חוֹבוֹת הַלְּבָבוֹת · שַׁעַר הַפְּרִישׁוּת · פֶּרֶק שֵׁנִי

מֵהֶם מִי שֶׁאָמַר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת עֲזִיבַת כָּל מָה שֶׁטּוֹרֵד מִן הָאֱלֹהִים.

Among them, one opinion stated that *perishus* is the abandonment of everything that distracts a person from Hashem.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת מָאֹס בָּעוֹלָם וְקַצֵּר הַמַּאֲוַיִּים.

Another said: *Perishus* is to despise this world and to shorten one's desires.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת מְנוּחַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וַחֲסִימַת רַעְיוֹנֶיהָ מִכָּל מָה שֶׁהִיא לָהֶם לִמְנוּחָה.

Another said: *Perishus* is the tranquility of the soul and blocking its thoughts from anything that brings it (the soul) comfort.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן בֵּאלֹהִים.

Another said: *Perishus* is trust in Hashem.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת כַּסּוֹת בְּשַׂר הָעֶרְוָה וְשַׁבֵּר הָרְעָבוֹן וּמְאֹס בְּזוּלָתָם.

Another said: *Perishus* is to cover one's nakedness, to break one's hunger, and to despise anything beyond that.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת עֲזֹב אַהֲבַת הַבְּרוּאִים וֶאֱהֹב הַבְּדִידוּת.

Another said: *Perishus* is to abandon the love of other creations and to love solitude.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת הַהוֹדָאָה עַל הַטּוֹבָה וּסְבֹל הַנִּסָּיוֹן.

Another said: *Perishus* is gratitude for the good and patiently enduring trials.

וְאָמַר אַחֵר: הַפְּרִישׁוּת מְנִיעַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ מִכָּל מְנוּחָה וְתַעֲנוּג גּוּפָנִי אֶלָּא הַטֶּבַע אֲשֶׁר לֹא תּוּכַל לַעֲמֹד בִּלְעָדָיו וְיוֹצִיא זוּלָתוֹ מִן הַנֶּפֶשׁ.

Another said: *Perishus* is preventing the soul from any physical comfort or pleasure, except for what nature requires and without which one cannot survive, and to remove everything else from the soul.

וְזֶה הַגֶּדֶר יוֹתֵר רָאוּי לַפְּרִישׁוּת הַנּוֹהֶגֶת בְּתוֹרָתֵנוּ מִשְּׁאָר הַגְּדָרִים אֲשֶׁר זָכַרְנוּ.

And this last definition is more fitting for the *perishus* practiced in our Torah than the other definitions we mentioned.

אַךְ צֹרֶךְ אַנְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה לִנְהֹג בִּפְרִישׁוּת הוּא: שֶׁכַּוָּנַת הַתּוֹרָה לְהַמְשִׁיל הַשֵּׂכֶל בְּכָל תַּאֲווֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וּלְהַגְבִּירוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן.

However, the need for *Anshei Torah* to practice *perishus* is this: The Torah's intention is to make the intellect rule over all the soul's desires and to strengthen it over them.

וּמִן הַיָּדוּעַ כִּי הַגְבָּרַת הַתַּאֲוָה עַל הַשֵּׂכֶל הִיא רֹאשׁ כָּל חַטָּאת וְסִבַּת כָּל גְּנוּת.

And it is well-known that the overpowering of desire over the intellect is the root of all sin and the cause of all that is reprehensible.

וְלֹא נָטָה עַם אֶל הָעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁנָּטוּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה וְהִשִּׁיאָם הַיֵּצֶר לְהַנִּיחַ יִשּׁוּב עוֹלַם הַצָּלָתָם וּנְטֹה בָּהֶם מִדֶּרֶךְ אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דֶּרֶךְ דֵּי הַצֹּרֶךְ בָּעוֹלָם וְהַסִּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ וּלְהִסְתַּפֵּק בְּדָבָר הַמַּסְפִּיק לִחְיוֹת בּוֹ.

