Miller's Musings Parsha Shemos: You're Better Than That!

בס''ד

As Yosef Hatzadik, the last remnant of the bygone generation, returned his soul to his Creator, the Egyptians, we are told by Chazal, began to look upon the Jewish people in a new light.   Now unrestrained by the debt they owed to their former leader Yosef, his passing ushered in a new set of policies towards the Bnei Yisroel, in which servitude and affliction were now their lot for the foreseeable future.   The challenge here is to understand what of substance actually changed. If they were always of the mind to persecute the Jews to such horrendous proportions, would the past really have kept them at bay?  How could the death of Yosef have so precipitously opened the floodgates of hate to such a degree?

The key to understanding this, as presented by the Sichas Mussar, is to appreciate the role that respect for another can play in curbing one's natural inclination towards that person.  When there is respect afforded to another, no matter how intense the hatred, the negative consequences of this revulsion are restrained.  Yosef's demise was the point at which the Egyptians no longer looked at the Jewish people with the same awe as they had previously and their previously latent animosity towards them became the driving force for their actions. 

There are many possible barriers that can prevent us from sin, but this concept may present us with the most powerful.  Instead of focusing on the negative effects that doing wrong will have on us, the path to prevention here is due to the self-respect we should feel for ourselves. Instead of questioning whether it is worth the short term pleasure for the long term pain, we should be asking how a person create in the image of G-d Himself could ever conceive of lowering oneself to such unworthy acts.  Put simply, we are better than that and we need to know this ourselves, without any need for the approval of others.  Let's not demean ourselves to do things that are unbecoming of such nobility and no more than the actions of a being lacking control of their natural inclinations.  Appreciate with your entire being where you come from, who you are, what you are capable of and what unique place you have in creation and you will never come to something that is so dishonourable. A little self-respect can go a long way, straight to the top. 

May the contemplations of Shabbos fill you with the knowledge of your own greatness.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayechi: Who am I?

בס''ד

Everybody appreciates a blessing, especially if it is from a venerable sage whose words carry weight in the divine realms.  So to receive a brocho from Yaakov Ovinu, no less, must have been anticipated with tremendous fervour by his sons.  And yet when we actually scrutinize the blessings, many seem to fall far short of the expected nature of a blessing. Condemnations such as that given to Reuven, “water-like impetuosity” and analogical character descriptions, “Yissochor is a strong-boned donkey” are certainly not what we would envisage.   

The etymology of the word Brocho, as explained by Reb Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi shlita, carries the connotation of adding something to a pre-existing entity.  To give a brocho to someone entails leaving them more than they were previously.  He further explains that to achieve this Yaakov felt it was necessary to both help each brother understand who they truly were and also show them where they had erred in the past.  This was the approach prescribed for their personal growth.  To know their strengths and weaknesses and where they have previously fallen below their own potential was the surest way to ensure their development, hence the purest form of a Brocho that could be given.  Without knowing who one truly is how can one hope to become better in the future?

Everyone is composed of good and bad character traits.  We are all a composite of positive and negative elements that bring us closer or move us further away from our intended goals.  To understand this through self-analysis is critical to understanding who we are and who we are meant to be.  The problem lies in being able to provide an accurate appraisal of ourselves when we are so clouded by our own ego, biases and conversely feelings of lack of self-worth.  Without an objective opinion we can all too easily overlook where we struggle and more importantly where greatness lies within us.  This is the value of having a true friend.  Not one who tells us what we want to hear or belittles us for self-serving purposes.  But one who shows us where we can be better, whilst emphasising our tremendous virtues that we all have within us.  Finding a true friend is invaluable for appreciating ourselves so we can fully realise our potential.  It is surely one of the greatest blessings we can receive.

May Shabbos be full of true friendship all around us.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayigash: Awake to the Mistake

Could there be a greater turn of events than that played out in our Parsha?  In an instant everything changes and the brothers’ tormentor reveals himself to be none other than Yosef, their sibling they had sold into slavery all those years ago.  The brothers are left totally dumbfounded, unable to utter a single word in response.  The Gemoro tells us that this episode provides an absolutely crucial message. If the brothers were so devastated by the rebuke of Yosef, one can only imagine the utter trauma that one will feel when confronted by the Creator in our day of final reckoning.  The perplexing thing about this statement is that in none of the words of Yosef do we find an actual rebuke.  He merely reveals his true identity.

