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Mesilat Yesharim / Path of the Just
by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato zt'l
Chapter 20 - Weighing of Piety
with select commentaries
copyright 2018 dafyomireview.com

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Abbreviations used in this translation:
SR - Rabbi Yechezkel Sarna (1890–1969) (from hebrewbooks.org/41769)
ER - Rabbi Avraham Erlinger (from hebrewbooks.org/52042) (with author's permission)
SP - Rabbi Yosef Spinner (from hebrewbooks.org/51471) (with author's permission)
CS - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Shalenger (with author's permission)
MB - Mesilas Yesharim im Biruim (with author's permission)
NE - Netiv Eliezer by Rabbi Eliezer Lopian (with author's permission)
NH - Nefesh HaMesilah (with author's permission)
OG - Oros Genuzim by Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Hoffman (with author's permission) download
SO - Shaarei Orah, Vaadim by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (excerpts with book author's permission)
LS - Leket Sichot Mussar by Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Sher (1875–1952) (Vol.2, Kuntras Mesilat Yesharim, with permission of Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva (R.Shmuel Zacks), Bnei Brak. download hebrew original)

• Min - (level 1) for basic commentaries as relating to the plain meaning (Pshat).
• Med - (level 2) elaborates more into the theme.
• Max - (level 3) deeper in, including mystical excerpts from the Orot Genuzim commentary (Sod).
• Max+ - (level 4) more commentaries for those familiar with the text.

Suggestion: Read once without commentaries (or min). Then a second time with.

Link to this page:
mesilat.php?d=23&e=1

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*** CHAPTER 20 - WEIGHING OF PIETY ***פרק 20 - במשקל החסידות
 

What now needs explanation is the weighing of this Piety. This is a very, very primary matter. Know that, in truth, this is the most difficult work in Chasidut due to its great subtlety and because the evil inclination has much entry into this area. Therefore, its danger is enormous. For the evil inclination may convince a person to distance many good things as if they were evil and draw him near to many sins as if they were great mitzvot.

מה שצריך לבאר עתה הוא משקל החסידות הזה. והוא ענין עקרי מאד מאד, ותדע באמת שזהו המלאכה הקשה שבחסידות כי דקותו רב ויש ליצר בדבר הזה כניסה גדולה, על כן נמצאת סכנתו עצומה כי הרבה דברים טובים יוכל היצר לרחק כאילו הם רעים, והרבה חטאים לקרב כאילו הם מצות גדולות.

MB - "very, very primary matter" - it is not a side point but rather the primary matter of one who comes to become pious, since for every deed that he does, he must first weigh it to know if there will truly come out of this a desirable outcome.

CS - "most difficult work" - it requires great mental exertion.
"due to its great subtlety" - the judgment to decide this way or another way, requires fine discernment. Sometimes the difference between the two courses are small and fine as a hair's breadth. Thus it is error-prone.

MB - "evil inclination" - since it is a subtle matter, i.e. it is not easily grasped [correctly] by the intellect, the yetzer has a great opening to ruin his judgment (shikul daat). This is similar to what we saw in chapter 10, that any place where one is lacking absolute clarity, there is room for the Yetzer to infiltrate and work (only that there he was lacking knowledge of the [clear-cut] Halacha, whereas here he is lacking clarity in the subtleties of the mental weighing.)

ER - earlier in the divisions of Watchfulness (ch.3), Rabeinu warned us that the evil inclination tricks a person to see evil as good and vice versa, therefore one must constantly feel out his deeds, while [only] here he calls it a difficult work. The reason is that in Watchfulness, there is a Shulchan Aruch and other books of Halacha, where it is possible to learn and then check one's deeds. The main thing there is to arouse a person to indeed check. But Chasidut is built on "beyond the letter of the law" (lifnim mishurat hadin). Thus there is endless room to err, since the matters are not so clear cut...

Translator - the "weighing of piety" is where one weighs and balances the total experience and knowledge of everything one knows about the overall values of the Torah to bear on an issue. The issue cannot not be decisively proven from sources. If it could be, you wouldn't need a mental "weighing". It would be demonstrable by the sources.

