טיפע רעיונות פון הגאון רבי אביגדור מיללער זצ"ל

[SPUSMN]

What Makes Your Mind Superior?

The foundation of wisdom is to look at the apple and wonder how the apple came to be colored so beautifully red... How does it happen that there are seeds inside? How does it happen that it’s sweet?

These are the foundations of the wisdom in the apple. As soon as a man sees these things and thinks along these lines, he is demonstrating the superiority of his mind over the mind of an animal.

— Ohr Avigdor Shaar Bechina

[SPUSMN]

Is There Truth Among the Nations?

Gentiles can teach you technicalities because Hashem appointed them to benefit us; they make inventions for us, etc. We ride in their airplanes and use their telephones. But when you’re looking for emes (truth), it’s not among the gentiles. All the ideals of the gentiles are false. If you sometimes hear something that might be emes, it’s because it’s from our Torah.

— Five Minutes a Day

[SPUSMN]

The existence of Free-Will is the greatest miracle after the Creation of the Universe. The Creator, by especial miracle, left a space in which He allows Man to move of his own Free-Will. Outside this space, everything is decreed and foreordained; but in this area, men can choose to do according to their own wishes. No object, or force, or being in all the Universe has any impulse of will of its own choice, except Man.

— Rejoice, O Youth

[SPUSMN]

Why Must You Avoid Evil?

We should separate ourselves from the ways of the wicked (resha’im), from their amusements, and from their habits. Whatever, Hashem does not like we should also not like. We are fulfilling part of the service of Hashem with our minds through the mere fact of thinking that we dislike the ways of the wicked. — Ohr Avigdor Hakdama

[SPUSMN]

How Does the King Honor You?

When the king of England calls together his court, the lords who have hereditary titles come and display the badges, the signs of honor that were bestowed on them by all the kings in the previous generations for some service they rendered the king. In contrast, we display our tzitzis and tefilin as signs of our aristocracy. We’re honored for our service to Hashem.

— Most Beautiful Nation

[SPUSMN]

Does Hashem Drop You Hints?

G-d gives us a clue. Every misfortune, and also every stroke of good fortune, are so arranged that they indicate the sin or the good deed for which they are sent.

The Egyptians cast children of the Israelites into the water, and therefore they were drowned in the water: "That thing in which they dealt wickedly came upon them" (Shemos 18:11).

— Rejoice, O Youth

[SPUSMN]

What's Your Purpose in Life?

The name Jew is derived from Yehudah, which means: ""He shall exalt."

This signifies that the Jew is "the one who exalts Hashem." This was intended by our mother Leah when she bestowed this name on her son Judah: "Now I will exalt Hashem, therefore she called his name Judah" (Breshis 29: 35). In his name the Jew declares his function. "This people have I created for Me that they relate My praise" (Isaiah 43:21).

— Awake, My Glory

[SPUSMN]

How Should You Spend Shabbos?

The day of Shabbos was made so that you should be able to devote time to thinking that Hashem created the world out of nothingness. Of course, the obligation to devote time to this mitzvah applies throughout the week as well, but especially on Shabbos. A person who observes Shabbos but doesn’t think about the fundamental principle of Shabbos is missing the point.

— Ohr Avigdor Hakdama

[SPUSMN]

וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם מִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' אֱלֹקים וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-הָאִשָּׁה אַף כִּי-אָמַר אֱלֹקים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן

What Is the Yetzer Hara's First Plan of Attack?

Hashem wanted to put Adam and Chava to the test, and therefore had to send an agent who was especially wise. The serpent started out his sales talk: “Isn’t it so that Hashem commanded you not to eat from all the trees of the garden?”
What a pity it is to be frum.
You’re a prisoner.
You can’t do anything on Shabbas.
[The evil inclination's] first attack is saying how difficult it is to be an Orthodox Jew.

