A Sichah from Maran HaGaon Rav Gershon Edelstein shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez - Yisro 5775 #145
punishment, and for every Mitzvah there is tremendous
reward. Specifically, and this is the main idea, he must
learn about every single sin. For example, regarding
haughtiness, he must learn what the Torah says about
haughtiness. Regarding dealing honestly in business, he
must learn all of the laws between man and his fellow
man that can arise in business dealings. He must learn the
specifics of every single Mitzvah and Aveirah.”
The ultimate antidote against the Yetzer Hara is
learning the Sifrei Mussar and Halachah pertaining to a
specific sin. For example, businessmen generally need to
strengthen the integrity of their business dealings, and
ascertain that they are not stealing from their friends. This
is because there are many business opportunities that in
fact are considered stealing, but a person’s Yetzer Hara
entices him, and then convinces him, that he may proceed
with the deal. If these people will learn the monetary laws
of Choshen Mishpat, they will strengthen their Yiras
Shamayim in their business dealings (preventing them
from transgressing these laws). Similarly, if a person
loves honor, he should learn Sifrei Mussar that explain the
danger of receiving honor, and why one should stay away
from it.
Reb Yisrael continues, “The antidote of Torah to
the Yetzer Hara has an additional spiritual benefit. This is
as the Gemara in Sotah (21a) states, “When a person
learns Torah, it saves him etc.” Rashi there explains that
this means it saves one from sinning. All Torah learning
saves a person from sinning. Even if a person is dealing
with the laws of an ox that gores a cow, he will be saved
from speaking Lashon Hara or committing other sins.
This is despite the fact that there is no obvious connection
between these two things. It is the spirituality of Torah
that saves him.” However, he continues, “The loftiest and
main way to use Torah learning as an antidote to the
Yetzer Hara, is to learn with strength, and in depth, all of
the laws of a specific sin.”
For example, a person who has difficulty keeping
the laws of Lashon Hara should learn the Sefarim Chafetz
The Ultimate Antidote
It is important to understand why we need to
learn Sifrei Mussar. The Mishnah Berurah (1:12) writes in
the name of the Chida, “A person must have a set time to
learn Sifrei Mussar everyday, whether he learns for a
small or large amount (of time). This is because a person
who is greater than his friend has a greater Yetzer Hara
than his friend. The antidote to the Yetzer Hara is the
rebuke found in the words of Chazal.”
This is based on the Gemara in Kidushin (30b)
that states, “I created the Yetzer Hara, and I created the
Torah as its antidote.” The Chida therefore explains that
even though one is essentially taking some of this antidote
when he learns any type of Torah; the way to take the
most potent form of this antidote is by learning Sifrei
Mussar and Yiras Shamayim.
The Two Types of Yetzer Hara
This is explained further in the Igeres Ha’Mussar
of Reb Yisrael Salanter. He explains there that there are
two types of Yetzer Hara. One type is the Yetzer Hara of
desire. He tempts a person through all types of physical
desires and his will to acquire money and honor. There is
a second type of Yetzer Hara, which is a spiritual Yetzer
Hara. He tempts people to sin, despite the fact that they
have no physical desire to do that sin. This is the impure
side of a person that likes sin just because it is sin, as the
Passuk in Mishlei (9:7) states, “Stolen water will be
sweet.” Even though that Passuk is indeed talking about a
physical pleasure derived from the stolen water, the
concept is correct even when there is no physical pleasure.
Reb Yisrael writes in the Igeres Ha’Mussar,
“Chazal have taught us that the element of antidote in
Torah learning is the Yiras Shamayim that comes from it.
If a person will pay attention to the Yiras Shamayim
emanating from his Torah learning, he will understand
that for every sin that he commits, there is a horrible
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Chaim and Shemiras Ha’Lashon that deal with this law.
Sifrei Mussar are essential in combating the Yetzer Hara,
as they give specific instructions how to overpower the
Yetzer Hara and be saved from sin.
was extremely upset at what had transpired. After awhile,
the person who took over the job endured great
difficulties. The wife of the previously employed person
was very happy that this difficulty befell the new
employee. She ended up dying young from a strange
death (Rachmana Litzlan) shortly after these events.
