Benzion Miller : A Modern Day Chazan

Benzion Miller

Sociologists and other researchers who study a society's norms, customs and behaviors often examine the community's music as a way of tracing the community's historical development. This is particularly true of the American Jewish experience which has always included music in its liturgy, life-cycle ceremonies and daily life.

The first Jews to arrive in North American came in the mid-1600s. These people were refugees whose families had fled the Spanish Inquisition. moved to Holland and then to South America. When the Inquisition came to South America they moved northward, arriving in South Carolina and slowly moving northward to New York and New England.

The early American Jewish community defined itself as Separadic, as most of the members of the community had ancestors who had fled Spain in 1492. Until the 1800s Jewish communal life in America revolved around Sephardic traditions but in the mid-1800s German Jews began to immigrate to America, bringing their own traditions and a new Ashkanazi culture. This wave of Jewish immigration continued through the late 1800s and early 1900s as almost two million Eastern European Jews immigrated to America's shores.

This wave of European Jewish immigration included some of the greatest hazzans -- cantors -- of the era. Singing during prayer can be traced in Jewish liturgy to Temple times and worship through song has continued ever since. Hazzanut began to come into its own in 19th century Europe where hazzans chanted the services, oftentimes before the great rabbis of the era or in Hassidic courts.

The "Golden Age" of hazzanut peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when cantors such as Yossele Rosenblatt, Gershon Sirota, Zaval Kwartin, David Roitman and Yankev Shmuel Maragowski joined the wave of immigration to America. These cantors performed in synagogues, Jewish community centers and in American cultural venues before the general American public. The generation of immigrant Jews adored these hazzans whose renditions of the traditional prayers brought back poignant memories of their shtetel childhoods, families and Eastern European communities.

The Holocaust took a tremendous toll on the world of Ashkanazi hazzanut. The traditional centers of Ashkanazi hazzanim were destroyed and there were no new centers of training in which young hazzanim could learn the traditional craft. In America, however, a new generation of American students has sparked a resurgence of hazzanut.

Benzion Miller is one of the most talented and prolific modern-day hazzanim. He himself is a Hassid and his hazzanut is favored by many Hassidic rebbes, both in America and in Israel. Benzion Miller was born in a DP Camp in Fernwald, Germany in 1947. His father, Cantor Reb Aaron Daniel Miller, was a well-known hazzan and Benzion began to appear with his father at an early age, singing at public gatherings, such as Bar Mitzvahs, "Melave Malka" gatherings, and other Jewish functions. The Miller family were Bobover Hassidim and Benzion attended the Bobover Yeshiva in Brooklyn, NY and the Bobover Yeshiva Kedushat Zion in Bat Yam, Israel. Following his yeshivah experience Miller moved to Montreal to study music theory and voice production with some of North America's foremost cantors. He headed the Yeshiva Choir as a soloist and was invited to sing in many solo performances.

At age 18 Benzion Miller was offered the position of Cantor at the Hillside Jewish Center in Hillside, NJ. Since that time he has filled positions in Montreal, Toronto and the Bronx. He presently serves as full-time "shaliach tzibur" at the Beth-El Congregation of Borough Park/Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park. He also functions as a mohel and as a shochet for the community.

Miller continues to be a follower of the Bobover Rebbe and often performs for the Rebbe. He is recognized as one of the foremost interpreters of Jewish liturgical music of the times and he is equally at home performing Operatic Repertoire as he is singing Jewish and Chassidic Folk Music. He has appeared with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, the Haifa Symphony, the Rishon L'Tzion Symphony, the Jerusalem Symphony and with members of the London Symphony. Following the fall of communism in Russia Miller appeared before Eastern European audiences in Russia, Romania, Poland and Hungry. He has sung liturgical, Chassidic and Yiddish music with the Budapest State Opera Orchestra.

In November 1998 Miller sang with Barcelona National Symphony Orchestra, recording some of his best known pieces for  Lowell Milken's  Archive of American Jewish music. 

