MJ Chászidut

When Rabbi Yoḥanan would conclude study of the book of Job, he said the following:
A person will ultimately die and an animal will ultimately be slaughtered, and all are destined for death. Therefore, death itself is not a cause for great anguish.
Rather, happy is he who grew up in Torah, whose labor is in Torah,
who gives pleasure to his Creator,
who grew up with a good name and who took leave of the world with a good name.
Such a person lived his life fully, and about him, Solomon said:
“A good name is better than fine oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1); one who was faultless in life reaches the day of his death on a higher level than he was at the outset.

Thus the true piety that is acceptable and cherished is far from what our minds conceive to us. For it is obvious "that which a person does not feel a responsibility to do, does not occupy a place on his mind".

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.

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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).

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.

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.

Separation is the beginning of Piety. All that we have explained up to now concerned the requirements needed for a man to become a Tzadik (righteous person). From here on we will discuss the requirements in order to become a Chasid (pious person).

If you ask: On what grounds should we add on additional prohibitions? Our sages of blessed memory already said: "is what the Torah prohibited not enough for you that you seek to forbid on yourself additional matters?!" (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:1). Surely that which our sages, in their great wisdom, saw necessary to prohibit and make fences they already did so. Thus that which they left as permitted is because they deemed proper for it to be permitted and not forbidden.

The answer to this is that Separation is certainly needed and essential. Our sages of blessed memory exhorted us on this saying (Torat Kohanim 19:2): "'you shall be holy' (Vayikra 19:2) - you shall be Perushim (men of Separation)".

They further said: "whoever fasts is termed 'holy', we can make this inference from the case of a Nazir" (Taanit 11a).

They further said (Pesikta D'Rav Kahana 6:2): "'the righteous man eats to sate his soul' - this refers to Chizkiyahu, King of Judah, whose meal consisted of two bunches of vegetables and a litra of meat. The Jews would mock him saying: 'this is a king?'".

All these statements clearly teach the need for Separation and its duty. However, in any case, we must reconcile the statements which indicate the contrary of this.

We will now explain the good type of Separation. After it has become clear to us that all matters of this world are trials to a man, as we wrote earlier and demonstrated with proofs, and likewise after we have truly realized man's great frailness and his close disposition to all evil, it will perforce be clear that man should do whatever he can to spare himself from these matters in order to protect himself from the evil which is at their feet. For there is no worldly pleasure which does not draw after it some sin in its heel.

If you ask: if this is so necessary and essential, why did the sages not decree this like they decreed on the various fences and enactments? The answer is clear and simple for "our sages do not impose an enactment upon the people unless the majority of the public will be able to abide by it" (Bava Kama 79b). The majority of the public are not capable of being Pious so it is sufficient for them that they be Tzadikim (righteous).

Behold, at least there should be a few treasured individuals who prepared themselves completely, and through these few the non-prepared will also merit to receive His love, blessed be He, and the indwelling of His Shechina (Divine presence).

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".

There are three primary divisions of Piety. The first relates to deed, the second to manner of performance, and the third to intent.

The first division of deed itself further divides into two subdivisions. The first between man and G-d and the second between man and his fellow.

FEAR OF G-D: The second division of piety relates to manner of performance. This too divides into two areas which, however, contain many details. These two primary areas are fear and love - the two pillars of true service of G-d, without which it cannot at all be established.

Our sages, of blessed memory, further said (Bava Kama 30a): "Rabbi Yehuda said: 'he who wishes to become pious, let him fulfill the matters of Berachot (blessings)' (this is for those things between man and his Maker), some say 'let him fulfill the laws of damages' (this is for those things between man and his fellow), and some say 'let him fulfill the matters of Pirkei Avot' (which include matters from all the divisions of piety).

The matter of love of G-d is that a person actually yearns and lusts for closeness to G-d, blessed be He, and chases His holiness as one chases something he desires intensely. This is to the extent that merely mentioning His Name, speaking of His praises, and occupying himself with the words of His Torah or divinity literally becomes a delight and pleasure, as one who strongly loves the wife of his youth or his only son, so that even speaking of them gives him gratification and pleasure. This is as scripture states: "[Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my delightful child?] For whenever I speak of him, I will remember him still"(Yirmiyahu 31:19).

CLINGING: The matter of clinging is when a person's heart clings so much to the blessed G-d that he ceases to turn or take interest in anything else but Him. This is what Shlomo brought by way of analogy: "a lovely hind and a graceful doe, her breasts will satisfy you at all times; you shall always be infatuated with her love" (Mishlei 5:19). And in the Talmud, our sages, of blessed memory stated (Eruvin 54b): "It was said of Rebbi Eliezar ben Pedat that he sat and studied Torah in the lower market of Tzipori while his cloak lay in the upper market of the town". The ultimate goal of this trait is for a person to cling thus to His Creator at all times, and at every moment. But at the least, if he loves his Creator, certainly he will cling to Him in this manner during the times of his [divine] service.

And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer a lame or sick animal, is that not evil? offer it now to thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or will he show you favour? says the Lord of hosts.

Nevertheless, he who diminishes this honor to G-d when he was able to increase it is considered a sinner. This is what the prophet Malachi rebuked the Jews with the word of G-d saying: "If you offer a blind [animal] for a sacrifice, is it not evil? Were you to offer it to your governor, will he accept it from you or will he show you favor?" (Malachi 1:8).

It was also forbidden to sit on a bed which a Torah scroll lies upon (Moed Katan 25a). Likewise, they said: "it is forbidden to throw out holy writings, even Halachot (laws) and Agadot" (Eruvin 98a, Rambam Hilchot Sefer Torah ch.10). Likewise, they forbade putting books of the Prophets and Writings on top of the Five Books of Moses (Megilah 27a). These are things that our sages, of blessed memory, forbade on the entire congregation of Israel. But the Chasid should learn from them and add on them in various ways for the honor of the Name of the L-rd, his G-d.

LOVE OF G-D: Let us now speak on the matter of love [of G-d]. Its branches are three: joy, clinging, and jealousy.

I thought on my ways, and turned my feet to Thy testimonies.

[1]If you will walk in my statutes: This is what is written (Psalms 119:59), "I considered my ways and I turned my feet to your testimonies." David said, "Master of the universe! On each and every day I would consider and say, 'To place x and to the home of y am I walking,' but my feet would bring me to the synagogues and to the Houses of Study. - this is what is written, "I considered my ways and I turned my feet to your testimonies." Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Acha, "'I considered' the giving of the reward for the [fulfillment of] the commandments and the loss for the sins, 'and I turned my feet to your testimonies.'" Rabbi Menachem the son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar BeRebbe Avina said, "'I considered,' what You wrote us in the Torah, 'If you will walk in my statutes' and what is written there? 'And I will give peace in the land' (Leviticus 26:6). [Likewise (Leviticus 26:14)] 'And if you will not listen to me,' what is written there? 'And I will add to punish you'" (Leviticus 26:18). Rabbi Abba the son of Rabbi Chiya said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan, "'I considered' the blessings and 'I considered' the curses - the blessing are from [the first letter,] alef to the [last letter,] tav; the curses are from [the letter,] vav to [the letter before it,] hay - and not only that, but they are backwards (in reverse order). Rabbi Avin said, "[The intention is that God is saying,] 'If you merit it, behold, I will reverse for you the curses into blessings.'" When is that? When you observe my Torah. This is what is written, "If you will walk in my statutes."