Reb Chaim Shmulevitz zt’l uses this to reveal an important truth about the nature of the admonition we will ultimately face.  It is not a process in which we are reproached for our misdeeds, rather we are simply shown the mistake that we have made, which consequently enables us to recognise how foolish we were to have done wrong.  Yosef had told his brothers that one day he would rule over them, for which they had deemed him worthy of being sold.  In one foul swoop Yosef exposed their actions for what they were and demonstrated how wrong they had been.

This is what we will all one day face.  Not a fresh revelation of the tragedy of the acts we performed but a sharp blast of reality, involving all the errors of judgement we have made.  The sad truth is that if we would step back and examine much of our life as we lived it we would often see the folly of our actions.  The goals we hoped to achieve, the people we sought to impress, the pleasures we thought would bring us satisfaction. How many of them have actually led to the outcomes we so desired? How many of those outcomes are actually of any true worth? And yet we don’t learn from our mistakes.  We just persist in making them. Let’s not wait to the final day of judgement to receive our rebuke when we can face up to it now. It will not be things that we did not know.  It will be things we knew all too well but chose to ignore for momentary gratification or a fleeting diversion.  To err is human, but it is often a choice we make and not one we are compelled to do.  Mistakes can be the making of you, as long as you learn from them before it’s too late.        

May Shabbos awaken our souls to learn from the past and prepare for the future.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings for Chanuka: As The Flames Ascend

As the final flames of Chanuka flicker out, the last embers fade into the darkness of the night and we bid goodbye to this beautiful festival of lights, we must look for a final message to carry us through these cold winter months.  It is interesting to note that those last eight candles would actually be only one were it not for the rule to follow the opinion of Beis Hillel, to start with one rising to eight, rather than that of Beis Shamai who thought it more fitting to begin with eight and finish with one.  We know that in all debates between these two schools of thought, although both are considered equally valid expressions of the will of Hashem, we ultimately follow that of Beis Hillel.  The Vilna Gaon however tells us that in the World to Come we will in fact light according to Beis Shamai. 

It is no surprise to us to note that these two ways of lighting carry within them a hidden depth and, as Reb Shimshon Dovid Pinkus zt’l writes, two pathways in the service of Hashem.  The one of ascension symbolises the path in which we work each day on another aspect of our personal growth, never being satisfied with what we achieved yesterday, constantly striving for new levels of attainment.  The method of descent represents the route we take in which we focus on one particular aspect of our character or our observance and hone it to perfection, removing any impurities and falsehood until it is refined into its purest and simplest form.   

This world is one in which we are here to build.  To create who we want to be in the Next World.  Once we are there, we only have whatever we have brought, nothing else. The focus in this world has to be to keep adding to our reserve of good deeds and traits.  The path of decontaminating those parts we have already gained is certainly a legitimate way to live, as evidenced by it too being a genuine position imparted by Beis Shamai, but it is not where our focus should be.  That is in fact reserved for the Next World.  There all we take is the amount of good we have generated and all we can do once we are there is peel away the layers of spiritual negativities in the harvest we have reaped. 

Chanuka is almost over but if we hold on steadfast to the light it has brought we can keep it with us no matter where life finds us in the ensuing months ahead.  We have to keep rising like the flame itself, ever ascending, ever reaching heavenwards.  This is the life we were created for and this is the creed we must live by until we ignite the eternal, purest light of Moshiach and end all darkness forever.   

May the fires of the Menorah kindle our souls and light up our lives.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Mikeitz/Chanuka: Instantaneous Light

 

Miller’s Musings Parshas Mikeitz 

Yosef’s salvation from incarceration is treated as a matter of tremendous urgency by the attendants of Pharaoh.  The Posuk refers to the process as one in which “they rushed him from the dungeon”, and as usual our role is to understand the hidden depth behind the occurrence, in this case the speedy nature of his rescue.   

A vital lesson is brought out from this by Reb Yerucham Leibovitz zt’l, who quotes the Seforno as saying that this was exactly like the manner of all of Hashem’s deliverances, that all occur in a very brief moment.  He further explains, that this is in contradistinction to that effected by man which requires a process or some procedure that needs to be undergone before any result is felt and there is the possibility at any time of something to block it.  Hashem needs no such preparation or system to bring about a change of any magnitude, therefore His salvation comes in the blink of an eye, and there is never a possibility of an impediment. 