Curing Dissociative or Split Personality Disorder

by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

The verse in Jeremiah states, “I have surely heard Ephraim complaining.”[1] Chassidut explains that someone complains because they have found in their psyche two opposite impulses. The simplest such impulses are known as the good and evil inclinations. Even when one learns Tanya, and reads that one has both a Divine soul and an animal soul, he may not internalize the fact that this is not describing some theoretical situation; this is really how his psyche is! But, as a person matures in his understanding of Chassidut, he sees more and more that he is on a psychological see‐saw; alternating between two personalities.

Jeremiah states, ”I have surely heard (שָׁמוֹעַ שָׁמַעְתִּי),” which literally means, “Heard, I have heard.” One explanation for the use of the double verb is that Jeremiah at times hears Ephraim going in one direction, and at times he hears him going in the opposite direction. This is the prelude to Ephraim’s teshuvah (return to God and His Torah).[2]

Individual and Society

If these two personalities are something that we all have, why is Ephraim (אֶפְרָיִם) brought as such a prominent example? We can find the answer by looking at the letters of his name itself. With regard to the first three letters, פר indicates the individual (as in the word “individual” פְּרָט), whereas the first letter א symbolizes the oneness of the Almighty.

The fact that the second and third letters follow, or are “drawn to” the first, symbolizes how each individual member of the Jewish people is drawn to God’s unity and oneness, represented by the letter aleph (א).[3] But, the first three letters are also drawn towards the fourth and fifth letters of Ephraim’s name; the yud and mem (ים). In Hebrew grammar, these two letters are a suffix that indicates plurality.

This means that a plurality (ים) exists even within an individual (פר). In our drive to actualize our fullest potentials, we must also learn to balance between the animal soul on the one side, and the Divine soul on the other. When each of us is able to manifest our abilities to the fullest, we are all also granted the highest level of life—or the pinnacle of all our pursuits—our connection to the aleph (א), or the oneness of God.[4]

This is one possible explanation for what it means to “complain” (מִתְנוֹדֵד), and why Ephraim (אֶפְרָיִם) is torn between these two extremes more than others. Whereas the animal soul only cares about its own individual cravings and pursuits, the Divine soul seeks to connect and unify with the Godly oneness as manifest in all.

Expressing our Uniqueness

In Rabbinic literature, a desire to express uniqueness is referred to as, "The general that requires the individual." Each person wants to reveal their latent powers and abilities, which is one of the reasons why people want to have children. By having offspring, they reveal their potential. This concept certainly relates to Ephraim (אֶפְרָיִם), as his name is conjugate to the verb, “to be fruitful” (פְּרוּ).

Healthy Anxiety

The form of anxiety that a person feels when they see themselves as having a split-personality is potentially something most positive. A person who harbors false beliefs, or worships idols (as did Ephraim), becomes very anxious and nervous as a result.[5] The best way to cure such false anxieties is to redirect them in a proper and positive way. A person who fluctuates between two impulses, or who is confounded by his two personalities, also has the ability to make the bold decision to “have nothing more to do with idols.”[6]

As will be explained in our upcoming article on Mother Rachel, Ephraim is also the child that Rachel most weeps for. Even though his situation seemed hopeless, in the end he was called the “most precious” child.[7]

Each member of the Jewish people experiences this “split personality” between either being far removed or precious. Although Mother Rachel continues to weep, she has also been promised by God that those children that seem far from the fold of Judaism, will eventually return and be considered the “most precious” children of God in the end of days.

Adapted from Rabbi Ginsburgh’s class, Ra'anana, 6 Tishrei 5774

[1] Jeremiah 31:17.

[2] As was explained earlier in the shiur, relating to the verse; ʺEphraim [says], ʹI have nothing more to do with idolsʹʺ (אפרים מה לי עוד לעצבים). Hosea 14:9.

[3] Which has a numerical value of 1.

[4] This paragraph of course summarizes the formation of the name Ephraim (אֶפְרָיִם).

[5] The word for ʺidolsʺ in the verse, ʹI have nothing more to do with idolsʹʺ (אפרים מה לי עוד לעצבים), is עצבים, which is also used to designate nerves, or having a nervous tendency or anxiety. From this we can learn that whoever has false beliefs, similar to what idolatry was, is prone to suffer from anxiety or nervous tension.

[6] Hosea 14:9.

[7] ʺIs my precious son Ephraim…ʺ (הֲבֵן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרָיִם). Jeremiah 31:19.

