Questions To Rabbi Mandel

Anxiety About the Din of Rosh Hashanah

Question: Dear Rabbi Mandel. I am a person who has a very laid back and non-motivated personality. Because of that, I would always walk around worried about Gehinom, Din, or the Din of Rosh Hashanah because I always felt so lacking in my Avodas Hashem and I felt I would never be able to get where I should be holding. it would just cause me to have anxiety attacks, and I would not be able to function like a regular person (not being able to eat or sleep properly).

This was until I was exposed to your Vaadim and Rabbi Golombeck's Bitachon Hotline (which I listen to daily). It helped me focus on Ahavas Hashem and Bitachon versus Yir’ah, and it helped me have a healthy, loving relationship with Hashem. Although I still have a lot of shortcomings, it helped me to be a happy Jew, and try to grow in various areas with Simcha.

My question is, lately I've been seeing that the Rav has been talking more in the Bitachon Weekly about fear of Gehinom and fear of Yom HaDin, which the Rav says is important to also have. But for me, it's bringing me back to that anxiety of what could happen to me, being that I am far from where I should be, and I don't feel that I will ever reach my full potential because of my laid-back and lazy personality.

Now I'm left confused. What is the right Derech for me? Thank you so much.

Answer: Now, keep away. Any talk of Gehinom or Din is NOT FOR YOU. Hashem does not want YOU to be involved in that. I keep saying often “If this is not for you, don't get near it with a 10-foot pole”. Run from it like it's an Aveira. Do not get NEAR Din. By you, ONLY Rachamim.

You are ONLY good. You are a fantastic, wonderful person. Look how you turned yourself around. You are so special! You've got to keep on-the-case, keep building yourself up. A lot will be true; a lot will be weird! And you'll say things that are downright not-true. KEEP IT UP! BECAUSE THAT'S FOR YOU.

For the rest of your life, you don't get NEAR Din! Yom HaDin means, like R' Ahron Kotler Zatzal says: Why are they called Yamim Nora'im (days of terror)? Because it's “Nora” (terrifying) מְצַד הַחֶסֶד שֶׁבּוֹ how delicious it is. THAT'S for you.

YOU are out for a good time, in everywhere you go. Of course, you need a Rebbe to guide you, to make sure you do it right. But have as much fun as you want. Ezra HaSofer was already into that, like it says: לְכוּ אִכְלוּ מַשְׁמַנִּים וּשְׁתוּ מַמְתַקִים כִּי חֶדְוַת ה' הִיא מָעֶזְכֶם נחמיה חי you have to have a good time on Rosh Hashanah. You better chill out! You'll get a Mitzva for every pickle! Eat MORE pickles! NOT ENOUGH! BOOST YOURSELF MORE! ENJOY YOURSELF! Chap a shmooze with a friend. Have fun. Relax. Don't get near all those “Din guys”. They're not for you. Hatzlacha Gedola!

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