How should one react to the death of a rosho? Isn't he a tzelem Elokim, he's also in the image of Hashem? And doesn't it say, binfol ouyvecha al tismach, when your enemy falls do not rejoice? And he also asks, don't we say only half Hallel on the last days of Pesach?
ANSWER:
When an enemy is your private, personal enemy, and he falls, don't rejoice. If he's an enemy of Hashem, then rejoice and say Hallel. Like oz yoshir Moshe u'bnei Yisroel, Moshe sang when Pharaoh and his army were drowned; certainly we rejoice. And so when we see the enemies of Hashem everywhere are perishing from AIDs, they're all atheists, they ridicule us. I once went into a store, there was a young man with an earring and looked at me as if I was dirt. He was wearing an earring, he was an important person, and so...they're our enemies.
So when we read in The York Times obituary, so and so at the age of forty two died, we smile, we're happy, certainly, we're not ashamed to say so. Rejoice at the downfall of the enemies of Hashem.
So binfol ouyvecha means, you have a store and another Jew has a store, he's your competitor, maybe sometimes you spoke against him, maybe he spoke against you; al tismach, when something happens, don't rejoice. Pen yireh Hashem, Hashem might see and not like the idea, v'ra be'einav, and not good in His eyes, v'shov mei'alav apo.
But suppose it's a person like Haman, or Hitler, or Pharaoh, certainly we rejoice. And by rejoicing in the downfall of the reshoim, Hashem is elevated.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
The night just prior to Bnei Yisrael's exodus from Mitzrayim is referred to as Leil Shimurim (Shemos 12:42). Rashi translates this appellation as "A night of anticipation." Hashem was waiting and looking forward to the time that He would be able to fulfill His promise to redeem Bnei Yisrael from bondage.
If Hashem anticipated the redemption to such a great degree, why didn't He redeem Bnei Yisrael sooner? What was the Ribbono Shel Olam waiting for? Rav Wolbe explains that Hashem was ready for the redemption for many years; He was waiting for Bnei Yisrael to be ready.
When asked how things are going, it is common for people to respond, "I need siyata d'shmaya - Heavenly assistance." This response implies that the person feels that he has already invested tremendous effort and done everything in his ability to achieve the desired results and the only thing lacking is Hashem's helping hand. The truth is, Hashem waits and looks forward to offer His assistance, but before fulfilling His desire He needs us to properly be prepared to receive His gracious aid. After Bnei Yisrael poured out their hearts in prayer they were properly prepared for the redemption, the salvation was immediate in coming.
Hashem is waiting to help all of us. It's up to us whether that desire will come to fruition. Why push off till tomorrow a salvation that could come today?
* * *
Rashi mentions (Shemos 13:14) that the Torah discusses how to transmit what transpired during Yetzias Mitzrayim to four different types of sons: The simple son, the wicked son, the son who doesn't know how to ask and the wise son. Rav Wolbe notes that although one of the sons is dubbed a rasha, the Torah does not write him off. Even the questions of a wicked Jew deserve an answer, and one must make an effort to hand tailor an answer that can influence him to mend his wayward ways.
* * *
Rav Wolbe gleans another important lesson from the rasha. Regarding the korban pesach the rasha asks, "What is this service for you?" He asks a simple question and we immediately pin on him the title of a rasha - what was wrong with his question? The problem wasn't the question itself, rather how he asked the question. He didn't ask, "What is this service for us?" He asked, "What is this service for you?" thereby disconnecting himself from the rest of Bnei Yisrael. One who ignores miraculous, life-altering occurrences and doesn't relate them to himself, is termed a rasha. Likewise, we find that the Meraglim are referred to as reshaim because they witnessed what happened to Miriam when she spoke derogatorily about Moshe and they failed to internalize what they perceived. When Hashem speaks - He is speaking to you.
The pasuk in this week's parsha instructs us to tell our children, "Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt" (ibid. 23:8). Every person must feel as if he was redeemed from Mitzrayim. In a similar vein, the Ramban (ibid. 20:2) points out that the Aseres HaDibros were said in the singular so that every person should feel as if Hashem was speaking specifically to them. Additionally, the Mishna in Sanhedrin states that each person should say, "It was for my sake that the world was created." It's all about me.
The Mesillas Yesharim tells us that the very first step on a person's journey to self perfection is for him "to clarify and verify his obligation in his world." Every person has to feel that the world was hand tailored to his specific situation. The realization that the world was created for you, the redemption from Egypt was orchestrated with you in mind and the Torah was given specifically to you, should help you refrain from looking over your shoulder and rather focus on accomplishing your obligation in your world.
