טיפע רעיונות פון הגאון רבי אביגדור מיללער זצ"ל

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: מאנטאג יוני 06, 2011 11:01 am
לאקאציע: בתוך עמי אנכי ישבת

א שטיקעל פון ספר 'אור אביגדור' אויף מסילת ישרים (ח"א) וואס גייט אי"ה ארויס קומען

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Do Details Matter?

Many people never learn properly. When they look back on their lives, their consciences are clear, even though they did many wrong things, because they never learned what to be aware of. We must study and learn the details of what Hashem expects of us.

— Ohr Avigdor Mesillas Yesharim, Vol. 1 (coming soon)
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

א לעבן פון לוקסוס

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How should we view those frum Jews who are ostentatious in displaying their wealth?

You know the answer yourself, what is there to talk about? No good is done to the children when their parents indulge in luxuries. There is no question even a frum boy or girl is not the same, unless a wealthy father and mother insist on moderation in what the children are allowed to have. It's possible for the wealthiest of people to live with the ideals of Torah if they are aware of the issues involved. Now, the mere fact that somebody builds a wealthy home and shows off his prosperity, that's not such a tragedy. Why not? If he has the money let him do what he wants with it. But we're talking about indulging in intemperance (self-indulgence, greed).

Travel for instance, is a way of wasting money and wasting one's life. Just because people have money to go to places, doesn't mean that it's necessary for them to go. If they are looking for happiness elsewhere, they are sure to be disappointed. The true happiness is found in an idealistic home. Just to say that I need change in order to relieve my mind, is an excuse of imitating the ways of the Gentiles. When Jews learn how to enjoy the values of Judaism, going to the Beis Haknesses is an enjoyable experience; you learn how to daven with kavono, you'll love it. When you sit home and Hakadosh Baruch Hu is giving you a sumptuous supper, you thank your wife and tell her how good the supper is, compliment her, and then enjoy it. And then turn to Hakadosh Baruch Hu in birchas hamozon full of gratitude, but bentch. I used to learn with a Lubavitcher person, my Rebbe for a year when I was boy, and I used to see him bentch; it was a birchas hamozon worth remembering, his bentching took longer than his eating. The purpose of eating is to bentch!

It's so important for people to learn how to enjoy avodas Hashem. There are some people who really love to learn Torah, their happiness is learning. When they have a vacation, they don't want to go anyplace, all they want is to go to the Beis Hamedrash, shivti b'veis Hashem kol y'mei chayei, the greatest happiness really is the simchas Hatorah.

Of course all these things need sechel, and they need training, but everbody needs sechel to learn how to enjoy life, otherwise what would you do? You'll begin imitating goyim and going for entertainment. Entertainment is a Gentile attitude. There is no such word for it in the Jewish lexicon. And it means finding ways and means of wasting your life. In the meantime while you are doing it, you act as if you're enjoying it, and many times you are paying money for it too. But when people learn how to enjoy life in the simple kosher and truthful ways, they'll begin understanding that there is anentirely different way of being happy.

Even if you learn how to enjoy a walk. You enjoy looking at the sky and breathing fresh air, these are the simple pleasures that after a while they grow on you and it's worth more than all the money in the world.

And so we say to our wealthy brothers, you want to build expensive homes, why not, go ahead. Of course keep in mind that some of your money has to go to Hakadosh Baruch Hu in recognition that He gave it to you. But also keep in mind that intemperance, wasting money, and going all out for pleasures is the opposite of pleasure. When people learn how to become connoisseurs in mashke, and he has a basement full of all kinds of liquors, he has a collection of poisons. Schnapps is actually a poison. Sometimes you might need a little bit for a toothache, or for a sore throat, but when people consider it a career, and many people are able to tell the differences in tastes and in vintages, that's already an intemperance and it will never lead to anything good, it's the opposite of good health too. Any form of intemperance is a ruination for a person's mind and for a person's body.

And so to our wealthy brothers we say, take your money and invest it, and keep on becoming wealthier, Hashem should give you happiness. But always remember that the real happiness does not come from things that can be bought with money.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #442
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

נענועים מיטן לולב

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What is the meaning of shaking the lulav in all different directions?

There are a number of meanings. One is, the same as when we say krias shma, shma yisroel...Hashem echod, You are one, north, south, east, west, above and below, in all directions there is nobody but You! So we point the lulav in all directions exactly for the same significance, Hashem echod! That's what the lulav says.

