I just learned an amazing proof about smoking. In Rav Dessler’s kuntras Habechira in Michtav MeEliyahu, Rav Dessler brings a very good example to bring across his point on Bechira. He uses the example of a smoker. S/o whos been smoing for a long time and really wants to quit. For wahtever reason he decides this is it and I don’t want to smoke anymore. This is a very hard choice to make and the person should be commended for taking such a big step. Because tis is the first step on the road to recovery. I think it was easier to accept this example of the Rav’s after being divulged the info that he used to be a smoker for many years!! and when it came out that smoking was unhealthy he decided to stop smoking.
Rav Dessler gives tips on how to quit:1.He told all of his talmidim that he was quitting and that made the recovery process much easier in the long run.
I’m sure it was very hard and took a lot of strength and willpower to finally let go of this long lasting habit. I am sure it didn’t happen overnight. Smoking is addicting and it takes alot out of a person to decide and stick to his guns about the choice he has made to give up the smoking.
I know a Rav who told his students (I was there)that he was a smoker for almost 9 years. He tried many times to quit but it didn’t work, then he tried another time this time making a whole gameplan for himself and actually quitting. Here is what he said, he once tried to quit during Bein Hazmanim and he just couldn’t do it-it was too hard to go thru niocotine wihdrawl during the zman. So he waited until Bein Hazmanim and tried again, but this time he also took Rav Dessler’s advice and told his friends I’m quitting to smoke and thier help/encourageness would be much appreciated. Also during the first month of quitting he made for himself a reward system that every morning he would buy for himself fresh doughnuts and would bribe himself=eat them every time he felt the urge to smoke. He said he probably got really fat after that but it didn’t matter b/c he achieved his goal: he quit smoking.(Now he’s as healthy looking as he can be for his age and I’m sure he takes care of himself to the best of his abilities) So for all you people out there that think its too late and it can’t be done THINK AGAIN! The greatest rabbanim in the world have experienced Ta’ava and conquered it, and there lives have gone on pretty well afterwards too. Its never too late to try again. As the saying goes:”You try you fail, you try you fail, but the only true failure is when you stop trying”, so then what should you do? “try again!”
Lots of hatzlacha to all of us trying to overcome our tests in life.
P.S. I usually don’t write really long posts, but this lesson that I learned was so inspiring and it gave me more reason to hope for my friends struggling with smoking that they still can change thier habits, and that yes, a good friend can always be there to help them along even in the darkest hour of struggle and dispair.
All the best,
a caring friend