The analogy for Golus referred to throughout Chazal is that of darkness.  It is a time where everything, and most importantly often the presence of Hashem, is incredibly unclear.  There is so much pain and hurt that we find it hard to see how this world can be a manifestation of G-d’s will.  But the incredible thing about darkness is that it can be dispelled in an instant with the coming of even the smallest light.  Total blackness, where absolutely nothing can be recognised, can be transformed into a situation of complete clarity almost instantaneously.  The world as it is, is fraught with challenges and dangers, with so many determined to destroy instead of create.  It is easy to think that there is no way out for mankind so driven by power and greed.  But this is one of the messages of the Menora, a small light in the seemingly infinite darkness, that reminds us that no matter how dark the times have become, in an instant, with the light of Hashem and the redemption that only He can bring, all suffering can end and all truth will be revealed.     

May the lights of Shabbos and Chanuka spread throughout the entire world.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

 

 

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayeshev: Age Old Advice

 

בס''ד

Yosef is renowned for his standing as the most beloved child of Yaakov with the reason given by the Torah as being that he was the “ben zekunim”, usually translated as “a son of his (Yaakov’s) old age”.  This is however both curious and challenging in its correct interpretation and requires elucidation since in actual fact the word “zekunim” means only old age rather than ‘his’ old age and even if this were the case why is it given as the cause of his being the most favoured child?

To answer this Reb Yitzchok Zilberstein shilta brings the sefer Ohel Yaakov’s explanation as to why one who honours one’s parents is assured by the Torah of a long life.  In a departure from the more obvious understanding, he explains that a person that honours their father and mother would by definition be spending time with them, absorbing their teachings and gaining their sagely advice.  This will mean that even in one’s younger days they will be far less restricted in their knowledge by the follies of youth and far closer to the status of elder statesperson due to wisdom they have garnered from their parents.  The long life they acquire is therefore not strictly in the years that they live, but in the years of experience and knowledge that can be attributed to them, including those of their parents.  This, Rabbi Zilberstein explains, is one understanding of what is attributed as being the cause for Yosef’s status.  He was a child who, due to the time he spent with Yaakov, was a favourite of his and also in this perspective in his old age despite his few years.  

The world we live in is one that to an increasingly great extent belittles and undervalues the elderly, in stark contrast to the directives of the Torah with regard to those more senior than ourselves.  Yet we may mistakenly believe that the honour accorded to old people is solely for their sake or as a means to honing our own character traits.  Those both being true, an additional and significant facet of this mitzvoh is understanding how much there is to be gained from an association with those who have had so much experience of all of life’s ups and downs as well as its little foibles.  They have that oft lauded strength, the benefit of hindsight, which we can gain so much from and a knowledge of a life lived that is impossible to be gained without having lived it.  Viewed this way any opportunity to help or interact in any way with the aged is, far from being an activity of giving, actually a means to enriching our own lives in ways beyond which we could ever be capable of by ourselves. 

May Shabbos, and all we share it with, enrich our lives.

 

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayishlach: You Are My Teacher

The choice of surroundings that one makes can be one of the most crucial decisions in a person's life.  The effect that others have on us can never be disregarded despite the disingenuous claims of some that "I don't care what other people think".  There are times however, as in the case of Yaakov living with Lovon, when one is put in such a situation of negative influence out of circumstances beyond one's control.  With this firmly in mind we can understand the testimony of Yaakov that he spent many years with the nefarious Lovon but still "kept the six hundred and thirteen mitzvos". What is less clear is why Yaakov needed to follow up this statement with the claim that he also "did not learn from Lovon", surely something discernible from the fact that he succeeded in holding steadfast to all the commandments passed down from his fathers?

In fact, explains Reb Meir Shapiro of Lublin zt’l, the statement of Yaakov, in keeping with the picture we have of him, was not one of self-praise, but one of self-admonition.  It was true that he had retained his former level of mitzvah observance, but there was a potential for growth that he had missed which he was actually able to glean from Lovon’s behaviour, that of his enthusiasm for his actions.  It is true that everything he did was the antithesis of Yaakov’s own life view, but there was a passion to his acts and a willingness to give everything up for his goals, which was something that Yaakov could have applied to his holy endeavours, which sadly “he did not learn from Lovon”.

At this point in history, when faced with a foe so single minded in their pursuit to destroy all we hold most dear, both in our Holy Land and now extended throughout the Western World, what hope do we have to defeat such a determined threat to our existence? Perhaps Yaakov has given us the key and has taught us that the only path laid out for us is to fight fire with fire by learning from their fanaticism.  If they have such zeal for destruction of life we must battle it with our passion for creating a worthier life.  If they are obsessed with hate, we must be fanatical about spreading love to all.  If we truly believe in Who really runs the world, it is surely the quickest path to our salvation from this evil.

May the serenity of Shabbos spread throughout the world.

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayetze: Cause and Effect 101

As is the case with many of the great female personalities in the Torah, Rochel was subjected to a painful existence waiting to be able to bear a child, all the while praying with devotion and acting with total subjugation to Hashem’s Will.  This wait finally comes to an end in our Parsha when Hashem finally “opens her womb”.  The Soforno explains that it was specifically at this time that Hashem chose to listen to her prayers after she had performed two particular acts of ‘hishtadlus’, one’s own effort to achieve an intended goal, in this case being mother to a child.  The combination of her fervent supplications and her own endeavours brought about her salvation. We know that everything comes from the Almighty, which makes it difficult to understand why an act performed with one’s own efforts, which could lead to a false sense of one’s own power, is of a higher level than one done with total belief and reliance on Hashem?

As with all acts of the soul, there are a myriad levels of performance, with an infinite opportunity for self-development and growth.  The Sifsei Chaim explains that the concept of hishtadlus together with prayer in its highest form is the knowledge that in actual fact it is solely the prayer that yields the end result despite the actions that have been carried out.  Although Hashem wants us to invest our own time and energy into making something happen on a physical level, just as He requires us to appeal to Him for this goal, it is in truth not our exertions that ultimately make it happen, but rather our words of beseeching are the actual cause and effect for this outcome.  To achieve this level of awareness of the true nature of this process is an even greater plane of service than relying exclusively on prayer.

The path that we take in our own lives is often to rely on prayer only as a last ditch attempt to resolve any issues, when all other means have been exhausted.  If at this point we finally receive what we have requested, we more often than not attribute it to our own physical energies rather than our prayer.  Yet the more we realise that this is in fact not the case, and that our hishtadlus is only a means in which we can further develop our trust and belief in Hashem as the Provider of all that we receive, the more we will in fact be worthy of receiving the good which Hashem bestows upon us.  Prayer is not for when all else fails, but the true source of all we have. 

May the prayers of Shabbos bring tremendous good to the world.

L'ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Toldos: Spiritual Magnetism

 

The incident is familiar but perhaps requires fresh investigation.  Rivka, pregnant with twins, but this being unbeknownst to her, feels a strange sensation that seems to be curiously linked to her location.  When she passes a place of ‘Torah’ learning she feels a child struggling to break free and when she is close to a site wherein idol worship takes place, experiences a similar phenomenon.  She is told through a wise man’s prophetic vision that this is in fact due to two children being within her womb, each with a natural inclination to one of the buildings she comes close to.   But can this really be the case that the two foetuses enclosed within a womb can be so drawn to their individual places of interest?

The key to understanding this is found in the realisation that, contrary to popular thought, the spiritual world is in fact the true reality and the physical world a mere shadow is this existence.  Pointing this out, Reb Yerucham Levovitz zt’l, explains that just as the needle on a compass naturally directs itself towards the north pole, so too things of spiritual purity steer themselves instinctively towards other entities of a similar nature and those of spiritual negativity to an object that shares its characteristic.  This is not something that needs to be consciously felt or decided upon, it is an inherent, innate facet of anything that exists.  Yaakov and Eisav may not have been able to perceive where they were with their physical senses, but their inborn inclinations automatically guided them there.                                                                                                                                                                                         

The corollary of this concept, and the message to us, is that the more we imbue ourselves with spirituality, the more we will be inclined towards greater levels therein.  The more we fill our lives with acts and interests of meaningless spiritual voids, or worse, the less we will be disposed to our true purpose.  This goes some way to explaining those who claim to have no attraction to matters of the soul, which may be due to their lack of connection to its yearnings previously and total devotion to the body’s desires.   This is of course a loop in which the only way to enter it is to begin following what the soul longs for, even where the penchant for it is not yet present.  It may not be our instinctive wish due to the choices we have previously made, but despite it all this is in fact what the true us truly wants. 

 

May Shabbos bring help to bring out the true us.

 

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Chayei Soroh: Let Me Introduce Myself

The rules of good etiquette must surely dictate that the first thing one must do when meeting someone is to introduce oneself.  Yet from reading through our Parsha, it seems that Eliezer, servant of Avrohom, on his quest for a wife for Yitzchok, only actually presents himself when he is about to sit down to eat in the home of Rivka and Lovon.  Why had he not already told Rivka or at least informed his host, Lovon, that he was the person responsible for all the worldly affairs of Avrohom?

