5886 —ההתגברות על היצר בלימוד התורה תלויה ברצון ולא בשינוי מקום

B"H, 1st of Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter, in which you write about the difficulties you have and the demands that are being made of you, etc.

Now, it is obvious that wherever one is, one must study Torah with diligence and assiduousness specifically. It is likewise understood that the yetzer hara fights against this with all sorts of strange tactics and all sorts of strange explanations, and it is not impressed at all if one travels from one country to another, for in the new country too it invents reasons and explanations suited to the conditions there. As for not listening to its enticement, its reasons make no difference^[1] to this; what makes the difference is only the person's will: does he truly want to fight the yetzer hara, or does he not want to.

Of course, all of the above applies also in your own case: the reasons you write, that it is impossible to study where you are, are one of the tactics of the yetzer — in the present situation it has found material for its enticement in this form. And if, G‑d forbid, you listen to it, or at any rate^[2] spend your time in arguments and give-and-take^[3] with it, that is proof that in a new place too, wherever you come, it will be the same, as said above.

True is the statement of the Mishnah, "Exile yourself to a place of Torah"^[4]; but it is obvious that this does not apply in our case, since your claim is not that you are living in comfort and are not in exile.

Now, if you will listen to my opinion, you will see in the demands made of you regarding diligence and assiduousness a hint from Divine Providence — that it has given you the ability to fulfill these demands, and the matter depends only on your will, since the ability you do have.

May it be G‑d's will that you reflect on the above with regard to yourself^[5], and add in Torah study, in Nigleh and in Chassidus, as much as is required; and may Hashem, blessed be He^[6], grant you success.

With blessing for good news^[7] in all the above.

Notes

1. Makes no difference (נפק"מ): נפקא מינה. That is: whether a person listens to the enticement of the yetzer or not does not depend on the reasons it invents (for in every place it will invent new reasons suited to the conditions there), but on the person's will alone.

2. At any rate (עכ"פ): על כל פנים.

3. Give-and-take (שקו"ט): שקלא וטריא, debate. That is: even if he does not actually obey the yetzer, but spends his time arguing with its claims, the yetzer has already succeeded in keeping him from his study.

4. "Exile yourself to a place of Torah" (הוי גולה למקום תורה): Mishnah Avos 4:14: "Rabbi Nehorai says: Exile yourself to a place of Torah, and do not say that it will come after you, that your colleagues will establish it in your hand; and do not rely on your own understanding"; it is also brought in Shabbos 147b. That is: the Mishnah's instruction is addressed to one who sits comfortably in his own place and is not in exile, that he should exile himself to a place of Torah; but the writer's claim is not that he is living in comfort, so the Mishnah's instruction is not relevant to him.

5. With regard to yourself (אליבא דנפשי'): In relation to himself, as it applies to him personally.

6. Hashem, blessed be He (השי"ת): השם יתברך.

7. Good news (בשו"ט): בשורות טובות.

Summary

Answering a writer who says he cannot study where he is and wants to move to another country, the Rebbe explains that the yetzer hara invents fitting reasons in every place; whether one obeys it depends only on one's own will. "Exile yourself to a place of Torah" does not apply here. The very demands for diligence made of him are a hint from Providence that he has the ability to meet them; he should add in Nigleh and Chassidus.