful advice to preserve his life, and the man ended up at a new job, which enabled him to live a MUCH better frum life — meaning, a better & vastly improved life overall.

"It’s not what I say – that’s what the Chovos Halevavos says: that remembering all of the chasdei Hashem is fundamental for anyone who wants to be an eved Hashem."

-Rav Avigdor Miller

The One-Minute Appreciator

Rav Miller recommends spending at least one minute mulling over the awful (or even just mildly irritating) things that should have happened, but didn't.

He says you can even do this while walking down the street.

Who is the True Oved Hashem?

Rav Miller makes the excellent point that the shaking, serious Yid isn't necessarily the big pious oved Hashem (true servant of Hashem).

It could easily be the cheerful-looking guy who walks happily down the street because he's remembering the Kindnesses of Hashem.

Ultimately, the point of all this is to feel such gratitude to Hashem, you serve him from that place of joyous gratitude.

This is a true oved Hashem.

Sinai Desert

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Rav Avigdor Miller on Parshat Pinchas & Parshat Matot

25/7/2019

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Rav Avigdor Miller's dvar Torah on Parshas Pinchas covers a famous Rambam, often used against emunah by misguided people or to make recently secular people feel better:

The Rambam says like this: “Although you might be surprised that I say this,” that’s how the Rambam starts, “but the mitzvah of animal sacrifice is only a form of appeasing the people, so that they shouldn’t feel deprived.”

Because the people were accustomed to seeing such things being done by all the umos ha’olam - all the ovdei avodah zarah would serve their gods by bringing gifts of food to appease their hungry gods - so the Am Yisroel wanted to do the same.

But if you want to know what it really means and what a genuine talmid chacham has to say about it, you can read more about it here:
Parshas Pinchas 2 – True Knowledge and Sacrifice

And why is Hashem described throughout the Torah is such a material way? He gets angry, jealous, has hands, eyes, etc.

It's all in that dvar Torah too.

And what's the most important part of any bracha? The word "Atah-You."

Here it is:

The single most important kavanah is the word Atah – that you're talking to Somebody!

The Mesilas Yesharim says you should picture Hakodosh Boruch Hu standing in front of you. He’s paying attention, “Yes, my child, what are you saying?”

He’s listening to you. Oh! Hashem is listening to us! He’s real!

And therefore the first and most important attitude required for making a bracha is not the peirush hamilos [meaning of the words], but the attitude of "Atah Hashem" – "You Hashem; there’s really somebody listening.”

And don't forget to say, "I love You" directly to Hashem.

Here's another dvar Torah on Parshat Pinchas from Rav Miller:
Parshas Pinchas – A Career of Seeing Hashem

Parshat Matot: Mind-Blowing Social Commentary

If you're in Eretz Yisrael, then you'll want Parshat Matot.

Last year's dvar Torah is available here, when the parshas were together: Parshas Mattos Massai – The End of the Evildoers

Rav Miller explains the concept of positive revenge in the Torah, expresses his opinion of certain aspects of society and revisits some painful situations, like the murder of Yankel Rosenbaum and the Jewish boys who got hammered and then their murderers set free because "The courtroom is not a place of revenge."

But it also contains material that make your heart happy, like this:

You have to understand now, what the word hallel means. It says "Amarti laholelim, 'Al taholu' - I said to the wild ones, 'Don't be wild, don't be too excited' ” (Tehillim 75:5).

The word hallel doesn't mean “praise”; it means to go wild with excitement! That's what hallel means, wild. And hallelu-yah means to go wild with excitement about Hashem; to be excited about the true greatness of Hashem.

Did you know that's what Hallelu-yah means?

I sure didn't.

We need to remember that next time we say Psukei D'Zimra or Tikkun Haklali. Or Hallel!

He also discusses Elizabeth Taylor's 3rd husband, a Jewish guy name Avrom Hersch Goldbogen who changed his name to Mike Todd.

He apparently got blown or thrown out of his plane in mid-flight.

And it was reported how they always report these things, but Rav Miller says like this:

If we had real Torah newspapers, it would be big headlines.

