Telz Stone, Av 5746
Dear . . . .
THE FIRST THING to remember and be aware of at all times is:
Hashem Yisborach, and to remember that everything is
in the hands of Heaven. If we want the vacation to be
successful, that it rejuvenate and invigorate us, then our
eyes must be lifted to Heaven, for this is a fundamental
principle in avodas Hashem, as is written, "Hashem
desires those who fear Him, those who yearn for His loving
kindness."
Rabbenu Yonah writes in Mishlei that most people seek
Hashem's help only in the major areas of life, such as before
they embark on a dangerous journey across the ocean or the
desert. But when it comes to minor things, one relies on his
own strength and resourcefulness. He writes there that this
is a false short cut, an easy way out, which is truly
considered sinful.
*
DO NOT FORGET to thank Hashem and to be grateful for His
having given you the opportunity to refresh yourself. For not
everyone has that possibility. Gratitude to Hashem is a basic
precept in avodas Hashem, as explained in Chovos
Halevovos (Shaar Avodas HoElokim). He writes there at
length that someone who lacks gratitude, forfeits his place
in the hierarchy of creation as homo sapiens, that is,
as a verbally-communicating human being, and instead descends
to the family of animals. Acknowledging the good we enjoy
obligates us to serve Hashem all the more.
*
REMEMBER WELL the danger inherent in vacation. The Sefer
Hachinuch explains that the Torah commanded a great
number of practical mitzvos commemorating the exodus from
Egypt. It is a fact that hearts are drawn, and are affected,
by deeds, and good deeds have a salubrious effect upon a
person's heart. Conversely, bad deeds have a detrimental
effect upon a person, arousing in his heart unwanted
desires.
And since the activity, the state-of-being, is now that of
vacation and recreation, the heart might, G-d forbid, be
drawn to its negative aspects. The truth is that, "A person
was born to toil." Mesillas Yeshorim dealt with this
at length and wrote, "A person should know that he has not
come to this world in order to rest, but to toil and
work."
I know that Maran the Mashgiach of Ponovezh ztvk'l was
once in great need of rest. His family begged him to go away
for a brief vacation, but he refused to hear of the very
idea. After unending pleading, he finally capitulated. But
after being in the vacation spot for merely half-a-day, he
packed up his belongings and returned home, declaring that he
was simply unable to remain there any longer. The very notion
of taking a break is the opposite of a person's mission in
life, which is to utilize every moment for the service of
Hashem.
*
IN CONCLUSION: Vacation must not become something that is
taken for granted, something `coming to a person.' The basic
attitude towards it should be that respite has no place in
this world. But when a rejuvenating break becomes imperative,
a person must reach the state of forcing himself to take a
vacation, coercing himself to take a restorative leave from
an exhausting regimen, purely for the sake of being able to
return to that schedule of serving Hashem to the utmost of
his ability, with renewed vigor and zest.
*
INCIDENTALLY, I would like to mention an important principle,
that there lies a danger not only during vacation but also at
all times, even with regard to Torah. Referring to Torah, the
gemora in Yoma says: "If he merits, it is an
elixir of life; if he does not, it becomes venom." How much
more so regarding all mundane matters where danger lurks from
every corner.
Elul is actually not far ahead, and even during that
propitious period one faces the danger of backsliding. The
gemora in Succa says: "Whoever is greater than
his peer — his evil inclination is that much the
greater." Maran R' Simcha Zissel of Kelm ztvk'l said
that every day that is greater than its predecessor, has
enticements of the yetzer which are also greater, and
presents, likewise, the danger of him plummeting to the
abyss.
We can verily see that Fridays and Shabbosim, which are more
exalted, are days of greater laxity. The gemora
writes, "It is a good sign if one dies on a Friday." For on
Fridays, one should sever oneself from worldly matters, like
a dead person. Shabbos is, of course, more greatly
sanctified. But the pitfalls and laxity are much greater,
precisely on these days!
