Category: Rav Avigdor Miller

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.

0 Comments

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

6/9/2019

0 Comments

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.

0 Comments

The Importance of Letting Go & Letting God Decide What is Beautiful. Let God (and not Paris or the NYT) Decide If an Act Sanctifies His Name...or Soils It

4/9/2019

2 Comments

In our upside-down world today, the ideas of kiddush Hashem (sanctification of Hashem's Name) and chilul Hashem (the desecration of Hashem's Name) can get mixed up.

Kiddush Hashem means presenting Hashem honestly, as HE wishes to be viewed.

For example, if you live in a society which says that killing unborn babies is an act of compassion or that 2 men getting "married" is a sign of morality & social progress, then even if everyone hates you for saying otherwise, it is a chilul Hashem for you to present Hashem as agreeing with acts He specifically forbade, such as abortion or same-gender marriage.

And it is a kiddush Hashem to object to such forbidden acts, like abortion & same-gender "marriage," and to also support laws that support normal man-woman marriage and to support laws and organizations that save unborn babies and provide for their mothers.

Secular newspapers & even some "frum" bloggers strive to impose society's standards onto Hashem, and encourage you to feel misplaced shame as a result, distorting what kiddush Hashem & chilul Hashem really mean.

The more knowledgeable you are in original Torah sources, the easier it is to stay strong.

So kiddush Hashem & chilul Hashem are not reliant on just what society considers good or bad.

It's all about what Hashem considers good or bad.

Why Reject Hashem's Standards of Beauty in Favor of the Standards of Milan & Paris?

In the frum world, for instance, some people get odd ideas about kiddush Hashem.

For example, a frum woman who makes sure to follow the latest fashion by wearing clothes that are too tight, skirts that are too short (or almost too short) and a shaitel more suitable for a Las Vegas showgirl — she often considers herself as making a kiddush Hashem.

And this doesn't even cover all the gestures these well-meaning women copy from the non-Jewish world, like flipping her long shaitel hair back in an attention-getting manner (and hope there is no one behind her who gets hit in the eye) and all sorts of other socially encouraged gestures & acts meant to make a woman look alluring and "free-spirited."

("Free-spirited" is the politically correct word for "hefker.")

But the intent of these well-meaning people is to say:

Look at how attractive frumkeit is!

Look at how gorgeous & free-spirited you can be while holding down a prestigious job & raising 8 kids!

And she gets lots of compliments for her appearance and for making frumkeit "look good."

Yet there is no way that such a lack of tsniut makes Hashem look good.

And while this isn't the place to get into what Hashem might think of a career woman (NOT a woman who works part-time or who is forced to work full-time, but a hard-hitting ambitious career woman — especially one with little children & babies), it's very questionable whether this "have-it-all" attitude truly reflects Hashem's feminine ideal.

It's clear that women (or men in the male version of this) sincerely mean well. They honestly think they are making frumkeit look lovely & desirable.

But a Jew who does not maintain halachic standards is not making Hashem look good.

In other words, following society's standards when those standards contradict Hashem's standards is actually a chilul Hashem.

But following Hashem's standards (as pleasantly as possible), despite society's oppositional standards, is a kiddush Hashem.

You are So Beautiful to the King of the Entire Universe

To combat the above, Rav Avigdor Miller frequently mentioned the importance of seeing our fellow Torah-observant Jews as "BEAUTIFUL."

If someone strives to keep the mitzvot as Hashem directed, then that person is BEAUTIFUL.

This is why Rav Avigdor Miller recommends you look into your spouse's eyes and say (to yourself, at least): "I am now looking at Hashem's Divine Image."

This is why Rav Miller exhorts us to look at the frazzled frum mother surrounded by young children and see her as more beautiful than any physical beauty queen. (But not in a taavadik way, if you're a man.)

This is why Rav Miller exhorts us to look at the somewhat overweight frum man waddling down the street to Mincha and think, "I love that man."

It's easy to get caught up in society's standards of beauty & poise.

It's easy to be embarrassed by frum people (or look down on ourselves) when the current standards of beauty, poise, and coolness are not met.