Source: Rabbi Ginsburgh

Answers from the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Below is a collection of questions presented to the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1952 and his fascinating answers to these questions.

With best wishes for a ksiva va’chssima tova, a good and sweet year.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is the meaning of a ‘Brocha’ which the Rebbe Blesses?

A: The giving and receiving of a Brocha can be traced back to the times of our forefathers Abraham, Issac and Jacob, whom G-d had blessed with the power of blessing and who blessed their children on solemn occasions. Since that time it has always been a custom. In the words of my father-in-law the meaning of a Brocha is like rain (Gishmei Brocha). Rain can accomplish its function and be useful only when preceded by the plowing and tilling of the soil, planting the seeds and preparing the soil for growing. However, should rain fall on unplowed and untilled soil, not only won’t it accomplish its function but furthermore it may cause damage. The same applies to a Brocha, the body (actions and desires of the body) must be tilled and plowed (properly executing them according to the Torah). Only then will the Brocha be useful and help the blessed elevate himself to a higher standard.

Q: What is the difference between a Rebbe and A Rabbi?

A: a Rabbi is the one who teaches his pupils when they approach him and will answer shaalos [questions] when brought before him. A Rebbe does not wait for anyone to approach him, he reaches forth among the people and tries to awaken them and inspire them, and tries to find ways and methods to bring them closer to their religion.

Q: What is a Rebbe?

A: A Rebbe is one whose soul embraces so to speak the souls of his Chassidim. In other words, his Chassidim have a particular soul relationship with their Rebbe, receiving through him Divine blessings, material and spiritual. When a Chassid comes to the Rebbe with a problem he tries to find in the Rebbe the part of his soul which is included in the Rebbe’s soul and connect it with his soul and thus be connected with the Rebbe’s soul. It is through this connection that the Chassid receives his material and spiritual life and needs. For example, lets us take the electric bulb which produces light. The bulb itself is incapable of producing light, however there are electrical power plants stationed in some distant part of the city which generate the necessary power to produce the light. There must be a channel through which the power can pass and reach each individual bulb. The bulb itself must contain some device which enables it to receive the power. That is the wire which is connected to the power plant and is also connected to the bulb, when this connection is opened by turning on the switch the bulb receives the power and will function. The same applies to a Rebbe and Chassidim. The Rebbe is the power plant which produces the needed strength and power to fulfill the commandments and obligations and also to convey the necessary material needs. The channel through which the Chassid can receive the strength and material necessities is his soul which is connected to the soul of the Rebbe. The sole duty of a Rebbe is to convey the above mentioned spiritual and material necessities to his Chassidim. Although the Rebbe is also required to fulfill his bodily functions (eating, sleeping etc.) however that is not his purpose or true function. The necessity to fulfill them is solely because his soul is bound with an earthly body which cannot exist without these necessities. An example for this would be when one approaches a Rabbi complaining of a headache and the Rabbi offers him an aspirin as a remedy it is useless to say that this is the function of a Rabbi. The same is with the Rebbe in his bodily functions.

Q: Can everyone become a Rebbe?

A: Being this is a special power presented from above, not everyone is capable of receiving this power and help.

Q: Can everyone elevate himself to the standard of ‘Ruach Hakodesh’

A: Every Jew has the potential for it, but it requires special preparations in learning and mainly by limiting ones desires and temptations. Only then can he rise to that standard. But every Jew, being he is a Jew gives him the potentiality to acquire it.

Q: Is the function of a Rebbe like that of a psychologist? Can the Rebbe take the place of a psychiatrist?

A: If necessary the Rebbe would use psychology to help solve the problem of a Chassid, but that is only a small part of his work. And even then there is a difference between a Rebbe and a Psychiatrist. When a psychiatrist speaks to his patient he regards him as an object of study. Though he is interested in curing his patient and in helping him to adjust to life, his approach is to derive not only a healthy patient but an accumulation of information about the human being for his further study. A Rebbe gives himself over completely to the person. When he is seeking a solution, the Rebbe does not study him but is more emotionally involved with the person who comes to see him.

Q: If the actual fulfillment of the commandment is more important than the knowledge behind it, and therefore one should do and carry out the laws even if he lacks the explanation, we are living a life of blind faith.

