Question: We have frequently seen the terms “one who acts stringently shall be blessed” or “it is a pious measure to act stringently” mentioned in the Halacha Yomit. The question is: If the matter is permitted according to the letter of the law, why do you write that it is worthwhile to act stringently and if it is forbidden, it should be forbidden for everyone so why do you write that it is permissible?
Answer: The term “one who acts stringently shall be blessed” is mentioned many times in the works of the Poskim. This term can already be found in the works of the Rishonim (see, for example, Rashba’s commentary on Baba Metzia, 71a and Ritba’s commentary on Niddah 66a).
The explanation of this matter is that there are many issues regarding which there is room for leniency according to the letter of the law, however, it is especially worthy to try and fulfill the Mitzvah according to all opinions or to be concerned with the doubt that exists in that specific situation. However, this is not according to the letter of the law and is merely a pious measure.
Indeed, it is worthy for one to behave in as pious a manner as one can regarding some issues. According to the holy Zohar, this is an actual obligation as the Mekubalim discuss at great length.
Rabbeinu Moshe Chaim Luzzato zt”l writes in his Mesilat Yesharim that the root of the word “Chassidut” (“piety”) is the word “Chessed” (“kindness”). Although pious behavior applies to both Mitzvot between man and Hashem and between man and his fellow, nevertheless, the root of pious behavior should be geared towards Mitzvot between man and his fellow by one trying to bestow as much goodness as possible on others, acting and speaking properly with people, and by helping others with great acts of charity with one’s money or body to the best of one’s ability. The general rule is that one should think about how one wishes others would bestow goodness upon him and act this way to others. One should practice this constantly until this characteristic becomes instilled in one’s self and one will instinctively bestow goodness upon Hashem’s creations. Indeed, the Gemara tells us, “One who shows mercy upon [Hashem’s] creations will merit Heavenly mercy himself.”
The Ritba (quoted by the commentary of the Chikrei Lev on Masechet Shevuot) writes that a man has no closer friend in the world that his wife. Likewise, there is no one closer to a woman than her husband. Clearly then, before one seeks acts of kindness outside of one’s home, one must be especially careful to treat the members of one’s household well with much love, camaraderie, understanding, and patience. The primary application of the prohibition of hurting another verbally is within one’s home between spouses. Indeed, our Sages have warned us, “One should always be careful of hurting one’s wife, for her tears are near.”
Although pious behavior is only considered the “remnants of the Mitzvah,” our Sages teach us that “remnants of Mitzvot deter punishment,” meaning that even something which is not a Mitzvah in and of itself, since Hashem sees that one is so careful to perform the Mitzvah in the most beautiful and preferable way possible, this merit is great enough to save one from punishment. Included in this idea of “remnants of Mitzvot” are all sorts of kindness that one is not obligated to perform. Similarly, one who seeks a beautiful Etrog for the Mitzvah of the Four Species or a beautiful, kosher Megillah written on parchment to use for the reading is considered behaving piously and likewise included in the idea of “remnants of a Mitzvah.”
Our Sages have likewise warned us that one must conceal any action one performs and not act this way in order to gain fame or honor; this is especially true regarding pious behaviors.
Hagaon Harav Shalom Messas zt”l, late Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, originally lived in Morocco. In his city, the great Torah luminaries did not follow the custom of donning Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam. However, Rav Messas truly longed to don such Tefillin, for he understood their great significance, especially after having become aware of the Ra’avad’s words that he had found in an old manuscript of the Talmud Yerushalmi that the proper order of writing Tefillin followed the order as per the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam. Additionally, the Mekubalim stress the importance of donning such Tefillin according to the Kabbalah. He therefore had a strong yearning to begin donning Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin. When he was approximately thirty years old, he began following the pious custom of donning these Tefillin. Several months later, he contracted the deadly typhus illness and became deathly ill. Eventually, however, Hashem had mercy on him and he made a complete recovery.
After his recovery, he made some self-introspection to try and determine why he was punished to contract such a harsh illness. After pondering this point for a while, he realized that his “great sin” was that he had donned Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin in front of the elderly Moroccan sages who did not. This posed an issue of arrogance on his part since none of the other scholars followed this stringency. He immediately resolved to stop donning these Tefillin which was against the custom of the sages of the city.
(Nevertheless, nowadays, in Israel and abroad, it is a tremendous Mitzvah for every individual to don Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin since it has become the prevalent Sephardic custom that even laymen act stringently and don these Tefillin.)
Hagaon Harav Eliezer Papo, author of the great Peleh Yo’etz, writes that if one abstains from a given pious behavior because of an external reason, such as arrogance and the like, one will receive reward for this matter as if one had behaved piously although one has actually not, for Hashem sees that one had wished to act piously in honor of Hashem and only because of an external reason did one not. Indeed, Hashem considers a good thought as though it were actually performed.
Based on the above, pious behaviors are applicable to any person, whether with regards to beautifying and seeking out Mitzvot or performing kindness with other, as long as one does so for the sake of Heaven and not in the name of fame, honor, or flattery. In this merit, may we merit the arrival of our righteous Mashiach, speedily and in our times, Amen.
