A Sichah from Maran HaGaon Rav Gershon Edelstein shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez - Vayera 5775 #132
his punishment is based on the fact that he scorned that
Talmud Torah K’Neged Kulam
Our primary obligation is to study Torah. This is
also a great merit, as the Mishnah says (Pe’ah 1:1),
“V’Talmud Torah K’Neged Kulam.” This means that the
reward for Torah study is greater than the reward for
performing all of the Mitzvos. Additionally, studying
Torah causes a person to become holier than he would
become if he would perform all of the other Mitzvos.
However, this is conditional upon his studying Torah
without interruption. If he constantly interrupts his Torah
study, the Yetzer Hara is often able to cause him to be
Mevatel Torah. This distances him from Hashem, as the
Sifri (Parshas Ekev) states, “Im Tazveini Yom, Yomayim
Ezveka” – “If you leave Me for one day, I will leave you
for two.”
Therefore, one must learn Torah diligently and
without interruption. Even when one cannot speak words
of Torah, his thoughts should be involved with words of
Torah. Words of Torah are supposed to be, as the Passuk
says (Devarim 6:6), “Al Levavecha” – “on your heart.”
One should not take his thoughts off of words of Torah, as
the Passuk says (Yehoshua 1:8), “V’Higisa Bo Yomam
V’Laylah” – “And you will study it day and night.” Rashi
explains that “V’Higisa” specifically refers to thought, as
we say at the end of Shemonah Esreh, “V’Hegyon Libi” –
“And the thoughts of my heart.” Part of the obligation of
Torah study is not to remove our thoughts from words of
Torah.
On the one hand, this is the great reward and
positive obligation to study Torah. On the other hand,
there is a great sin of Bitul Torah. This is as the Sharei
Teshuvah (3:16) states that just as the reward for studying
Torah is greater than the reward for performing all of the
Mitzvos, so too the punishment for Bitul Torah is more
severe than the punishment for performing all of the
Aveiros. The Sharei Teshuvah explains that the reason for
this is because if a person can get such great reward for a
Mitzvah, and instead chooses not to perform that Mitzvah,
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great reward.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (99a) quotes the
Passuk, “For the word of Hashem he has scorned.” The
Gemara says that this refers to someone who has the
ability to learn Torah but does not do so. He is deemed a
person who scorns the word of Hashem, and denigrates
the words of Torah, since he is not studying them. His sin
is very great. I heard from my Rebbi, Rav Dessler zt”l, in
the name of Rav Chaim Brisker zt”l, that this does not
only apply to a person who does not spend the proper
amount of time learning Torah. Rather, it also applies to a
person who is intellectually lazy, and does not spend the
proper amount of thought on his learning, in order to
understand it. If a person does not use his analytical
abilities to learn Torah, and just reads the words without
thinking about their meaning, he is also called a person
who denigrates the word of Hashem.
We therefore see that while studying Torah is a
very great Mitzvah, Bitul Torah is a very big Aveirah. We
must think how one can become a “Masmid” – “One who
is learning constantly.” This is very hard, as the Yetzer
Hara tries to stop people from learning in this fashion.
While it is true that Torah study is the antidote for the
Yetzer Hara, this only works while one is studying Torah.
When one takes a break and stops studying Torah, he no
longer has this antidote. How can a person ascertain that
he will continue learning, and become a Masmid?
Davening for Torah
The answer is that he must pray for success in
Torah study. We pray constantly for this in davening. In
Birkas HaTorah every morning we say, “Asher Kideshanu
B’Mitzvosav V’Tzivanu La’asok B’Divrei Sorah.” We
ask, “V’Harev Na Hashem Elokeinu Es Divrei Sorasecha
B’Finu” – “And please, Hashem our G-d, make the words
of your Torah sweet in our mouth.” We are
acknowledging this obligation and tremendous Mitzvah of
constant Torah study. However, it is difficult to
successfully perform this Mitzvah. We therefore ask
Hashem to let us taste the sweetness of Torah, in order
that we should be able to study Torah diligently and fulfill
our obligation of Talmud Torah. Indeed, the Passuk in
Tehilim (19:11) says in reference to words of Torah
study, “That are more coveted than gold and much fine
gold, and are sweeter than honey and the drippings of
honeycombs.” However, our request in Birkas HaTorah
that the words should be sweet, indicates that not
everyone merits tasting the sweetness of the words of
Torah. This is why we must pray to Hashem that He grant
us the pleasure of tasting the sweetness of Torah.
