הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אֵין בּוּר יְרֵא חֵטְא, וְלֹא עַם הָאָרֶץ חָסִיד, וְלֹא הַבַּיְשָׁן לָמֵד, וְלֹא הַקַּפְּדָן מְלַמֵּד, וְלֹא כָל הַמַּרְבֶּה בִסְחוֹרָה מַחְכִּים. וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ:
(5) He used to say: A brute is not sin-fearing, nor is an ignorant person pious; nor can a timid person learn, nor can an impatient person teach; nor will someone who engages too much in business become wise. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.
אָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב חִסְדָּא: אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין בָּאִין עָלָיו — יְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד ה׳״. פִּשְׁפֵּשׁ וְלֹא מָצָא — יִתְלֶה בְּבִטּוּל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״.
Previously, the Gemara discussed suffering that results from one’s transgressions. The Gemara shifts the focus and discusses suffering that does not result from one’s transgressions and the suffering of the righteous. Rava, and some say Rav Ḥisda, said: If a person sees that suffering has befallen him, he should examine his actions. Generally, suffering comes about as punishment for one’s transgressions, as it is stated: “We will search and examine our ways, and return to God” (Lamentations 3:40). If he examined his ways and found no transgression for which that suffering is appropriate, he may attribute his suffering to dereliction in the study of Torah. God punishes an individual for dereliction in the study of Torah in order to emphasize the gravity of the issue, as it is stated: “Happy is the man whom You punish, Lord, and teach out of Your law” (Psalms 94:12). This verse teaches us that his suffering will cause him to return to Your law.
מקשים המפרשים איך לא מצא חטאים אם יש לו בטול תורה, וכי יש חטא גדול יותר מבטול תורה? התרוץ, את אי המציאה, יתלה בבטול תורה משום שלא למד מספיק ולא יודע מה זה חטא, אין בור ירא חטא ואין עם הארץ חסיד, לכן צריך ללמוד תורה כדי לגלות בגלל אילו חטאים באו עליו היסורים. רבי חיים מוולוזין זצ"ל בנפש החיים בשער ד' פרק כ"ט מסביר את דברי הגמ' עם פרש"י.
ומסיים נפש החיים וזהו שאמרו חז"ל אם רואה אדם שיסורים באים עליו יפשפש במעשיו. פשפש ולא מצא יתלה בבטול תורה. שואל הנפש החיים ולכאורה יפלא כיון שיש בידו עוון בטול תורה חו"ש אין לך "מצא" יותר מזה ואיך אומר "ולא מצא", התרוץ הוא כפי שאמרנו
אמנם כבר נזהר רש"י מזה ורש"י פ' שם שלא מצא עוון שלא יהיו היסורים הללו ראויים לבוא עליו, והוא כי מדתו ית' כפועל אדם ישלם מידה כנגד מידה, שאותו האיבר שקלקל נפגם בחטאו על אותו האיבר עצמו מביא עליו יסורים, ומדוע זה כך? מסביר הנפש החיים כי רצה ה׳ ית' בזה כדי שמתוך היסורים יבין האדם וידע על איזה חטא באו, וישיב אל לבו להיות מודה ועוזב ושב ורפא לו וזהו שאמרו אם רואה אדם שיסורים באים עליו יפשפש במעשיו ויבין דרכו מתוך היסורים, ואם פשפש ולא מצא בידו עוון אשר חטא באותו איבר ובאותו אופן שיהיו ראויין היסורין הללו דווקא לבוא עליו, מדה כנגד מידה, על זה אומר רבא יתלה בבטול תורה, כי בעוון בטול תורה לא שייך מידה כנגד מידה כי ביטולה חו"ש הוא נוגע לכל גופו, איזה מקום ואיזה איבר שיהיה כמו שנתבאר לעיל.
וכן ידוע בזוהר שהתרי"ג מצוות הם מכוונים נגד התרי"ג איברים וגידים שבאדם. ובעשות האדם אחת ממצות ה׳ כראוי מתקדש על ידה אותו האבר המכוון נגדה ומחיה אותו.
אמנם כשהאדם עוסק בתורה כתיב בה ולכל בשרו מרפא. וכמ"ש (ערובין נ"ד א') חש בראשו יעסוק בתורה. שנאמר כי לוית חן הם לראשך. חש בגרונו יעסוק בתורה שנאמר כו'. חש בבני מעיו יעסוק בתורה כו'. חש בכל גופו יעסוק בתורה שנאמר ולכל בשרו מרפא...שע"י עסק התורה מתקדשים ומזדככים כל אבריו וגידיו וכחותיו כולם. ולכן אמרו ות"ת כנגד כולם.
וכן להיפוך ח"ו עון ביטול תורה הוא ג"כ כנגד כולם. כי בעברו על אחת ממצות ה׳. נפגם רק אותו האבר או הגיד לבד המכוון נגדה...אבל בעון ביטול תורה ח"ו הוא פוגם את כל אבריו וגידיו וכל כתותיו כולם. וחיות הקדושה של כל גופו מסתלקת והוא נעשה תיכף כמת ממש שאין לו שום חיות ח"ו. כמ"ש כי הוא חייך וכו'.
And similarly, it is known from the Zohar, that the six-hundred-and-thirteen mitzvote correspond to the six-hundred-and-thirteen limbs/organs and sinews in the human body, and when a person performs one of God’s mitzvote correctly, that specific corresponding limb/organ is sanctified by it and is enlivened by it. Or, if he comes to have the opportunity to control and separate himself so as to not do one of God’s negative mitzvote, about which our rabbis (OBM) stated (Talmud Yerushalmi, first chapter of Kiddushin): “If a person did not act and did not transgress a transgression, he is rewarded as if he performed a [positive] mitzva”, that specific corresponding sinew is purified and sanctified also, and it is enlivened by it. As the verse states (Vayikra 18:5), that these are the mitzvote “that a person shall carry out that he should live by them”, for then he is called a “living person”. However, when a person is involved with Torah, it’s written (Mishlei 4:22): “and it heals his entire flesh”. And as they stated (Eiruvin 54a): “one who feels pain in his head should involve himself with Torah, for it states: ‘for they are a gracious adornment for your head’ (Mishlei 1:9). One who feels pain in his throat should involve himself with Torah, for it says… . One who feels pain in his stomach should involve himself with Torah… . One who feels pain in his entire body should involve himself with Torah, for it says ‘and it heals his entire flesh’.” And so it is in Va-yikra Rabba (parsha 12), and in Tahn-khooma Yitro, and in Midrash T’hillim (Mizmor 19), that via involvement with Torah, all of his limbs/organs and sinews and powers are sanctified and clarified, and for that reason they stated (Pei-ah 1): “and the study of Torah corresponds to them all”. And so too the opposite (heaven forefend): the sin of ignoring Torah also corresponds to all of them, for when one transgresses one of God’s mitzvote, only the limb/ organ that corresponds to it is blemished, that the life force of holiness and the supernal light, the secret of the name YHV”H (blessed be He) that settles upon each limb/organ leaves him (heaven forefend), and the death of the Other Side settles within him (may the Merciful save us), and he becomes blemished, missing that limb/organ. But as the result of ignoring Torah (heaven forefend), he blemishes all of his limbs/organs and sinews, and all of his powers, and his body’s holy life force departs, and immediately becomes as an actual corpse that has no life force (heaven forefend), as it states (D’varim 30:20): “For He is your life…”.
ופשיטא שהוא חוב גמור על כל אדם שילמוד בכל יום בספרי היראה אם מעט ואם הרבה שהוא יותר חיוב מכל למודו ואפי' אם יתבטל עי"ז מלימוד פרק משניות או שאר לימוד כי מה ה׳ אלקיך מבקש ממך כי אם ליראה אותו וכדאיתא במשנה אם אין יראה אין תורה, כי מה יועיל לו התורה אם אין דעתו לקיים
ואמנם לא יספיק לו היראה לבד אם אינו לומד התורה כי אם אינו יודע מה לעשות מה יועיל לו היראה כדאית' שם במשנה אם אין תורה אין יראה ר"ל אין יראתו כלום, הגם שבוודאי יותר טוב כאשר יהיה אדם ירא שמים אף שהוא עם הארץ יותר ויותר טוב מלמדן ואין לו יראה כמש"כ טוב איש רש הולך בתומו מעקש שפתים ר"ל טוב רש בתורה והולך בתומו מלומד תורה בלא יראה שנקרא תורתו רק עקשות פה
שְׁיָרֵי מִצְוָה מְעַכְּבִין אֶת הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. שֶׁהֲרֵי תְּנוּפָה שְׁיָרֵי מִצְוָה הִיא — וְעוֹצֶרֶת רוּחוֹת וּטְלָלִים רָעִים. וְאָמַר רָבָא: וְכֵן בְּלוּלָב. רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב מַמְטֵי לֵיהּ וּמַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ, אֲמַר: דֵּין גִּירָא בְּעֵינֵיהּ דְּסִטְנָא. וְלָאו מִלְּתָא הִיא, מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתֵי לְאִיגָּרוֹיֵי בֵּיהּ.
non-essential aspects of a mitzva avert calamity, as waving is a non-essential aspect of the mitzva, since even if one failed to wave the loaves he fulfilled his obligation, and nevertheless it halts harmful winds and dews. And Rava said: And likewise one should conduct himself the same way with a lulav, i.e., one should wave it to and fro and raise and lower it for the same reasons. When Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov would move the lulav to and fro, he would say: This is an arrow in the eye of Satan, as despite his best efforts, the Jewish people continue to joyously fulfill mitzvot. The Gemara notes: That is not a proper manner of conduct, as it will induce Satan to come to incite him to sin. Gloating due to his victory over the evil inclination will lead Satan to redouble his efforts to corrupt him.
Re’eh 5780 – Nation of Volunteers https://torasavigdor.org/parshah-booklets/reeh-5780/
You know, that according to the Torah all that is required in order to fulfill the commandment of netilas lulav is to take the four species in your hand. There’s nothing else you have to do; in a flash the mitzvah is completed.
That’s why we customarily pick up the esrog upside down; because if you would take it right side up, you’re finished with the mitzvah and you didn’t even make the brachah yet.
But among the Jewish people that’s not enough. We don’t put it down; we hold it in our hands and we make na’anuim in all four directions and up and down. We’re making a demonstration that Hakodosh Boruch Hu reigns supreme everywhere. He’s in the north, south, east, west, above and below.
But the gemara comes along and tells us something we wouldn’t have known ourselves. You know how great is the seemingly insignificant act of na’anuim? Shiyarei mitzvah me’akvin es hapuranuyos – The remnants of a mitzvah hold back destruction. It means that adding na’anuim to the mitzvah will protect you from many troubles that come upon mankind. When we shake the lulav to the four corners of the compass, that restrains unfavorable winds that might come from the four directions and ruin the crops. We shake it upwards – sometimes there might be hail that might kill the crops or sometimes there might be overabundance of rain. And we shake it down below so the earth should be blessed with fertility.
The Gemara says that by making na’anuim we’re being protected against illnesses, against plagues, against invasions, against earthquakes; all types of terrible things that can happen to the whole populace. Who knows what can happen, chas v’Shalom? And all of that charon af, all of the troubles that could come upon us, are turned away because of the naanuim.
Now the question is, it’s only shiyarei mitzvah! The mitzvah you already accomplished the first minute you took it into your hand. And just holding it further and following these gesticulations, are they going to accomplish such tremendous achievements for you – prosperity and protection? Could such a small insignificant act like waving the four minim in all directions be effective in protecting against retribution?
And the answer is a resounding yes! Because you’re demonstrating what’s in your mind. You’re demonstrating a loyalty and affection for the mitzvah. By doing more than seems to be needed, you demonstrate an especial love to Hashem and therefore you deserve an especial treatment by Hashem.
And so too, the Mesillas Yesharim says, when the Am Yisroel sees an indication in the Torah that Hashem approves of a certain practice, we’re not satisfied by doing the minimum; we go all out and add to it. We don’t wait to be told; instead we seek opportunities to fulfill the desire of our beloved Father; we seek to demonstrate our loyalty and love as much as we can.
The Jewish nation loves Hashem and therefore they’re not interested in merely discharging their minimum obligation. They want to go all out because that’s a sign of וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ. A man who loves Hashem doesn’t stop – everything he wants to do for Hashem. And so he says, “Ribono Shel Olam! מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָּרוּצָה – Draw us near and we’ll run after You (Shir Hashirim 1:4). Show us a little bit of what You want and we won’t stop.”
Part II. Rabbinic Nation
Jewish Inventions
Now, if you pay attention you’ll see what an important principle this is in the lives of the Jewish people; it’s the underlying theme of Judaism today. Because almost everything we do is not what we were commanded. What it really is, is an expression of loyalty and piety – and these next words may come as a surprise to you – that is all our own invention! The Jewish nation invented most of the Torah!
According to the Torah, you could eat cheese and meat together. Don’t tell anybody this secret but according to the Torah you can smear butter on cold meat and eat it. You can’t cook it together, but to eat it cold you could. You’re astonished? Maybe I shouldn’t have said it. But no! The Jewish nation punctiliously observes that! Different sets of dishes! Now, two sets of dishes is a very burdensome requirement but the holy Jewish nation has done it from time immemorial because they accepted to go further than required.
We’re the am chassid, the nation that does lifnim mishuras hadin. Men, women and children all gather to hear the megillah on Purim without fail. Which Orthodox Jew would miss hearing the megillah? And not once; twice! And yet, it’s only an obligation m’derabanan.
Pesach Crumbs
And what about Pesach?! The dinim of Pesach, most of the chumros of Pesach are m’derabanan. The Jewish nation has accepted that even a mashehu chametz, the smallest amount of chametz, which according to the Torah is batel b’rov or batel b’shishim, is forbidden; we won’t even think about such a thing! The Jewish women are actually moiser nefesh for that! They give their lives to fulfill those laws.
Now, those are only a few examples. It’s a mashal for thousands, for hundreds of thousands of things; it’s the system of the am Hashem. If we look at our practices, we’ll be surprised to see that most of what we Jews do in the fulfillment of the requirements of our faith is not written in the Torah. Not only is it not written in the Torah, it’s not even required by the Torah sheba’al peh. Almost everything that we do is an addition that our nation has voluntarily chosen to do. It’s a remarkable fact!
Through Fire and Water
The entire coming to the beis haknesses, the entire business of synagogue is not a requirement of the Torah. There’s no mitzvah from the Torah to make brachos, to pray psukei dezimra, even shmoneh esrei. And yet, Jews all over the world assemble in batei knessios and they remain there a long time. People must go to work and it’s a big inconvenience – sometimes they have to skip breakfast because of that – but they fit it into their daily program. And it’s all a voluntary duty that our forefathers assumed for themselves.
And that’s the greatness of our people. Of course, it’s no longer voluntary because our fathers and mothers have accepted it and once our nation accepted it, it’s obligatory upon us. We’ll go in fire and water to maintain what we began to do – but we began it! That’s how much we love Hakodosh Boruch Hu. It’s a remarkable picture we’re seeing now of a pious nation that seeks to do more than what is expected of them.
The Rabbinic Shas
As you go through Shas you’ll see that’s how it is. Page after page of dinim d’rabanan. Yes, you’ll find d’oraisas. Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia, and Bava Basra are almost kulo d’oraisa – whether it’s dinim of the chumash or whether it’s lamah li kra sevarah hi, they are all things that the Torah commands. But that’s an exception to the rule! Most of Shas is d’rabanans. It’s almost all an addition made by the Jewish people. Our lives are d’rabanan lives.
If we were limited to the laws of the Torah, instead of Mesichta Shabbos being a big, heavy mesichta, itwould be a little volume, just a few mishnayos and some pages of Gemara. Mesichta Eiruvin is nothing but an addition that our nation made. Mesichta Eiruvin is all d’rabanan. There isn’t a single d’oraisa in Mesichta Eiruvin. Eiruvin is trimmings; an adornment for Mesichta Shabbos.
A Different Shabbos
If we would keep Shabbos according to the law of the Torah and nothing else, what kind of Shabbos would it be?We wouldn’t eat three meals. We wouldn’t put on Shabbos garments. Of course, there wouldn’t be any shachris, minchah, or ma’ariv. There wouldn’t be any krias haTorah – wewouldn’t even come to the synagogue. The truth is, according to the Torah, on Shabbos there’s nothing to do. You just get up Friday night and declare, “It’s Shabbos,” and you’re fulfilling the mitzvah of the Torah. You’re mekayem mentioning Shabbos and you’re finished. You don’t need any wine; no special foods or seudos.
We would remain home or we would walk around in the fields. You can walk in your garden, pick up the stones and clean out your garden on Shabbos. All that would be is we would not do the thirty nine forms of work. But we would handle muktzah. We would be playing musical instruments. We would be doing very many things that Jews do not do on Shabbos; Shabbos would not look at all like what we consider Shabbos to be.
We’ll Give You A Shabbos
It’s remarkable what the Jewish people did to this concept of Shabbos. Of course, Hashem is the one who gave us the hint how to do it, but we’re the ones who did it – we are the ones who added and made the Shabbos so beautiful. Shabbos is a monument to the chassidus of the nation that says, “מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָּרוּצָה – Draw me near; give me a little pull and we’ll run after You. Hashem, show us a little bit of what You want and we’ll run.”