Another significance is, the holucha and havoua, the lulav first goes out towards Hashem and comes back to us. Which means, we serve You, we thank You, we express our appreciation to You, and You bestow Your bounty on us; it comes back to us.

And so, as the person makes the nanuim and he recognizes that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the melech, is in power everywhere, so as a result, Hakadosh Baruch Hu bestows upon him the results of recognizing His power.

A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #154
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לעצט פארראכטן דורך מונאוויטש אום פרייטאג סעפטעמבער 21, 2018 1:16 am, פארראכטן געווארן 1 מאל.
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

קלאפן הושענות איז א 'מעשה' תפלה פאר פרנסה

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What's the significance Hoshana Raba of knocking on the earth?

By the way, you don't have to knock off the leaves; you just have to tap the ground with the hoshanos. The significance is this: there are a number of different kinds of prayers. There's a prayer in your thought, even without saying words, that's called bina haggigi - Dovid said, understand my thought, he said to Hashem. Sometimes a person is lying very ill, chalila, he can't even speak - but he can pray in his heart to Hashem, that's one way of tefila. Another way of tefila is with the mouth, means - not l’afukei, not to think in your heart, oh no, that's not called tefila, that's called davening. Davening is not praying, that's just to get over with it. No. When you pray with your heart and you say it with your mouth, that's another madraiga of tefila.

There's another madraiga of tefila called maaseh, doing certain deeds, and there are a number of these. One is hakofos, going around, like Yehosua went around with his people for seven days around Yericho, that was a tefila, and that's when Yericho finally collapsed, the walls collapsed. That's why we make hakofos, we go around with the arba minim, and on Simchas Torah, it's a tefila. So next time you go around don't think it's just a ceremony, it's a way of praying to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Now, knocking on the ground is a maaseh of tefila, because the ground is from where our source of food is. We pray to Hakodosh Baruch Hu, He should bless the ground with rain, and we take the arovos - the arovos need water, they grow by water; they need a lot of water. So they are just like we are, they need water like we need water, it's a symbol of the great need for water. We take this plant that needs water and we tap the ground and we say, Hakadosh Baruch Hu have mercy on us like You have to have mercy on the arovos, and see that water is given to the earth that it should yield its abundance. It's a tefila for parnoso, a tefila for rain. Actuality it's a tefila for life, because if you don't have these wherewithal's that make life possible you don't have anything.

Im ein kemach ein Torah, therefore it's a tefila for everything..

A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #203
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

לעבעדיגע ברואים אויף מארס?

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Why does the Rav keep saying that there is no life on other planets? Just because life follows a certain pattern here, doesn't mean that there isn't a different form of life on some other planet.

Life, you have to know, must have ingredients that make life possible. Do you know what life is? Life is the ability to take things from the outside and to assimilate them into your body in order to replenish the worn out cells. The taking in of these outside ingredients to rejuvenate the body and to provide you with the energy needed for life. You have to have something - something to provide for life! And therefore, whatever it is, let's say you want a different life form on some planet somewhere. Ok, let's say you want people with wings. You still have to eat. Your still have to breathe. It can't be otherwise.

Look, just because you want to imagine that there are beings that don't have to breathe and don't have to eat - look, ha'motzee mei'chaveiro a'lav ha'raiyah. You'll have to prove such a thing. It's a meshugas! So you have to prove that meshugas. Otherwise, we know that life is a certain thing. It's a certain system. A certain process. Life needs nourishment. Life needs air. Life needs water. Without air and water and without food, you can't have any life.

Oh, so you're telling me that maybe there's life that doesn't need any food and air. It doesn't need water. (The Rav laughed) A meshugas! All kinds of crazy ideas. Think up as many crazy ideas as you want - but I'm not michuyav to worry about your crazy ideas. Ha'motzee mei'chaveiro a'lav ha'raiyah. You have to prove it. That's all.

-- TAPE # E-265 (March 2001)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

אראפנעמען צייט דורכאויס בין הזמנים זיך צו לערנען דרייוון

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Do you consider it a waste of time from limud Torah for a yeshiva man to take out time during bein hazmanim for driving lessons?

It depends on the situation. Now, I will tell you that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take out time bein hazmanim for Shulchan Aruch lessons. What about Shulchan Aruch lessons? You think a yeshiva man doesn’t need Shulchan Aruch lessons? And what about Chovos Halevavos lessons? And what about Yehoshua, Shoftim and Shmuel lessons? A yeshiva man has to know all these things.

