Judaism Q&A by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ISBN: 978-0-9896219-9-1 First impression..... December 2015 Published and Distributed by Simchas Hachaim Publishing Copyright © 2015 Simchas Hachaim Publishing a project of Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel Business Address: c/o Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel • 4 Solond Road • Monsey, NY 10952 Tel 718-258-7400 x 103 • Fax 718-258-2394 info@simchashachaim.com All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form — photocopying, or computer retrieval systems — even for personal use, without written permission from the copyright holder, Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in magazines or newspapers. THE RIGHTS OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
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וַ יְ ִהי ָדוִ ד ְל ָכל ְּד ָר ָכיו ַמ ְׂש ִּכיל וַ ה' ִעּמֹו Dedicated in honor of
David Jemal
דוד ג׳מאל A true עבד ה׳ whose commitment to Torah and hesed extend far beyond his family and community. May this be a merit for him to have continued הצלחהin good health עד מאה ועשרים.
His wife and children
Contents Publisher’s Introduction
5
Author’s Introduction
9
Before You Begin
13
1: A Torah of Truth SECTION 1
Idolatry and Christianity
19
SECTION 1B
Islam and other religions
29
SECTION 1C
“Bible Criticism”
35
SECTION 2
Evolution
39
SECTION 3
Other Non-Jewish Ideas
51
2: Plan and Purpose SECTION 4
Studying Nature
55
SECTION 4A
The Human Body
59
SECTION 4B
Animals
67
SECTION 4C
Plants
71
SECTION 4D
Other Phenomena
79
SECTION 4E
Methaphors
87
SECTION 5
Misfortune
91
3: Torah and Mitzvos SECTION 6
Mesorah
105
SECTION 7
The Written Torah and the Oral Torah
113
SECTION 8
Avos
123
SECTION 9
Related Topics
129
9a. Midos
129
9b. Emuna
132
9c. Olam Haba
135
9d. Shabbas
140
9e. Tefila
142
Remembering Rabbi Avigdor Miller
145
Publisher’s Introduction
W
e live in a tumultuous generation. The society we live in is often hostile to religion in general. In particular, it ridicules the foundations of Judaism: Creation from nothing, the authenticity of the Torah, and Divine reward and punishment. However, our Torah is logical and rational. Its important precepts can be proved easily. Certainly it’s a simple matter to reveal the emptiness of the ideologies and “science” that oppose it. Most importantly, the Torah lifestyle can be a source of immense happiness; it’s a system through which each of us can develop a deep closeness and devotion to Hashem.
Rabbi Miller dedicated his life to teaching these truths. He developed these ideas in great detail in his thousands of recorded lectures, and they are distilled brilliantly in his three classic hashkafah (philosophy) texts, Rejoice, O Youth; Sing, You Righteous; and Awake, My Glory. Simchas Hachaim Publishing is delighted to release Judaism Q&A, arranged by Rabbi Tzvi Moshe Schultz. Rabbi Schultz is an experienced mechanech who is also a published author. In Judaism Q&A, Rabbi Schultz has distilled key concepts from Rabbi Miller’s three hashkafah books, providing the reader an invaluable reference and source of inspiration. Every thought comes directly from Rabbi Miller’s original texts, and every source is cited. The novelty is only the presentation: Rabbi Miller’s remarks have been simplified and arranged by topic. For further reading, the reader is directed to the original texts; Rabbi Miller’s history texts (such as Exalted People), and the Simchas Hachaim Publishing titles Ohr Avigdor Shaar Bechinah and The Truth of the Torah. For further listening, the reader is directed to the Rabbi Miller’s audio lectures (available through SimchasHachaim.com or MillerLegacyLibrary.org), and in particular the series called Know What to Answer. Simchas Hachaim Publishing is able to produce new volumes like Judaism Q&A thanks to the [6]
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ongoing encouragement of Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisrael. To Harav Shmuel Miller (rosh yeshiva) and Rabbi Yehuda Brog (executive director), we express our deep gratitude for the opportunity to further spread Rabbi Avigdor Miller’s teaching to the next generation of mevakshei (seekers of ) Hashem. Aryeh Zev Narrow, Director The Rabbi Avigdor Miller Legacy Library/Simchas Hachaim Publishing
Publisher’s Introduction
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Note to the Reader: In this book the Hebrew word Hashem is used to refer to G-d. Other Hebrew words are defined in the glossary on page 157. In Rabbi Miller’s texts, each paragraph was numbered for easy cross reference. Citations in To Know Hashem follow his numbering system. For example “(Awake, My Glory 23)” refers to paragraph (not page) 23 in that book. Most concepts in this sefer are discussed briefly and the answers not should be considered comprehensive. For a deeper understanding, refer to Rabbi Miller’s original sefarim or discuss the topic with a rabbi with expertise answering hashkafa (philosophy) questions.
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Author’s Introduction
R
abbi Avigdor Miller zatzal was a very special person. He had a Torah perspective on life that was all-encompassing. He was able to explain any pasuk, any piece of Gemara, any line in the siddur. But he could do more than that. He could also explain science, history, and current events from a Torah point of view. People used to ask him questions on absolutely any topic, and he would be able to answer them clearly, from a Torah hashkafah. Rabbi Miller gave thousands of shiurim, mostly in his shul in Brooklyn, and he had thousands of talmidim. However, Rabbi Miller was able to spread his Torah ever farther. He wrote seforim in English on many different topics. He wrote about the Chumash, the
siddur, Hashkafah, and even Jewish History. He also was one of the first people who recorded all of his shiurim so that others could hear them as well. In these ways, he was able to teach Torah to an even wider audience, and he obtained thousands of talmidim all over the world.. I am one of those talmidim. I never merited to meet Rabbi Miller, or to learn from him directly. However, I discovered his teachings when I was an adult, and they had a profound impact on me. In Judaism Q&A, I have attempted to present Rabbi Miller’s ideas in a simplified fashion to make them more accessible to a new generation of readers. This sefer is a collection of ideas from Rabbi Miller’s different seforim on Hashkafah. As you’ll soon discover, the main theme of Rabbi Miller’s teachings is that we are supposed to be happy in our lives. This doesn’t refer to a silly, empty happiness. Rather, to a deep and meaningful happiness that comes from serving Hashem properly, and from recognizing all of the good things that Hashem does for us. A person who has his eyes open and truly appreciates all that he has will say every day, “Baruch Hashem for my family and my friends! For my health! For my food! For my clothing! Baruch Hashem that I am Jewish! That I have the opportunity to learn Torah in a yeshiva! That I have the opportunity to earn merit for the Next World!” Yes, we all have difficulties in our lives, but even those difficulties are [10]
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ultimately intended for our benefit. We just have to take a few minutes every day to think about these things, and to understand them. My hope is that this sefer will help you to gain clarity and to have a Torah perspective on life, and my brachah to you is that you should grow up to be true ovdei Hashem, and you should achieve lasting happiness in your lives, both in This World, and in the Next. Rabbi Tzvi Moshe Schultz Far Rockaway, NY Teves 5775
Author’s Introduction
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Before You Begin Q: What is the most precious possession that man has? A: His mind. He can use it to get close to Hashem. However, the mind is very susceptible to false ideas. Therefore he must guard his mind very carefully, and not expose it to fools and falsifiers.1 (Sing, You Righteous 16) Q: Where does real happiness come from? A: Happiness doesn’t come from what you have. Rich people aren’t necessarily happier than poor people. All happiness is in the mind. It all depends 1. A general term Rabbi Miller uses to label anyone who spreads philosophies that contradict the Torah.
on how much you understand and appreciate the world. Therefore, developing the mind is like acquiring riches, because that is what brings you true happiness. (Sing, You Righteous 22) Q: What is the best method to get the most out of life? A: In Pirkei Avos (2:9), Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai sent his students out to discover what a good path in life is. They each gave their answers, and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai said that all of the answers are included in the answer of Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, who said “a good heart.” Throughout the Torah, the term “heart” is used to refer to the mind (e.g., “wise of heart”). Therefore, what Rabbi Elazar ben Arach actually meant was “a good mind.” Studying the Torah and the world, and achieving true insight and understanding, will bring about achievement and happiness in your life. It’s the best thing that you can devote your life to. (Sing, You Righteous 17–19) Q: Why does the Torah refer to the mind as the “heart,” when the heart is usually associated with the emotions? A: Because it isn’t enough to have detached, unemotional thoughts. Your thoughts should cause enthusiasm, and inspire you to action. (Sing, You Righteous 20) [14]
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Q: If Koheles says it’s better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, because you will take to heart that death is unavoidable (and therefore life must be utilized to its fullest), then why aren’t undertakers, who bury bodies for a profession, the holiest people of all? A: Rabbi Yisrael Salanter was once asked this question. He answered: for the same reason that the undertakers’ horses are not impressed. The horses don’t have a mind, so they can’t contemplate the lesson of death. So too, people who don’t set their mind to something will not be affected by it. In fact, quite the opposite, from multiple exposures to it they will just become used to it, and uninterested. (Sing, You Righteous 338)
Before You Begin
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1: A Torah of Truth The world is filled with ideas that are false. These ideas are found in the streets, the libraries, the universities, and in the media. We are bombarded wherever we go. You must first understand why all of these ideas are false. Then, you will be ready to achieve the happiness that comes from understanding the things that are true.
1: A Torah of Truth
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SECTION 1
Idolatry and Christianity Q: Why did people believe in idols? A: Idolatry allowed the people to behave in the most disgusting ways. They said their gods behaved this way too, so they could also do it. (Rejoice, O Youth 70) Q: How can it be clearly demonstrated that Yeshu (the founder of Christianity) wasn’t the Mashiach? A: Because none of the prophecies about Mashiach came true with him! The Mashiach is supposed to be a king who rules over nations. He is supposed to usher in a period of world peace. None of
these things occurred with Yeshu. The Christians know this. That is why they made up the concept of the Resurrection and the “Second Coming.” They claim that he really is the Mashiach, but he’ll have to be resurrected and come back a second time to actually fulfill all of the prophecies. But there’s absolutely no indication in any of the prophecies of the Torah that there is such a thing as the Second Coming! (Awake, My Glory 236– 246) Q: Did Yeshu come from Bethlehem? A: No. It’s obvious that he was from Nazareth (that’s why he’s called the Nazarene). However, the New Testament changed his birthplace to Bethlehem, because that’s where David Hamelech came from, and the Christians claimed that Yeshu was the Mashiach, who descended from Bais David. The truth, though, is that Bais David hadn’t lived in Bethlehem for hundreds of years. Bais David was exiled to Bavel during the first exile, and that’s where most of them remained, except for the famous sage Hillel, who came from Bais David, and came to Eretz Yisrael and became the Nasi. Yeshu wasn’t from the family of Hillel. Therefore, he wasn’t from Bais David. In addition, the Christian claims that he came from Bais David are based on lineage from his father’s side ( Joseph). But the Christians claim [20]
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that he was born from G-d through a virgin birth. So Joseph wasn’t his father anyways, and his lineage was irrelevant! The New Testament never says anything about his mother, Mary’s lineage. (Awake, My Glory 218–219, 235) Q: How is the New Testament disproven from the contradictions in it? A: There are different books of the New Testament, written by different apostles. Yet, they don’t say the same things. For example, Matthew writes that when Yeshu died, there was a great earthquake, and many dead saints came out of their graves. However, Peter, Luke, and John all write about Yeshu’s death, and some even talk about miracles that happened, but none of them mention anything about the earthquake, even though Peter and John claimed to have been there and to have been eyewitnesses! The fact that the stories are not consistent demonstrates that the stories are not true. (Awake, My Glory 213–215) Q: Why are the Christian claims of Yeshu’s Divinity meaningless? A: They claim that he revived the dead. So what? Elisha did that too, and no one claimed that he was Divine. They claim he produced bread miraculously. So did Moshe, when he brought the manna, yet no one claimed that he was Divine. They claim that he went up to Heaven. So did Idolatry and Christianity
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Eliyahu, yet no one claimed he was Divine. Even if these things had occurred (and there is no proof that they did), they wouldn’t prove that Yeshu was Divine. (Awake, My Glory 222–224) Q: How is the Divinity of Yeshu disproven by the New Testament itself? A: The New Testament frequently refers to Yeshu in human terms. For example, it says that Yeshu prayed to G-d. Does G-d pray to Himself? It’s obvious that the idea of Yeshu being divine was added later by the pagans who became Christians, and wanted a person to worship. (Awake, My Glory 204) Q: Why are the claims of Yeshu worthless? A: He claimed to have performed miracles, and to be able to heal the sick. These miracles were not seen by the entire people (like the miracles at Matan Torah), but only by individuals, so there is no proof that they actually happened. In addition, in any event, these aren’t things that Jews value. Our leaders have always been those who are great in Torah and in their character. We don’t care about doing “miracles.” (Sing, You Righteous 39, 59) Q: How is the Christian claim of a virgin birth that is referred to in sefer Yeshayahu refuted? [22]
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A: A number of points: 1. The interpretation takes the pasuk out of context. Within context Yeshayahu is clearly referring to a child who will be born to King Achaz’s wife. 2. The word in the pasuk is “almah,” which means a young woman, not “besulah,” which means a virgin. 3. The virgin birth is only mentioned in Matthew. Other apostles, such as Peter and Paul, don’t even mention it. This is clear evidence that it wasn’t a universally accepted “fact,” but rather a story that was made up by Matthew, and only later gained wide acceptance. 4. If this was such a great miracle, why wasn’t it mentioned more clearly? Why is it only hinted at in a pasuk that’s not even talking about that? If this was supposed to be a miracle, where’s the obvious miracle? People can’t look at a woman and know that she’s a virgin. It would have been a miracle if his mother had given birth at the age of three. But if she was a virgin, nobody would have recognized that any miracle took place. Clearly the entire story is just made up nonsense. (Awake, My Glory 196–203) Idolatry and Christianity
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Q: What are some of the mistakes in the New Testament that demonstrate that its authors didn’t know the Torah well? A: Here are a few examples out of many: 1. The New Testament says Yosef ’s family in Egypt was 75 souls. This is a mistake. There were only 70 people in the family. 2. The New Testament says Yaakov was buried in Shechem. This is a mistake. He was buried in Chevron. 3. The New Testament says Avraham purchased the grave in Shechem from Chamor. This is a mistake. Avraham purchased Mearas Hamachpela in Chevron from Efron. Yaakov purchased land in Shechem from Chamor. (Rejoice, O Youth 81) Q: What did Yeshu say to the Torah scholars of his time? A: The Gospels2 don’t record any interaction between him and the Sages. He had nothing to say to them because he was ignorant in Torah learning, and would never have been able to dispute the Sages in any area of the Torah. He only preached to the ignorant, who didn’t understand the falsity of his claims. (Sing, You Righteous 59) 2.
“New Testament” accounts of Yeshu’s life
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Q: Does the New Testament speak kindly about the Torah-observant Jews? A: No, it curses them. Yeshu was very angry that they didn’t accept him as the messiah, and he therefore frequently cursed them. For example, there is a famous story in the New Testament about a “Good Samaritan” (and this phrase is now commonly used to refer to a good person). The story is about how there was a man in distress, and first a Kohen, and then a Levi, walked past him without helping him. Then a Samaritan passed by and helped the man. The Samaritans (Kusim) were actually well known for the trouble they gave to the Jews. This story slanders the Jews, by implying that the Jews wouldn’t help the man, and only a Samaritan would. (Sing, You Righteous 64) Q: What is the slander of the early Christians? A: In the New Testament it calls the Sages “vipers” and “hypocrites.” The early Christians lived in the time of Hillel and Shammai, as well as Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, Rabban Gamliel, and many other Sages who were well known for their piety. These are the Sages whom they are calling “snakes”? Meanwhile, the New Testament says nothing negative about the Tzadukim (Sadduccees), the Romans, and others who were Idolatry and Christianity
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known to live immoral lives. Their criticisms are all meaningless. (Sing, You Righteous 599–600) Q: What is the falsehood of the Christian claim about the exile? A: They claim that the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdash, around thirty years after Yeshu’s death, was a punishment to the Jews for not accepting Yeshu, for now they were scattered around the world. However, this is false. The Jews were already scattered around the world after the first exile (during the time of Megillas Esther, the Jews already lived in all of Achashverosh’s 127 provinces). When the second Bais Hamikdash was rebuilt, most Jews remained in exile. And after the second Bais Hamikdash was destroyed, the Romans didn’t exile the Jews. Most of them remained in Israel at that time. (Awake, My Glory 228) Q: Who were the Christian saints? A: Here are a few examples: 1. Saint Hugh was an eight-year-old boy who was found dead. The Christians falsely accused the Jews of killing the boy, and then murdered eighteen Jews. Then Hugh was made into a saint. 2. Saint Simon died in the city of Trent at the [26]
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age of two. The Christians accused the Jews, and killed all of the Jews in the city. 3. Saint Bernard called the Jews “dogs,” and said they have the power of the devil. From these few examples, you get an idea of who all of the “saints” were. They were not holy people. (Awake, My Glory 382–401)
Idolatry and Christianity
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SECTION 1B
Islam and other religions Q: What is the Koran’s mistake about Haman? A: According to the Koran, Haman was an advisor of Pharaoh! The Muslims claim that it was the Jews who falsified our scriptures, and put Haman in the time of Queen Esther. However, the Rambam points out that this is ridiculous, because Megillas Esther was already available a thousand years before Mohammed lived. (Awake, My Glory 541) Q: What does the Koran say about Akaidas Yitzchak?
A: It claims that Hashem tested Avraham by telling him to sacrifice Yishmael, not Yitzchak. The Muslims claim that we falsified the text, not them. However, the Torah had already been translated into Greek 800 years before Mohammed was born, and the Greek version says it was Yitzchak, not Yishmael. Therefore, it can be proven that the Koran is wrong. (Rejoice, O Youth 83) Q: What are Christianity and Islam based on? A: They are based on the Torah. They both accept everything that it says in the Torah. This is because they wouldn’t be able to deny events such as Yetzias Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, which were witnessed by large numbers of people. Therefore, they accept these events as being true, and just claim that at a later point, G-d appeared to their prophet and changed things. Of course, these supposed revelations occurred in private, with no witnesses. Therefore, there’s no way to prove or disprove if they really happened. (Awake, My Glory 181–183) Q: How does Christianity and Islam’s reliance on the Torah prove that these religions are incorrect? A: Because they claim that the Torah is true. And yet the Torah says very clearly that Hashem chose the Jewish nation to be His people forever, and that the laws of the Torah are also forever. [30]
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So the Torah, which they accept as being true, clearly states that Christianity and Islam are false. (Awake, My Glory 184–190) Q: Why did Hashem create the struggle between Christianity and Islam? A: Because Christianity considered its power and its spread throughout the world as a proof to the truth of its religion. Therefore, Hashem created Mohammed, who spread Islam and conquered large parts of the world away from Christianity. But Islam also considered its power to be a proof that it was correct. So Hashem made the Crusaders, who slaughtered the Muslims. The fact that half of the world now rejects Christianity and the other half rejects Islam is a disproof to the claim that a religion’s power proves its truth. (Awake, My Glory 362–364, 376–381)
Other Religions Q: Are Eastern religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shintoism really deep philosophical systems? A: No. The philosophy is just dressing to cover the fact that they are avoda zara. These religions worship multiple gods. They also practice savagery. Until recently, Shintos in Japan would kill unwanted female children. Hindus in India would burn widows alive together with their Islam and other religions
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dead husbands. People are only attracted to these religions because they are different, and seem magical and exciting. But once you get to know these religions from up close, they have nothing to offer. (Awake, My Glory 180) Q: What important lesson do we learn from the pesukim that tell us not to be persuaded to serve the gods that are either near or far away (Devarim 13:7–8)? A: Chazal learn from here that just as the gods that are near, that you know about, are false, so too the ones that are far away, that you don’t know that much about, are also false (Sanhedrin 61b). This teaches us a very important lesson. You don’t need to have a disproof for every single claim of the non-Jews. You don’t need to be familiar with every single one of their arguments. Once you see that some of them are false, it demonstrates to you that so too, all of their claims are false. (Sing, You Righteous 419–423) Q: Which is worse, atheism (believing in no god) or idolatry (believing in many gods)? A: Atheism is worse. Idolaters believe in the concepts of right and wrong, they just have the wrong ideas about what is right and what is wrong. But atheists don’t even believe in the concepts of right or wrong. If one doesn’t believe in any god, [32]
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then there is no morality, and everyone could do whatever he wants. (Rejoice, O Youth 14)
Islam and other religions
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SECTION 1C
“Bible Criticism” In order to promote their beliefs, the atheists first had to disprove the Torah. Thus, the field of “Bible Criticism” was born. The Bible critics deny the truth of everything that it says in the Torah. However, their claims can be disproven.
Q: How can the basis of Bible Criticism be disproven? A: Easily. The main foundation of the claim of Bible Critics is that the laws in Vayikra and Devarim aren’t mentioned as being observed in the books of the Prophets. Therefore, it must be that they were written much later. (They claim that Devarim was written at the end of the time of the First Bais Hamikdash, and Vayikra was written during the time of the Second Bais
Hamikdash.) But in fact, the mitzvos from these sefarim are mentioned in the books of the Prophets. For example, in Shmuel Bais (11: 2) it says that David saw Batsheva bathing from her impurity. The laws of a woman bathing from her impurity are found in Vayikra 15:19. In Shmuel Aleph 20: 25–27 Shaul asks where David is, and why he didn’t come to eat bread. Yonasan answered that David was impure because of an emission. This law is mentioned in Devarim 23:11. (Sing, You Righteous 431) Q: What are the Ebla Tablets?3 A: The Bible critics denied that the five sinful cities that were destroyed — S’dom, Amorah, Admah, Tzevoim, and Tzoar — were real cities. But then the archaeologists found the Ebla Tablets, which mention these five cities as thriving commercial cities that did trade with the city of Ebla. Interestingly, on the tablets, these five cities are mentioned in the exact same order as in the Torah. (Awake, My Glory 285) Q: How have the Bible critics been disproven about Sancheriv? 3. Clay tablets from the ancient city of Ebla, Syria, on which the city’s historical records were recorded. They were discovered by an Italian archaeologist in 1974.
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A: They denied the story of Sancheriv’s army that besieged Jerusalem and was destroyed, because it isn’t mentioned in non-Jewish historical sources. They didn’t consider that obviously the losing nation would never record the story of their own destruction. However, this account can be proven indirectly from the Assyrian sources. The Assyrian monuments that have been found describe Sancheriv’s battles with Yehuda, and all of the cities that were conquered. Yet they don’t mention anything about conquering Jerusalem! Surely that would have been mentioned if it had occurred! The Bible critics also made fun of the story of Sancheriv’s two sons who assassinated him in his temple, saying that the Jews claim to know their names, when even the Assyrians don’t. But inscriptions were later found in the ruins of Nineveh that tell the exact same story, with the same names that are mentioned in Tanach. (Awake, My Glory 298–301) Q: How were the Bible critics disproven with regard to king Chizkiyahu? A: The Navi says he built a water reservoir. The Bible critics said that this story was made up to glorify Chizkiyahu. But then, archaeologists actually found the reservoir, with an inscription on it saying it was from Chizkiyahu. You can “Bible Criticism”
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now go to Israel and visit this ancient reservoir! (Awake, My Glory 303) Q: Do we need to prove the stories of Tanach from ancient chronicles? A: No! The truth is that the Tanach is the most accurate chronicle, and the ancient chronicles of the various kingdoms are much less reliable. (Awake, My Glory 296) Q: How does the Torah differ from other ancient books of the times? A: A few examples: 1. All other peoples at that time were steeped in idolatry. No other ancient book other than the Torah takes a stand against idolatry, and proclaims Monotheism instead. 2. No other ancient book took a strong stand against immorality. 3. No other ancient book is so strong in the requirements to take care of the poor, the stranger, the widow, and the orphan. 4. No other ancient book imposed so many duties upon the king and the priests, without providing any personal benefit to them. 5. No other ancient book forbids its people to conquer neighboring nations. (Awake, My Glory 313–318) [38]
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SECTION 2
Evolution Q: Was the Theory of Evolution developed as the result of honest scientific investigation? A: No. The Theory of Evolution developed at a time when scientific knowledge was increasing, and the wonders of nature were becoming more and more evident. Therefore it was becoming more obvious that the world had been created by Hashem. To counteract this, Darwin developed the Theory of Evolution to allow people to not believe in Creation by Hashem. It was accepted despite the fact that, at the time, there wasn’t even a shred of evidence for it. (Sing, You Righteous 139) Q: Why aren’t scientists able to see the amazing proofs in nature that there must be a Creator Who created everything for a reason?