But if we are doing what Hashem wants (even clumsily), then we need to know that we are so incredibly beautiful.

We need to train ourselves to see ourselves that way & to see our fellow frummies that way too.

2 Comments

Links to Food for Thought on Hurricanes

4/9/2019

2 Comments

One of the craziest hurricanes in the recorded history of the Bahamas hit right at Rosh Chodesh Elul.

Its bizarre & destructive behavior, with its unceasing grind over the Bahamas gives food for thought. I sincerely pray that it will shift far away from America's East Coast.

Prayer really works.

Also, such powerful acts of nature are messages to us.

Here are some posts on the issue:

Hurricane Dorian

2 Comments

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

30/8/2019

0 Comments

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.

0 Comments

Why Some People Prefer the Bitter Antidote to Sweet Poison

27/8/2019

2 Comments

As touched on in a previous post, Why are an Increasing Number of Us Looking to be Whacked Upside the Head?, we're seeing an increase in the attraction to a more say-it-like-it-is approach.

Speakers and writers who tell us things we don't necessarily want to hear have risen in popularity. Some even have quite a large & passionate following.

The question is why?

Liar, Liar, Facts on Fire

Let's start by looking at those who came from a non-Jewish background.

How many of those people feel lied to?

How many of those people sensed something missing from their life (either early on or later), but feel lied to about what that was?

How many feel betrayed on some level by their former not-frum or not-Jewish society?

Here are some lies (both spoken & unspoken) people were brainwashed to believe:

Killing unborn babies is not only completely permissible, but even compassionate.
People who are pro-life are heartless fanatics who care nothing about babies or women.
The Tanach is not true.
Jewish Law is optional; feel free to pick and choose!
God is optional.
God is three.
The movement for Conservative (which is actual very liberal) Judaism is a completely legitimate form of Judaism; in fact, they follow Hillel while those Orthodox Jews follow Shammai.
The Reform movement is a completely legitimate form of Judaism.
What God? What Judaism?
There's no din and no Dayan; the most important thing is that you're happy.
Premarital relations are perfectly fine and even ideal as long as contraception is used. There are no emotional or spiritual repercussions.
Marriage & children are so undesirable and put such a damper on your life, they should be pushed off for as long as possible, and you should do everything else first.
If you ever feel down or bad about yourself, it's only because you lack self-esteem.
Feminism is only good and has only improved life for females; there is no downside to it.
Vegetarians & vegans are morally superior to others. They are better people overall.
Having a physical relationship with someone of your own gender is perfectly normal and should be sanctioned by society, including marriage, and any one who thinks otherwise is an ignorant phobic bigot who should be shunned.
Republicans = Bad.
Democrats = Good.
Liberalism is The Moral Path.
All you need is love.
[Fill in the blank.]

People feel betrayed by the society that didn't care enough to give them basic morality.

People resent things they did, not realizing at the time how bad it was for them.

People resent things that were done to them because there was nothing in society that validated their quashed feeling that those things actually weren't okay after all.

For example, it took me a while to realize that the movement for Conservative (which is actual very liberal) Judaism is actually a form of spiritual abuse.

They teach you a lot of stories from Tanach, which for a child especially touches the soul. The soul senses that these stories are true in a profound way. Then they yank the rug out from under you by telling you that these events either aren't really true or that the heroes of these events are just regular Joes — or maybe even less.

(For example, people from this movement who do separate meat & dairy love to tell you that Avraham Avinu did not actually keep kosher due to the way a verse is phrased. Telling them how the mefarshim explain this does no good. Why? Because they have a great ego need to feel frummer. It justifies all their aveirot.)

So your soul knows it's true, but you're being quashed and repressed into this lie.

It's spiritual agony, but there's not outlet for the pain.

Searching for Answers

Once you're frum (or if you're frum from birth), you might run into the following:

Rabbis, rebbetzins, teachers, or advisers who misrepresent Torah.

An "I'm okay, you're okay" approach to very serious aspects of Judaism that are not at all represented in any mussar sefer — and seem to even be against halacha.

