Miller's Musings Parshas Vayechi: Prepare for the Battle!

בס''ד

As Yaakov’s life slips away and he realises he is on his final journey back to his Creator, he calls his children to deliver his parting messages to them.  At a moment such as this, with a person such as Yaakov Ovinu, every word must have been crucial, every nuance deliberate and vital.  So when he informs Yosef that he will be leaving him the city of Shechem, we may well wonder why Yaakov also feels the need to inform him about precisely how the city came into his hands, “which I took…with my sword and with my bow.”  Was this such an important detail to include at this time?  You will not be surprised to hear that the answer is a resounding yes!

If we were to encapsulate what the overarching theme of Yaakov’s final communication to his family would be, it would not come as a shock to see a focus on their spiritual goals, that which was at the centre of his life and the purpose of our creation.  Everything that Yaakov said was chosen to enhance their ability to achieve their potential and this was no exception.  You see, says the Lakewood Mashgiach, a person can be the wisest of individuals, and can have a natural leaning towards righteousness, but if they are not prepared to fight and battle and go to war with their own inclinations, they will never become what they are meant to be.  Yaakov wanted to pass this idea on to Yosef, to let him know that everything that he had achieved in his life, despite perhaps what it may have looked like from the outside, was attained only through a willingness to confront, grapple and ultimately defeat his evil inclination.  This was how he captured Shechem, but it was also the story of his greatest victory, against himself. 

Everyone wants an easy life these days.  No one is prepared to struggle unless they are left with no other option.  But if we look at those who have achieved the most in any walk of life, it is those who have battled for what they believe in and those who have fought to achieve their goals whose accomplishments have stood the test of time.  We must of course never look for a fight, but we must be cognizant of the fact that conflict is inbuilt into our composition, a divine soul at odds with an animalistic body.  And should the need arise we must be primed to engage in warfare with ourselves and on the side of that which is right in order to vanquish the enemy within and without.

*May Shabbos fortify us for the battles ahead*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayigash: What is there to fear?

בס''ד

Everyone is scared of something, so what was Yaakov scared of? From the manner in which Hashem tells Yaakov “Do not be afraid to descend to Egypt”, it would appear that this is what Yaakov dreaded.  Yaakov we know was not one to be fearful in the face of danger.  He had tangled with the master of deception Lovon, he had fought and vanquished an Angel, he had faced the might and fury of his warrior brother Eisov, so what was it that he so feared about Egypt?  And what was it about the nature of Egypt, that despite a surely rational reason for anxiety, meant their sojourn there was still an absolute necessity?

It is an obvious truth that if Yaakov was afraid of an aspect of Egypt, it was in regard to the spiritual challenges it held.  To think that Yaakov would simply be distressed about some material danger would not make sense since he was a man of such extreme trust in Hashem’s infinite good.  The fear Yaakov had must have been due to the tremendously depraved nature of the country he was heading towards and in the moral corruption of its people.  He was not worried for his life but for the impact such a place would have on his family.  The Seforno provides Hashem’s response to his unease, that the risks of staying in Canaan were in fact greater.  It is true that the Egyptians were a decadent people, but the fact that they despised the Jews meant that there would be much less threat of assimilation.  This is in contrast to the nation of Canaan, who may have been less of a danger in terms of their spiritual negativity, but were more of danger because of the heightened risk of his family being absorbed by the surrounding peoples, who did not possess the hatred the Egyptians had for them.

Trying to get the root of antisemitism is seemingly an exercise in futility.  Each hypothesis suggested can be quickly dismissed once it becomes clear that antisemitism existed even when this proposed cause was clearly lacking.  To take one example, if antisemitism was due to the differences in our way of life, why did it still rear its ugly head even when Jews strove to become a homogeneous part of society? Perhaps the message here goes some way to explaining this phenomena, that the hatred some have for us is Hashem’s way of ensuring our survival as a people.  It is this irrational hatred that to some degree keeps us a distinct nation, maintaining our core values, beliefs and proud identity, in spite of the influence of the outside world. It may in fact be what has kept us, us. 

*May Shabbos instil us with pride in who we are and what we believe*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

Miller's Musings Parshas Mikeitz: No Pain, No Grain

בס''ד

It all seemed to be going perfectly to plan.  Yosef’s brothers had no idea who he was, he had managed to bring his brothers back down to Egypt for more grain just as he had requested and now he had surreptitiously placed his goblet in the sack of Binyomin.   It was almost time for the final act to play out.  But first the accusations.  First the servant of Yosef reproaches them for taking the goblet that “my master drinks from.  And he surely divines with it!” and Yosef himself points to the fact that this chalice was a special one. “Don’t you know that a man like me practices divination!”.  It seems to be a rather intriguing detail that Yosef feels is vital to convey, that he performed divination. But why?

All of Yosef’s plans hinged on one thing; the ability to conceal his identity from his brothers.  Anything that would aid this deception would have been utilised to ensure everything would occur as he hoped.  The concept of divination is something that is the antithesis of Jewish belief.  As Reb Shimshon Rephoel Hirsch explains, the root of the Hebrew word for divination is identical to that of a snake, because just as a snake does not move directly forward, but rather from side to side, the practice of divination is one in which you try to circumvent the normal direct cause and effect and move towards a goal without having to work in a straight line towards it.  Yosef wanted to convince them that he was who he claimed to be, and therefore identified himself with a system that was anathema to his true principles of faith, in which our purpose is only achieved through working purposefully and tenaciously towards it, with no shortcuts and no alternative routes.

Although this might not be what we all want to hear, the fact is that Judaism believes that nothing of true value is ever attained without effort.  Any method that purports to provide instant eternal reward or a means that bypasses the usual work required, is nothing but a fraudulent imitation of the true realities of the role Hashem has given us.  We believe that the next world is a consequence of our actions in this world and that part of the ultimate good that we receive is due to the fact that we ourselves have created that good and deserve it due to the struggles we have overcome and the tests that we have succeeded in.  We only reap that which we have sown.  Anything less is not only a fallacy but lessens the worth of the infinite pleasure we can obtain.

*May the purity of Shabbos motivate us onwards and upwards*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayeshev: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

בס''ד

With seemingly superhuman willpower and fortitude, Yosef time after time was able to rebuff the repeated and intensely enticing advances of the wife of his master Potiphar.  The Gemoro tells us that this monumental feat acts as a counter to those who claim that they were simply unable to overcome their desires in this area.  If Yosef was able to resist in the most trying of circumstances, there is no one that can claim they were powerless to refrain.  Yet another Gemoro tells us that Yosef was given divine assistance, when an image of his father’s face appeared to him just as the temptation was greatest.  This was what gave him the resolve he needed at this time. That being the case, surely the claim of others, who lacked this motivation and were thereby unable to overcome their test, would still be valid!  Yosef had help. They did not!

As Yosef underwent trial after trial, he knew that there would come a point when he would be defeated and would finally succumb to his desires.  The vision of his father’s saintly appearance was not something that just happened to materialise when he needed it most, but was a tactic that Yosef had devised previously which he could employ in the most extreme moments.  It was Yosef, says the Birchas Mordechai, who conjured up this last resort path to salvation. It was not a matter of luck but a matter of planning, and if Yosef could conceive of a means of protection even when the compulsion was so strong, then we too are expected to create our own approach to defeating our negative desires. 

Deny it, avoid it, resist it, no matter what we do, we will be met in our life with situations that are sent to test our willpower and examine our true level. It is what we are here for and what gives life its ultimate meaning. Acceptance of this as a fact is the first stage towards success, but the next stage must be one of preparation. We may not know exactly what form our challenge will take, but we often know where our weaknesses lie and what the triggers are for our failings to come to the fore. This is where we must visualise those occurrences and the methods we will use to overcome them. We must confront our own flaws and begin rectifying them where we can and fortifying those elements of our character that will help us triumph in the most trying of times. Developing our faith in G-d, acceptance of His plan and tolerance towards others are fundamental tools in our life’s work, but whatever we deem crucial to achieving our purpose, we must acquire them now before we need them the most.

*May the power of Shabbos provide inspiration for the coming week*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayishlach: Accepting the Change

בס''ד

After years apart caused by Yaakov’s righteous deception and Eisov’s thirst for revenge, the estranged brothers finally come face to face in our Parsha.  The lead up to this epic meeting involved Yaakov sending tributes and messages to Eisov by means of which he hoped to broker a peace deal with his brother.  His opening gambit involved him informing Eisov that “I lived with Lovon”.  The word for “I lived” in Hebrew has the numerical value of six hundred and thirteen, the total number of Torah commandments.  He was thereby informing Eisov that despite having lived with a person of tremendous wickedness, he had maintained his own spiritually high level.  But why did Yaakov tell Eisov this?  What difference would it have made to him that Yaakov still kept all the Torah?

Yaakov’s initial intent when sending these gifts and communications was, as we stated, in order to bring about peace and harmony. However contained within such a plan was a danger of a misunderstanding on Eisov’s part as to exactly what form this peace would take.  Reb Moshe Feinstein zt’l therefore explains that Yaakov’s proclamation was there to make it clear that although he was happy to negotiate a peace, Yaakov’s spiritual status was non-negotiable, and there was to be no merging of their camps in terms of the standards that they each kept to.  This was something that Eisov had to accept.  Just as Yaakov preserved his level during his sojourn with Lovon, so too he was resolute in his intention to retain this level after any agreement would be reached.

Growth is an absolute imperative for successful living.  Staying at one’s previous level is simply not an option for one seeking to achieve all that one is able to.  The changes that are necessary for one’s development can be hard for you yourself to accept and perhaps even more difficult for those around you.  Those who are close to you can experience a feeling of rejection and condescension perhaps as a result of someone, previously at their level, deciding that they want to aim higher.  The key here is in the idea of acceptance, acceptance of who you are and who you choose to be.  If someone is unwilling to live with your choices then they are perhaps not people you need in your life.  And if you cannot accept the adjustments that others are making, then perhaps you are not the friend or support you may have thought you were.  Acceptance of the other’s choices is fundamental to any relationship, as long as it neither harms you nor them.  Anything else belies true love for the other.

*May this Shabbos inspire us towards the movement we all must make

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

uלעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

Miller's Musings Parshas Vayeitzei: Dont Look....Up!

בס''ד

Perhaps the most well-known dream in history, the vision Yaakov had of the Angels ascending and descending the celestial ladder is one that equally inspires and perplexes.  The meaning behind what Yaakov witnessed is the topic of much discussion and conjecture, but I would like to focus here in particular on why a ladder was chosen as the means by which these divine beings rose heavenwards.

The genetic makeup and unique attributes of our nation, each find their genesis in those acts and qualities that our forefathers exhibited, which established them as the foundation of all their future generations.  Whether it be Avrohom’s self-sacrifice for G-d, or Yitzchok’s total submission to Hashem’s will, these became part of our nation’s DNA.  Yaakov is described as the Pillar of Torah, imbuing us with an innate bond with the Torah and connection to its ultimate truth.  It is difficult though to grasp how someone who worked for twenty years with Lovon and who, according to the Medrash, was only able to say Tehillim in that time, could still be accorded the moniker of the Pillar of Torah.  Surely this is not a befitting title for someone who had time only to say a few Tehillim each day!  The answer, explains Reb Elyashiv zt’l, is that Yaakov’s distinction in this area was not judged by the hours that he spent learning, but by whether he used that time that was available for Torah.  He could well have said “What worth is there to such a miniscule amount of learning!”, just as one may look up a ladder and say “There is no point in climbing the first rung when there is such a distance to the summit!”  This was the message the ladder conveyed.  Our job is not to concern ourselves with reaching the top, our job is to take one rung at a time and appreciate the value of every single step upwards that we take.

Aspiring to greatness is the first component needed to achieve it.  But along the way there is a great danger of becoming daunted and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the job that lies ahead.  It is at those moments that we must remind ourselves where are focus must be; on the next rung above us, and no higher than that.  Instead of trying to instantaneously achieve impossible levels, far above our current status, we must look for where our next small, manageable step could be taken and then fix ourselves solely on its attainment.  Accomplishing it may not be as glamorous as an overnight transformation, but it is the only way to ensure that the peak of our potential will ultimately be reached.

*May this Shabbos lift us one step closer towards our goals*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

Miller's Musings Parshas Toldos: Food, G-dliness, Food

בס''ד

We all know that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but we will still be surprised to see how much of an integral role food plays in our Parsha.  Yitzchok, poised to give Eisav a blessing that will decide his and his descendants future, requests that his son bring him some food.  But not just any food; it must be tasty food!  Are we to believe that a man so entirely detached from physical desires, as Yitzchok undoubtedly was, would deem it necessary to make the blessings contingent on there being some sumptuous meal as a prelude? 

One of the facets of Judaism that sets it apart from many other religions, is its belief that the highest level of spirituality is not through total abstinence.  Whereas other faiths may see those who deny themselves of worldly pleasures as being the greatest among them, Judaism views all physicality as a means to achieving our purpose, by infusing them with holiness through appropriate and prescribed usage.  In fact those who are on the loftiest spiritual level can feel within any mundane article how much sanctity has been imbued within it.  Eisav who was known to excel in honouring his father, brought him food that in that very act of pleasing his father, permeated the dish with the holiness of this Mitzva.  This, says Reb Shimon Schwab zt’l, is the taste that Yitzchok wanted to savour and what Yitzchok wanted to experience before bestowing the blessing on his son.  He wanted to feel the worthiness of Eisav, at least in this act, that emanated from the food that he would bring him.

The message that we are here to bring holiness to all that is around us, is something many of us may have heard before.  It will hopefully have helped us to appreciate the beauty of the world Hashem has given us and the unique path he has set for us.  However we may not have taken the next step of thinking practically about what this means for our day to day living.  Yet if we consider the implications of this philosophy we must necessarily start to consider how we are bringing G-dliness to all we possess.  Are we trying to bring sanctity into all our possessions and are we looking for means by which we can do this?  We are fortunate to have so many blessings from G-d, but we must start to think of ways that we can take all that we have and use them for the betterment of others, for the betterment of our own spiritual lives and thereby bring the betterment of all existence.  What else would we be doing with them!

*May the holiness of Shabbos imbue all we have with its sanctity*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון