What Nature Abhors - Wayne, Michael And Hishamru Lachem - Ki Heim Chayeinu

What happens when a person stops learning?

The pasuk says השמרו לכם פן יפתה לבבכם וסרתם ועבדתם אלהים אחרים - When one stops learning he will start serving idols - עבודה זרה [see Rashi on the pasuk].

As Rav Hutner put it: "Nature abhors a vacuum".

A person has to fill his life with SOMETHING. If it is not Torah then it will HAVE to be something else. This means that a person will fall into the trap of becoming an apikorus, which can be expressed in many different ways. The gemara calls an Apikorus one who says "מאי אהנו לן רבנן" - What do we need people learning Torah. Why don't they do something with their lives?! I have been "zocheh" to hear it many times - "Why don't you do SOMETHING". Meaning - learning Torah is a waste of time.

Why? Because it doesn't earn money [if done completely right. Taking money is a bi-dieved].

That brings us to another עבודה זרה  - those אלהי כסף וזהב, gods of silver and gold. MONEY is a god to many of those who don't have Torah. Rebbe Meir of Parmishlan already "teitched" the pasuk in tehillim הצילנו מדמים אלהים - Save me from making money my god.

Sports is ALSO a form of avoda zara. That is why Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan are "idols". Get it? That is why frum yidden whose grandparents or great grandparents [as mine] were gassed to death by Nazis for the "sin" of being Jewish will spend every Sunday afternoon not intensifying their relationship with the Borei Olam but watching goyim try to kill each other [in the US they call it "football"].

I am not saying that one shouldn't have and enjoy leisure time. I AM saying that we should all consider HOW MUCH leisure time we need and what is most appropriate to do during those times.

I am also saying that the greatest danger is abandoning serious Torah study. It is tantamount to death. Not my chidush. We say it EVERY NIGHT at maariv.

כי הם חיינו!! 

לזכות ידיד נפשי רבי אפרים אבא בן מרים שושנה וכל משפחתו לברכה והצלחה בכל מעשי ידיהם