Rabbi Avigdor Miller z'l passed away on 27 Nissan 5761/2001. I listened to many of his Thursday night lectures which were on a myriad of topics in hashkafa, Navi, Shabbos, Yomim Tovim, marriage, avodas Hashem. I remember once attending the lecture in person. What people particularly enjoyed was the Q and A session at the end of the shiur. People passed their questions forward and R' Miller read them and responded.
I learned a lot from his talks and his books. This is what characterized him:
1) He was disciplined. Every moment was accounted for. He did not attend conventions and meetings and rarely attended simchas.
2) His favorite topic was Shaar Ha'Bechina of the Chovos Ha'Levavos. I posted a classic example here,
3) his bitachon, being a sonei matanos (one who hates gifts)
4) his humor
5) his talk about love for Hashem
6) outreach - through his tapes and lectures he reached thousands of Jews all over the world
7) innovation - writing books on hashkafa and having his lectures recorded forty years ago
8) speaking Yiddish in the home
9) although he was American born, he was attended Yeshiva Slabodka in Europe
10) he promoted "asei lecha rav" and living in a makom Torah
11) He had a program for every goal, exercises, breaking things down into steps, leading his kehilla and listeners step by step
12) he promoted the supremacy of Torah learning
13) Taking care of his health was a mitzvah he observed regularly. He took a half hour walk daily.
14) He was fearless and could be blunt, yet diplomatic when required.
15) He was a non-conformist. He was one of a kind, who belonged to no party.
You can subscribe to quotes from him here
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I have several of his books and subscribe to his emails. That kind of common sense is what is missing in the frum world today.
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