A: Because they are biased. They don’t want to believe in G-d, because they want to live their lives as they see fit, without being bound by any rules or morals. Evolution is really a religion. People believe in it, and can’t hear any disproof, because they want to believe in it. (Rejoice, O Youth 69) Q: What is the essence of the Theory of Evolution? A: Its essence is that everything in the world is an accident. Even though there are so many intricate details in every organism, and they each have specialized functions, the evolutionist will still blindly tell you that it’s all an accident that just “happened” to work out. The ear is an accident. The tongue is an accident. The stomach is an accident. The eye is an accident. The heart is an accident. The brain is an accident. The knee is an accident. Muscles are an accident. Lungs are an accident. The nervous system is an accident. The kidney is an accident. The liver is an accident. Digestion is an accident. Mother’s milk is an accident. DNA is an accident. Everything is an accident! (Awake, My Glory 32) Q: Why is the Theory of Evolution illogical? A: If you found a log cabin in the woods, you would know that someone built it. You would never think that it was caused by a hurricane that blew the logs on top of each other, and also blew [40]
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on windows, a roof, and a chimney. And yet, one strand of DNA is much more complicated than a skyscraper! So how could it have all just come together by chance? (Sing, You Righteous 358–359) Q: What is a mathematical disproof of the Theory of Evolution? A: It’s mathematically so unlikely, that statistically it’s the same as zero chance of happening. The mathematical likelihood of dropping fifteen pages of paper and having them land in order is one chance in 1,307,700,000,000 (1 trillion 307 billion 700 million!). One cell is infinitely more complex, with millions of different parts. The chance of it all coming together by accident is so mathematically small as to be basically nothing. (Rejoice, O Youth 28) Q: How do scientists try to explain the impossibility of such complex phenomena in the world occurring by chance? A: They say the world is billions of years old. However, this doesn’t help. These things could never happen by themselves, even over the course of a billion years. (Rejoice, O Youth 32–33) Q: What is the insanity of “parallel evolution?” A: Evolution claims that highly complex organisms just “happened” to occur through Evolution
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chance mutations, despite the astronomical odds against it. But many animals that are completely unrelated (even according to the Evolutionists) have the same organs. For example, a bird, bat, some insects, and the pterodactyl all have wings, despite the fact that they are completely unrelated animals. This means that according to the Theory of Evolution, this astronomically unlikely series of mutations that created a wing actually happened four different times! (Sing, You Righteous 232–237) Q: What is the problem with the theory of chance mutations? A: In order for Evolution to work, it would require millions of beneficial chance mutations. However, we never observe this phenomenon. Mutations are almost always bad, and the organism that mutates is worse off than the original. (Sing, You Righteous 238) Q: How does the theory of the Survival of the Fittest actually disprove Evolution? A: The theory of Evolution is based on the idea of the Survival of the Fittest. An animal mutated, and the new form was better equipped to survive, and therefore, it survived, and all of the other forms died out. However, the problem is that even the scientists don’t claim that these mutations occurred all at once. They occurred in many stages, over thousands of years. So in the [42]
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meanwhile, the animals that mutated had halfformed body parts. For example, they claim that fish evolved into reptiles. So during the period of transition, these fish had half-mutated fins that were no longer good for swimming, but not yet good for walking. So were they the fittest to survive? No! They would have been the least fit, and they would not have survived! (Awake, My Glory 442–445) Q: What false premise is Evolution based on? A: It’s based on the premise that there are always poorly adapted forms, which are transitional stages to new levels of existence. These are mutations which are the in-between levels between lower forms of life, and higher forms that they eventually adapt into. However, we don’t find any such beings that exist in the world today, and there is no evidence in fossils that there ever were such forms. All plants and animals that we see are perfectly formed. (Awake, My Glory 27) Q: How do evolutionists explain the lack of fossil evidence for intermediate forms? A: They claim that actually evolution happened very quickly, and completely new forms were created suddenly. That’s why there are no intermediate forms found in the fossils. Of course, if this is true, then why don’t new animal forms Evolution
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just appear today as well? They have no good answer to that. (Awake, My Glory 97) Q: What is the false claim about “vestigial” (leftover) organs? A: Evolutionists claim that there are certain organs that serve no purpose. These vestigial organs are just organs that remain from a prior evolutionary stage. However, in reality, every organ has a use. These “vestigial organs” are just organs that scientists haven’t figured out what they’re for yet. For example, they used to say that the penguins’ flippers are vestigial wings of an earlier form that was able to fly. But they later discovered that penguins use their flippers to swim. Doctors used to say that tonsils are vestigial organs, and they would immediately remove them surgically if they became inflamed. It’s now known that they actually do have a function, as they help rid the body of infectious materials. (Sing, You Righteous 248–250) Q: Aren’t the scientists able to date objects by measuring carbon-14? A: Carbon-14 is a radioactive form of carbon that is created by cosmic rays. It breaks down at a certain rate. Scientists claim that measuring how much carbon-14 “remains” in an object reveals how much of its “original” carbon-14 has already broken down, and therefore how “old” it must be. [44]
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However, this is based on the assumption that there was always the same proportion of carbon-14 in the world. However, carbon-14 is formed very gradually by cosmic rays. The world was created recently, and originally there wasn’t any carbon-14. So earlier objects have less carbon-14 not because they are very, very old, but because there simply was less carbon-14 in the world at that time, and the carbon-14 dating system is meaningless. (Sing, You Righteous 260–262) Q: How do we explain the carbon dating technique, which the scientists claim proves that the world is really very old? A: When Hashem created the world, everything was fully developed. Adam had an adult body, even though he was really only one day old. There were tall redwood trees in the world that had rings in them indicating that they were a thousand years old, even though Hashem had only just created them. So if the carbon dating indicates that the world is old, that doesn’t prove anything. Hashem created it “old.” (Rejoice, O Youth 47–51) Q: Doesn’t the existence of fossils prove the old age of the world, as it takes a very long time to create a fossil? Evolution
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A: No. Fossils can actually be formed relatively quickly, under favorable conditions. The Natural Museum of London has a fossilized human skeleton that was found entirely embedded in the rock, and yet the fossil is only three hundred years old. (Sing, You Righteous 221, 225) Q: How does human writing prove that the dating of the Torah is correct? A: According to the Torah, the world is now approximately 6,000 years old. We only have written records of human history for this amount of time. The scientists claim that it just so “happened” that this is when writing was invented, and for the first few million years, humans couldn’t write, even though they were just as intelligent as they are now. (Awake, My Glory 175) Q: How do we explain the dinosaurs? A: We don’t need to explain them. They were animals that once existed, and now are extinct. Perhaps they became extinct during the time of the Mabul (flood). Their existence doesn’t disprove the Torah in any way. (Rejoice, O Youth 53) Q: How do we explain the various fossils of “prehistoric men” that have been found? [46]
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A: They are all recreations based on fossil fragments. Scientists purposely draw pictures of ape-looking men, when they could just as easily have drawn them to look more human. Every one of the famous “ape-man” fossils has been challenged by other scientists who disagree and say that they’re either fossils of animals, or of regular humans. In addition, the scientists never tell you that many ancient fossils have been found that are exactly the same as a regular man! (Sing, You Righteous 176–177, 179–180, 182–187) Q: Does the similarity between man and apes prove the Theory of Evolution? A: No. It doesn’t prove anything. Only certain things are similar. For example, ape skin isn’t at all similar to man’s skin. The animal that has skin that is most similar to man is actually the pig. A pig can even become sunburned, just like a person. Does this demonstrate that man evolved from pigs? (Awake, My Glory 436) Q: What is the deception in the geologic claims of the evolutionists? A: They claim that the fossils of “earlier” forms of animals are found in the lower layers of the ground, and the “later” forms are found in the higher layers. However, what they don’t tell you is that frequently the supposed “earlier” fossils are in fact found on top of the “later” fossils. Evolution
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The evolutionists explain this away by saying that it must be that the ground has moved through some major event like an earthquake, and therefore the ground on top is really supposed to be on the bottom! They make this claim despite the fact that there is no physical evidence that the ground has moved. However, they are unable to accept the fact that the “earlier” animals are on the top, and therefore aren’t “earlier.” (Awake, My Glory 99–133) Q: What is the coelacanth? A: It’s a humongous fish. Evolutionists claimed that it was an early ancestor of fish that lived 60 million years ago. Its bones were used to date other fossils (any fossils found near the bones of a coelacanth were assumed to be 60 million years old). Then scientists discovered that this fish still exists today off the coast of Madagascar (in Africa). So it turns out that is wasn’t some “prehistoric fish” that evolved into more modern types of fish. It’s just a regular fish just like all of the other fish, and there was no evolution at all! (Sing, You Righteous 206) Q: How is the belief in aliens related to the belief in Evolution? A: Those who believe in Evolution also believe in aliens. After all, if man developed accidentally [48]
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on this planet, despite the odds, perhaps he also developed accidentally on other planets as well. However, for those of us who believe in the Torah, while we admit that there could be life on other planets that was created by Hashem, just like He created life on our planet, we also know that there are no humans on other planets, because all human life comes from two people: Adam and Chava. (Sing, You Righteous 253) Q: Is it possible to claim that G-d created the world through the means of Evolution? A: Once you admit that Evolution is a miracle, and it could never have happened unless G-d made it happen, then there’s no longer any reason to believe in it. If you are forced to believe that there is a Hashem, Who created the world miraculously, then you might as well believe that He created it miraculously in six days, as it says in the Torah. (Rejoice, O Youth 30) Q: Can a person be blamed if he is misled by those who promote the Theory of Evolution? A: Yes. Every person is given an inherent common sense. This is enough to clearly see the truth, that the Theory of Evolution is fraudulent. Those who don’t see this are biased, and therefore can be held responsible. (Sing, You Righteous 172) Evolution
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Q: How should we deal with all of the new scientific studies that keep coming out, which go against the Torah? A: We shouldn’t. It’s very difficult and time consuming to investigate all of the details of each claim, to find out where the mistake is. We don’t have time for this. Life is short, and we have too much to accomplish. We can be confident in our knowledge of the truth of Torah, which has outlasted all other belief systems. Eventually, the truth about the various scientific studies will come out. (Rejoice, O Youth 52)
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SECTION 3
Other Non-Jewish Ideas Q: What are some of the false ideas of the nonJews that have influenced the Jewish society, and which have to be unlearned? A: For example: their ideas about the importance of money, art, literature, “progress,� civilization, music, science, culture, romance, travel, and sports. (Sing, You Righteous 460) Q: What is romantic love? A: It exists only in the imagination of the world. Really, it just refers to lust. True love can only be
achieved after marriage, not before. (Awake, My Glory 402–407) Q: What is the meaning of the saying of Chazal, that if they say there is wisdom among the nonJews, believe it? A: This doesn’t mean that the non-Jews are full of wisdom, and that everything that they say is correct. It means that among the large amounts of falsehood that they preach, there are also some fragments of wisdom. (Sing, You Righteous 461) Q: What is the Jewish attitude toward technology? A: The advances in technology are gifts from Hashem, which we appreciate and use. However, unlike the non-Jews, whose total focus is on technology, ours isn’t. We are focused on the Torah. (Sing, You Righteous 463)
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2: Plan and Purpose The sefer Chovos Halevavos speaks at length about a way of thinking called bechina. Bechina means being able to discern Hashem in the creations of nature. Bechina is a skill that you need to train yourself in. It doesn’t come naturally, because we are so used to everything in the world, that we tend to just take them for granted. When you train yourself to look deeply at the world, you will learn to see Hashem in everything.
2: Plan and Purpose
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SECTION 4
Studying Nature Q: What is the purpose of all the phenomena in the world? A: All phenomena in the world have two purposes: 1. Their particular usefulness in the world. 2. To be a demonstration of the presence of Hashem in the world. (Sing, You Righteous 351) Q: How do we see Hashem through studying the phenomena of the earth? A: Since Hashem has infinite wisdom, everything He created must have been made with wisdom. Since Hashem possesses infinite kindliness, everything that He created must be made with
kindliness. By studying the phenomena of the world, and discovering their wisdom and their kindliness, we are able to see that they were created by Hashem. (Sing, You Righteous 29) Q: How does the world prove that there is a G-d? A: Everything in the world is extremely complex, and millions of details all work perfectly together. This indicates that the world was built with plan and purpose. Plan means that every detail was put together perfectly. Purpose means that everything in the world has a function, and everything works perfectly together. However, plan and purpose can’t happen by themselves. They indicate an intelligence that put them together, and this is Hashem. (Rejoice, O Youth 31) Q: What are the two main lessons to be learned when observing nature? A: The two lessons are: 1. Everything in nature displays “knowledge” of other things in nature. For example, the fruit seems to “know” that it will be eaten, so it turns a bright color when it’s ready to be eaten, but it remains green when it’s still unripe and inedible, so that it will blend in with the leaves. 2. Everything in nature displays foreknowledge of what is to come. For example, bees build [56]
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nests for their children before they are even born. Obviously, nature doesn’t really have this knowledge of other parts of nature, and it doesn’t know what is going to come in the future. The fact that nature behaves in this way is therefore the greatest proof that all of nature was created by a Creator who created everything with plan and purpose. (Sing, You Righteous 312) Q: Do we need to see proofs for the Creator in absolutely everything that was created? A: If you were walking in the desert and saw some writing on a rock, that would be sufficient to tell you that someone had been there. You wouldn’t need to see writing on every rock in the desert. So too, even one peach pit is proof that there is a Creator. It isn’t necessary for you to discern purpose in absolutely everything in the world. However, the truth is, that even if you don’t perceive it, there is purpose in absolutely everything in the world. (Sing, You Righteous 315)
Studying Nature
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SECTION 4A
The Human Body Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by the eye? A: The eye is like the perfect camera. It sees in color. It has an automatic focus. The eye can turn to the sides as necessary. The two eyes are perfectly synchronized to create one picture in the brain. The iris opens and closes to control how much light gets into the eye. (Awake, My Glory 45) Q: Why do we have eyelids? A: They automatically close when something comes in contact with the eye. This helps protect the eye. (Rejoice, O Youth 28)
Q: Why do we have eyebrows? A: They keep the sweat from our forehead from getting into our eyes. (Rejoice, O Youth 28) Q: Why do we have eyelashes? A: They block dirt from getting into our eyes. (Rejoice, O Youth 28) Q: Why is the eyeball recessed into the head? A: To protect it from blows. (Rejoice, O Youth 28) Q: Why do our pupils dilate (get bigger) in the dark, and contract (get smaller) in the light? A: They dilate in the dark to let more light in. They contract in the light to block out extra light. (Rejoice, O Youth 28) Q: What are the purposes of the tongue? A: Here are a few answers: 1. It moves the food to the teeth, so that it can be chewed. 2. It feels for things like bones that are inedible. 3. It tastes if something is rotten or spoiled. 4. It tastes the good tastes of food, and makes eating more enjoyable. (Rejoice, O Youth 715) Q: What is the purpose of blood? [60]
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A: Blood transports essential materials throughout our body. It: 1. Brings materials that are used to produce energy 2. Transports hormones, enzymes, antibodies throughout the body
and
3. Brings materials needed to rebuild damaged parts of the body 4. Removes harmful materials from the body (Sing,You Righteous 335) Q: What is the miracle of the bloodstream? A: The blood is the transportation system in the body. It brings the necessary nutrients, enzymes, etc. to the different parts of the body that need them. Even though everything is mixed together in the blood, it’s still able to deliver exactly the right materials to each part of the body. (Rejoice, O Youth 176) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by blood? A: Blood has a coagulating agent in it that makes it clot. However, if this agent would function in the body, it would stop the blood flow and kill you. But it never functions in the body itself. However, when there is a cut, then it automatically causes the blood to clot, so that the blood doesn’t all run out of the body. Without this coagulating agent, The Human Body
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a person would bleed to death from the smallest cut. (Rejoice, O Youth 176) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by a baby’s heart? A: Before a baby is born, it doesn’t breathe. Therefore, the blood doesn’t flow to its lungs, but goes straight from the left side of the heart to the right side, through a hole in the heart’s wall. Once a baby is born, a baby must start breathing immediately, so the blood must go to the lungs. Therefore, as soon as a baby is born, the hole between the left side and the right side of its heart immediately closes up. (Sing, You Righteous 384) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the immune system? A: The cells of the immune system travel through the blood and recognize the harmful things among a great crowd of other materials. They always destroy the foreign substance, and they never destroy any useful materials. (Awake, My Glory 41) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by adrenalin? A: Adrenalin is produced in a time of danger. It causes the supply of sugar in the blood to increase, to supply extra energy to fight or to run. [62]