And a people did not incline towards this world until they had strayed from the Torah, and the *yetzer hara* enticed them to abandon cultivating the world of their salvation and to deviate from the path of their forefathers, whose way was to take only what was necessary from this world, to be content with sufficiency, and to be satisfied with what was enough for their livelihood.

וְיִפָּה לָהֶם הַתִּפְאָרָה בּוֹ וְהַרְבּוֹת מֵהוֹנוֹ וְחִבֵּב עֲלֵיהֶם לְהִתְעַדֵּן וּלְהִתְנַשֵּׂא בּוֹ עַד אֲשֶׁר צָלְלוּ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יַמָּיו.

And the *yetzer hara* made the glory of this world beautiful to them, and accumulating its wealth, and made indulging in its pleasures and boasting about it desirable to them, until they sank into the depths of its seas.

וְחִיְּבָם הַיֵּצֶר לִסְבֹּל צַעַר גַּלֵּיהֶם וְהָעוֹלָם מוֹשֵׁל בָּהֶם וְאוֹטֵם אָזְנֵיהֶם וּמַעֲצִים אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם.

And the *yetzer hara* compelled them to suffer the pain of its waves, and the world rules over them, stopping up their ears and shutting their eyes.

וְאֵין מֵהֶם אֶחָד אֶלָּא מִתְעַסֵּק בְּתַעֲנוּגוֹ כְּשֶׁיַּשִּׂיגֶנּוּ וְיִזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ וְהוּא תּוֹרָתוֹ וְדָתוֹ עַד שֶׁטָּרַד אוֹתוֹ מֵאֱלֹהָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (ירמיהו ב׳:י״ט): "תְּיַסְּרֵךְ רָעָתֵךְ וּמְשֻׁבוֹתַיִךְ תּוֹכִחֻךְ וְגוֹ׳".

And there is not one of them who does not occupy himself with its pleasures whenever he can attain them and an opportunity presents itself, and this becomes his Torah and his religion, until it drives him away from Hashem, as it says (Yirmiyahu 2:19): "Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backsliding shall reprove you, etc."

וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁיִּמָּנַע מִמֶּנּוּ הַתַּעֲנוּג הַהוּא וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ עָלָיו וְנַפְשׁוֹ שׁוֹאֶפֶת עָלָיו וּתְלוּיָה בּוֹ וְשׁוֹנָה (וְשׁוֹגָה) בְּבַקָּשָׁתוֹ לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (תהלים לו): "אָוֶן יַחְשֹׁב עַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ יִתְיַצֵּב עַל דֶּרֶךְ לֹא טוֹב".

And among them is one from whom that pleasure is withheld, yet his thoughts are fixed on it, his soul yearns for it and is dependent on it, and he errs in his pursuit of it day and night, as it says (Tehillim 36:5): "He devises mischief upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good."

וּשְׁנֵיהֶם בְּעִנְיָנוֹ טוֹבְעִים מֵהַשִּׂיג הַטּוֹב בּוֹ נִגְזָרִים וְנִלְאִים מַפְסִידִים בִּסְחוֹרָתָם וְנַפְשָׁם פְּחוּתָה וּבְחִירָתָם רָעָה.

Both of these types are drowning in their pursuits, cut off and weary from ever achieving any good from it; they are losing in their business, their souls are diminished, and their choice is bad.

סְכָלִים בְּעֵרֶךְ הַתְּמוּרָה וְהַמּוּמָר בָּהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שם קו): "וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר וְגוֹ׳".

They are foolish in the value of the exchange and what is exchanged for it, as it says (Tehillim 106:20): "They exchanged their Glory for the likeness of an ox eating grass, etc."

וְאֵינָם סָרִים קְרוּאֵי הַהֶרְגֵּל הַגּוֹבֵר וְרַהֲבֵי הַסְּחוֹרוֹת הַמַּפְסִידוֹת לִטְרֹד ( ס״א לענות) לִבּוֹתָם בְּתוֹלְדוֹת רְהָבָיו וּלְיַשֵּׁב בְּלִבָּם גִּלְגּוּלָיו.

