Striving For Perfetion

Seforno explains that even though there are blemishes that actually increase the strength and value of an animal, they nevertheless render the animal unfit for sacrifice (parshas Emor). Throughout the Torah we find completion and wholeness taking precedence over quantity. Thus a whole roll takes precedence over a much larger portion of a loaf of bread, in the recitation of hamotzi.

From this we learn that our avodah (service of Hashem) is measured not by quantity, but by how close it comes to perfection. Since Hashem is the ultimate perfection, our goal must be to also achieve the greatest measure of perfection possible for a human being, for we are exhorted to emulate Him and "to be complete with Hashem." Only by being as close to perfect as possible can we hope to have a relationship with Hashem.

The sages tell us (Berachos 5b) that whether one does more or less is insignificant. What one actually accomplishes in this world is in the hands of Hashem. The main consideration is that one direct and concentrate his heart towards heaven. What we can control is the intensity of our desire and purity of our effort in the quest for perfection.

After the Jewish people were freed from subjugation in Egypt to serve Hashem, the first step in that service was to strive for perfection. That striving took the form of counting seven complete weeks, forty-nine complete days, until the giving of the Torah on the fiftieth day. Fifty represents perfection (fifty gates of wisdom, fifty gates of purity). Our task is to count forty-nine. We are not capable of creating perfection; only Hashem can make something perfect. All we can do is strive towards it. But by counting for forty-nine days, it is as if we counted the fiftieth also. For the fiftieth level is the automatic result of our efforts in securing the first forty-nine.

The Midrash comments: "When are the days of the omer perfect and complete? When we fulfill God’s will" (Vayikra Rabbah 28:3). It is the intensity of our quest for perfection in performing God’s will that infuses our counting of the omer with added meaning and effectiveness.

May we strive for perfection in all that we do, so that our efforts will be crowned by success by Hashem, Who will bring us to the ultimate perfection, "granting His nation strength and blessing it with peace."
(Rabbi Zev Leff)

Miller’s Musings

This week’s Miller’s Musings is sponsored

in honour of the birthday

of סעדי’ה חיים בן נחמה

Miller’s Musings

מותאחרי פרשת

All By Myself

The holiest person, on the holiest day of the year, in the holiest place on Earth. That’s an awful lot of holiness which would surely have a powerful impact on anyone who witnessed it. But who saw the Kohen Godol enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur? Absolutely no one. Without doubt this would be a tremendous opportunity for some, or all, of the Jewish people to be inspired by such unparalleled sanctity. So why does Hashem specifically demand that no person should be present at this moment, when so much could seemingly be gained by others experiencing it?

There is a principal that has many practical implications in our service of Hashem, which states ברוב עם דרת המלך, loosely translated to mean that a greater number of people gives greater honour to the King. Due to this concept it is often considered to be a superior situation if there are more people involved in a Mitzva, as this is deemed a better tribute to Hashem, our King. This is certainly true in many situations, but, says Rav Shimshon Dovid Pincus, there is a certain advantage that being alone achieves, which is unattainable when in any company. He explains that truly raising oneself to what we are capable of, can only be done when alone, unencumbered by the influences and judgements of those around us. Only when we are totally by ourselves can we see who we truly are and act in ways that are truly us, rather than to some extent the product of being viewed by others. In such a crucial moment for the Jewish people, when so much was at stake and everything that was done carried with it such weighty implications, the Kohen Godol needed to be entirely alone so that he was able to reach that pinnacle of who he could be and what he could achieve at that time. This was why there could be no one to see him at that critical time for our nation.

The world today has become one that has made it easier and easier for people to connect with each other, but harder and harder for us to ever be alone. We almost always have something with us that creates a potential for communicating, even when we are seemingly by ourselves. There is a phenomenal potential for good in this ability, but it must be kept under control so that we can find those opportunities to act without the knowledge of others and perform Hashem’s will in solitude. We must find time to talk to G-d alone, to learn Torah when no one else is around and to do random acts of kindness that no one else will see. These are the actions that show who we really are and then elevate us beyond it. These quiet points of connection with Hashem, with only Hashem there, may be the most vital component of our Jewish life and what yields the most real and valuable accomplishments of all our Jewish endeavours. Seek out those moments. It is well worth the effort to do so.