— Thanking for Torah (#474)

[SPUSMN]

Is Vengeance Wrong?
"TAKE VENGEANCE..." (Bamidbar 31:2)

The principle of vengeance is essential for men’s understanding of Hashem. If the criminal remains unpunished, men see injustice in the world and are therefore prone to think that the world is only chaotic and accidental. In order to support the conviction that everything is under the control of a just Master, men must be shown that the wicked are penalized.

— Journey into Greatness

[הרבטייטעלבוים]

האבען מיר געקויפט היינט די q & a פון ר' אביגדור.

[SPUSMN]

ביטע אונז געבען א איבערבליק.

[SPUSMN]

קָרוֹב ה' לְכָל קֹרְאָיו
רוֹצֶה ה' אֶת יְרֵאָיו אֶת הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ
רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה'

Direct Your Cries to Hashem
SimchaMinute by Rabbi Avigdor Miller

“Hashem is near to all that call Him” (Ashrei).

This is a virtue of emunah (faith in Hashem) and True Knowledge which is in itself capable of bringing men close to Hashem; for of this great quality it is written: “Hashem favors those who fear Him, who hope for His kindness” (Tehillim 147:11), and “The fear of Hashem is the beginning of (or: the highest) wisdom” (ibid. 111:10).

It is not said “Hashem is near to all who call,” but “Hashem is near to all who call Him.״ It is not sufficient that one cries out in his affliction, but his cry must be directed to Hashem (1065).

— Praise, My Soul

[SPUSMN]

אֲבָרֲכָה אֶת ה' בְּכָל עֵת תָּמִיד תְּהִלָּתוֹ בְּפִי

True Awareness that Hashem alone is the cause of our welfare
SimchaMinute by Rabbi Avigdor Miller

The true praise [of Hashem] requires the Awareness that our good fortune is due not to our skill or wisdom or personality, but solely to the kindness of Hashem. It is indeed meritorious to shout our thanks to the Creator, and it should always be done: “Let me praise Hashem at all times; always His praise is in my mouth” (Tehilim 34:2).

But the genuine praise requires the True Knowledge which consists of Emunah and Bitachon: the Awareness that Hashem alone is the cause of our welfare.

— Awake, My Glory

[SPUSMN]

What Good is Ice Cream and Cake?

You have to be grateful for suffering. Now you can't practice being grateful for a toothache. It's better to practice being grateful while eating ice cream or chocolate cake. That's when it's time to flex your gratitude muscles.

First of all make a very big bracha. And while you're enjoying it, think of all the components. Think of the sugar and the chocolate and the other flavors, the coloring... think of all the delectable ingredients that go in to make this such a luscious experience and while you're enjoying it, what Hakadosh Baruch Hu is doing for you. So that's an exercise in gratitude which is much easier.

-- Torah of Suffering (#39)

[SPUSMN]

What Gives You Satisfaction?

People are always on the go, looking for something more. They are never satisfied, no matter how much wealth they acquire. They always want more wealth. No matter how much honor they have, they want more. But man can never be truly satisfied in This World, as he always feels that there is something beyond This World. And Hashem put that into our nature.

-- Ohr Avigdor Shaar Avodas Elokim

[SPUSMN]

What Truth is Judaism Based On?

The truth of Judaism stands on its tradition. But one can have little respect for tradition if every religion can claim its own tradition. It is therefore important to realize that no system of doctrine in the world has a plausible and uninterrupted tradition of G-d-given law except Judaism, upon whose tradition Islam and Christianity perforce lean, and it is important to realize that these latter two systems clearly disprove their own writings. Thus, there is one valid tradition, and this tradition is the sole source of basic truth.

-- Rejoice, O Youth

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מען קען צו לייגען די פסוקים אין פרשת ואתחנן:

כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ לְמִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אלקים אָדָם עַל הָאָרֶץ וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד-קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם הֲנִהְיָה כַּדָּבָר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה אוֹ הֲנִשְׁמַע כָּמֹהוּ
הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אלקים מְדַבֵּר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ אַתָּה וַיֶּחִי
אוֹ הֲנִסָּה אלקים לָבוֹא לָקַחַת לוֹ גוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי בְּמַסֹּת בְּאֹתֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים וּבְמִלְחָמָה וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה וּבְמוֹרָאִים גְּדֹלִים כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם ה' אלקיכם בְּמִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֶיךָ

איבעראל האט "יענער" געזעהן; דא האבען "מיר" אליין געזעהן. ששים ריבוא במעמד אחד!

