A Good Mussar Sefer For Our Generation
Question: Is there a particular mussar sefer which is suitable for our generation to learn?
Answer: Every person is different when it comes to which sefarim are best for them to learn, but a good example of a mussar sefer for our generation are the sefarim of Rav Shimshon Pincus [i.e. the Nefesh Shimshon series, the series of Sichos HaGaon Rav Shimshon Pincus, and sefer She’arim B’Tefillah].
What Is A Good Niggun To Listen To?
Question: What is considered a good niggun to listen to?
Answer: Any niggun that was composed by a tzaddik from generations ago. Even if it is sung by someone from today, as long as it was composed by a tzaddik, it’s better to listen to. Even better than this is to listen to a tzaddik singing a song; it’s hard to find such a tape, but it is available. The older the music is, the closer to holiness it is. In more recent times, the niggunim of Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro zt”l are considered to be the best songs to listen to. Rav Wolbe zt”l said that these songs are extremely holy. There is no music on it, however, just words. You can hear them on Kol HaLashon. You can also buy the songs of Rav Baruch Ber Levovitz zt”l in the sefarim stores which are from many years ago. These are very holy niggunim.
Shidduchim – Good Girl With Internet
Question: If a boy and girl are dating and they are compatible in their ruchniyus, but the girl owns a laptop with filtered (Net-Free) internet which she uses for her learning and for work, is this a reason for the boy to say no the shidduch?
Answer: You need to find out well why she owns a laptop, which sites she is able to connect with, and the level [amount of time] of how much she uses it. Find out also if she uses it only for work or beyond work purposes. And, find out if she is aware at all of the dangers [of owning an internet-capable laptop even though it’s filtered].
Shidduchim – If The Boy Smokes
Question: If a certain bochur is reputed to have a good heart and has yiras shomayim but he smokes, is that a reason to reject him in a shidduch?
Answer: If there is nothing else you are concerned about him, then this [smoking] is not something to be concerned about.
Understanding The Evil Within
Question: [The Rav has explained that] there are three parts in our soul: a part that is totally good and pure, a part that is a mixture of good and evil, and a part that is completely evil. What is the part in ourselves that is completely evil? Is this the yetzer hora (the evil inclination)?
Answer: Study the sefer Tanya, chapters 2-7, who explains at length about the soul and its general design. To give a brief description, the actual essence of the soul is one piece, but it divides into two parts – our intellect and our character traits. Upon that, there are three “garments” of the soul: thought, speech, and action. The “G-dly soul” (nefesh Elokis) of a Jew is entirely good, whereas the “animal soul” (nefesh habehaimis) is called kelipas noga, which refers to permissible actions [which are neither evil nor holy]. The soul of a gentile consists of the three impure kelipos (li. “shells”). When a Jew sins, chas v’shalom, he is connecting his soul to the three impure kelipos. However, it is merely a connection to the evil. Besides for this, there are also “evil” character traits which can be manifest in a Jew’s soul, but those character traits are only “evil” because there is a lack of balance in the Jew’s soul. When one’s soul is imbalanced, the result will be any of the “evil” character traits. However, it is nothing but an imbalance in the soul’s abilities, because there is never any intrinsic evil in a Jew’s soul.
Questions On Learning Chassidus
Question: Is it true that Chassidus was only founded for people who were unlearned in Torah?
Answer: No. The pnimiyus of Chassidus is t’mimus. On one hand, this is good for those unlearned in Torah, who have more t’mimus. But it is also for very big Talmidei Chachomim to attain the light of t’mimus and emunah peshutah, and thereby attain great wisdom in Torah, because it is written that chochmah (wisdom) comes from a higher source, from ayin.
Question: Which sefarim are the pnimiyus of Chassidus (besides for sefer Tanya)?
Answer: The pnimiyus of Chassidus is discussed in sefer Tanya, which is describing the Binah within the Radla, and also in the sefarim of Bresslov, which is the Chochmah within the Radla. The Chassidus taught in Poland is the Va”K (6 Sefiros) which are also called the “7 lower Sefiros within Atik” which is “clothed in Arich Anpin”.
Question: Are these sefarim only for certain types of Chassidim, or are they also for anyone who wants to go in the way of Chassidus?
Answer: Each person has to look for what’s appropriate to his personal soul root. Chassidus is not for any certain “type”. This concept that there are certain “types” [of Jews] is a superficial mentality.
