Elul and the מלחמה Against the Yetzer Hara

Topics

• Rosh Hashanah, Elul, and the Mood of the Season
• The Milchemes HaYetzer
• Ki Seitzei and the Yefas To’ar
• Ki Teitzei and the Spiritual מלחמה
• The Shem MiShmuel: Yachid and Achdus
• Rashi and Milchemes Hareshus
• Shavita, Shavio: Taking Back What Was Stolen
• Using His Weapons for Kedushah
• “V’lo Lamadti Mi-Ma’asav Ha-Ra’im”
• Learning Zeal from the Wrong Place
• Honesty About One’s Weaknesses
• Selective’s Resource and the Way of the Yetzer Hara
• The Chatam Sofer: Learning the Yetzer Hara’s Tactics
• The Chidushei HaRim: Conquer First, Then Analyze
• Practical Application: Don’t Decide Before the Day
• Drowning and Repeating the Same Mistake

Transcript

# Rosh Hashanah, Elul, and the Mood of the Season

Okay, Rosh Hashanah is approaching. Over the years, I have come to realize and to feel that different times of the year bring out different emotions. I think Chanukah makes people upbeat and excited. I’m not saying they don’t go to parties and whatnot, but there is a certain feeling. Then there is Sukkos, something different. Pesach brings out a certain feeling as well. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur bring out a bit of a damper, along with obstacles, almost as if you feel you are climbing a steep mountain.

I feel it with people. It is intense. It is very stressful. There is something in the air and in people; it is a push. It could be that, subliminally, because of Yom HaDin, whatever it is, there is a certain fear, and it affects a person emotionally. Subconsciously, it does something to a person, and that stress, which is based on fear, has an effect. I thought about it, and I think that is what I see: people are more on edge now. It is subliminal, subconscious, because he knows that Yom HaDin is coming.

It also could be because of Selichos. People are waking up early for Selichos. During the year they do not wake up at all, and all of a sudden now they have to wake up at 6:30 for Selichos, right? It is very hard. Let’s say you call out Selichos at 6:30 and you show up at 7:30 for Selichos, right? Most people never saw 7:30 in the morning, unless they have children, right? So it is very hard to all of a sudden start waking up at 6:30, 7:30. That itself causes stress. Then you have to be in shul for hours of Selichos, and then you give them middos, and it is a lot. By the time the morning starts, the guy is already on edge.

# The Milchemes HaYetzer

I also think we cannot overlook the milchemes haYetzer. Knowing that it is time to do much more, the Yetzer is there to suppress and stop us from doing the more that we need to do. I think the struggle is greater because the stakes are higher. And that is part of what goes on in Elul as we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

# Ki Seitzei and the Yefas To’ar

I would like to tell you that I believe it is in the parashah. Why? Ki seitzei la-milchamah al oyvecha. We just read it in this week’s parashah, right? Ki seitzei la-milchamah al oyvecha. So what is this milchamah?

If you notice, the pasuk says, ba-chodesh ha-shevi’i, eshes yefas to’ar, u-vachdesh ha-shevi’i ve-simartah es nafshah. She cries for a month. Says the Zohar: Elul. It is referring to Elul. So you already see that this parashah is telling us something. What do you mean, Elul? We need to cry. Through the analogy of the yefas to’ar, it is really teaching us that this is us. Ki seitzei la-milchamah al oyvecha. And what do you take? You take the yefas to’ar. That is the story of the pasuk. You take her into the house. She cries for a month for her parents. Says the Zohar, u-vachdesh ha-shevi’i ve-simartah es nafshah, zu Elul. It is referring to the month of Elul, yerach yamim shel Elul.

Because she is crying, that means we need to cry in Elul. Thirty days, like what? Yerach yamim. What are we crying over? Aviyah Hashem. It says, u-vachdesh ha-shevi’i ve-simartah es nafshah, ima is Klal Yisrael. What does that mean? We are far from Hashem and far from the mitzvos of Klal Yisrael. B’nol d’lo ha-malkaim, b’nol d’lo ha-beirai. So what? So we need to fix. That is the avodah. We are captured by the Yetzer Hara, and the time to cry over our plight is now, because we are coming to a new beginning, right? She is now going to get married to this man, who is a Yehudi, a Yid, but she has to cry about it.

