טיפע רעיונות פון הגאון רבי אביגדור מיללער זצ"ל

[SPUSMN]

When Does The Fun Begin?

It's a great pleasure to be alive. We're so accustomed to it that we don't appreciate it until we're in danger chas veshalom of losing it. In the last moments of a man's life he realizes in a flash how sweet it is to be alive. But that's not the definition of life, because there's so much more happiness when life comes to an end. That's what the Torah reveals to us. Happiness begins when a man passes out of this life.

-- Bitachon (#32)

[מונאוויטש]

יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵיךְ נָאוֶה. (שיר השירים ב יד)

Should a man say a tefilla, should he pray even though he does not know the meaning of the words?

Yes, because that's Hareini es marayich (show Me your appearance, Shir Hashirim 2:14), that's a Jewish way of life; a Jew has to learn to show devotion to Hashem. If he stands up and he bows down to Hashem, that itself is a demonstration of devotion. If a Jew says the words, he knows he's speaking to Hashem; it's a demonstration of devotion. Therefore, by all means, he should pray even though he does not know the translation.

However, isn't it a great pity that a Jew should waste the opportunity? Because from prayer you can come to greatness. You develop your soul, your emotions, your intellect by prayer; prayer is really a study of great principles.

Who made the prayers? There are selections from the Chumash, there are selections from Tehillim, and some are composed by Anshei Knesses Hagedolah, the great sages, so every word is imbued with deep meaning.

Therefore every Jew should make an attempt to understand, all his life to study more and more deeply the meaning of the prayers. But he shouldn't wait until he does, because right now it's a virtuous achievement to pray.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #417
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210

[מונאוויטש]

Is it better to fight against the Zionists and our other enemies or should we just ignore them?

Whether you should fight against anybody or just ignore them - that really depends on the circumstances. Now, this is a question that a young lady in the women's section is asking. I cannot tell you whether you should fight or ignore - it's too general of a question. And who exactly you should fight against and who exactly you should ignore I also wouldn't tell you al regel achas, standing on one foot.

But one thing I can tell you is - young lady, you'd better learn not to fight with your husband. And if you think that what I'm saying is superfluous - let me tell you, that's the first thing you have to learn!

While you worry about fighting against other people - against evil men - there's one evil man that you're going to have to get along with.

You know, if it was up to me, I would institute in all the girl's schools - in all the seminaries - courses for success in marriage. Because right now there aren't any good courses. You know, I used to speak to the Bais Yakov girls frequently, and when I brought up this topic of studying for success in marriage they thought of it as a waste of time. They wanted to hear - the good girls wanted to hear about the mefarshim - what the Malbim says and what the Kli Yakir says.

Now, that's wonderful. But the peirush that is most necessary is what does Hakodosh Boruch Hu say on the subject of living with another person in the same house. Because you aren't trained for it. All your life, up to the age of eighteen, or whatever it is, you were trained by your parents that whatever you said, they said, "Yes, yes." If you stamped your foot they became frightened. And if they didn't do what you wanted, you ran to your room and slammed the door. And your mother got on her knees and brought supper to you on her knees and you still said, "No, no. Go away." And then when your mother went to sleep you would sneak out of your room and eat up the whole plate of food, of course.

And now you marry a young man who did the same thing in his house. So now, two such people have to learn to live together!

And that's why I say - of all the questions - who should you learn to fight against? You should learn how to not fight against your husband.

-- TAPE # 70 (April 1975)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

How much of an interest should one take in the matzav in Eretz Yisroel and what can we do to help?

We have to daven. Eretz Yisroel today has so many frum yidden - tai'ereh frum yidden; it's a pleasure to look at them. Frum families, frum moisdos ha'torah. We have to pray to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that there should be a mapalah for all the wicked Arabs. Every day in Shemona Esrei I say that. I ask for a mapalah for all the wicked Arabs. And a mapalah for all the wicked Jews - the BAGATZ - the Supreme Court. A mapalah for them and for Meretz; all the resha'im. I say it every day in Shemonah Esrei. I say it bi'feirush. I say out their names every day. A mapalah to the Arabs and to the Reform Rabbis and to the Jews for Yushkeh - all the resha'im. The missionaries too. I throw them in for good measure. I mention all of them. I say it bi'feirush every day in Elokai netzor at the end of shemonah esrei. I add all these things.

We must pray for the safety of Am Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel. They should be rescued. It's so important that the Arabs should be defeated. Now, somebody asked me a question - he said, "What? Do you want to give a victory to the IDF when we know that all kinds of sins are done in the Jewish army?" It's true; but suppose there is an apikoros who is trying to save you from an enemy, from an Arab, who is running after you and trying to kill you. Do you want that apikoros to be killed?! No. You want him to live until - at least until - he saves your life. After he saves your life - that's something else. So we want the army to be successful until they defeat all the Arabs.

-- TAPE # E-258 (January 2001)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מערכת להתענג]

ר' אביגדור ענטפערט - גליונות א'-ח'
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x5keiugshaax8 ... 7.pdf?dl=0
ליינט און קוועלט!

[SPUSMN]

א דאנק אייך, אבער איך קען נישט עפענען קיין דראפ-באקסעס.

[מונאוויטש]

Why is misas tzaddikim mechaperes, why is it that the death of tzaddikim is a kapara? Why does it atone?

You must understand, that yakur b'einei Hashem hamuvso l'chasiduv, it's precious in the eyes of Hashem, it's a rarity when you have to sacrifice a righteous man. Now when a righteous passes away, it causes a certain regret among the people, and then even for a moment, people pause to appreciate what they once had. That's the great tzara for human beings. When they have the righteous man they lack to appreciate.

Let's say the Chofetz Chaim when he was alive - certainly, there were a lot of people who appreciated him, but very many didn't even bother to think about him, because he's around. After he passed away, then the world began to understand the Chofetz Chaim.

I once went in to visit in a shiva house where a local Rov passed away and his son was sitting shiva. And his son told me, now he appreciates his father... a little too late.

That's what misas tzaddikim has to accomplish; people should know what they missed. It's a pity. Had they understood what they had when he was still around, it would be a bigger kapara. Believe me, if people would study the tzaddikim that are alive, it would be a much bigger kapara. But since they don't unfortunately, they say: “look, he's a human being like I am, I yawn he yawns, I have to sleep he has to sleep, so what's so great about him? He has teeth and I have teeth, he looks exactly like me, so there's nothing to him!" Because people are so shallow. We are, we are bemused, we are influenced by externalities.

The Gemara reports about Moshe Rabbeinu, people said look how thick are his thighs, that's the way to look at Moshe Rabbeinu...Kamo uvim shokuv, look how fat his thighs are... You know, Moshe Rabbeinu was a muscular man, he was a big man, he was a heavy man, a giant man. So some people said, look how thick are his thighs, he eats well. Ohhh! Now they didn't say that, don't think they said that, but it was a thought that floated through their minds; he's a human being. That's how people are; that's a tragedy. If they could rise to understand Moshe Rabbeinu while he was alive, they'd get the full benefit, but after Moshe passed away it says Vayiviku, the whole nation wept for thirty days.

Oh, now they wept for thirty days, that's a pity, but it's mechaperes however. Now we begin to understand something, that's a kapara for everybody, it's an atonement, everybody is supposed to get better. That's why it's such a great thing to make hespedim on tzaddikim, so people should appreciate them, they should come and listen and learn the lessons.

That's one of the ideas of misas tzaddikim mechaperes.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #383
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210

[SPUSMN]

What Is Hashem's Biggest Kindness?

How excited we should be over food; understanding that Hashem is feeding the entire world with plan and purpose! Of course we need food; otherwise we couldn't live, or serve Hashem. And no matter how great the chessed of giving us the food, and life; also it's enjoyable too! But the biggest chessed is that Hashem is teaching us that He is the "nosein lechem l'chol basar -- the One who provides our food."

-- Show me Your Glory (#E176)

[SPUSMN]

How Can You Succeed In Yiras Hashem?

You have to be sneaky when it comes to Yiras Hashem. Sneaky means you have to plan things so you shouldn't do something wrong. You can't open your mouth and talk straight. Many times you have to conceal the truth. In order to do what is right you have to use your head; to be cunning in everything.

-- Test of Emunah (#557)

[SPUSMN]

Can We Ever Know Enough About The Purpose Of Life?

This subject of the purposefulness of things must be pursued without rest, and every day should bring some new observations, or some deeper perception in the old observations.

(Rejoice, O Youth)

[SPUSMN]

Is There a Benefit To Deep Introspection?

If you get the knack of using your mind as a bucket, and you lower the bucket into the depth of the soul; you'll discover that there's endless wisdom there. The longer the rope the more deeply you can lower that bucket into your mind and draw forth precious wisdom that will flow without end.

(#44 - The Image of Hashem)

[מונאוויטש]

Is there a problem with taking children to concerts where shomrei Torah u'mitzvos will be singing kosher songs?

I will tell you my private opinion. I don't think that children should become accustomed to unnecessary and superfluous things. Don't train your children to become accustomed to going places that cost money. They don't need it, and you're ruining them in the process. You can train them to take walks. They can take walks and get fresh air. They could play a little in the street with a ball and get some exercise but don't take them to concerts and things like that. I don't believe in that at all. I don't believe in taking children to travel at all. Don't get them accustomed to luxuries. A child should be taught to how to live a frugal life and to desire only what is necessary.

Today, people are feeding children all kinds of ideas - all kinds of wrong ideas. And people think it's normal. Even to send your daughter to Seminary in, let's say, Gateshead, I don't believe in it anymore. It's a very good place, Gateshead. But send your daughter to Boro Park, Yeshiva of Brooklyn - there are very good places here. And don't let your daughter travel to Eretz Yisroel either. A man asked me the other day - his daughter wants to go to Eretz Yisroel. She's a frum girl. He wants to know what I think. What does she have to go to Eretz Yisroel for?! It costs a lot of money to go to Eretz Yisroel. What does she need in Eretz Yisroel?! An unmarried girl should waste money on going to Eretz Yisroel?! No, I don't believe in these things.

Teach your children to save their money. They'll need it someday. A bank account is better than traveling - a savings account in a bank. Teach them to save money for themselves. And you want to train them to spend money on unnecessary things?! No. I disapprove of that.

-- TAPE # E-217 (January 2000)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

Egypt certainly became decayed because of its great wealth, no question about that; it happened to all nations. Question: is that happening to America today?

Absolutely! America is on the skids, America is going downhill rapidly.* It's becoming so rotten and corrupt from the top to the bottom, morally and everything else, only because of too much prosperity. At one time, all Americans believed in Hashem; I remember that. Even politicians spoke about G-d, even politicians spoke about the hereafter. Now they're so corrupt that the word Hashem is no longer mentioned by anybody.

Therefore Hakadosh Baruch Hu now is treating America like He treated all the old empires that went down into the dust - unless people will get together to try to save America now and to throw out all the liberals. The liberals are the poison that's ruining America. If the people can wake up in the last moments before it's too late, then maybe they'll save America yet. But America is right now on the way down the drain.
_____________
* This was said in the late 80's!

A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #325
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210

[מונאוויטש]

Are the Reform Jews justified when they write or say that the Orthodox Jews hate them?

I can't tell you - I don't know what all Orthodox Jews are thinking. But this Orthodox Jew over here - I despise them. I don't hate them; I despise them. Yes, I despise them. Reform Jews are willing to do all kinds of wicked things. If you can have a rabbi, a Reform rabbi, who is ... is there anything worse than that?! The New York Times wrote "The Baltimore Hebrew Congregation is proud to welcome their new rabbi - him and his partner". And you want to love them?! You want to love a snake?! I don't even understand what the question is. You despise them! What's the question?! A rabbi, a mushchas! And they honor that man?! It's terrible.

And the Reform rabbis are pressing that ... marriage should be permitted. They are at the forefront of the movement. It's a terrible thing. These resha'im are ruining America. Even the Christians are saying, "What's going on here? These are Jews?! Look at what the Jews are doing to America."

So what should we do, love them? What's the question?! What's even the question?!


Well, maybe we should hate their deeds, what they do, but not hate them?

Look, when we talk about resha'im we don't make such a palginan diburah. No lomdus. If he's a rasha, a low rasha, then you hate him. Imagine, a man is a mushchas, and he stands up with a little prayer shawl around his neck as the Rabbi. Are you going to just hate his deeds - and you'll love him personally?!! You're making a joke out of it?