Why is yetzias Mitzrayim, going out of Mitzrayim, mentioned in the Kiddush Friday night?
ANSWER:
You have to understand that Shabbos commemorates two great creations. We say yotzreinu, yotzer bereishis (modim d'rabonon), He created us and He created in the beginning. What does that mean, He created us, He created the beginning? He created in the beginning first, and then He created us.
The answer is, He's telling that there are two separate creations in the world, one was He created a nation, a chosen people. Am zu yotzarti Li, I created this nation for Me. The Jewish people are created by Hashem, we're made to order, Te'hilosi y'sapeiru, that they should speak My praise. Yehuda has in it Yud Kei Vov Kei, it's the name of Hashem, but Yehuda means, he shall praise. It means the Jewish people are created for the purpose to praise Hashem, that's our job in this world. Yehuda, he's going to praise for ever and ever.
Now we say there's a yetzira before that, from the beginning Hakadosh Baruch Hu, when He made the world, He had us in mind. So there are two creations, Friday night in Kiddush we commemorate both, zeicher l'maaseh Breishis, and zeicher l'yetzias Mitzrayim. There are two things, maaseh Breishis, creation of the world; yetzias Mitzrayim is the creation of Jewish People.
And it's so important that the world is justified in the fact that there is a Jewish People.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Now comes the ceremony of Kiddush Levanah. There are a number of things we say there, and they all need explanation. One is, to three people present you say shalom aleichem and they answer aleichem shalom. Now those men are not newcomers, they're not strangers, you saw them the whole Shabbos together, now it's after Shabbos and you say shalom aleichem as if they were wayfarers who just came from a distant journey?
ANSWER:
You want three Jews to bless you, a bais din, three Jews give you a blessing for the new month, that's what it is. Rosh Chodesh, you pray for a new month, don't you? Yaleh v'yovo, we say bless Hashem give us this month, we are praying for the coming month. People are worried about forgetting yaleh v'yovo, it's important. Don't forget yaleh v'yovo, and there are signs yaleh v'yovo, and the shamos gives a knock on the table to remember yaleh v'yovo, and the people remember yaleh v'yovo but they forget what yaleh v'yovo is about.
What's yaleh v'yovo for? It's a prayer, we want chaim and shalom for this ensuing month, that's what it's for. We pray to Him, He should save us, He should rescue us, He should listen to our prayers. Look how we say it, yaleh, v'yovo, v'yeiroeh, v'yirotzeh, v'yishoma, v'yipoked, v'yizocher, and we're praying so fervently, because it's important to pray for the coming month. Every month, pray for the month to come, prayer is important. You don't know what's going to happen in the month to come, mehaya b'uso, tefillah helps, it's important to pray.
Therefore, at Kiddush Levanah we say shalom aleichem to three people and they reply aleichem shalom, and that's a significant beginning for the new month, if three Jews give you a blessing. Of course if these three Jews understand the purpose of it, and they'll put a little kavana in it, it's even better. So to do that, you put some kavana into yours, and not merely to fulfill a custom by rote, then they'll reply with kavana and they'll put some heart into the blessing. Isn't that a wonderful idea?
When you say shalom aleichem, you mean peace should be upon you this month, it means this month you should make a lot of money, this month your wife should be successful in cooking good meals, this month your neighbors should all be nice to you, this month the weather should be good, think of all those things. The more you'll put into it, the more you'll get back.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
What blessing should I bless my daughters on Friday night?
ANSWER:
You bless them, that they should be like our mothers; like Sara, Rivka, Rochel, v'Leah, you can't find any better blessing than that. If you want to add, nobody is limited...you can add whatever you want. Don't be ashamed to add words when you give blessings. If they are unmarried, bless them that they should get good husbands talmidei chachomim, and you can bless them that they should have many children, and you can bless them also that they should be rich! No harm.
I remember my father-in-law zichrono livrocho, used to add to all the blessings, "and you should be rich too!" He said, "why not?"
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers they were dumbstruck. The Torah describes the ensuing exchange: "Yosef said to his brother's, 'Please come close to me' and they came close. And he said, 'I am Yosef your brother whom you sold into Egypt'" (Bereishis 45:4). Rashi explains that when Yosef saw his brothers shrinking away from him, he was worried that they felt embarrassed. Therefore, he spoke to them in a gentle manner and entreated them to draw near to him.
If Yosef was truly looking to make the encounter more pleasant, why did he continue speaking so brusquely and tell them to their faces, "I am Yosef whom you sold into Egypt"? Why bring up their misdeed at the time of appeasement?
Rav Wolbe cites the answer given by the Alter of Kelm, who enlightens us with a timely message. At some point, Yosef was going to have to make mention about what had occurred. Hence, he preferred to immediately say everything that needed to be said, so that they would be able to move on and achieve true reconciliation. Had he kept his feelings bottled up inside, there would be a constant internal barrier between him and his brothers. In people's relationships with family members and friends, many times there are certain behaviors that irk a person to the degree that it jeopardizes the relationship. If in truth it is something trivial, then one should work on himself instead of trying to change his friend. However, if the friction was caused because the person was wronged, then it is crucial not to bottle up the feelings inside himself. Not only does such behavior not accomplish the desired result, it can also cause the bottled up feelings to explode at a later date making the possibility for a continued good relationship much harder. After receiving guidance on how to broach the topic, one should take the initiative and discuss the matter. It might not be easy, but it is short term pain for long term gain!
* * *
After being informed that his son Yosef was still alive, Yaakov packed his bags and set off toward Mitzrayim. While still on the way, the Torah tells us, "He sent Yehuda ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen" (ibid. 46:28). Rashi cites the Medrash which explains that he sent Yehuda to open a Beis HaTalmud, so that it would be ready upon their arrival.
Rav Wolbe points out that Yaakov obviously felt that they could not enter Mitzrayim unless there already was a Beis Medrash in working order. Why did Yaakov feel so strongly about this, to the point that he would not set foot into a country without a Yeshiva?
When the Shevatim were all in Eretz Canaan, they were living in familiar territory. Yaakov was the Patriarch of the Jewish tribe and it was relatively easy for them to maintain their own identity. They were now about to enter a foreign land and their Jewish identity would be put in jeopardy. A person's surroundings have the ability to affect a person and blur his identity. So what does a Jew in galus do? He makes sure that there is a Yeshiva nearby.
Throughout the generations, the Yeshiva has been more than just a school designated for learning Gemara. It is the place which protects the identity of the Jewish People. Every Yeshiva is a link in the chain which spans millennia, back to Matan Torah and our forefathers (and from them back to Shem and Ever, Noach and Adam). The Yeshivos and Kollelim are the nuclei of the Jewish Nation, and creating a connection to these places is in effect creating a connection with Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov!
How can a person free himself from the yetzer horah of sinah and kinah?
ANSWER:
I would suggest that you take a Mesilas Yeshorim and study it slowly like you're studying a Tosafos. It opens up your mind, you get an understanding what are the great issues of Olam Hazeh. You must work on what we're looking for in this world, and after a while, when the sechel comes in, then the foolishness goes out. There's no place in the mind for sechel and for sh'tus to be together, and when you fill your mind with chochmoh, then the foolish attitudes of the world, sinah and kinah will go out.
Of course there's always some kinah; kinah is kinas sofrim. No matter if you're a tzaddik, if you see another tzaddik standing a longer Shemoneh Esrei, it hurts you; you'd like to do the same thing too. It's good, it's very good.
There's kinah in the next world too. Melameid shekol echod v'echod nichveh mei'chuposo shel chaveiro. In Gan Eden each person is under a chuppah, a chuppah with diamonds. Oh, each tzaddik is enjoying his chupa with diamonds, many diamonds, each mitzvah he did is a diamond. He's sitting with his wife also and they're enjoying that diamond forever and ever. Then they take a look down there and see the next chuppah, it has one diamond that they don't have, it hurts them, it hurts them. Kol echod nichveh mei'chuposo shel chaveiro, you say in Gan Eden? Yes, that's one thing in Gan Eden, you'll be sorry that you didn't do more; you could have gotten that diamond too.
Therefore when people learn the purpose of life, then many of the foolish things go out of their heads. Like the Rambam says, when you learn Torah, a great deal of the sh'tus of Olam Hazeh goes out of your mind.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
How is it that we find so many Greek names of great men in the Talmud, and we know she'lo shi'nu es she'mom, not to change their name, is an ideal?
ANSWER:
Nobody ever gave a gentile name to his child. We have to realize, in ancient times there was a tremendous number of converts; geirei tzedek of very high quality. And in the olden days it was not a custom to change the names. Today we change the gentile name, we call them Avrohom or something else. They came in with their names and they kept their names.
Munbaz remained Munbaz, although Munbaz became a tanah, and in one place we find him arguing with Rabbi Akiva, he was so great, but he was still Munbaz; they kept their names. These great tzadikim, geirei tzedek, they are men who illuminated the Jewish world with their wisdom. Unkelos ha'geir, Unkeolos is a gentile name, they didn't change their name. Unkelos! He's in the Chumash, he's higher than Rashi, Rashi brings him as a proof. He's on top of Rashi, right next to the Chumash, Unkelos ha'geir, he didn't change his name. So in some future generation someone wanted to honor that geir, someone wanted to give his child that zechus, he called him that name, that's how you got those names.
Nobody in the ancient times named his child after a gentile or gave a gentile name. It's a good question. But the answer I think is in place.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why is it that the common cold is the only thing that does not come from Hashem?
ANSWER:
You have to qualify that statement. The things that a person causes by his own negligence to himself are his own doing. Let's say if a man walks up to this wall, and he makes a charge with his head against the wall, and he has a headache tonight. So this man is lying in bed, his head is throbbing, and he's thinking...ma zos asah Elokim lanu, for what sin did this come to me? That's a good question.
The answer is, for the sin of butting your head against the wall, and that's a big sin. So if a man is lying in bed with a cold and he's thinking, he should think, but first of all before he thinks about any other thing, he should think...did I go out without a jacket? That's number one.
Or did I go to sleep too late last night, so I lowered my resistance? I could have gone to bed on time but I was looking in the newspaper till too late at night and in the morning I woke up and I didn't have any energy. Therefore when the germs started floating in the air on an "airplane" of a piece of dust and I breathe it in, so my mucous membrane has been breached because my resistance was lowered, and that's why it found a nest in my throat.
So why blame Hakadosh Baruch Hu for what you did?
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why were such great personalities like Unkolus born gentiles, wouldn't they have been greater if they would have been born Jews?
ANSWER:
You could ask, why wasn't Avrohom Avinu born a Jew? Avrohom was born a Ben Noach and not a Jew? The answer is, it was his test and he passed the test and that's what made Avrohom great. It was the asoro nisyonos, the ten tests that Avrohom passed that made him great. The great people who came to us from the outside, who came under the wings of the Shechina, are especially beloved because of that.
There's a mitzva in the Torah to love a ger, there's a special mitzva of loving the ger. The Rambam says, ahavas ha'ger she'buh vi'nichnas tachas kanfei Hashechina, he came and entered under the wings of the Shechina. What's the Rambam telling us, what a ger is? We know what a ger is! The Rambam is telling us why it's a special mitzva to love a ger; he came on his own, and that's what made Unkolus so great.
Unkolus had so many obstacles. He was born in a royal house, he was a nephew of Domitian. Domitian, the wicked man who was even a rosho in the eyes of his fellow Romans, and surely he was the enemy of the Jews.
Nevertheless Unkolus persisted in his ways. Therefore it was for him a benefit that he was given the opportunity of breaking through the barriers and coming under the kanfei Ha'shechina.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why does the gemara say, kosho isha ra'ah k'yom sagrir, a bad wife is like a rainy day. Isn't a rainy day a good thing?
ANSWER:
Let me explain to you. There was a man, Rav Chiya, whose wife would aggravate him, nevertheless when he would find something in the market fitting for his wife, he would wrap it up in his shawl and bring it to her. Rav asked Rav Chiya, "but does she not aggravate the master?" R' Chiya said to him, "it is sufficient that they raise our children and save us (from sin), therefore I show her affection".
It means this: if a person has the sense to utilize a rainy day, water is falling min hashomayim!! They're diamonds, the drops that fall from the clouds. Each drop..al kol tipah vtipah, it's a nusach we say, for every drop I thank You. It's a miracle, where did it come from?
It comes from the ocean, you can't drink ocean water. It's distilled by the sun and rises up as water vapor and it's beautiful water, clear now, perfectly clear to drink. If you understand what a blessing rain is, certainly a rainy day is a great blessing, but many people are unhappy on a rainy day. You're not able to go out, you're restrained from doing good things, so in a certain sense a rainy day can sometimes be a disadvantage. Now, a rainy wife is a big brocho if you make use of her, certainly you appreciate her, she's doing so many good things for you. The fact that she opens her mouth frequently and scolds you, what about it? Lfum tzara agra, the more you're able to control yourself the bigger the reward.