And they do not turn away from the powerful call of habit and the pride of their losing businesses, which constantly distract their hearts with its vain outcomes and implant its endless desires in their hearts.

וְכָל אֲשֶׁר הִתְעָרְבוּ רָחֲקוּ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר רָחֲקוּ מֵאוֹר הָאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר נִפְרַד מֵהֶם בְּחֶבְרַת הַיֵּצֶר אֲשֶׁר יָדְעוּ הִתְאַבְּכָה הָאֲפֵלָה עֲלֵיהֶם וְגָדַל הָעוֹלָם בְּלִבָּם.

And the more they became entangled, the further they distanced themselves; and the further they distanced themselves from the light of truth, which separated from them due to their association with the *yetzer hara* they knew, the more darkness enveloped them, and the world grew in their hearts.

וַיִּיף חָזְקוֹ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם, וַיּוֹשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּהַחֲרֵב שִׂכְלָם.

Its strength became beautiful in their eyes, and they established it by destroying their intellect.

וְכָל אֲשֶׁר נוֹסַף הָעוֹלָם יִשּׁוּב נוֹסַף שִׂכְלָם חֻרְבָּן עַד אֲשֶׁר חָשְׁבוּ דַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה כִּי הִיא הַטּוֹבָה וּתְעוֹתוֹ כִּי הִיא הַיְשָׁרָה וְשָׂמוּהוּ לְחֹק וּלְמוּסָר.

And the more the world was settled, the more their intellect was destroyed, until they considered its evil ways to be good and its straying to be righteous, and they made it a statute and a moral outlook.

וַיּוֹרִישׁוּ אוֹתוֹ הָאָבוֹת אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם וְהֵעִיר עָלָיו מַשְׂכִּילָם (וְגִדְלוּ עָלָיו צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶם) וְצִוּוּ בּוֹ הֲמוֹנָם וְהִתְקַנְּאוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵיהֶם עַד אֲשֶׁר נִתְבַּסֵּס הַיֵּצֶר בָּהֶם ( ס״א ביניהם) וְנִתְמַלֵּאת הַחֵמֶת.

And fathers bequeathed it to their children, and their teachers aroused them to it, and their masses were commanded to follow it, and their leaders competed over it, until the *yetzer hara* became firmly established among them and their homes were filled with vanity.

וְשָׁב בָּהֶם הַדָּבָר הַנָּכְרִי בָּעוֹלָם נוֹדָע וְהַדֶּרֶךְ הַנְּכוֹנָה בּוֹ נָכְרִיָּה וְהַמַּסְפִּיק מִמּוֹתָרָיו הַרְעֵב הַכֹּסֶף (קצור בחובותיו).

And what was foreign in the world became known to them, and the correct path became foreign to them, and one who was content with what was sufficient from its superfluities was considered to be neglecting his duties.

וְעָשָׂה כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁעָשָׂה רֵעֵהוּ.

And each one of them did as he saw his fellow do.

וְהָאוֹחֵז מִמֶּנּוּ דֵּי סִפְקוֹ נִקְרָא עָצֵל וְהַמִּתְאַחֵר ( ס״א והמתעצל) מֵהַרְבּוֹת בּוֹ מְקַצֵּר וְהַמִּסְתַּפֵּק בַּמַּסְפִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ חַלָּשׁ וְהָעוֹבֵר (והעובד) אוֹתוֹ מִשְׁתַּדֵּל.

And one who took only what was sufficient from it was called lazy, and one who delayed in accumulating more of it was considered a slacker, and one who was content with only what was necessary was considered weak, while he who surpassed this amount was regarded as industrious.

וּמִשְׁתַּבְּחִים בּוֹ וּמִתְנַשְּׂאִים וּבַעֲבוּרוֹ מִתְחַבְּרִים וְכוֹעֲסִים וְרוֹצִים.

And they praise themselves and boast about it, and for its sake they befriend, become angry, and desire.