NE - (from ch.1) - one type of imagination which the Yetzer employs to deceive men is to magnify the importance of foolish worldly matters. He highlights some good aspect in the matter despite that in its entirety, it is something lowly and damaging. He makes it appear as is if this minor good is primary and that it can help him so much in his divine service, deceiving him to go and invest all his energy, vision, and aspirations in that minor aspect which seems good, while causing him to ignore the truth - that there are also many bad aspects in that matter and that he really must abstain from it altogether.

Sometimes, he works in the opposite manner. He points out some minor negative aspect in the service of G-d, and strives to convince him that it will lead to some loss, magnifying and highlighting this far more than its true amount. Eventually he becomes convinced that it will cause him great loss in his religious service and refrains completely from this mitzvah. By the time he realizes the error, he has already gone through a long road and sustained great and tremendous loss...

In truth, a person will not be able to succeed in this "weighing" without three requirements: He must possess a most pure heart, having no other motive than to bring gratification to the blessed G-d, and nothing else besides this whatsoever.

ובאמת שלא יוכל איש להצליח במשקל הזה אלא בג' דברים: א. שיהיה לבו ישר שבלבבות שלא תהיה פנייתו אלא לעשות הנחת רוח לפניו יתברך, ולא זולת זה כלל.

CS - "a most pure (lit.straight) heart" without any crookedness and swaying from the correct motive as he explains: "having no other motive than to bring gratification..."

MB - "no other motive... nothing else besides this at all" - he doubles it to emphasize that the explanation of "no other motive than to bring gratification..." is not that his main motive be to this or that most of his motive be to this, but rather, the explanation is that he must not have any other motive whatsoever.

He must examine his deeds very thoroughly and strive to rectify them according to this purpose.

ב. ושיהיה מעיין על מעשיו עיון גדול וישתדל לתקנם על פי התכלית הזה.

SR - "examine" - this is the trait of Watchfulness in Chasidut...

MB - "examine" - even if his heart is upright, he will not grasp the matter without great examination.

And after all this, he must cast his burden on G-d. For then, it will be said of him: "fortunate is the man whose strength is in You... G-d will not withhold good from those who walk perfectly (b'tamim)" (Tehilim 84:6-12).

ג. ואחר כל זאת יהיה משליך יהבו על ה', שאז יאמר בו (תהלים פ"ד:ו,יב) אשרי אדם עוז לו בך וגו' לא ימנע טוב להולכים בתמים.

ER - "G-d will not withhold good from those who walk perfectly (b'tamim)" - from "not" we deduce "yes", namely, unless one walks perfectly (b'tamim), he will not merit this. The verse continues "O L-ord of Hosts, fortunate is the man who trusts in You". Namely, the intent of "perfectly" (b'tamim), is complete trust. This is a big chidush (insight).

NH - in order to merit to know the truth, one's will must be clean and pure, without other motives than to bring gratification to G-d. Secondly, he must greatly examine his deeds, setting aside time and thought to think on what is proper to do and what is not. Thirdly, besides his thinking and examining, he must cast his burden on G-d, knowing that only if G-d gives him the correct thoughts will he merit to truth, and he must beseech G-d with all his heart that he merits to know the absolute truth.

MB - "cast his burden on G-d" - earlier in chapter 2, Rabeinu also wrote that it is impossible to be watchful without divine help.

Here in Piety, he also adds that one needs to "trust in G-d", and later in chapter 26, he writes that holiness is a gift from G-d. Why does he emphasize this [divine help] specifically in these traits? We must also analyze the difference between these statements.

The answer seems to be that every struggle with the evil inclination needs G-d's help, as he wrote earlier, end of chapter 2. In truth, his words there encompass all the levels of a man's service to become a Tzadik, in each one of them there is a specific war with the evil inclination specific to that level.

However, in those, one just needs G-d's help while most of the work is attributed to man. Therefore one does not need special trust. If he just engages in it by himself, already, G-d will help him, even without a man's knowledge or trust as implied there. But when speaking about the trait of Chasidut and the "weighing of piety", there, one needs special help which is beyond human ability. Therefore it is only found by he who "casts his burden on G-d". Then, the guarding is G-d's. Likewise in holiness, all the matter of holiness comes from G-d and is not at all in our hands, except for the preparation to this. Therefore, it is called a gift from G-d.