Toleh eretz al blima, al mi sh'bolem piv b'shas meriva, how big is the zechus for the man that keeps his mouth closed during the time of a quarrel, a very big zechus to keep your mouth closed. You're the winner! If you didn't have a wife like that you wouldn't have that zechus. Everytime she scolds you and you keep quiet, toleh eretz al blima, that zechus is tremendous. Of course a wife who encourages you all the time, who praises you and gives you kavod, alright… there are certain benefits there too.
And so, it's a beautiful moshol to compare a scolding wife to a rainy day.
Good Shabbos To All
Parshas Noach 5777 This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
What ness is it that when people came to Yerushalayim nobody ever complained that he didn't have any space, it was too crowded for him in Yerushalayim?
ANSWER:
When you come into a place, into a yeshiva, and you have to hear the shiur, and you're sitting on a seat or you're standing and you're crowded together, so let's say you are somewhat bored by the shiur and you're waiting for it to be over. You're looking at the clock all the time, so you feel hemmed in, you'd like some wide open spaces, the truth is you'd like to be outside too, still wider open spaces, but inside you're looking for excuses to be dissatisfied.
But l'havdil elef havdolos, when people go to a movie nobody complains that it's crowded, you pay money to be packed in. Why don't they complain? The answer is, they want to be packed in, they like it.
In Yerushalayim it was a ness, people had such an ahava for avodas Hashem, it was a ness, don't think it was not a ness, it was a big ness. Lo omar adam, nobody ever complained in Yerushalayim. Now that's something to talk about, it's not derech hateva, it was a ness. In addition to that, there was a remarkable thing. In Yerushalayim people discovered there always was space. Hakadosh Baruch Hu opened up their eyes and they saw space, there is space always. In those days when people were eager, they found space. In Yerushalayim they always found space. First of all people wanted the avodas Hashem, it never was too small for them, secondly they discovered space, there was space in Yerushalayim.
Third, another ness, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says ha'boh li'taheir mi'sayin lo, when people are jammed together, let's say a few million people were jammed in the streets of Yerushalayim, and now they see from the distance another million are marching on all the roads and singing and coming to Yerushalayim. Where will they come in, there's no place to come in!? Did anybody say, no more, you have to close the gates? No! They kept on crowding and crowding and they all came in. It's a remarkable thing, they all came in. That was already a third ness; how it happened I can't explain. So now I'll repeat the three nissim.
First ness is, nobody ever complained, because they wanted to see the avodas Hashem. We should see the kohanim serving Hashem bi'yirah, that was a great thing, li'maan tilmad li'yirah es Hashem, you should learn how to fear Hashem.
Secondly, when you're interested you'll find place, there's plenty of place in Yerushalayim.
Thirdly, even when they were jammed in and there was no more place, another throng entered and nisei nissim, nobody had to remain outside.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
If someone committed a misdeed before he learned it was wrong and then he learned, what is his status?
ANSWER:
That by learning, he is now in a position to regret what he did. And if he regrets, then that's considered for him as if not only it's wiped out, but his misdeeds now become mitzvos. The gemara says that. The gemara says an am ha'aretz zdonos na'aseh lo ke'zechuyos, when a person is ignorant his misdeeds become zechuyos, if he learns and regrets.
Therefore a person after he learns and he looks back and he's able to discern the errors he made and he's willing to add the element of regret, then that's a very good business because now he can earn a lot of good deeds. But you have to keep on learning, so the more you know the more you'll be able to regret, and then you'll be earning a lot of past income that you never thought you'd get.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why is Yom Kippur not before Rosh Hashana, so we will be able to enter Rosh Hashana clear of sin?
ANSWER:
Here is a man who needs an operation on his bladder, or maybe also on his ulcer, or maybe he needs an operation on a number of things. But instead, we are sending an expedition to his house with a lot of noise and a lot of people are running towards his house, trucks are making a tremendous clamor with sirens to put out the fire. This man needs a lot of operations so why waste time? The answer is, first you have to put out the fire otherwise he will never live to see the operating table. First thing is to save his life if his house on fire. So you say no! Let the fire wait, lets first make an operation on this, an operation on this, later you'll put out the fire...It won't work that way.
Therefore the first thing is Emunah in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, that's emergency, that's a fire. If you forget about Hakadosh Baruch Hu, you forget Anochi Hashem Elokecho, then what good is all the rest? What good is it to eat kosher if a man is an atheist, even though he doesn't say so but he is so? If he doesn't believe in Bereishis Boroh Elokim what good is it to go further? That's why it's put in the beginning of the Torah.
And that's why Rosh Hashana must come first, to bring us to to do teshuva in the fundamental, the foundation of everything, then we're ready to talk about the details.