*May the serenity of Shabbos provide us with some precious moments of solitude*

If you would like to sponsor a week of Miller’s Musings l’ilui nishmas someone, for a Refuah Sheleima or to celebrate a Simcha please send a message to millersmusingsrabbi or to 07531332970

—
Shimmy Miller
Rebbe/Teacher/Counsellor/Tutor| Manchester Mesivta and Private
07531322970 | rabbimiller.mesivta| http://rabbimillersmusings.blogspot.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/shimmy-miller/9/934/9a3

Parshas Acharei Mos/Kedoshim

We are instructed to rebuke our fellow Jew (19:17). But interestingly, the Torah introduces the instruction with a different, seemingly unrelated command – not to hate your brother in your heart. Are the two commands randomly placed next to each other is there is some message that can be gleaned from the juxtaposition?

The Torah is hinting to us that if we want the rebuke to be effective, it needs to emanate from love and not hatred. The recipient can sense the source of the rebuke. Only someone who does not hate the person who is doing something wrong can rebuke him. (R’ Moshe Shternboch)

We can reflect on our personal experiences to see the glaring truth in this idea. So many times we “rebuke” out of frustration, pride or anger. And does it ever work? Real rebuke has to come from love. It makes no difference who the recipient is, be it a peer, a friend, a spouse and especially our children.

Conduct During the Sefirah

We are currently in the days of Sefira, when we conduct ourselves with partial mourning because during this time 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva perished.

We do not cut our hair nor do we dance or listen to music.

Although there are some authorities who hold that we should refrain from reciting the berachah of shehechiyanu during this period as it is a time of judgement, most authorities maintain that there is no need to refrain from buying a new garment or new fruit, even though we would then be required to recite the berachah of shehechiyanu. It is also permissible to cut nails during this time. (R’ Eider)

Fences of Holiness

The common theme running through Acharei Mos, Kedoshim and Emor is the kedushah (holiness) of the Jewish people and the need for its preservation and protection. In Acharei Mos, we are enjoined not to behave in the depraved manner of the Egyptians and Canaanites (Vayikra 18:3). The question is asked: Why did the Torah command us only with respect to the extreme depravity of the Egyptians and Canaanites? Part of the answer lies in the verse that concludes this parsha and sums it up: "And you shall guard My observances" (Vayikra 18:30). The sages (Yevamos 21a) derive from this verse the need to make fences around the Torah.

Those fences include general rabbinic decrees designed to distance one from transgressing Torah law and the specific protective measures each individual must implement in his own life to protect himself in areas of personal vulnerability. The Torah is not merely exhorting us not to lead immorally depraved lives, but warning us that if we do not implement safety measures to prevent us from such depravity, we will sink to the lowest level, that of the Canaanites and Egyptians.

Often we hear those who do not understand the true nature of rabbinic legislation complain that the Rabbis made observance much more difficult, complicating our lives with extra prohibitions and restrictions. The following analogy demonstrates the fallacy of this argument. A group of people are situated on a mountaintop which ends in a sheer cliff and a drop of several thousand feet. One civic-minded member of the group erects on his own initiative a safety fence to prevent anyone from venturing too close to the edge of the cliff and falling off inadvertently. Would anyone complain that the fence limited his freedom of movement by making it less likely that he plummet off the mountain to his death?