We do in fact witness some people who do not
have this intent when they say Birkas Ha’Torah, and they
generally do not pray that they should succeed in Torah
study, and yet they do enjoy Torah study greatly. This is a
kindness of Hashem towards these people.
However, even though Hashem does display such
kindness to certain people, their success in Torah is not
complete. A person who succeeds in Torah despite not
having prayed for Divine assistance in his Torah study, is
certainly missing a certain amount of holiness that his
Torah study could have given him, had he prayed for
success in Torah study. This is as the Medrash Tanchuma
states (Matos ch. 5), “Hashem created three good gifts in
the world: wisdom, strength, and wealth. If a person
receives one of them, he can take what is coveted by the
entire world…This is true if they are given to him as a
present from Heaven, and they come from the strength of
Hashem. However, his own strength and wealth (that he
takes by himself) is nothing.” This teaches us that if a
person learns Torah because he is very smart and he does
not receive this as a gift through praying for Divine
assistance in Torah study, his Torah does not come “from
the strength of Hashem” and is therefore incomplete.
The Nefesh HaChaim (1:3) says in the name of
the Zohar, that Torah study without prayer does not “fly
above.” This means that if a person studies Torah and he
does not have Yiras Shamayim, his Torah does not ascend
to the Heavens, and he is missing the amount of holiness
that he would have had, if he prayed for success in Torah
study. In order to be considered a person who is complete
in Torah, one must not only diligently study Torah, but
must also have Yiras Shamayim, and pray for success and
Divine assistance in his Torah study.
However, even after a person prays to taste the
sweetness of Torah study, and his prayer is indeed
answered, this is not enough. The Yetzer Hara has the
ability to draw people toward other things that they
believe are sweet. This is as the Gemara in Kidushin (30b)
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says, “Yitzro Shel Adam Misgaber Alav…U’Mischadesh
Alav Bechol Yom” -- “The Yetzer Hara of a person
strengthens itself against him…and renews (its attack) on
him everyday.” “Misgaber” – “Strengthens” refers to
strengthening desires that were already present.
“U’Mischadesh” – “And renews” refers to introducing
new desires to a person. In every generation there arise
new desires in order to distract a person from Torah
learning. In previous generations, these new desires were
books filled with heretical thoughts and blasphemy. In
today’s generation, the Yetzer Hara has created a desire
for forbidden technological devices. This is a terrible
temptation, and we need much Divine assistance to be
saved from these devices.
.
The Silo of Yiras HaShem
The only way to be saved from this, is
strengthening our Yiras Shamayim. This is as the Gemara
in Shabbos (31a) quotes the Passuk, “V’Hayah Emunas
Itecha Chosen Yeshuos Chachmas V’Da’as Yiras Hashem
He Otzaro.” The Gemara teaches us that “Emunah” refers
to Seder Zeraim (the first order of Mishnayos). “Itecha”
refers to Seder Moed (the second order of Mishnayos).
The Gemara continues to explain that all six orders of
Mishnayos are alluded to in this Passuk. However, the
Passuk concludes, “Yiras Hashem Hee Otzaro” – “Fear of
Heaven is his storehouse.” The Gemara explains that the
Passuk concludes this way in order to teach that even if a
person learns all six orders of Mishnayos, he will only be
successful in Torah learning if Yiras Hashem is his
storehouse. In other words, just as a person requires a silo
in order to properly protect and store his grain, so too a
person requires Yiras Shamayim as a “silo” to properly
protect and store his Torah. Without this silo of Yiras
Shamayim, a person’s Torah will not stay guarded within
him. This is as the Mishnah in Avos (3:17) states, “If
there is no fear, there is no wisdom.” Through Yiras
Shamayim, one also has the ability to be protected from
the Yetzer Hara.