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In addition, it prepares additional blood-clotting agents in the blood, to prepare for healing a wound. (Sing, You Righteous 383) Q: What is the miracle of stomach acids? A: They can break down even tough foods, so that they can be digested. However, they don’t digest the stomach lining itself, so as not to harm the stomach. But as soon as a person dies, the stomach acids immediately begin to break down the stomach lining. (Awake, My Glory 943) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by the phenomenon of selective perception? A: The nervous system in a person’s body has gaps between the various nerves that lead to the brain. Only strong sensations can jump these gaps and continue on to the brain. This phenomenon prevents the brain from being bombarded by every tiny little stimulus. Another example is that the human eye has one hundred million light receptors. However, they are attached to only one million nerve endings. So there are one hundred light receptor cells attached to each nerve ending. Only a light that is strong enough to activate one hundred cells will be transmitted by the nerve. This also prevents our brains from being bombarded with every tiny sensation of light. (Awake, My Glory 42–3) The Human Body
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Q: What is the purpose of sneezing? A: Sneezing gets rid of extra matter that got into the air passage. It requires a large force of air in order to shoot the matter out. That is why a person automatically first takes a deep breath before he sneezes. (Rejoice, O Youth 176) Q: Why do we cry? A: Tears clean out the dirt from our eyes. (Rejoice, O Youth 28) Q: What is the purpose of the sphincter muscle? A: When a person needs to relieve himself, the sphincter muscle allows him to hold it in for a while, until he is able to relieve himself in an appropriate place. Without this muscle, he would not be able to hold it in, and would immediately soil himself, causing great embarrassment. (Rejoice, O Youth 176) Q: Why do we have hair in our nose and ears? A: They keep out dirt. They also prevent insects from climbing in while we are sleeping. (Awake, My Glory 61) Q: How is our body self-regulating? A: In many ways. Here are just a few: [64]
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1. When the energy supply in the body is running low, we have the sensation of hunger, so that we will eat more. 2. When the water supply is low, we experience thirst. 3. When waste materials build up in our body, we feel the urge to go to the bathroom. 4. When something harmful enters the body, it’s expelled through vomiting or diarrhea. (Sing,You Righteous 690) Q: How does the phenomenon of “cooperation” refute the Theory of Evolution? A: It’s clear that all of the different parts of the body work together in perfect cooperation. This refutes the idea that everything came into being by accident. As an example, when a child is sick, his body slows down its growth, because the body needs to conserve its energy in order to combat the disease. This shows that every part of the body is working together, and they were clearly created with a plan and purpose. (Awake, My Glory 37–8)
The Human Body
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SECTION 4B
Animals Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the body of the bee? A: The bee needs to be able to transport the nectar of a flower in order to use it. So it has a sac on its body that can carry the nectar to the hive. But the nectar is too light, and would evaporate. So the bee produces an enzyme that causes the nectar to congeal into thick honey. But the bee needs a place to store the honey. So it’s able to produce wax and create a hive to save the honey. But the sweet honey attracts other animals. So the bee has a stinger to keep them away. But the stinger makes the bee too dangerous. So the stinger is hooked at the end, and after it stings one time, the stinger can’t be pulled out, and the bee
dies. But a queen bee needs to sting many times to get rid of the unnecessary bees. So its stinger is completely straight. (Rejoice, O Youth 34) Q: How does the hair of a cat show plan and purpose? A: 1. The hairs are ordered symmetrically to cover the entire body. 2. The hair is flexible, so it doesn’t break. 3. It keeps the body warm in cold temperatures. 4. It grows back when it falls out. 5. It’s water resistant. 6. It protects the skin from cuts. 7. It provides a color that frequently helps the cat hide. (Rejoice, O Youth 31) Q: How do the claws of a cat show plan and purpose? A: They are sharp, enough to kill a mouse. But, they are also retractable, so that they won’t make a noise when the cat is walking. This allows the cat to sneak up quietly on the mouse. (Rejoice, O Youth 31) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by a starving animal? A: A starving animal uses up the materials in its body in an order that keeps it alive for as long as possible. First it uses up its fat. Then it uses up the organs. The last things that are used are the brain [68]
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and heart, because they are the most needed to stay alive. (Awake, My Glory 38) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in an eggshell? A: The eggshell is made of the exact perfect thickness. If it was thicker, the chick would not be able to break its way out. If it was thinner, it would crack when the bird was laying the egg. It’s of the exact thickness it needs to be to protect the chick while the bird is laying the egg, but the chick can still break its way out. (Sing, You Righteous 237) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in eggshell colors? A: The colored eggs make them harder to find. This helps protect the eggs, so that the chicks survive. However, chicken eggs are meant to be eaten by humans. Therefore, they are white, so that they can be more easily seen. (Awake, My Glory 853) Q: What is the purpose of the earthworm? A: Without the earthworm, no life could exist on earth. The earthworm breaks down dead plants and animals and returns the nutrients to the ground that are necessary for plants to grow. (Rejoice, O Youth 168) Animals
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Q: What is the purpose of predatory birds, such as hawks and owls? A: They keep down the population of mice, rats, and insects, by eating them, so that they don’t overrun the fields and destroy the crops. (Sing, You Righteous 333)
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SECTION 4C
Plants Q: How does a dandelion show plan and purpose? A: 1. It has seeds in parachutes, which fly to new places and then grow new dandelions. 2. When a dandelion is a flower, it’s short. When it’s ready to send out its seeds, the stem grows taller so that it can fly away easily without bumping into the grass. 3. The parachutes are resistant to rain. 4. The parachute only opens when the seed is ripe, not before. 5. The seed isn’t too loose, or else it would fall down at the bottom of the plant before the wind comes. It also isn’t too tight because then it would resist the wind. It’s just loose enough to stay in place until the wind blows it away. 6. When the seed lands on the ground and opens, the stem always grows up, and the roots always
grow down, no matter which way it falls on the ground. (Rejoice, O Youth 32) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the way that seeds are scattered? A: Different plants have different ways of dispersing their seeds, so that they will grow in new places. Some seeds are contained in two leaves that are shaped like propellers, so they fly away to a new location. Some seeds are in light parachutes, which are blown by the wind, and float away. Some seeds are in a seed pod that explodes when it’s ripe, and all of the seeds are scattered. Some seeds are in a pod with hooks on it, which catch onto an animal’s fur and get carried to a new location. (Rejoice, O Youth 170) Q: Why do leaves stay on a tree in the summer and fall off in the winter? A: The leaves serve two purposes: 1. They create a larger surface area for the sun to shine on, to perform photosynthesis. 2. They provide shade to people who sit underneath. In the wintertime, when the sun doesn’t shine as strongly, the leaves are not needed for these purposes any more. Therefore, they fall off. (Sing, You Righteous 285) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by an apple skin? [72]
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A: The skin has an oil that keeps it waterproof. That way, the apple isn’t ruined when it rains. The oil also has an aroma, which attracts people and animals to eat it. In addition, when the apple isn’t ripe, the skin is a green color, so that it blends in with the color of the tree leaves, and isn’t attractive to eat. Once it’s ripe, the skin turns a beautiful red. This color is very attractive. It’s clear that the apple is asking to be eaten. However, the color is only on the outside of the skin. The inside has no color. Since it can’t be seen, there is no purpose for it to be colored. (Rejoice, O Youth 160, 175) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated by an apple stem? A: The stem is the tube through which the materials pass to create the apple. It’s also where the water goes through to the apple. In addition, the stem holds the apple in place on the tree. However, it only holds it tight as long as the apple isn’t ripe. Once the apple becomes ripe, the stem loosens so that the apple falls to the ground (and can more easily be eaten). We see that the apple is clearly designed for it to be eaten. (Rejoice, O Youth 161)
Plants
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Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the apple seed? A: It’s protected by a hard case. Therefore, it will survive a trip through an animal’s body. And when it comes out, it’s planted and grows another tree. When a seed is planted, the roots always grow down, and the stem always grows up, no matter which direction the seed is laying. (Rejoice, O Youth 163–164) Q: Why is the watermelon fruit red, but the rind has no color? A: The color shows you which part of the watermelon is edible. There is no color on the rind, so that you will not accidentally eat it. (Sing, You Righteous 272) Q: Why are watermelon pits slippery? A: So that they won’t be eaten, and they can then be planted to create new watermelons. (Sing, You Righteous 265–267) Q: How do the peach and plum pits demonstrate plan and purpose? A: They are very hard, and cannot be cut, even with a saw, to prevent the seeds from being eaten. But when they lie on the ground, these hard pits split open by themselves, so that their seeds could go into the ground. (Sing, You Righteous 308–309) [74]
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Q: Why doesn’t a potato skin have a bright color? A: To let you know that it’s not good to eat raw. It has to be cooked first. (Sing, You Righteous 365) Q: Why don’t melon peels have a bright color? A: Because melons are large. You shouldn’t be attracted to grab them and eat them immediately, because you won’t be able to finish a watermelon or a cantaloupe by yourself, and the rest of the fruit will go to waste. Therefore, it doesn’t have an attractive peel, so that you should realize that you need to be patient, and eat it together with a large group. (Sing, You Righteous 366) Q: Why are melon seeds found inside the fruit, and not in the rind? A: Since they are inside the flesh, you have to spit them out while you eat it. Then, the seeds get spread and are planted again. If they were in the rind, you could just easily throw them all out with the rind. (Sing, You Righteous 367) Q: So why are strawberry seeds all found on the skin of the strawberry, not inside the fruit? A: Because the strawberry skin is eaten. Then, the seeds travel through the intestines, and are replanted when they come out in the excrement. (Sing, You Righteous 368) Plants
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Q: What is the purpose of trees? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. The wood can be used for building. 2. The wood can be burned for fuel. 3. They provide shade. 4. They provide beauty. 5. They cool off the air because of the large amounts of water that come out of their leaves. 6. They prevent floods by absorbing water in the ground. 7. They can be made into paper. 8. They provide a home for birds and other animals. (Rejoice, O Youth 178) Q: What is the purpose of grass? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. It holds the rainwater in the soil. 2. It provides a soft place to sit on the ground. 3. It can be used as fuel in a fire. 4. It can be woven into mats. 5. It prevents the soil from turning into mud or dust. 6. It provides food for animals. (Rejoice, O Youth 178) [76]
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Q: Why is there so much variety in plants and animals (i.e., why can’t plants have the same mechanisms to protect their seeds, animals have the same methods of camouflage, etc.)? A: This variety helps us see Hashem in the world, since there are so many different ways that plants and animals demonstrate their plan and purpose. If everything functioned in the same way, you would become accustomed to it. By having such variety, it stimulates your mind to contemplate these phenomena, and realize that they are from Hashem (Sing, You Righteous 349, 381)
Plants
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SECTION 4D
Other Phenomena Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the rain cycle? A: The sun evaporates the water, and raises the water vapor into the sky, forming clouds. The winds blow the clouds all over the earth. Then the rain falls from the clouds and waters the earth. The force of gravity makes all of the rain go down into the sea. Then the cycle begins again. If any element of the cycle was missing or changed, life could not exist on Earth. For example, if the sun wasn’t hot enough, it wouldn’t evaporate enough water. If the winds didn’t blow the clouds, then large parts of the earth would
be desert. If gravity wasn’t so strong, the rain wouldn’t gather into the sea to evaporate again. (Rejoice, O Youth 63) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in snow? A: The snow functions as a blanket over the earth. It keeps the ground protected from the frost, which would kill the roots of the plants that grow back each year. It also protects the insects in the ground which provide nutrients for the earth. The snow is a white color because white doesn’t absorb the sunlight. Therefore, it slows down the melting process, and keeps everything protected longer. In the spring, the snow melts and provides lots of water, which helps the new plants grow. (Rejoice, O Youth 64) Q: What is the plan and purpose demonstrated by freezing water? A: As water gets colder, it gets heavier and gradually turns into ice. Therefore, ice should sink to the bottom of water. Lakes would then freeze from the bottom to the top, until they were completely frozen. All fish and marine life would then be killed. But miraculously, when water cools to four degrees, it reverses the process, and becomes lighter. So ice is actually lighter than water, and floats on the top of water. This protects the fish below the ice, so that the water [80]
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below never gets cold enough to freeze. (Rejoice, O Youth 66) Q: What is the purpose of lightning? A: The atmosphere contains large amounts of oxygen and nitrogen. When they combine they create a fertilizer, which makes things grow. However, ordinarily these two gases don’t combine. But lightning contains intense heat that combines the two and creates the fertilizer. It then goes into the clouds, and is rained down upon the earth. (Rejoice, O Youth 65) Q: What is the purpose of winds? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. They control the climate. 2. They move the clouds (so there will be rain all over the earth). 3. They blow seeds to new places, so that plants can grow. 4. They blow ships. 5. They blow windmills. (Rejoice, O Youth 178) Q: What is the purpose of the sun? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. It provides warmth. 2. It provides light. Other Phenomena
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3. It causes evaporation of the water. 4. It lights up the moon at night. 5. It causes plants to grow. 6. It’s used to calculate days and years. (Rejoice, O Youth 178) Q: What is the purpose of the atmosphere? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. It contains just the right amount of oxygen for people to breathe. 2. There is oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, that, when mixed by lightning, become a fertilizer to help things grow in the soil. 3. It protects us from the sun’s heat in the daytime, and retains some of that heat in the nighttime. (By contrast, the moon, which doesn’t have an atmosphere, is 250 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime, and 110 degrees below zero in the nighttime. 4. The atmosphere protects the earth from meteors. (The moon, which has no atmosphere, is filled with pock marks caused by all the meteors that crash into it.) Each day, one thousand million meteors enter the earth’s atmosphere, traveling at 26 miles per [82]
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second. However, they all burn up in the atmosphere before they can cause any harm. (Rejoice, O Youth 178) Q: What is the purpose of the rotation of the earth? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. It creates day and night. At night it’s colder, and the process of evaporation by the sun stops. If this didn’t happen, the earth would become dehydrated. 2. Nightfall forces men to stop working, and to take a rest. Otherwise, they would work too hard, and get exhausted. 3. Nighttime is a time when men have free time to learn Torah and to spend with their families. 4. The passage of time is measured based on the rotation of the earth. 5. The earth’s rotation produces wind. (Rejoice, O Youth 178) Q: How does the abundance of materials in the world demonstrate that it was created for man, and isn’t just an accident? A: The thing man needs most to live is air. Therefore, air is the most abundant thing in the world. Drinking is more essential than eating in Other Phenomena
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order for man to stay alive, so the world has more water than food. Food is more important than clothing, so the world has more food than clothes. (Rejoice, O Youth 67) Q: What is the miracle of food production? A: Despite the fact that the world’s population continues to increase, there is less starvation now than ever before in history. The world continues to produce enough food for man, even as his population increases. (Awake, My Glory 932) Q: What do Chazal mean when they say that a man’s food is as difficult to achieve as the splitting of the sea (Pesachim 118a)? A: It doesn’t mean that it’s as hard for man to get food as it is to split the sea, for we see that men can get food, and yet they can’t split the sea. What it means is we have to realize that the ability to get food out of the ground is as great a miracle as it was to split the sea! (Rejoice, O Youth 174) Q: What is the purpose of tastes, smells, and colors? A: They only serve to give pleasure to man. The fact that Hashem made the world with such a wide variety of tastes, smells, and colors, demonstrates that He created the world in order to perform kindness to man. (Rejoice, O Youth 188–190)
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Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the ratio of males to females? A: Human beings give birth to boys and girls in a ratio that is almost 1:1. Half of the people of the world are males, and half are females, so that they can marry. This isn’t true for animals. For example, there are approximately five times as many female sheep as there are male sheep, because one male sheep can mate with many females. (Sing, You Righteous 376–377) Q: How is plan and purpose demonstrated in the way a woman looks and sounds? A: Unlike men, women have permanent hair (they don’t become naturally bald), no facial hair, and a soft voice. These serve two purposes: 1. To arouse compassion. 2. To be attractive to men to encourage procreation. (Sing, You Righteous 362) Q: Why didn’t Hashem make human babies perfectly able to care for themselves, like many animal babies are? A: This is a test for the parents if they will properly raise the child. It’s also a test for the child if he will properly respect his parents. Everything in the world is a test. (Rejoice, O Youth 612) Other Phenomena
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Q: Why do human babies not possess their full intelligence yet? A: Baby animals already have their full intelligence. But human babies don’t because it would be very embarrassing for them if they realized how helpless they are as babies. (Rejoice, O Youth 177) Q: Why aren’t human babies able to talk? A: If they were able to talk and ask for their needs, their parents might argue with them. But since they can’t talk, they just cry, and their parents’ hearts melt and they immediately provide for them everything they need. (Rejoice, O Youth 177) Q: Why do children’s baby teeth fall out one at a time, instead of all at once? A: If they all fell out at once, they wouldn’t be able to eat! (Rejoice, O Youth 177)
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SECTION 4E
Methaphors When we examine the phenomena of the world, we can see clear demonstration of plan and purpose. We can also learn that everything in the physical world can serve as a mashal (metaphor) for spiritual concepts.
