With the onset of Bein Hazmanim, is there any
justification for yeridah letzorech aliyah, a
slackening for the sake of future resurgence? Is Bein
Hazmanim one of the regular `sessions' of a yeshiva? How
would Elul look if it were not preceded by Bein
Hazmanim? How does one leave the yeshiva for Bein
Hazmanim? What did previous generations do in this
interim? Our Gedolei Yisroel discuss the phenomenon of
Bein Hazmanim past and present.
Taking a Bein Hazmanim Break — How?
HaRav Elya Lopian zt'l said: If a person leaves a
place which we do not know, but we see him tottering and
careening down the street and unable to walk a straight line,
we can definitely determine that he emerged from a tavern,
drank and became inebriated.
Regarding something positive, the signs should be all the
more pronounced. When a ben yeshiva leaves to go home
for the bein hazmanim intersession, it should be all
the more manifest and obvious from where he came. A special
grace should suffuse him and be perceptible upon his face; he
should radiate to his surroundings. Every movement and nuance
should bespeak holiness and be a Kiddush Hashem and
not, G-d forbid, otherwise. People should not say: Look at
him; he is out of yeshiva now and look where he is going, or
what he is doing! (Lev Eliyohu, Shemos 226).
To Leave Homewards — With Tears
Chazal said (Yalkut, Melochim 18) that when Eliyohu
chose which bull to be sacrificed by the Baal worshipers on
Mt. Carmel, it balked. All of the false Baal prophets were
unable to budge it from its place until Eliyohu spoke to it
and bade it follow them. "Just as Hashem will be sanctified
by the bull I have chosen," he said, "so will you sanctify
His Name [in your way]." But even then, the bull went only
against its will.
Said Maran HaRav Yitzchok Blazer zt'l: This comes to
teach us a lesson: that even when one is going to sanctify
Hashem's Name [by taking the prescribed vacation break], even
then, one must leave one's studies as if he were being
coerced. It must be visibly difficult for him. He must be
reluctant and not do so willingly and eagerly. This should be
our attitude now, too.
A Tale of a Tallis . . .
The Maggid was once at a vacation resort and was asked to
address the people. He got up before the audience and
said:
"I was walking along before, when suddenly I heard hysterical
weeping. I perked up my ears and tried to locate the source
of the sobbing. I finally found a house from where the sound
was emerging. I went in but I could not see anyone crying. I
looked at the safe. I looked at the silver breakfront and
kept on searching until I found an old wardrobe in which lay
a tallis, all dusty and soaked with tears.
"`Tallis, tallis, why are you weeping?' I asked.
Replied the tallis, `And wherefore should I not weep?
My master went off on vacation, packed up all his holiday
clothing, his video tapes and discs, his children's
playthings, and loaded everything into the car. He drove off
to a five-star-air-conditioned-class hotel offering all the
attractions — and left me here behind, all alone. Is
this not reason to cry?'
"I said to the tallis, `Tallis, tallis, don't
cry! The time will come when your master will leave
everything behind — his wife, children, grandchildren,
car, furniture and all his belongings. He will be laid in a
dark place and only you will be there to accompany him . . .
' "
True, there comes a time when a yeshiva student has to go
home, but it should be under duress. Theoretically, under the
best circumstances he should really refuse to leave unless
one stood him on his head, so to speak, or dragged him away
from the yeshiva's four holy walls.
In the yeshiva, one is under a strict regimen, a yoke. There
are some students whom I envy; they know the positive
significance of this yoke. They realize what wealth we have
here in the yeshiva, a spiritual utopia — and if they
all realized it in the same manner, they would not be in such
haste to leave, nor with such glee . . .
In truth, the students should be leaving with tears in their
eyes. What? To part from the yeshiva? (Maran HaGaon R' Dov
Povarksy zt'l, Mussar Vodaas I 193)
What is the Source for Bein Hazmanim?
HaRav Hirsch Levinson zt'l once said that the textual
source for bein hazmanim was the verse, "And he saw
that rest was good . . . and he lent his shoulder to
suffer." His father-in-law, the Saba Kadisha of Radin
zt'l, countered, "Bein Hazmanim, say the Roshei
Yeshiva, is like an empty suitcase. Whatever you fill it
with, and whatever character it takes on, is up to each and
every individual students who seeks Hashem."
Vacation, a retreat and repose, from the viewpoint of the
yeshiva world, reflects what Maran the Chazon Ish zt'l
said: "Know my dear one that there is no sin or blame
involved here. It is a law of nature to become weary, and one
must not belittle nature . . . therefore, it is your duty to
cease your study regimen for two whole weeks and indulge in
healthy food, increase your hours of sleep, go on excursions
and engage in other forms of recreation . . . Fortunate are
you that your toil is in Torah and that you have expended
your energy and vitality over it!" (Kovetz Igoros, Iggeres
35)
When this is the nature of your leisure, then every grassy
lawn and sandy beach become places of Torah.
A Fear of Bein Hazmanim
Maran HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky zt'l was of serene
demeanor in his everyday life because of the `watchmen of the
city' who `sat in the house of Hashem by night.' But during
bein hazmanim he seemed greatly perturbed. He was
deeply concerned about his personal well-being and the
welfare of the Jewish people, the nation of Torah which
ordinarily populated the yeshiva benches but were now filling
the beaches. He would descend every flight of stairs with
extra caution and cross the streets with excessive tension
because of the lack of ongoing Torah-toil in the yeshivos . .
.