Religious hypocrisy

Kosher-certified classes that claim to be derived from Torah and promise to be The Best Way to whatever you desperately need, yet not only don't work (no matter how hard you try) but you also discover that most of it is taken from Western psychology (i.e. the very world you left for Torah Judaism, if you're not FFB)

No matter how much advice you followed & how much you prayed and did segulot, the person still died, you're still not married, the spouse still left (or is still extremely difficult), the child still went off the derech, the finances still went South, certain family members are still impossible to deal with, your life is one big disappointing mess, and so on.

[Fill in the blank.]

When people not only can't get what they want, but can't get what they've been told is a huge mitzvah that Hashem wants (i.e., marriage, children, getting children into good schools, etc.), then it can throw them into crisis.

In this case, some people might prefer being told about heavy din or the harsh signs of Mashiach or how other people who either refuse to or can't improve (like Erev Rav or "Jews" who aren't actually Jewish if you check their yichus) are messing things up.

People (especially those who've suffered) Need Validation & Very Often, The Straight-Shooters are the Only Ones to Offer This Validation

The straight-shootin' speakers & writers often validate your experiences without invalidating your faith.

These straight-shooters will readily acknowledge that certain cliches you've been fed are actually not true, that religious hypocrisy exists and is a problem, that not every person with rabbinical ordination is actually reliable, and so on.

Contrary to embittered former frummies who left the derech after facing problems, these people DON'T want to reject Hashem and His Torah.

They believe in Hashem and the Truth of His Torah.

They realize that problems and disappointments don't negate our obligations and the resulting din.

But they do need to find someone they can trust, someone who sees what they see, and does so without losing their religion. They want guidance on how to grow in emuna & bitachon despite all the challenges.

And the straight-shooters usually offer them that valuable combination.

I know that when I've read or heard something by Rav Shalom Arush or Rav Avigdor Miller that supports an observation I've had but never felt comfortable admitting, then that strengthens their position in my eyes.

It's like, "Oh! Someone finally said it! I'm not crazy; the emperor really ISN'T wearing clothes!"

And then I listen very closely to hear what else they want to tell me.

If I Can Trust Him to Tell Me the Bitter Truth, I Can Also Trust Him to Tell Me the Sweet Truth

On the other hand, people want very much to hear about emuna, Hashem's Love & Compassion, the importance of baby-steps in the right direction, and so on.

But because it's increasingly sounding like hippie rainbow children, it's hard for people to know what's REAL JUDAISM.

So when, for example, Rav Avigdor Miller tells you that literally anyone can do teshuvah no matter what the sin, or that if you thought about Hashem for one minute in a shop, "You're a great person already!" or that even one minute a day of thinking about Hashem makes that entire a day "a success" and is "tremendous achievement" that means that "You’re one out of ten thousand (pg. 16)," you believe it because he also said things like:

"having a TV is like taking a pipe from the sewers and emptying it directly into your dining room" (source)

And:

"If it wasn’t for the constant threat from the Arabs, then then the leftists would go ahead with their scheme to make Eretz Yisroel a non-Jewish country" (source)

And:

"I know one rebbe, a milameid in the yeshiva mesivta. He makes a point of carrying The New York Times, so that people should respect him. If he would pick up a handful of dog droppings and walk into the mesivta, he’d be more respectable." (source)

Because Rav Miller says bitter truths without holding back, so we can also trust him when he tells us:

"[Hashem] loves you a thousand more times than your mother loves you..." (source)

And:

"Nothing compares to Hashem’s love for you." (source)

And:

"When a man comes into the Shul and he doesn't observe much, don't shame him; you have to treat him delicately, because you can never know.

And I want to tell you something, that these people many times have more idealism than people who are in it all their lives.

People who are in it all their lives, many times are on the way out, and this man is on his way in."

(source)

And:

"It’s not the spectacular deeds that will make you spectacular; it’s the ordinary deeds, the ones you do, that when accompanied with the devotion of the mind that truly makes a man great!" (source)

Is There Any Harm to a More "Gevurah" Approach?

