Miller's Musings Parshas Yisro: Turn Off and Tune In

בס''ד

Miller’s Musings פרשת יתרו 

 

Perhaps the most renowned questions posed about Yisro is why it was that he above all others, was the one to respond to the miraculous events that took place during the Exodus?  A nation such as Egypt thrust from its superpower status into turmoil and then to devastation of cataclysmic proportions.  A nation ravaged by servitude and affliction, breaking free of its bondage, saved at the Yam Suf by a miraculous event contradiciting the very laws of nature and vanquishing a tribe of warriors such as Amalek was.  The accounts of all that had transpired must have shaken the world to its core.  And yet only Yisro responded! Why?

When we look at what we know of Yisro perhaps a picture begins to form of who he was and what characteristic most epitomised what set him aside from all others. Perhaps the reason Yisro was the sole figure who renounced all that he was and all that he had, is the same reason that Yisro spent years devoted to searching for the true path, through all deities and pagan beliefs and the same reason it was only he who was able to discern what was needed after witnessing the great struggle with which Moshe judged the people.  It was because whilst all others saw and heard, he saw, heard, stopped and thought.  Whilst others could plainly see what was in front of their eyes, Yisro took the time to consider what he saw and act in response to those ruminations.

The world we live in screams at us from every direction, refusing to let us stop and think.  We are bombarded from all sides by sounds and sights that beg us to do anything but actually contemplate ourselves and our lives.  We may be given signs and hear teachings that, with a little thought, can steer us onto the path to greatness.  All that is lacking is some deliberation into what we have seen or heard but the noise is so great and so tempting that we are unable to take that step.  Some of this is due to involuntary exposure to modern society but much is due to choices made by our own volition.  Why do we reach for our devices or media just as soon as there is nothing else to do?  Why can we not spend time with ourselves without the need for distractions?  Are there not enough important life decisions to make that require careful thought and reflexion instead of just falling into a set of circumstances by chance?  It is time to turn off the distractions, take control of our lives again and spend some quality time with yourself.  You might be surprised by what you discover!      

May Shabbos help us tune back in to ourselves.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Beshalach: keep Looking Up!

When it comes to the humility league tables it seems that there is only ever going to be one winner, Moshe, humblest of all men.  In close second place however is Avrohom, the deciding factor between them being the statement each made that epitomised their humility. Whereas Avrohom proclaimed that he was merely dust and ashes, Moshe's declaration, in our Parsha, was that he was nothing at all, an even greater statement of modesty.  The question posed in the sefer Chaim Sheyesh Bohem is what difference of significance is there? Surely dust and ashes are equally worthless, in which case why is Moshe deemed the greater?

In answering this the Kesav Sofer highlights an important distinction between the contexts in which these assertions were made.  Whereas Avrohom was comparing himself to Hashem when he contended that he was of such little worth, Moshe was expressing his value in contrast to the rest of the Jewish nation who had come forward to him to lodge their grievances.  Being insignificant compared to the omnipotent Creator is a far lesser indication of humility than when equating oneself with his fellow man, which is why Moshe is stated to be the most humble of all.    

There is a tendency within communities to have some amongst us looked down upon.  Be it the downtrodden, the wayward or those down in their luck, there can be a pervasive view that these people are to be disdained and disregarded.  Such an attitude goes against everything the Torah tries to teach us and ignores the glaringly obvious fact that we are judging people without the slightest idea of who they truly are.  We have not the slightest inkling of the challenges they have faced, the hurdles they may have overcome and the battles they are now embroiled in.  How dare we sneer at someone who in G-d’s eyes may have reached far greater heights in their life than us, through some false notion of self-importance and self-aggrandisement!   Moshe achieved levels that no person had attained before or would attain after him and yet he understood that in comparison to others he had no concept of his relative worth.  Pirkei Ovos tells us that the one who is honoured is the one who honours others.  It does not qualify this statement with the parameters of who should be honoured and neither should we.   As much as one must appreciate their own self-worth, one must appreciate the ignorance of another’s.

