לזכות רפואת א"מ ר' יצחק יונה בן חנה ור' מרדכי דוד בן קריינא בתוך שח"י
“An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.”
Some words on עצלות - Laziness.
If you read through the whole article that would indicate that you are not lazy!!!
זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי ו, ו ח): לֵךְ אֶל נְמָלָה עָצֵל רְאֵה דְרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהּ קָצִין שֹׁטֵר וּמשֵׁל תָּכִין בַּקַּיִץ לַחְמָהּ אָגְרָה בַקָּצִיר מַאֲכָלָהּ, מָה רָאָה שְׁלֹמֹה לְלַמֵּד לְעָצֵל מִן הַנְּמָלָה, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הַנְּמָלָה הַזּוֹ שְׁלשָׁה בָּתִּים יֵשׁ לָהּ, וְאֵינָהּ כּוֹנֶסֶת בָּעֶלְיוֹן מִפְּנֵי הַדֶּלֶף, וְלֹא בַּתַּחְתּוֹן מִפְּנֵי הַטִּינָה, אֶלָּא בָּאֶמְצָעִי, וְאֵינָהּ חַיָּה אֶלָּא שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, לָמָּה, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גִּידִים וַעֲצָמוֹת אֵינָהּ חַיָּה אֶלָּא שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, וְכָל מַאֲכָלָהּ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא חִטָּה וּמֶחֱצָה, וְהִיא הוֹלֶכֶת וּמְכַנֶּסֶת בַּקַּיִץ כָּל מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצְאָה, חִטִּין וּשְׂעוֹרִין וַעֲדָשִׁים. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא וְכָל חַיֶּיהָ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא חִטָּה וּמֶחֱצָה, וְהִיא כּוֹנֶסֶת אֶת אֵלּוּ, וְלָמָּה הִיא עוֹשָׂה כֵן, שֶׁאָמְרָה שֶׁמָּא יִגְזֹר עָלַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיִּים וְיִהְיֶה לִי מוּכָן לֶאֱכֹל. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי מַעֲשֶׂה הָיָה וּמָצְאוּ בַּבּוֹר שֶׁלָּהּ שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת כּוֹר, מַה שֶּׁמְּכַנֶּסֶת מִן הַקַּיִץ לַחֹרֶף, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה לֵךְ אֶל נְמָלָה עָצֵל רְאֵה דְּרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם, אַף אַתֶּם הַתְקִינוּ לָכֶם מִצְווֹת מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וּמַהוּ רְאֵה דְּרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי רְאֵה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שֶׁבּוֹרַחַת מִן הַגָּזֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא מַעֲשֶׂה בִּנְמָלָה אַחַת שֶׁהִפִּילָה חִטָּה אַחַת, וְהָיוּ כֻּלָּן בָּאוֹת וּמְרִיחוֹת בָּהּ, וְלֹא הָיְתָה אַחַת מֵהֶן נוֹטֶלֶת אוֹתָהּ, בָּאָה אוֹתָהּ שֶׁהָיְתָה שֶׁלָּהּ וְנָטְלָה אוֹתָהּ, רְאֵה חָכְמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ. וְכָל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שֶׁלֹא לָמְדָה מִבִּרְיָה, וְלֹא שׁוֹפֵט וְלֹא שׁוֹטֵר יֵשׁ לָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהּ קָצִין שֹׁטֵר וּמשֵׁל, אַתֶּם שֶׁמִּנִּיתִי לָכֶם שׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁתִּשְׁמְעוּ לָהֶן, הֱוֵי שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ.
[2] This is what Scripture says, "Lazybones, go to the ant; study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, it lays up its stores during the summer, gathers in its food at the harvest."(Proverbs 6:6-6:8) What did Solomon see to learn from the ant regarding the lazy person? Our rabbis say that the ant has three houses (or floors), and it does not congregate in the top (floor) because of rain, nor does in the bottom because of mud, but rather in the middle. And it only lives for six months. Why? Because anything that does not have sinews or bones only lives six months. And all of its food is a grain and a half. And it goes and gathers in the summer all that it finds, grain and barley and lentils. Rabbi Tanchuma said: All of its life is a grain and a half and (yet) it gathers these? And why does it do this? Because it says: Perhaps the Holy One Blessed Be He will decree life and it will be prepared for me to eat. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: It once happened that they found a pit of it (an ant) that had three hundred kor (of food grains). What they gather from the summer is for the winter, therefore Solomon said: "Lazybones, go to the ant; study its ways and learn." So to you shall fix for yourselves mitzvot from this world for the world to come. And what is "study its ways and learn"? Our rabbis say study its manners, because it flees from theft. Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta said: It once happened that a single an dropped a grain. And all of them (the ants) were coming by and smelling it, and yet not one of them took it. The one who it belonged to came and took it. See the wisdom that there is in it (the ant). And all of this praise that it has it did not learn from a creation, and it does not have a judge or an officer. As it is stated, "Without leaders, officers, or rulers." You for whom I have designated judges and officers, all the more-so that you shall listen to them, and there will be judges and officers set for you in all of your gates.
