Return O wayward sons – שובו בנים שובבים
In conjunction with 'שבת טהרינו' – ‘The Shabbos of our purity’ in our ‘Shivti’ community, we are bringing you excerpts of a sichah given by Rabeinu to the members of our kahal on Shabbos night Parashas Shemos.
The main Teshuva for severe sin is accepting for the future
We are now standing in the days of Shovavim about which the Ari HaKodesh spoke (Shaar Ruach HaKodesh Tikun 27) that are propitious for the correction of flaws in Kedusha. He said that a hint to the matter can be found in Tanach (Yirmiyahu 3:14, 3:22) 'שובו בנים שובבי"ם ' – which stands for ש 'מות ו 'ארא ב 'א ב'שלח י 'תרו מ 'שפטים.
Every Jew, according to his status, has heartache from these flaws, and during these propitious weeks everyone is involved in Teshuva and corrections, and since the main part of Teshuva is ‘the acceptance’ not to stumble over it again, therefore it is incumbent on the person to know what the source is that causes this sin, and to accept upon himself to avoid them from hereon in, for without this, one is missing the essence of the Teshuva.
Guarding the kedusha is the basis for the entire Torah
Holy Chazal (Berachos 12b) expound on the posuk (Bamidbar 15:39) 'ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם' – ‘Do not stray after your heart and after your eyes’. ‘After your heart’ – this is heresy, and ‘after your eyes’ – this is sinful thoughts’. The Torah concludes 'למען תזכרו ועשיתם את כל מצוותי והייתם קדושים לאלקיכם' – So that you may remember and perform all My commandments, and be holy to your G-d’, with these words the Torah testifies that it is not possible to merit keeping all the mitzvos properly and be categorized as 'קדוש לה'' – ‘holy to Hashem’, unless he sanctifies his eyes and does let them feast on sights that stimulate licentiousness Rachmana litzlan. As we see, this mitzvah is a ‘basis’ to keep the entire Torah, and any lapse in the principles of the religion are caused by not adhering to this basic principle. First of all, the flaw resulting from the eyes extends to the sin in Kedusha, Rachmana litzlan, [as Rashi explains that Gemara: The eye sees, the heart desires, and the body sins], and after stumbling with this sin, he is very distant from Hashem Yisbarach, resulting in a lapse of all the mitzvos, and denigrating all principles of the religion Rachmana litzlan.
Even if using for work, one must consult ‘Daas Torah’
There are those who say they need their devices for work, but when it comes to these matters, it is not possible for the person to rule for himself without consulting with ‘Daas Torah’ – a Rav. One must present all the details to the Rav who has experience with this, and he will determine what is appropriate. Sometimes, there is no justification for these devices, and it is only the yetzer hara that is talking to him... Even if it is justified, there is still no heter to have devices without a strong filter from a reliable company. This way one can be sure that he will not stumble by seeing something prohibited, and even if one has such a device, he should not use it openly, since even one with a filter is only permitted b’dieved – not initially – and anything that should not be used initially, should only be used privately.
What is this compared to? To someone who the doctors banned him from fasting on Yom Kippur, and even if he does as instructed and eats, he can only eat out of sight, privately, since he is ashamed to be seen as different from other people. How much more so with these devices, even if needed for work, cannot be called doing a mitzvah, and one should be ashamed to use them in public.
Additionally, there is a matter of indifference and causing the masses to stumble, since there are some who strongly desire these impure devices and knowing that they will be denounced will refrain from getting the devices. But if they see so-and-so walking around with these devices, they might decide to get one too... not realizing that it is a filtered device.
One earns life by abstaining from these devices
A good measure is 500 times better than a bad measure [punishment] (see Rashi Shemos 37:7), and if we say that those who have impure devices are classified as being liable to death, then it must be that those who abstain from these devices will have a strong merit for long life, them, their families, and all their descendants. Just as they are worthy of ‘life’ they are also worthy of having ‘children’, since HaKadosh Baruch Hu can entrust them with holy neshamos knowing that they will remain holy. Similarly, they are worthy of having ‘sustenance’, as this is what HaKadosh Baruch Hu said, “There is no person who listens to me and loses”, and if the person overcomes the yetzer that entices him for a living by specifically using the devices, then surely HaKadosh Baruch Hu will support him with a living even without the device.
And so, may all those who abstain from these devices be blessed with a threefold bracha, ‘children life, and generous sustenance’, and in the merit of sanctification of the eyes, we should merit to see with our own eyes Hashem’s return of Tzion speedily in our days amein.