# Ki Teitzei and the Spiritual מלחמה

In the past, right? He brought his father and his mother. The father is the Blessed Sacrament. The mother is the Knesset of Israel. The father is between Adam and Eve. The mother is the Knesset between Adam and Eve. So the passage of Ki Teitzei, מלחמה, addresses a more spiritual מלחמה. It is not just the basic מלחמה: *Ki teitzei la-milchamah al oyvecha*. Literally, going out to מלחמה. It also means *Ki teitzei la-milchamah al oyvecha* — there is a מלחמה against the yetzer. And you see that this is prevalent in Elul, because the parashah is referring to Elul. You see how the parashah is referring to Elul? Okay.

What does it mean, *Ki teitzei*? When you will go out. The Tzola Milchamah writes something very interesting. The parashah says, “When the enemy will come to you.” Here it says, *Ki teitzei*. If you notice, right away it says, “Hashem will give him into your hand,” will deliver him into your hand. Who is *al oyvecha*? Like I said, it means deeper. It means your enemy, the yetzer hara. He is your biggest enemy. Man is his own worst enemy. The voices in his head are his own worst enemy.

So how do you combat it? The answer is offense, and don’t wait. Because if you wait to be on the defense, he has you. In Parashas Ki Teitzei, it says you have to blow the shofar, and you have to do teshuvah and tefillah. Here it seems, *Ki teitzei* — and right away, what is the next word? What is the pshat? Says the Kotzker: if you go on the offense, you attack him, don’t wait for him to come to you, then you are going to be okay. It will be, shov Hashem, you are fighting, and He will do the rest. Hashem will give him over into your hand. He will deliver him.

# The Shem MiShmuel: Yachid and Achdus

The Shem MiShmuel says a different pshat. The Shem MiShmuel says: here, *Ki teitzei* is lashon yachid; there, *Ki tavo’u ba’aretzchem* — rabim. And the pasuk continues right away. So here it is all yachid, and there it is *Ki tavo’u ba’aretzchem*, plural. And the answer is, the Shem MiShmuel says, when you fight as a yachid, you are united, achdus, you will be able to win the yetzer hara. *Ki tavo’u* — when you are not, when you are splintered, it is going to be very hard to fight the yetzer hara.

Okay? So you see clearly that the Torah is giving you a blueprint on how to fight the yetzer hara. *Ki teitzei* — you need to be on the offense. And what else do you need to do? As a yachid, to get as united. Yisrael, azar yulach, yarei merachatzot. You have to be united, and then Hashem helps you. Like the Shaarei Chugah says, Hashem helps you more than you can imagine. You yourself are weak; you cannot do much. Man can change himself; he cannot do anything. But Hashem steps in to help.

# Rashi and Milchemes Hareshus

Now, if you notice, what does Rashi say? *Be-milchemes hareshus hakasuv medaber*. The pasuk is referring to which war? What does that mean? Chassidishe sefarim explain that it is also an allusion to *be-milchemes hayetzer*, where is the milchamah? The things that are mutar, the things that are mutar. You know how he gets you? The things that are mutar, and he drags you down with that. The gray area. *Be-milchemes hareshus*. You like it, huh? *Be-milchemes...* You notice, ten o’clock. I never heard those numbers. Ten o’clock Shabbos was like thirty Shabbos. You hear? *Be-milchemes hareshus hakasuv medaber.*

Now, how do you do this? How do you fight? He is asking. We all ask the same question: how do I fight? And the answer is: shavita.

# Shavita, Shavio: Taking Back What Was Stolen

Shavita, shavio. Do you know what shavita, shavio means? “You shall surely capture the captive.” With the eight saharas—what does that mean? The Shelah learns that it means taking back the mitzvos, taking back what he stole from you.

How do you take it back? He made you do aveiros. You do teshuvah, and those aveiros turn into mitzvos. That is how you take it back: recapture what he stole from you. He made you do aveiros; take those aveiros and turn them into mitzvos. Shavita, shavio.

# Using His Weapons for Kedushah

Another thing the Kotzker says: you should take his tools, his weapons. You ever notice that when people go to war and conquer, they take the weapons and use them? They steal their tanks and use them against them. Reuse it, recycle it.