The same applies to the month of Elul which is a period of
Heavenly favor, yemei rotzon. A person should know
that if he utilizes those days properly, they serve him as a
nostrum of life, but if he misuses them they become his very
pitfall to death. This period, therefore, requires greater
reinforcement so that the ensuing holy days become truly days
of sublime exaltation. Let us not permit the evil inclination
to spoil them for us.
According to this outlook, I have explained the verse,
"Behold, I am giving before you today blessing and curse."
The word `today' seems extraneous. The Ohr HaChaim Hakodosh
comments on the verse in Vo'eschanon, "And you shall
know `today' and take it to heart." He says that this refers
to the Shabbos day.
According to this, we can understand the first verse as
follows: "Behold, I am giving before you the Shabbos day,
which holds blessing for those who are meritorious, and
curses, G-d forbid, for those who are unworthy." For each
day, which is greater than its predecessor, has pitfalls of
the yetzer greater than the simpler one. We see this
in the flesh in the ways and conduct of the world, as
discussed previously.
*
REMEMBER the words of the Zohar Hakodosh, that there
is a heaven above, which photographs all of a person's deeds,
including whatever he does during his vacation. You must be
wary of those actions which cause a person embarrassment
forevermore. For in the upper realm, there are precise
pictures of whatever one does. It is explained at the end of
Koheles, "For every deed will be brought by Hashem to
judgment." Every single deed, the deed itself, that is, will
come and stand in judgment, testifying for or against a
person, since they are all preserved. This idea is also
presented there in the Targum Yonoson ben Uziel.
"I REMEMBER the saying of the Wise One, `Until when will you
hop between the two (se'ipim) branches?' How long will
you skip over the two se'ifim in Shulchan Oruch
Orach Chaim (1:1)? The first one states the reminder of
`Shivisi Hashem — I conjure up the thought of
Hashem before me always,' and the other paragraph states,
`All of your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven.'"
These two reminders apply especially to the Days of
Intersession. And truly, one must always be in a state of (G-
d-)fear, for partaking of the pleasures of this world
diminishes one's reward in the World to Come. The only
recourse is that even if one does experience enjoyment in
this world, it should at least be lesheim Shomayim.
For then, there is no need for Heaven to deduct from his
eternal reward. On the contrary, then the recreation which
gives his body some respite is a mitzva act, and he will even
receive reward for it!
REMEMBER the words of the Chovos Halevovos that just
as fire and water cannot be contained in one vessel, so can
there not be contained in one heart both love for Olom
Habo and love for Olom Hazeh. The latter pushes
aside the former; they cannot coexist in one vessel.
Therefore, one must be most cautious not to be enticed by nor
to take pleasure in matters of this world during the
vacation.
A SUCCESSFUL VACATION depends upon the degree that one
succeeds in arriving at peace of mind, for without that one's
body cannot recuperate. Indeed, menuchas hanefesh,
peace of mind, is one of the greatest states that one can
attain; it is, in fact, the very secret of Shabbos Kodesh,
when all the powers of the body are at rest, when they cease
to be driven by the attractions of this world, leaving the
soul to enjoy basking in the spiritual bliss of Hashem.
Indeed, it is impossible to study nor to pray any
tefilloh properly without peace of mind and soul. One
hour of this spiritual bounty is worth all the treasures of
this world.
One must remember well that all the suffering which one
undergoes from the students in the yeshiva — and there
are times when there are particularly difficult enrollments
in yeshiva — it is all so designed by Hashem, and it is
all for the best. One must rejoice in this choice of Hashem
and what He sends us in every aspect.
MAKE YOURSELF a daily schedule, that is, set times for study,
prayer, eating, sleeping and recreation. This should be a
rigid condition, for without this, you cannot succeed.
My Dear One, I extend to you my warmest, deepest, most
heartfelt wishes for great success in the upcoming days of
Elul and the Yomim Noraim which follow. May it be His will
that we succeed in channeling our hearts to altogether cleave
unto Hashem's Torah and avodoh, to love and to fear
Him.