One who appreciates the seriousness of transgressing a Torah law – the devastating effects of such transgressions on one’s neshamah (soul), one’s eternal life and the world in general – surely feels more secure knowing that safety fences have been erected to make it more difficult for him to inadvertently transgress. Thus, one function of rabbinic "fences" is to prevent one from transgressing Torah prohibitions inadvertently.
(Rabbi Zev Leff)

Miller’s Mushings – Parshas Tazriah/Metzorah

בס”דלעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם and רפואה שלמהצביה יעל בת חיה דליה+אוריה חיים בן חנה יהודית

This week’s Miller’s Musings is sponsored לעילוי נשמת רייזל בת אברהם משה and for a רפואה שלימה for משה חיים בן מרים and רחל בת בת–שבע לאה

MILLER’S MUSINGS

פרשת תזריע-מצורע

Only Skin Deep

The process by which one could become purified after contracting tzoraas was somewhat complicated and entirely dependent on the exact manner of the manifestation of this spiritually induced skin defect. The complexities of its laws are outlined in this week’s Parshios often referring to the white lesion on the skin with the word “negah”, an affliction. The one afflicted with tzoraas would come before the Kohen who would decide what the appropriate response would be. One such response was a period of isolation, or quarantining, for up to two weeks. The verse tells us of this with the words “and the Kohen shall quarantine the affliction for (an initial) seven days.” A student of mine asked why it would be that the verse talks about the “affliction” being confined away, rather than the one who had the affliction?

One can imagine the sense of shame and isolation that one who was stricken with tzoraas would feel. It left the person with his misconduct exposed and visible to all. Quite apart from seeing the affliction itself on the flesh of the person, it was also seen clearly by the repercussions of this spiritual malady. The need to be in seclusion and the process by which one became purified would surely not have gone unnoticed. The entire situation would have been deeply humiliating and something that would have caused many to look down on the one who had fallen prey to it. The danger here, as in many such instances, is that people could begin to look down on the person rather than the act that was committed. Especially in the case of such a public fall from grace, there would be a temptation and tendency to forever disparage or denigrate this person. The Torah is perhaps therefore reminding us that the sin committed, however damaging, is only skin deep. It does not speak of the essence of who that person is. It is only the affliction, the act, that must undergo purification. The essential goodness of the individual remains no matter what.

It has long been advised in the domain of chinuch, that one should never refer to the child as a ‘liar’, for example, but rather only refer to the lie. A negative act does not define a person and acting as if it does can cause long term damage to the perpetrator. The child could forever view himself in this way and act accordingly, creating a downward spiral that was unnecessary and potentially ruinous. Yet in truth this idea is not limited to how we act towards children. Every person should be treated with this sensitivity and viewed in this way. It is not only young people that can feel defined by others and not only young people that can be influenced to live up to the expectation of others. It also adds one more wrong on the part of the one who has judged him as such. We ourselves would not want to be judged in this manner, when we fail in some way and we must remember that when looking at others.

*May this Shabbos help us see the good in each other.*

If you would like to sponsor a week of Miller’s Musings l’ilui nishmas someone, for a Refuah Sheleima or to celebrate a Simcha please send a message to millersmusingsrabbi or to 07531332970

—
Shimmy Miller
Rebbe/Teacher/Counsellor/Tutor| Manchester Mesivta and Private
07531322970 | rabbimiller.mesivta| http://rabbimillersmusings.blogspot.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/shimmy-miller/9/934/9a3

Parshas Tazriah/Metzorah

When the Torah begins discussing the laws of a metzorah, someone who contracts the spiritual of leprosy, the Torah refers to the man as adam and not the more usual term of ish (13:2). What lesson can be gleaned from this seeming oddity?

Elsewhere when the Torah uses the word “adam” the sages expound it to mean that the Jewish people are called “adam” but idol worshippers are not called “adam.” This seems a little strange! And in fact, there was a Jew who was accused of killing a gentile child and his lawyer was concerned that the prosecutor would use this teaching against the defendant, claiming that the Jews viewed gentiles as subhuman and so can be killed.

The lawyer presented his concerns to the Chortkover Rebbe. He told him that if an Italian or Frenchman was arrested, would all other Italians or Frenchmen davin for him? Or would their lives just carry on? In this aspect the Jewish people are unique. If one Jew is arrested, Jews worldwide are concerned and davin for his wellbeing. This is the idea behind the teaching of the sages. All other words referring to a man have a plural form. The word “adam” does not have a plural form. Therefore it is indeed apt to describe the Jewish people as “adam” because in a sense, we are one person.

