Nasso - The Enigma of Abstinence: Balancing Spiritual Growth and Physical Pleasures

Speaker 1: It just doesn't make any sense. It seems that the more we dive into the depth of the following topic, the more one researches this idea, the more muddy the waters get, and the more uncertainty and ambiguity the case receives. It's a topic that, on one side, the Torah makes a sound like it's the greatest thing on earth. There's nothing better. But then, when you look at some other Isochem and many generous, it is presented with disdain and put down as one of the worst possible things. So in today's episode of the Weekly Parsha podcast, with the Almighty's help, we are going to search for clarity and hopefully bring out a practical avenue for us to apply the idea of Abstinence, of refraining and running away from physical indulgences, to see where we can use the meadow of precious of Abstinence in our lives and to discover if there is at all a place in 2023 to become somewhat like a user. And right off the bat, this comes from Mikhtam Eeli-Yahou, this idea from an El-Yahou dealer and his fourth installment of Mikhtam Eeli-Yahou. He brings a midrash about this famous Nazarite, a man who has taken a vow of Abstinence not to drink wine, to not go and be madame and make himself impure to dead bodies, and not to get a haircut for at least 30 days. And the midrash in Bami Barabah in 1011 tells us that he's sanctifying himself here. God is so happy with him, and Hashem is mekadeshim lam'a'aloi, consecrated above it, singing the praises of this user. But even look in the poskim, and see how beautiful the awards are for this user. He has the crown of the Almighty on his head. The user is described as safe and wondrous because he decides to be like a salmon swimming upstream that, as the rest of the world indulges in different divorces and various lusts, this individual says enough is enough and makes a small commitment to forego some physical pleasure. He's called Yahfli; he's wondrous because of that. So then I ask you, why does he bring a Karbonchatos at the end of his term, a sin offering for what he has done? I don't understand. Isn't he Yahfli? Isn't he a Nazarela? Kimal Rai-Shai? Isn't he Haley and Kaddai-Sh? What business does this individual have bringing a sin offering? And let's get well acquainted with that. 

Speaker 1: Kimal Rai-Shai, in Nazarela 19a, You're testing so much out of that, tells us that the Nazarela is called a sinner. Yes, look it up. And it seems to be because he gave up on a world created for him, and the Almighty gave us the world to enjoy, And this individual said I don't want it. A sinner, he is called. 

Speaker 1: So, is abstention a good or bad thing? It is a precious toys-o-ra. Let's do it again. Let's ask another question. And what about that famous Taishvist in Qusubis Daft, kufdala dhamadalif 104a, that Taishvist tells us, before a person thinks of praying to all the Almighty to enjoy his learning, to have success in his education, to connect with toys-o-ra, he should quicker pray that he doesn't let tasty delicacies into his good, because it seems like the idea in Taishvist is that those are more of a contradiction to try-o-ra than anything else. So one should abstain from delicious foods to become holy and unite with the toy-o-ra; that much more Abstinence equals good. 

Speaker 1: But then what about the Gemura and Yerushalmi That tells us that there's going to be a reckoning at the end of our days for every piece of food that we saw that we did not eat because we were abstaining from pleasure. So it seems like Abstinence is a bad thing. And how about Rabbenu Hakkodesh on his deathbed, when he held up his ten fingers and testified that I did not partake in the world's pleasures, even down to my little pinky? Tyvos evil; abstinence is good. But then the Gemura and Tynos 11a, you aleph, Omid aleph, that whoever undertakes a vow abstaining from food, nikra chaste, he's called a sinner. Again another Gemura. What is going on here? And in case you didn't get it by now, check out this Gemara in Gitin. In 70a, the Gemura says you should withdraw your hand from food that you most enjoy, also giving off the impression that Abstinence precious, a good thing. But then there's a Gemara in Brachas that perhaps one knows, on 35a, on Lamedhe omid aleph, that the world was created for a human being to enjoy after he has made the appropriate Bracha Seems like Abstinence and precious, again a bad thing. 

Speaker 1: What do we make of all of this? How can a dozer, how can an individual be so praiseworthy and be bestowed upon him countless honorifics and then be disgraced, be asked to bring carbon chaos? Baruch Hashem that revealed Yahud deblur's cardinal levracha comes to our aid, and he clarifies the topic from A to Z., And it's a good thing because preishah's done right can elevate us; it can bring us into a gather of Kedushah. But done wrong, Abstinence can drain a person of the energy of his semicha and make the wheels fall off the wagon, god forbid. 

Speaker 1: The answer, cut and dry, is that there are two different groups of people. Some have passed the taiga at Sahara. They have outgrown all of the petty lusts in life; they've elevated themselves already. And then there's another group of people that continues to struggle and is fearful of being swept away by the tailors of the world. 

