We are coming from Yud Shvat, a time in which each of us was focused on Bosil’ Gani. Bosil’ gani is about the ultimate purpose of the entire creation – the revelation of G-dliness in this world – and the way to achieve that – through shtus d’kedusha.
Interestingly, while you hear these days many “complaints” about chassidus not being ‘practical’ and not being easy to apply to one’s life, it would be difficult to find something more practical and applicable than the definition in the maamar for shtus d’kedusha: Everybody sees how some aspects of their lives are inflexible in an irrational way. The maamar gives an example of mealtimes. For some people mealtimes are written in stone, and can’t be postponed for any reason. This is the idea of shtus.
This is, however, not the only example. It is easy for us to find many examples, each person in what is applicable to him. Here are some examples that we may note:
- The extreme commitment, of some people, to their business. Make a calculation, you have enough money in your bank account (some people) to live comfortably for the remainder of your life, and to leave more than enough for your children to do so as well. Why are you over-extending yourself to such an extreme just to make another few dollars (or a few hundred million dollars) in a way that affects your health and family involvement (not to mention your spiritual pursuits)?
- The need to know the latest news. Some of us are updating ourselves a few times a day on what happened last. And it’s not enough a newspaper, because that’s not the latest news, we need to hear the radio, to know what’s current. And in case there was some amazing development since we last heard the radio report, we have to check up the internet. And it’s not enough one site, maybe there’s a news tidbit on another site that the first site didn’t get yet, and we have to check that one as well (sound familiar to anyone).
What are you looking for? Is there any rationale behind this obsession? Does anyone really think that he’ll miss out on some vital news scoop if he doesn’t constantly chase the news sites? Don’t you think that when Moshiach comes they’ll somehow get the message out also to those who aren’t caught in the web?
- The obsession with email. You’re talking to someone respectable, or – even more importantly – you’re in shul talking to G-d or learning His Torah. But you have to check what email (or text or SMS or whatsapp etc.) just came this second. Never mind that it’s rude, impolite and inconsiderate. It doesn’t make sense! What important message are you expecting that can’t wait a few minutes, or even hours? (In my days, when we sent a letter, the recipient didn’t get it for days, and sometimes weeks, and we still managed to grow up with some degree of mental health and emotional stability).
Recognizing these, it is easy for us to understand the converse definition of shtus d’kedusha that is being demanded from us: Simply put, - apply the same type of irrational commitment to our spiritual activities. I’m not suggesting that it’s very easy, like flipping a switch (nor is it meant to be), but when we identify and define the objective, it is definitely achievable. Slowly by surely, bit by bit, we are able to change our mindset and mentality so that our irrational commitment is towards doing what the Eibishter demands.
- Learning Torah, for example. For sure, we all have shiurim in nigleh and chassidus. But are we spending the amount of time on them (proportionately) as we would be spending on any number of naarishkeiten? And how easily do our kevius itim gemoro or a maamar get postponed, shortened, rescheduled or cancelled altogether ch”v because of all sorts of non-reasons that wouldn’t have such an effect on other aspects of our life?
[R’ Yisroel Nevler (Levin) was a chassidisher Yid. He was a melamed, who worked hard from early in the morning until night, at the draining work of teaching. In addition, once he came home he still couldn’t learn. His wife was unable to cope, and he needed to spend a few hours each night cleaning the house, caring for the children etc. Between his teaching and “homework” there was no time left for his own learning. Understandably, when he was done at home, near midnight, he was bone tired, and it was all he could do to drag himself to his bed for the few hours until he had to return to his teaching. Once, he was in yechidus by the Rebbe Rashab, and he asked the Rebbe: ‘When am I able to learn chassidus? Surely I can’t take off time during the day when I am committed to my students?’ The Rebbe Rashab said to him: ‘At night, after you are done with everything else, then you should sit down to learn chassidus. The first hour or 2 will be difficult, because of your tiredness, but afterwards you won’t feel your tiredness anymore! I s that an approach that we would consider rational? Possibly not. But, then, does it make sense to spend hours late at night surfing the web, or talking, or playing computer games when you know you’re way too tired and won’t have enough energy to function tomorrow?]
- Daily mikva. As a bochur, perhaps, you were very meticulous about not missing a day of mikva. What are the considerations now that are enough for you to justify missing it?
- Davening with a minyan. How often do minor inconveniences (which wouldn’t cause you to miss a day of work, to shorten your vacation or to miss a family get-together or simcha) make you decide to skip going to shul and daven at home (we won’t speak about not davening altogether..)
The maamar is telling us to reverse it. Be irrationally stubborn (or stubbornly irrational) about your shiurim in Torah, your davening and your chassidishe conduct. Endeavor to make your practice of Yiddishkeit to be – not watered down by your intellect, but – “vi der Rebbe farshteit”.
Besides the inherent value in fulfilling the ultimate purpose of creation, this is the sure way to be keilim to receive the unlimited brochos in every single area without any limitations, - “vi der Rebbe farshteit”!
L’chaim! May we all strengthen our shtus d’kedusha, by re-committing ourselves to learning and davening “vi der Rebbe farshteit”, and may the Eibishter in turn shower us will all brochos in the greatest abundance vi Er farshteit, both in gashmyus and in ruchnyus, including and especially the most important brocho - the immediate hisgalus of Melech haMoshiach TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
לזכות 'ר שלום מרדכי הלוי בן, רבקה לגאולה וישועה קרובה, ושלימה י"ת וממש ג"ב טוהנוהנ ה"ב ליל ק"ש' פר, יתרו חיים, שנה שנת' תהי"שנת חיעולמים
