It was said that people need time to think. Isn't it better for people to be busy so they should avoid mental illness?
ANSWER:
People should eat, and people should work, but sometimes a man is so ill that we forbid him to eat, only we give him intravenous nourishment. And sometimes he is so ill that we don't let him work, but that's abnormal, it's for sick people. Yes, sometimes we tell people don't think, and that's therapy. Therapy means do something so you won't have time to think, because the mind is made to dwell on outside subjects, but when the mind dwells on itself – it's like the teeth.
Teeth are given to chew food, but when a man uses his teeth to chew up his cheeks and his tongue, he's misusing it. When people use their minds to chew up their own minds, so then we tell them get busy making rugs, get busy climbing mountains, do something to take your mind off your mind; don't think. But when people are healthy, thinking is a very good prescription. It's a great thing to have Shabbos to be free to think.
Therefore it depends for whom. Sometimes you have to say don't think to save yourself, but for most people we say, think! Of course you have to think properly. If you have time to think and about all kinds of narishkiten and yetzer hara things, certainly it won't do you any good.
But if you think the proper ideas, then you're going to make use of the purpose for which leisure was given.
Good Shabbos To All
This email is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
The rainbow is the result of natural causes. When the sun shines through the drops of rain, it causes the sun's light to break up into its various components. Sunlight is composed of various colors, various components. When the sunlight goes through a prism, then it comes out the other side - yellow, purple, blue; all kinds of colors. So when the sun shines through the raindrops, it's natural that a rainbow occurs.
So the question is, if that is what's expected when the sun shines after a rain and the drops are still in the air, so why could that serve as an os bris?
ANSWER:
We are learning an important principle that we are going to study, that even things that are natural, have a message for us. When Hakadosh Baruch Hu created the universe from the beginning, He made the world in six days, not in six million years, in six days, and He made that the nature of the sun should have various kinds of light. Yehi ohr, the sunlight has different kinds of light, and that light as it goes through a prism or raindrops, it's expected that the colors should come out and look like a rainbow, and yet Hakadosh Baruch Hu intended that when the time will come, that rainbow would fulfill a much greater purpose. It demonstrates the chesed of Hashem to the world.
Hashem had in mind from the beginning that when there will be a rainbow, even though it's a normal thing, that rainbow is going to be an os bris, a sign of Hashem's love for His creatures; He will no longer destroy the entire world.
We see here a fundamental teaching of the greatest importance. When we see a natural phenomenon which clearly occurs due to the way we understand the laws of nature - nevertheless we can and must also learn out a purpose that teaches very great lessons. This insight is in addition to the functions that the phenomenon performs within the laws of nature.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why is there so much blue color in the sky, on the ocean, and there's no blue color in our environment?
ANSWER:
That's simple. The blue color is the result of materials in the air, and the light as it comes through the materials, acquires a sweet pleasant color; techeiles. The color of techeiles is always utilized by Hakadosh Baruch Hu for a sign of aristocracy because techeiles is a reminder of Hakadosh Baruch Hu's rakia; the rakia is techeiles. This color - of course they explain it by saying the atmosphere has dust particles that deflect the light in such a way that it looks blue - but actually Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the one who created that result. And the purpose of this blue is, it's easy on the eyes and it's a pleasure to see it; a blue sky is a source of happiness.
Therefore, when you see a blue sky think of the techeiles - Hakadosh Baruch Hu is wearing a garment. He wears the world like a talis and the techeiles is like the tzitzis of His talis, it's openly stated in the passuk: Oteh ohr ka'salmo, He clothed Himself in light as with a garment. So if you picture a Melech Haolam, He's wearing a garment, and you see just part of His garment overhead, and you see the techeiles. Oh, Hashem's garment, it's to remind you of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And the yam (ocean) is also techeiles, because the yam reflects the light of the skies. Look at the yam, it'll remind you to look at the sky. Look at the sky, it'll remind you to look higher, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the source of that.