One of the causes of tzara’as was lashon harah, derogative speech about a fellow Jew. The metzorah, “forgot” that the Jewish people are like one person, there is no room for divisiveness. The Torah reminds him that he is “adam,” part of one united nation and there is no room for lashon horah. (R’ Shlomo Ganzfried – quoted by R’ Frand)

Who Wants Life?

This week’s parshios are Tazria and Metzorah which discuss the offence of talking loshon horah- speaking bad about a fellow Jew. There is are 2 verse in the book of Psalms which is often quoted in reference to this subject; the verses read- “Mi haish hechofetz chaim liros tov, netzor leshoncha merah usfosecha midaber mirmah……..”. The conventional understanding of these verses is that King David is asking “Which man desires life, who loves days of seeing good?” and answers “guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceitfully”. However there is an alternative way of interpreting these verses which leave us with a crucial message, as follows- “Which man desires life? (he) who loves days (and) seeing good”

According to this interpretation the answer to the question of who desires and will merit more life, is, he who is enthusiastic about life and sees the good in all situations. The root cause of loshon hara, is a “bad eye”- having a negative outlook in life- if we were to take a step back and see the many blessings that are constantly being bestowed upon us and how fortunate we are to have what we do, be it health or close relationships etc., we would live such a happy and fulfilled life, one in which speaking bad of someone else just doesn’t make sense.

R’ Ezer Pine

When To Count

We have started the mitzvah of sefiras ha’omer, counting towards Shavuos. It is preferable to count after nightfall. If a person counted before nightfall but after sunset, ideally he should count again after nightfall without reciting a new berachah before the count, but if he did not count he may continue counting the rest of the omer with a berachah before counting. (Mishne Brurah)

When during the maariv service should we count? After the shemone esrei prayer.

Why do we count after the shemone esrei prayer and not before? Some (Mor u’Ktziah) explain that once upon a time they would davine maariv a little before nightfall. By the time maariv concluded it was nightime and therefore they would count then at night, in accordance with the halachah. Another reason given (Chok Yaakov) is that there is a general principle that when there are two mitzvos to perform now, the more frequent mitzvah precedes the less frequent mitzvah. Shema and shmone esrei are performed more frequently and so both are performed before counting the omer. (Quoted in the Bach)

We count before saying aleinu because the count should be as complete and whole as possible (תמימות תהיינה), meaning that we should count as early as possible. (Mishne Brurah)

16 April, 2023 07:20

Immediately after our redemption from Egypt, we began to count toward the goal of the redemption, that which gave the the redemption meaning and purpose: the receiving of the Torah. In order to accept the Torah properly, the Jewish people had to aspire to this lofty goal, as a slave toiling in the hot sun longs for as moment in the shade.

One aspect of what it means to aspire toward a goal is the following.

The Midrash relates that Rabbi Akiva was giving as shiur, and the students began to lose interest and fall asleep. In order to rouse them, he said, "What did Esther perceive that enabled her to rule over 127 provinces? Let Esther, who was a descendent of our matriarch Sarah who lived 127 years, come and rule over 127 provinces." The students perked up immediately, and Rabbi Akiva continued the shiur.

R’ Dessler explains the deeper meaning of the midrash. The students of Rabbi Akiva lost interest in what he was expounding because they felt that the level of attainment that Rabbi Akiva was exhorting them to achieve was beyond their grasp. Rabbi Akiva pointed out their mistake: Esther was able to to reach the level she did because her entire life she aspired to reach the level of Sarah, who controlled and utilized every moment of her 127 years of life. Esther did not manage to attain the lofty status of Sarah, but because of her striving she was able to to reach the level of royalty inherent in the 127 provinces over which she ruled.

If one does not aspire to the most lofty goals, one will never develop his full potential.
(Rabbi Zev Leff)