So why doesn’t he take off in the evening instead of going to college, or take off from traveling to simchos where he’s not needed anyhow, and that’s when he should take his driving lessons. Oh no! He goes to college in the evening, or to a chasuna, and from there he doesn’t even think about taking off time to learn driving. Only when it comes bein hazmanim and now there’s time for all of these other Torah lessons that he doesn’t have time for during the year, that’s when he wants to make time for driving lessons.

There are a lot of things you need to learn in this world. And bein hazmanim is a wonderful opportunity for you to make progress in these areas. There's a lot you have to chazer, a lot you have to accomplish. Now, if driving lessons are important for you – that depends on your situation – then why not? Along with all the other things you'll learn during bein hazmanim, you can learn to drive as well.

-- TAPE # 165 (April 1976)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

גאן שיסערייען אין אמעריקע

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די פאלגנדע האט דער רב זצ"ל געזאגט נאך די שוידערליכע קאלאמביין שולע אטאקע (אפריל 1999), און אן אטאקע אויף א אידישע צענטער אין לאס אנדזשעלעס א פאר חדשים שפעטער.

What should our reaction be to the recent shootings across America including the killing of a Jew?

The recent shootings are a little hint of what could happen in America. Now, it might turn out to be nothing, but there is no question that we are witnessing an hefkeirus. Not only against Jews. A tremendous irresponsibility has come down upon the people as a result of atheism and the teachings of evolution. When gentile boys can go and shoot guns into a classroom - that shows that America is terribly corrupt.

Now, we must have orderliness. We must have law and order because if there is a lack of respect for law and order, it is the Jews who are always the first victims. Jews are the easiest target. And therefore, what is happening in America is supposed to be a lesson for us. If atheism and liberalism can bring such hefkeirus to a country, it is a lesson for us that we should be more and more energetic in our devotion to the Torah ideals. And more and more of the Jewish nation has to come back to Hashem. It's a tragedy that so many of our people are lost in the darkness of atheism. They have to wake up and come back. But at least the frummeh - those who do understand the necessity of living a Torah life - must work to make their lives more perfect, with the full understanding that this world is their preparation for the great happiness that awaits them in the World to Come.

It's important to know that these are hints. They are not accidents. Everything that happens in this world is for a purpose. Even what happened in Turkey (an earthquake that killed thousands). Ein puroniyos bo le’olam elo b’shvil Yisroel (Yevamos 63a). No misfortune comes upon the world except for our sake. And Rashi says that it is for us to look at and be impressed by what could happen to us, chas v'shalom. And although we know that Hashem protects us and that He will protect us forever and ever, we should utilize our good fortune in order to best practice and maintain the Torah. And in order to have big, beautiful families of children that are brought up in Torah ways. We must continue increasing and multiplying with huge communities of bigger and bigger numbers. That is our function in this world and all of us together should strive to gain the maximum awareness of Hashem possible. Because that is our purpose in life and that is our preparation for Olam Habah.

-- TAPE # E-209 (September 1999)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

"די דזשואיש פרעסס" צייטונג

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A few weeks ago the Rav referred to the Jewish Press as a "rag" and as "the mouthpiece of Orthodox Jewry from the other end". I've seen many good things in the Jewish Press including advertisements for Rabbi Miller's lectures. I'd appreciate it if you would elaborate on this subject.

I want you to be mi'dayek in my words. I never said that it would be a good thing if the Jewish Press would close down. I never said that. Now, I have been saying that for years and years about The Morning Journal, a'lav ha'shnubbel, and The Forward, which I hope to soon be able to say upon it as well "a'lav ha'shnubbel". Those two newspapers - we can heartily wish them a speedy demise.

But the Jewish Press is different. When the Jewish Press first came out I took money out of my own pocket - I didn't have any extra money in my pocket - and I made a deal with the editor, who at that time was Rav Simcha Weissman. I made a deal with him and he gave me a reduced price and I ordered twenty-three subscriptions. I paid half the bill out of my own pocket and the other half I got from the synagogue and we had twenty-three people in the shul who were subscribed to the Jewish Press. In the beginning it was all idealism.