“You want Shabbos? So we’ll give You a Shabbos. Not just a Shabbos like You asked for, that we shouldn’t make fire, that we shouldn’t write or weave or build. No! That’s not a Shabbos. We’ll give You a Shabbos with all the trimmings! You want us to declare it a day of Shabbos, so we’ll do it on wine. And we’ll do it twice – we’ll do it by day as well. We’ll give You a Shabbos with shaleshudos and with zemiros. We’ll give you a Shabbos with bigdei Shabbos, a Shabbos with muktzah, a Shabbos with krias haTorah, and all the otherappurtenances that make it the most glorious day on the calendar.”
Better Than Wine
Rabeinu Yonah in Sha’arei Teshuvah quotes a statement of Chazal that will help elaborate our subject: Chavivin divrei sofrim meyaynah shel Torah — The words of the scribes, it means the obligations that the sages created for the Jewish people, are more beloved than even the words of the Torah.
Now, some people bristle when they hear that! The dinei d’rabanan, the laws invented by the sages are more prized than the words of Hakodosh Boruch Hu?! Isn’t that a queer thing to say?
But Rabeinu Yonah explains it as follows. He says that if someone sincerely loves the words of the Torah, then he’ll create new safeguards, altogether new prohibitions, in order that he shouldn’t come close to transgressing the words of the Torah.
He says like this: It’s like a king who planted an orchard of delicious fruit and beautiful flowers. So what did his loyal servants do? They made a fence around that garden so that no one should be able to trespass. Now, the king didn’t command them to make that fence; they did it on their own. And that’s the greatness of the fence – it demonstrates their solicitude in protecting the garden; it demonstrates their interest in finding favor in the eyes of the king.
Good Fences Make Good Nations
And so we understand that when the sages of our nation built certain fences, certain prohibitions of their own, in order that the nation should be restrained from trespassing the laws of the Torah, that too was an expression of genuine love of Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
And when the Jewish nation voluntarily accepted those fences, all the more so was it an expression of ahavas Hashem. After all the sages weren’t rulers; they didn’t have power. Their power came from the people and therefore any decree that the chachamim made was a decree of the people. And so when our forefathers accepted voluntarily to add to their obligations, it was a demonstration of love for the Torah – so much love that they want to beware of anything that even in the most remote way might lead to a transgression.
The Rosy Fence
And that’s a principle that the Jewish nation has followed collectively. It’s a national system that the Am Yisroel has practiced from its inception. As soon as we became a nation, we understood that principle and we carried it out. Asu syag laTorah – Make a fence around the Torah (Avos 1:1)becauseif you have a fence it will protect you from coming inside the garden and being enticed to eat the forbidden fruits.
But it’s not like some people think, that it’s a fence of thorns. In Shir HaShirim (7:3) it says, סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים – The Am Yisroel is fenced in with roses. They’re not fences of thorns, fences that cause us unhappiness. The Jewish nation delights in its Torah. It is proud of these fences. We enjoy the fences of flowers that keep us away from evil, from iniquity, from degradation, from perversion, from falling law, from moral decay. The Jewish nation has remained a pure people solely because they had ‘fences of flowers’ (Sanhedrin 37a) that the sages of the generations put up between them and between anything that was wrong.
So now we have a new kind of a Torah – the Torah of the Am Yisroel. Of course, Hakodosh Boruch Hu approves of it and now it’s His Torah. But actually this Torah came from our nation – the Torah of going beyond the line of duty.
Part III. Chosen Nation
Hashem is Partial
And we’ll see now that it’s a two way street – Hashem loves us back. He’s loyal to us too! I’ll explain that. In the Torah it states יִשָּׂא הַשֵּׁם פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ,thatHashem is going to be nosei panim, He’s going to raise up His face toward the Am Yisroel.
Now, the expression nosei panim needs explanation because after all Hashem’s Face is towards everybody; He’s looking at everyone all the time. So what does it mean, “He will lift His face towards us”? It means He’ll be partial to the Am Yisroel; He will favor us more than He favors anybody else.
And this was fulfilled. He favored our nation and that’s why we are still around. There are no ancient people that maintain their existence until today – everybody went down underground. The old Greeks are all underground. The old Aztecs, the old idolaters of the Norse Land; nobody remains. All of their culture is underground. Even the language is gone. They don’t speak those languages anymore. And one day the great universities and the big impressive cathedrals will collapse too and go underground. They’ll be buried by mounds of dirt like all the great temples and palaces of Bavel.
The Unchanged Language
And who walks on top of them? The Jew is still above ground. Mark Twain once said that. It’s interesting; a goy said that. He said that “the Jew walks on the graves of his oppressors.” We’re still here! There’s only one people that persists unchanged; a nation with its culture, with its full integrity; a nation whose language of their sacred books, the words that they use in prayer, is the same language that Dovid Hamelech spoke. We say exactly the same words. We don’t pray in English or in German. Exactly the same words that Dovid Hamelech sang on his harp we say every day; Tehilah leDovid. We’re unchanged.
Now, such a thing couldn’t happen by itself – it’s a miracle. It’s a special partiality that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is showing us to the exclusion of all others. And so, the question arises. If there’s an impartial law of history that all nations finally must go under, what’s the secret that Am Yisroel does not? What is it that gains for the Jewish people this partiality?
The Angels’ Kasha
The gemara puts this question into the mouth of the malachim: Amru malachei hashares lefnei Hakadosh Baruch Hu – The angels say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu – they have a big kasha: “Didn’t You Yourself say in Your Torah, asher lo yisa panim, that You don’t show partiality to anybody? So how could you say that yisa Hashem panav aleicha, that You’ll be partial to the Am Yisroel?”That’s the question the malachim put to Hashem: “Why is it that for Yisroel You make an exception and You’re nosei panim?”
Now listen to what Hakodosh Boruch Hu answers them. Lo esa lahem panim leYisrael – Shouldn’t I be partial to them? Of course I’m partial to them! Because they’re partial to me!
Chassidus of Brachos
“How are they partial to Me?” says Hashem. “Look; I commanded them in the Torah, אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא בְמִסְכֵּנוּת תֹּאכַל בָּהּ לֶחֶם – When you eat bread, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ – and you’re satiated, you must say birchas hamazon. It means that there are two conditions that obligate you in bentching. First, it has to be bread and number two it has to be la’sova, eaten to satiation.
Now, along comes the Jewish people and they say, “If that’s the case, if we see what Hashem wants, why shouldn’t we go all out in blessing Hashem? Just because we didn’t fill ourselves up, we shouldn’t thank Him?” And so, they began to go through the whole business of birchas hamazon, of thanking Hashem even if it wasn’t lasova; even if it was just a small amount!
And they didn’t stop there; they said, “Why only bread? Potatoes and onions taste good too! We should thank Him for that too! And why only after we eat? Once we’re at it – once we’re trying to show Hashem how much we love Him and how much we want Him to love us – let’s bless beforehand too!”
That’s what the nation of chassidim said and that’s how they instituted Mesichta Brachos. That’s the whole Mesichta Brachos – it’s all chassidus; it’s all the Am Yisroel going beyond the line of duty. Except for the halachos of kriyas shma, the Mesichta Brachos is almost entirely obligations that the Am Yisroel added on because of their love for Hashem. And that’s why we say that “Man d’baye l’mehevei chassida – If someone wants to be an especially devoted servant of Hashem, likayem milei d’brachos – he should fulfill the subject of brachos;”because that’s what it is, a Mesichta of chassidus.
And all of that, all of the additional things we do, is a sign of what’s doing in our hearts. And so, Hakodosh Boruch Hu says, “You go out of your way to show your love for Me, and that’s why I’m going to go out of My way to show My love for you.” I will be nosei panim to you and you will be the only nation to survive through thick and thin.
And so, we see now the secret of our existence. Our secret is that we are extreme! We demonstrate our love of Hakodosh Boruch Hu by going beyond what is required of us. ...we learned how to turn back the charon af of Hashem that ravaged all the nations of the world by being a nation of extremists!
The Am Yisroel developed its own genius in furthering the principles of the Torah along the lines of Torah. In every aspect of their lives – national and private – they demonstrated their devotion to Hashem by means of gezeiros and harchakos. And every generation adds more chumros to the previous generations because every generation sees the necessity more and more as the general atmosphere deteriorates. Even in the ancient times when the gentile world was still much more decent, the Jewish people forged ahead because of its love for Hashem.
Windstorms in America
Now, what should we say today when today there is so much corruption in the air? Today when we’re more than ever we’re surrounded by the wickedness of the gentile world, how much more so do people today who are loyal to the Torah have to add chumros upon chumros.
I once spoke to a chaver of mine, a Litvak; a real Litvak. He came to America and he put his daughter into Beis Rochel, the Satmar girls’ school. I said to him, “What’s the matter? A Litvak like you sending to a chassideshe beis yaakov?” So he said, “The times are different today.” And he gave a mashal. He said it’s like a man who is walking and there’s a wind storm; he’s afraid he’ll be thrown over so he bends over against the wind in order to maintain his balance.
It Wasn’t Always So Windy
And therefore, in a time of stress like today when so many Jews are going lost it’s not enough for the good ones to be observant Orthodox Jews. Even if they would be like their fathers or their grandparents who were good people, it’s not enough! Because there’s a strong wind blowing! You have to bend over or else the strong winds are sure to make you swerve from the path; the winds will knock you down.
And therefore, the small group of devoted ones have to become more devoted than ever! That’s us! The frummeh today have to become even more devoted. Even things that our forefathers in Europe did not do, today in America we have to do. You cannot congratulate yourself that you’re just as good as they were in the 1930s or 1940s. You have to be more extreme than your fathers were, otherwise you can’t survive. Things that we did then and we were able to do with impunity, cannot be done today!
It’s a different atmosphere today. We have to add more and more because we’re being inundated with more and more filth. The more atheism and materialism and hefkeirus, and leitzanus and chutzpah blowing in the streets, the more harchakos we have to make.
No Soap Radio
Today, if a young man is marrying a young woman and he says, “Look, on one condition; no radio in our house,” so she’ll be somewhat surprised because her parents always had a radio. They didn’t have a television – that much she understands; television is a sewer that brings all the filth into your home. But a radio?!
But she shouldn’t be surprised because today it’s different! It’s not the same radio! You won’t have a clean mind if you have a radio in the home. The things you hear on the radio today are already outrageous things! You hear today on the radio things you wouldn’t hear thirty years ago. And therefore we shouldn’t be afraid to speak up and say, “No! We don’t want it! We’re different today!”
Aspire For More
There’s a greatness of character that cannot be demonstrated except by means of going beyond the line of duty, by behaving in a way that’s more than the usual norm of decency. We aspire to a more noble, a more holy life, by being more extreme to the side of righteousness. By means of that, each person on his own, and the entire nation together, find favor in the eyes of Hashem.
And that’s why we’re going to exist forever and ever – because we’re going to follow this system forever and ever.Whatever the Am Yisroel gave in their loyalty, they’re getting back with interest. Hakodosh Boruch Hu considers with the greatest love those people who go out of their way to demonstrate their loyalty to Him.
You think it’s just for nothing that we’re still around despite all the attempts that they made that we shouldn’t be around anymore?! And we’ll continue to exist long after the great nations have disappeared! It’s only because of one factor! Because we’re loyal to Him and we go out of our way to be sure that “not even the smallest of all wickedness should stick to our hands,” therefore, “the charon af of Hashem is turned away from us … and He is merciful to us and He increases us” (Re’eh 13:18). That’s why we’re still around and that’s why we’ll be around forever and ever.
(א) בְּבֵאוּר מִדַּת הַחֲסִידוּת מִדַּת הַחֲסִידוּת צְרִיכָה הִיא בֶּאֱמֶת לְבֵאוּר גָּדוֹל, כִּי מִנְהָגִים רַבִּים וּדְרָכִים רַבִּים עוֹבְרִים בֵּין רַבִּים מִבְּנֵי הָאָדָם בְּשֵׁם חֲסִידוּת, וְאֵינָם אֶלָּא גָּלְמֵי חֲסִידוּת בְּלִי תֹּאַר וּבְלִי צוּרָה וּבְלִי תִּקּוּן
(ב) וְנִמְשַׁךְ זֶה מֵחֶסְרוֹן הָעִיּוּן וְהַהַשְׂכָּלָה הָאֲמִתִּית אֲשֶׁר לְבַעֲלֵי הַמִּדּוֹת הָהֵם, כִּי לֹא טָרְחוּ וְלֹא נִתְיַגְּעוּ לָדַעַת אֶת דֶּרֶךְ ה' בִּידִיעָה בְּרוּרָה וִישָׁרָה, אֶלָּא הִתְחַסְּדוּ וְהָלְכוּ בְּמָה שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן לָהֶם לְפִי הַסְּבָרָא הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְלֹא הֶעֱמִיקוּ בַּדְּבָרִים וְלֹא שָׁקְלוּ אוֹתָם בְּמֹאזְנֵי הַחָכְמָה.
(ג) וְהִנֵּה אֵלֶּה הִבְאִישׁוּ אֶת רֵיחַ הַחֲסִידוּת בְּעֵינֵי הֲמוֹן הָאֲנָשִׁים, וּמִן הַמַּשְׂכִּילִים עִמָּהֶם, בַּאֲשֶׁר כְּבָר יַחְשְׁבוּ שֶׁהַחֲסִידוּת תָּלוּי בְּדִבְרֵי הֶבֶל אוֹ דְּבָרִים נֶגֶד הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַדֵּעָה הַנְּכוֹנָה, וְיַאֲמִינוּ הֱיוֹת כָּל הַחֲסִידוּת תָּלוּי רַק בַּאֲמִירַת בַּקָּשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת, וּוִדּוּיִים גְּדוֹלִים, וּבְכִיּוֹת וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וּבַסִּגּוּפִים הַזָּרִים שֶׁיָּמִית בָּהֶם הָאָדָם אֶת עַצְמוֹ, כִּטְבִילוֹת הַקֶּרַח וְהַשֶּׁלֶג וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.
(ד) וְהִנֵּה לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקְּצָת דְּבָרִים אֵלֶּה צְרִיכִים לְבַעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, וּקְצָתָם רְאוּיִים לַפְּרוּשִׁים, הִנֵּה לֹא עַל אֵלֶּה נוֹסַד הַחֲסִידוּת כְּלָל, כִּי אִם הַטּוֹב שֶׁבַּמִּנְהָגִים הָאֵלֶּה הוּא רָאוּי לְהִתְלַוּוֹת אֶל הַחֲסִידוּת.
(ה) אַךְ מְצִיאוּת הַחֲסִידוּת עַצְמוֹ הוּא דָּבָר עָמֹק מְאֹד לַהֲבִינוֹ עַל נָכוֹן, וְהוּא מְיֻסָּד עַל יְסוֹדוֹת חָכְמָה רַבָּה וְתִקּוּן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה בְּתַכְלִית אֲשֶׁר רָאוּי לְכָל חֲכַם לֵב לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרָיו, כִּי רַק לַחֲכָמִים לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְכֵן אָמְרוּ זַ"ל (אבות פ"ב): לֹא עַם הָאָרֶץ חָסִיד.
(ו) וּנְבָאֵר עַתָּה עִנְיָן זֶה עַל הַסֵּדֶר.
(ז) הִנֵּה שֹׁרֶשׁ הַחֲסִידוּת הוּא מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זַ"ל (ברכות י"ז): אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֶׁעֲמָלוֹ בַּתּוֹרָה וְעוֹשֶׂה נַחַת רוּחַ לְיוֹצְרוֹ.
(ח) וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא כִּי הִנֵּה הַמִּצְוֹת הַמּוּטָלוֹת עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּבָר יְדוּעוֹת הֵן וְחוֹבָתָן יְדוּעָה עַד הֵיכָן הִיא מַגַּעַת.
(ט) אָמְנָם מִי שֶׁאוֹהֵב אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא ית"ש אַהֲבָה אֲמִתִּית לֹא יִשְׁתַּדֵּל וִיכַוֵּן לִפְטוֹר עַצְמוֹ בְּמַה שֶׁכְּבָר מְפֻרְסָם מִן הַחוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכְלָל, אֶלָּא יִקְרֶה לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּקְרֶה אֶל בֵּן אוֹהֵב אָבִיו שֶׁאִלּוּ יְגַלֶּה אָבִיו אֶת דַּעְתּוֹ גִּלּוּי מְעַט שֶׁהוּא חָפֵץ בְּדָבָר מִן הַדְּבָרִים, כְּבָר יַרְבֶּה הַבֵּן בַּדָּבָר הַהוּא וּבַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַהוּא כָּל מַה שֶּׁיּוּכַל. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא אֲמָרוֹ אָבִיו אֶלָּא פַּעַם אַחַת וּבַחֲצִי דִּבּוּר, הִנֵּה דַּי לְאוֹתוֹ הַבֵּן לְהָבִין הֵיכָן דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו נוֹטָה לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ גַּם אֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא אָמַר לוֹ בְּפֵרוּשׁ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיּוּכַל לָדוּן בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַדָּבָר הַהוּא נַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנָיו וְלֹא יַמְתִּין שֶׁיְּצַוֵּהוּ יוֹתֵר בְּפֵרוּשׁ אוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת.
(י) וְהִנֵּה דָּבָר זֶה אֲנַחְנוּ רוֹאִים אוֹתוֹ בְּעֵינֵינוּ שֶׁיִּוָּלֵד בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה בֵּין כָּל אוֹהֵב וָרֵעַ, בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, בֵּין אָב וּבְנוֹ,
(יא) כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר בֵּין כָּל מִי שֶׁהָאַהֲבָה בֵּינֵיהֶם עַזָּה בֶּאֱמֶת. שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר לֹא נִצְטַוֵּיתִי יוֹתֵר, דַּי לִי בַּמֶּה שֶׁנִּצְטַוֵּיתִי בְּפֵרוּשׁ, אֶלָּא מִמָּה שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה יָדוּן עַל דַּעַת הַמְצַוֶּה וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ מַה שֶׁיּוּכַל לָדוּן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ לְנַחַת.
(יב) וְהִנֵּה כַּמִּקְרֶה הַזֶּה יִקְרֶה לְמִי שֶׁאוֹהֵב אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ גַּם כֵּן אַהֲבָה נֶאֱמֶנֶת, כִּי גַּם הוּא מִסּוּג הָאוֹהֲבִים וְתִהְיֶינָה לוֹ הַמִּצְוֹת אֲשֶׁר צִוּוּיָם גָּלוּי וּמְפֻרְסָם לְגִלּוּי דַּעַת לְבַד לָדַעַת שֶׁאֶל הָעִנְיָן הַהוּא נוֹטֶה רְצוֹנוֹ וְחֶפְצוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, וְאָז לֹא יֹאמַר דַּי לִי בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמוּר בְּפֵרוּשׁ, אוֹ אֶפְטוֹר עַצְמִי בַּמֶּה שֶׁמֻּטָּל עָלַי עַל כָּל פָּנִים, אֶלָּא אַדְּרַבָּא יֹאמַר כֵּיוָן שֶׁכְּבָר מָצָאתִי רָאִיתִי שֶׁחֶפְצוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ נוֹטֶה לָזֶה, יִהְיֶה לִי לְעֵינַיִם לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּזֶה הָעִנְיָן וּלְהַרְחִיב אוֹתוֹ בְּכָל הַצְּדָדִין שֶׁאוּכַל לָדוּן שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ חָפֵץ בּוֹ, וְזֶהוּ הַנִּקְרָא עוֹשֶׂה נַחַת רוּחַ לְיוֹצְרוֹ.
(יג) נִמְצָא כְּלָל הַחֲסִידוּת הַרְחָבַת קִיּוּם כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת בְּכָל הַצְּדָדִין וְהַתְּנָאִים שֶׁרָאוּי וְשֶׁאֶפְשָׁר.
(יד) וְהִנְּךָ רוֹאֶה שֶׁהַחֲסִידוּת מִמִּין הַפְּרִישׁוּת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַפְּרִישׁוּת בַּלָּאוִין וְהַחֲסִידוּת בַּעֲשִׂין וּשְׁנֵיהֶם עִנְיָן אֶחָד, שֶׁהוּא לְהוֹסִיף עַל הַמְפֹרָשׁ מָה שֶׁנּוּכַל לָדוּן לְפִי הַמִּצְוָה הַמְּפֹרֶשֶׁת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, זֶהוּ גֶּדֶר הַחֲסִידוּת הָאֲמִתִּי.
(טו) וְעַתָּה נְבָאֵר חֲלָקָיו הָרָאשִׁיִּים.
(1) The trait of piety truly requires a great explanation. For there are many practices and ways which circulate among many people as piety but which are nothing but the shells of piety, lacking in shape, form and correction.
(2) This stems from a lack of true in-depth study and thought on the part of these practitioners [of the shells of piety]. For they did not toil and strain themselves to attain a clear and correct knowledge of the way of G-d. But instead, they went and adopted whatever practices struck them as being pious according to first thought, without delving deeply into the matters and weighing them on the scales of wisdom.
(3) These people have given Piety a repulsive odor in the eyes of most people, including the intelligent among them, leading them to think Piety consists of foolish things and is counter to intelligence and sound knowledge. The masses came to believe Piety consists of nothing but reciting numerous supplications and lengthy confessions, great wailings and prostrations, strange afflictions through which a man kills himself such as immersing in ice [water] and snow, and the like
(4) They do not realize that even while a bit of these things may be needed for sinners engaged in repentance and some for those who practice Separation (Perushim), but piety is not founded on these matters at all. Only the good of these practices are fit to accompany Piety.
(5) But actual Piety itself requires great depth to understand it correctly. It is based on foundations of great wisdom and utmost rectification of one's deeds, which befits every wise hearted man to pursue. For only the wise can truly attain it, as our sages stated: "an unlearned man cannot be pious" (Avot 2:5).
(6) We will now explain this matter in proper order.
(7) The root of piety is what our sages, of blessed memory, stated: "Fortunate is the man whose toil is in the Torah and gives gratification to his Maker" (Berachot 17a).
(8) The [explanation of the] matter is as follows. It is known which mitzvot are binding on every Jew and the extent their obligation reaches.
(9) But he who truly loves the Creator, blessed be He, will not strive and intend to discharge himself with the known obligations binding on every Jew. Rather, what will happen to him is the same as that of a son who loves his father. Even if his father reveals a slight indication of something he desires, already the son will strive greatly, to the best of his ability, to fulfill this thing or service. Even though the father merely mentioned it once and only halfway, this will be enough for such a son to understand the direction of his father's intent and to do for him even what he did not say explicitly. For he can deduce on his own that this thing will bring pleasure to his father, and he will not wait until his father commands him more explicitly or tells him another time.
(10) With our own eyes we can observe this matter occurring at all times and in all places between all friends and lovers, between man and wife, between father and son.
(11) The general principle: wherever the love between two is true and strong, one will not say to the other: "No more was requested of me. It's enough for me to do what I was told explicitly". Rather through what one requested, the other will infer the requester's intent and will strive to do what he deems will be pleasing to the other.
(12) Similar to this will occur to he who loves his Creator with a faithful love. For G-d is also a class of those who are loved. Thus, the mitzvot which are clear and familiar will be to him only as a revelation of intent, to indicate to him that the will and desire of G-d inclines in the direction of that principle. Then, he will not say to himself "it is enough for me what was stated explicitly", or "I will discharge my duty with what is nonetheless incumbent upon me". Rather, on the contrary, he will say "since I discovered and saw that G-d's desire inclines to this, this will be a guide for me to increase in this matter and to expand it in all directions which I can infer that His will desires. Such a person is called: "one who gives gratification to his Maker".
(13) Hence, the general matter of Piety is to expand the fulfillment of all the mitzvot in all sides and conditions which are proper and possible.
(14) You can see that Piety is related to Separation. Only that Separation is in the negative commandments while Piety is in the positive commandments. But both are of the same matter, namely, to add on to what was explicitly stated in the mitzvot what we can deem will be pleasing before G-d, blessed be He. This is the definition of true Piety.
(15) We will now explain its primary divisions.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵיזֶהוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ? אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: אֲפִילּוּ קָרָא וְשָׁנָה וְלֹא שִׁמֵּשׁ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הֲרֵי זֶה עַם הָאָרֶץ. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הֲלָכָה כַּאֲחֵרִים.
The Gemara cites a baraita with additional opinions with regard to the defining characteristics of an am ha’aretz: The Sages taught: Who is an am ha’aretz? One who does not recite Shema in the evening and morning. This is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: An am ha’aretz is one who does not don phylacteries. Ben Azzai says: An am ha’aretz is one who does not have ritual fringes on his garment. Rabbi Natan says: An am ha’aretz is one who does not have a mezuza on his doorway. Rabbi Natan bar Yosef says: An am ha’aretz is one who has children but who does not want them to study Torah, so he does not raise them to engage in Torah study. Aḥerim say: Even if one read the Bible and studied Mishna and did not serve Torah scholars to learn from them the meaning of the Torah that he studied, that is an am ha’aretz. Rav Huna said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Aḥerim.
כל המשפיל את עצמו מכוין את שמועתו וכל העובר על דברי חכמים חייב כרת וכל הפוסל פסול. אר״ע כך היה תחילת תשמישי לפני חכמים פעם אחת הייתי מהלך בדרך ומצאתי מת מצוה ונטפלתי בו בארבע׳ מילין עד שהבאתיו למקום בית הקברות וקברתיו וכשבאתי והרציתי דברים לפני ר״א ור' יהושע אמרו לי כל פסיעה ופסיעה שפסעת מעלה עליך כאילו היית שופך דמים אמרו להם למה בשעה שנתכוונתי לזכות נתחייבתי כרשע בשעה שלא נתכוונתי על אחת כמה וכמה באותה שעה לא זזתי מלשמש לחכמים הוא היה אומר דלא שימש לחכמים קטלא חייב:
He who humbles himself will understand his instruction and whoever transgresses the words of the Sages deserves kareth. Whoever [continually] declares [others] unfit is [himself] unfit. R. ‘Aḳiba said: The beginning of my attendance upon the Sages was this. I was once on a journey when I came across a meth miẓwah which I carried about four mil until I brought it to a cemetery and buried it there. When I appeared before R. Eliezer and R. Joshua and told them what had happened, they said to me, ‘Every step you took is reckoned against you as if you had shed blood’. I said to them, ‘If, in a case where I intended to perform a meritorious act I have made myself liable like a wicked person, how much more [will I deserve punishment] when I have no [meritorious] intention! From that moment I did not let an opportunity pass to minister to the Sages’. He used to say: One who does not minister to the Sages deserves death.
אמר ר׳ עקיבא זו היתה תחלת זכותי לפני חכמים השכמתי ומצאתי הרוג א׳ והייתי מטפל בו בג׳ תחומי שבת עד שהבאתיו למקום קבורה וקברתיו וכשבאתי והרצתי דברי לפני חכמים אמרו לי על כל פסיעה ופסיעה שהיית פוסע מעלין עליך כאילו שפכת דמים דנתי קל וחומר בעצמי ומה אם עכשיו שנתכוונתי לזכות חטאתי לרבות מעונותי אלו נתכוונתי על אחת כמה וכמה וכשהיה אדם מדבר זה לפני רבי עקיבא היה אומר זה היתה תחלת זכותי:
R. ‘Aḳiba said: This was the beginning of my ministration before the Sages. I once went out early and found the body of a man who had been killed. I took charge of him for a distance of three Sabbath-limits until I brought him to a place of burial and buried him. When I came and discussed the matter before the Sages, they said to me, ‘For each step you took it will be accounted to you as if you had committed murder’. I then argued from the less to the greater as a result of my experience: if when I intended to perform a meritorious act I rendered myself culpable, how much more so if I had not intended to perform a meritorious act!’ Whenever a person repeated this incident before R. ‘Aḳiba, he exclaimed, ‘This was the beginning of my ministration [before the Sages]’.
מעלין עליך כו׳. בכתובות דף י"ז כתבו תוס׳ הטעם משום דמת מצוה קונה מקומו. ועוד כתבו שם טעם אחר לפי שלא שימש תלמידי חכמים כדמשמע לקמן במסכת דרך ארץ שסיים שם ודלא שימש ת׳׳ח קטלא חייב יכן משמע מלשון הירושלמי שאביא לקמן:
Rav Shternbuch cites the Ramchal in Mesillas Yesharim (18, Middah HaChassidus) who explains that a chassid, pious individual, seeks to make his Father in Heaven happy. His love for Hashem is such that he does not aim to absolve himself of his obligations to Him merely by complying with the obligatory minimum of a mitzvah. Like a good son, he seeks every opportunity to provide nachas, satisfaction, for his Father. Horav Matisyahu Solomon, Shlita, offers an example: If a father tells his son that the room is cold, an uncaring son will reply, “So, turn on the heat.” A decent son will personally turn the heater on for his father. A loving son will immediately turn on the heater, bring his father a warm blanket or a sweater, and then offer him a hot drink – all out of his love for his father, which impels him to do whatever will make his father feel well.