Question #49
QUESTION:
How does one repent for certain sins, that he knows he will repeat?
ANSWER:That's a question that is being always asked. And the answer is as follows. If a man smokes forty cigarettes every Shabbos, and he decides he’s going to smoke only thirty nine, that's a fortunate man. That's called a Miktzas Teshuva. A little bit of Teshuva, which is the easiest thing to do, is the biggest obligation. To stop all forty, not so easy for him, but to stop the fortieth, YES. And therefore, if you can stop even a little bit of your sin, then you must do it, and it’s the biggest obligation, that's the easiest thing to do.
And so any sinner, even though he's a confirmed Chotai, if he’s able to make a resolve, at least one little bit of that sin he won't do anymore. Let’s say, he does a sin ten times a week, now he’ll do it nine times a week; he makes up his mind no more then nine times, he is a LUCKY man. If he neglects that opportunity, he’s in great sakona; Hashem is very angry at him. The tenth time was easy to avoid. And so everybody can do a Miktzas Teshuva.
That's why we say Hashivainu Avinu Lesorasecho, Hashem bring us back to your Torah, that's Teshuva we are asking for, Teshuva, for repentance. Then we say, V'Hachzirainu B'sehuva Shelaima, then we’re asking for a perfect repentance. First we are asking for a little bit of repentance, any kind of repentance, a little bit at least. Then once you ask for a finger, you ask for the whole hand, too! Then we say give us a full repentance.
Question #51
QUESTION:
What should we think when we see the fish during Tashlich?
ANSWER:
You know what I think? When you pass a fish store and see the fish in the window, there's a good time to stop and look, don't wait for Tashlich. The fish in the window come from the ocean. That fish comes together without Shadchonim, they're Porim V'rovim Bayom, they get married in the ocean and they produce offspring, and it's for one purpose, to give us more fish to eat. It's a Nes, how fish meet each other in the depths of the ocean and they're able to copulate, and produce some more fish, it's a Niflaos Haborei, you have to marvel at it.
The fish doesn't have any air and still it breathes with its lungs. It's able to take out from the water the dissolved oxygen, fish must have oxygen. They are so built that they can use oxygen dissolved in the water and it lives without lungs, except the lungfish. And so when you look at a fish, it's a special Briah, Chesed Hashem.
Fish of course is a Taanug, that's why all Jews eat fish on Shabbos, it's part of the happiness of Shabbos in order to learn the Chesed Hashem.
And so I say, you don't have to wait for Tashlich, when you pass a fish store and see big juicy fish lying there, a big carp, a big salmon, a big trout, take a half second and take a look. AAH; what a wonder it is that it happened in the middle of the ocean, they came together and produced such tasty tidbits for the people to enjoy and to appreciate the Chesed Hashem.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Isn't it stated that one who prays with a broken heart will be heard, so we see a broken heart is advisable for prayer?
ANSWER:
You have to know that a broken heart does not mean somebody who is broken is spirit. When it states in Yeshayahu, nechei ruach, broken in spirit, it doesn't mean a dispirited man. When a man is broken in spirit, he's heading towards an institution. Here it means, he broke the spirit of stubbornness, that's the broken heart. It doesn't mean your heart is broken; he broke his desires, that's what it means and that's the trouble with translation.
Lev nishbor, lev means mind in loshon kodesh, it doesn't refer to the heart, it's the mind, it means he broke his mind, he changed his attitude, that's what it really means.
So when you come to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, you broke your arrogance, you broke your tendency to talk all the time, you decided to keep quiet from now on, that's a broken heart. It doesn't mean a broken spirit that this man now has lost his courage.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
How do we go about acquiring sensory perception of Yiras Hashem?
ANSWER:
A young man came to me and he said that he has difficulty with Emunah, so I put on the table an orange and an apple. It brings us back to that subject which we can never have enough of, and you should realize that… you get sensory perception in one way, by Bechina. And I said to him, "Why is it that the orange is so beautifully colored on the outside and on the underside of the peel there's no color at all?" And answer that question...There's only one answer, this demonstrates that the color is for the purpose to be seen; there's nobody in the world that can refute that proof.
And why is it that all the fruits that are brightly colored on the outside, never have a bright color on the underside, if it's a thick skinned fruit. Why is it not in a single instance do you find bright colors on the underside of the peel and is colorless on the outside? That's a knockout! Look at all the fruits in the world and see if you can find a single instance where the underside of the peel is gaily colored and the outside is dull!
