There’s nothing among the nations of the world that can equate to what the Jewish people stand for.
Because it’s only the Jewish people who stand for Hashem Who gave us the Torah at Sinai.
That’s how we sum it up in one sentence:
We’re the nation that accepts to live by the attitudes that Hashem delivered to us at Har Sinai.
And that means that we, the smallest nation, have to stand up against the whole world – all the falsifiers who stand up against us.
- Does it make sense that a Nation of Hashem's representatives is such a tiny group?
And today, we're an even smaller group within the group, if you look at the Jews who actually serve Hashem.
- But instead of being disdained or ignored by much of the world, shouldn't our truly great Sages be installed on thrones as leaders of the world?
These all-important questions are answered with the dvar Torah.
But the short answer is that it gives us tremendous reward to cling to Hashem within a sea of apikorsut and opposition.
Rav Miller explains that all the new "isms," the new fads, the Eastern religions, the missionaries, the new ideologies...they all come to tempt us.
And saying NO! to these temptations earns us TREMENDOUS reward!
The Profound Humility & Insight of Rav Isaac Sher of Slabodka (pg. 7)
We always must remember what the chachomim admonished us: [Da mah sheh tashiv l'apikores] – You should know what to reply to an apikoris.
Now, the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Isaac Sher, zichrono l’vracha, used to say that it means, “Know how to answer up this apikoris right here” (The Rav pointed at himself).
Because inside of everybody there’s a yetzer hara that’s talking.
All the ideas of the outside world are seeping into our minds and therefore you have to answer yourself.
How Drawing Intelligent Parallels Reveals the Truth
But Hashem also gave us other answers to help us out.
For example, the mention in this parsha of "gods who are nearby & gods who are far-off."
This is an instruction to make intelligent observations, and then draw intelligent parallels.
Rav Miller uses the examples of "Saint" Andrew & "Saint" William to make this point (pages 9-11).
He then reveals the truth behind the myths of the "great" sheriffs & cowboys of the Wild West. (pages 12-14)
And then the truth about many of the sciences & travel books (pages 14-17).
It's all quite revealing & amusing & thought-provoking.