-- TAPE # E-265 (March 2001)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

If that bochur the Rav spoke about really sat for five years in the Yeshiva wasting his time, and he didn't learn, didn't he become insane? [The questioner was referencing a story that the Rav had told during the shiur]

No. He didn't become insane. He became sane. The atmosphere in the Beis Medrash is kodesh kodoshim. I can tell you - I've been in the atmosphere for so many years. It has an effect on you. No matter how good you are, you become improved by breathing that air. You have to realize that Tehilosoi b’khal chassidim - "The praise of Hashem is when there is a great number of chassidim coming together" (Tehillim 149:1). Just that alone - when the chassidim come together as a kahal - that itself is a tehillas Hashem. What are they all gathered in the Beis Medrash for? They're all there for the purpose of demonstrating that learning Torah is important. Every day the Beis Medrash is full of demonstrators. Some are demonstrating by learning Gemara. Some are demonstrating by learning Mishnayos. Some are demonstrating by just sitting there. But they are all demonstrating that learning Torah is important.

Do you realize what that demonstration means?! Walk out on the street and what do you see? Even a frum street. Money is important. Food is important. Clothing is important. Who knows what else is important?! So the Beis Medrash is mamash a Noach's teivah - especially today.

This young man that I'm telling you about was a very decent young man and I'm sure that he gained many good things in the Yeshiva. So many hanhagahs and chumrahs and ideals that he had never even dreamed about. And therefore, when he left the yeshiva he didn't become a moireh hoira'ah. And he wasn't a Rosh Yeshiva - that I know. But he was a very frum personality and a very decent man as a result of the years he spent there.

I was once walking on Eastern Parkway and a man with a big beard approaches me - "Rabbi Miller," he calls out. "Who are you," I asked, and he tells me his name. Whoooo! He was in the Yeshiva with me years before. He was a nobody. Mamash a lo klum. There was no hope for him. Now he has a big beard - a frum Jew. That's a result of the Beis Medrash. I can tell you stories like that without end. Again and again.

Therefore, we have to support - we have to feel a debt of gratitude - to the Yeshivas. They're bringing forth every day - every day - the future Torah families of Am Yisroel. And only because the environment is so good. Torah Vada'as. Chaim Berlin. Mirrer Yeshiva. Other places. Hakodosh Boruch Hu should give all of them hatzlacha and a lot of money. And long lives. It's a tremendous thing that they're doing. The Yeshivas are doing a tremendous thing! You don't realize the sanity we are getting from the Yeshivas. And therefore, it's those who are not in the Yeshivas - those who don't learn Torah - they're the insane ones.

Let me tell you; let me explain. There's an organization - a certain Orthodox organization. They have a magazine that they publish once a month. Once I saw the magazine. The leading article was written by Ben-Gurion. And the article was entitled something like "Six Hundred Jews Came Out of Mitzraim." Only 600 Jews! Ben-Gurion, with his moiredikeh kup, sat with his chaveirim, the eidah kedosha..., and they came to that conclusion. Headlines from Ben-Gurion! Only 600 Jews came out of Egypt! So I called up the Executive Director of the organization to ask him how he could allow such a thing. So first he congratulates me for being a ka'noi. You're a ka'noi, you know, if you believe in Yetzias Mitzraim. I'm a ka'noi for disagreeing with that old apikoris. So he mumbles something, "It was a mistake." He says it was a mistake. A mistake! So I hoped that in the following issue they would make an apology - a retraction. It's an Orthodox organization, after all. But no, they never spoke about it again. When I called some of the officers of the organization - they're Orthodox after all - they became angry at me. "Why are you bothering us about this?" they wanted to know.

To understand this phenomenon you have to know that the Orthodox people who are not talmidei chachomim - who don't learn - are really goyim. They have a little bit of Orthodox paint on top of them but when you give a little scratch - underneath they're really goyim. If you didn't learn in the Yeshivas then you're really like a goy. It's impossible to have a toichen - an inside - that's loyal to the Torah unless you grew up in a Mesivta.

And girls also have to have very good schools. That's why I say that for your boys and girls choose the best cheder and the best girls' school. Don't choose just because it's in your neighborhood. Choose the best - the very best. It's very important. Very important! I cannot overemphasize the necessity to choose the very best schools for your children.

-- TAPE # E-231 (April 2000)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

Why does the Rav feel that it is so important to defend President Nixon against the attacks of his political enemies?

Nixon's fate is our fate. You have to know that Nixon is being attacked for doing things that are for our benefit. Don't think Nixon is being attacked for Watergate. That's a very big mistake. Nixon is being attacked because he's appointing Conservative judges. Because he's trying to battle against permissiveness. Because he's trying to battle against spending too much - spending on superfluous things. These are the things that have made him hated. Only that there is a big barrage of propaganda utilizing small things in order to cover up their real motives. People don't realize that. They are victims of the media.