To answer this the Chanukas Hatorah relates what actually took place at that meal.  As the food was laid out in front of Eliezer, he turned to his hosts and insisted on first apprising them of the nature of his business there.  Lovon, in a show of piety, would not hear of him speaking of mundane matters, reminding Eliezer of the concept stated by our sages, that any table that there is not spoken by it words of Torah, is as if those present have partaken of idolatrous sacrifices.  This is when Eliezer saw fit to introduce himself as a slave of one of the forefathers, reminding Lovon of another relevant statement of Chazal, that even the conversation of the slaves of the forefathers is greater than the main body of Torah.  It was not the first time that he had announced who he was, it was his retort to the accusations of Lovon.   

When talking about people on such a high plane of existence, influenced as they were by their masters, even their conversations are inevitably opportunities for growth and any word said only uttered if it has been assessed in terms of its positive worth.  Anything less than that commits the cardinal sin of wasting ones time and potential.  Although this may be a level we have not yet quite attained, the Avos are a beacon of light that we can at least try to head towards in any way we can.  Never emitting one superfluous word may be beyond us, but we can strive to more carefully examine even our non-destructive talk.  Could our Shabbos meals not be an opportunity for profound debate or powerful teachings? Could we not make our exchanges more meaningful from time to time, so that instead of small talk, our words may actually make a difference? And when we do involve ourselves in casual pleasantries, as some social situations require, can we not at least try to mean it when we ask about the welfare of another and work on sincerely caring about that person, instead of just going through a mechanical routine?  Communication is an incredible opportunity to connect in a profound way with another.  Let’s treat it like that.

May our Shabbos be full of exalted interactions.

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayeiro: It's Not All About You

The quality of Avrohom’s hospitality is legendary.  There were no lengths that he would not go to, to provide for his guests.  No matter that it was during the intense heat of a desert day or that he had only recently undergone serious surgery, the moment he caught a glimpse of impending visitors he rushed with all possible haste to bring them to his home.  This kind of devotion may lead us to wonder why, after so enthusiastically pursuing these visitors he then only offered them “a little water to be taken”.  Was Avrohom, the paragon of generosity, only willing to offer a small amount of water, but no more? How does this fit in with everything we know about the quintessential host, Avrohom Ovinu?   

When Avrohom provided food for his guests he ensured that he would be the one to actually go and prepare these essentials. As we see in the following Pesukim it is he who personally procures the calf and lays it before them.  Yet, Reb Yaakov Neiman zt’l explains, the water was actually brought by a messenger, not Avrohom himself, which now explains the seemingly sparing amount of water offered.  When Avrohom was doing the work himself, there was nothing that he would not offer and no limit to his munificence.  But when it would require someone other than him to exert themselves, the offer had to take this into account, and would be substantially less not to insist on unnecessary exertion from another.

A person should be constantly looking to improve oneself.  Our goal in life is to always look to raise the bar of our observance and service to Hashem. This may mean taking on additional obligations and perhaps even seeing where stringencies may help us to attain greater spirituality.  But when doing this it is imperative that we bear in mind the effect this may have on others, be it our friends, family or those around us.  It is wonderful to be as devoted to a Torah life as one can be, but not when this encroaches on the rights, needs or happiness of another.  What we take on board is our own business, but it is not for us to take anything on board for someone else and the choices we make can never be detrimental to another.  Be as religious as you want to be, live a life to your maximum potential, but not to the disadvantage of another.  Improvements of that nature are no improvement at all. 

May we all enhance each other’s Shabbos.

L'ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Lech Lecho: Turn it Up a Notch

There is no one whose life does not consist of trials and tribulations, but perhaps none to the extent that Avrohom faced. Through his ten tests Avrohom's faith was tested to the point of almost superhuman proportions yet he withstood them all. Yet the test of 'lech lecho', to leave his homeland to an unknown destination, although requiring some belief,  seems to be one of lesser intensity.  He is being asked by the Creator,who he recognises and acknowledges, to leave his birthplace but is assured it will be for his benefit.  Is that really so hard given Avrohom's status and level of piety?

We have previously answered that the task may have in fact lain, not in doing the act, but in the thought process in which it was done i.e. To truly believe that it was indeed only for his good, no matter how farfetched that seemed.  Perhaps we could now suggest something even further, that not only was his challenge in knowing that it was ultimately for his welfare, but also to do whatever was necessary to make that as much of a reality as possible.  To make his circumstances, as much as he was able, into one in which it actually was something that he could enjoy and appreciate without the need for a leap of faith.  His instruction was to 'go for yourself' to make his going one that was indeed for him. 

We often perform mitzvos in a perfunctory manner, some we enjoy and some perhaps not so much.  But we are enjoined to 'serve Hashem with joy' so is it really enough to resign ourselves to long term gain only? Whether it be looking for ways to make our acts more meaningful or tactics that assist our enjoyment of the mitzvah, it is part of our responsibility to endeavour  to find these measures. 