He has gaavah and ta’avah—take those things and utilize them for good. It is called gaavah de-kedushah. “I’m proud I finished the masechta.”

# “V’lo Lamadti Mi-Ma’asav Ha-Ra’im”

There is a very famous pshat from the Chofetz Chaim on “Im lavan garti, v’taryag mitzvos shamarti, v’lo lamadti mi-ma’asav ha-ra’im.” I did not learn from his bad deeds.

Of course, if you kept the mitzvos, you did not learn from his bad deeds. So either you can say there are mitzvos and then there is behavior, the way a person conducts himself. “V’lo lamadti mi-ma’asav ha-ra’im” means bad ways. A person can keep all the mitzvos and still be a horrible human being. We know that. A person keeps all the mitzvos and makes everyone around him sick to their stomachs. “V’lo lamadti mi-ma’asav ha-ra’im” — I did not learn from his bad actions.

There is another pshat that the Chofetz Chaim was feeling bad, bemoaning “v’lo lamadti mi-ma’asav ha-ra’im,” not that he was saying it was good that I did not learn from his actions. I feel bad. I could have learned.

# Learning Zeal from the Wrong Place

You ever notice when a person has to go boating, is he late? When a person has to go play, when a person has to go to a football game tonight—he is a yaker for the batim. Oh, yeah? A person has to go to a football game. You think they are going to come late to the football game? He did not even get over the boat. He is still on the boat. “I’m still on the boat.” You guys are off the boat; I’m still on the boat.

So “v’lo lamadti mi-ma’asav ha-ra’im” means I did not learn from his bad actions. What does that mean? I did not learn to be a historian. That is right—zariz, zariz. I should have learned. He is zariz; he is swift to do bad.

Tell me something, sir. Do you ever come late to learn? I try not to. You try not to. Tell me, do you ever come late to a baseball game or a football game? You do? Really? Oh, he is an odd one. He is an odd one out.

I go to—first of all, I go before coming here. I am not talking about that. I am talking generally. When you want something.

The answer is: I am always late to everything. It is like a person says, “I’m not a racist; I make fun of everyone equally.” I come late to everything. At least you are honest.

# Honesty About One’s Weaknesses

I will tell you a great story. The Rabshitz said that when he comes to heaven, they are going to start quizzing him about his life, about his learning. He is going to be very embarrassed. He is going to think, “I am not going to oil him up on that. I might feel up; I am not going to oil him up on that. I might this, I might that.” You know what I am going to tell them? Not good, not much. Really not good, really not much. But at least I am going to oil him up for that, for telling the truth. I will get brownie points for being honest about it.

So you too? Great. He is honest. I do not go on time to anything. But Barry here, as you understand, I know this, I know this. On the other hand, Barry, yeah.

# Selective’s Resource and the Way of the Yetzer Hara

We call it selective’s resource, selective’s resource. When it comes to yeshiva, soon, soon, I’ll be back, I’m coming back soon. On the boat you did the same thing: you leave the boat in the middle and say, I’m coming back soon. Soon, he left the boat saying he’s coming back soon. Always, always, it’s good stuff, it’s fantastic, man. The more, the better; the more, the better.

Do you like to eat? What do you like to eat? Tell me, tell me what it is, talk to me, what do you like? Applaud, okay, that I understood myself; I didn’t need to hear that. You know, as they say, a child—you guys are born with a applaud bottle in your mouth. Okay, when you sit and applaud, you sit and think all the time: should I, maybe I shouldn’t eat, maybe I should eat something else. You just eat it, right? Have a nice day. That was the point of yeshiva, you understand?

The same way, when you want something, you’re not thinking and you’re not questioning and you’re not wondering. Maybe I shouldn’t be here, maybe I should be in Milchicks, maybe I should be... It’s great, it’s great, it’s great, brother, it’s great. Imagine a guy sitting there over the plaza, thinking. And you say to yourself, think—I never saw that. I see Kisei Tzelam El Chama, you’re right, it’s like wartime. You guys are jumping right into it, like the world is coming to an end. Afterwards maybe you think, I shouldn’t have eaten it, I shouldn’t have done this; that could be. But before and during, why didn’t you learn from all that to do the same here?