The truth is that the liberals are angry about other things, not Watergate. Because you have to know that Johnson was really a grafter. But Johnson swam with the tide. Johnson didn't do a thing against the liberals. On the contrary, he was their plaything. Therefore, when it came time to investigate the Bobby Baker scandal, it's alleged that Sam Ervin, who is the head of the committee investigating Watergate, there were seven times that he either voted against an investigation of Bobby Baker or he didn't vote for it. I wasn't there, but this is a statement, a claim, made on good authority. And I can quote the source. So why wasn't Bobby Baker investigated? Bobby Baker was a real scandal, involving real crimes. And why isn't another person - I won't say his name – [Ted Kennedy] being investigated because a girl was drowned in a car with him?! That's a little bit worse than this, no?

And what did poor Nixon do? Even if he was guilty, what did he do, the poor fellow? There was a Jewish traitor named Daniel Ellsberg who was giving out secrets - military secrets! While the boys are busy fighting and dying in Vietnam, he's giving out military secrets. He was a traitor. You expect the government to sit back and allow that leak?! And so let's say they burglarized his office - so what's so terrible? If they hadn't burglarized his office, they would have been remiss in their duty. A government has to protect itself. Any government that wouldn't do that - do you have to ask a judge permission to break into an alleged traitor's office to see if the secrets are leaking through him?! In the meantime, boys are dying at the front. It couldn't be helped. And if the President did want to cover it up, it's a very small crime.

It's not because of this that he's being accused. No, not at all. He's being accused because of the things we need. We need to save the country for ourselves. We need a Supreme Court that won't countenance homicide. The Supreme Court, with one fell swoop of the pen, set loose seven hundred condemned murderers - at one time! That's what we're supposed to be grateful to the Supreme Court for?! And Nixon tried to change that. He tried to change the makeup of the Court. And that's why he's hated.

* * *

And therefore, helping Nixon is like helping ourselves. And I think that it's nothing but common sense that anybody who is a little bit of a thinker, if you're not just a victim of the media, should write letters. I'm busy writing letters all the time. It cost me a lot of money in stamps. I constantly write letters. First to the President to encourage him. And to the Vice-President. And to the Senators. And to our "friends" Elizabeth Holtzman and to Bella Abzug and other such "righteous" women who are doing their best to destroy America.

In general, we should be writing letters. It's very important to write letters. I won't say names, but there's a Jewish senator whose wife gave a release to the press this week and she said that she dates other men. A Jewish senator, his wife said to the reporter that she dates other men and she doesn't hide it. And that her husband doesn't mind. So, such senators, who are destroying the moral fabric of our society, should hear from us. Send him a note saying, "Is this true, my friend?" That's all. That's all you have to write. And you can write to the city council members as well. I won't say their names, but there are a number of Jewish city councilmen who you can write to. When the vote came up to countenance homosexual behavior, who were the ones who voted for it? Mostly Jewish councilmen! And so a little note from us would be in place. You don't have to be a literary man. Just write a note and say, "Is it true what I heard?" That's all you have to write. If you don't write, you'll be remiss in your duty. Because it's for yourself that you're writing. It's for your own benefit.

-- TAPE # 62 (April 1974)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

How can you tell us that we should train ourselves to serve Hashem b'simcha, if we're always hearing about the troubles that other people are having?

The truth is, it's only an excuse. Because a man is b'simcha when he sees that he doesn't have those troubles. We shouldn't use that excuse as an alibi and say we can not have simcha. We should certainly sympathize with others - of course - but at the same time, we must be busy thanking Hakodosh Boruch Hu that it did not happen to us. There's no question about it - our simcha is multiplied by the fact that we've been rescued from the distress that other people had to undergo. Therefore, whenever you see somebody who is in misfortune, it makes you more obligated to thank Hakodosh Boruch Hu. Because actually, you're far happier.

Now, you won't want to admit it, because you feel it's wrong to enjoy other people's suffering. And actually, you should not enjoy their suffering. But nobody is so built that he will not be happy by the fact that he was saved. And therefore, when it's raining outside, and you see people walking in the pelting rain, and you are inside under a roof, you should enjoy your circumstances and thank Hashem, even though you sympathize with those who are in the street.

-- TAPE # 606 (August 1986)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

Please explain why it is forbidden to go to the movies, to the theaters, to listen to talk-radio and to read secular books.