Even for those of us whose commitment to keeping Shabbos is without doubt, there are always ways in which we can maximise our Shabbos experience and enhance it for ourselves and our families and if we can, it is incumbent on us to do so.  There is inherent beauty in all Hashem's mitzvos and certainly Shabbos, but if there's something to do to feel it all the more and feel even greater joy in its presence then that is the greatest level of observance we can achieve. 

May we all keep Shabbat at the highest level this week.

L'ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Noach: It's Time!

 

One well-known Medrash relates an incident that took place inside the Ark during the miraculous voyage that shielded the last remnants of creation from annihilation, when Noach, a little late for feeding time, was met by an angry lion who sunk his teeth into him, wounding him and leaving him limping.  The Medrash suggests Noach had performed a wrongdoing in his tardiness, a fact that seems astonishing given the situation in which Noach found himself as the one responsible for maintaining order in the most trying of conditions.  The Medrash tells us that each animal had to be fed to their specific requirements in terms of diet and timing and that Noach did not taste sleep for the entire twelve months confined in the ark.  Surely he cannot be reproached for one time that he was slightly less than punctual!

The solution to this difficulty is in understanding that the way we are judged is dependent on the time that we commit the offense.  Reb Elyashiv zt’l explains that although at other times, Noach would have indeed been blameless for an act of such minute and almost imperceptible negativity, at a moment when the entire world was undergoing destruction and rebirth, the level he was held accountable to was of a far higher degree of precision.  Perhaps as a reaction to a world destroyed due to its flagrant displays of greed and disregard for others, any act, however subtle, of selfishness, warranted some form of expiation.

If we consider our own lives, there are perhaps times in which we must look for a higher degree of perfection in our acts and performance of mitzvos.  Not all times are equal, and even if we cannot maintain a particular standard forever, this does not negate the necessity and power of deeds done even temporarily when the need arises.  When the Jewish people find themselves once again in incredibly perilous and grave times, do we not have to look to ourselves and ask if there is something more we can do?  We may lack the means and ability to do something physical for our brethren, but there is none of us who are unable to improve on our spiritual living in some way in order to gain merit for the Jewish people as a whole.  How can we not give at least this when there is so much at stake and so much we can do?

May Shabbos bring enduring peace and solace to all.

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Bereishis: A Little Holiness Goes a Long Way

As the six days of creation drew to a close, Hashem ushered in the very first Shabbos, whose beauty and sanctity has echoed at the end of every week since.  The Gemoro in Shabbos produces a rather cryptic statement saying that anyone who davens on Erev Shabbos and says “Vayechulu” (the verse that acts as a testimony to Hashem’s creation of all existence) is considered as a partner to G-d in the work of the formation of the universe.  How do we understand this seemingly implausible status bestowed upon this act?

The time that Shabbos begins is determined by the setting of the sun, but in actual fact, if we so desire, we can bring in Shabbos earlier than that, within certain halachic boundaries. The exact legal parameters of doing so is beyond the scope of a musing, but it will suffice to say that a person is able to start Shabbos, and all the ramifications of its arrival, before would otherwise be its commencement.  The Be’er Yosef explains that this is what is meant by the declaration of our Gemoro.  Noticing that it uses the term “Erev Shabbos”, which implies the day before Shabbos, he understands it to mean that one who davens and says “Vayechulu”, ushering in Shabbos before it would naturally begin, is a partner in creation because they have actually created Shabbos already on Friday, in the same manner in which Hashem decided that it begin the day after. 

This is firstly another startling example of the power that we have been endowed with by Hashem, but could perhaps also be highlighting the value of increasing sanctity, wherever and whenever possible, into our lives.  For most of us life is full of mundane activities that are simply necessities to our daily living, but there are always opportunities to try and squeeze some extra holiness into our days.  It need not be only by adding time to our Shabbos, but could be attained by finding even a few extra minutes a day to learn some Torah by ourselves, with our spouse, a friend or colleague. Is there some extra act of kindness we could be performing that will not take much of our time but could mean so much to another?  Or perhaps we could take what we are already doing and give it some extra depth and meaning or some extra devotion and joy in its performance.  In a world where there is so much that is impure and unholy, adding one more spark of kedusha could have an immeasurable impact on ourselves and all who walk this earth.  Give it some thought, you’ll never regret it.  

May our love and delight in Shabbos bring greater kedusha to the world.