Divrei Bina U'Mussar 45 - "three things" - these three things all depend on each other, for if a man wants to work on wholeness of thought ("temimut hamachshava"), he needs to train himself to examine his deeds ("iyun hamaasim"), and also trust, since without trust in G-d, a simple difficulty will blur his mind. Likewise in order to attain iyun hamaasim, a man needs temimut hamachshava for without it, his examination will be defective, and he will need trust to not be distracted as mentioned. Likewise he who wishes to acquire trust needs temimut hamachshava and iyun hamaasim. For without this, his trust will not be whole...

If one of these conditions is lacking in him, he will not attain Wholeness (Shlemut), and is very likely to stumble and fall. That is to say, if his intention is not ideal (to bring gratification to G-d - CS) and pure (from containing any other motive - CS), or if he will be lax in the in-depth examination of what he is capable of examining, or if even after all this, he does not place his trust in his Master, it will be difficult for him not to fall.

אמנם אם אחד מן התנאים האלה יחסר לו לא יגיע אל השלימות, וקרוב הוא ליכשל וליפול דהיינו או אם הכונה לא תהיה מובחרת וזכה, או אם יתרשל מן העיון במה שיוכל לעיין, או אם אחר כל זה לא יתלה בטחונו בקונו, קשה לו שלא יפול.

CS - "not to fall" - it is almost certain that he will stumble in his deeds, that his conduct will not be of the proper type of Chasidut.

But if he guards all three properly, namely, purity (temimut) of thought, examination, and trust - then he will walk securely in truth and no evil will befall him, as Chana said in her prophecy: "He will guard the feet of His pious ones" (Shmuel 2:9), and likewise David said: "He shall not forsake His pious ones; they will be guarded forever" (Tehilim 37:28).

אך אם שלשתם ישמור כראוי, תמימות המחשבה, עיון, ובטחון, אז ילך בטח באמת ולא יאונה לו כל רע. הוא הדבר שאמרה חנה בנבואתה (שמואל א' ב:ט): "רגלי חסידיו ישמור", ודוד כמו כן אמר (תהלים לז:כח): "ולא יעזוב את חסידיו לעולם נשמרו".

CS - "but if he guards all three.." - due to the great importance of these things, Rabeinu repeats them a third time. This is unlike his usual manner of being short and concise.

What a person needs to understand is that one should not judge the matters of Chasidut according to their superficial appearance. Rather, one must examine and contemplate the full extent of where the future consequences of the deed leads. For sometimes, the deed itself may appear to be good but since the consequences are evil one must abstain from it. For doing it would not have made him a Chasid but rather a sinner. Behold the story of Gedalia ben Achikam where it is clear to our eyes that due to his great Chasidut to not judge Yishmael ben Netanya negatively, nor to accept an evil report, he said to Yochanan ben Kareach "you are speaking falsely of Yishmael" (Yirmiyahu 40:16). What resulted from this? He was murdered, the Jews went into exile, and their last ember was extinguished. Scripture attributes the murder of these people as if Gedalyah himself murdered them, as our sages of blessed memory, said (Nida 61a) on the verse: "all the bodies of the men whom he had killed through Gedaliah" (Yirmiyahu 41:9). The second temple was likewise destroyed due to such incorrectly weighed Chasidut. In the story of Bar Kamtza (Gitin 56a): "the Rabbis thought to offer the blemished animal [of the emperor in order not to offend him]. Said Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkulas to them: 'people will say that blemished animals may be offered on the altar'. They then proposed to kill Bar Kamtza so that he should not go and inform against them, but Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkulas said to them: 'people will say one who makes a blemish on a consecrated animals is to be put to death'". In the meantime, that wicked man went and informed against Israel to the Roman emperor, who came and destroyed Jerusalem. This is what Rabbi Yochanan meant when he said on this: "through the humility of Rabbi Zechariah ben Abvulas our House has been destroyed, our Temple burnt and we ourselves exiled from our land" (Gitin 56a). We thus see that, one must not judge the piety of an act by itself alone. Rather, one must view it from all angles that human intellect can foresee before he can truthfully judge whether it is better to do it or to abstain from it.