And even though today it has changed a great deal and it has already earned this title - it has arrived at the point where it can be called a rag - I still say that I don't wish it to close down - because there is nothing else right now. Let's say some anti-Semitic senator or some ASPCA woman, like we had recently with that Mrs. Schmidt, cooks up a plot to attack shechita in Congress or in the State Legislature. Who's going to speak up for shechita?! What? Do you think the American Jewish Congress Weekly is going to speak up to help you? A nechtaguh tug! Who will speak up for us?! The Jewish Press has a heart! They'll speak up, they'll shout. They'll organize public opinion. And many other things. There's no question about it!

And that's why I never wished upon them that they should close down. But it's like seeing a citybus going down the street. Now, you need the bus; it's helpful. But the bus has on its side pictures that are objectionable. So we do wish that someone would come along and tear off the pictures from the side of the bus. That's what we wish for. So therefore I'm doing the tearing - in my own little way. And maybe someone will hear about it and there'll be some results. But I never said it should close down.

Now some might not agree with me but I say that we have to wait and see. If someone will ever establish another newspaper that is as effective and that has a circulation that is better than the Jewish Press, then we can wish the Jewish Press that they also join the dustbin of history. But for the time being, like the world says, "oib mir darfen a ganav, nemt em arup fun teliyah" - if you need a ganav, then take him off the gallows.

-- TAPE # 5 (October 1973)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

נאך איבער "די דזשואיש פרעסס" צייטונג

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Why did the Rav choose to mention the Jewish Press as the newspaper of choice to secretly send to an intermarried couple in order to mikareiv them to Yiddishkeit?

Because I think that the Jewish Press is a good newspaper for people who are intermarried. It could have a good effect on them. Yes, it definitely could.

And I want to tell you something else. The Jewish Press does good things too. Some years ago I got some scientists and some professors together to make an official declaration that Hashem created the world. It was a declaration by scientists that all the available evidence proves that Hashem created the world. I still have copies of that. And the Jewish Press gave us free of charge a half page ad to publish it. That’s a big ad. So they do good things too. Try to get one of the other newspapers to do that. What other newspaper will give you a half page ad, free of charge?!

It was a half-page signed by scientists, doctors and professors. And they all signed a declaration stating that all the evidence that we have available to us shows that Hashem created the world. It was a kiddush Hashem and they printed it for nothing. So don’t criticize them too much. Don’t think that they’re nothing. Rav Shalom Klass, a’lav ha’shalom, did good work.

-- TAPE #E-234

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: מאנטאג יוני 06, 2011 11:01 am
לאקאציע: בתוך עמי אנכי ישבת

כִּי בְתַחְבֻּלוֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה לְּךָ מִלְחָמָה וּתְשׁוּעָה בְּרֹב יוֹעֵץ (משלי כ"ד ו')

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What's Your Strategy For Becoming Perfect?

Tachbulos (strategies) is an interesting word; it comes from the word chevel, a rope. A rope is not made of just one thing; it’s a number of strands intertwined, one with the other, until it becomes very long. This suggests that you must have a series of strategies, one after the other, to ultimately achieve your goal.

— Ohr Avigdor Mesillas Yesharim vol. 1
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: מאנטאג יוני 06, 2011 11:01 am
לאקאציע: בתוך עמי אנכי ישבת

תירוצים וואס מענטשען גיבען זיך און נארען זיך

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Why Is The Principle Easier Than The Practice?

Hashem wants us to have self-control. Even though a person agrees in principle, when it comes to certain challenges, he says, “That’s not a matter of self-control!”

People know that it is wrong to speak against a Jew. But if you ask, “Why did you talk against him?” They may say, “Against him? That’s a different story!” In practice, they will always have a reason why this principle did not apply.

— Ohr Avigdor Mesillas Yesharim, Vol. 1 (coming soon)
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: מאנטאג יוני 06, 2011 11:01 am
לאקאציע: בתוך עמי אנכי ישבת

מען דארף רייסען שטיקער פון זיך

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Is There A Benefit In Rebuking Oneself?

A pious man, he's not interested in relating his good deeds, in boasting about himself. He is busy scolding himself, in urging himself on to become better. The Jewish nation in general has been that kind of a tzaddik.

-- The Concubine at Giveah (#11)
לעצט פארראכטן דורך SPUSMN אום פרייטאג אקטאבער 19, 2018 1:04 pm, פארראכטן געווארן 1 מאל.
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

חודש מרחשון, א מאנאט אן קיינע שטערונגען צו שטייגן

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Why is it that the month of Cheshvan doesn't have any holidays in it or even any fast days?