Why is it wrong for a man to take poison, that's the question. If a man wants to kill himself whose business is it? The answer is, it's Hashem's business. Hashem says, "I gave you a body, so you have no right to destroy it. It's not your body; it's mine. And I gave you a mind, which is even more important than your body, and you have no right to destroy it." So if you go to places that put garbage and poison into your mind, that's called destroying your mind.

Mikol mishmar netzor libecho - "More than anything you guard, you should guard your mind". (Mishlei 4:23) That's Hakodosh Boruch Hu's command. There is nothing in your possession that is more valuable than your mind and your thoughts. Therefore when a person goes to these places or if he has a TV - having a TV is like taking a pipe from the sewers and emptying it directly into your dining room. You turn it on, and a gush, a flow, a torrent of smelly garbage, filthy water comes pouring into your dining room, on the rugs. And that's nothing yet. It comes into your head - that's the real thing!

So this person is asking a question - why is it forbidden? Because it's forbidden for a man to destroy himself!

-- TAPE # 636 (April 1987)

Credit: Toras Avigdor

[מונאוויטש]

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?

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.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #349
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210

[מונאוויטש]

Why was Matzoh chosen to be the symbol of chipazon?

Matzoh is the food, bread is the mainstay of a person’s nutrition. Bread is called the mashein lechem, the staff of life. The most important nutrition of a person is his mind. Because as we said before, the purpose of the whole story of Mitzraim was to create siechel in us; deiah, emunah, understanding. That's what Mitzraim is for. We were in Mitzraim, and all the nissim were lamaan teidah, you should know. And just like bread is the most important item of our menu, so we have to know that the most important thing that we have to get out of life is emunah.

And therefore the Matzoh is the vehicle that brings us this lesson. So as you eat the Matzoh, chew the Matzoh and swallow it, and think of the lesson of chipazon, the lesson of mamleches kohanim. You're a kohain eating a korban minchah. Also by the way, Matzoh tastes good, too. As you enjoy the Matzoh and you say mechalkail chaim b'chesed, You’re feeding the living with kindliness; it's for a purpose, too. Bread as you eat it and you enjoy it, it gives you nourishment. It’s what the purpose is of you enjoying the bread: Ba'avur shmo hagadol, for the sake of His Great Name, ki hu kail zun umefarneis lakol, that He is the one that feeds everyone.

So as you’re eating the bread and it causes you to thank Hashem, bread has to give you emunah. If you eat bread without getting emunah, so the bread is wasted. It says openly: Hazon es haolam kulo, what's the purpose? Ba'avur shmo hagadol, for the sake of His Great Name. It means that we should recognize His Great Name and speak about Him. So the purpose of the bread is, to arouse within us a recognition of the wonders that Hashem performs when He creates bread.

Where does bread come from? Bread is nothing but carbon dioxide that comes from the air, mixed with some sunlight, and some water, and a small amount of materials from the earth; that's bread. And now it becomes a life-giving substance called bread, that's Hashem! So when you eat bread it's supposed to give you emunah. So besides Matzoh which gives you all these lessons, Matzoh is also hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz. So you can enjoy the Matzoh, too, and think how good the Matzoh tastes. It's a pleasure to eat Matzohs, certainly, it's a good change from eating bread all the time. And as you're enjoying the Matzohs you're enjoying all the lessons that Matzoh and bread give you.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #130
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[מונאוויטש]

Ein maftirin achar haPesach afikoman, after eating the Korban Pesach you can not conclude with eating dessert. Now today, we don't have the Korban Pesach so we eat a piece of matzoh called afikoman. Which means that after that piece of matzah we can't eat anything. Why?

The reason is given as follows: When you eat the Korban Pesach, it was the end of the seudah. Pesach ne'echal al hasova, it was eaten at the end of the seudah. Pesach night first they ate everything else, and then they ate that kezayis, the piece of the Korban Pesach, broiled meat. They wanted that, that taste should remain in their mouth's as long as possible. The taste of the mitzvah should not be washed away by other things.

That's what the father says, when the chochom says, muh ha'aidos v'hachukim, tell us my father, something about Korban Pesach. The father says my son, I'm going to teach you things about Korban Pesach, about the Torah, about Hashem, but one thing I want you to know, what I tell you should remain in your mouth forever. The taste should not depart. Sometimes, in the beginning, the child is interested, but later on, as he gets older, he's sophisticated -- no! The taste should always be in your mouth. And so the Korban Pesach should remain as long as possible, even when you wake up in the morning after Pesach night, you still have the taste of the Korban Pesach in your mouth.