So he started stammering... evolution... so it means that this is the result of accidents. Alright, so why is it then, that today, in our time, after all we have written history for thousands of years, there's not a single recorded case of a fruit that suddenly by mutation developed with a bright color on the underside of the peel and colorless on the outside? There never was such a fruit.
Why is it that all fruits, every fruit in the world is green before it's ripe and when it ripens it changes its color? Now, when you study these things - seriously, not like people idly sitting back in the lecture hall and hearing it with one ear and it goes through the other, but you concentrate on that. Put an orange and an apple on your table when you're eating, during your meal time, you have nothing else to do… Look at the orange and the apple on the table, and do this for fifty years, fifty years. Someday it's going penetrate your awareness, that's the way to get daas.
Daas means you have to repeat over and over and then finally these great fruits become meaningful. That's only one way; there are other ways to do it too.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why was there so much bloodshed at the time of the destruction?
ANSWER:
It's the same question as why was there destruction? We must learn a fundamental principle; that Hakadosh Baruch Hu reacts in this world. He doesn't hide in the spiritual world and refuse to show Himself. He is constantly asserting His presence, only it's incumbent upon men to be aware of these phenomena.
Now, when people observe the Torah and things were going well, then Hakadosh Baruch Hu demonstrated His favor to encourage them. Therefore despite the great nations that ringed them on all sides, our forefathers maintained their independence and they lived happily; as long as they were loyal to the Torah.
But when a movement was started, in the times of the first Bais Hamikdash by Menashe, who caused a large part of the people to become depraved, in the second Bais Hamikdash by the Tzedukim and the Herodians who took over the sanctuary and used it as a nest for their wickedness, and a considerable number of the people were spoiled by them. Therefore, the time came for Hakadosh Baruch Hu to demonstrate His disfavor and we learned there-from that the wages of sin is suffering. It's always that result.
The same was before World War Two, when a great part of the Jewish people in Europe defected from the Torah, very many stopped observing the laws of the Torah, so Hakadosh Baruch Hu finally sent upon them a destruction.
That's the principle that repeats itself and which was foretold from the beginning. The Torah says that's going to happen! Therefore it's merely a fulfillment of the old prophecy that, v'im lo shim'u li vi'yosafti l'yasro eschem sheva al chatuseichem (Vayikra 26:18), and the principle has been a prophecy which has been fulfilled constantly.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
by R’ Ben Tzion Shafier
What Can You Do to Make HASHEM Angry?
““These are the journeys of the Children of Yisrael, who went forth from the land of Egypt according to their legions, under the hand of Moshe and Aharon.” — Bemidbar 33:1”
The parshah begins with a catalog of the forty-two stops that the Jewish nation made in the desert. Rashi explains this with a mashal. Imagine a king whose son was critically ill. In search of a cure, he travelled with his child to a faraway land. The journey was successful, and on their way back home, the king pointed out to his son each of the stops they had made along the way. With great joy, he said, “This is where your fever peaked. This was the place where we rested…” So, too, HASHEM recounted with great delight the various stops in the Jewish people’s travels.
The problem
This Rashi is very difficult to understand. These “stops along the way” weren’t part of the plan. In fact, they were quite the opposite.
The Jewish nation left Mitzrayim amidst great fanfare and glory. With the entire world taking note, they were to make one stop at Har Sinai to receive the Torah and then move on toward the Holy Land to occupy it forever.
That wasn’t, however, the way things turned out. Because of their sins, the entire generation was decreed to wander from place to place for forty years and then to die in the desert. And even then the lesson wasn’t learned. Time after time, they failed; time after time they sinned. HASHEM’s description of this period was, “For forty years you tested Me…” How then can Rashi say that these stops were joyfully recounted by HASHEM?
The answer to this can best be understood by asking a somewhat irreverent question.
What can you do to make HASHEM angry?
Let’s say that you decided, “That’s it. I’ve had it. I’m fed up with Hashem! I’m going to do something to get Him angry.” What could you do to make Hashem really mad? The answer is nothing.
Because we are physical beings, by definition we are confined. We exist for a given amount of time. We take up a given amount of space. We can run just so fast, walk just so far. Hashem, on the other hand, is beyond all boundaries and beyond all confines. Hashem is in all places at all times, existing before and after time. Hashem is so above all of nature that there is nothing that is beyond His powers and nothing that He can’t do. Hashem said, “It should be,” and everything — energy, matter, quarks, atoms, and molecules — came into being. Hashem is also the Maintainer of physicality. Nothing can exist without Him constantly infusing energy into it.
