Reb Nosson Wachtfogel was full of Menucha. When saying Orchos Chaim of the Rosh during Elul, he would have special Kavana in the words: ˃יֶשֲׂﬠַמ לֵהַבְתּ לַא do not act out of agitation. He came from Kelm, where Menucha was their main Avoda. You live longer and happier, and you are always relaxed. It is known that people with impatient and nervous type-A personalities are much more prone to disease and heart attacks. (Dis-ease causes disease).
I was once in Yerushalayim for Sukkos, and I made an appointment to meet R’ Chaim Tzvi Fogel Zatzal on Chol HaMoed. He warned that he would be busy, but would still try to give me some time. After schmoozing in learning for over half an hour, I was concerned about taking all his precious time. Yet, he looked calm as if he had nothing to do but talk to me. Indeed, every time I called him from the USA he was always loaded with Menucha; he never seemed nervous, and we could talk forever. I asked him about this, and he said that he learned this from his Rebbe R’ Meir Chodosh. He said that he doesn’t run his life, Hashem does; and in the end everything works out. People used to take advantage of his Rebbe and talk to him for hours, yet he was Matzliach. This is the manner a true Baal Bitachon, which the Chovos Halvavos calls: שֶׁפֶנ תַחוּנְמ ַחֵטוֹבַּה the tranquility of a Baal Bitachon.
My father R’ Nachman Mandel and his brother R’ Manis Mandel were from the greatest Mechanchim of the last Dor. They were highly industrious in their work, yet they were relaxed people, with plenty of time to give others, and schmooze with Geshmak.
R' Nosson once related to me that the chief of police of Kelm was not only Jewish, but he was a Chashuva Talmid of the Kelmer Yeshiva. When the Goyim got into fights with each other, they would come to him. They all respected his extreme Menucha and calmness, and they “melted” before him and his decisions. An example of his Menucha: R' Nosson was once learning a Sefer Mussar with him. As slow as R' Nosson went, it wasn’t slow enough; the chief of police told R' Nosson to read even slower.
Shabbos is so important to Klal Yisroel. The entire idea of Shabbos is a day of Menucha and Bitachon. Menucha can be practiced throughout the day. For instance: when davening, try to focus only on the words you are saying, without your mind flying all over like water.
I know a Yungerman who is very Menucha’dik. He told me that he davened for Menucha for many years. He davened to Hashem that he shouldn’t be impatient, and that he should tolerate his Chavrusa.
In Novardok, they repeated a million times: רוֹמְגִל הָכאָלְמַה ˃יֶלָﬠ אֹל you are not responsible to “finish” (they didn’t just mention it once in a while). R' Yisroel Salanter said: ןאָטְפיוֹא טְשׁיִנ ,ןאָט ףְראַדְמ Just “do”, don’t “execute”. When you work with Menucha & relaxation, Hashem gives loads of Si'ata D’shmaya, and in the end you accomplish more. Indeed, the Novardokers were super successful in Torah and Yiras Shamayim.