Front page headlines:

“Hakodosh Boruch Hu Throws Mike Todd Out Of His Airplane.”

Yes, that would be much better. Newspaper staff are such atheists nowadays, they simply cannot be accurate. But that would be an accurate headline.

Here's more about how to disregard all media, including frum media:

You have to disregard the propaganda of the newspapers, and ignore the foolish ranting of people, and instead, pay attention to what you see and hear - with your own eyes and your
own ears.

Then you're going to see the punishment that Hashem brings upon wicked. But you have to look!

You won't be able to take even the tiniest step forward if you're looking through the eyes of the the New York Times or the New York Post.

Even the frum newspapers aren't going to help you when it comes to seeing the ways of Hashem in this world. You're going to have to do the work with your own eyes....I do it myself.

You know, I make it my business, year after year, to “keep the yartzeit” of Mike Todd.

I tell everybody about the news. Maybe you don't want to hear about Hashem showing His ways in the world, but I'm not going to forget. I'm going to look at the shilumat reshaim [pay-back for the wicked] and grow in da’as Hashem.

And you should read what Rav Miller has to say about John Lennon. And Abbie Hoffman. And the Reform rabbi who labeled Rav Miller an "ignoramus."

Also, Rav Miller mentions a Jewish newspaper that I don't know if it's still around but he sums it up as: "a newspaper for the people who are interested in a long stay in Gehenim."

Ouch.

I can actually think of another couple of newspapers that might fit that description...

(Tongue-in-cheek Trigger Warning: I never liked the Beatles, except for maybe 2 songs, so it didn't bother me to read daas Torah on John Lennon, but maybe fans should proceed with caution. Imagine all the sheeple...)

Well, the truth is the truth.

And I enjoy every word of Rav Miller.

And as we talk about the nachas we get from seeing wicked people get what's coming to them, Rav Miller reminds us that we're not happy to see regular people punished:

Now when we say the wicked in Gehenim, we're not talking about Jews who made some errors, they made mistakes, they sinned a little bit, and they're in Gehenim temporarily.

We're not happy about our fellow Jews’ suffering.

We're waiting for them to get out, we pray for them.

They're going to get out eventually and they're going to sit together with all the tzaddikim.

Nice.

Anyway, if you want to read a very honest daas Torah viewpoint of Heavenly revenge against the wicked and what all that means, then this dvar Torah is the one for you.

Thank you to Toras Avigdor for everything.

P.S. You can now get Rav Miller's weekly parsha delivered to your inbox in Yiddish, English, easy-print, and Junior for kids.

This post has been updated to show the correct name is Yankel Rosenbaum of blessed memory, Hashem yinkom damo, and not Yankel Rosenblum as accidentally mistyped. Very sorry for the error.

"And all the trees of the field shall clap hands." -- Yeshayahu 55:12

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Every Jewish Face is a Pleasure! A Snippet of Rav Avigdor Miller on Parshat Balak (Plus a link to Parshat Pinchus: A Career of Seeing Hashem)

19/7/2019

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Shockingly, I had an outside project to complete this week, so blogging was sporadic and I didn't get around to highlighting everything I love about Rav Miller's parshat hashavua from Toras Avigdor.

So I'll leave you with this from Parshat Balak: Beloved Multitudes of Israel:

FAT JOLLY JEWS ARE A PLEASURE!
****
Look at a Jewish face as it passes by - every single one is a pleasure.

It’s a pleasure to have skinny serious Jews – it’s very important to have them.

And fat jolly Jews – it’s a pleasure to have them too.

Business-like Jews, they’re also pleasure.

Each one is a pleasure – no question about it, and that’s why Hashem is counting us.

So don't forget to check out:

Right! So let's make sure we say "Modeh Ani" with a happy heart.

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Rav Avigdor Miller on Spotting the Snake Slithering through Your World in Parshat Chukat & Loving Yourself and Your Fellow Jews in Parshat Balak

11/7/2019

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Yet again, Rav Miller makes the desert scene and the whole snake fiasco come alive in Parshat Chukat: The Copper Snake.

He explains all about the Copper Snake and its symbolism and what that was all about.