The reason I get angry is because I’m frustrated by my lack of power and control. But nothing is beyond Hashem; nothing is out of His control. Therefore, anger doesn’t apply to Him.
When Hashem gave free will to man, He gave us the ability to make choices — but He governs the outcome.
If man chooses evil, there are times when Hashem will allow those actions to come to fruition. But at no point, is Hashem not in control. The very notion of Hashem being angry stems from a lack of comprehending His greatness.
HASHEM acts with anger for our benefit
This seems to be the answer to the question on Rashi. HASHEM wasn’t “angry” with the generation. HASHEM took corrective actions to help them realize their mistakes. Once the end came about and the Jewish nation was ready to enter the Holy Land, HASHEM looked back over the stops with great fondness, as each one was part of the healing process.
This concept is essential for us in understanding our relationship with HASHEM. During our lives, there will be many times when we experience pain, suffering, and setbacks. However, not only doesn’t HASHEM save us from these situations, often, we see the hand of HASHEM bringing them about. From our mortal, limited perspective we tend to experience this as “HASHEM is annoyed with us — vengefully punishing us for our transgressions.” It is then that we need to be mindful that HASHEM is never angry. HASHEM has a much broader vision than we do. Like a loving parent carefully guiding his child, HASHEM directs our lives with loving kindness, bringing about situations for our benefit. Often times we don’t see it until the end, but everything that HASHEM does is for the best and is done out of love for us, His beloved creations.
This is an excerpt from the Shmuz on the Parsha book. All three volumes are available at your local sefarim store, or at www.theShmuz.com. All of the Shmuzin are available FREE of charge, at the theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz app, for Android and Iphone.
For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #51 Bitachon and Hishtadlus – Finding the Balance
If Hashem wants us to serve Him from happiness, ivdu es Hashem besimcha, serve Hashem with happiness, so why does it say tov laleches l'beis aivel, it's better to go to a house of mourning rather than go to a house of rejoicing?
ANSWER:
I'll tell you a peirush which you wouldn't like, you never heard of it before. When do you appreciate eating most? You know when? Motsai Yom Kippur. If you think it's a minor achievement of Yom Kippur, let me contradict you. One of the major purposes of the Torah is to teach us to thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu. You can never thank unless you can compare your present situation to what it could have been otherwise. You want to be happy? Go visit a cemetery. I've said this advice for years. If you feel depressed, stand outside of a cemetery for a long time and look at the gravestones, you walk away somewhat more cheerful. You won't be sad, because you're thinking there is something worse than what you are now; that's to be underneath those stones.
Nobody can know what he has unless by contrast. That's why we don't say Baruch Ata Hashem that You gave me eyes to see, no, we say Baruch Ata Hashem Pokeiach ivrim, who opens the eyes of the blind! Unless you see a blind man tapping his way with a white cane, you can't appreciate the happiness of sight. Unless you see a man who has no feet sitting in a wheelchair propelling himself, you don't realize how sweet it is to be able to sail down the avenue on your own two clogs. Ahh, what a delicious thing, to tramp down the street; you can tramp or saunter, or walk or run, it makes no difference, anyway it's sweet, it's living to be able to walk.
And believe me, when you walk by a man sitting in a wheelchair, slow down; he shouldn't be too jealous of you. Don't make him feel bad, slow down, if you want you can plod by. There used to be in Slabodka a man who couldn't daven well, so once he went to the amud for pesukei d'zimrah (they wouldn't let him daven shachris), when he went off, the next man was an expert chazan and when he got up he starting stammering intentionally to make the first man feel good. The first man stammered in baruch she'amar, so the second man stammered at yish'tabach to make the first man feel good. So if you walk by a man in a wheelchair, walk by slowly, act like it's also a little difficult, you have arthritis in your legs, but if you run past in your youthful joints and your youthful ankles, you're causing him anguish. Because the greatest happiness is appreciated only when you don't have it, and a man in a wheelchair knows how good it is to be able to walk.
Therefore you can't appreciate the simcha of life unless you go to a beis aivel. Now don't tell me you won't feel this emotion - as you walk out you feel mightily relieved. Inside the atmosphere is oppressive, it's sad, and so as you are there you try to act as you're participating. When you walk out and take a deep lung-full of fresh air, Baruch Hashem I'm finished with that, now onto life. I'm alive. Ohh, that's a wicked thought you think? It's not a wicked thought. So now you know a new aspect of going to the bais aivel, Ha'chai ye'tein el libo, the living man should put to his heart how good it is to be alive and to thank Hashem for it.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Important Numbers
