[thereisone] Where Does It Say That?
- From: Gutman Locks <locks.gutman@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: thereisone@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2017 06:30:24 +0300
Where Does It Say That?
One of my Shabbos guests is learning in a non-Chassidic yeshiva. He
asked me if I go to the *mikvah* (immersion pool) every day.
“Of course I do.”
“My Rabbi says that thinking that going to the *mikvah* cleanses you
spiritually, opens the door to sin because you think you can just go to the
*mikvah* and there won’t be any repercussions. He asks where in the Torah
does it say for a man to go to the *mikvah* every day?”
If the *mikvah* opens the door to sin because we think that we are
free to sin again then so does doing *teshuva* (repentance) open the door
to sin. If we know that *teshuva* brings forgiveness does that mean that we
are going to go out and sin again?
I will show you where we learn to go to the *mikvah* every day but
first a little background information.
What is a *Chassid* and what is a *Tsaddik*? In this sense a *Chassid*
is a Torah observant Jew who does more than is required, and a *Tsaddik* is
a righteous observant Jew who does all that is required. All sources agree
that the *Chassid* is greater than even a *Tsaddik*.
I explained to the boy that first we go to the shower and with soap
and water we clean our physical bodies. Then after we are physically clean
we go to the *mikvah* for spiritual purity.
The difference between these two Torah ways (Chassidic and
non-Chassidic) is more than going to the *mikvah*. For instance, the men in
those yeshivas usually do not sleep in their *tzitzis* (small fringed
garment). When asked why they do not sleep in them they explain that the
*mitzvah* is a daytime *mitzvah* as it says you shall look upon them, so
there is no obligation to sleep with them.
And I answer that they are doing the *mitzvahs* only because they are
obligated to do them, not because they love them. All *Chassidic* males
sleep in their *tzitzis.*
If when you say the blessing and pull the strap to tighten your
tefillin your focus is to be careful that they do not fall off, then your
intention when you tie your tefillin is the same as your intention is when
you tie your shoes… that they shouldn’t fall off.
When you say the blessing and tighten the strap for your tefillin,
your awareness…your attention should be on the meaning of the words of the
blessing you are saying, “Who has made us holy with His commandments….”
What a unique joy to be able to do a physical act and fulfill the
commandment that we shall be holy.
And this is a Torah source for going to the *mikvah* every day. The
Torah commands us, “You shall be holy….” We want to do whatever we can to
live pure and holy lives even when it means doing more than we are
obligated to do.
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