Sifrei Mussar
In every generation, scholars authored Sifrei
Mussar that were tailor-made for their generation. Pirkei
Avos is full of words of Mussar to help a person have
Yiras Shamayim and good Middos. Pirkei Avos begins by
quoting words of Mussar from the Anshei Knesses
Ha’Gedolah (who lived in the time of Mordechai and
Esther), and continues by bringing the words of the
scholars of each subsequent generation until Rabeinu
Ha’Kadosh (who compiled the Mishnayos many hundreds
of years after the Anshei Knesses Ha’Gedolah). I saw a
commentary who explained that each Mishnah in Pirkei
Avos quotes a statement from a Torah scholar that felt this
statement was especially significant for his generation. He
felt his generation needed strengthening in this area, and
this is why he often said this particular statement.
For example, we mentioned last week that the
Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (4:19) states that Shmuel
Ha’Katan says, “When your enemy falls, do not be happy,
and when he stumbles, your heart should not be joyous.
Lest Hashem see (this) and it will be evil in His eyes, and
He will take His anger away from him.” The
commentaries ask, isn’t this merely a quote from Mishlei?
Why would Shmuel Ha’Katan be quoted as saying this in
Pirkei Avos? Rabeinu Yonah answers that Shmuel
Ha’Katan said this often because it is something that
people often fail to realize. He understood that the people
of his generation needed to be strengthened in this matter.
The Passuk in Mishlei (ibid.) continues, “Lest
Hashem see (this) and it will be evil in His eyes, and He
will take His anger away from him.” The commentaries
explain this to mean that if a person is happy at the
downfall of his enemies, Hashem will take His anger
away from these enemies, and instead punish the person
who was happy at their downfall. Instead of the enemy
being punished for his evil deeds (immediately in this
world), the one who enjoyed his downfall gets punished
first instead. This is despite the fact that his enemy
bothered him, and made him suffer.
I know of a person who had a high class job that
was very significant. However, he was not good at this
job, and he was ultimately fired and replaced. He was
very pained by this, but his good Middos prevailed, and
he did not utter a word of complaint. However, his wife
Insulting People on Purim
People must be very careful with Mitzvos that are
between man and his fellow man, as Hashem punishes
people for transgressing these sins in this world. We
should certainly keep this in mind, as we will soon be
celebrating Purim. Some people eagerly wait for Purim, in
order to get even with people who they dislike. They plan
on posting Purim “newspapers” on the walls, full of
scorn and criticism of others. In general, I have
witnessed throughout my life that the people who
participate in such activities are punished, and they
suffer throughout their life in a strange and difficult
manner. While I cannot say for certain that this is the
reason for their suffering, it is certainly possible that this
is the reason. Hurting and paining others is a very severe
sin.
A Lesson Then, A Lesson Now
Rabeinu Ha’Kadosh realized that all of the
statements that were stated in Pirkei Avos would be
needed in later generations as well. Whatever needed
correction in the time of the Anshei Knesses Ha’Gedolah
still needed correcting in later generations, and still needs
correction in our generation. This is why Rabeinu
Ha’Kadosh compiled all of these statements in Pirkei
Avos for future generations. In every generation, more
issues arise that require correction. This is why every
generation requires the compilation of more Mussar
Sefarim, that help the public overcome the new issues and
struggles of their generation.
We see that the Rishonim wrote Sefarim and
words of Mussar. Rabeinu Yonah wrote Sharei Teshuvah.
The Rambam wrote words of Mussar at the end of every
Sefer in his Yad Ha’Chazakah. The Sefer Chovos
Ha’Levavos is also from one of the Rishonim, and it
contains ten “gates” such as humility, soul searching, and
more. He discusses thirty calculations that a person must
constantly take into account throughout his lifetime. If a
person is lackadaisical regarding any of these calculations,
even for a small amount of time, he will very possibly sin.
This is as he writes in Shar Yichud Ha’Ma’aseh (ch.5), “If
you sleep on him, he will awaken to you.” This means
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that the Yetzer Hara is always ready to tempt a person,
and he will succeed if a person lets down his guard.
Many significant Mussar Sefarim continued to be
composed in later generations, such as Orchos Tzadikim,
Mesilas Yesharim, Or Yisrael, and others. Even in our
generation we have witnessed the publishing of great
Mussar Sefarim, such as the Sefer Or Yechezkel authored
by Maran Ha’Mashgiach (Rav Yechezkel Levenstein)
zt”l. It contains many talks and letters that deliver words
that strengthen us and instruct us in overcoming the
Yetzer Hara, and to live a happy and righteous life.
Some people mistakenly think that learning
Mussar causes a person to become depressed. The
opposite is true; it causes happiness! When a person
learns Mussar, he diagnoses his spiritual illness. Just
as a person who goes to the doctor is happy when his
illness is identified, and a course of successful
treatment is planned, so too when a person diagnoses
his spiritual illness and sees that there is a successful
course of treatment, he should be filled with
happiness!
It is obviously wrong to hide our heads in the
sand, and claim that ignorance is bliss when it comes
to identifying spiritual danger. Rather, we must learn
Sifrei Mussar in order to identify the danger, and
know how to deal with it. By learning Mussar, a
person will receive Siyata d’Shamaya, as the Gemara
in Yoma (38b) states, “One who comes to be purified is
helped.”
The Sefer Mesilas Yesharim contains advice and
guidance that enables a person to strengthen himself in all
areas. It contains topics such as Emunah, Bein Adam
l’Chaveiro, Zehirus, Zerizus, Nekiyus, Perishus, and all
positive attributes that lead to having Ruach Ha’Kodesh.
He explains how to obtain each attribute, and how one
loses it. It is well known that when the Mesilas Yesharim
was published, the Gra was astonished at how much
wisdom it contained. He remarked that a light had come
down to the world, and that if the author was alive he
would walk to him in order to meet him and learn from
him. He immediately bought the Sefer, despite the fact
that it was quite expensive.
fashion, but it does not help completely when it comes to
changing one’s nature.
I believe that I have witnessed this throughout my
life. I know many great Torah scholars who also learn
Mussar. Through learning, they have become people who
constantly act in a very ethical fashion. However, this has
become their “second nature,” not their “first nature,”
because it is very hard to change one’s nature. The
evidence of this fact is their children, who did not work as
hard to be great people. Their inborn nature is found in
their children, but their secondary learned nature is not
(unless they too worked on themselves in this fashion).
We see that Eliezer, the servant of Avraham
Avinu, was able to change his nature. When Avraham
asked Eliezer to seek a wife for Yitzchak, he instructed
Eliezer (Bereishis 24:40), “And you will take a wife for
my son from my family and from my father’s house.”
Avraham wanted Yitzchak to marry someone from his
family, as he knew that they possessed good Middos. The
Passuk says that Eliezer replied (Bereishis 24:39), “Ulai
Lo Seilech Ha’Ishah Acharai” – “Perhaps the woman will
not follow behind me.” Rashi explains that the word
“Ulai” is not spelled with a Vav here, as it normally
would be, indicating that Eliezer was thinking of the word
“Ailai” – “To me.” This is because Eliezer had a daughter,
and wanted her to marry Yitzchak. Avraham had already
told him, “My son is blessed (meaning from blessed
ancestry, as he is a descendant of Shem), and you (i.e. and
your daughter) are cursed (descendants of Cham who is
cursed). A cursed person does not cling to (i.e. marry) a
blessed person.” This cursedness was having innate bad
Middos. Avraham could not have such a person marry
Yitzchak, whose nature was to have good Middos.
We must clarify a point in this Rashi. Rashi says,
“A cursed person does not cling to a blessed person.”
Why didn’t Rashi merely state that a blessed person does
not cling to a cursed person, or that a blessed person and a
cursed person do not cling to each other? The answer is
that one might think that Yitzchak, with his good Middos,
could cause Eliezer’s daughter to change her Middos.