Q: What does the sun symbolize? A: It symbolizes the kindness of Hashem. The sun provides heat and light and energy, which creates life. So too Hashem creates all life in His infinite kindness. It also symbolizes His greatness. Just as it’s impossible to look at the sun, so too it’s impossible to comprehend Hashem. (Awake, My Glory 997–998)
Q: What is the purpose of thunder? A: Two purposes: 1. To warn people that lightning is coming, and they should seek cover. 2. To teach man the power of Hashem. (Sing, You Righteous 503) Q: What is the purpose of the vastness of the universe, with all of the galaxies and millions of stars? A: The vastness of the universe helps us get an understanding of the infinite greatness of Hashem. It serves as a model for us. We can’t even comprehend how large the universe is, and yet, Hashem is even greater. (Sing, You Righteous 505) Q: What does the complexity of the universe symbolize? A: It symbolizes the endless greatness of Hashem. Just as science is constantly discovering new levels of understanding of the physical world, so too there is an endless depth of greatness to Hashem. (Awake, My Glory 1015–1017) Q: What is the importance of light? A: Chazal say that the world was created with ten utterances. And yet, when you count them, there are only nine. They explain that the first pasuk [88]
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of the Torah, “in the beginning Hashem created the heavens and the earth,” is also an utterance of Creation. Nevertheless, the first time the Torah says that Hashem said, “Let there be …” was regarding the creation of light. The reason for this is that it should seem as if the light was really the first creation, because light is the most important thing in the world. The purpose of the world is for us to see Hashem in it. But in order for us to see it, we need the light. (Sing, You Righteous 670–672) Q: What is the purpose of time? A: If there was no time (years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds), then our life would be just one long monotony. By having a way to measure the passing of time, we realize that life speeds by and we shouldn’t waste it. (Sing, You Righteous 520) Q: What lesson do we learn from sleep? A: Chazal say sleep is a sixtieth of death. Going to sleep every night serves as a reminder to us that life will ultimately come to an end. (Sing, You Righteous 724) Q: What lesson do we learn from fire? A: Chazal say fire is a sixtieth of Gehinom. Seeing fire helps remind us of the punishment that will Methaphors
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come to sinners in Gehinom. (Sing, You Righteous 724) Q: What does pain symbolize? A: It symbolizes the suffering of the sinner in Gehinom. When we experience pain, we should remember this. (Awake, My Glory, 1001–1002)
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SECTION 5
Misfortune Q: What are the benefits of painful things in the world? A: Some examples: 1. The thorns on a rose bush keep small animals away, so that the roses are protected, and can be enjoyed by man. 2. The bee’s stinger helps it protect the honey. 3. A stomachache warns you against overeating or eating harmful foods. 4. A toothache tells you to go to the dentist before your tooth is irreparably damaged.
5. Fatigue causes a person to rest and heal his body. 6. Vomiting and diarrhea remove harmful materials from the body. (Rejoice, O Youth 194–195) Q: What are the benefits of night and winter? A: Night allows man to rest and recuperate. Otherwise, he would just keep on working without stop, until he collapsed. Winter is an opportunity for the land to recuperate, and regain the chemicals that it needs so that crops can grow. In addition, the night and the wintertime are times when man can stop working and focus his attention on Torah study and spiritual growth. (Rejoice, O Youth 706) Q: Why does excrement have a bad smell? A: It’s a warning that you should keep away from it. If we just had a written or oral warning, some people might ignore it. They might try to eat it or use it in some way, which would make them sick. But a bad smell causes a universal reaction of disgust which makes everyone stay away from it. (Sing, You Righteous 317–318) Q: Why do dead human bodies smell so bad? A: To make sure that we bury the dead right away. This has two purposes: [92]
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1. To preserve the dignity of the body by burying it immediately. 2. To spare the relatives the anguish of seeing the dead body. (Sing, You Righteous 318) Q: Why do crops rot? A: If they didn’t, then the owners would hoard them until they were paid huge sums. Meanwhile, everyone would starve. But since they rot, the owners have to sell them quickly, otherwise they will get nothing. So they are forced to sell at a fair price. (Sing, You Righteous 528) Q: What is the purpose of the feeling of hunger? A: It reminds a person that it’s time to refuel his body and eat some more. (Rejoice, O Youth 631) Q: What is the purpose of anger? A: Anger can be used in a positive way when it gives a person extra energy to overcome obstacles. (Rejoice, O Youth 631) Q: What is the purpose of the desire for revenge? A: It compels us to punish people for their crimes. (Rejoice, O Youth 631) Misfortune
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Q: Why is it a good thing that we have to work to get bread? A: It keeps us occupied. Having too much free time would lead to sin. (Rejoice, O Youth 565) Q: What is the benefit of poverty? A: There are many. Here are a few: 1. It frees a man from arrogance. 2. It frees a man from thinking that success in the material world is our main goal in life. 3. It frees a man from thinking that everything that he accomplished was only because of his own efforts and talents. (Rejoice, O Youth 841) Q: Why did Hashem make man have to go to the bathroom to remove his wastes? A: It serves to keep him humble, so that he should not become too arrogant. (Sing, You Righteous 740) Q: What is the benefit of forgetting? A: It’s a great kindness from Hashem that we forget. If we remembered everything, then every sad episode in our lives would constantly be in front of us, and we would never be able to be happy. However, Hashem created people in such a way that even though they still have all of the details of the sad events stored in their memories, they can still forget the pain that they [94]
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experienced, and go on enjoying life. (Awake, My Glory 871–873) Q: What is the purpose of old age? A: Old age is a great kindness of Hashem. If a man stayed youthful until he died, it would be a great tragedy when he died. By growing old and weak, he starts to lose his interest in life. Therefore, it’s much less painful, both for him, and for his family, when he dies. (Rejoice, O Youth 197) Q: Why don’t people live very long lives like they used to in the beginning of the world? A: Because people were using the extra time for sin. The shorter our lives are, the less opportunity for sin. (Rejoice, O Youth 566) Q: How is death a kindliness from Hashem? A: The greatest good is Olam Haba. Therefore allowing a person to die and go to Olam Haba is a great kindliness from Hashem. (Rejoice, O Youth 211) Q: How is Gehinom a kindliness from Hashem? A: When the wicked go to Gehinom, it’s kindliness to the victims of the sinner. It would be cruel to them if the one who pained them should be allowed to die painlessly. Misfortune
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When the righteous go to Gehinom, it is a great kindliness, as the suffering purifies them so they may enjoy eternal happiness. (Rejoice, O Youth 201, 738) Q: What purpose did the exile in Egypt serve? A: Many purposes: 1. By causing the Jewish people to suffer, they became more humble, which is a very desirable trait. 2. Suffering as slaves caused Bnai Yisrael to become more sensitive to others who are suffering, which is also a very important character trait. 3. When Bnai Yisrael were freed from Egypt, they were very thankful to Hashem, and felt obliged to serve Him. This prepared them to receive the Torah on Har Sinai. 4. When they witnessed the miracles of the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Sea, it made them realize Hashem’s control over the world. 5. When they left Egypt, the best of the Egyptians came out with them and become converts. Therefore, one of the purposes of the Exile was to bring those individuals into the Jewish people. (Rejoice, O Youth 579) [96]
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Q: What were the benefits of the First Exile? A: There were many: 1. It caused the people to become humble. 2. It made the people stop relying on their material wealth and possessions. 3. It gave them an opportunity to sit and learn Torah. The language of Bavel was Aramaic, which is similar to Hebrew. Therefore, it wasn’t that hard for Bnai Yisrael to fit in there. Also, there were plenty of date palms in Bavel, which provided them with food. Also, Bavel had the practice of exiling various peoples. Therefore, Bavel was a mix of different peoples. Bnai Yisrael weren’t seen as outsiders, and weren’t treated differently. Because of all of these factors, they were able to have plenty of free time to sit and learn Torah in Bavel. 4. It was a lesson to Bnai Yisrael of the terrible consequences of disobeying Hashem. 5. It made them appreciate living in Eretz Yisrael, since now they didn’t live there, and didn’t take it for granted. 6. It exposed them to the non-Jews and their customs, and showed them their wickedness compared to those who keep the Torah. Misfortune
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7. It showed them that their relationship with Hashem and His Torah wasn’t dependent on living in Eretz Yisrael. Even without a Jewish king or government, and even without their own land, they could still be loyal to Hashem and the Torah. This was a very important lesson for Bnai Yisrael to learn. (Rejoice, O Youth 583) Q: Why do Jews suffer from anti-Semitism? A: For a number of reasons: 1. So that they will not mingle with the nonJews and be negatively influenced by them. 2. To let them realize their superiority. The non-Jews hate the Jews because they are jealous of them for being better than them. 3. To remind them that their true goal is to achieve the Afterlife, and they therefore shouldn’t spend their time pursuing material benefits. (Sing,You Righteous 607–611) Q: How is it beneficial to us when the non-Jews slander us and tell lies about us? A: It helps us gain clarity. Just as what they say about us isn’t true, so too all of their religious claims are also false. (Sing, You Righteous 432) [98]
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Q: In what way is it a good thing that the Jewish people are completely dispersed all over the earth? A: It’s good because it prevents the Jewish people from ever being wiped out. Even the Nazis, yemach shemam, were unable to wipe out the Jewish people. Since the time of Achashverosh, there has never been a time in history that all of the Jewish people were under the control of one leader. (Rejoice, O Youth 265) Q: Why is it a good thing that the Temple Mount is controlled by Muslims? A: Until the Bais Hamikdash is rebuilt, it’s a good thing that the area is controlled by the Muslims, because they don’t put any idols in it. Also, they don’t let Jews go there, which is a good thing now, because it prevents Jews who are tamai, or who will go there in immodest clothing, from defiling this holy place. (Rejoice, O Youth 270– 272) Q: How should we react to tragedies that occur in remote places of the world? A: Chazal teach us that everything that occurs in the world is for the sake of the Jewish people. It’s a message that we should learn from. If there is suffering in a faraway land, it should cause in us a feeling of gratitude to Hashem that we are not Misfortune
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suffering through these things. (Awake, My Glory 368–372) Q: How do we benefit by meeting people who suffer from misfortunes? A: First of all, we can help them out. Second, we benefit because it makes us appreciative and thankful to Hashem that we don’t suffer from these things. (Sing, You Righteous 694–695) Q: What purpose do reshaim (evil people) serve? A: Reshaim help make tzadikim great! When they are able to resist the reshaim, it makes them greater. Avraham became great because he was able to resist Nimrod. Yaakov became great because he was able to resist Lavan. That’s also why Hashem created all of the false religions, and false beliefs like Bible Criticism and Evolution. These ideas spur us to study the Torah more carefully, and to reject these ideas. This makes us greater! (Awake, My Glory 451–506) Q: What is the benefit of the yetzer hara? A: It’s a great benefit to man, because it allows him to have Free Will. Without it, the truths of Hashem’s existence, His goodness, the fact that everything in the world is for man, etc., would be completely obvious. Then everyone would feel [100]
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that he has to serve Hashem, and there would be no Free Will. (Rejoice, O Youth 639–640)
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3: Torah and Mitzvos In Section Two we discussed how to discover Hashem in nature by studying what He does. In this section, we will study Hashem through what He says. Hashem speaks to us through the words of the Torah. This includes the Written Torah, the words of the prophets, and the teachings of our Sages.
3:Torah and Mitzvos
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SECTION 6
Mesorah Q: How do the traditions of the peoples of the world prove that they’re wrong? A: Most people have very jumbled and confused traditions. It’s clear that they’re just mixtures of myth and influences from other societies. The only two traditions that are somewhat orderly, other than Judaism, are Christianity and Islam. (Rejoice, O Youth 79) Q: How does the tradition of Christianity prove it’s false? A: Their own tradition claims that Yeshu was opposed by all of the Sages of Israel. Only the ignorant and people of lower classes followed him. Yet the Torah says to listen to the Sages, and not to turn from what they say to the right or to the
left. Also, Yeshu claimed to be from the House of David, but the New Testament says he had no father (because supposedly G-d was his father), and the Torah says that lineage is determined by the father, not the mother. Yeshu also claimed to be the Mashiach, whose job it is to redeem Israel, yet he never redeemed Israel. (Rejoice, O Youth 80, 85) Q: How is our tradition stronger than that of Christianity and Islam? A: Christianity and Islam are based on the prophecies of individuals who claimed that G-d spoke to them and revealed His teachings to them. No one else was there during these revelations, and the followers are expected to simply believe them. (Both the “New Testament” and the Koran threaten non-believers.) However, the revelations in Judaism occurred before the entire nation of millions of people. Hashem gave the Torah on Har Sinai in front of the entire nation. The miracles in Egypt and at the Yam Suf were witnessed by everybody. So everyone knew that they were true. Therefore, even though Bnai Yisrael were a stiff-necked people who frequently complained, nobody ever claimed that the Torah wasn’t true, because they saw with their own eyes that it was true. (Rejoice, O Youth 87–88)
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Q: How do we know that our tradition of the Torah is correct? A: How do we know that George Washington ever existed? None of us ever saw him! But we know he was real based upon our tradition of written history, as well as word-of-mouth tradition. This applies all the more so to the Torah. Its truth is recorded in writing (the Chumash) and it’s also recorded in oral tradition passed down from all of our ancestors. Only thousands of people saw George Washington, yet everyone knows that he was real. The giving of the Torah on Har Sinai was witnessed by millions of people, who passed down that tradition to us. This is how we know it’s true. (Rejoice, O Youth 71-77) Q: What is a big proof to the accuracy of our mesorah? A: All sefer Torahs in existence are basically the same. There aren’t different versions. This proves that the text of the Torah that we have is completely accurate. (Awake, My Glory 278–280) Q: What is another proof for the accuracy of the Torah? A: It’s proven by all of the subsequent books of Tanach. All of the books of Tanach quote ideas, stories, etc. from previous books. Therefore, each book is testifying to the accuracy of the traditions Mesorah
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included in the books that came before them. (Sing, You Righteous 121; Rejoice, O Youth 104–113) Q: Why does the Torah sometimes criticize its leaders, such as Moshe and Aharon, and say that they sinned? A: Because it’s the truth. A manmade religion with a made-up holy book would never criticize its leaders. The “New Testament” and the Koran never criticize their leaders. The fact that the Torah does criticize its leaders when they made mistakes is a proof that the Torah is true. (Rejoice, O Youth 113–115) Q: Can the accuracy of our tradition be demonstrated by non-Jewish sources? A: Yes. The works written by Philo4 and Josephus5 verify the details of our tradition. These were works that were written two thousand years ago, and they were preserved by the non-Jews, not by us. This brings us two thousand years closer to the actual events. However, we can get even closer. The Samaritans possess a copy of Chumash and Sefer
4. A Jewish writer who lived in Egypt at the end of the Second Bais Hamikdash. His philosophical books were heavily influenced by Greek philosophy. 5. A Jewish historian who witnessed the fall of the Second Bais Hamikdash. Rabbi Miller quotes his historical books frequently.