והנה מה שצריך להבין הוא כי אין לדון דברי החסידות על מראיהן הראשון, אלא צריך לעיין ולהתבונן עד היכן תולדות המעשה מגיעות, כי לפעמים המעשה בעצמו יראה טוב, ולפי שהתולדות רעות יתחייב להניחו, ולו יעשה אותו יהיה חוטא ולא חסיד. הנה מעשה גדליה בן אחיקם גלוי לעינינו שמפני רוב חסידותו שלא לדון את ישמעאל לכף חובה או שלא לקבל לשון הרע, אמר ליוחנן בן קרח שקר אתה דובר על ישמעאל (ירמיה מ'), ומה גרם? גרם שמת הוא ונפזרו ישראל וכבה גחלתם הנשארה, וכבר ייחס הכתוב הריגת אנשים אשר נהרגו אליו כאילו הרגם הוא, ובמאמרם ז"ל (נדה ס"א): על הפסוק את כל פגרי האנשים אשר הכה ביד גדליה. והבית השני גם הוא חרב ע"י חסידות כזה אשר לא נשקל במשקל צדק במעשה דבר קמצא, אמרו (גיטין נ"ו א): סבור רבנן לקרוביה, א"ל רבי זכריה בן אבקולס יאמרו בעלי מומין קריבין לגבי מזבח, סבור למקטליה א"ל רזב"א יאמרו מטיל מום בקדשים יהרג, בין כך ובין כך הלך אותו הרשע והלשין את ישראל, בא הקיסר והחריב ירושלים, והוא מה שאמר ר"י על זה: ענותנותו של ר' זכריה החריבה את ביתנו ושרפה את היכלנו והגליתנו. הרי לך שאין לדון בחסידות המעשה באשר הוא שם לבד, אך צריך לפנות כה וכה לכל הצדדין שיוכל שכל האדם לראות, עד שידון באמת איזה יכשר יותר העשיה או הפרישה.

For instance, the Torah commanded us: "you shall surely rebuke your fellow" (Vayikra 19:17). Very often a person attempts to rebuke sinners at a place or time when his words will not be heeded and he causes them to breach even further in their wickedness, to desecrate the Name of G-d, and to add transgression to their sin. In such cases, the only Chasidut is to keep silent. Thus, our sages, of blessed memory, said: "just like it is a mitzva to say what will be heeded, so too it is a mitzva to not say what will not be heeded" (Yevamot 65b). To illustrate, obviously, it is proper for every person to arrive early and run to perform a mitzva, striving to be among those occupied in it. However, sometimes this could lead to a dispute, whereby there will be more desecration of the Name of Heaven and shame to the mitzva than honor. In such cases, certainly the Chasid is obligated to abandon the mitzva and not pursue it. Likewise our sages, of blessed memory, said regarding the Levites: "because they knew that whoever carries the Ark merits great reward, they abandoned the Shulchan, Menorah and Altars, and all ran to the Ark to gain reward. Then, this person argued saying 'I will carry it from here' and that person argued saying 'I will carry it from here' until they came to lightheadedness and the Divine presence would smite them..." (Midrash Raba 5:1). Behold, a man is obligated to guard all of the mitzvot in all of their fine details, doing so before any person, whoever it may be, and not be afraid or ashamed before him. Likewise, it is written: "I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed" (Tehilim 119:46). And we also learned "be brazen as a leopard..." (Avot 5:2).