This is why Avraham specifically said, “A cursed person
does not cling to a blessed person.” Usually, when a
person with good Middos has a relationship with a person
with bad Middos, the person with bad Middos will have
more of a negative influence on the person with good
Middos, while the positive influence from the person with
good Middos will be substantially less.
Eliezer managed to change his nature. This is
why he merited a special reward, as stated by the Yalkut
(Chayei Sarah #109), that he was one of the few people
Changing One’s Nature
It is well known that Reb Yisrael Salanter said
that it is easier to learn and know all of Shas, than change
one’s nature and break a bad Middah. A person can learn
and constantly review Shas, and eventually know it.
However, changing one’s nature is difficult. The antidote
of Torah is helpful to change one’s actions in a positive
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who merited entering Gan Eden without dying. The
Bereishis Rabah teaches (60:7), “Since he loyally served
this Tzadik (Avraham), he stopped being cursed, and
became blessed. This is as the Passuk says, “Come,
Blessed one (from) Hashem.” This was in the merit of his
serving Avraham loyally, seeking out a wife for Yitzchak
with great effort and prayer, despite his misgivings. He
clearly prayed sincerely and fervently, as otherwise he
would not have been answered. Even after he met Rivkah,
he gave praise and thanks to Hashem, as the Passuk states,
“Baruch Hashem, the G-d of my master Avraham, that he
did not take away his kindness and truth from my master.”
The lesson of Eliezer teaches us that it is possible to
change one’s nature. However, this is uncommon, and a
person needs special Siyata d’Shmaya to succeed in
changing one’s nature.
The Sefer Or Yisrael (Letter 14) writes, “It is
indeed generally known, through experience, that a person
can be a very lofty servant of Hashem, even without
learning Mussar. However, to change from bad to good
without learning Mussar, is like trying to see without
having an eye, and trying to hear without having an ear.”
A person can pray with proper intent and do everything
for the sake of Heaven, but still not merit changing his
nature. The only way one can hope to change his nature is
to allow himself to be guided by the Sifrei Mussar.
The Sharei Teshuvah (2:26) writes, “He should
return this rebuke to his soul, and he should not rely solely
on the rebuke that a person gives him. His rebuke should
be revisited countless times, until his soul accepts the
Mussar (in the rebuke) and becomes pure.” A person has
to constantly reinforce what he has to improve, and must
seek to always hear and learn words of Mussar. When a
person will involve himself in this constantly, it is
possible for him to merit changing his nature.
The Passuk in Tehilim (51:12) states, “A pure
heart, Hashem, (please) create for me.” A pure heart is a
creation that one only merits through Siyata d’Shmaya.
Accordingly, one must pray to merit that Hashem should
create for him a pure heart. This is as we ask on Shabbos,
“And purify our hearts to serve You truthfully.” We only
ask for this on Shabbos, as this is when we have a
Neshamah Yeseirah, an extra level of holiness, and
therefore we have the ability that Hashem should
complete the purity of our heart. However, this is only
when we keep Shabbos as we should, without speaking
idle talk, and without taking an unnecessary break from
praying and Torah learning. Of course, we must also
perform the Mitzvah of Oneg Shabbos through eating and
drinking. However, one should make sure he does not
indulge in a manner that is not for the sake of Heaven.
This is as the Gra writes in his commentary on Mishlei
(7:14) that it is the way of the Yetzer Hara to entice a
person with a Seudas Mitzvah in order to drag him into
enjoying the physical pleasures of this world. Therefore,
one should make certain that his eating on Shabbos is for
Oneg Shabbos, and not just to satisfy his gastronomical
desires.
I knew people who would always say “l’Kavod
Shabbos Kodesh” before eating from any type of food that
was brought before them on Shabbos. Some also say this
when they are putting on their Shabbos clothes. The
Mishnah Berurah (250:2) quotes the Magen Avraham as
saying that it is good to say before buying something for
Shabbos that it is “L’Kavod Shabbos Kodesh,” as speech
has a great spiritual effect.
We therefore see that it is possible to change our
nature, even from evil to good, through constantly
studying Sifrei Mussar. This strengthens the Yetzer
Ha’Tov, enabling one to triumph over the Yetzer Hara.
Praised is our lot!
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