By Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss
The posuk says, “Al kein yomru hamoshlim, ‘Bo’u cheshbon.’” The Gemora in Bava Basra [78b] interprets this verse homiletically as referring to hamoshlim b’yitzram, those who rule over their evil inclination. The Medrash in Esther Rabbah teaches us, Resha-im br’shus libom – The wicked are controlled by their hearts.” On the other hand, “Tzadikim libom b’reshusom – The righteous control their hearts.” One rules over their yeitzer when they know how to say no to temptation, when they stop short from revealing someone’s secret, from talking about a neighbor, when they are able to avert their gaze from immodesty, when they have the conviction to avoid distraction during their prayers.
The Gemora continues with its interpretation of the verse, “Bo’u cheshbon. Bo’u v’nachshov cheshbono shel olam – Come let us make a calculation about this world. Hefsed mitzvah k’neged schorah – The loss involved in doing a mitzvah against its reward.” For example, the loss of business while going to mincha, or the loss of money when giving charity against the eternal rewards that it brings. And, “Schar aveirah k’neged hefseidah – The reward of transgression against its losses.” The temporary relief of getting angry at a spouse against the suffering of, “Kol hako’eis, kol minei gehenom sholtin bo – One who gets angry, all the treatments of hell will hold sway over him.”
What does the Gemora mean, “Cheshbono shel olam – The calculation of the world?” I’d like to explain it with a parable. What’s the difference between leasing a car for two years and owning a car? If you lease a car, you might not bother putting in premium gas (if the lease agreement gives you a choice). And, since you’re returning it in two years anyway, you won’t be so careful with your oil changes. And if you have a good protection plan, the scratches won’t bother you either. But, if you own the car, you’ll make sure to put in the best gasoline, have very regular oil changes, and you’ll try to keep it in pristine condition because it’s yours for the long haul. Similarly, if you rent a bungalow, you’re not going to be too particular about its interior design. But, if you own a summer home, you’ll start thinking about hanging curtains and paintings. It’s the same thing with life. If we view this world only for a stay of 90 years, then we might live only for the moment and seize fleeting pleasures. But, if we have a cheshbono shel olam and we think about eternity, then that drastically changes how we prioritize our choices and our uses of time.
We certainly wouldn’t want to risk embarrassing someone in public. That could cost us the loss of our eternity. We will surely indulge heavily in charity, for that is the money we take forever with us. And being that all of us will want to be a VIP in the permanent world of the Afterlife, we will surely want to invest heavily in the learning of Gemora of which we are taught, “Ashrei me shebah l’kan v’talmudo b’yado – Fortunate is he who comes to the next world with his Gemora in his hand.”
It’s important to note that the Gemora tells us that only those who rule over their yeitzer make these calculations. The average person davens daily and it doesn’t even bother them when they daydream through an entire Shemone Esrei, without even giving Hashem a moment’s thought. Or when they swallow their berachos without thinking their meaning. Similarly, they can bentch – which is three Biblical mitzvahs and one mitzvah d’rabannan, without thinking once that they are saying thank you to Hashem. The reason for this phenomena is a technique of the Yeitzer Hara called, “Avar v’shana naaseh la k’heter;” when you do something once and then repeat it over and over again, it becomes as if its’s permissible. If we said many Shemone Esreis without thought, after a while we don’t even feel a twinge of guilt. So too a person who often screams in the home, after a while he doesn’t even feel a twinge of remorse. The one who learns to control their Yeitzer Hara is always thinking and calculating so that they constantly adjust and improve their behavior.
May it be the will of Hashem that we should always monitor our behavior with an eye to daily betterment, and in that merit may Hashem bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.
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