And the answer is that Cheshvan comes right after the month of Tishrei. So we lost so much time on holidays, so much time from learning, that we need time to make it up. You know, if you learn every day with groups of bochurim in the yeshiva, your heart hurts. Now it's Rosh Hashana, now it's Yom Kippur, now it's Sukkos. Your heart hurts you - you're missing so much.

And if you're a businessman you lose out a lot. If you work for a company your boss is getting sourer and sourer with you every day. He sees you're taking off for this yom tov and this holiday. You need a lot of alibis to explain it.

So finally Cheshvan comes along and it's a solid month of achievement. You can work every day, you can learn every day. And that's a great blessing, a great opportunity for making progress. No yomim tovim, no fast days, there's a lot of time to achieve.

Now if you have a better explanation; go ahead, why not?

-- TAPE # 144 (October 1976)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

ומותר האדם מן הבהמה

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The Rav said earlier that we are allowed to eat meat because Hashem created animals for the purpose of man. But why do we bring korbanos from animals - it's not for the benefit of man?

So in order to enjoy a piece of salami, it's worth slaughtering an animal, that you understand?


Yes, but slaughtering a korban is not for mankind, it's for Hashem?

No, korbanos are also for man. They're for man's benefit. If you walk into some laboratories, you'll see animals - mice, or maybe cats and dogs, belted down, and they're being cut up for the purpose of medical research, in order to spare some human being from death. There's a purpose there and we make use of animals for our purposes, for our benefit.

And so, for the purpose of perfection, which is more important than life itself, you can also use animals. Let's say you wanted to go to the Yeshiva, and there was a strike - all the buses and taxis are not running. So what do you do? You rent a horse, and this poor horse has to carry you to the Yeshiva. So the horse is thinking, "He wants to learn to Torah, and I have to carry him for that?! For your Torah learning, I have to suffer?"

And the answer is that animals are created for Mankind. Of course, it has to be for a legitimate use. And riding to the Yeshiva on horseback is a legitimate way of using a horse. And riding to Hakodosh Boruch Hu on the backs of korbanos, on the backs of sheep, is also a legitimate way of using animals.

Now, if you would ask me, "How does a korban accomplish anything?" so I would answer your question too (See Toras Avigdor Al Haparsha Parshas Vayikra). But you're asking why it's permitted, so I'm telling you that it has a legitimate purpose for Mankind. And for a legitimate purpose, animals may be brought as a korban.

-- TAPE # 20 (January 1974)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

דאס לעבן קען זיין גוט און זיס אָן 'מים גנובים'

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Is the only way to feel the sweetness in water, is when it's forbidden (mayim gnuvim yimtoku - Mishlei 9:17)? Is there another way to enjoy water that's permissible?

Absolutely. The truth is, the Jew who learns the secret of appreciating the gifts that Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives him, that's the one who is going to gain as much happiness as this world can give. Because there is a great deal of enjoyment that's inherent in all of life, and the others who don't learn this secret are like people that have a gold mine in their backyards, but all their lives they are unaware.

There's a gold mine in life.

There's a gold mine in all the daily experiences of life, but it's a tragedy that the people don't learn to appreciate them, and therefore they can only see the pleasures that the wicked are enjoying-in their imagination, mayim gnuvim.

The truth is that the real pleasures are the pleasures that are kosher, only you have to learn that, you have to study it. Then your eyes open up, and you see that this world is a garden of happiness for those who serve Hashem truly.

A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #444
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

עצה פאר שמירת עיניים אויף די גאס: א) פול אן דיין קעפעלע מיט תורה ב) שטודיר דעם טראָטואַר...

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How can I prevent myself from looking where I shouldn't be looking on the street?

Number one: When your head is a vacuum, when your mind is empty, then all kinds of stupidity will enter your mind. But when your mind is full of good machshovos - even the lectures that you hear here - make sure to think about them all the time. Try to fulfill what you have heard. And when you learn, even when you learn halachos, make sure to keep your mind full of those ideas and concepts - even when you leave the sefer, and when you leave the beis medrash. Then, because your mind is full, the wicked things - the wicked sights and the wicked ideas - won't be able to come into your mind so easily. That's number one, the most important thing, keep your mind full of Torah ideas.

Second; when you're in the street look at the sidewalk while you are walking. Don't look left or right - unless you are crossing the street. When you cross the street look left and look right, look left and look right. Otherwise look at the sidewalk. Study the cement the whole time that you're walking. Keep your eyes down. You'll be surprised how much that will help you. Keep your eyes down.

