Overcoming Our Desires

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas Hatorah (www.bircas.org)

In Parshas Naso, the Torah introduces the laws of nezirus. In the previous essay we discussed the idea that nezirus is the beginning of a person’s fight against the evil inclination. Here, we will discuss another aspect of the greatness involved in it.

Rav Leib Chasman brings a story found in Maseches Nedarim (9b): Shimon HaTzaddik recalled that, as a kohein in the Beis HaMikdash, he only partook of a nazir’s offering once in his lifetime. Generally, his perspective on those who took on nezirus was close to scorn. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Nedarim 9a) questions, “Is it not enough [to keep what] the Torah prohibited you? Why are you forbidding more things to yourself?” One nazir was an exception, though. This was a handsome young man from the South who came before Shimon HaTzaddik with gorgeous locks of hair. When asked why he had become a nazir, he answered that he had caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the water. Having never seen his own picture, he was shocked to see how handsome he was. He realized that he could utilize his beauty to attain all kinds of forbidden pleasures. Immediately, he recoiled at the thought and chastised himself, saying, “Why am I flaunting myself in a world that isn’t mine? How can I take pride in a body that will soon be food for maggots and worms [when I die]? I vow to [become a nazir, ending with a mitzvah to] shave you off [i.e., his beautiful hair] for the sake of Heaven!”

When he heard this, Shimon HaTzaddik kissed the young man, saying, “My son, may there be more nezirim like you in Yisrael!”

What precisely did Shimon HaTzaddik see in this nazir? Rav Chasman says that this nazir was attempting to avoid the pull of physicality by accepting nezirus on himself. He saw that he was trapped by his good looks, represented by his hair, and he resolved to take action in order to escape sin. This is the essence of being a nazir and a holy person. The purpose of separation from worldly pleasures is not torture and fake piety, like the nations of the world seem to think. We separate from our desires to save ourselves from sin like he did (see Mesillas Yesharim 13). The holiness of a nazir does not stem from what he does but why he does it. Fleeing from physicality in order in order to gain closeness to Hashem is a beautiful thing and the epitome of holiness.

In the previous essay we also mentioned that the nazir’s vow of abstention is meant to serve as a model. Just as the Torah praises the nazir for small steps like avoiding wine or haircuts, we must realize that any small steps against our physical desires are significant strides toward holiness. Now that we have seen the lesson of Rav Chasman, this idea is enriched. When we see that we are battling to overcome some desire to violate the Torah, or attempt to rid ourselves of behaviors that hamper our service of Hashem, every struggle is holiness of the kind that Shimon HaTzaddik himself approved of. It is holiness in the most basic sense of the word.

The Vilna Gaon says that every moment of fighting desires becomes a hidden light in the World to Come. Furthermore, we are fulfilling the main obligation that we have in this world. He even writes that this gains atonement for every sin we may have committed in the past!

Nevertheless, many of us probably remain with an unpleasant impression of what it means to overcome our desires. Instead of aspiring to gain control over and master them, we end up wishing that they would go away. What can motivate us to start fighting them?

Rabbeinu Yonah writes (Sha’arei Teshuvah 1:31) that though the initial steps of self-control are a challenge to our animalistic desire, this shouldn’t discourage us. Eventually, if we persist, the payoff is enormous. How so? When we feel that we are in complete control of our lives, it gives us tremendous pleasure. It feels much better than the base pleasures that this world has to offer.

There is another level to this feeling of pleasure that we can acquire. The Gemara (Berachos 61b) says that the righteous are guided by their good inclinations. Even their impulses are positive and righteous. The feeling that they know that the Torah has permeated their being to such a great extent is surely very pleasurable! With persistence, these are the people that we too can be; with our lives revolving around our souls and not our bodies.

Rav Mordechai Gifter was once traveling on a plane. Suddenly, the pilot announced that one of the engines had exploded. He instructed all on board to prepare for an emergency landing. The plane did land safely in the end, but Rav Gifter often recalled how a non-Jew sitting near him called over a stewardess and asked for a Coke. He said that he wanted to have one last drink before he died.

Rav Gifter would say, “Look how this non-Jew prepared himself for what he thought was the last moment of his life! Even then, he couldn’t stop thinking about his body! Is this the type of person we want to be, G-d forbid? The beauty of a Jew is that even when we are alive and in full health, we are always thinking about our souls, and how we can do more mitzvos. The soul is the main part of us, and we live our lives this way. This is what we are about!”

May we be zocheh to become the holy people that we have the potential to be!

NEW! HOT OFF THE PRESS!
Rabbi Krieger’s “Gedolei Yisroel on the Parashah & Yamim Tovim” is now available from the Yeshiva office, Jewish bookstores worldwide and can be ordered online at https://www.feldheim.com/gedolei-yisroel-on-Parashah-yamim-tovim-2.