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Yehoshua. The Samaritans were bitter enemies of the Jews, and would never have accepted any books from them during the time of the Second Temple. The only time they could have received these books would have been before the Second Temple, when the Samaritans were first brought into the land. The Ten Tribes had been exiled, and they learned the Torah then (because they were being killed by lions). This is further proven by the fact that the Samaritans don’t have the other books of Navi. That’s because they were either written in the kingdom of Yehuda, or were written by Shmuel shortly before the Ten Tribes broke off and formed another kingdom. Since these were still new books, the Ten Tribes never accepted them, and that’s why the Samaritans don’t have them. Now we are four hundred years earlier than Philo and Josephus, and the tradition is still confirmed. The fact that the Ten Tribes didn’t accept the books of the Prophets but did accept the books of Chumash shows that these books were already accepted during the time that the Ten Tribes broke away. This brings us another few hundred years closer to the tradition, and it’s still confirmed. But we can even go earlier than that. After all, if the Torah was made up, would Ehud, the Mesorah
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judge who fought against the oppression of Eglon, king of Moav, have written in the Torah that it’s prohibited to wage war against Moav? So now we can trace the tradition to before the time of Ehud. Without even looking at our tradition, we can use Philo and Josephus, the Samaritans, the ten lost tribes, and Eglon the king of Moav to trace the accuracy of our Torah tradition almost back to the time of the Torah itself! (Sing, You Righteous 102–121) Q: How do we know that our tradition of the Oral Torah is correct? A: It’s demonstrated by the fact that all of the main points from our Oral Torah are not disputed. If someone had made these up, the Jews would never have accepted them. At least some of them would have argued. Since nobody disputes these basic points, it shows that everyone agrees that this was always the tradition. Some examples: 1. The Torah says to take the fruit of a hadar tree. Everyone agrees that this means an esrog. 2. Everyone agrees that the tefilin are square, have leather straps, have four scrolls in the shel rosh, and one scroll in the shel yad. This is so even though none of these details are mentioned in the Written Torah. [110]
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3. The Torah tells us to afflict ourselves on Yom Kippur. Everyone agrees that this means fasting, and not some other type of affliction. 4. The Torah says not to cook a kid goat in its mother’s milk. Everyone agrees that this applies to all kosher animals, not just goats. 5. The Torah says to slaughter an animal “as I commanded you.” It doesn’t explain how to slaughter though, but everyone agrees that it’s with a knife on the neck. (Rejoice, O Youth 128–130) Q: Where does machlokes come from? A: Most arguments are only about minor details of halacha, not about the main points, about which everyone agrees. Many of the arguments are about cases that occur infrequently. These differences of opinion arose largely because of persecution, since the Sages were not able to clarify every halacha, and some halachos were forgotten. (Rejoice, O Youth 133)
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SECTION 7
The Written Torah and the Oral Torah Q: Why isn’t the Written Torah also oral? A: It was written down to serve as a testimony. It serves as a testimony to the past. The events of the Jewish people’s history are recorded in detail, including many names of people and places, which demonstrates that it’s accurate. The text of the Torah has not been changed, and there are no different versions of it. It also serves as a testimony to the future. The Torah predicts that if Bnai Yisrael follow the mitzvos, they will be rewarded, and if they don’t, they will be punished. When these predictions come true, it shows the truth of the Torah. In addition, if Bnai Yisrael sin
and are punished, they will be motivated to do teshuva, because they see that these punishments were predicted in the Torah. (Rejoice, O Youth 446–452) Q: Why is the Oral Torah not supposed to be written down? A: A number of reasons: 1. Because in order to understand it properly, you need it to be explained to you by a living talmid chacham. Even now that the Gemara is written down, it’s very easy to misunderstand parts of it.You can never properly understand it unless you have a teacher. Aside from preventing misunderstanding, being close to a teacher is important because the Shechina rests upon talmidei chachamim, and being close to them is the way to get close to Hashem. 2. In order to make it more difficult to learn. By being more difficult, it takes more effort to learn. Having to spend so much time and effort learning Torah keeps us occupied and away from sin. In addition, we earn more reward for the greater amount of effort that we put into it. 3. So that non-Jews don’t have access to it. When the Written Torah was translated into Greek, it was a sad day. Giving the non-Jews access to the Torah is a bad thing, because [114]
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they could either claim that it’s really theirs (they are the ones who truly follow the “Bible” correctly), or they could corrupt it and misinterpret it. Keeping the Torah as an oral tradition means that it’s only ours, and the rest of the world has no access to it. (Rejoice, O Youth 405–445) Q: Why do the Chumash and the Gemara have halacha and agada (narratives) mixed together? A: To show that these two elements are intertwined. A Torah Jew needs to know what to do (halacha), and also what to think (agada). These aren’t two separate areas. They both apply in all aspects of our lives. (Those who learn the halachic parts of the Gemara, and skip the agada, lose out and their Torah learning will be inadequate to bring them close to Hashem.) That is why the Chumash and Gemara have a mix of both halachos and stories that teach us lessons. (Sing, You Righteous 524) Q: Why do Chazal make drashos on every little extra word or letter of the Torah? A: The Torah is more important than the world, because the world was created for the sake of keeping the Torah. In nature, there is no small detail that has no purpose. Everything has a function. So all the more so in the Torah, every The Written Torah and the Oral Torah
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little detail, even every letter, has to have a purpose and a meaning. (Rejoice, O Youth 463–465) Q: How did Chazal know what we should learn from each extra word, letter, etc.? A: A few ways: 1. They had a tradition as to what it teaches. 2. They were experts in the Hebrew language, and therefore they could sense what was being hinted at by various changes in style, spelling, etc. 3. They worked hard to analyze the text and to figure out what must be taught here. These drashos were greatly debated in the yeshivos, and sometimes there was even a machlokes about how to make a drasha. (Rejoice, O Youth 473) Q: Why were the rabbis of the Mishna and the Gemara so great in their Torah learning? A: A few reasons: 1. They developed their memories to an incredible level. None of the Oral Torah was written down, so they had to commit everything to memory. Every little detail of every discussion was memorized. They therefore developed a system where they [116]
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reviewed their learning many times, in order to commit everything to memory. 2. They were very sharp in their analysis. They would have conversations on every little topic. One rabbi would bring many proofs, and another would try to refute them all. These conversations were continued over many generations, as they would still discuss the points made by rabbis who had lived generations beforehand! This system of learning, where every point was discussed and analyzed from every perspective, made them very sharp in their learning. 3. They had Divine assistance. Chazal say that in the way a man desires to go, he is led. These rabbis had such an extreme desire to learn Torah that Hashem helped them to be successful in their learning. Some examples of the strong desire to learn Torah are: Hillel sat on the skylight of the bais medrash during a snowstorm because he didn’t have enough money to pay the entrance fee, but he still wanted to learn Torah (Yoma 35b). Rabbi Akiva’s wife let him be away from home for twenty-four years, so that he could study Torah in an uninterrupted fashion (Nedarim 50a). Ben Azai never got married because he simply loved learning Torah too much, and The Written Torah and the Oral Torah
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he couldn’t do anything else (Yevamos 63b). (Rejoice, O Youth 520–525) Q: Why was it accepted that Amoraim would never argue with Tannaim, and the rabbis who came after the Gemara would never argue with the Amoraim? A: Because they recognized that the generations that had come before them were greater in Torah than they were. First of all, each generation was closer to Moshe Rabbainu and his teachings than the generation that came after it. In addition, the earlier generations were less spread out. There were more Sages in one place, who could all discuss and work out every issue in the Torah. Also, Hashem rests His presence on larger gatherings of Jews. Therefore, the larger gatherings of the Sages merited greater Divine inspiration. The Tannaim all lived in Eretz Yisrael, and were more concentrated, whereas the Amoraim lived in both Eretz Yisrael and in Bavel. Therefore, Amoraim never argued on Tannaim. However, Eretz Yisrael and Bavel were still close to each other, and one could travel from one to the other. But after the period of the Amoraim, the Jewish community was spread out throughout the world. Therefore, the rabbis who lived after the Gemara never argued on the Amoraim. (Rejoice, O Youth 538–540) [118]
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Q: When were the rabbinic decrees (dinim d’rabbanan) made? A: Many of them are very old, long before the time of the rabbis of the Mishna and Gemara. For example, the decree to read the Torah in public was made by Moshe Rabbainu. Shlomo Hamelech made the decree of an eruv. Some decrees were made by the Avos — Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov — such as the obligation to pray three times a day. Many rabbinic decrees are mentioned in passing in the Books of the Prophets, which shows that they were already old and established at that time. For example, Daniel prayed facing Jerusalem; Izevel, the evil queen of Israel, declared a fast day (as a way to get false witnesses to testify against Navos); and the husband of the woman from Shunam asked her why she was going to Elisha, since it isn’t Shabbas or Yom Tov (which shows that they already had the rabbinic decree to visit your rebbi on special days). (Rejoice, O Youth 479–493) Q: Are rabbinic laws additions to the Torah? A: No. Rabbinic laws are not additions to the Torah, but are rather extensions of the Torah. Chazal understood the principles that were being taught in the Torah, and they extended them. For example, the Torah only requires one to make a blessing after eating bread and becoming The Written Torah and the Oral Torah
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full. This teaches us the principle of gratitude to Hashem for what He gives us. Therefore, Chazal extended this principle and required a blessing even if you’re not full, even on other foods, and even before eating. Another example is Shabbas. Chazal understood that the principle of Shabbas is to have a day of holiness when you are completely focused on Hashem, and not on worldly pursuits. Therefore, they added the mitzvos of kidush and havdala, which declare the holiness of Shabbas, and they prohibited moving muktzeh items, doing business with money, etc., because these things detract from the spirit of the Shabbas day. (Rejoice, O Youth 495–501) Q: Why is it prohibited to teach Torah to nonJews? A: A few reasons: 1. So that they don’t claim it as their own. 2. So that they don’t corrupt it. 3. Because the Jewish people are a mamleches kohanim, and it given especially to them only. (Rejoice, O Youth 420) Q: What does mamleches kohanim mean? [120]
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A: Just like kohanim have the privileges to serve in the Bais Hamikdash and eat korbanos, and nobody else can do these things, so too the Jewish people are singled out from all of the nations of the world to have the privilege to study the Torah, and nobody else may do so. (Rejoice, O Youth 422)
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SECTION 8
Avos Q: How is man able to discover the truth? A: There are two ways. One is to receive it through tradition, as Noach did. The other is to use one’s mind to figure out on his own what is right and what is wrong. This is what Avraham did. He figured out that Hashem exists, and that avoda zara is false, on his own, using his mind. He only later met Noach and confirmed that this was the correct tradition. (Rejoice, O Youth 141–145) Q: What are some of the things Avraham was able to figure out on his own? A: Here are some of the basic ideas that Avraham figured out by observing the world and thinking about it:
1. The world is full of infinite wisdom, and everything clearly has plan and purpose. Therefore, it must be that a G-d with infinite wisdom created the world for a purpose. 2. The world is planned for man’s use. Therefore it must be that man is the purpose of Creation. 3. The world provides man with all types of pleasure. Therefore, it must be that G-d is good, and wants to give happiness to mankind. 4. Man’s intellect is much greater than is needed to simply survive like other animals. Also, man has a whole range of emotions. Therefore, it must be that man’s purpose in life is something more than just his physical existence. 5. Since G-d doesn’t show Himself to man except through His deeds, it must be that man is intended to know Him only through His deeds of kindness, and he should try to copy these deeds. 6. Since G-d performs so much kindness for man, it’s appropriate for man to thank Him for everything, and to demonstrate that thanks by dedicating his life to serving G-d. [124]
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7. Since everything comes from G-d, it’s appropriate to ask Him for our needs, through prayer. (Rejoice, O Youth 156) Q: Just because Avraham was chosen by Hashem, why does that make his children chosen forever? A: For three reasons: 1. It’s a reward to Avraham that his children should also be chosen. 2. Hashem knew that Avraham would teach his family members to follow in Hashem’s ways. 3. Avraham’s good character traits became hereditary, and he passed down these good qualities to his children after him. (Rejoice, O Youth 151) Q: Why was Akaidas Yitzchak the greatest test that any human being has ever undergone? A: For three reasons: 1. Avraham’s entire mission in life was to create a nation that would serve Hashem.Therefore, when Hashem commanded him to sacrifice his son, it wasn’t simply the tragedy of a father losing his son, it was a tragedy for the entire world, as it was the destruction of a future people that would serve Hashem. Avos
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2. Avraham understood better than any of us the greatness of each human being, and that the entire world was created for each person. He saw the attributes of Hashem, which are reflected in man. Therefore, he was unable to cause any harm at all to another person. Therefore, asking him to actually kill a human being was a very great test for him. 3. Avraham’s love was greater than any other man’s. He treated his three guests well, even though he thought they were Arabs who worshipped avoda zara. He pleaded with Hashem to save the people of S’dom, even though they were evil. Therefore, all the more so was his love for his own son much greater than the regular love of a person for his son. So to have to sacrifice his son was the greatest test there ever was. (Rejoice, O Youth 224) Q: Why did Hashem need to test Avraham? Didn’t He already know that Avraham feared Hashem? A: A test isn’t for Hashem to find something out. He already knows everything. A test is to bring out a person’s potential, and to make him even greater. After Akaidas Yitzchak, Avraham became even greater than he had been before. (Rejoice, O Youth 225) [126]
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Q: Why does Hashem need to test us? Doesn’t He already know what we are going to do? A: Tests serve two purposes: 1. To give us greater happiness. A person enjoys something more when he worked hard to earn it, not when he gets it as a present.When a person has difficulties and challenges in life and successfully overcomes them, it brings him great happiness. If a person overcomes spiritual challenges and successfully keeps the mitzvos in his lifetime, he will have a great happiness that will last for eternity. 2. To help a man achieve perfection. A test is an opportunity to grow and to bring out great potential in a person. (Rejoice, O Youth 615–620)
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SECTION 9
Related Topics 9a. Midos Q: Does man have the natural ability to discern right and wrong? A: Yes. Hashem gives every being the instincts that they need for their existence. A spider has a natural instinct to spin webs. A bee has a natural instinct to build a hive. And a man has a natural instinct to distinguish between good and bad. (Rejoice, O Youth 143) Q: Do the Jewish people naturally have good midos, or are they acquired through the practice of the Torah?