Now it's a good idea to know - and this should help - that all the people around you are t'mei'm. All the people around you are beheimos. They're lost neshamos. All of them are going to Gehenim. All of them. All of them. It's a rachmanus. All of them are without any sense at all. They don't think about Hakodosh Boruch Hu once in their entire lives. Not once! So how can you compare yourself to them? They're beheimos. Animals. V'romamtanu m'kol halishonos. You elevated us from among all the nations of the world. So you should have a certain amount of regard for yourself as a Jew. Know who you are. And therefore don't look at anybody else. What's it to you? You're living with Hashem in your mind. So just look at the sidewalk.

-- TAPE # E-239

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: דינסטאג מארטש 10, 2015 12:16 pm

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Rav Avigdor Miller on Satmar and Lubavitch
BY TORAS AVIGDORIN
Q:
Can you justify the motives of two groups of chassidim who are in conflict with one another?

A:
You mean the Satmarer and the Lubavitcher?

Q:
Yes, I had that in mind.

A:
When it comes to this we have to know that we are talking about two groups of devoted Jews. There’s no question that the Lubavitcher are devoted Jews and there’s no question that the Satmarer are devoted Jews. I wouldn’t listen to any one party who say the other one is not. There’s no question that both groups have among them people who are full of love for their ideals, people who serve Hashem. And therefore before we enter this subject – and I’ll say it briefly – with the greatest caution.

And we’ll say as follows. Whatever they do, that’s their business. Whatever their motives are, it’s their business. We ourselves, outsiders are not fully aware of the motives of one of the other and therefore we keep out mouths shut. If we would be aware, we would see that it’s not as empty as you think. Everybody who is a frum Jew has some motive for what he does. And therefore we say as follows: Yivoreich es Beis Yisroel – Hashem should bless the Beis Yisroel. Only we hope that He will bless them in such a way that they will bless each other too. We hope the time will come that everybody – THE RECORDING ENDED HERE, V’CHAVAL AL D’AVDIN
TAPE # 475 (September 1983)
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

וְלוֹט יָשַׁב בְּעָרֵי הַכִּכָּר וַיֶּאֱהַל עַד סְדֹם

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Was Lot a tzaddik? If he was, then wasn't he just as good when he left Avrohom?


Lot was a great tzaddik even when he left of Avrohom, no question about it. You know that when Lot went to Sodom, and the malochim came to him and Lot welcomed them into his home, he was risking his life! He was a big tzaddik. Would you risk your life for hachnasas orchim? Lot did it! But you have to know even the greatest tzaddik, when he takes a step in the wrong direction, we don't care what he is, we look where he's headed too.

You know, there are a lot of people who are not frum, not religious, not observant, but they are on the way in. There are a lot of people that are observant but they are on the way out. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu is going to judge a man for the direction where his nose is pointing. Here is an Orthodox man with two long payos, with a kapoto. He looks like a real, genuine chossid, but his wife tells me that he's on the way out. Here is a young boy, doesn't know anything yet, he just put on a yarmulke, he walked in from the street, but his heart is turning towards Hashem; he's on the way in. Now if they would be matched together, he's a nobody, he doesn't know a thing! This man is knowledgeable, this man practices everything, this boy comes from a home where nothing is practiced, he barely keeps kashrus.

No. It depends in which direction you're headed, the man who's headed to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, that's the one who's going to be chosen. Everything depends on the direction where a man is headed.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #397
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לעצט פארראכטן דורך מונאוויטש אום מאנטאג אקטאבער 15, 2018 5:50 pm, פארראכטן געווארן 1 מאל.
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

וַיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם עֲרוּמִּים הָאָדָם וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְלֹא יִתְבֹּשָׁשׁוּ.

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If Adam and Chava would not have sinned would they still have been required to wear clothing?


No: They would have not been required to wear any clothing, because then they would have had the full seichel. You have to know Adam and Chava lost daas by the sin. The eitz ha'daas was only a temptation. It was a daas of tov and rah, a knowledge of wavering between good and bad, which means to choose; it was a temptation.

Adam wanted to know how could it be that anybody should be so stupid as to choose rah. He was told that from this tree he would get that attitude of wavering, he wanted to sense what it means. What does it mean to waver? It seemed to him insane for anybody to waver. As soon as he tasted of the fruit, he lost the previous daas and now he wavered. Had it been the previous daas, they would see as clearly as possible who Adam is. His neshama would be shining through his body like a light from a lantern, and it would illuminate his body and everybody could see that he is a divine creature.