 

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah: Singing in the Rain

So if all is going to plan, we are all pretty happy by now.  We have left our reliance on physical requirements behind.  We have stepped out into the embrace of our Creator, connected with the infinite and are working on only truly seeking the ultimate pleasure provided by spiritual accomplishments.   So where do we go from here and what is the next step that is presented to us by the final piece/s of the Tishrei puzzle known as Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah?   

There is an inherent problem with having such incredibly special and influential days once a year, and that is that they are only once a year.  What do we do when they are no longer around and we seek to maintain the levels of commitment and devotion exhibited over these days to feel this happiness perpetually?    The answer lies in the gift of Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah.  If we were to succinctly summarise the basic themes of these Yomim Tovim, we could perhaps describe Shemini Atzeres as being one final intimate coming together with Hashem and Simchas Torah as a celebration of the completion of the Torah.  Perhaps the point of these days is to lay the blueprint for our existence in the coming months when we lack such inspiration, through perpetuating this closeness to Hashem and following the Torah.  The awareness of Hashem in our lives helps us through the dark times and the Torah is the only way we can sift through what is and is not important in this world, what in the physical world can be used and when it can be utilised so that we don’t live a morose life of total abstention but one of informed temperance and appropriate enjoyment of all G-d has given us. 

We are about to embark on the first day of the rest of our lives.  It is time to step out of our Succah into a brave new world, armed with the knowledge of Hashem being by our side and the Torah as our guidebook for a successful, rewarding and happy life.  Let’s make a decision over Yom Tov that this year should not just be another year but one when we determine to have the best life possible for ourselves, for our families and for all of existence.  You know the way, just take the first steps.  

May Yom Tov equip us with all everything we need for the coming year.

 

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller’s Musings Shabbos Chol Hamoed Succos Koheles: Infinite Joy

The impression may have been gained from the last Miller’s Musings that to be left always wanting more is a cause for permanent unhappiness, hence material possessions always leaving us wanting.  This can of course not be true in that we see that in spiritual gains we should always be striving for even greater levels of perfection, yet there does indeed lie happiness.  So what is the difference and what message does Koheles, read on Shabbos Chol Hamoed Succos, convey to help further attain the joy that we are enjoined to experience on this Yom Tov?

Koheles asks the rhetorical question “What profit does man have for all his labor which he toils beneath the sun?”, with the phrase “beneath the sun” seemingly superfluous and certainly requiring elucidation?  The Ibn Ezra explains that this expression is chosen to express the idea that all that man does in this world is limited in terms of its temporal nature, subject to the limitations of time.  Everything that we do towards physical pleasures will always be constrained by time, which is of course governed by the earth’s cycle around the sun and is by its very nature finite and subject to disintegration, degeneration and decline.

This perhaps may be one answer to our question.  Whereas material gratification may bring us some enjoyment, there may always be the deep rooted knowledge that this too will pass.  However wonderful the feeling now is, there is nothing in this world that lasts forever and no source of corporeal indulgence that is eternal.  Knowing this, even on a subconscious/neshomo level, leaves us always craving more and never sated with what we have.  The feeling that spiritual undertakings provide do not have this imperfection and although we will still hopefully crave more of the beauty it brings, the infinite nature of its reward brings its own complete fulfilment each step of the way towards perfection.  Our goal is to never stop growing but to enjoy each holy conquest that we make and the infinite bliss each one will bring.

May this Shabbos bring us even greater joy of connecting with the infinite.

 

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings for Succos: Leave it all Behind

Picture yourself in a state of complete happiness.  Where are you? In the comfort of your own home surrounded by all your modern conveniences? Enjoying the vista of a place of picturesque beauty in total serenity? Or would you imagine jammed in a ramshackle shed in the back of your garden open to the elements?   The Rambam says that although there is a mitzvah to be happy on all Yomim Tovim, this is especially the case on Succos.  Which may make us wonder why, if that is the case, we are commanded to leave our nice warm home and enter a temporary structure which may not be so nice and depending on where you live, may not be so warm? Because the Lord's portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance.
 

To answer this we must first understand the message behind the Succah that we are commanded to inhabit as elaborated by the Darchei Musar.  The impermanence of this abode is meant to represent to us the transitory nature of our existence in this world.  However faced we are with our own mortality, more often than not, the way we view life and the way we act, is more representative of someone existing in an eternal life in this world.  We chase pleasure and power as if they are the only thing that matter, when in fact these only bring momentary gratification and will count for nothing once we pass on.  Living in this way, thinking that we will always be here, can rarely bring true internal happiness.  Someone only seeking physical pleasures can never be truly satiated because there is always more to experience and someone who has more than you.  And someone believing that this is where we shall always remain, can never learn to bridge the gap between how they think their life should be and the realities of life including all its challenges and sorrows.