A: It’s both. The Jewish people inherited their good midos from their forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. At the same time, keeping the mitzvos of the Torah also refines their midos. For example, the mitzvah of tzedaka trains them in being unselfish, the mitzvos of kashrus train them in self-control, the prohibition of ribis trains them not to be greedy, etc. (Rejoice, O Youth 242) Q: How is the focus of Judaism very different from that of other religions? A: Other religions are very focused on preaching to others about how to be virtuous. However, they don’t spend enough time making sure that they themselves are virtuous. Jews, on the other hand, don’t preach to other nations about how to behave. Instead, we spend our time focusing on ourselves, and making sure that our own behavior is virtuous. (Sing, You Righteous 577) Q: What is one of the reasons why good midos are so important? A: It’s very difficult to feel emotions toward Hashem when we cannot perceive Him. However, when we acquire good character traits toward our fellow men, they then become part of us and we can then transfer those attitudes toward Hashem. Therefore, it follows that someone who behaves in a hateful way toward other people [130]
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by definition cannot love Hashem. (Sing, You Righteous 727–728) Q: What is one of the greatest opportunities for accomplishment in our lives? A: In our houses. Most of us will not have the power to influence many people. However, we can still be great in our own home, based on what type of home we create. If we create a home that is based on the three principles of 1) serving Hashem, 2) chinuch, and 3) kindliness, then we are maximizing our potential in this world. (Awake, My Glory 1089–1094)
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9b. Emuna Q: What does it mean to believe in Hashem? A: It means to recognize His glory, wisdom, and power. But it also includes to recognize His kindness. This is an essential characteristic of Hashem. If you say you believe in G-d, but don’t know that He is kind, that’s like saying you believe in G-d, but then say He has seven arms and seven legs. It may be the right name, but it’s the wrong god. So too, believing in Hashem and fearing Him means to recognize that He is kind to us. It’s the main function of our lives to recognize this. (Awake, My Glory 915) Q: How can we have free will if Hashem knows what we will do? A: Hashem’s knowledge of the future isn’t like ours. A man can know the future in one of two ways: 1) If something has to happen because it’s the only possible result, and 2) if he knows what he intends to do. For example, a professor knows that his lecture hall will be empty at 1 a.m. because 1) no one can sit for so long, or 2) He doesn’t plan on lecturing that late. If Hashem’s knowledge of the future was one of these two things, then we would have no free will, because either 1) man’s nature is such that he has to behave in a certain way, or 2) Hashem plans on forcing us to act in a certain way. [132]
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However, neither of these things are true. Rather, Hashem knows the future in a completely different way, which is something that man cannot comprehend. However, somehow, Hashem is able to know in advance what man will choose with his free will, without actually interfering with his free will. (Awake, My Glory 674–676) Q: Why does Hashem sometimes frustrate man’s will? A: To teach man that he doesn’t really control the world, Hashem does. Sometimes Hashem will make things turn out not the way a man had planned, so that he can learn this lesson. (Sing, You Righteous 489) Q: Why do we have to put in the effort if really everything comes from Hashem? A: In order to maintain our free will. For example, if we would refuse to eat, then one of two things would happen: 1) We would die, which would be a sin, or 2) Hashem would have to miraculously give us life. But then His presence would be obvious, and we would no longer be tested in our belief of Hashem. (Rejoice, O Youth 853) Q: What does bitachon mean? A: Bitachon doesn’t mean trusting in Hashem with no logic. Rather, it’s the understanding that Hashem alone controls everything. Therefore, Related Topics
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when you desire something, the only One to turn to is Hashem. (Sing, You Righteous 497) Q: If we are required to put in our hishtadlus to take care of ourselves, isn’t this a contradiction to bitachon? How do we perform hishtadlus and yet still retain our bitachon that everything is Hashem? A: The way is through tefila. By praying for our needs before we act, and thanking Hashem for giving them to us after they are attained, we maintain an awareness that really we don’t accomplish things by our own actions. Rather, everything is from Hashem. (Sing, You Righteous 499)
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9c. Olam Haba Q: How are the instincts of man different than the instincts of animals? A: Animals have natural instincts that are necessary for them to survive. However, man has five natural urges that don’t seem to be necessary for survival: 1. The quest for the Unknown. Man desires to discover new things and to know the secrets of the Universe. An animal has no such instinct. 2. The desire for glory. Man wants attention and approval. Animals don’t have this desire. 3. The desire for pleasure. An animal wants to find food when it’s hungry. But once it’s full, it has no more desire. But a man’s desire for pleasure is never satisfied. 4. The desire to acquire. Animals collect only that which they need. But men spend their lives amassing possessions. 5. The desire to accomplish. Animals only do things when they have a purpose (such as building a nest, spinning a web, etc.). But man makes things simply for the desire to feel a sense of accomplishment. (Sing, You Righteous 5) Related Topics
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Q: What is the purpose of these urges that man has? A: These are the urges of the soul: to know Hashem and to achieve the Afterlife. However, those who don’t realize this will focus these urges in other areas: 1. The quest for the Unknown is the desire to know Hashem. Those who don’t realize this may focus this urge on the quest for scientific knowledge, the curiosity about how machines work, the desire to travel and see new places, etc. 2. The desire for glory is a desire to achieve true glory in Olam Haba. Those who don’t realize this direct this desire toward achieving earthly glory. 3. The desire for happiness is the desire to achieve happiness in Olam Haba. Those who don’t realize this are always seeking new foods, new toys, and other forms of fleeting happiness. 4. The desire to acquire is the desire a person has to learn Torah and improve his midos, so that he’ll have something valuable in Olam Haba.Those who don’t realize this are always seeking worldly possessions. [136]
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5. The desire to accomplish is the urge to fulfill as many mitzvos as possible, so that he will feel satisfied in Olam Haba. Those who don’t realize this try to accomplish other things in this world. (Sing, You Righteous 8) Q: What is the foundation of all faith? A: The foundation of faith is the awareness of the Afterlife. Being aware that there is another world where we will be either rewarded or punished is what motivates a person to accomplish in life, and to do good, and not evil. (Sing, You Righteous 542) Q: Is Olam Haba only an oral tradition, or is it alluded to in the Written Torah? A: It’s alluded to many times in the Torah. Some examples: 1. The Torah says when Avraham died, that he was “gathered unto his people.” This can’t mean that he was buried with his forefathers, because none of them were buried in Mearas Hamachpela. Rather, it must refer to Olam Haba, where his soul can join those of his forefathers. 2. The Torah says Yishmael was “gathered unto his people.” He wasn’t buried in Mearas Related Topics
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Hamachpela with his father, so it must refer to Olam Haba. 3. The Torah says that Yaakov was “gathered unto his people” when he died. He wasn’t brought to be buried in Eretz Yisrael until months later, so it must refer to Olam Haba. 4. The Torah says about both Moshe and Aharon that they were gathered unto their people. But they were both buried alone in the midbar, so it must refer to Olam Haba. (Rejoice, O Youth 134) Q: Why doesn’t the Torah discuss Olam Haba more explicitly? A: The Torah is intended to be a testimony to future generations. It says if you do mitzvos you will be rewarded, and if you do avairos, you will be punished. It only refers to rewards and punishments in this world, because that’s all we can see in our lifetimes. It doesn’t talk about Olam Haba, because that can’t be proven or demonstrated right now. (Unlike the other religions, which only promise reward and punishment in the next world. That way, you can never know if it’s true or not.) (Rejoice, O Youth 135) Q: Why don’t any of the prophets talk about the happiness of the World to Come? [138]
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A: Just as Hashem is limitless, and therefore can’t be seen, even by Moshe Rabbainu, so too the happiness in the World to Come, which comes from being close to Hashem, is limitless, and therefore it can’t be seen by any prophet. (Sing, You Righteous 10) Q: What is the enjoyment of the World to Come? A: It’s the enjoyment of viewing the endless greatness of Hashem’s wisdom, power, and kindliness. This enjoyment never ends. In the World to Come, we will view every detail of the history of the world, and it will be explained to us according to Hashem’s secrets and profound reasons. (Awake, My Glory 919)
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9d. Shabbas Q: How is Shabbas similar to Olam Haba? A: In a couple of ways: 1. Just as you have to work during the week to prepare for Shabbas, because no work can be done on Shabbas, so too you need to “work” during your life — learning Torah and performing mitzvos — as a preparation for Olam Haba. Once a person is in Olam Haba, nothing more can be accomplished. 2. Shabbas is a day that is removed from material issues. It’s a day of enjoyment when you can focus only on spiritual matters. This is similar to Olam Haba, which is removed from the physical world, and is purely spiritual. (Sing, You Righteous 540–541) Q: What is the purpose of the Shabbas day? A: Shabbas is the time to appreciate everything that Hashem created. (Sing, You Righteous 501) Q: What are the most important words in the Torah? A: The first ones: “In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth.” We learn from them that Hashem created everything in the world. That means that nothing exists by itself. Everything that exists is a miracle, and only exists because
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Hashem wants it to. And if Hashem wants them to exist, that means that everything in the world has a purpose. (Sing, You Righteous 469–470) Q: How do we demonstrate that the creation of the world is the most important principle? A: The exodus from Egypt is commemorated on Pesach. The giving of the Torah is commemorated on Shavuos. But the creation of the world is commemorated every week, on Shabbas. In addition, the punishment for violating Shabbas is more severe than the punishment for violating one of the yom tovim. This demonstrates the importance of the principle of Shabbas, that Hashem created the world. (Sing, You Righteous 472)
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9e. Tefila Q: How can we feel that we are in the presence of Hashem? A: There are two effective ways: 1. When Hashem speaks to us. Even though we no longer have prophecy, Hashem still speaks to us through the words of the Torah. When we learn the Torah, we can feel that Hashem is speaking to us, and we are in His presence. 2. When we speak to Him. This is done through tefila. (Rejoice, O Youth 819–821) Q: Isn’t prayer more effective than Torah study for feeling that you are before Hashem? A: No. The danger of prayer is that if you just ask Hashem for everything you want, you may start to feel that Hashem is passive, and just does whatever you want. That isn’t really worshipping Hashem, it’s worshipping yourself. You need to feel that your relationship with Hashem is mutual. You ask things from Him, but He also asks things from you. That’s why it’s so important to study the Torah, together with tefila. That way, we also know what Hashem is asking from us. (Rejoice, O Youth 821–822) [142]
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Q: Why is it so important to say brachos ? A: We enjoy so many benefits that they didn’t have in previous generations, from the abundance and variety of foods, to electricity, medicines, new inventions, etc. The least we can do is show appreciation to Hashem for all that He gives us. We do this by saying brachos. (Sing, You Righteous 806) Q: How does saying a bracha before food help enhance your enjoyment? A: It makes you appreciate what you have. If a drunk person would enjoy great benefits while he was intoxicated, when he found out about it when he was sober he would be upset, because he wasn’t able to appreciate the enjoyment. Preparing for an enjoyment (by saying a bracha) makes you appreciate it, and you therefore enjoy it more. (Awake, My Glory 842) Q: How is viewing the world similar to prayer? A: If you pray with concentration each time you pray, then as time goes on, your prayers improve, because you are constantly achieving a greater awareness of Hashem. On the other hand, if you pray by rote without any concentration, then as time goes on, your prayer gets worse, because you are just so used to it. By repeatedly saying your
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prayers with no concentration, you are training yourself to ignore Hashem. The same is true with viewing the world. If you see Hashem in the world, then the more you look, the more you see, and the greater will be your perception of Hashem. But if you ignore the obvious plan and purpose in the world, then the more you study, the less you will see of Hashem, because you are so used to viewing the world without seeing Hashem in it. (Sing, You Righteous 339) Q: What does the name “Jew” mean? A: “Jew” comes from Judah. The name Yehuda means to thank Hashem. The translation of the name “Jew” means to thank, because the essential task of a Jew is to praise and thank Hashem all day long. (Awake, My Glory 841)
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Remembering Rabbi Avigdor Miller Rabbi Avigdor Miller, zt”l, 1908–2001 by Rabbi Shmuel Brog (Reprinted from The Jewish Observer) (Abridged)
Beginnings Avigdor Miller was born to Yisroel and Hoda Riva Miller in Baltimore, Maryland, on the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5668 (August 29, 1908). Shy and reserved as a child, Avigdor displayed a keen interest in learning and a prodigious memory. First he attended his grandfather’s Talmud Torah. When he was a bit older, his father engaged a Gemara teacher for him. During this period he closeted himself for long hours, studying in the local shul. His love of learning led him to a second galus. At age seventeen, after graduating high school, he left Baltimore for Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan in New York, the only yeshivah in America at that time with a beis midrash. When he arrived in 1925, he found
the yeshivah, located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, with physical amenities that were far from luxurious. The yeshivah served day-old bread, collected from local bakeries. On Shabbos, the main course often consisted of sardines or hard-boiled eggs. Nevertheless, young Avigdor’s hasmadah (diligence) did not diminish. Having received a scholarship to attend the yeshivah, he became president of the student council. His erudition was quickly recognized, and one of his chiddushim (innovative Torah discussions) was in the school journal alongside the Torah insights of Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik, zt”l, the rosh yeshivah. While in the yeshivah, he arranged for bachurim to attend a private shiur (lecture) on the mussar classic Mesillas Yesharim given by Reb Yaakov Yosef Herman, zt”l (of All for the Boss fame). In 1932, Rabbi Izak Sher, zt”l, rosh yeshivah of the Slabodka Yeshivah in Lithuania, and son-in-law of the yeshivah’s founder, the Alter of Slabodka (Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel), zt”l, came to America to raise money for the yeshivah. While in the United States, Rabbi Sher delivered several shmuessen in the Broadway Central Hotel where he was staying. Young Avigdor Miller was impressed with the mussar system he espoused, and felt drawn to Slabodka. He had one problem: he was learning with great diligence, utilizing every spare moment; what more would he accomplish in Slabodka? He consulted Rabbi Yehuda Davis, an old friend of his from Baltimore, who had already been to Slabodka and was going back. [146]