A person is not born naturally with Yiras
Shamayim. A person often has a small amount of Yiras
Shamayim from being raised correctly in a frum home.
However, a person primarily must work on his Yiras
Shamayim on his own. The way to do this is to study
Sifrei Mussar that strengthen and add Yiras Shamayim.
They also contain advice on how to combat the Yetzer
Hara.
It is known that Rebbi Yisrael Salanter said that
the way to combat the Yetzer Hara is, “Increase Yiras
Shamayim and lessen one’s trials.” One must distance
himself from situations where he may sin, in order to
weaken the Yetzer Hara. Simultaneously, he must
increase his Yiras Shamayim, so that if he is tested, he
will be stronger, and able to resist the temptations of the
Yetzer Hara.
One must increase his Yiras Shamayim on a
permanent basis. Sometimes a person hears or reads
words of Mussar, and with time he forgets them. A
person’s nature is to forget what he is supposed to
remember. This is as the Passuk says (Devarim 4:9),
“Guard yourself, lest you forget Hashem your G-d.” This
is why one must have a permanent Mussar Seder every
day. The Sefer Maseh Rav (Hilchos Tefilah, letter
Samech) writes in the name of the Gra, that one must
learn Mussar multiple times a day.
Shivisi Hashem L’Negdi Samid
The Rema (Orach Chaim 1:1) says in the name
of the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim, “Shivisi Hashem
L’Negdi Samid” – “I place Hashem before me always” is
a great rule in Torah and in the positive attributes of the
righteous who walk before Hashem. One cannot compare
when a person sits, moves, and does things at home when
he is alone in his house, to when he sits, moves, and does
things before a great king. His speech and his choice of
words when he is among those in his household and
friends, is not the same speech and choice of words as
when he is in front of a great king. Certainly, when a
person realizes that The Great King, Hashem, Whose
Honor fills the entire universe, and Who is standing above
observing his actions…he will immediately feel fear and
humility, due to his fear of Hashem, and his constant
embarrassment from Him.”
In other words, the way to increase Yiras
Shamayim, is to constantly remember that Hashem is
watching over us. Hashem is watching a person’s actions,
and listening to what he is saying. If a person will
constantly remember this, he will act differently, as if he
is a person who is constantly standing next to a great king.
He will not act as he would in the privacy of his home,
where he does what he wants. Rather, he will act as he
would in front of a great king with embarrassment (from
performing inappropriate actions), humility, and fear.
The trait of humility is the best positive trait. This
is as the Gemara in Avodah Zarah (20b) states, “And
Anavah is greater than all of them.” The Igeres
HaRamban discusses at length how to merit the trait of
humility. He begins by saying, “You should accustom
yourself to saying all of your words in a pleasant manner
to everyone (whom you speak with).” A person should
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always speak in a pleasant manner, gently without
attacking, in a way that anyone who hears his words will
undergo a pleasant experience. This is as the Passuk in
Koheles states (9:17), “Words of the wise are heard
pleasantly.” Rashi explains this to mean that his words are
accepted by the people who hear them. “Words of the
wise” refers to words of wisdom. Even though the quality
of the words alone make it worth it to hear them, one
should still make sure that he says them in a pleasant
manner, as they only have a positive effect if they are said
pleasantly.
Torah Tavlin
In order to merit all of these positive attributes,
and to fully fulfill “Shivisi,” one must have a permanent
Mussar Seder. We have already said many times that
having a Mussar Seder is not a Middas Chassidus, but
rather is an obligation. This is as the Mishnah Berurah
(1:12) quotes the Poskim as saying, “A person must have
a set time when he learns Mussar Sefarim every day; even
if he only learns for a small amount of time. This is
because a person who is greater than his friend has a
greater Yetzer Hara than his friend, and the antidote to the
Yetzer Hara is the rebuke of the words of Chazal.” Even
though all Torah study is considered an antidote to the
Yetzer Hara; the study of Sifrei Mussar which deals with
Yiras Shamayim, is an especially potent antidote to the
Yetzer Hara.
