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Tzava'at Harivash 46

By Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov; translated and annotated by J. Immanuel Schochet

Published by Kehot Publication Society

Tzava'at Harivash: 45

Tzava'at Harivash: 47

[As you set out to serve God,] do not be overly punctilious in all you do. 1 [To do so] is but a contrivance of the yetzer [hara] to make you apprehensive that you may not have fulfilled your obligation, in order to make you feel depressed. Depression, in turn, is an immense obstacle to the service of the Creator, blessed be He.

Even if you did commit a sin, [Heaven forbid], do not be overly depressed lest this stop your worship. Do feel saddened by the sin [and feel ashamed before the Creator, blessed be He, and beg him to remove your evil]; but then rejoice in the Creator, blessed be He, because you fully repented and resolved never to repeat your folly.

Even if you are certain that you did not fulfill some obligation, because of a variety of obstacles, do not feel depressed. Bear in mind that the Creator, blessed be He, “searches the hearts and minds” (Psalms 7:10). He knows that you wish to do the best but were unable to do so. Thus strengthen yourself to rejoice in the Creator, blessed be He. 2

It is written, “There is a time to act for God, they voided Your Torah.” (Psalms 119:126) This implies that the performance of a mitzvah may sometimes entail an intimation of sin. 3 In that case do not pay attention to the yetzer hara who seeks to prevent you from performing that mitzvah. Respond to the yetzer [hara]: “My sole intent with that mitzvah is but to bring gratification to the Creator, blessed be He.” With the help of God the yetzer hara will then depart from you. Nonetheless, you must carefully determine in your mind whether or not to perform that mitzvah! 4

All that I have written 5 are important principles “more desirable than much fine gold.” Each item is an important principle.

Tzava'at Harivash: 45

Tzava'at Harivash: 47

Footnotes

Note carefully the qualifying admonition of the Maggid of Mezhirech: “Our minds are not as powerful as those of the earlier [generations], thus we are unable to follow properly all chumrot (stringencies of the law). [Preoccupation with these would cause] a cessation of deveikut because of our weak mind, unlike the earlier ones whose mind was very powerful.
“Even so, one must be very careful in this matter and weigh actual practice on the scales of the mind: if the stringency will cause a negation of deveikut between himself and the Creator, it is better not to be overly stringent. However, this applies only to extra stringencies that man undertakes on his own. As for the chumrot that are stated explicitly in Shulchan Aruch, one must observe these even if it appears in his mind that to do so will negate the deveikut. He is surely wrong [in that assumption]. For the Torah in its totality, including all its details, precautionary measures and subtleties, from the [time of the] Faithful Shepherd (Moses) up to [and including] the Shulchan Aruch, was given to us solely to become attached to His great Name by means of the deeds we do. [That includes] even the precautionary laws [that are Rabbinic]. Thus it is said in a general way: ‘Even what a conscientious student will innovate in the future [was said already to Moses at Sinai]’ (Yerushalmi, Pe’ah 2:4; see Megilah 19b and Vayikra Rabba 22:1), and ‘the Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are entirely one’ (see below, sect. 54, note 1). One must be careful, though, that it is done exclusively lishmah (for its own sake) without, Heaven forbid, associating any personal delight; for that would be very base, as stated by the saint, the author of Chovot Halevovot (Sha’ar Yichud Hama’aseh, ch. 1-4), see there.” (Likkutei Amarim, from the manuscript of R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, p. 29a-b)

On these first three paragraphs see also above, sect. 44, and the notes there.

See the interpretation of this verse in Berachot 63a. Note there also the reference to “In all your ways acknowledge Him” (Proverbs 3:6), i.e., even for a matter of transgression; and see on this Maimonides’ Mishnah-Commentary on Berachot 9:5, and his Shemonah Perakim, end of ch. 5.

I.e., this is a very serious matter. You cannot simply follow your impulse with all the best of intentions in context of what is stated here. The decision to proceed in such circumstances requires careful consideration.

The wording (“I have written”) indicates that this last paragraph is an addition by the editor of the manuscript, for the author did not record his teachings.

By Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov; translated and annotated by J. Immanuel Schochet

Published and copyright by Kehot Publication Society, all rights reserved.

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By Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov; translated and annotated by J. Immanuel Schochet

Tzava'at Harivash is an anthology of teachings and instructions attributed to the Baal Shem Tov and his successor, R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezhrich. The translation, by a foremost authority on Chassidism and Jewish Mysticism, is enhanced by source-references, brief commentaries, notes on the passages that were perceived to be controversial, and a comprehensive introduction.

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