Opinion & Comment
Willpower Can Break the Smoking Habit

Smoking can without a doubt become addictive so much that a person can find it exceedingly difficult to break this bad and dangerous habit. Nonetheless, Torah- observant Jews who have trained themselves to "break their yetzer" have a good chance of success--if they so desire. It is an undeniable fact: Have you ever met a frum smoker who ever questioned his being able to refrain from smoking on Shabbos Kodesh?

Orchos Chasidecho relates an anecdote concerning Maran HaRav E. M. Shach zt"l, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ponevezh in Bnei Brak: Before the health hazard of smoking became common knowledge, Maran was a smoker for many years until one day something happened.

After Maran underwent a difficult operation, the professor who treated him ordered him to meanwhile stop smoking. The doctor's orders disturbed Maran immensely and he expressed his exasperation to his childhood friend, HaRav Mordechai Shulman zt'l, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Slobodka in Bnei Brak, when he visited him in the hospital.

While the two roshei yeshiva were talking, the professor unexpectedly entered the room. Maran right away asked him: "When will I be permitted to smoke?"

The professor answered: "Dear HaRav Shach. If you have stopped smoking, do not start again!"

At that moment Maran the Rosh Yeshiva reached a decision. He told HaRav Shulman: "If smoking is indeed dangerous for my health, I will stop."

He immediately took the package of cigarettes from the drawer and threw it under the bed. From the moment he resolved never again to smoke, he said, he never felt any desire to smoke.

Maran told this story when he wanted to demonstrate to his household what Chazal (according to the Zohar [2:162b]) mean by "Nothing is stronger than one's willpower." He would say that since "All beginnings are difficult" (Rashi, parshas Yisro 19:5) the path to reach such a decision is beset with thorns, but after making a firm resolution, one succeeds with siyata deShmaya to carry it out.

A similar story is told about Maran HaRav Shlomoh Zalman Auerbach zt'l who stopped smoking the same day he heard from doctors that smoking is dangerous for his health.

On one's obligation to obey medical experts, a letter from Maran HaRav Shach from 28 Kislev, 5740 is cited in Michtovim Uma'amorim (334):

"I would like to point out at this opportunity that al pi din you must follow the decisions of the medical experts with regard to your sickness. I decree and command you that, without any excuses or evasions, you follow the doctors' orders. Hashem will send you a refuah from Shomayim since He is the true Doctor. May you be zocheh to health and peace of mind, long life, and to see the Moshiach."

In an additional letter (335) he writes: "In this letter I want to encourage and strengthen you that HaKodosh Boruch Hu will surely send you a refuah sheleimoh, and you will be zocheh to continue elevating yourself in Torah study and be a nachas to the whole family. Meanwhile, however, you must listen to all that the doctors tell you to do, take the medicine, and go to the hospital. You must do everything exactly as the doctors order you."

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