 

The Succah teaches us that the path to true happiness is by realising that we are here for only a short amount of time and that seeking spiritual goals is the only means to achieving a sense of true worth and accomplishment.  Fully internalising the transience of man helps us to fathom our life and all its difficulties because this is only a conduit towards the true reality.  This is not to belittle the importance of this world, nor to discourage the appropriate use of physical pleasures.  But true joy is not find in materialistic pursuits but in loftier goals and higher aspirations.  In sharing meaningful times with our loved ones and developing our relationship with our Creator.  The Succah represents the warm embrace of Hashem and a realignment of our perspective.  All that under one roof!

May this Succos bring us the genuine elation and delight we truly desire.

 

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Parshas Haazinu: The Real You

 

Miller’s Musings Ha’azinu

 

Already a Parsha that is very cryptic and esoteric in Moshe’s final message to the Jewish people before his departure from this earthly existence, the Medrash provides a yet further layer of obscurity to its passages.  The Medrash Rabba in Toldos on the Posuk “behold Eisav my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man” references the verse in our Parsha “Because Hashem’s portion is his people Yaakov, the lot of his inheritanceBecause the Lord's portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance.”, connecting the two Pesukim based on the root “ches lamud kuf”, which means both a “portion” and “smooth”.  But the connection surely goes further than this.  So what is the link between these two Pesukim and what does the Medrash seek to inform us?Because the Lord's portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance.

 

The Ohr Gedalyahu explains that the deeper metaphor of Yaakov, and the Jewish people as a whole, being smooth, relates to the fact that we are an inherently good and noble people.  The Maharal explains that even when the Jewish people do err in their deeds, this is not something that is an expression of their intrinsic deficiencies, but is in fact only a product of the circumstances and trials which they are currently unable to overcome.  As opposed to one who is hairy, who when dirty would find it hard to rid himself of the impurities and filth that become entangled in one so hirsute, a smooth individual would have no such trouble as the grime is never attached, only an external coating easily cleansed.  This is why we are always the ‘portion’ of Hashem, because we have this characteristic of being able to return to Him with ease, once we determine to do so. 

Having so recently purified ourselves during the Days of Repentance, culminating in Yom Kippur, it is such a powerful thought to take with us through the rest of the year.  I am sure we have all taken on areas that we would like to improve and faults that we hope to correct, but undoubtedly there will be times when we slip up and moments when we seem to have taken steps back from our anticipated growth.  But we must realise that in contrast to other belief systems, a Jew believes that we are all essentially good.  Challenges will present themselves and we will stumble and we will fall, but that is not who we truly are and we must keep believing and keep striving so that it is not who we will be. 

 

May Shabbos bring out the good within us all.

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom

Miller's Musings Yom Kippur

 

Yom Kippur, a day of Teshuva, repentance and atonement.  A day will bring well spent will bring absolvement from all our sins and a clean slate.  But how can this really the case? How can all the terrible things we have done just be wiped away and our neshomo be cleansed of all the blemishes we have brought to its pure essence?  We know Hashem is all merciful, but how do we understand the mechanism of Teshuva that seems to ignore past iniquities?  

 

There is a well known axiom of the Torah, that Hashem recreates the world every single moment.  This means that every moment the world is endowed with new energy from the Creator so that it can continue to exist.  Were this to ever stop, even for the most infinitesimally small amount of time, our reality would cease to be.  The corollary of this is that at any moment, if Hashem so desires, anything that was, can in its new iteration change to be something entirely different.  Reb Shimshon Dovid Pinkus zt’l explains that this is the process which allows Teshuva to take place.  Hashem does not need to expunge the evil from us, He recreates us entirely anew after we have truly repented for our failings. 

  

Every year we come to Yom Kippur and spend the day asking for forgiveness and sincerely determining to be better next year.  But the choices we make and the changes we resolve to implement can sometimes lack the conviction required to bring about lasting change.  Part of the reason for this may be our own doubts about our ability to genuinely transform ourselves.  How can we rid ourselves of all the past mistakes that seem to have left us unalterably tarnished?  But if we sincerely believe in what we have said and internalise this truth as a reality, we will know that our resolutions will not just bring about a reformed us, but a totally new us, a rebirth and a chance to begin again.  Let’s not waste this opportunity for a new start and the chance to become a new you.  The you that you have always wanted to be.  

  

May the sanctity of Yom Kippur awaken us to a new beginning.

L’ilui Nishmas Leah bas Avrohom