וּבַעֲבוֹר הַגְּבוּל בּוֹ ( ס״א וּבַעֲבוּר הַגְּמוּל בּוֹ) עוֹשִׂים בִּטְנֵיהֶם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְתוֹרָתָם מַלְבּוּשֵׁיהֶם וּמוּסָרָם חִזּוּק מִשְׁכְּנֵיהֶם.

And for the sake of its reward, they make their bellies their god, their clothing their Torah, and the strengthening of their dwellings their ethics.

וְתוֹעִים בִּמְצוּלוֹת הַסִּכְלוּת שָׁבִים בִּמְרוּצוֹת הָעַצְלָה עֲמוּסִים בְּמַעֲמָסוֹת הַתַּאֲווֹת וּמְבַקְשִׁים גְּמוּל הָעוֹבְדִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעוֹבְרִים וּמַדְרֵגוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּמִנְהֲגֵי הָרְשָׁעִים, כְּמוֹ שאחז״ל: "עוֹשִׂים מַעֲשֶׂה זִמְרִי וּמְבַקְשִׁים שָׂכָר כְּפִינְחָס".

And they stray in the depths of foolishness, turning in the paths of idleness, laden with the burdens of desires, seeking the reward of the worshippers of Hashem while performing the deeds of transgressors, and the levels of the righteous with the conduct of the wicked, as our Sages, *zichronam livracha*, said: "They commit the acts of Zimri and seek the reward of Pinchas."

וְכַאֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ הַיֵּצֶר בְּרֹב אַנְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה אֶל מָה שֶׁסִּפַּרְנוּ נִצְטָרַכְנוּ (הצטרכו) לַעֲמֹד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בַּפְּרִישׁוּת הַמְיֻחֶדֶת אֲשֶׁר זָכַרְנוּ גְּדֵרֶיהָ בִּפְתִיחַת הַשַּׁעַר הַזֶּה וּלְהִתְיַצֵּב לְפָנָיו בָּהּ עַד אֲשֶׁר תְּשִׁיבֵם אֶל גָּדֵר הַנְּכוֹנָה הַתּוֹרִיָּה אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ תַּקָּנַת הָאֱמוּנָה וְהָעוֹלָם.

And since the *yetzer hara* has brought most *Anshei Torah* to the state we have described, we need to stand against it with the special *perishus* whose definitions we mentioned at the beginning of this gate, and to confront it with this *perishus* until it returns them to the correct Torah boundary, which is the rectification for both faith and the world.

וְהָיָה בַּדִּין בַּעֲבוּר זֶה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּאַנְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה אֲנָשִׁים יְחִידִים נוֹשְׂאִים הַפְּרִישׁוּת הַמְיֻחֶדֶת וּמְקַבְּלִים תְּנָאֶיהָ לְהוֹעִיל בָּהּ אַנְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה עִם פְּנוֹת נַפְשׁוֹתָם וּנְטוֹת מִדּוֹתָם אֶל הַתַּאֲווֹת הַבַּהֲמִיּוֹת עִם הַיֵּצֶר וְיִהְיוּ רוֹפְאִים לָאֱמוּנָה וְלַנְּפָשׁוֹת יַעֲלוּ אֲרוּכָה לָהֶם בְּעֵת נְטוֹת מֵהַמִּדּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת אֶל הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁאַחֲרִיתָם מְגֻנָּה, וּבְעֵת גְּבֹר יִצְרֵיהֶם עַל שִׂכְלָם וְעֵת טִרְדָּתָם בְּמוֹתְרֵי עוֹלָמָם מֵהַדְּבָרִים הַצְּרִיכִים מְאֹד לֶאֱמוּנָתָם.

And it is therefore proper that there should be among *Anshei Torah* unique individuals who bear this special *perishus* and accept its conditions, to benefit other *Anshei Torah* when their souls turn and their traits incline towards animalistic desires with the *yetzer hara*. And these individuals will be doctors for faith and for souls, bringing healing to them when they stray from good traits towards disgraceful traits, and when their *yetzer hara* overpowers their intellect, and when their preoccupation with the superfluities of their world distracts them from matters most essential to their faith.