So if you’ve ever wanted to understand what was going on with the fiery biting serpents and then the giant healing Copper Snake, it’s all in there.

Who & What is the Yetzer Hara Today?

But whether it’s the First Nachash in Gan Eden or the fiery serpents biting complainers, snakes are all about dissatisfaction.

And to fight the snakes of dissatisfaction, we need to pump up our gratitude and appreciation.

As usual, I cannot resist quoting Rav Miller’s views on modern American society:

Of course, today, Russia doesn’t have to bother to send spies across the ocean because America has so many lunatics in its government, so many meshugener communists in its educational system and in the public media, that they’re doing the work for free.

They’re doing the work of disrupting the country without being paid.

But in normal times the best way for a spy to operate is by working undercover, by blending in and remaining unnoticed. Only that today the public is so stupid that the lunatics can proclaim it openly, with big headlines.

The Yetzer Hara (the king of the snakes of dissatisfaction) operates as a psychopath.

In the Garden, the Nachash (i.e., the Yetzer Hara when it was external; now it is internal) was obviously a Nachash standing on legs and talking. But he made his personality appealing. Sheker hachen.

He’s sneaky and doesn’t want you to know what he’s really up to. He comes in a much more appealing form—not serpentine at all.

As Rav Miller explains:

Today he appears in the form of a college professor or a neighbor.

Sometimes he’ll even come as a man with a beard and long peyos.

It has to be that way because if the nachash would have continued to exist in the form that it had in the time of the cheit, so we would already know to watch out for that fellow.

We know, “Watch out for him!”
…
And if you don’t look beneath the facade, you will never see the truth.

The falsehoods today fill the world. Big buildings, libraries, universities. And they have the media today to spread their falsehoods.

The sheker fills the world today because he’s choosing the most effective forms possible and he is succeeding.

Wherever you go today you can no longer say the truth - you have to use political correctness when you talk.

A tremendous tolerance of sheker was erected right under our noses.

"One way or another, people have been bitten by the nachash. For one person the nachash of sports has bitten him. For another person it’s clothing or cars or money. Arayos, television, politics, whatever it is, the snake is biting."

Rav Miller on Sports & Travel Vacations

Rav Miller also discusses his opinion on travel vacations (unless you have a real tachlis need to travel to that location).

He admits that it’s not a popular opinion and that he doesn’t meant to offend anyone, but he simply sees it a certain way and feels that point of view should be expressed.

He discusses making the most of your background and your family situation, realizing that the difficulties and obstacles are there to for you to use for spiritual growth.

This is what he says about sports:

You’re thinking, “Maybe the newspapers are reporting important news - maybe I should go out and look in the newspaper.”

The front page talks about a certain man, a top basketball player who was captured by another team. Oooh ah! Big news!

A nobody.

When he went to high school he never attended class - he stood in the schoolyard and practiced basketball. A bum, that’s all.

And this bum is on the front page, and everybody is talking about him.

Or another bum who has nothing in his mind at all, no intelligence at all. Only that when he holds a bat he’s able to smack the ball. He can give the ball a smack and everyone goes crazy.

A homerun! Meshugenahs! It’s nothing!

"And the more you think about that truth, the more we train our minds to combat the yetzer hara that makes what we’re doing seem plain and ordinary, the more we’ve learned the lesson of lifting the copper serpent out from the high grass and placing it on the high pole."

PARSHAT BALAK

For those in Eretz Yisrael, Parshat Balak has arrived.

Rav Miller explains that this is such an important Parsha, Chazal wanted us to say the entire parshah every morning!

He also explains why Hashem is so exacting with Am Yisrael.

That’s one of the reasons church-goers believe they’ve replaced Am Yisrael. Hashem (via the Nevi’im) constantly exhort the Jewish People even as He expresses the most beautiful and profound Love for us in the Universe.

Why Is Hashem So Tough on Us If He Loves Us So Much?

Why do we suffer genocides and pogroms for our sins?

We aren’t nearly as bad as the nations. Sure, they suffer stuff too. But not like us. And we’re not nearly as bad. (Despite what many Jewish periodicals and blogs claim, we really aren’t as bad as the nations!)

