Wednesday, May 12, 2004
We continue our countdown to Mattan Torah with short daily quotes from Messilat Yesharim:
-- From Ch. 19
"Since it is clear that honoring the Sabbath is a mitzvah and since there are many ways to honor it, we should do anything that would bring out the importance of the Sabbath. The early sages would each prepare for the Sabbath in their own way .... Rav Nachman would carry things in and out on his shoulders, reasoning that if Rabbi Amai or Rabbi Assai would visit he would certainly carry things in and out on his shoulders. The reasoning of Rav Nachman gives us pause to reflect upon the fact that he would consider what he would do in his own way to honor a person, and then do the same to honor the Sabbath. Regarding this it is said, (Brachot 17a) 'Let a man always be creative in his reverence,' that is, let him reflect upon things, and arrive at new means of giving satisfaction to his Creator whichever way he can so that he might recognize G-d's exalted nature, and so that everything associated with Him will be honored as much as possible."
"Since, in His great humility and goodness and despite our lowliness, G-d wants to honor us by passing on to us His holy words, let us at least honor those holy words with all of our might, and show Him how precious they are to us. This is true reverence -- reverence of His exaltedness as we said. The honor that brings about the longing-love we will be writing about is dependent upon this sort of reverence, not the inessential fear of punishment from which these great traits do not come.'
"Honoring the Torah and those who study it is another aspect of reverence .... Included within this category is the innocence and purity necessary for Torah study. You are not to be engaged in it or even give thought to it in untoward places or when your hands are unclean. Our sages expanded upon this and warned us about it in various places.'
"Let us now speak about the matter of love of G-d. There are three aspects to it: happiness, attachment, and vengence. [The sort of love we're referring to] is an actual desiring and longing for closeness to G-d. It is pursuing G-d's Holiness as you would pursue something you strongly long for -- to the point where even mentioning His name, speaking His praises, and occupying yourself in His mitzvot and G-dliness is a pleasure and delight to you .... One who truly loves his Creator would not abandon his worship of Him for any reason in the world other than an utterly compelling one. He would not need convincing or persuasion to serve Him -- in fact, unless he is held back by a major deterrent, his heart would have him surge forward and would drive him towards this love."
(c) 2004 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
You can always contact Rabbi Feldman at feldman@torah.org
May this series on Messilat Yesharim, which is offered in loving memory of my recently departed uncle, Chaim ben Avraham Stone a"h, serve as an aliyah for his neshama.
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Get your own copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” by logging onto http://www.aronson.com/jbookstore/ and typing in "The Gates of Repentance".
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has translated and commented upon "The Gates of Repentance", "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). And his new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available from Judaica Press.
His works are available in bookstores and in various locations on the Web.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled "Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal".
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-- From Ch. 19
"Since it is clear that honoring the Sabbath is a mitzvah and since there are many ways to honor it, we should do anything that would bring out the importance of the Sabbath. The early sages would each prepare for the Sabbath in their own way .... Rav Nachman would carry things in and out on his shoulders, reasoning that if Rabbi Amai or Rabbi Assai would visit he would certainly carry things in and out on his shoulders. The reasoning of Rav Nachman gives us pause to reflect upon the fact that he would consider what he would do in his own way to honor a person, and then do the same to honor the Sabbath. Regarding this it is said, (Brachot 17a) 'Let a man always be creative in his reverence,' that is, let him reflect upon things, and arrive at new means of giving satisfaction to his Creator whichever way he can so that he might recognize G-d's exalted nature, and so that everything associated with Him will be honored as much as possible."
"Since, in His great humility and goodness and despite our lowliness, G-d wants to honor us by passing on to us His holy words, let us at least honor those holy words with all of our might, and show Him how precious they are to us. This is true reverence -- reverence of His exaltedness as we said. The honor that brings about the longing-love we will be writing about is dependent upon this sort of reverence, not the inessential fear of punishment from which these great traits do not come.'
"Honoring the Torah and those who study it is another aspect of reverence .... Included within this category is the innocence and purity necessary for Torah study. You are not to be engaged in it or even give thought to it in untoward places or when your hands are unclean. Our sages expanded upon this and warned us about it in various places.'
"Let us now speak about the matter of love of G-d. There are three aspects to it: happiness, attachment, and vengence. [The sort of love we're referring to] is an actual desiring and longing for closeness to G-d. It is pursuing G-d's Holiness as you would pursue something you strongly long for -- to the point where even mentioning His name, speaking His praises, and occupying yourself in His mitzvot and G-dliness is a pleasure and delight to you .... One who truly loves his Creator would not abandon his worship of Him for any reason in the world other than an utterly compelling one. He would not need convincing or persuasion to serve Him -- in fact, unless he is held back by a major deterrent, his heart would have him surge forward and would drive him towards this love."
(c) 2004 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
You can always contact Rabbi Feldman at feldman@torah.org
May this series on Messilat Yesharim, which is offered in loving memory of my recently departed uncle, Chaim ben Avraham Stone a"h, serve as an aliyah for his neshama.
********************************
Get your own copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” by logging onto http://www.aronson.com/jbookstore/ and typing in "The Gates of Repentance".
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has translated and commented upon "The Gates of Repentance", "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). And his new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available from Judaica Press.
His works are available in bookstores and in various locations on the Web.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled "Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal".
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