Therefore, in the olden days when you had techeiles in the tzitzis, urisem osom, when you saw the tzitzis and the techeiles, you were reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who's the Borei Olam, Elokei Hashomayim, and He is the one who likes you to think about Him. So look up and see Hakadosh Baruch Hu's reflection, the begadim, the techeiles that He's wearing in the beged that He covers the whole world with, His talis.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Should one regret not being brought up in a Torah atmosphere?
ANSWER:
In very many cases it's a stroke of good fortune that they weren't. Had they been brought up in an Orthodox atmosphere, they would have gone all their lives as many do, in the rote of habit. They never would appreciate anything above the common routine to which they became accustomed.
But when somebody comes in mature from the outside, he appreciates Torah with a taste, with a glamour that he never would have experienced otherwise; it's very important. And I know it from experience over and over again; some of our very best people are those who battled their way back at maturity! I'll give you an example.
Here's a fellow brought up all his life in a shul. He was a little child and ran around, he misbehaved in the shul. As a boy he was still talking all the time, he had no respect for the shul. And then he grew up and he was married in the shul, he has no respect, he has no glamour in the shul, he doesn't see anything heroic in it. As a child when the Rabbi was speaking he ran outside and played, as a boy he ran outside and played, as a young man he was sitting and daydreaming and not listening, and he never had any interest. Now he's an old man, an old lump of meat sitting in the synagogue; the Rabbi is still talking to him and he's still not listening.
Here is next to him a man sitting in the shul who wasn't brought up in a shul, and now he's in a shul as an adult and he understands the difference between this and the outside world. He comes in under his own power, he wasn't pushed in by circumstances, he's traveling with idealism! Sometimes these people have become the biggest assets to us. We know it - every day in the yeshiva they are some of the best boys.
I was once invited to an installation of a Rabbi; the Rabbi's one of the best. An American boy with a beard down here, very big payos; a very frum Rabbi, a big idealist, and it was an exceptionally good congregation. The women were all sitting on this side, men on that side, every woman had a sheitel - it was a long time ago, now it's the style to wear sheitlach, in those days it wasn't and still they all were wearing sheitlach. All of the women were decently dressed except one that had sleeves up to here, hair uncovered etc... and she was the Rabbi's mother. And I said to myself, that's why we have such a good Rabbi here - he battled his way in from the outside, and he is an idealist, there is a fire in him that you won't find in other Rabbis like that, who are the same age in the same status in life.
Therefore we have to understand that. These people are a big capital, that's why we're looking for them, we try to rope them in; some of them are our very best. Avraham Avinu was catalyzed because he was in the house where idolatry was a business! He saw his father polishing up the idols for sale, and it was only because he grew up in such a house that Avraham began to think about it. That's why he rebelled against it, and he began to theorize, and he became Avraham.
Why did Moshe become so great? He was in the house of Pharoh the oppressor, he was oppressing the Jews, and Moshe was thinking, "What's this? Why oppress them? Why are they downtrodden for nothing?" And he began to compare the Jews to the Gentiles, and he came to the realization that a great travesty of history is taking place! That the wicked are oppressing the righteous, and he began to understand, and that made him great.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Is it possible to teach children to appreciate the world?
ANSWER:
Absolutely! That's where it should be taught, and you should teach a child and tell him. Isn't it beautiful that the sun is shining now? Explain the benefits of the sun. In the summer time the sun warms you, walk on the sunny side of the street, and walk on the sunny side of life. The sun gives vitamins to you as it hits your skin; the sun gives you light, and it's all free energy, no landlord will send you a bill. Con Edison won't send you a bill for the daytime light.
It's so beautiful the sunlight; it's a moshol of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The gemara says that the sun is a moshol of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, just like the sun floods the world with light, happiness, and joy, so does Hakadosh Baruch Hu. You can teach children to enjoy sun - we have to teach ourselves too, by the way, let's enjoy the sun. You make the biggest brocho in davening on the sun, doesn't it show the hypocrisy among us? The longest brocho on davening is on the sun, baruch ata Hashem yotzer ohr, and it concludes yotzer ha'meoros, and the malochim are so excited over the sun that they say, kadosh, kadosh, kadosh bra'ash gadol...with excitement! And we who are the recipients of all this, we're not interested, we're asleep.
So there's a lot of work to be done, on children and on ourselves.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
ANSWER:
Now any plunge you take, you look before you leap. By asking such a question it's equivalent to asking, is it worth taking a plunge into life? Marriage is part of life, and it's an extremely important part of life, and to be unmarried is a very big misfortune, no two ways about it. So the question of course is just a joke, but the necessity of being energetic about marriage is one of the biggest mitzvos. V'atem pru u'rvu, it's a great command of the Torah, you must get married, and you must have children.
I've said before, always seek counsel; you never do things recklessly especially buying a house. You call somebody to make a survey that costs two hundred dollars, before you buy the house your man has to survey it. He has to study the plumbing and the roofing and everything else, the heating, everything. Therefore you have to ask questions about your prospective choson or kallah, don't be lazy. If you see beforehand that there is trouble coming, then forget about it.
Once you get the green light from your advisers, then do everything you can consummate the shidduch.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
What would be a good eitza not to talk devorim b'teilim in a beis haknesses?
ANSWER:
First of all, if it's during chazoras hashatz, keep in mind what the Torah says, ha'soch sichah b'teila b'soch chazorass hashatz, goarim bo, you have to scold him, v'gadol avono m'nesoh, his sin is too big to forgive. You hear that? If you talk during chazoras hashatz, then goarim bo, you have to rebuke him, v'gadol avono m'nesoh, his sin is too big to forgive. It's against k'vod shomayim, that's how serious it is. And Baruch Hashem there are plenty of botei medroshim where people enforce this.
Now after the tefillah is over, you have to be careful however, people are putting together their tefillin, and some begin to joke around, they laugh and talk. Don't forget, you are standing lifnei Hashem, in a beis haknesses, or in the yeshiva. Never forget that - even after davening, you're putting together your tefillin and you're ready to go home, keep quiet, keep your mouth closed. Remember that you have to be m'kayem, vdibarto bom v'lo b'devorim acheirim.
Once when the Chofetz Chaim was a young man, he brought his sefer on Shmiras Haloshon to Reb Yisroel Salanter zochrono l'virocho. He said "A yungerman made a fine sefer on shmiras haloshon, you should also make a sefer on devorim b'teilim." It's an important thing to make a sefer on devorim b'teilim, idle talk.
Especially in the Beis Haknesses, you should never talk idle talk, but if you're still in the mood of talking, wait till you get out on the street, not in the Beis Haknesses.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why do we have so many boys and girls going off the derech?
ANSWER:
First of all let's say the opposite: why are so many good children on the derech? I always say the same thing. I was once invited to speak to a gathering of frum girls–bais yaakov girls. Two thousand girls were sitting there, two thousand frum girls! And later I thought that it's nothing, there are two thousand girls in this place, two thousand in that place, Baruch Hashem, Baruch Hashem, there are many frum children everywhere today. So many thousands of people today are raising their children in the right way. Here is a frum school of girls; ten buses are lined up outside, Baruch Hashem. So let's concentrate on that! Of course it's a pity some of them go off the derech, but first of all let's appreciate the tremendous metamorphosis, the tremendous mahapeicha, a revolution is taking place. The Am Yisroel is increasing and multiplying, and very very many people are becoming frummer and frummer, Baruch Hashem, we rejoice in that.
When we see frum Jews, give them a brocho: Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants them to increase and multiply. That's His main desire, that Am Yisroel should increase and multiply. And so certain things have to be done, but now is not the place, in order to make the schools more effective in training the boys and girls in yiras shomayim, in how to live successfully. Some boys are not capable of learning Gemara, they need more mussar, more hashkafa, certain changes have to be instituted, no everything is not perfect. Nevertheless, right now, we should concentrate our minds and thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu on the great happiness when we see the Jewish nation is increasing.
By the way, in Eretz Yisroel that's the main worry of the reshaim; the reshaim are very much concerned. They see that if they don't do something extreme, soon the frummer will take over everything. They're like Pharaoh; he said pen yirbeh, so Hashem said, kein yirbeh!