הנה התורה צותה (ויקרא יט:טז): "הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך", וכמה פעמים יכנס אדם להוכיח חטאים במקום או בזמן שאין דבריו נשמעים וגורם להם להתפרץ יותר ברשעם ולחלל ה' להוסיף על חטאתם פשע, הנה בכיוצא בזה אינו מן החסידות אלא לשתוק. וכך אמרו ז"ל (יבמות ס"ה ב): כשם שמצוה לומר דבר הנשמע, כך מצוה שלא לומר את שאינו נשמע. ראה פשוט הוא שראוי לכל אדם להיות מקדים ורץ לדבר מצוה ולהשתדל להיות מן העוסקים בה, אך הנה לפעמים יכול להולד מזה מריבה שיותר תתבזה המצוה, ויתחלל בה שם שמים ממה שיתכבד, בכיוצא בזה ודאי שחייב החסיד להניח את המצוה ולא לרדוף אחריה. וכן אז"ל בענין הלוים ז"ל (במדבר רבה ה:א): מפני שהיו יודעים שכל מי שטוען בארון שכרו מרובה, והיו מניחין את השלחן והמנורה והמזבחות וכלן רצים לארון ליטול שכר, ומתוך כך היה זה מריב, ואומר אני טוען כאן, וזה מריב ואומר אני טוען כאן, ומתוך כך היו נוהגין קלות ראש, והיתה השכינה פוגעת בהם וגו'. הנה חייב האדם לשמור כל המצות בכל דקדוקיהם לפני מי שיהיה ולא יירא ולא יבוש, וכן הוא אומר (תהלים קיט:מו): "ואדברה בעדותיך נגד מלכים ולא אבוש", וכן שנינו הוי עז כנמר וגו', (אבות ה:כב)

CS - "brazen as a leopard" - it seems Rabeinu is bringing this mishna as a proof to his words: "and not be afraid" - rather, be strong as a lion, who is not afraid of any creature due to its great strength. "nor ashamed" - rather, be brazen as a leopard, whose nature is to pounce even on those stronger than itself. Likewise in the Tur (Orach Chaim 1): "be brazen as a leopard - that you be brazen-faced before the mockers; light as an eagle and swift as a deer - to guard all of the mitzvot.."

But, here too one needs to discern and make distinctions, for all this was said regarding the mitzvot themselves which we are completely obligated in. In those one should "set his face like flint" (Isaiah 50:7). But there are some additional matters of Piety, which if a person were to do before the common people, they will laugh at him and ridicule him, thereby sinning and incurring punishment through him. This is something he could have abstained from doing since these things are not complete obligations. Thus, for such things, it is certainly more proper for the Chasid to abstain from it than to do it. This is what scripture says: "and walk discreetly with your G-d" (Michah 6:8). Many great Chasidim abstained from their pious practices when in the presence of the common masses because it appears like arrogance. The general principle: whatever is essential in the mitzva, should be done before all mockers. But whatever is not essential and causes laughter and ridicule, one should not do it. Thus we learn, that one who aspires to true Piety must weigh all of his deeds according to their consequences and circumstances, namely, their times, company, subject, and place. If abstaining leads to more sanctification of the Name of Heaven and gratification to G-d than doing it, he should abstain and not do it.

אמנם גם בזה צריך חילוק והבחנה כי כל זה נאמר על גופי המצות שחייבים אנחנו בהם חובה גמורה שבהם ישים פניו כחלמיש. אך יש איזה תוספות חסידות שאם יעשה אותם האדם לפני המון העם ישחקו עליו ויתלוצצו, ונמצאו חוטאים ונענשים על ידו, והוא היה יכול להניח מלעשות הדברים ההם, כי אינם חובה מוחלטת, הנה דבר כזה ודאי שיותר הגון הוא לחסיד שיניחהו משיעשהו, והוא מה שאמר (מיכה ו:ח): "והצנע לכת עם אלהיך". וכמה חסידים גדולים הניחו ממנהגי חסידותם בהיותם בין המון העם, משום דמחזי כיוהרא. כללו של דבר: כל מה שהוא עיקרי במצוה יעשהו לפני כל מלעיג, ומה שאינו עיקרי והוא גורם שחוק והיתול לא יעשהו. נמצאת למד שהבא להתחסד חסידות אמיתי צריך שישקול כל מעשיו לפי התולדות הנמשכות מהם, ולפי התנאים המתלוים להם לפי העת לפי החברה לפי הנושא ולפי המקום, ואם הפרישה תוליד יותר קידוש שם שמים ונחת רוח לפניו מן המעשה יפרוש ולא יעשה.

SR - "gratification to G-d" - since the root of Chasidut is only to bring gratification to his Maker, therefore if abstaining will lead to more gratification than the deed, then the Chasidut is to abstain and not do it.