And that's a remez, that when you learned the great ideals that Hashem wants us to learn in our youth, ein maftirin, don't let anything wash it out of your head. Literature, business, whatever else there is in the world; watch out! Nothing should wipe out the lessons that you imbibed when you were idealistic, when you learned them in your youth.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #177
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[מונאוויטש]

What are the significances of Chad Gadyoh and Echod Mi Yodeiah?

Chad Gadyoh, just the first two words, that's all we'll explain right now. Gedi is a Korban Pesach, it's a Seh or a Gedi, Seh Kevosim or a Seh Izim, either one, so Chad Gadyoh. The Am Yisroel is symbolized by that one. Hakadosh Baruch Hu has announced that there is an Am Echod, there is only one nation in the world. Mi K'amcha Yisroel Goy Echod B'aretz, only one nation in the world. It's very important for us to think about that. Hakadosh Baruch Hu has announced, of all the nations, not only the nations! everything in the world, is nothing compared to the Am Yisroel! Hain Lashem Elokecha Hashomayim U'shmai Hashamayim, Hashem owns the skies and the skies above the skies. All the world and all therein. But Rak B'avosecha Choshak Hashem, only our forefathers did Hashem love. Now, Choshak is a special word like Chashukim, loops, we're attached, Hashem is attached to us, a permanent love, Choshak means attached to us, forever and ever.

Now that's a lesson that every Jew has to learn, that Hashem is attached to him and loves him forever and ever. And that's the significance of Chad Gadyoh, and what follows after that. Chad Gadyoh went through various experiences, Hakadosh Barauch Hu will take vengeance on anybody who has molested His people. Sooner or later everyone will come to judgment, there’s no question, all the nations that persecuted us are all going to be wiped out one after the other.

Echod Mi Yodeiah: again, when we talk about what's called Echod, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is not just an Echod like we know, who knows what Echod is? It seems so simple, certainly Hashem is Echod. No, Hashem is not one, like you say one world or one this. No, Hashem is the only thing in the world, there's no world, the world is imagination. Hashem is the only one who has true existence, that's called Havaya, He exists, Hashem exists. Nothing else exists, whatever you see in the world is only His imagination, He imagined the world into existence. Ki Hu Amar Vayehi, He spoke and the world came into existence. If He would retract His word, He'd take back his word, the whole word would collapse into nothing, the Rambam says that. The only one that has existed is Hashem. And therefore, Echod, who knows what one means? One means sometimes, one of a kind. No! not one of a kind, He is the only One in the universe. The others take time to explain, but in the meantime, for Echod Mi Yodeiah, it's enough to know the great Chidush that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the only being that has any existence at all, and all that exists in the world is only the result of His own desire to let them exist.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #83
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210

[SPUSMN]

הָפַךְ לִבָּם לִשְׂנֹא עַמּוֹ (תהלים ק"ה כ"ה)

When is bitterness good for us?

When Jews ... identify with the umos ha’olam (other nations), Hashem sees a danger in that ... so then He erects a barrier of hostility.

“Hofach libom lisno amo.” He turns over the hearts of their enemies so they begin hating His people now, and that’s their salvation. That maror — the bitterness this hostility causes us — is very good for us, and that’s why we sit down and eat it Pesach night.

(#116, Preface to Pesach 1)

[SPUSMN]

What should the matzah remind us of?

At the Seder, as you take a piece of matzah and you eat it as a memorial to the korban Pesach, what should you have in mind? That we are the eternal people and nobody else. Monarchs and tyrants like Achashveirosh and Haman can do their best to destroy us, but am Yisrael eventually is going to survive and to step upon their graves.

(#116, Preface to Pesach 1)

[SPUSMN]

How do we understand the expression "Accepting the Torah"?

Picture in your mind the Egyptians are busy burying their dead and the Bnei Yisrael are marching out carrying out all the gold and silver. How elated the Bnei Yisrael were, how wild they were with happiness! With such intense devotion to Hashem, they would do anything for Him. Now we begin to understand what it means that there was a Kabalas haTorah--an acceptance of the Torah.

(Tape #638, Pesach, Matzoh and Maror)