A: When a child is hungry and wants to eat immediately, his mother does not explain to him all the processes the food goes through, or how the oven functions, rather she gives him the food immediately so as to stop his hunger and then she can proceed in explaining the methods by which the food is prepared. Or when a doctor prescribes a medicine he doesn’t explain the contents or the way it was prepared. The doctor gives the patient the medicine that is to cure him, although he lacks the knowledge of medicine. Just as one needs food for his physical life, so does one need food for his spiritual life. The spiritual food is the commandments and obligations prescribed in the Torah. One must take the food although he lacks the explanation of them, in order to survive (spiritually). After fulfilling them if he still desires to have the knowledge then can he go about to attain it.

Q: What is the purpose (‘tachlis’) of Life?

A: To bring ‘Lichtikeit’ (in the spiritual meaning) into the world.

Q: What is the ‘Tachlis’ of ‘Lichtikeit’?

A: To find a harmonious life. One can be in complete harmony when he has found the truth.

Q: How does one know that he has reached the ‘Tachlis’?

A: One seeks something when he lacks something. When nothing is lacking he will not seek. If one has ‘Lichtikeit’ he will not be seeking anything then he will know that he reached the ‘Tachlis’.

Q: How can one prove and explain scientifically the need of religion?

A: When we see something, we can say that it happened accidently, or that it happened or was made on purpose. For instance take a book in which you find hundreds of words composing many thoughts and finally an entire book. If you have never seen or heard about a printing press what would you say about the making of the book? That a bottle of ink spilled accidently on paper was the cause of this book or you would say that it was made by someone with a purpose. Undoubtedly, you will say that it was made with a purpose and it did not occur accidently by the spilling of a bottle of ink. Now, take a pencil or any article, the pencil contains billions of atoms which have the same law, would you say that all the atoms happen to function by the same law accidently, or that a higher force created them so, we must say it was created by a higher force. This will surely apply when we look about our surroundings and we find various different articles, an entire world with all its inhabitants. The formation of these beings could not have been by incident, it is only through a higher force that made it possible. We have now asserted that the world is a creation, and that it has a creator, Almighty G-d. Therefore, this compels us to state further that the Creator has a specific purpose in creating this earthly world. Considering the standard of living without any purpose, merely to carry out the bodily and earthly functions, we can’t picture a greater cruelty than that. To place the billions of human beings in this earthly world and torture them by equalizing their desires and to that of animals, would be the greatest cruelty. Thus we would be compelled to state that the Almighty is cruel to the fullest extent, this is impossible too. Therefore, there must be some purpose to the creation, which makes the world a means of elevation to a higher life. This means is the belief in G-D and His commandments, through which one can connect himself to G-D. This is a simple proof that there must be religion and that there must be a Creator.

Q: There being more than one religion, how can one prove that the Jewish religion is the true one?

A: A scientific discovery is accepted only when there is enough evidence or proof that the discovery is true. Ample evidence means, after reaching the result of the experiment one time it is repeated again and again and if the results coincide with that of the first we then establish the truthfulness of the discovery. The same is also true, when 600 people performed an experiment using the same implements and 100 people performed the same experiment on that same basis and the results showed that the 600 people stated a belief on the basis of their experiments, while the 100 disagreed with them on the basis of their experiment you would accept the results of the 600 more readily than that of the 100.

Let us now consider the evidence which is given to confirm the other religions. The Moslems are well known to have had only one witness at the time of its origin. Furthermore, the only witness was only a mentally sick person. The Christians had only six or twelve witnesses to affirm its origin. The Jewish religion at the time of it's origin, meaning at the time of the revelation on Mt. Sinai, had 600,000 Jews to witness this occurrence. Those said witnesses themselves were present at the giving of the Torah and they themselves heard the voice of G-D pronouncing the commandments. The 600,000 witnesses consisted not merely of scholars but were composed of all walks of life, different occupations and professions (scholars, workers, scientist etc.), and all of them confirmed that same fact, the revelations of G-D on Mt. Sinai and the giving of the Torah. On that basis you must conclude that the Jewish religion is a more firmly established fact, and therefore it has the greatest amount of truth.

