Rabbi Akiva Said: "Laughter And Frivolity Accustom A Man To Lewdness. The Oral Tradition Is A Fence Around The Torah; Tithes Are A Fence For Riches; Vows Are A Fence For Abstinence; A Fence For Wisdom Is Silence."
Rabbi Akiva came from a family of converts,
[51] and himself did not begin the study of Torah until the age of 40.
[52] Our Sages explain that a convert
[53] has a tendency to return to his former ways.
[54] Similarly, a person who has adopted a worldly outlook for many years is inclined to be materially oriented. For this reason, Rabbi Akiva emphasizes the importance of adopting "fences" - safeguards that protect a person from overindulgence in worldly matters.
(Ibid., Sichos Shabbos Parshas Shelach, 5740)
On one hand, abstinence is a positive quality, for worldly involvement is a self-reinforcing cycle that often leads to overindulgence. On the other hand, our Sages have also counseled
[55] against taking such vows, stating: "It is sufficient, what the Torah has forbidden."
Moreover, despite the drawbacks of crass materialism, there is an advantage to worldly involvement. Through it, a person elevates his environment and reveals its G-dly source.
Both thrusts are valid Torah approaches. The question is: which is appropriate at any given time? In making this determination, a historical perspective is useful. During the time of the First Beis HaMikdash, the Sages did not institute many safeguards. By and large, these were instituted in the era of the Second Beis HaMikdash, in a period when G-dly revelation had decreased. And in subsequent generations, beginning with the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and the exile of our people, the number of these safeguards increased.
What is the fundamental principle at work? During a time when G-dliness is revealed in the world at large, it is easier to bring out the G-dliness contained within each material entity. But when the world is in darkness, it is more difficult to carry out this task, and it becomes advisable to limit one's worldly involvement.
Although ours is an era of great spiritual darkness, so that restraint would seem to be called for, there is no need to curb our worldly involvement. We need merely reorient our perspective. For we are approaching the Era of the Redemption, when the G-dliness that permeates every element of existence will be revealed. In the present time, close as we are to that era, we have the potential to anticipate this revelation, and carry out the directive to "know G-d in all your ways"[56] by appreciating His presence in all aspects of the world.
(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IV, p. 1076ff; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Vayigash, 5752)
Notes:
- (Back to text) The Rambam's Introduction to the Mishneh Torah; Seder HaDoros.
- (Back to text) Avos d'Rabbi Nossan 6:2.
- (Back to text) See Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Isurei Bi'ah 15:8, which states that for several generations, the descendants of converts can be considered as if they themselves are converts with regard to certain matters.
- (Back to text) Bava Metzia 59b; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XI, pgs. 107-108.
- (Back to text) Jerusalem Talmud, Nedarim 9:1.
- (Back to text) Mishlei 3:6.
Chapter Three - Mishna 12