Advice on: Modesty and Holiness

RABBI ELIEZER BERLAND'S ADVICE ON MODESTY AND HOLINESS

Continuing our English translation of the Etzot HaNahal [https://www.shuvubanimint.com/product/eitzot-hanachal/] compendium of advice from Rabbi Eliezer Berland, shlita, based on the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. This week, we explore advice on modesty and holiness.

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A PERSON WHO BLEMISHES THE COVENANT HAS NO TASTE OR ENJOYMENT IN HIS PRAYER.

For him, his prayers are more bitter than death.

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NO ONE HAS ANY MORE CLEVERNESS THAN ANOTHER.

It’s just that you need to know how to bring ‘the surrounding intellect’ inside of you. A person is surrounded by an endless amount of intellect. You can achieve more than the greatest genius in the world, if you would only sanctify your eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

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IT’S WRITTEN THAT FROM EVERY DROP OF SWEAT THAT A WOMAN HAS ON ACCOUNT OF HER CLOTHING, THIS MAKES UP THE DEW FROM WHICH HASHEM WILL REVIVE THE DEAD.

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PEOPLE MAKE A ‘SHULCHAN ARUCH’ FOR THEMSELVES.

No Rabbi ever permitted those clothes that they wear today. No Rabbi ever permitted this. If you bring a Rabbi that permits this, he’s no Rabbi at all.

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TODAY, EVERY YESHIVA STUDENT CONSIDERS HIMSELF A ‘POSEK’ (HALACHIC DECIDER).

And every Yeshiva student follows his wife’s opinion - and inherits Gehinnom. If a man doesn’t know how to raise her up, and this doesn’t pain him, and his wife causes others to stumble as a result, Hashem have mercy, all of Gehinnom is on his head. All the Gehinnom from his wife causing others to stumble when she goes out in short or tight fitting clothing, it causes thousands to stumble.

* A woman causes men to stumble when she goes out in red clothes, or immodest clothing, or tight-fitting clothing, or any type of clothing that accentuates the body, Hashem have mercy.

THERE IS NO PERMISSION AT ALL IN HALACHA FOR THIS.

* If a man doesn’t monitor what his wife wears and is not shaken by it, if his wife goes out without tights, he needs to jump - what’s going on here? What’s all this without tights?

The leg can be seen. This is halacha? It’s not halacha? It’s permitted? Forbidden? I don’t agree. In his own household, a man needs to be shaken up by this. This is a blemish in the soul. If the husband isn’t shaken by this, then it’s a big problem.

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THE ENTIRE TASK OF A WOMAN IS TO GUARD HER MODESTY.

She has no other task. Just to raise the children and to guard her modesty. She has no other task. All other things are extras. If she doesn’t know these foundations, then Hashem  should have mercy.

You can see other posts in the ‘Advice’ series HERE. [https://ravberland.com/?s=advice]