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He advised him, “What it takes four hours to learn here, you can learn in one hour in Slabodka.” The decision was made. Rabbi Sher’s visit was during the Depression, and he did not come back with much money for his yeshivah, but he did succeed in returning with goods far more precious: dedicated American bachurim, who would eventually be instrumental in changing the face of American Jewry. Slabodka Years Reb Avigdor arrived in Slabodka before Shavuos. In Slabodka, his hasmadah became even more intense. During the first three hours of the day he wouldn’t talk to anyone, even if they wished to discuss the Gemara. If approached, he would motion “Later” with his hand. The yeshivah only provided one meal a day. The ten dollars monthly that his parents sent him went for rent and food, leaving little for clothing. Later, when the dollar was devalued and ten dollars was worth only five dollars, he often went hungry. No sacrifice was too big for the sake of enhanced Torah learning. In 1935, Reb Avigdor married Etel Lesin, the daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Lesin, zt”l, rav of NeustadtZugind, a prize student of the Alter of Slabodka. Rabbi Mordechai Shulman, zt”l, his rebbi’s son-in-law and later rosh yeshivah of Slabodka, was the shadchan, and was later involved in helping Reb Avigdor obtain a position in Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin. Remembering Rabbi Avigdor Miller
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In 1938, when the United States government advised all American citizens to return home because of the imminent war, Reb Avigdor was faced with a major problem. His wife had an eye infection, thus ineligible for a visa. Out of desperation, he personally pleaded with the American consul in Kovno, who—to his surprise— came from Baltimore and had attended the same high school as he, albeit at a different time. The consul, feeling an affinity for his fellow Baltimorian, arranged for their visas to be issued. Reb Avigdor used the opportunity to persuade the consul to also issue visas to America for Rabbi and Rebbetzin Shmuel Leib Svei, and their children (including today’s Philadelphia rosh yeshivah). Rabbi of Chelsea, Mass. Nine months after his return to Baltimore, Reb Avigdor became rav in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Immediately upon his arrival there, he took two important steps. He paid what was then an exorbitant sum of one hundred dollars for the right to say the daily daf, despite the fact that that sum could cover four to five months’ rent for a four-bedroom apartment in a fashionable neighborhood! He also announced on Shabbos morning that he would personally teach any older child free of charge. Rabbi Miller soon realized that he could not raise his children in Chelsea. For one year, he had a home tutor for his oldest son. The following year, he sent his son to a day school in Boston, while his oldest daughter attended a public school kindergarten in Chelsea. He [148]
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did not feel comfortable with these arrangements, so he resigned from his position without having another one. Shortly thereafter, Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner, zt”l, rosh yeshivah of Mesivta Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, offered him the position of mashgiach in the yeshivah. Years later, Rabbi Miller would jokingly say, “I thought hard for about thirty seconds—and then said yes.” Mashgiach and Rav When Rabbi Miller became the mashgiach of Mesivta Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin in 1944, Rabbi Hutner proposed that he would say the shiurim while Rabbi Miller would say the shmuessen. Rabbi Miller deferred to the rosh yeshivah, and concentrated on seeing that the bachurim were keeping the sedarim (schedule) and learning. Soon after his arrival in New York, Rabbi Miller also assumed the position of rav of the Young Israel of Rugby, in East Flatbush. He in fact became mashgiach and rebbi, as well, constantly teaching and delivering shiurim. His “sermons” were shmuessen, and he was ready to lend a listening ear and helping hand to all who sought his advice and assistance. In a few short years, Rabbi Miller had achieved a virtual miracle. He had changed the face of a small shul, with mostly religious Zionist members, at a time when keeping one’s store closed on Shabbos was the sign of a tzaddik, transforming it into a place of serious Torah study with emphasis on personal spiritual growth. Remembering Rabbi Avigdor Miller
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Perhaps his unstinting efforts coupled with his supreme bitachon were the catalyst for the vast siyatta diShmaya he ultimately had in influencing an entire generation. In the 1970s, due to the decline of the East Flatbush neighborhood, Rabbi Miller moved the shul to Flatbush, where it was called Beis Yisroel. From that small, unassuming building (he did not even permit the congregants to put up a sign with the shul’s name) on Ocean Parkway, he delivered his Torah classes and his masterful lectures that influenced an entire generation. Reaching Out to Klal Yisrael Rabbi Miller sincerely loved all Yidden from all walks of life, frum or not-yet-frum, and therefore his influence extended to all—and even more, was accepted by all. People the world over thought of Rabbi Miller as their rebbi, through his tapes, his books, or his speeches. Through his books alone, Rabbi Miller became mashgiach to countless bnei Torah throughout the world by discussing—and refuting—secular concepts that were assaulting basic Torah concepts, in a format too open-ended for the standard beis midrash shmuess. Hashkafah Despite having grown up in America of the early 1900s, Rabbi Miller came to appreciate the world through the Chovos HaLevavos. His knowledge of science helped him expound on the Shaar HaBechinah to encompass every aspect of life. He had the uncanny ability to [150]
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derive hashkafah from what would otherwise have seemed to be the most mundane items and occurrences in the world around him. Rabbi Miller constantly taught us to be thankful for every aspect of life. When it rained, he would encourage people to thank Hashem for the bountiful fruits and vegetables which were, in potential, pouring down from the heavens. He would explain the beauty in countless creations of Hashem, pointing out how their very shape, color, or size was uniquely suited to the purpose of the creation. “If we truly think, Hashem’s wisdom can be seen everywhere. Simply study the apple, the peach, your eye, your hand, and you will surely find a wisdom that can only be Hashem’s. For this we must give thanks; that is what life is all about.” He would point out that rather than create a world of black and white, Hashem filled the world with color and beauty to make it more attractive and pleasurable for people. Rabbi Miller assisted his son Rabbi Shmuel Miller in founding the Yeshiva Gedola Bais Yisroel in 1983, and served as menahel ruchani there. He also helped raise the funds for the yeshivah, said shmuessen in Yiddish weekly, and taught Ketzos HaChoshen to a group there once a week. In the Yeshiva, Rabbi Miller delivered a private vaad (discussion group on a mussar topic) once a month for a small group of top bachurim His vaadim were later transcribed into Hebrew and have been published as the two-volume Shaarei Orah. Remembering Rabbi Avigdor Miller
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Servant of Hashem Rabbi Miller’s humility was exemplary. He managed to cloak his greatness beneath layers of seeming simplicity. When complimented on his accomplishments, he would shrug off the comment. Once told of an individual in Minneapolis who had been considering suicide until he heard Rabbi Miller’s tapes, Rabbi Miller did not react, giving the impression that he had had nothing to do with it. On another occasion, he was accosted while leaving his Thursday night class by a family from Texas, who thanked him, saying, “We are all religious because of you.” He responded, “Thanks for making an old man happy,” and continued to go up to his apartment. This attitude can be understood by his comment at one of his vaadim. He said that if a person enjoys being praised for a mitzvah, then he did not do it completely leshem Shamayim, and the mitzvah is therefore less than perfect. His physical appearance was an outer manifestation of his inner harmony and continual growth. His regal appearance was the epitome of seder (order). His pants were always pressed; his white shirt, black kapotte, and shoes were spotless. He considered himself a servant who lived for his master, and “a servant of a King must appear neat and orderly.” In his everyday life, he displayed greatness, in the guise of normalcy and reason. For over sixty years he slept on a board, with everyone assuming that it was because of his weak back. His eating was completely for the sake of Heaven, and therefore he only ate and drank what he [152]
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felt was needed for nourishment. He only drank water, no coffee, tea, or soda. When he was young, he enjoyed partaking of a piece of cake, until he decided that it was not necessary. He stopped eating meat after returning from Europe in 1938, and he would only eat chicken koshered by his wife, until she was no longer able to kosher chicken. He would not dream of being stringent if it would burden her. It is interesting to note that Rabbi Miller did not find it beneath his dignity or a waste of his precious time to personally cover each book. Rather than delegate the job to his children or others, he chose to do it himself, and considered it an honor. He would say, “Every mother enjoys diapering her babies.” Ahavas Yisrael Rabbi Miller exuded a genuine warmth and enthusiasm for all Jews. His love for them was such that when he would meet other Jews, even those whom he did not know, he simply could not refrain from blessing them. One particular young man from a large Torah family recalls his mother gathering the children every Friday afternoon in order to walk around the corner and get a berachah from Rabbi Miller, who passed by at the same time each week. His abundant love for Yidden brought him to bless each house with a mezuzah on the door that he encountered in his walks. Similarly, when he passed a yeshivah, he Remembering Rabbi Avigdor Miller
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would shower the roshei yeshivah, their talmidim, and their families with berachos. Learning From a young age, and throughout his life, Rabbi Miller had a phenomenal memory as well as an almost unnatural ability to sit and learn for hours on end. With this melding of personal strengths, he reviewed Shas constantly. Rabbi Mordechai Weinberg, zt”l, late rosh yeshivah of Yeshiva Gedola of Montreal, once commented, “I don’t agree with everything Rabbi Miller says, but it is hard to argue with a man who reviews Shas every year!” Besides delving into Gemara, he put supreme effort into mastering Tanach and dikduk. His learning and hasmadah, when he was but a child in Baltimore, must have been extraordinary because another Baltimorian several years his junior was indelibly influenced by the sight of the older boy learning. He would watch him “rock back and forth with his elbows on the shtender,” and based on this example set by Rabbi Miller, he chose to dedicate his life to learning. That younger boy grew up to be the revered rosh yeshivah of Telshe, Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, zt”l. Even his five-minute walks to shul were occupied with Torah learning. Once a young man asked permission to accompany Rabbi Miller to shul on Friday night. Rabbi Miller responded, “I have a seder twenty-four hours a day. On my way to shul, I contemplate pesukim of Tehillim. If [154]
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you wish to listen to my thoughts, you are welcome to join me.” His petirah on 17 Nissan (April 20) brought people from all walks of life to fill his small shul, spilling out, crowding the surrounding streets, to pay their last respects to him. Indeed, the thousands who came to his funeral were living testimony to how much he is missed. And the tens of thousands of people all over the world who continue to listen to his tapes, and read, learn, and gain knowledge and direction from his printed word are a testimony to how he is still very much with us.
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Glossary Terms not defined in the text Akaidas Yitzchak — The binding of Isaac (Genesis 22) Amoraim — Sages of the period of the Talmud Avairos — Transgressions Avoda Zara — Idolatry Avos — Forefathers Bachurim — Yeshiva students Bais David — House (e.g. family) of King David Bais Hamikdash — Temple Bais Medrash — Study hall Baruch Hashem — Bless G-d [expression] Bavel — Ancient Babylon Bitachon — Trust that G-d controls everything Bnai Yisrael — The nation of Israel Bnai Torah — Those devoted to Torah values Bracha — Blessing (pl. brachos) Chava — Eve Chazal — The Sages Chinuch — Education Chovos Halevavos — Classical text on the mitzvos of the mind Chumash — Five Books of Moses Dikduk — Hebrew grammar
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Drashos — Dissertations Eretz Yisrael — Land of Israel Eruv — Shabbas enclosure Gehinom — Purgatory Gemara — Talmud Hamelech — The king Hashkafah — Perspective Hishtadlus — Effort Kapotte — Long coat Korbanos — Temple offerings Leshem Shamayim — For the sake of Heaven Machlokes — Dispute Mamleches Kohanim — Kingdom of Priests Mashiach — Messiah Matan Torah — The Giving of the Torah at Sinai Mearas Hamachpela — The Cave of Hamachpela in Hebron Menahel Ruchani — Spiritual guide Mesorah — Transmission of Torah values Midos — Character traits Muktzeh — Items not handled on the Sabbath Mussar — A system of spiritual refinement started by Rabbi Yisroel Salanter Nasi — “Prince”; the political leader of the Jewish nation in ancient times Olam Haba — The World to Come Ovdei — Hashem Servants of G-d Pasuk — Verse Petirah — Passing away Rabbainu — Our teacher Ribis — Monetary interest (e.g. lending with interest) Sefer — Book (pl. seforim) Shas — Talmud in its entirety
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Shaar Habechinah — Chapter in Chovos Halevavos concerned with Bechina Shel Rosh — Tefillin worn on the head Shel Yad — Tefillin worn on the arm Shiur — Class/lesson (pl. shiurim) Shmuess — Lecture Shul — Synagogue Siddur — Prayer book Siyatta Dishmaya — Help from Heaven Talmid Chacham — Torah Scholar Talmidim — Student (pl. talmidim) Tamai — Impure Tanach — All 24 books of the Bible Tannaim — Sages of the period of the Mishna Tefila — Prayer Tzadikim — Righteous people Tzedaka — Charity Yemach Shemam — May their name be erased [expression] Yetzer Hara — Inclination for evil Yetzias Mitzrayim — The Exodus from Egypt Zatzal — Of blessed memory Books of the Bible Devarim — Deuteronomy Koheles — Ecclesiastes Shmuel Aleph — Samuel 1 Shmuel Bais — Samuel 1 Tehillim — Psalms Vayikra — Leviticus Yeshayahu — Isaiah
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Books by Rabbi Avigdor Miller Chumash (Torah) The Beginning A Nation is Born  A Kingdom of Cohanim Journey into Greatness Fortunate Nation Jewish History Behold a People Torah Nation Exalted People
Hashkafah/Jewish Ideology Rejoice O Youth! Sing, You Righteous Awake My Glory The Universe Testifies
Tefila (Prayer) Praise, My Soul
Books by Rabbi Avigdor Miller published by Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel/ Simchas Hachaim Publishing
Career of Happiness:True Joy in the Home Tefilas Avigdor (Hebrew commentary on the siddur) Chovos Halevavos: • Ohr Avigdor Hakdama • Ohr Avigdor Shaar Habechinah • Ohr Avigdor Shaar Avodas Elokim • Ohr Avigdor Shaar Bitachon A Divine Madness (Holocaust) Perfection in Marriage Asking Hashem (Yamim Noraim/Tefilah) Most Beautiful Nation (Shir Hashirim) The Truth of the Torah (Shavuos/Mesorah) Gifts From Hashem (by Rabbi Moshe Goldberger) Pocketful of Simcha series • Climb the Ladder • Five Minutes a Day • Miracles Everywhere! • Simcha Minute Book • SimchaMinute 2 • The Secret to Happiness • The Wise Woman
Daily inspiration in the footsteps of Rabbi Avigdor Miller New content 6 days a week Popular writers on topics like emunah, marriage, prayer, spirituality, and more New audio and video from top speakers
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“Many seek an area to accomplish something, but the best of achievements is inside of one’s own mind: ‘The eyes of the fool are upon the end of the earth’ (Mishlei 17:24). Turn your gaze inward, for here is the area of true achievement: to train oneself in the duties of the mind, and to accustom the thoughts to dwell on Hashem.” — Awake, My Glory