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
ANSWER:
Anybody who's better than you are, is a choice. The Roshei Hayeshivos are always the best; they're the ones who have the most experience in Torah, and they have a great deal of experience with people, but many times you can't get close to them because they are so busy. If you're able to get close to somebody who's a talmid chochom, then by all means do so. Even if you go there merely to help him out, to take a walk with him, even to eat together with him if possible. Whatever it is, it's important; ubo sidbok, you should cling to Hashem.
The Gemara says, how can you cling to Hashem? The Gemara says to cling to Hashem means to associate with talmidei chachomim. So if you marry off your daughter to a talmid chochom, the Gemara says that's called clinging to Hashem, or you marry the daughter of a talmid chochom. Associate with talmidei chachomim–and Baruch Hashem we have such people.
Although they may not be the highest and the greatest, nevertheless it's important always to be in contact with those who have experience in the ways of the Torah.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Should I say tikun chatzos, especially during these times?
ANSWER:
Tikun chatzos is a good thing, but don't just daven-up. I would say it's a good idea to sit down on the floor even for a minute, before you go to sleep. Sit down on the floor for the churban beis hamikdash; then go to sleep. It's also good enough – don't think it's a small thing.
When I was a boy I used to say tikun chatzos. But now even better, sit on the floor even for a moment, just for a moment, for the churban beis hamikdash, and then go to sleep.
A very good eitza you're hearing now – a very important eitza.
Good Shabbos To All
Question #340
QUESTION:
Why was there so much bloodshed at the time of the destruction?
ANSWER:
It's the same question as why was there destruction? We must learn a fundamental principle; that Hakadosh Baruch Hu reacts in this world. He doesn't hide in the spiritual world and refuse to show Himself. He is constantly asserting His presence, only it's incumbent upon men to be aware of these phenomena.
Now, when people observe the Torah and things were going well, then Hakadosh Baruch Hu demonstrated His favor to encourage them. Therefore despite the great nations that ringed them on all sides, our forefathers maintained their independence and they lived happily; as long as they were loyal to the Torah.
But when a movement was started, in the times of the first Bais Hamikdash by Menashe, who caused a large part of the people to become depraved, in the second Bais Hamikdash by the Tzedukim and the Herodians who took over the sanctuary and used it as a nest for their wickedness, and a considerable number of the people were spoiled by them. Therefore, the time came for Hakadosh Baruch Hu to demonstrate His disfavor and we learned there-from that the wages of sin is suffering. It's always that result.
The same was before World War Two, when a great part of the Jewish people in Europe defected from the Torah, very many stopped observing the laws of the Torah, so Hakadosh Baruch Hu finally sent upon them a destruction.
That's the principle that repeats itself and which was foretold from the beginning. The Torah says that's going to happen! Therefore it's merely a fulfillment of the old prophecy that, v'im lo shim'u li vi'yosafti l'yasro eschem sheva al chatuseichem (Vayikra 26:18), and the principle has been a prophecy which has been fulfilled constantly.
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
What do we learn by the 2 1/2 tribes that chose to live on the far side of the Yarden?
ANSWER:
We learn it doesn't pay to live far away from the center of Judaism. It doesn't pay to move to new communities far away from Torah centers, where people are happy and rejoice, oh we finally have a Shomer Shabbos butcher shop, and finally we have a Shomer Shabbos bake shop, a great triumph.
The people who remain in the neighborhoods where there are Yeshivos and many frum Jews, they're the smart ones. Hakadosh Baruch Hu's blessing will go on them. And because the 2 1/2 tribes moved far away, they were the first ones to be exiled and they got lost. That's what we learn from them.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
ANSWER:
First of all, think about the Bais Hamikdash; most people don't even think about it. When you finish Shmonei Esrei, say the last few words…yehi ratzon milfanecha, Hashem Elokeinu Ve'lokei avoseinu sh'yibaneh Bais Hamikdash b'mheira vyameinu....say it with kavono! Say these words, show that you understand that it's a loss. So every day when you finish Shmonei Esrei, say these words, that's number one.