Q: What proof is there that there were 600,000 witnesses present at the time of the revelation?

A: If we will trace back generation by generation, we will find in each 600,000 people who will confirm the said fact, and they were told by their elders who in turn received the confirmation from their elders. This can be continued until the said generation who actually did witness the fact of revelation. This continuous transformation can be traced without the interruption of a single generation who should lack 600,000 people confirming the truthfulness of the giving of the Torah, and the observance of its commandments. Therefore, the proof is still present being it was never interrupted. And in this world witnesses are the best means of proof. No other religion can trace that far back and furthermore, to have that many witnesses. Adding all this together we must conclude that the real true existing religion is the Jewish religion.

Q: How can we say that the Jews truly believe in G-d when immediately after the receiving of the Torah they made the golden calf?

A: The forming of the golden calf did not signify their disbelief in G-d or contradict the fact of the revelation. It was only a transgression of one of the commandments which state the prohibition of believing in any other power but Almighty G-d.

Q: Does Science contradict Religion?

A: Science cannot contradict religion. Religion is true and science is true, therefore there cannot be any contradiction.

Q: Aren’t there many cases that bring up a contradiction between the two?

A: It is not science but the men of science who may state a fact that will contradict religion. While they are in the midst of understanding the truthfulness of science, their knowledge is too limited and therefore they may come out with a statement that will contradict. But, science itself is true and cannot contradict religion.

Q: Some people would feel that being a good Jew does not necessarily mean adhering to the precepts of Torah. They feel they could be good Jews without fulfilling the ‘Mitzvos’. How could this be explained to them?

A: When a doctor prescribes a medicine and the patient is reluctant and stubborn about taking it, the doctor, if he is honest, would not lead him astray and tell his patient to take something else in its place that would not have the same affect. Instead, he would try to explain the patient the necessity of taking the medicine and relinquish the patient until he has exhausted all means of convincing him. Or, if one is in a coma and it is difficult to revive him a good friend would not give up on his task of trying to awaken him. He would do his utmost to help this individual, even if it means to hurt him for his benefit. If necessary he would give him shock treatments if he knows the patient will revive.

Q: Why do we need ceremonies? Aren’t they a burden upon a person?

A: We have already explained that the Almighty G-D is the perfect goodness. He would not create a thing that would be a burden for the people. It is only the people who consider it a burden. For, we are all limited to a certain degree, our mind and understanding is also limited which makes it impossible for us to grasp certain mitzvos to their fullest extent. Therefore, our intellect has not extended that far to grasp the truthfulness of the commandments and the necessity of performing the prescribed ceremonies. However, being Almighty G-d commanded us to do such, it is surely a privilege and not a burden.

Q: Does a Rebbe use his supreme powers always?

A: As the means, the Rebbe tries to apply the most simple method and only after medical help does not prove successful will the Rebbe use his supreme power.

Source: Nissan Mindel Publications

Understanding Dreams in Judaism

A fascinating half hour shiur on Dreams from Rabbi Zvi Zimmerman:

click here to listen [Last one on the page].

HT:  Yaak

Yerida L'tzorech Aliyah

There is no ascent [aliyah] without a prior descent [yeridah]. The lower the descent, the higher the potential ascent.

Judgments: Above and Below



"When there is no judgment below, there is judgment above". [Devarim Rabbah 5:4]

"You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your fellow man. And do not bear (lo tisa) sin on his account."  [Leviticus 19:17]

Reuven scoffed and cursed a Torah scholar.  The following day the scholar went to the rabbinic court to sue.  Reuven's friends asked the scholar to forgive Reuven, but he refused.

The peacemakers said: "You have already renounced your claim against him three times."

"When did I renounce my claim?" asked the scholar, "and before whom?"

"Before Hashem" said the peacemakers.  "In the prayers of Mincha, Arvit and Shacharit, which you prayed since yesterday's unfortunate incident.  At the end of the Amidah you said "To those who curse me, my soul will be silent".  After such a declaration how can you speak in court against someone who cursed you?"

"You have spoken well" said the scholar, "but allow me to explain the true meaning of this prayer.

"There are two ways to lodge a complaint. Either the soul can speak in the Heavenly Court when it ascends each night, or the body can speak in the earthly court.