Is there a problem with being attracted to no-holds-barred speakers?

It depends.

If the speaker is a sincere person coming from the right place, then they also emphasize derech eretz & good middot toward others, and coming close to Hashem.

Furthermore, many tell-it-like-it-is speakers are much gentler when speaking one-on-one.

Why?

When you're speaking to someone face-to-face, you're looking them in the eye and any tochachah is no longer absorbed by a group, but it's very personal and direct.

Furthermore, when someone has accepted the mussar and is requesting further guidance there is no need to be tough with that person. They got it! Now they need to be brought close with the loving right hand.

If the tell-it-like-it-is speaker is just running on the steam of his or her own ego, then it's questionable how much real Torah you're getting.

But if it's real, it can be very good.

Because it's the Truth.

Concluding Thoughts

So these are the main reasons why I think people are more & more attracted to speakers & writers who tell it like it is — even if you don't like it or it's bitter to swallow.

People are fed up with being lied to.
People are sick of obfuscations with regard to Torah (including by some frum people).
People are sick of obfuscations with regard to morality (including by some frum people).
People want to hear good & encouraging things — but ONLY if they're true and therefore, only from people they can trust to also tell them the bitter truths too.
People who are trying very hard to improve are sick of those who could not be bothered to try, or who are even very bad, portrayed as getting a free ride (when they're actually not).

That's just my take on it. It would be interesting to see more reasons why many people are increasingly attracted to this style.

2 Comments

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

22/8/2019

2 Comments

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.

2 Comments

What Do the Sephardi Gedolim Say about Tziyonut, the Medinah, and All That?

21/8/2019

15 Comments

Only recently did I realize that while I was very familiar with (and supportive of) the Ashkenazi Gedolim’s attitude toward political Zionism, I wasn’t so knowledgeable of the opinions of the Sephardi Gedolim.

This is very understandable in light of the fact that the English-speaking charedi world is heavily weighted on the Ashkenazi side of things, so we end up hearing more about people like Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Kanievsky, Rav Shteinman, Rav Miller, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, as well as the various Chassidic Rebbes, especially those prominent in the English-speaking world.

And this is good because they are true talmidei chachamim.

Furthermore, my Moroccan-Israeli husband’s entry into charedi Yiddishkeit was via Litvish yeshivahs.

While my husband goes according to Sephardi talmidei chachamim for halacha, he respects all true talmidei chachamim equally with regard to hashkafah (as is the correct attitude). And despite certain differences among groups, the real talmidei chachamim have more in common than not.

So when I asked my husband about Sephardi Gedolim and Zionism, he summed it up that Sephardi Gedolim place less emphasis on the "anti-Tziyoni," but other than that, don’t differ much in hashkafah from Ashkenazi Gedolim.

Also, many Sephardi Gedolim opine as Rav Shteinman that if a boy is anyway out on the street committing all kinds of transgressions and generally wasting his life, then Nachal Charedi is a better option for him. (Several other Ashkenazi Gedolim oppose even this.)

I think that sums it up on one foot, anyway.

Finally, it's important to know that the term itself (Tziyonut) is not remotely based on Torah or mitzvot (other than the name of the geographical location: "Tzion").

Tziyonut was only coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum, who was a secular ethnocentrist at that time. (He did complete teshuvah later, baruch Hashem.) He promoted Jewish nationalism based on the Yiddish language and culture (however he defined that).

So Tziyonut was a secular ethnocentric (Ashkenazi-only Yiddish-only) idea from the get-go. (To be fair, Sephardim only comprised around 10% of world Jewry at that time, but they still numbered over a million spread throughout North Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, Western Europe, including thousands in North & South America. Quite a lot to ignore, actually.)

Baruch Hashem, Birnbaum also dropped his ethnocentrism later too. Sincere teshuvah cleanses all sins.

(Quite an interesting fellow. Please see HERE for more about him.)

Ashkenazi Gedolim & Sephardi Gedolim Face Very Different Audiences

Furthermore, as my very yeshivish son pointed out, Sephardi Gedolim are talking to an extremely varied group, and they need to pasken according to needs of different Jews.