May the holiness of Shabbos help us to value each other.

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Bo: The Knowledge of Ignorance

 

The elation and jubilance generated by the Jewish people’s redemption from slavery, can often onscure the tragedy of all those who perished in the plague of darkness.  Rashi tells us that the reason this particular affliction was chosen, was to hide from the Egyptians the shame of those Jews that were slain at that time due to their being unworthy of being released from their servitude.  In truth though we know that the Jewish people were at a very low level in general. The Angels on High in fact came before Hashem and questioned what distinction there was between the Egyptians and the Jews, both being equally guilty of idol worship.  So what was the distinguishing factor that meant some survived the plague of darkness, whilst others never merited to witness the exodus?

One way to understand this, given by R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky zt’l, was that the disparity lay not in their actions, but solely in their beliefs.  Whereas one faction of the nation believed wholeheartedly in Moshe’s foretelling of imminent salvation, the other questioned its veracity due to a calculation indicating they were not yet due to be released from exile.  This is interesting for a number of reasons, but R’ Yaakov highlights an amazing facet of this episode, the fact that from the point of view of those experiencing this decimation of their brethren, there appeared to be no outward difference whatsoever between those who lived and those who died.

Life is full of unanswerable questions.  This is the very nature of this world, where truth is clouded by ignorance, and the infinite is ungraspable to our finite minds.  This is not a question against the truth of our belief, but a necessary part of believing in a divine and unlimited G-d who can create ex-nihilo, transform the laws of nature on a whim and Who possesses boundless power to do whatever He wills.  How could a creation as limited as we are hope to comprehend such Power or indeed His workings?  But just as there was absolute purpose in Hashem’s dispensation of life to those Jews deemed worthy in Egypt (even if we cannot truly fathom even this) so too everything that happens is with a clear and entirely essential objective.  We will never understand everything that happens, but the sooner we recognise that this is how things must be, the sooner we can live with all that is.   

May Shabbos grant us clarity.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

Miller's Musings Parshas Vo'eiro: Same Difference

 

As a teacher the first rule of a classroom is to keep to the standards that you expect from the class.  The Torah is the greatest teacher of all, equipping us with the tools needed for a successful life.  The sensitivity needed towards others is a common theme espoused by the Torah, specifically with regard to converts who receive their own distinct mandate with regard towards not inflicting any pain upon them, particularly with regard to alluding to the sins of their past.  Yet Rashi tells us that the name Putiel mentioned in the Parsha is in fact Yisro, the name being a reference to the fact that he fattened (“Piteim”) calves for idol worship, to which The Ben Ish Chai zt’l asks how the Torah could mention something that must have been so mortifying to a person of Yisro’s greatness?

The answer given there is that in the case of Yisro an indication of past misdemeanours was not a point of embarrassment for him, but a reminder of how far he had come and the incredible heights he had scaled to come from such humble beginnings to reach almost the zenith of human endeavour and be worthy of playing a part in leading the Jewish people.  The Chazan Ish zt’l, not quite content with this answer, asks why if that is the case there is ever a sin to mention the prior offenses of a convert? Is it not always a reminder of the gains they have made and the levels they have ascended!

In answering this Reb Yaakov Galinsky zt’l alerts us to a fundamental issue in our dealings with others; the fact that no two people are alike.  Whereas Yisro, as testified by the Torah mentioning it, was capable of appreciating the positive nature of a statement about his history, this would not be the case for many converts, hence the general imperative not to bring up prior iniquities.  There is a tendency for us to think that if something does not bother me, it surely would not vex someone else, when this is not always the case.  One person’s sensitivity to a particular matter may be far more extreme than another’s.  Just because we have no problem discussing an issue does not mean that someone else feels similarly unperturbed by its mention, and we must make ourselves aware of that if we are to be truly considerate of each other.  Being mindful of this issue can circumvent the discomfort of another, but requires us being cognizant of the diversity of every individual.  We all have subjects we would sooner not discuss, one of the only ways in which we are all the same.   

May Shabbos endow us with the sensitivities we require.

 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם