In Rav Avigdor Miller's dvar Torah Parshas Naso 3 – The Dedicated Nazir, Rav Miller focuses on the correct response we should have to our positive physical & material qualities.
For example, he relates an enlightening story from the Gemara (pages 3-7) about a nazir with beautiful hair.
A young man became a nazir after he saw his reflection in the water where he pastured his sheep and noticed that he was actually quite good-looking.
(Rav Miller notes that back then, men didn't look in mirrors. Apparently, they kept themselves clean & tidy, but otherwise didn't focus on their physical appearance.)
Rav Miller says the young shepherd was struck by the yetzer hara of vanity, immediately realized it, so decided to commit himself to a process in which his hair would grow out beautifully — after which he must cut it off.
In this way, the young shepherd would distance himself from too much connection to This World.
In those times, Bnei Yisrael focused on awareness of Hashem.
They kept Torah & mitzvot; everyone did, everyone grew up with that, that was the norm.
But they didn't lose sight of the deeper purpose of the mitzvot: connecting with Hashem.
Awareness of Hashem.
The more one attaches to This World, the less he or she attaches to Hashem.
The more one focuses on one's body, the less one focuses on the soul.
(Having said that, it's important to clarify that Judaism does not support unholy deprivation or abuse of one's body; the body is a vehicle, a vessel of sorts, so it needs proper care but not more than that.)
For example, he relates an enlightening story from the Gemara (pages 3-7) about a nazir with beautiful hair.
A young man became a nazir after he saw his reflection in the water where he pastured his sheep and noticed that he was actually quite good-looking.
(Rav Miller notes that back then, men didn't look in mirrors. Apparently, they kept themselves clean & tidy, but otherwise didn't focus on their physical appearance.)
Rav Miller says the young shepherd was struck by the yetzer hara of vanity, immediately realized it, so decided to commit himself to a process in which his hair would grow out beautifully — after which he must cut it off.
In this way, the young shepherd would distance himself from too much connection to This World.
In those times, Bnei Yisrael focused on awareness of Hashem.
They kept Torah & mitzvot; everyone did, everyone grew up with that, that was the norm.
But they didn't lose sight of the deeper purpose of the mitzvot: connecting with Hashem.
Awareness of Hashem.
The more one attaches to This World, the less he or she attaches to Hashem.
The more one focuses on one's body, the less one focuses on the soul.
(Having said that, it's important to clarify that Judaism does not support unholy deprivation or abuse of one's body; the body is a vehicle, a vessel of sorts, so it needs proper care but not more than that.)
Update for Our Times: DON'T become an Actual Nazir Today
Don't take on being a nazir in our times.
Once you take it upon yourself, you cannot release yourself from it.
We have no Beit Hamikdash and hence, no korbanot today, so there is no way to release the vow via a korban (sacrifice).
So whoever becomes a nazir now must remain in that state for the rest of his or her life.
Once you take it upon yourself, you cannot release yourself from it.
We have no Beit Hamikdash and hence, no korbanot today, so there is no way to release the vow via a korban (sacrifice).
So whoever becomes a nazir now must remain in that state for the rest of his or her life.
Which Light Means to Start Thinking about Hashem?
On page 9, Rav Miller repeats his characteristic encouragement about improving yourself 30 seconds at a time.
- Think about Hashem when stopped at a traffic light.
- For 30 seconds a day, merely think the thought that This World is not ours; we're just here as guests of Hashem.
Spiritual Looters
On pages 10-12, Rav Miller discusses looting & how the police stand by because the mayor is on the side of the looters and if the police intervene too forcefully, the police suffer negative consequences.
Rav Miller passed on in 2001, so his observations were stated over 2 decades ago, but they're still 100% applicable to our times.
The thing is...if we don't say a bracha before eating, we're also looting from Hashem.
If we treat our world like it's Ownerless and just help ourselves without a thought of Hashem, we are also looting — so says Rav Miller.
Reading these pages plants the thought in my mind that maybe all this riotous looting is a hint to us to check out our own attitude toward Hashem's world.
Are we properly appreciative?
What are we doing with the gifts Hashem gives us?
Do we use our eyes & ears & mouth for good things or for things Hashem doesn't like?
And what about our fingers? Did Hashem like whatever we just tapped into our keyboard or touchscreen?
Rav Miller passed on in 2001, so his observations were stated over 2 decades ago, but they're still 100% applicable to our times.
The thing is...if we don't say a bracha before eating, we're also looting from Hashem.
If we treat our world like it's Ownerless and just help ourselves without a thought of Hashem, we are also looting — so says Rav Miller.
Reading these pages plants the thought in my mind that maybe all this riotous looting is a hint to us to check out our own attitude toward Hashem's world.
Are we properly appreciative?
What are we doing with the gifts Hashem gives us?
Do we use our eyes & ears & mouth for good things or for things Hashem doesn't like?
And what about our fingers? Did Hashem like whatever we just tapped into our keyboard or touchscreen?
Feel Good about Swimming against the Tsunami
Rav Miller notes that real tzaddikim are concerned with what THEY owe Hashem, not with what they feel Hashem owes them.
This is a massive shift in mentality, and particularly challenging for those who have really suffered life — and especially for those who've undergone emotional deprivation, causing them to feel like a bottomless cup that can never really be filled.
So whatever forward movement you achieve in this area is HUGE, particularly in our times when the entire ruach of the generation is "What have You done for ME lately?"
Any movement you make in the direction of giving back to Hashem is like moving against a tsunami wave, so you receive massive merit for just trying.
Heck, just being aware of the fact that we owe Hashem is a huge achievement in this generation.
So feel really good about whatever you can do in that direction.
Seriously. No psychobabble platitudes intended.
It's REALLY challenging in our generation, so you must force yourself to feel pleasure about whatever you can do in this direction. That's right!
If you wish to see a particularly powerful example of this, please see:
The Secret Beneath the Greatness of the Sassover Rebbetzin
This is a massive shift in mentality, and particularly challenging for those who have really suffered life — and especially for those who've undergone emotional deprivation, causing them to feel like a bottomless cup that can never really be filled.
So whatever forward movement you achieve in this area is HUGE, particularly in our times when the entire ruach of the generation is "What have You done for ME lately?"
Any movement you make in the direction of giving back to Hashem is like moving against a tsunami wave, so you receive massive merit for just trying.
Heck, just being aware of the fact that we owe Hashem is a huge achievement in this generation.
So feel really good about whatever you can do in that direction.
Seriously. No psychobabble platitudes intended.
It's REALLY challenging in our generation, so you must force yourself to feel pleasure about whatever you can do in this direction. That's right!
If you wish to see a particularly powerful example of this, please see:
The Secret Beneath the Greatness of the Sassover Rebbetzin
Practical 30-Second Exercises to Bring Out the Real You
A review of Rav Miller's powerful practical exercises that literally take only seconds:
- Before you drink, hold the glass of water and say, "This isn't mine." (It's Hashem's — thank You!)
- As your food sits on your fork, before you put it in your mouth, say, "I’m eating Hashem’s food right now. It’s His world and He let’s me take it off the shelf.” (page 12)
- Think about Hashem when stopped at a traffic light.
- For 30 seconds a day, simply think the thought that This World is not ours; we're just here as guests of Hashem.
Credit for all quotes & material goes to Toras Avigdor.
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