Rebbi Yisrael Salanter zt”l indeed writes in his
Iggeres HaMussar that there are two types of Torah that
are antidotes to the Yetzer Hara. One is the general
antidote of any Torah study, as all Torah study sanctifies a
person, and saves him from sin. Even if a person learns
Perek Shor SheNagach Es HaParah, it helps save him
from the sin of Lashon Hara and other sins. However,
there is a second type of Torah antidote, which is studying
the laws of each potential sin that a person can commit.
When a person learns the laws of each sin, he obtains a
specific antidote that weakens the Yetzer Hara he
possesses to commit this sin. For example, if a person sins
by speaking Lashon Hara, he must learn the Sefarim of
the Chafetz Chaim and Shemiras HaLashon to know what
he may and may not say. When people learn and know the
laws of Lashon Hara, they sin less frequently.
Shemiras HaLashon
It is indeed very difficult to refrain from speaking or
accepting Lashon Hara. At the end of Shemonah Esreh,
we ask in Elokai Netzor, “Netzor Leshoni Meira” –
“Guard my tongue from evil.” This prayer was composed
by the Amoraim, as stated in Berachos (17a). Even the
Amoraim, who were so holy that they were all able to
raise people from the dead (see Avodah Zarah 10b), had
to ask for Divine assistance that they should not commit
the sin of Lashon Hara. The Gemara in Bava Basra (165b)
indeed says that everyone commits the sin of “Avak
Lashon Hara” – “dust of Lashon Hara” (Rabbinic
prohibition of Lashon Hara, such as saying “there is
always a fire on in his house”) every day. This shows that
it is something that everyone can easily transgress.
However, once someone gets accustomed to speaking
in a manner that does not transgress Lashon Hara, it is no
longer so difficult to refrain from sinning. On the
contrary, a person who is used to being careful not to
speak or hear Lashon Hara, does not even tolerate that this
type of speech should be said in his presence! I indeed
knew a person who passed away, who was extremely
meticulous in guarding against transgressing Lashon
Hara. When he sat with people who would begin speaking
Lashon Hara, he would get up and warn them that if this
conversation will continue, he is going to leave the table.
He indeed carried out his threat if the conversation
continued. His behavior not only ensured that he would
not transgress Lashon Hara, but also influenced others not
to speak or listen to Lashon Hara.
We also say in Elokai Netzor, “U’Sfasai MiDaber
Mirmah” – “and (Hashem should help) that our lips not
speak deceit.” This is not referring to Lashon Hara, but
rather any type of deceitful talk which is not completely
honest. This is a request for Divine assistance that we
should be truthful people.
It is a great thing to be a very truthful person. The
Gemara in Sanhedrin (97a) relates that because the people
of Kushta were very truthful people, the Angel of Death
was unable to kill them. I believe I have seen in a certain
Sefer that if a person is a very truthful person, he cannot
be deceived by false statements. Since the truth is so
ingrained in him, he can immediately tell when someone
is telling him something that is foreign to his nature.
When a person lives a Torah life, and he is
careful that his speech and actions are according to the
Torah; he will have a very happy life. I have already
related that many people have told me that since they
started studying Mussar, and conduct themselves
according to the Mussar Sefarim, they have a much
happier and fulfilled life. Anyone who has good Middos is
happy with his lot, and he does not demand things from
other people. He also does not need much, and knows that
whatever he has, is due to the kindness of Hashem.
Clinging to Torah
A person is complete when he masters three main
things, as the Mishnah says in Pirkei Avos (1:2), “The
world stands on three things: Torah, Avodah, and Gemilus
Chasadim.” This means that the world, including a
person’s own spiritual world, rests on Torah, davening,
and having good Middos (that translate into acts of
kindness).
The main things that we practically must do is
learning Torah diligently, praying with proper intent,
having good Middos, and realizing “Shivisi Hashem
L’Negdi Samid.” Through learning Mussar Sefarim and
strengthening our Emunah, this is indeed possible. These
are the main things we must do, and praised is one who
will indeed do so! May we merit Divine assistance to do
these things!