"The prayer says "To those who curse me, my soul will be silent".  I am still entitled to lodge a complaint in the earthly court.

"Woe to the victim who cries out, more than to the one who wronged him." [Bava Kamma 93a]

A victim calls upon G-d to punish the one who wronged him - and Heaven treats the victim more severely!  Why?

Let's say Reuven called on G-d to judge Shimon for doing him a grave injustice. Shimon will not be punished until the Heavenly Court judges him.  But Reuven himself probably wronged others at some point in his life - and for him, judicial procedures can be dispensed with.  He himself admitted that such sins warrant severe punishment!

Source: from the writings of the Ben Ish Chai

Thought for the Day

With firm will and unshakable determination, you soon find that difficulties are often imaginary and even when real, not insurmountable! [Lubavitcher Rebbe]

Art Andrzej Radka

Remembering the Deeds of Irena Sendler

When Yad Vashem was established in 1953 the Remembrance Authority’s mission included a program of honoring the Chasidey Umos Haolam -- the Righteous Among the Nations. As worldwide Jewry memorialized the victims and struggled with the enormity of the loss and the impact of the total abandonment and betrayal Europe’s Jews the Yad Vashem program was established in order to remember those individuals who put their lives and the lives of their families at risk to as they rescued Jews.

In 1965 Yad Vashem honored a Polish woman, Irena Sendler, who worked with a unique Polish underground group which specialized in helping Jews escape the Nazi dragnet. After the Yad VaShem ceremony however, Sendler returned to Poland and her story was almost lost to history although, according to records, she saved more than twice as many Jewish lives as the renowned Oskar Schindler of "Schindler's List" fame.

In 1999, by chance, a group of Kansas City students came across Sendler's story. They were fascinated by the sheer volume of lives that she had managed to save and, in the following years, they embarked on a research project that turned into the "Life in a Jar" project -- an acclaimed book, website and performance.

Irena Sendler was a young social worker when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939. She was one of the first Zagota -- an underground group which specialized in assisting Jews -- members. Through the first two years of the war she helped forge documents and locate hiding places for hundreds of Jews who were fleeing the Nazis.

In 1941 Sendler secured false documents which identified her as a nurse and enabled her to enter the Warsaw Ghetto in order to bring food and medicines into the ghetto. Once she saw the situation in the ghetto Sendler quickly realized that the Nazis intended to murder the Jews who had been crowded into the ghetto walls. She felt that the best chance to save lives lay in removing as many children from the ghetto as possible, and she began to do so, picking up orphans from the street and spiriting them out by sedating them and carrying them in toolboxes, luggage, bags and even under carts filled with garbage.

Sendler also approached families in the ghetto and begged them to allow them to remove their children. This was traumatic, not only for the parents, who had to decide where their children's best chance of survival lay, but for Sendler herself. "I talked the mothers out of their children" Sendler told interviewers as she described the heartwrenching scenes that she endured, day after day, as she took children from their parents. "Those scenes over whether to give a child away were heart-rending. Sometimes, they wouldn't give me the child. Their first question was, 'What guarantee is there that the child will live?' I said, 'None. I don't even know if I will get out of the ghetto alive today."

As perilous as smuggling the children out of the ghetto was -- under tram seats, via a secret passage through the Old Courthouse that stood on the edge of the ghetto and even through the sewer pipes that ran under the city -- the second part of the rescue operation was just as difficult. Sendler and other Zagota members had to forge documents for the children and find hiding places for them. Many children were placed in orphanages or in convents while others hid with sympathetic Polish families.

Sendler carefully recorded the names of the children on tissue paper which she secured in glass jars and buried in her neighbor's garden. She wanted to be sure that, after the war, if possible, the children could be reunited with their families or, if that proved to be impossible, at least with their Jewish community.

In October 1943 Sendler was arrested by the Gestapo and tortured. Zagota members secured her release by bribing a guard at the Pawiak prison and Sendler lived out the rest of the war in hiding.

In addition to her 1965 Yad Vashem commemoration Sendler was honored by the Life in a Jar project that the Kansas City students created. The project run by the Lowell Milken Centre pays tribute to Irena Sendler as it educates people throughout the world about what it means to stand up for justice.