It was only after the chet that the light of the soul became dimmed and now the neshama didn't shine out of his body anymore and it was possible to think that he was an animal.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #298
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים

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Why did Hashem divide the oceans?

First of all, most of the oceans are one. The Atlantic and Pacific are connected and therefore they are like one ocean. Inland seas are separate. But I want to tell you this; even the oceans themselves have different climates and different inhabitants. The purpose is, Hakadosh Baruch Hu wanted His world to be a department store from which nothing is lacking. The world is supplied with every kind of marine animal like it has almost every kind of land animal, and all these help to complete the perfection of Hashem's creation.

When people see so many things, especially so many different kinds of fish, like Rashi says in mesechta Rosh Hashana (31a) when you see so many different types of fish, bachamishi omrim harninu, on the fifth day you say, "Make song to Hashem". Why make song on the fifth day? Because He created fish and fowl. And Rashi says because when you see different kinds of fish, various fish and various birds you are struck, you are overwhelmed by what you see. You see the greatness of Hashem's creation and you sing to Him.

If you see only one kind, it's monotonous, you don't notice it. When you see all kinds of birds and all kinds of fish, it makes your mind awake; you're stirred to awareness of the greatness of Hashem, and you sing harninu, sing to Hashem. That's the purpose why there are different kinds of climates in the sea, because different kind of fish and different kinds of marine animals flourish in different parts of the sea.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #397
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

השי"ת ענפערט תפילות!

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עס איז נישט פארהאן אזא מציאות אז א תפילה צום אויבערשטן זאל נישט ווערן געענפערט. ווייל דאס אז דער מענטש האט די זכי' צו דאווענען צו השי"ת, ער טראכט פון הקב"ה, און ער איז זיך מקשר צו הקב"ה דורך תפילה, דאס אליין איז די גרעסטע דערגרייכונג אין די וועלט!

What is one supposed to think when he cries out to Hashem and Hashem doesn't answer?

We are supposed to think that Hakodosh Baruch Hu wants you to cry out even more. And suppose you cried out even more - let's say a man is on his deathbed. He's an old man, he's 119 years old. Look, he can't expect to live much more. But he cries out anyway on his deathbed, he wants to live. And finally he passes away. Did he waste his time? No! He achieved maybe in his last minutes more than he did all of his life. Because he's thinking about Hashem.

Here's an old man who's crying out on his deathbed. He says "Hashem heal me". "Oh that's so silly!" you say. The bystanders think its ridiculous. He wants to be healed! How long do you want to hang around here? 119 years is not enough? And the answer is, it's not enough. He wants to live a thousand years. Why shouldn't he? He had a grandfather who lived a thousand years. Mesushelach lived almost a thousand years, so why shouldn’t he? So he's crying out; he's allowed to cry out. And don't say that he didn't accomplish what he wanted. He did accomplish! The crying out is the purpose of the deathbed - so that he should cry out to Hashem and become more and more aware of Him. That's the biggest achievement there is. So nobody should ever be frustrated in crying out, because you are achieving. You are gaining more awareness of Hashem.

-- TAPE # 555 (June 1985)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

על כן יעזב איש את אביו ואת אמו ודבק באשתו

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How does one bring peace to his family especially where in-laws are involved in the conflict?

Number one, each partner should tell his or her father and mother. "Pa, Ma, stay out of it. Don't talk to me one word against my husband or against my wife!" Lay down the law and don't be afraid to do it. Your wife comes first. Al kein ya'azov ish es Oviv v'es imo, a man should forsake his father and his mother, v'davak b'ishto, and he should be loyal, he should cling to his wife.

It's a most stupid thing for a parent to talk to a child against the child's spouse. And if the parents are so stupid, you have to tell them, "Either you stop talking about that or I won't talk to you anymore." Don't be afraid! "I'll talk about everything but not about my spouse." It's the first thing, to lay down the law.

Secondly, a husband and wife should never criticize each other's parents. Don't criticize your husband's brothers or sisters. Never do that. That's bad manners and it's bad diplomacy. Now, this is elementary and very many people understand that by common sense, but some people must be told.