Speaker 1: And Rev Desler continues. He tells us that all of the Gemaras and the addressing sources tell us that Abstinence and preishah are good things. That is for the group of people that are afraid that they're going to get swept away. So they need to try to balance their indulgence equilibrium, grab onto a life-reserver and help themselves out, so they give up and feel like they have a chance to fight back against the Yatsahara. And on the other side, it's a group of people that have left the Yatsahara in their dust. They have outgrown it, they have beaten him, and for them, they should indulge; they should enjoy the world because they have taken that courageous leap forward, and now they make a bracha on something, and the world is there for them to enjoy, and indeed, in this ideal group of people, the perfect way of life. If the kumari speaks volumes about this and tells us that the higher a madrigal that a person reaches, the more physical pleasure he derives from the food, and therefore, the more eating, the more indulgence, the more fun, the more recognition of the Almighty, the more of the Takara of that this food comes from the Almighty. It comes from the boy's olam. This is a beautiful answer from Rev Desler. It gives us a lot of clarity on the matter, but it also definitely brings to mind the question: Has anyone ever met in 2023? Someone who can, in all truth, testify to their freedom from the Yatsahara? Is there anyone that you know that has just outgrown the Yatsahara? I have yet to meet them, although I'm sure they are somewhere. 

Speaker 1: For the general public, it would seem that abstaining from different lusts and indulgences would be a brilliant idea for us. We should take a vital lesson from nausea to balance our indulgence equilibrium. Okay, so now let's get down to business. Let's discuss Where can we apply precious? Is it right to use beloved? 

Speaker 1: I haven't heard much from Torah or Myrabeim teachers about abstaining from tailors. Perhaps some do talk about it. What is the tradition? What is the Misora about taking on things in the same vein, in the same model as the nausea? How should one do it? Should one do it? Where? In what areas of life should one perhaps take on a vow of this type? So let's explore; let's dig even more profound. 

Speaker 1: My friends, the Almighty has bestowed a gift upon us. He gave us Ramchal, the saintly Ramchal, and the Mesilas Yasharim. And in the chapter titled Precious, from the Mesilas Yasharim, we get even more clarity about when and where to become a parish to abstain. And here it is. Here's the line to remember and what the racial tells us about when and where to apply Precious. Ramchal says that in anything in the world that you need to complete your mission in life, you should take, you should use, and you would be a sinner to abstain from it. But anything that you do not need would be considered extra. A person should separate from it. He should be polished from what is not required to serve the Almighty. But now we must ask ourselves, in this gem-cutting area of Kuchma, where one lousy offcut of something too large for us could destroy a lot of good. We must follow Misora. We must follow tradition; in my experience, I rarely heard of a rub or a rabbi speaking to Precious about food, music, or specific areas that are permitted that anyone should ever abstain from. 

Speaker 1: On the contrary, I heard in the name of a god, al-hard, and the more you listen, the Ghidole Olam is preaching this idea that it's better to eat like an indulgent Gentile and to learn the Almighty's Torah and to dive into the Almighty like a tzadik, like a righteous individual, than it is to eat like a kadosh, to eat like a tzadik and then learn like an indulgent Gentile. They would always preach and throw precious away. In food and music, we need the Simcha; we need the happiness; we need the energy for the things that are more important, the Torah, the mitzvos, and the tzvila. I have never witnessed any Arusha by my teachers in the area of Abstinence from food. And how about that favorite topic of music, as the Gemara tells us that music brings simcha and therefore, we should refrain from listening to music nowadays because, after the temple, the Besamigdush, has been destroyed, zechelahurban we should refrain from, according to the Rambam, having music and meet together. Other Shai'im says music at all times is live music, different opinions, but music should be abstained from at some level. But it is well known that the stapler Pascand that we live in modern times with a group of depression, of always needing to be cheered up, and therefore music is a mutter at all times and all places except outside of Saphira and the three weeks. So this all leads us to where is the maxim, where is the place to apply this media of precious that we find in our parashah by the Nazir? With that, ladies and gentlemen, I bring to you an idea that I'm very excited about, passionate about, and bullish about because I heard it with my own two ears from a gullible Israel. It is the place to apply precious, and in this area, to apply Abstinence is perhaps the most accessible and possibly detrimental area of life. This area of life, this item, this category can also be the most helpful and powerful thing in our lives, yet also tremendously destructive and explosive. So please proceed cautiously, but keep this idea in mind; it will clarify the topic and help us reach new heights. 

Speaker 1: Precious should be used in the area of technology. It's no secret that this is at the forefront of the conversation in the Jewish world because it has wreaked havoc on so many Jewish homes. It has caused so many car accidents. It has broken its way into the sequester, talmiideh Chachomim sitting inside of Shulz and Yeshua's trying to learn, yet distracted by the smartphone. Technology, on the other hand, makes life so much easier. It saves us thousands of hours. It enables the spreading of the Torah in ways never seen before. So here's the approach of precious in technology that one should keep in mind. Every new day comes to a further advancement in technology. It's becoming harder and harder to push the technology out of our homes, at least the problematic parts. And if you listen to the tune that the gladiolas are singing, it used to be a Big gathering in a baseball stadium to talk about how we must prohibit the use Of any technology. Now they're singing a very different tune, saying there's no escaping it, it's here, but we must learn how to filter it and use it only at the correct times and in the right places. Precious in technology is Very, very well. What will secure your olam haba or send you your day, Duma? And the advice I got was when I spoke to a god all about Setting up my podcast. Should I bring the Torah to social media? Should I share it on Instagram and Facebook? And, after all, all the more spreading of being merits Torah, the better. 

