Print the daily chart mentioned in the Rabbi’s drush this shabbos from Rav Avigdor Miller’s – Ten Steps to Greatness.
TEN STEPS TO GREATNESS
by Rabbi Avigdor Miller
The steps to greatness and daily chart mentioned in the Rabbi’s drush
STEP ONE: Spend at least 30 seconds each day thinking about
the WORLD TO COME – Olam Haba – and that we are in this world
only as a preparation for the World to Come. This is the purpose of
life.
STEP TWO: Spend a few seconds each day in a private place and
say to the Almighty / Hash-m, “I love you God / Hash-m.” You will
be fulfilling a positive commandment from the Torah. This will kindle
a fire in your heart and will have a powerful effect on your character.
Your exteriority bestirs your interiority. The Almighty is listening. He
loves you much more than you love Him.
STEP THREE: Every day do one act of kindness that no one
knows about, in secrecy. Have intention beforehand that you are
doing this in order to fulfill your program to greatness.
The practice of doing acts of kindliness – Gemilut Hasadim – is one
of the three most important functions in the world.
Examples: If you are the first one in the Beit HaMidrash (Place of
Torah Study) put the books in the proper order and place. If your
wife is not in the kitchen, clean a few dishes or straighten up for her
without her knowing. If you should see something potentially
dangerous on the sidewalk, clear it off to the side so no one will get
hurt.
STEP FOUR: Encourage someone every day. “The Almighty /
Hash-m encourages the humble.” Have in mind you are doing it
because of the program. Anonymous letters of kindness can do a
great deal of good to encourage people.
STEP FIVE: Spend one minute a day thinking about what
happened yesterday. “Let us search out our ways and investigate.”
Everyone should have his mind on what he is doing – by reviewing
yesterday’s actions daily.
STEP SIX: Make all your actions for the purpose of Heaven. Say it
once a day.
Example: “I am doing this in order to be more aware of the
Almighty.”
STEP SEVEN: Be aware of the principle — “Man was created in
the image of God.” Every human face is a reflection of the
Almighty / Hash-m. Your face is like a screen and your soul like a
projector which projects on your face the glory of the human soul
which has in it the greatness of the Almighty / Hash-m. Once a day
pick a face and think “I am seeing the image of God.” You will begin
to understand the endless nobility of a face.
STEP EIGHT: Once a day give a person a full smile. Just as the
Almighty / Hash-m shines on us, we should smile on others. Smile
because the Almighty / Hash-m wants you to, even though you
really don’t want to.
When you smile have intentions that you are doing it for the purpose of coming
closer to the Almighty / Hash-m through the Ten Steps To Greatness.
STEP NINE: “The Almighty / Hash-m clothes the naked.” Clothing is a
testament to the nobility of man. Man is unique — has free will, has a soul, made
in the image of the Almighty / Hash-m . Even Angels are beneath man in
greatness. To demonstrate the superiority of mankind, we must be clothed.
Spend 30 seconds in the morning thinking about our garments: what a gift they
are from the Almighty / Hash-m .
STEP TEN: Spend time each day thinking about the olden Jerusalem during the
time of the Temple. Every day sit on the floor (before going to sleep), spend one
second on the floor and mourn for the destruction of Jerusalem. Think “If I
should forget you Jerusalem, let my right arm forget how to function” (Psalms
137:5).
King Shlomo / King Solomon “The wise man seizes the opportunity to do
mitzvot” (King Solomon). The lazy person says — someday I’ll do it. If you start
this program, after 30 days you will be tired. So, wait six months until you start
again. Do another 30 days then wait five months and so on. After a while you
might do it all the time.
If you do it even one day you are extraordinary!
Do the following once a day. (if this is too
much, maybe do one/day)
1. Spend 30 seconds thinking of Olam Haba
2. Say once “I love you Hashem”
3. Do one hidden act of chesed.
4. Be like Hashem who lifts the humble, say
something to encourage someone.
5. Spend 1 minute about what happened
yesterday (cheshbon hanefesh).
6. Your actions should be l’shem shamayim (say
once during meals)
7. Look into someone’s face and think – I’m
seeing a tzelem Elokim
8. Just like Hashem’s face shines on us, give
someone a big smile.
9. When saying “malbish arumim”, think about
the great gift of garments.
10. When reciting the words, “If I forget you,
Yerushalayim…,” sit on floor and think of loss of
Yerushalayim (privately, 1 second)