For example, charedi Sephardim listen to Sephardi Gedolim. Yet secular-traditional Sephardim also listen to Sephardi Gedolim. And then you have all the Sephardim in between those 2 extremes.

Yet who listens to, say, Rav Kanievsky outside of charedim (both Sephardi & Ashkenazi) and the very committed chardalim (charedi-dati-leumi)?

My son pointed out that when Rav Ovadia Yosef ztz”l spoke about army service, he needed to speak to both the Sephardi charedi bnei Torah AND “amcha” (the non-yeshivish Sephardim) at the same time.

I believe Sephardi Gedolim face a similar challenge if they decide to talk about tziyonut negatively to constituents who self-identify as tziyoni. (Many if not most Israelis — or Jews worldwide, for that matter — do not realize the origin of the term or the idea.)

Ashkenazi Gedolim could and do also speak to Jews at different stages of observance, but they do so on the individual level because there is no real need (or demand) to do so on the general level.

(For example, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach opposed heter mechirah for Shemittah, but if a person came to him who was insistent on heter mechirah, the rav would tell him how to observe heter mechirah according to halacha.)

Also, it’s always hard to discuss this kind of thing in a public forum because black-and-white thinkers tend to see the above as charedi compromise/capitulation/loophole or hypocrisy, with a smirky attitude of “Oho—gotchya Gadol Hador!”

But really, it’s more a matter of assisting a person “ba’asher hu sham” (Beresheit 21:17 with Rashi) and that’s not compromising on Torah values at all.

But it's very difficult to explain this to black-and-white thinkers.

So I hope there are no black-and-white thinkers reading this.

(Or if they are, I fervently hope they do not comment because I find the circular arguments & misleading blanket statements very stressful to deal with.)

But back to Sephardi talmidei chachamim and Zionism…

An Enlightening Q&A with Hidabroot

Here is a Q&A from Hidabroot (my translation):

Q:
Shalom Kavod Harav,

I’d like to know if the Shas Party is for or against the Religious-Zionist stream.

Regards,
Avi

A:
Shalom u’vracha.

We are not spokesmen for Shas.

Maran {Rav Ovadia Yosef}, may his merit guard over us, was supportive of anyone who walked completely in the way of Hashem without any compromises and he fought against anyone who tried to compromise on an issue.

Regards,
Binyamin Shmueli

Here’s another on Hashkafah & Yirat Shamayim:

Q:
Shalom.

In Heaven, is there significance regarding a person’s hashkafah? Regarding army/State/Zionism, etc…or is the important thing that a person is God-fearing and upholds the Shulchan Aruch…

A:
The Supreme importance is the observance of all the mitzvot of the Torah, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch, without any fishy leniencies.

Anyone who wants to think that the State of Israel is the beginning of the Geula is welcome to do so.

However, he must be careful not to be drawn after leniencies of Torah or any change in the priorities of Torah versus nationalism, and likewise, will continue to be wary of joining with those who can remove him or his children from the Torah.

Likewise, to – God forbid – go after the spirit of the distorters that there is holiness to the army and that the virtue of military service is greater than the virtue of Torah scholars, God forbid.

Furthermore, it’s forbidden to consider Herzl a prophet or anything else. Herzl was a heretic and nothing more. Anyone who considers Herzl a prophet or visionary despite his Sabbath desecration and the rest of his severe transgressions – such a person is a disbeliever in the Torah and disparages all the Nevi’im.

Therefore, the obligation to submit to the Gedolei Yisrael is an absolute obligation and cannot change regardless of any form of hashkafah.

I hope I have succeeded in summarizing in these few lines everything necessary to know on one foot.

Regards,
Binyamin Shmueli

That’s pretty unequivocal.

And this next one is a particularly fun read.

For those who like to compare and contrast, here is a Sephardi rabbi discussing Satmar & Neturei Karta hashkafahs – you sure don’t see that every day!

(Please scroll down to #5 in the original Hebrew.)

