SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON

开云体育

SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
?
Do Whatever You Can (I)
?
A Torah scholar once posed the following question: If one has failed to concentrate while reciting the Shemoneh Esrei prayer and finds himself near its conclusion, with what approach can he inspire himself to pray the remainder of the prayer with proper concentration? The scholar offered a solution by way of a parable:
?
A young girl was standing in the marketplace with a large basket of apples for sale. Suddenly, a thief approached and began to snatch apples out of the basket. The girl became confused and stood helplessly, not knowing what to do. Someone who was watching from a distance called out to her, “Why are you standing still? What are you waiting for —that he should grab everything? Just as he is grabbing, so should you grab-? whatever you can get will still be yours!”
?
And so it is regarding prayer. If one was overcome by lethargy and mindless daydreaming at the start of the Shemoneh Esrei, and suddenly finds himself near the prayer’s end without having “grabbed any apples,” this does not mean that he should give up and leave himself with nothing. Rather, he should strive with all his inner strength to concentrate on the remaining blessings.
?
And so it is, exactly, with shmiras haloshon. You stumbled this morning and spoke the forbidden? Then stand ready this afternoon to overcome your evil inclination and refrain from forbidden talk. And if you fail in the afternoon, nevertheless, strengthen yourself to do battle once more tomorrow. Surely Hashem will help you to succeed, for “one who seeks to purify himself is granted Heavenly assistance” (Shabbos 104a).

Do you know someone who needs a refuah shleima? A shidduch? Or perhaps a meaningful yahrtzeit is approaching? As a merit for a recovery from illness or for a departed family member you can sponsor a daily email and have over 8,000 people, every day, learn and be inspired as a z’chus for your loved one. Please call?845-352-3505?#113 or email?lozeri@...?to sponsor or for more information on other sponsorship opportunities.

#134

开云体育

SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
?
Do Whatever You Can (II)
?
“Do you really think that you can avoid everything that must not be spoken? Why, you are a man of the world, you have dealings with scores of people!” This was another argument cited above, which can lead a person to totally ignore the concept of shmiras haloshon.
?
Again, we respond with an analogy: Let us suppose that I was hurrying somewhere to engage in a business enterprise. A man asks me, “Why do you hurry? Do you think that this enterprise will make you one of the world’s richest men, like So-and-so?” Surely I would reply, “Is that a reason not to seek a livelihood for myself?!”
?
If this response is correct when material matters are concerned, then surely it applies when spiritual matters are at stake. If one feels that he cannot abide by the laws of forbidden speech with all their details and fine points, does this mean that he should refrain entirely from caring for his soul? Is it reason to allow oneself to, Heaven forbid, be counted among the ba’alei loshon hora (habitual gossipers) who will not merit to bask in the glory of the Divine Presence (Sotah 42a)?
?
Reishis Chochmah (Sha’ar HaAhavah ch. 54) relates that R’ Moshe Cordovero 1 saw the author of Shushan Sodos in a dream [following the latter’s passing], and he was shining like the light of a torch. The deceased revealed that this was in merit of his having avoided idle chatter while on this world. Should such merit be totally forfeited because one feels that to acquire it in its entirety is out of reach?
?
The wisest of men declared, “Whatever you are able to do with your might, do it” (Koheles?9:10), meaning that even if one feels he cannot fulfill a given mitzvah in all its fine points, nevertheless, he should strive to fulfill it to the best of his ability. It is in this vein that our Sages derived from the verse, “Then Moshe set aside three cities” (Devarim?4:41), that although those three cities could not afford refuge [to one who murdered inadvertently] until the three cities in the Land of Canaan had been set aside —and Moshe knew that he would not be permitted to enter the Land of Israel and set them aside —nevertheless, Moshe said: “I will accomplish whatever is in my power to accomplish.”2
?
?
1. Sixteenth-century Kabbalist, author of Tomer Devorah.
2. See Rashi, ad loc.

Previous Topic Next Topic