The symptoms described by the Ramchal -- the feeling that
one is continually loaded down by a heavy weight, trying and
laboring, feeling constantly exhausted and tired, seeing no
satisfaction in life -- seem to be those of classic
`burnout.'
In the Preface to his work, Derech Hashem, Rabbenu
Moshe Chaim Luzzatto stresses the importance of thinking and
understanding in an organized way. He explains that the
nature of the brain is to look for Reason and Order.
The Ramchal asks us to compare the feelings we have when we
look at a beautifully landscaped garden with beds of
colorful flowers, clean, well organized paths and manicured
lawns -- to the feeling we have when we look at a ruin of a
garden, overgrown with weeds and full of trash.
If a person is presented with a random array of items, the
brain automatically tries to analyze them and establish some
sort of logical connection between them. If the person fails
to learn how to deal with the array in a unified way,
subconsciously his brain continues relentlessly to search
for a pattern. The result is that the person feels that he
is continually loaded down by a heavy weight, trying and
laboring, feeling constantly exhausted and tired, seeing no
satisfaction in life.
These words of the Ramchal strike a warning bell. The
symptoms he describes are rampant among many people who see
no rhyme or reason to their lives.
Significantly, the very first requirement that the Ramchal
makes in his Mesillas Yeshorim is that a person should
"clarify and verify what is his obligation in this world."
*
R' Moshe has been "in learning" for many years. He is
depressed, constantly tired and has no desire to do
anything. He wakes up late, goes to sleep late and looks
back on a day that seems to have yielded no accomplishment.
Yesterday was the same and tomorrow will be the same.
R' Moshe never spent much time learning hashkofa. He
does not know why he is learning gemora. He does not
know what the learning does for him. He keeps all the
mitzvos, but does not know why.
He davens and he understands all the words, but he
does not know why he is davening and he does not know
how to relate to the One to Whom he is praying.
R' Moshe has no ambition. He does not know where he is
headed and he sees no end or purpose.
R' Moshe goes along with the sentiments expressed in
Yigdal but does not really understand what the
Thirteen Tenets of Faith really are and he has not been
given, nor has he taken, the time to clarify their
significance. Of course, he believes in the Creation, but he
does not know why the world was created, why he was born,
nor why he will die.
*
The symptoms described by the Ramchal -- feeling that he is
continually loaded down by a heavy weight, trying and
laboring, feeling constantly exhausted and tired, seeing no
satisfaction in life -- seem to be those of classic
`burnout', yet their source is very different.
Our R' Moshe might have had a relaxed upbringing; he might
enjoy learning, but, for whatever reason, he missed out
clarifying basic issues of hashkofa!
It is important to note that the Ramchal regards the need to
"clarify and verify what one's obligation is in this world"
as an essential prerequisite to advancement in serving
Hashem. He calls it a foundation and a root.
A foundation provides stability and a root supplies
nutrients. This means that someone who has not "clarified
and verified what his obligation is in this world" will also
be spiritually unstable and starved.
Of course, it is never too late to correct this oversight
and the Ramchal himself answers most, if not all, of the
points raised in his work Derech Hashem. Many other
classic seforim also deal with these issues and there
are contemporary works that also deal with issues unique to
our times.
Parents and educators therefore need to ensure that
talmidim have solid grounding in basic
hashkofa.
They need to guide their talmidim and make themselves
available for answering questions whenever a talmid
feels that he needs clarification.
We are not referring here to spurious philosophy or mental
gymnastics but to the very foundations of Torah and yiras
shomayim. Never before have we been so inundated with
continual challenges to the bases of our conduct, from the
media and environment and from our own children.
But the issue here is not so much regarding the need to meet
the attacks on us from the outside -- though this is valid.
The issue here is of the need for a person to be able to see
Reason and Order in his own life.
FRAMEWORK is considering organizing closed-session
workshops for helping parents and mechanchim learn to
deal with the types of questions that worry us and the youth
of today. The workshops will be small, low profile and not
recorded so that discussions can be open and frank.
Anyone interested can write to their local FRAMEWORK office,
write to the Yated office, to R' Zobin at Panim Meirot
17, Jerusalem, or email him at zobin@usa.net. Please enclose
any questions you would like to have discussed in writing,
as well, in this series of PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE.
