Re: טיפע רעיונות פון הגאון רבי אביגדור מיללער זצ"ל
Rav Avigdor Miller on Erev Yom Kippur and Motza’ei Yom Kippur Thoughts
Q:
What should be one of our thoughts on Erev Yom Kippur?
A:
It’s very important to get into your head that Yom Kippur, the day itself, is mechaper. A Jew who says that Yom Kippur doesn't accomplish anything, so Yom Kippur is not mechaper; it doesn't atone for him.
And by the way, that's a very big worry for very many of us; even many pious Jews have failed to learn the lesson. Yom Kippur, the day of Yom Kippur, wipes out your sins if you do teshuvah. Every second of that glorious day – even when you're sleeping – it's wiping out; it's erasing, it's cleansing your soul of sins if you do teshuvah. But if you don't believe it; if people think it's only my repentance that wipes out the sins, then they won't have Yom Kippur. Suppose a person does teshuvah with all his heart, but he doesn't believe that Yom Kippur can help, then Yom Kippur will not help.
It’s the same like Olam Haboh. כל ישראל יש להם חלק לעולם הבא – All Jews have a share in the world to come, ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא – but these lose their share: האומר אין תחיית המתים מין התורה – if he doesn't believe in techiyas hameisim. Oh, you don't believe in it? So you won't get it.
So therefore all the enlightened Jews, all the Modern Orthodox who don't believe in Olam Haboh won’t get it. Some Modern Orthodox don't believe in Olam Haboh. I heard once the president of the National Mizrachi of America speaking. He said Olam Haboh means the future of the Jewish nation; that’s the world to come. He said it in public! It was in Massachusetts. It wasn't New York City so he thought he’d get away with it. But now his words are being re-echoed right here in Brooklyn.
Olam Haboh and Yom Kippur – if you don't believe in them literally so you won't have them.
TAPE # 16 (September 1973)
A:
What should we think about on motza’ei Yom Kippur?
A:
On motza’ei Yom Kippur the first thing is to say, “Hashem, how good it is to eat! It’s so much fun to eat!” And I’m serious about that. “Boruch Hashem, how good food is! How good a glass of water is!” All year long you forget about it, and that’s a pity. It’s a pity. Food is very good. Water is very good. So that’s the first lesson of motza’ei Yom Kippur. And be sure not to lose that lesson. “Ahh! Boruch Hashem for food! הזן את העולם כולו – You’re feeding the entire world!”
And then you begin counting. After Yom Kippur you begin counting the days. “Look; yesterday was Yom Kippur, and now it’s a different day. It’s not the tenth day of the month anymore. Now it’s eleven days since the year began. Eleven days! Eleven days and I’m still alive! Oooh! Boruch Hashem! Boruch Hashem!”
Do you ever think about that? Well, you better think so. And then the twelfth day. And the thirteenth day. And so on motza’ei Yom Kippur you have to think, “Boruch Hashem! I was able to live through Yom Kippur! Boruch Hashem I’m still around.”
And so the great service of appreciating what Hashem does for us is one of the very most important things you can do in this world.
TAPE # E-201 (September 1999)
Q:
What should be one of our thoughts on Erev Yom Kippur?
A:
It’s very important to get into your head that Yom Kippur, the day itself, is mechaper. A Jew who says that Yom Kippur doesn't accomplish anything, so Yom Kippur is not mechaper; it doesn't atone for him.
And by the way, that's a very big worry for very many of us; even many pious Jews have failed to learn the lesson. Yom Kippur, the day of Yom Kippur, wipes out your sins if you do teshuvah. Every second of that glorious day – even when you're sleeping – it's wiping out; it's erasing, it's cleansing your soul of sins if you do teshuvah. But if you don't believe it; if people think it's only my repentance that wipes out the sins, then they won't have Yom Kippur. Suppose a person does teshuvah with all his heart, but he doesn't believe that Yom Kippur can help, then Yom Kippur will not help.
It’s the same like Olam Haboh. כל ישראל יש להם חלק לעולם הבא – All Jews have a share in the world to come, ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא – but these lose their share: האומר אין תחיית המתים מין התורה – if he doesn't believe in techiyas hameisim. Oh, you don't believe in it? So you won't get it.
So therefore all the enlightened Jews, all the Modern Orthodox who don't believe in Olam Haboh won’t get it. Some Modern Orthodox don't believe in Olam Haboh. I heard once the president of the National Mizrachi of America speaking. He said Olam Haboh means the future of the Jewish nation; that’s the world to come. He said it in public! It was in Massachusetts. It wasn't New York City so he thought he’d get away with it. But now his words are being re-echoed right here in Brooklyn.
Olam Haboh and Yom Kippur – if you don't believe in them literally so you won't have them.
TAPE # 16 (September 1973)
A:
What should we think about on motza’ei Yom Kippur?
A:
On motza’ei Yom Kippur the first thing is to say, “Hashem, how good it is to eat! It’s so much fun to eat!” And I’m serious about that. “Boruch Hashem, how good food is! How good a glass of water is!” All year long you forget about it, and that’s a pity. It’s a pity. Food is very good. Water is very good. So that’s the first lesson of motza’ei Yom Kippur. And be sure not to lose that lesson. “Ahh! Boruch Hashem for food! הזן את העולם כולו – You’re feeding the entire world!”
And then you begin counting. After Yom Kippur you begin counting the days. “Look; yesterday was Yom Kippur, and now it’s a different day. It’s not the tenth day of the month anymore. Now it’s eleven days since the year began. Eleven days! Eleven days and I’m still alive! Oooh! Boruch Hashem! Boruch Hashem!”
Do you ever think about that? Well, you better think so. And then the twelfth day. And the thirteenth day. And so on motza’ei Yom Kippur you have to think, “Boruch Hashem! I was able to live through Yom Kippur! Boruch Hashem I’m still around.”
And so the great service of appreciating what Hashem does for us is one of the very most important things you can do in this world.
TAPE # E-201 (September 1999)
Chatzarforshay עט gmail.com