Speaker 1: The PSoC. Use what you need and get rid of everything else. You need internet, so you got to have Wi-Fi. You need a computer to access the information you need to upload the podcast. Get the computer. It would be best to have the phone in order because you have to do business, and it must be done this way, or maybe you could do it on an iPad. Do it that way. 

Speaker 1: The technology that you need, you need, and everyone at their level. Some can admit that they don't need it. Others, of course, do need it. They might need more, but then came the rebuke. But do you need the open world wide Web? Do you need a billion websites and all of the perverse behavior on the internet To be brought into your house, to be brought into your life? You need that to run the business. Filtration, filter the computer precious in what you do not need. Remember that, racial, take what you need and eliminate what you don't. You don't need more than these 100 websites. The rest, get rid of. 

Speaker 1: Preishos, proper preishos. What about your most important asset, which is your time? How often does one Raise his head from the computer to look at the time and find that he has wasted Precious minutes of his time doing something that wasn't all that important? Preishos, proper perishes, is set up Limits on your devices to be able to use them for what you need them for, but get rid of everything else. It can quickly be done even in the software of the phones. They allow you to set Timers on your phone to use only at specific times of the day and nighttime for certain Extended periods. It'll turn off after a half hour of usage. 

Speaker 1: I don't know why this is used for kids. I never understood that things are mutter when you become an adult, as if that's PG-13; now you've reached an age of adulthood, so now let the people sin. It's backward. I would posit that if the kid is under 20, maybe he's not obligated for his sins and will not be held accountable. Still, everyone above 20, let's make it PG-20, and if you're under 20, go and watch; if you're above 20, filter your computer and get it out because now you will be held accountable. 

Speaker 1: This Goddow told me what you need to run the podcast. And we had this checkbox next to what we needed. Oh, and you need to be on social media. Can you do it on WhatsApp? Okay, do you need to have Instagram? And there's a difference between that and Facebook, and each thing should be done if you need it, but proper, precious should be enacted and taken into account. You went app by app. Do you need this? If you need it, then you should have it. It's on me to have it. The Almighty gave it to you. Fulfill your myth to fulfill your mission. You don't need it precious, so let's bring everything together. 

Speaker 1: Here We have Rob Desler, who tells us that Abstinence and precious and acting like a buzzer is practical and should be done for someone who has yet to outgrow the evil inclination. Okay, so most of us find ourselves in that category. Number two, where to apply this? The Ramchal tells us that anything that you need, you should use, and everything extra that you don't need, you should forsake, forego, and get rid of. You should abstain from and separate from, and where to apply this. That's where we said that tradition, that miso-ra is imperative. And the Ghadolam is not telling us to abstain from food. They're not telling us to refrain from music. They're telling us to abstain, in the right areas, from this vicious and brutal distraction called technology. It's not even that hard. You don't have to give up anything you need, And you know what. You're a yali, you're wondrous, you're wearing the crown of the Almighty on your head, you're kadosh, And you know what. Let's make it even easier. 

Speaker 1: The Nazir. He only did it for 30 days. He didn't give up meat, chicken, a meat board, or sushi. He gave up just wine and a couple of other things like haircuts and, I guess, the taiga to become impure, unsure about that. And after that, you know what the Pusik says? Now we should go after 30 days in the Acher Yishtar HaNazir Yayan, and now afterward, the Nazir should drink wine. Am I right? she asked. He's not a Nazir anymore. He's done. This is just a regular Udham. His 30 days are up. It's wine-drinking, partying time. No, he's forever a Nazir because when a person does something positive like this, he gets the clarity and takes the leap, even on a few things. For just 30 days, the Acher Yishtar HaNazir Yayan, you're forever a person that took upon themselves the oath, the vow of Abstinence to become a Nazir, And you live with that title, even after you have begun to drink wine again. La Acher Shlaishim Yayim. After 30 days, Ishtar HaNazir Yayan, the Nazir, drinks wine And friends. 

Speaker 1: The joke is on us because when we learn to be Polish, to separate from that which we don't need in the world of technology, we have more peace. We have more time for a lot of the things that matter. When you get rid of the apps and websites you don't need in life, there's time to go for a walk with the kids, ride a bike, play ball, or take your wife out. There's time to be more productive. There's, all of a sudden, time to learn the Torah. All of a sudden, a family is happy. Suddenly, with chick berichesha, prayer beach boinaek bekirbechwen, They're solid and robust walls and boundaries in a home, And berach boinaek bekirbech, the kids are blessed. The house becomes elevated. So the joke's on us. Separate yourself from that. You do not need to fulfill your mission on this earth, and when you do that, you'll find peace, tranquility, and more time; now, you're living your best life.