כְּאִלּוּ כַּוָּנָתָם לְרַפֵּא חוֹלֵה הָאֱמוּנָה אוֹ דְּוֵה נֶפֶשׁ מִמַּדְוֵי הַסְּפֵקוֹת יְמַהֲרוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת לוֹ אֲרוּכָה בַּאֲמִתַּת חָכְמָתָם.

As if their intention is to heal one sick in faith or one whose soul is afflicted by the maladies of doubts, they will hasten to bring him healing with the truth of their wisdom.

אוֹ בּוֹרֵחַ מֵעֲבוֹדַת הָאֱלֹהִים יְשִׁיבוּהוּ אֵלֶיהָ וְיַבְטִיחוּהוּ.

Or if someone is fleeing from the service of Hashem, they will return him to it and reassure him.

אוֹ עָמוּס בַּחֲטָאָיו יַעַרְבוּ לוֹ מְחִילַת הָאֱלֹהִים בְּשׁוּבוֹ מֵהֶם.

Or if someone is burdened by his sins, they will guarantee him Hashem's forgiveness upon his repentance from them.

וְאִם יָבֹא אֲלֵיהֶם שׁוֹכֵחַ אֱלֹהִים יַזְכִּירוּהוּ אוֹ צַדִּיק יְאַשְּׁרוּהוּ אוֹ אוֹהֵב אֱלֹהִים יֹאהֲבוּהוּ אוֹ מְגַדֵּל לִיכֹלֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְגַדְּלוּהוּ.

And if one who forgets Hashem comes to them, they will remind him; or a *tzaddik*, they will affirm him; or one who loves Hashem, they will love him; or one who magnifies Hashem's capability, they will magnify him.

וְאִם יֶחֱטָא יַזְכִּירוּהוּ מִיָּד לָשׁוּב וְאִם יֶחֱלֶה יְבַקְּרוּהוּ.

And if he sins, they will immediately remind him to repent; and if he falls ill, they will visit him.

וְאִם יִהְיֶה לָהֶם מוֹתָר מִן הָעוֹלָם יַעֲנִיקוּהוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְאִם יִפְגָּעֵהוּ פֶּגַע יַעַזְרוּהוּ.

And if they have a surplus from this world, they will bestow it upon him; and if misfortune befalls him, they will help him.

וְהֵם דּוֹמִים בָּעוֹלָם לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שֶׁפּוֹשֶׁטֶת אוֹרָה בָּעוֹלָם עֶלְיוֹנוֹ וְתַחְתּוֹנוֹ כִּי הִיא מְאִירָה מָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא מְאִירָה מָה שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מִמֶּנָּה מִן הַכּוֹכָבִים וְהַגְּרָמִים.

And they are like the sun in the world, which spreads its light throughout the upper and lower worlds, for it illuminates what is above it just as it illuminates what is below it, among the stars and celestial bodies.

וְכֵן אֵלֶּה הַיְּחִידִים אֲשֶׁר סִפַּרְתִּי לְךָ בעוה״ז כמ״ש (בראשית י״ח:כ״ו): "וְנָשָׂאתִי לְכָל הַמָּקוֹם בַּעֲבוּרָם" וְאָמַר (תהלים קו): "לוּלֵי מֹשֶׁה בְחִירוֹ".

And so too are these unique individuals, about whom I have told you, in this world, as it is written (Bereishis 18:26): "And I will forgive the entire place for their sake," and it says (Tehillim 106:23): "Were it not for Moshe, His chosen one."

וּבְעוֹלָם הַבָּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (משלי יא): "פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים" וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרָה דְּבוֹרָה (שופטים ה): "וְאֹהֲבָיו כְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָתוֹ".

And in the World to Come, as it says (Mishlei 11:30): "The fruit of a *tzaddik* is a tree of life," and therefore Devorah said (Shoftim 5:31): "And those who love Him are like the sun when it goes forth in its might."