This is an incredible passage and so much to learn from it. Hundreds of sfarim talk about it. The following is based on the Torah of Moreinu HaGaon HaTzadik Rav Charlap ztz"l. It is much much better in the original. We will skip the questions and go right to the explanations which will resolve the questions.
A. If you want something enough, if you have sufficient רצון, you can usually get it. If you learn in order to teach then you are able to both learn and teach. If you learn in order to do then you are able to learn, teach, guard and do. [Avos 4-5] It all depends on your will. [רצון is a major topic b/c it is the source of all achievement and is not discussed enough in our circles].
B. How does one become a זריז? The philosophers ask how it is possible for anything created in our temporary world to be eternal? Everything in nature is by definition temporal. "כל הוה נפסד!!!" So how is it that had Man not sinned he would have lived forever??
C. The question doesn't even get off the ground! The world can either be viewed as a continuation of creation of as being recreated every moment - המשכיות vs. התחוללות. When we say Kiddush we have to mention Yetzias Mitzraim b/c if we would only mention the creation of the world one would think that we are living in a world of המשכיות [continuation] while in fact we are REALLY living in a world of התחוללות - every moment is a new creation [המחדש בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית]. Yetzias Mitzraim shows that a lot more than the creation of the world.
D. Had man not sinned and distanced himself from the Creator and True Reality he would have seen the world as constantly being recreated, such that everything would be eternal b/c nothing would ever get old. After the sin, his vision was beclouded and he began to see everything as המשכיות, such that everything gets old and goes away [which is a process that all of our bodies are undergoing as we speak]. It was this tainted perspective that caused all the problems. Otherwise we would be here forever NO PROB. The ציור - perspective, is פועל - has an impact on what actually happens.
E. Being 'דבק בה - clinging to Hashem, is possible when we appreciate that He is here now actively recreating us. We Jews have the capacity to appreciate that. This is why we are called נביאים בני נביאים. Prophets receive their prophecy b/c they cling to Hashem which is enabled by their capacity to see the world as being מתחולל every second.
F. It is all a matter of perspective. A lazy person sees the world as המשכי, just a continuation of what WAS and thus eventually rotting and decomposing, as nature dictates. Since he doesn't see eternity, which triggers his laziness. What's the point? he feels. We are all going to die and everything we create will also cease to exist at some point. [The reason atheists do anything is b/c they block off from their consciousness their perspective of reality which would be to painful to confront and reach the logical conclusions. Or b/c deep down they also believe in eternity and something bigger].
G. A זריז doesn't see things this way and rejects the nihilistic perspective of the lazy one. He sees eternity b/c he believes that the world is constantly being recreated. So the זריז ant gather faaaaaar more food than it needs b/c שֶׁאָמְרָה שֶׁמָּא יִגְזֹר עָלַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיִּים וְיִהְיֶה לִי מוּכָן לֶאֱכֹל - Because she says: Perhaps the Holy One Blessed Be He will decree life and it will be prepared for me to eat. Ahhhh - if Hashem is constantly recreating then eternity is possible. So let me gather and gather.
H. So Shlomo says "לך אל נמלה עצל" - Go to the ant lazy one!! Learn from its actions and perspective how not to be lazy. Start viewing the world with "anty" eyes!!! See the world as a reality of התחוללות and not המשכיות.
I. This also explains why ants don't steal. Why would one steal?? Chazal say that a person prefers even a small amount of what really belongs to him than a large amount that belongs to his friend. So stealing is not emotionally fulfilling by any stretch of the imagination. So why do it?? [Question - Why do we engage in LOTSS of self destructive behaviors??] LAZINESS!!! If we weren't lazy then we would separate our *sitting mechanism* from the couch and get up and work. But lazy people prefer to sit on the couch and try to steal some money on the computer or to loot stores [as is becoming the מנהג המקום in more and more places] or do nothing or its equivilant.
J. The pasuk says
משלי כ':ד'
מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ וְשָׁאַ֖ל בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן׃
The lazy one will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Says the Medrash:
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי זֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ לָמֵד תּוֹרָה בְּנַעֲרוּתוֹ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לִלְמֹד בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל, וְזֶהוּ וְשָׁאַל בַּקָּצִיר וָאָיִן.
This is a person who doesn't learn Torah in his youth and wants to learn in his old age but is unable to. That is "he shall beg in harvest and have none".
Youth is a time of התחוללות - activity, creativity and ambition. "Start ups" in modern vernacular. Old age is המשכיות - just a continuation of what was. When one learns in his youth then he instills within himself the ethic of constant recreation. This continues into old age [viz. Rav Gerson Edelstein who was giving shiur until the very end at the age of a hundred]. But if a person is not learning Torah in his youth then when he gets to old age he has the attitude of המשכיות and it is especially hard to start anew.
