Rav Avigdor Miller on Parshat Noach
So here is the one from before:
https://torasavigdor.org/parshas-noach-5-great-men-of-the-world/
And another from even earlier, focusing on the Flood:
https://torasavigdor.org/parshas-noach-4-the-world-of-nothing/
Parshat Noach is always fascinating because that's where everything all started. (It's also where everything ended.)
In the most recent dvar Torah, Rav Miller talks about the innovations in metallurgy, music (classical), shepherding, housing, meat delicatessen, and etiquette produced by the offspring of Kayin (Cain).
And, as usual in Torah attitude, we learn how Kayin's descendants stood out as the really cool people in the world while the world considered Kayin's baby brother, Shes (Seth), as just a regular nice guy—and they held the same attitude toward Shes's descendant, Noach.
Page 11:
And so what could a man like Noach – no matter how righteous he may be – what can a man like that show to compete with the descendants of Kayin?
If we would search the newspapers of ancient times we wouldn’t find anything mentioned of Noach.
Nobody would think of Noach as a candidate for the one who brought blessing to the world.
In the mouths of Mankind, he was not mentioned at all!
Not one descendant remains from Kayin. (Or Hevel/Abel, for that matter.)
Nice, humble, non-flashy, unimpressive Shes got it all.
If you also wish to read the old Myrtle Rising post about it, please click here:
rav-avigdor-miller-on-parshat-noach-the-nice-guy-always-wins-in-the-end.html
And the previous one:
rav-avigdor-miller-on-parshat-noach-why-davka-a-flood.html
Rav Itamar Schwartz on Chodesh Cheshvan
The mazal/astrological sign of Cheshvan is Akrav/Scorpion/Scorpio:
https://bilvavi.net/english/rosh-chodesh-mazal-011-cheshvan-scorpion
The Tribe correlating to Cheshvan is Levi:
https://bilvavi.net/english/rosh-chodesh-tribe-008-chesvan-levi
Cheshvan also correlates to the actions of the nose:
Scent
https://bilvavi.net/english/essence-month-010-cheshvan-scent
Breathing
https://bilvavi.net/english/rosh-chodesh-avodah-008-marchesvan-breathing
This last one includes an interesting Q&A at the end, explaining how to do the breathing exercises, plus the vital difference between the non-Jewish breathing exercises & the authentically Jewish ones.
A Sweet Snippet of Torah Life in Eretz Yisrael
He kept at it for a long time.
(In general, he's known to be a very nice, sincere, and gentle fellow.)
It was a very sweet heart-warming sight that makes me grateful that Hashem brought me to this life & to live where I do.