So Rav Miller explains that with a convincing mashal of a kallah and a wedding photographer, which is very worth reading inside the dvar Torah booklet. (Seriously. It’s very convincing.)

Then Rav Miller explains:

"But when you grow older, you have to understand the truth of the Torah. And that is that the Am Yisroel is the greatest and purest nation, much more than any nation in the world!"

Many people have been misled, even talmidei chachomim.

I remember once I was saying a drasha in shul and I mentioned that the Dor Hamidbar was beloved by Hashem.

I said that they are called yedidim [friends] and ahuvim [beloved ones].

And this one man, a talmid chochom, finally lost patience with me. He was so angry with me when I said that. “It's against the pesukim what you're saying” he told me. “They didn't know My ways.” He showed me the possuk in the siddur. And how can you blame people for being mislead?

All the seforim in the Torah criticize the Am Yisroel. Terribly!...

...But the maskanah of the gemara is: Asfu li chassidai - Gather in to Me, My devoted ones, the dor hamidbar. They were Hashem’s chassidim.

There’s a reason why Jews are incredibly self-critical.

And as written on this blog before, frum Jews are the most self-critical. And Rav Miller discusses this tendency toward self-criticism (both justified and unjustified) and why we are like that.

So how do we gain some perspective?

Go Tell It from The Mountain

We do like Bilaam and look at ourselves and each other from a distance—from a mountain top:

Let's say, here's a kollel family.

And there's another person standing in the street, a Jew, a frum Jew, and he sees the kollel family. To him it seems like they're human beings. Just like he is.

The children are boisterous, a little wild. The mother is busy cooking and cleaning. And life goes on in their house like any other house.

And therein lies the great error of not appreciating the Am Yisroel.
…
And so, when you look at that kollel family, you'll have to get off the ground.

To understand the greatness of any frum home, you are going to have to get off of the ground and view them with a nobility of mind.

If you go through life without thinking, then you'll never appreciate the Am Yisroel.

It's only when you take a step back, and you see the Am Yisroel with the clear sighted view that Bilam had, that's how you'll appreciate our greatness.

Go, us! Rah, rah, rah! Yaaaayy...US!

Of course, none of this precludes a raw cheshbon hanefesh.

Judaism acknowledges and embraces the innate paradox of our 3-dimensional world.

We need to regularly perform a thoroughly scouring cheshbon hanefesh—yet at the same time, never lose sight of how wonderfully fabulous and profoundly cherished we are.

Rav Miller goes into detail about how to see ourselves & each other in the real light—the way Hashem sees us.

There are no rose-colored glasses here—Rav Miller gives plenty of mussar; he knows our weak points.

It’s about changing your angle of vision.

"Taharas hamishpacha, tzniyus, decency, morality fill the Jewish home. And you hear brachos in that home all day long - a different blessing for every item that you're eating. How beautiful is the Jewish home!"

As always, credit goes to Toras Avigdor for everything, including generous permission to cite this amazing material.

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Copyright Notice

"...any weakness in our attitude towards wickedness, is a weakness in our attitude towards Hakodosh Boruch Hu."

(pg. 11)

"Identify with All the Good Jews Everywhere They are."

“Attitudes of the mind cannot be developed in a vacuum of emotion.”

—Rav Avigdor Miller

**"Ein Hakadosh Baruch Hu ohev eleh mi sheh ohev Yisrael - I love you because I only love those who love My People."**

"Boring days are a blessing!"

- Rav Avigdor Miller

"It’s not what I say – that’s what the Chovos Halevavos says: that remembering all of the chasdei Hashem is fundamental for anyone who wants to be an eved Hashem."

-Rav Avigdor Miller

"And the more you think about that truth, the more we train our minds to combat the yetzer hara that makes what we’re doing seem plain and ordinary, the more we’ve learned the lesson of lifting the copper serpent out from the high grass and placing it on the high pole."

"But when you grow older, you have to understand the truth of the Torah. And that is that the Am Yisroel is the greatest and purest nation, much more than any nation in the world!"