# The Chatam Sofer: Learning the Yetzer Hara’s Tactics

Now what am I trying to tell you? Midon, yet the Chatam Sofer is the third pshat. What does that mean? What does that mean? Learn not his tactics. The Yetzer Hara is such a, what do you call it, melumad in war. He’s a genius in war. He has tremendous, what do you call that, when the generals come together and they make... battle plans. Battle plans, that’s it. They have tremendous battle plans.

Says the Chatam Sofer, so the Gemara tells us one of them. You know what the Gemara says? You think he walks over to a guy and says, go do aveiros. I’m sorry, why would I go do aveiros? But you know what he does? Little by little, today. A little, a minute may slip here a little bit; next day he tells you what? Let’s go a little further. Let’s go a little further. A little further out of the yeshiva, until he got you on the boat. He’ll tell you right away, how come you’re not going to the boat right now? Because you’re here right now. First he tells you, today you can’t come to learn. So the next day you can be on the boat, do you understand? That’s how it works. Nobody sits in the middle of a Gemara thinking, okay, I should be right now on the boat. But you think, okay, little by little.

Says the Chatam Sofer, use those same tactics for good. What do you do? Today I’ll learn a little bit more. A little more, a little more. Use his battle plans. Use his battle plans. Battle plans. And then you’ll be able to get it. Okay?

# The Chidushei HaRim: Conquer First, Then Analyze

Now let’s go further. The Chidushei HaRim says something so beautiful. Then the passage continues. Chidushei HaRim. What does that mean? It says Chidushei HaRim: first you have to be nesanhu biadecha. First you’ve got to conquer him, and then you can start using and talking and thinking about him. But before you’ve got him in your pocket, don’t think about it. Don’t be busy, oh, let’s see from the Yetzer Hara. First you’ve got to win. After you’ve conquered, then you can start what? Looking into what you conquered. What’s the first step? Shoot to kill.

# Practical Application: Don’t Decide Before the Day

How do you apply that in a practical sense? At this point, don’t sit there and think, “Oh, just do it.” You should look afterward, not before the day, at all your questions. Most people, if in the morning they start thinking, “Yeah, no, but first, win the day, do what you have to do. Afterwards, think to yourself, was it worth doing it?” Yes, you’ll see you’ll be pretty happy doing it. It’s before, because the heart is trying to stop you.

It’s a brilliant vart, and he doesn’t say it the way I said it. He just says, “Run and look back instead of being busy with him. Afterwards, you can go back.” This is what he means. He means to say it’s in the morning. You hear? In the morning, Gary, you hear?

Ellie’s not here, so someone has to take her. Why is Ellie not here? Can you explain to us, please? On the way off, on the way in, here. Tell him he’s way off. Tell him Rabbi Wolkin didn’t know what the word “on the way” means. He’s not coming? Why, what happened? What’s wrong? First of all, why are you in a bad mood? No, he said he’s going to be on the way. Wait a second. We know, right? Okay. I miss you, though.

Did he say he’s on the way? I said he’s on the way. Now he said he can’t make it. Yeah, because he’s on the way off. He’s way off. No, he says he’s on the way off. You’re on the way off. Year two. Year three. Rabbi, Rabbi, I gotta go. Don’t even worry, okay? The maestro said he couldn’t make it. We’re still live. Year four and five. I’m not sure this is much. It begins with like one and two. And then it’s, you know, year six. It’s so much.

So now, if the band is confusing it, we can just take it to tomorrow, okay? You know, the maestro and I have to take it up on him. So, I’m serious. You know, it’s like, we’re all here. So, come on. I hear you, man. I hear you. Come on, man. I guess today it’s good for canoeing. You can’t do both at the same time. Canoeing. Jetskiing. Right? What? What? What? Oh, huh? No. It’s either one, right? Or year two. Or year three. I don’t know. I gotta go.

Okay, so the point being that the yetzer hara before you do the mitzvah will make you crazy.

# Drowning and Repeating the Same Mistake

Drown themselves. You see your friend has just drowned—what are you jumping in for as well? The answer is that each one keeps jumping in, like the Mitzrayim. They saw the man in front of them go in, and he drowned. Baruch Hashem, the Yisraelim were there, and he is seeing the other one, and he also jumps in; then the next one jumps in.

All right, that is what you were trying to bring out. Baruch Hashem, l’eyla. Amen.