Also, if you can think how great was the opportunity when the Bais Hamikdash existed, and you would come to the Bais Hamikdash and you would learn yiras shamayim just from looking at it, l'maan tilmad lyira es Hashem Elokecho kol hayomim, merely by coming thereand seeing kohanim b'avodosom, u'leviim beshira u'vezimra...you would become so inspired.
You know, Yonah Hanovi became a navi because he was at the simchas beis hashoeiva at the Bais Hamikdash, and he was so inspired that the ruach hakodesh came upon him; he became a navi.
Therefore say, Ribono Shel Olam, restore the Bais Hamikdash, we want Moshiach! The Bais Hamikdash without Moshiach is also good. Moshiach will build the Bais Hamikdash again. We should all come together in the Bais Hamikdash, and we'll get ruach hakodesh from being there– that's why we want the Bais Hamikdash.
Little by little that's the way to mourn for the Bais Hamikdash. You'll never mourn for it if you don't feel the loss. So first you have to train yourself to feel how great was the opportunity when we had it, and therefore you'll know what it means that you don't have it, and you'll mourn for the loss.
Since man has landed on the moon, does that make any change in any of our attitudes?
ANSWER:
No. The moon is actually the backyard of the earth. When people were not so accustomed to traveling, to go to Long Island meant a trip of exploration. It's like the woman who was born on the East Side and she lived there all her life, and one day she took a trip to Long Island, and she said, "Now I see how big America is!"
There were a lot of people in small towns in Europe who never left the confines of their town. In fact, in England there's a place called Sunderland, and there's a mountain, and across the mountain there's another town, the people on the two sides of the mountain in the two villages speak a different dialect entirely, because there's no communication. So people are bound by their environment.
The truth is, the earth has a satellite; the moon is our backyard, that's all it is. Therefore it doesn't make the slightest change in any of our attitudes, in any of our ceremonials; everything continues. The truth is that when they discovered America it was even a more startling discovery. Visiting the moon was a smaller breakthrough than the discovery of the American continent.
When people will eventually travel in spaceships to take their vacation on Mars-it'll be in a specially built construction with artificial atmosphere, but there will be people who will have enough money to waste on that. There will be travel bureaus that will spring up on every corner advertising the imaginary glories of a trip to Mars… of course when you come there you will find that it's nothing but bills; it costs money that's all.
The best place to live is right here on the earth-like the best place to live is right here in New York City. Don't let them tell you anything else, wherever you will go you will discover that. Despite the taxes and everything else, this is the best place to be. If you disagree with me, that's my humble opinion.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Why should someone drink water in the morning before his meal?
ANSWER:
Sixty years ago I was walking in Slabodka from the yeshiva to the dining room, and there was an older bachur in the yeshiva. I told him that I was constipated; he told me to drink every morning before davening a glass of water, and since then I did it every day, all sixty years, except Yom Kippur of course and taaneisim. Only instead of one glass I drank two glasses every day.
Let me explain something to you. The body needs lubrication, and one of the most important elements in regular bowel elimination is enough liquid in the body; and I cannot overemphasize that necessity. And even though it's not ruchnius, but this is important gashmius, and it's a chesed for people to know .
The older you get, the more your body needs liquids, and you should drink more and more as you age. You hit sixty or seventy? You should drink at least six big glasses of water every day. You need it for your eyes-your eyes are lubricated with liquids, you need it for your blood-your blood is liquid, you need it for your digestion-the food has to go down mixed with liquids. You need it for your joints-it helps lubricate the joints; every part of your body needs water.
Therefore when people understand that great gift that Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives in the form of water, they'll thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu for life. Water is actually life itself.
Good Shabbos This email is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
How can people undo years and years of careless speech?
ANSWER:
So they put in years and years of careful speech; it's a great thing. If they don't have years and years, so whatever they have. Because the rule is this: the Rambam gives us the rule, a man will remain forever what he was in his last moment. So your frame of mind at the end is what's going to cast the dye in eternity for you. And if you already learned to speak carefully, to appreciate this great gift and to utilize it properly, it will be a kaporo.
However, ashrei ish y'rei es Hashem, happy is the man who fears Hashem, and the Gemara says, b'odo ish, while he's still a man, while he's still young. That's the best time to start understanding these great principles.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
ANSWER:
Everybody needs some physical exercise. Exactly how much time each one should spend, it depends on his circumstances; I wouldn't give any general advice. But I would say, everybody should do some walking, it's a very great benefit.
People cannot live a sedentary life always, and allow themselves to deteriorate physically. Exactly what to do, each person has to be told according to his necessities.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Chosh bchol gufo ya'asok b'Torah, (one who feels pain in his entire body should study Torah. Eruvin 54:a) If a person is not feeling well should he go to sleep and overlook this chazal?
ANSWER:
If a person is not feeling well, let him look in the Torah, and in the Torah one of the first things he'll see is, vrapei yerapei, it says in the Torah that you have to go to a doctor. If anybody hits somebody, he has to pay him among other things for refuah, the Gemara is full of healing, everywhere you look it's full of healing. Therefore it's no question if you learn the Gemara, it teaches you that you have to heal.
However, suppose you're not able to diagnose your illness, and even if it was diagnosed, you're taking medicines, but the segula of learning Torah is also a way. Because Hashem said, if you're able to utilize your life for learning Torah, then you deserve to live longer and get well. So learning Torah is a segula to get well.
However, does it mean you stop eating? You don't have to eat anymore? No, you have to eat anyhow, even if you are learning Torah. So even if you are learning Torah you have to take medicines too.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Rashi says, (26:12) Im bechukosai teileichu, if you will walk in My laws, a'tyeil imachem b'gan eden, I will walk together with you in Gan Eden. What does it mean?
ANSWER:
Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn't have to take a walk, He doesn't walk; it means this. When a person follows in the ways of Hashem, he's going to have kirvas Hashem. Dovid Hamelech said, V'ani kirvas Elokim li tov, the best of all things is to get close to Hashem. Now how do you get close to Hashem? If you understand that Hashem isn't a physical thing, Hashem is ruchnius, how do we get close in ruchnius to a ruchnius? The answer is: by being similar.
I'll give you an example. You have a cellular telephone and you're speaking to somebody hundreds of miles away, but this minute you're close to him. Why are you close to him, you are very far from him? But your wavelength is the same as his, and your voice enters his cell phone. So if a person has the wavelength-has the middos of Hakadosh Baruch Hu-he is close to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
It's the same as if he is walking side-by-side with the Shechina, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, if you'll improve your character we'll all walk together in Gan Eden. How it will look like, I cannot tell you, I certainly cannot explain what it looks like to take a walk with Hakadosh Baruch Hu, it's impossible to explain that.
But it certainly means more than what we think; it's a very great happiness and a great honor. If Hakadosh Baruch Hu allows you to be considered close to Him, it's because of the shleimus of middos, and the shleimus of middos-the Rambam says-is one of the means of getting close to Hashem.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Is it a good idea to try to daven at a minyan that has birchas kohanim every day?
ANSWER:
That depends on where you come from and who you are. However I want to make a different remark.
The tzadikim who daven vasikin, up very early. Excellent! But I must make one remark. You daven Shabbos also vasikin, and miss the opportunity however to hear a little bit yiras shomayim from somebody who's speaking. They come together in a minyan, they daven fast, and go home. If you daven in a place where there's a Rav, sometimes he speaks a few words of divrei mussar, it's a valuable opportunity, and it's more important than vasikin.
Asei lecha Rav, means always be in a place where there's a Rav. Somebody who'll tell you something-don't think you know everything, there is no end to the information that we require to know the derech Hashem. But those people who go Shabbos morning to vasikin, they're so proud and happy, they come out early-and they come out without any kind of lesson-they're not better than they were last week! Nobody will tell them anything wrong about themselves! They are walking in blindness all their lives, so many faults people have! Somebody has to criticize you. You need some kind of instruction, you have to hear the truth, it's a world of darkness. Ki henei hachoshech yechase aretz, the world is covered in darkness-only because somebody is teaching you, you have to have somebody to tell you.
Nobody has to tell them, in vasikin. I don't think it's the very best thing to daven vasikin.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Important Numbers