UPDATE: A reader knowledgeable in Satmar hashkafah wrote to clarify points mentioned in the answer given by Rabbi Nachum. Please see R' Yisroel Tzion Kash's comments below for elucidation of the authentic Satmar hashkafah.

A Few Questions on Satmar & Zionism:

Q:
Shalom Kavod Harav…

5. Is it better to live in a country led by secular-Tziyoni evildoers than to live outside of Eretz Yisrael? What is the view of Satmar chassidim? How are they different from Neturei Karta? And what is so bad about their actions? Thank you.

A:
5. It’s preferable to live in Eretz Yisrael because of kedushat ha’Aretz {the holiness of the Land}. The Gemara (Yevamot 82b) says about this that the Land maintains its holiness even in the days of Galut {Exile}.

The opinion of the Admor of Satmar of blessed memory, the author of the book The Three Oaths – which is according to the Gemara Ketubot 111 – is that it’s forbidden for Jews to ascend from the Galut as a “wall” (Rashi explains: “together by force”) [that is to say, to take by force Eretz Yisrael from the grip of the nations of the world].

The Neturei Karta part ways from the shitah of the Admor of Satmar of blessed memory as stated above, and their opinion today is that even though the secular Israelis already took the Land by force from the grip of the nations of the world and not as according to the Gemara mentioned above, the proper path is to turn the present reality back to what it was before.

This is different than the shitah of the rest of the charedim – including Satmar chassidim today – who are of the opinion that after the new reality has already occurred, one should operate according to Torah observance within the current reality.

The mistake of Neturei Karta in practicality is that they think that they are rescuing Jewish lives when they show the Arabs that it is only the secular Tziyonim who took the Land from them, and that is not the opinion of the religious Jews – therefore, they aren’t supposed to fight against or harm Jewish charedim.

The mistake is that the belief of the Arabs goes against this aspect of the belief of Judaism, and therefore it is not just a matter of taking the Land that will appease the Arabs permanently.

{Sorry, that last sentence was a bit convoluted. The rabbi means that due to the diametric contrast in religious belief, Muslims cannot be more than temporarily appeased by taking Land from the Jews. In other words, their religious belief system demands more than just taking Land. —MR}

May it be His Will that the Blessed Hashem will help every single Jew to come out of this Galut speedily in our days, Amen.

Rabbi Nachum

The Value of Sephardi Insight

I just want to add that I really value the knowledgeable Sephardi views on Arabs and Islam.

You still have many Sephardim who understand Arabic and are familiar with Muslim-Arabic culture in a way similar to those of us who grew up among Western non-Jewish culture.

These Sephardim pick up on nuances that others don’t and actually understand what Arabic-speakers mean when they say stuff.

And while they can be sympathetic toward Arabs and easily see them as individuals (just like we Americans relate toward our non-Jewish friends & neighbors), they are at the same time very aware of cultural values and behaviors.

What Do Ben Shapiro, Rav Avigdor Miller, and Neturei Karta Have in Common?

And with regard to Rabbi Nachum's summary of Neturei Karta’s views (which sound extreme under the Neturei Karta label, but are actually shared by many thinking frum Jews):

I’m seeing a similar dynamic among American Jews — those frum Jews who wish to disassociate themselves from the increasingly immoral views of liberal/Leftist Jews and the degenerate high mucky-mucks who are Jew in name only.

Disassociation is important both for the sake of truth and to avoid the undeserved fallout that occurs when decent frum Jews are lumped together with anti-Torah Jews.

Even the modern Orthodox Ben Shapiro disassociates himself from the widespread Jewish vote for Obama with:

“Most Jews aren’t Jewish in any real sense beyond ethnic identification.”

(Source)

Or this:

“…the Jews who vote for Obama are, by and large, Jews In Name Only (JINOs). They eat bagels and lox; they watch "Schindler's List"; they visit temple on Yom Kippur – sometimes. But they do not care about Israel. Or if they do, they care about it less than abortion, [same-gender] marriage and global warming.”

(Source)

Here’s something similar by Rav Avigdor Miller:
Rav Avigdor Miller on Neturei Karta & Dirty Laundry.

In other words:
“They don’t represent us. They don’t represent the authentic Jewish position.”

It’s also impossible to miss the implied plea not to hate or judge or condemn us (or authentic Torah Judaism) or attack us because of the “JINO” majority — an approach which shares some similarity with the Neturei Karta approach.

Also, please don’t think I’m equating Ben Shapiro with talmidei chachamim and real daas Torah. My point is that there is a logical response that any committed frum Jew could instinctively have. It’s self-protective, not extremist.

(And isn't it really bizarre to find a similarity in approach between Ben Shapiro & Neturei Karta & Rav Avigdor Miller? I had no idea I'd reach this conclusion when I started writing this post.)

Anyway, getting back to Sephardi chachamim & Tziyonut…

A Sampling of Sephardi Chachamim & Their Opinions

Here are 2 articles written by differently hashkafahed Jews:

Here’s a dati-leumi rabbi summing it up:
https://www.etzion.org.il/en/sephardic-rabbinical-approaches-zionism

And here is a Sephardi frum fellow summing it up:
https://bariveshema.blogspot.com/2006/05/sephardic-rabbis-and-zionism_04.html

This is the first time I’ve come across Bari VeShema and I’m not sure what his exact hashkafah is, but I prefer his summary of Sephardi Gedolim because it’s better-sourced.

Also, I found it difficult to research Sephardi Gadolim & Zionism because in the English-speaking Sephardi world, I think many prefer to think their Gedolim are dati-leumi, so I found the English-speaking Sephardi presentation slanted toward their own preference, which I'm not sure is completely accurate.

That's my impression. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Sincerely, I mean that.

So looking at Bari V’Shema, I was surprised to discover that Chacham Alfandari did not think that Agudas Yisrael was anti-Tziyoni enough.

Also, the Ben Ish Chai comes off as very strong in his stance.

Then there is this quote by the Baba Sali from Etzion’s Rabbi Jachter above:

“Ki Ata be-eish hitzata, u-va-eish Ata atid livnota” – with fire Yerushalayim was destroyed and with fire it will be rebuilt. He explained that just as Jerusalem was destroyed by the fire of avoda zara, it will sadly be rebuilt by avoda zara.

Very powerful.

I read this in another place and I wish I knew the source for this for sure. I love this quote and it makes sense that the Baba Sali said this, but I'm uncomfortable without solid sources for quotes.

Also, regarding the discussion that follows in the comments section of Bari V'Shema's post: I personally do not equate Zionism with the mitzvah of yishuv ha’Aretz, although many frum Jews do. (But many also do not.)

At the risk of this turning into a useless discussion of semantics, I think that equating Zionism with yishuv ha'Aretz confuses things — especially since the entire origin of the term & idea is secular & ethnocentric.

(This confusion can be seen, for example, in describing Doña Gracia Nasi as being one of the early “Zionists” because she strove to provide Jewish settlement in Tiveria, which some people do. Neither the term nor the idea even existed in the 1500s. There is a mitzvah of yishuv ha’Aretz. That’s all.)

Likewise, in the Etzion article, I’m not sure if the Sephardi chachamim were pro-Zionism per se or whether they were pro-yishuv ha’Aretz and in favor of winning battles against Jew-hating enemies.

What were the exact terms they used? I don't know. It doesn't say.

For example, Rav Ovadia Yosef was in favor of praying for Israeli soldiers. Doing so is not specifically Tziyoni. Why is davening for a fellow Jew to succeed against Jew-haters "tziyoni"?

To compare: Rav Avigdor Miller encouraged support of the IDF & Tziyonim against Jew-hating terror. He clearly says you SHOULD pray for Israeli soldiers. He was against these insane & suicidal “Land for peace” policies:

Rav Miller on Praying for the IDF (January 2001)

Rav Miller on Land for Peace (October 2000)

Yet he was clearly not “pro-Zionist.”

Rav Miller on the Sinking Boat of the Zionist State (November 1975)

In other words, Rav Miller loved all Jews and wanted what was truly best for us.