Translator - I once went to Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg zt'l and presented to him a complicated personal question on whether to stay in Israel or go back to America. As I was saying all the many complicated issues, he stopped me, smiled and said: "you have to do what is going to be best for your Ruchnius (spiritual)". I said "maybe going back to the USA is better for that". He smiled and said "maybe, that's what you have to figure out". I then learned that often a complicated question with many different factors can be simplified by focusing on the most important factor. Likewise, regarding Chasidut, the evil inclination often brings many arguments why this or that is good. But if one asks himself the simple question "which choice will bring more gratification to G-d?", then the answer will often be much clearer.

Or, if a deed appears good but its consequences or circumstances are bad, or if a deed appears bad but its consequences are good - everything should be decided by the final outcome and consequences, the true fruit of the deed.

או אם מעשה אחד במראיתו הוא טוב, ובתולדותיו או בתנאיו הוא רע, ומעשה אחד רע במראיתו וטוב בתולדותיו הכל הולך אחר החיתום והתולדה שהיא פרי המעשים באמת.

SR - "outcome and consequences" - i.e. regarding the mitzvot that are binding on us, the deed obligates and one need not look at the consequences. On this it is written: "he who keeps a mitzva shall know no evil thing" (Kohelet 8:5). But for an act of Chasidut, where the main thing is the gratification to G-d that results, in those types everything goes by the final outcome and consequences.

These things can only be evaluated by one of understanding heart and sound intellect since it is impossible to clarify all their endless details, and "G-d grants wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Mishlei 2:6). The story involving Rabbi Tarfon illustrates this. For even though he was being stringent on himself to recline like the view of Beit Shammai, he was told by the sages: "you deserved to be liable for having caused your own death, for you transgressed the view of Beit Hillel!" (Berachot 10b). This is because the Halachic dispute between Beit Shammait and Beit Hillel had become a grave matter in Israel due to the great disputes which grew out from it, and the Halacha had finally been ruled to be as Beit Hillel. Thus it had become necessary for the preservation of Torah that this ruling forever remain in full strength and never be weakened, so that the Torah does not, G-d forbid, become like two Torahs. Therefore, according to that Mishna, to adopt the view of Beit Hillel, even when it was lenient, is a greater act of Piety, than to adopt the view of Beit Shammai, even though it was more stringent. Thus this serves as a guide for us, to discern which path leads to the light of truth and faith, to do what is just in the eyes of G-d.

ואין הדברים מסורים אלא ללב מבין ושכל נכון, כי אי אפשר לבאר הפרטים שאין להם קץ, וה' יתן חכמה מפיו דעת ותבונה. (משלי ב:ו). ומעשה דר' טרפון יוכיח (ברכות י ב): שהחמיר להטות כב"ש ואמרו לו כדאי היית לחוב בעצמך שעברת על דברי בית הלל, אע"פ שמחמיר היה. וזה שענין מחלוקת בית שמאי ובית הלל היה ענין כבד לישראל מפני המחלוקת הגדולה שרבתה ביניהם, וסוף סוף נגמר שהלכה כבית הלל לעולם. הנה קיומה של תורה שגמר דין זה ישאר בכל תוקף לעד ולעולמי עולמים ולא יחלש בשום פנים שלא תעשה תורה חס ושלום כשני תורות, ועל כן לדעת המשנה הזאת יותר חסידות הוא להחזיק כבית הלל אפילו לקולא מלהחמיר כבית שמאי. וזה לנו לעינים לראות אי זה דרך ישכון אור באמת ובאמונה לעשות הישר בעיני ה'.

CS - "it had become necessary for the preservation of Torah" - since one who is stringent like Beit Shamai weakens the ruling that the Halacha is like Beit Hillel.

OG - "most difficult work in Chasidut" - (Kabalistic) "G-d has made one corresponding to the other", says Kohelet (Kohelet 7:14), i.e. opposite the powerful lights of Chesed aiding a person to acquire the trait of Chasidut, there likewise exists in the world powerful forces of Tuma (evil) which seek to diminish the Chesed from the world, and these dark forces strive to ensnare the Chasid in the "weighing of Chasidut"...
The Ramchal teaches us that this is the most difficult work and even spiritual giants such as Gedalia ben Achikam and Rebbi Tarfon erred in the correct weighing of judgment (shikul hadaat)...