אויך, דער מלך הכוזרים האט געפרעגט די נוצרים און די מחמדנים, און ביידע האבען מודה געווען אין דער תורה מן השמים. לאידך גיסא ווען מען האט געפרעגט דער חכם פון די אידען וועגען די אנדערע צוויי רעליגיזעס, האט ער געזאגט אז ביידע זענען שטותים, ביידע אויס געזויגען פונעם פינגער. איינער האט געחלום'ט און דעם צווייטען געזאגט.

[SPUSMN]

Why Did Hashem Lead Us through the Desert for Forty Years?

The sojourn of 40 years in the Wilderness was utilised by Hashem as a model of retribution, but actually it was foreseen and planned chiefly for the purpose of keeping the entire nation clustered around Moshe and the Mishkan for 40 years, in solitary isolation from the gentile nations.

-- Fortunate Nation

[SPUSMN]

Should Jews Be Intimidated by Other Religions?

You must know that we are an "Am chacham v'navon -- An understanding nation"... the Jew has to make up his mind he's not going to be impressed by the numbers that oppose him, and that's going to give us the biggest reward. The fact that we have opposition, the fact that it's not easy to fight against such a big number of opponents, that gives us more reward.

-- Reward of Emunah (#207)

[SPUSMN]

What Should You Be Busy With?

Hashem made the world so each one of us should have an opportunity to gain perfection. Sheleimus (perfection) is what Hashem desires of everyone: to perfect his character. He gave us a body, He gave us a character, gave us Middos (character traits), and He told us Get busy: "His'halech lefanai v'hayei tamim -- Walk before me and become perfect."

-- Fundamental Principles (#E-201)

[SPUSMN]

Is "Orthodox" Good Enough?

Hashem is not satisfied that the Jewish nation is Orthodox. A man can be Orthodox and be a mean fellow; he can have a tongue that slanders others, he can be selfish. A person has to have G-d in his heart. He has to think about Hashem and come close to Him... Being Orthodox is just a basement. Once you build a basement, now you can start building a house.

— Shir Hashirim 11 — Mashiach (#346)

[SPUSMN]

What Should You Think As You Pass by a Yeshiva?

When you pass by a yeshiva, you can think of asking Hashem to place a blessing upon all the roshei yeshiva, on all the talmidim, on the members of the kollel, all the wives of the kollel, all their children, and on all those who support the kollel. Merely by thinking these thoughts whenever you pass by a place like that, you are performing a very great mitzvah.

— Ohr Avigdor Hakdama

[SPUSMN]

What Gift Do Your Body Senses Endow You WIth?

"LET ME PASS OVER AND I SHALL SEE THE GOOD LAND..." (Devarim 3:25).

Moshe desired to gain the physical sensation of happiness which would result from actual seeing, rather than merely knowing. The exultation of the faculties of the body, while it is still alive, transmits to the soul of the viewer a thrill of gratitude and love of Hashem that far transcends the emotions gained from mere knowledge.

— Fortunate Nation

[SPUSMN]

How Colorful Is Your World?

Abraham could not fail to see the happiness of color. The blue of the sky, the green of the trees and grass, the beautiful hues of the various flowers, the glory of sunrise and sunset, and the magic of moonlight are but a part of the color happiness bestowed on Man.

— Rejoice, O Youth"

[SPUSMN]

What Should Jews Do about "Fake News"?

One thing we can do is by showing our opposition to the press that has caused the Arabs to be encouraged... They report only the Arab viewpoint... We have to write as much as we can to the press and let them know that we are displeased with that kind of reporting.

— Principles of the Torah (#E-20)