Secular Leftist anti-Torah tyrannies are not good for us.

Again, because of a tendency to equate fighting terror or settling the Land with “Zionism,” it’s not clear to me that these chachamim were “pro-Zionism.” Did they even use that specific term? Again, I do not know.

I personally do not & will not call myself a Zionist anymore than I would call myself a “Sabbathist” for keeping Shabbat or an “environmentalist” for observing the Torah prohibitions of bal tashchit and not uprooting fruit trees.

I don't refer to myself as a "monotheist" for believing in One God. Anyone can be a monotheist.

I'm a Torah-observant Jew.

I am not a Zionist. I’m a Torah observant Jew who, in addition to fulfilling other commandments in the Torah, also fulfills the commandment of yishuv ha’Aretz — to settle in Eretz Yisrael.

That’s it.

Anyway, I think this sums up everything I’ve learned so far about Sephardi Gedolim and Tziyonut.

Oh, Wait...One More Sephardi Opinion

Please see this tefillah of a huge Sephardi tzaddik for settling in Eretz Yisrael. This was in 1824 when Eretz Yisrael was under the occupation of Turkish Ottoman Empire.

A Prayer to Make Aliyah & Live in Eretz Yisrael

(The Pele Yoetz preceded Herzl & Tziyonut by decades, by the way, as did religious aliyah & settlement within Eretz Yisrael.)

The Pele Yoetz refers to aliyah as "likboa dirato ba'Eretz Yisrael — to set his residence in the Land of Israel" or "halichat Eretz Yisrael — going to Eretz Yisrael."

That's what I and millions of other Jews have done:

We went to Eretz Yisrael & we set our residence in Eretz Yisrael.

(Please see the Pele Yoetz's chapter on Eretz Yisrael in Ivrit or Eretz Yisrael in English.)

No Zionism, no political labels, no ethnic or cultural focus...just mitzvah.

A particularly heartwarming & fulfilling mitzvah.

Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee)

15 Comments

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

16/8/2019

0 Comments

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?

0 Comments

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

8/8/2019

4 Comments

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.

4 Comments

<<Previous

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

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

Hashem's Special Agents of Truth

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

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

"...any weakness in our attitude towards wickedness, is a weakness in our attitude towards Hakodosh Boruch Hu."(pg. 11)

Holy Leitzanut

What is the Most Open Mind You Could Have?

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

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

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

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

How to Hitch Yourself on to a Mitzvah

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

Why Reject Hashem's Standards of Beauty in Favor of the Standards of Milan & Paris?

You are So Beautiful to the King of the Entire Universe

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

How Drawing Intelligent Parallels Reveals the Truth

Liar, Liar, Facts on Fire

Searching for Answers

People (especially those who've suffered) Need Validation & Very Often, The Straight-Shooters are the Only Ones to Offer This Validation

If I Can Trust Him to Tell Me the Bitter Truth, I Can Also Trust Him to Tell Me the Sweet Truth

Is There Any Harm to a More "Gevurah" Approach?

Concluding Thoughts

100 Happy Feelings a Day

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

Falling in Love with God All Over Again

"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."

Ashkenazi Gedolim & Sephardi Gedolim Face Very Different Audiences

An Enlightening Q&A with Hidabroot

The Value of Sephardi Insight

What Do Ben Shapiro, Rav Avigdor Miller, and Neturei Karta Have in Common?

A Sampling of Sephardi Chachamim & Their Opinions

Oh, Wait...One More Sephardi Opinion

Personal Royalty

Don't Forget This Part of Meal-Planning

Which Building is Really Built to Last?

What Kind of Home are We Creating?

Shared Ancestry Fosters Fraternal Feelings

​“Attitudes of the mind cannot be developed in a vacuum of emotion.”​—Rav Avigdor Miller

Brothers & Sisters in Mitzvot

Practical Steps toward Ahavat Yisrael

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

Azamra with Slabodka

Nothing Compares to You

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

Myrtle Rising

Categories

Jewish Blogs

Jewish Current Events

Jewish Health

Archives

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."**