Now, sometimes it already has commenced, the war is on. What do you do? You must stop it. Of course, it's not easy because they're already angry at you. There's a back and forth, and they want to get revenge for what you did in the past, so you have to find ways and means of making up. Start sending little gifts to your mother-in-law. Little gifts to your sisters-in-law, to your brothers-in-law. Find ways and means of being nice to them. They'll continue to barb you, to needle you. But if you won't react, little by little, it'll die out, and after some time, peace will be restored.

Of course, if you start out on the right foot, it's still better. When you get married start with wisdom. Make up your mind that you're going to be the very best to your husband's family or your wife's family that you're able to be.

Of course, don't have your mother-in-law around too much. A mother-in-law should not settle in her daughter-in-law's house. If she has to live with a child, she has to live with a daughter, but never with a daughter-in-law. Because a mother-in-law would have to be an angel in order to keep her mouth shut. And the daughter-in-law has to be an angel to suffer her mother-in-law.

Now there was a case. I had a member here whose mother was a widow and she lived with him. And they lived in tranquility; the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law lived peacefully. It was a remarkable story. Many years passed by and never was there a whisper of dissension. But it's not something that should be done if it's possible to avoid.

-- TAPE # 555 (June 1985)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

די מזוזה דערמאנט אונז אז עס איז פארהאן א באשעפער אויף די וועלט

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How can we remember to remember Hashem?

If we practice up on a Mezuzah - now this is for people who want to live successfully as Jews. It's a tragedy, we have Mezuzahs and sometimes expensive ones, and sometimes we remember enough to kiss the Mezuzah, but that's such a minor achievement in comparison to what the Mezuzah actually must do. There's no question that the purpose is to make us think of the contents of the Mezuzah. To think Hashem echod as you pass by a Mezuzah, every time in and out.

Here's a man coming back from work and his nerves are ragged. Inside the house his wife has been dealing with little children all day long, and her nerves are jangled, and in one minute they're going to have an encounter. So he stops at the Mezuzah, and he stops for a moment and thinks, Hashem echod; think about Me, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, that's what the Mezuzah is for. And he walks inside with the Mezuzah still in his mind, and he saves the evening.

Now let's say his wife as she's going to open the door for him, she passes by the Mezuzah too, there's a Mezuzah in the kitchen, and she looks at it too, both of them are armed. They have the weapons for this great battle, milchomo chazoko, it's a great battle. The battle of living properly in a house is a milchomo chazoko, and that's the way that idealistic Jews could live.

You should know, that if you put in efforts into the Mezuzah, the Mezuzah is going to give you surprising rewards, it'll pay you back with interest. Adam mekadeish es atzmo me'at, mekadshim oso harbei, you put in a little effort and you're going to get out a great deal of results.


A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #373
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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: זונטאג נאוועמבער 22, 2015 6:08 pm

די מצב פון אידישקייט אין אמעריקע (תשמ"ה)

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Is American Judaism on the rise, or on the way down?

Both. The frum Jews from the yeshiva circles, or those who are close to yeshiva circles, are on the way up today. It's definite. Baruch Hashem we're proud of them. They're doing things that they're mothers and fathers, that their grandfathers and grandmothers didn't do. I was in Europe. Their grandfathers weren't as good as the frum yeshiva circles are today.

Other Jews however, are not only on their way down, but they're speeding downhill. They're being ruined in a mile a minute. It's a tragedy of tragedies what's happening to the American Jewish community. They’re dying out and not having any children. And those who do have children, the boys are bums, the girls are tramps. It’s a tragedy of tragedies. So the question really is which one outweighs the other? We hope to Hakadosh Baruch Hu that in the course of time the baalei teshuva movement and the yeshiva movement should gather momentum until they can outweigh the losses we're suffering from the others.

-- TAPE # 555 (June 1985)

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זיך איינגעשריבן אום: מיטוואך דעצעמבער 16, 2009 7:20 pm

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SPUSMN האט געשריבן:א שטיקעל פון ספר 'אור אביגדור' אויף מסילת ישרים (ח"א) וואס גייט אי"ה ארויס קומען
Do Details Matter?
Many people never learn properly. When they look back on their lives, their consciences are clear, even though they did many wrong things, because they never learned what to be aware of. We must study and learn the details of what Hashem expects of us.

— Ohr Avigdor Mesillas Yesharim, Vol. 1 (coming soon)

שוין ארויסגעקומען.
http://www.simchashachaim.com/books/ohr-avigdor-series/ohr-avigdor-mesillas-yesharim-vol-1/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998622540
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