We see from the instructions of the Ramchal that the higher one ascends up the levels of perfect service, the greater the dangers become to stumble and fall. Therefore, the servant of G-d is in great need of divine help. And even though we pointed out a number of times, that the ascent up the Mesilat Yesharim is only by a divine power, namely, through the shefa (divine flow) of the Sefirot. Nevertheless, as the person ascends up the ladder of divine service and merits to receive divine flow from higher sefirot, which are nearer to the Ein Sof, automatically, the forces of evil work against him with more effort and greater strength. All this is from G-d, in order for the servant of G-d to stand up to the trial, even when he is in a state of clinging to G-d...

I permit myself to add on the Ramchal's words which is suitable for our times. For it seems in our tumultuous times, the "weighing of Chasidut" is even more difficult than it was in the days of the Ramchal. Therefore, it is proper to collect one's various questions in the "weighing of the Chasidut" and present them before one of the great and famous Poskim (halachic decidors), for these halachic questions are much more difficult and complex than [common] questions of isur v'heter or tuma v'tahara.

Short Essay - True Advice
Kovetz Maamarim V'Igros - medor davar l'dor by Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman zt'l
Large numbers of organizations have sprouted amongst the Jewish people of all forms. All of them worry and are concerned on finding solutions as to how to improve our situation. But what is coming out of all these solutions and strategies that came to us from all directions? The problems just increase and intensify. We are dropping both physically and spiritually. Why do all these advices bring exactly the opposite result?

In order for one to be reliable to give proper and beneficial advice, one must contain the following mental conditions.

1. That he is a bar daas (intelligent).

2. That he is not nogea b'davar (has a personal bias) on the matter that he is judging and advising. Because,when there is in his heart a negius (bias), even if he is the most intelligent person in the world, he is not fit to see straight. This is a law of nature, the ratzon (will/desire) of a person is mashpia (bears influence) on his intellect. And according to the greatness of the ratzon, so too will be the greatness of the hashpa (influence).

3. We are warned in the Torah that a judge must be "sonei betza" (hate bribes) (Shmot 18.21, Rambam Sanhedrin 2.7). On the surface we could say, who cares if the judge loves bribes? It is forbidden for him to take it. And if it is forbidden then in this matter that he is judging for us, certainly he has not accepted a bribe. If so what does it matter how he conducts his personal life and whether or not he loves a bribe? The answer is that if someone loves a bribe, and likewise he who has other (selfish) desire, behold he is a nogea (biased person) in every side and step of his life. Such a man is constantly involved in his desires. And since desire influences the intellect, to incline it and twist it, therefore the intellect of such a person is so twisted and full of distortions that even if he comes to judge on a matter in which he has no personal interest, he is judging (the matter) with a twisted outlook. What comes out from this is an additional condition: Not only that there should not be any personal negius (bias) in the matter he is judging now, but also that the judge should be clean of negius in all areas of his life. He needs to be a man liberated and completely free from any [selfish] interest whatsoever - then perhaps he will merit a straight intellect.

4. Even if a man has merited a straight intellect. Behold, like the words of Rabeinu Bachye in "Duties of the Heart" (Gate 3 ch.8) - "the intellect of man has limits, until here he can come but no further". And how far is mortal man capable of seeing? It is thus necessary for the one who gives advice to contain "daas Torah" (Torah understanding/perspective), which is infinite and dwells in the heart of every ben Torah.

In simple (Torah educated) people it is mixed with all types of influences and ideas from the street, or the like. And according to how great the mixture is, so too will be the diminishing of the percentage of "daas Torah" . Therefore a man who is fit to be a reliable advisor is obligated to prepare in his heart "daas Torah", 100% clean, with no trace of mixture of other daas whatsoever.

5. Even if a man already includes all the conditions mentioned above, he still needs to merit a special power which is greater than all of them as in the words of the Sages "asukei shmaita aliba d'hilchata" (the ability to extract the true Torah interpretation) - siyata d'shmaya (Divine help), (see Sanhedrin 106b). According to the natural order, it is impossible for a man to grasp correctly by himself true daas Torah. Behold - a man cannot know the daas on High (of G-d). It is for this that it is necessary siyata d'shmaya, which is a special type of gift, which only rare and special sages reach. And in our times it is almost non existent to find such a reliable man who contains all these lofty levels...