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7.19.2006

PERSONALITIES-----r' avigdor miller


Did Rav Miller mekarev people straight from being non-frum to becoming frum?

I mean, I love his books & tapes, but even already-frum people I know comment that he is "extreme", and I assumed that many non-frum people would be put off by some of his positions.



Yes, he did. There are Jews, thousands of them, from places like Alabama or Missouri, who just by reading his books and listening to his tapes became frum.
Although I am certain that his approach would not successfully make every non frum Jew want to become frum - there is no one approach that does that - and if someone wants, let's say a touchy touchy feely tiptoe through the tulips new age spirituality to turn him on, it may not work. Sigh.

But it is an error to think that there are no people out there who would not be convinced to become frum when they see that it is the truth. That was, and is, the strength of Rabbi Miller's approach. It is based not on Cholent, or songs, or cute frum members of the opposite gender, but on Torah, and nothing is better than that.

In fact, I could safely say that, without any organization, without any PR department, without holding any kiruv "events", just by the strength of revealing what the Torah has to say about the world, he succeeded in being Mekarev more people than any other individual (not organization) on this planet.

Whenever someone tells you that the truth "turns off" people, please bear Rabbi Miller's success in mind.

The problem is, he was a Godol in Torah Hashkafa, a very big one, and very few people have the knowledge and skills to do what he did.

So instead of Torah, they use cholent, or a little of both.

There are many Truth Seekers out there - both in the frum world and in the non-frum. And even more people who, while not seeking the truth, will not defy it if it happens to slap them in the face.

That’s how Rabbi Miller succeeded. His audience were those who were honest, and, after seeing what he had to say, found, whether they wanted to or not, that they won the lottery, because they are Jewish. All that was left was for them to collect their prize.

So they became frum. Or more frum.


MODERATOR Posted - 20 April 2001 18:20


Klall Yisroel was shattered early this morning by the news of the Petirah of one of the great Torah personalities of our generation, HaRav HaTzadik Rav Avigdor Miller Zt"l.


If there was anyone in the world who was able to answer your questions about Yiddishkeit, it was him.

The funeral will IYH take place this Sunday morning 9:30 am, at Khal Bais Yisroel, 1819 Ocean Parkway, off Ave P, in Brooklyn.

All of us, who have the opportunity to be at the Levaya and give Kovod to this paragon of righteousness and Torah Hashkofo, should be there.

Tehai Nishmaso Tzrurauh B'Tzror HaChaim.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

huh? what does that have to do with Rav Miller? I think you might have typed the link wrong.

amolam said...

its all about R Miller, am i missing something?

Anonymous said...

Na, it was probably my mistake or something. it works now. thanks