Bein Hazmanim in Previous Generations
HaRav Efraim Borodiansky zt'l gave a talk in the
yeshivas bein hazmanim in 5738, and said as follows:
"After the war [the `war' of Torah], the students used to
utilize the intersession for rehabilitation. They would meet
with gedolim and do their utmost to be in the
proximity and attend the needs of R' Boruch Ber zt'l,
Maran HaRav Shimon Shkop zt'l and Maran HaRav Chaim
Ozer zt'l. Some utilized this time for transcribing
their chidushei Torah, while others indulged in
studying certain subjects in greater depth, each according to
his personal inclination.
In the introduction to Zichron Yehonoson, in memory of
R' Yonoson Abelman zt'l, a posek in Bialystok,
it is told that even during those times designated for
repose, or when they went out for refreshing walks and the
beis medrash emptied out, the young man known as `the
Vilener' was still manning his study `post.' He would
occasionally walk the length and breadth of the beis
medrash, but his seforim were laid open all about
him and his eyes thirstily scanned them, searching for
spiritual forage, for treasures of wisdom.
This is how HaRav Borodiansky summed it up, "Study during
those free, unregimented times, times of self-trial, of
bein hasedorim — that is the honor of Torah, and
this is a unique segulah to make tremendous strides in
acquiring knowledge."
Fully Utilizing the Bein Hazmanim Time
A obstinate rumor tells that R' Akiva Eiger zt'l
testified of himself that the reason he was more penetrating
in his studies than others was because he did not take off
for a bein hazmanim.
Maran the Steipler said, "I know of many who became
gedolei Torah precisely because of their regularity in
keeping a study regimen during bein hazmanim."
The whole concept of bein hazmanim, said Maran HaRav
Yisroel Kanievsky, "is a modern notion introduced by
innovators. In the past, only the physically weaker, rundown
students, few in number, would occasionally go away for a
vacation, to a health spa or the mountains, to breathe in
fresh, invigorating air and build up their stores of strength
for continued study and toil in Torah. But even in their
places of rest, they would continue to study all day . .
."
R' Yissochor Eitenburg zt'l writes in his introduction
to Beer Sheva, "I have seen siyata deShmaya
with my own eyes in many ways in Torah study, when I began
studying with my colleagues during those days of vacation
which they refer to in this country as bein hazmanim .
. . "
Bein Hazmanim that is Wholly Torah
A contemporary rosh yeshiva expressed his nostalgic longing
for the bein hazmanim season. "Throughout the year, I
toil for the sake of the yeshiva. All of its many concerns
rob me of my personal time, so that bein hazmanim is
the only time that I can truly devote to Torah study; that is
my zman for studying gemora, Rashi, Tosafos
with a clear mind, to repose in the discourses of Abaye and
Rovo, without the ongoing problems that usually require my
attention. I am free to swim in the sea of Talmud, to meander
in refreshing, invigorating expanses, to inhale the
intoxicating fragrance of flowers. During this time, I store
up reserves of strength for the entire duration of the
upcoming zman."
Said our Sages: "Yissochor is likened to a strong donkey
crouching down among the sheepfolds. When he sees that rest
is good, he accumulates strength for the future. He recharges
his energy, refreshes himself and clears his mind. Then he is
later able to lend his shoulder to the yoke of Torah. He
assumes the burden upon his shoulder again, which he did not
remove at all while he rested and crouched down, but,
refreshed, he can carry it all the better. And he sees that
rest was good."
What is the Purpose of Bein Hazmanim?
HaGaon Maran R' Shach zt'l addressed this question in
a talk he gave to the yeshiva.
Rashi states, "And what purpose did the pauses serve? To give
Moshe a chance to introspect between one parsha and
the next, one subject and the next. All the more so [is this
important] when a layman studies from a layman."
This comes to teach us that a pause, a break, can connect
between the past and the present. It is not intended, G-d
forbid, to sever the past from the future, but on the
contrary to unite them.
Bein Hazmanim is intended for rest, for reinforcement
for the sake of returning to one's study reinvigorated. But
if one loses track completely of the real goal, of Torah
study, then the pause becomes a real break, and then the
beginning will be all the more difficult, since it will not
be a resumption but a new start. (Hadrochoh LeVen Yeshiva
57)
Maran the Mashgiach of Ponovezh, HaRav Yechezkel Levenstein
zt'l said: "Whoever presumes that a person has
permission not to study Torah, G-d forbid, falls under the
category of those who are `cursed who do not uphold the words
of this Torah.' It is similarly important [during the
intersession] to arouse oneself to self improvement in
character traits. One surely does not have his mind on this
during vacation but he is obligated to toil in order to
acquire good middos and to think about improving love
towards his fellow man. (Ohr Yechezkel, Yir'oh uMussor p.
283)
Bein Hazmanim Before Elul
"I have my misgivings whether the vacation break before Elul
is justified. In the diaspora, we only had bein
hazmanim from after Yom Kippur until Rosh Chodesh
Cheshvan and for the entire month of Nisan. But even during
those times relegated for rest, one must be very careful not
to grow too lax in Torah study so that he not experience `if
you leave for one day, it will distance itself from you two
days.'
"One must undoubtedly guard oneself from places and things
that are dangerous and detrimental to one's soul and body. In
these times, it is very difficult to find places that are
pure of any kind of pollution. It is most frightening to
think how people go about without shame, without modesty,
without mussar and without self discipline" (HaRav
Shmuel Wosner, Droshos Shevet Halevi 5759 p. 289).
