Reply To: Short & Sweet

Shoftim: Osmosis

In his youth, the Chofetz Chaim had a dilemma. He had two choices for where to Daven for Yomim Noraim. His first option was a minyan with many serious תלמידי חכמים. The second option was a minyan with far simpler folk, but every year, these people would cry during the Davening of Yomim Noraim. He went to his Rebbi, R’ Nuchum of Hordona, and asked for his advice.

R’ Nuchum answered by citing a Passuk in this weeks Parsha: מִי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַיָּרֵא֙ וְרַ֣ךְ הַלֵּבָ֔ב יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֛ס אֶת־לְבַ֥ב אֶחָ֖יו כִּלְבָבֽוֹ. He who is scared should go home and not fight in a war, for he will cause the hearts of those around him to melt in fear.

We see from this Passuk that just being around people who are afraid will cause you to feel fear. Daven together with the simple people, R’ Nuchum told the Chofetz Chaim; because when they cry, you will cry with them.

By simply being in the company of people who take something seriously, we are likely to start taking that thing seriously as well. The same is unfortunately true in the reverse. This is why it is so important to try to keep the company of people whose attitudes are worth adopting.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום