Your Comment brought out some very important points that other men have made! Over the years, Harav has addressed these issues.
Personal holiness has two components:
1. It involves a type of sin that is absolutely forbidden to commit (no leniencies whatsoever)
2. It is required of everyone to advance from level to level until you are rid of the desire completely
Someone who is failing in personal holiness cannot say "it's too extreme and not healthy" because he cannot possibly think objectively at that point.
One who does not keep personal holiness can commit sins daily by rationalizing the sin away. For example, the command not to look at things that are forbidden is in the Sh'ma, and the command not to covet (someone else's wife) is in the 10 Commandments. Someone who is weak in personal holiness will fall many times a day into these sins.
One cannot say to himself that he's not a chassid or a tzaddik like the Baba Sali and that personal holiness is for them but not for him. Personal holiness is part of the 10 Commandments, not a "special level" for "special souls". Until a person is rid of this desire, he must pray every day for Hashem's help.
Even a person who learns all of Torah and follows all of the commandments/mitzvot but does not perfect his personal holiness – when he comes to the Next World, they will tell him he missed the main point! The main point of our lives is to perfect personal holiness. Personal holiness is not a "side issue".
If you're talking about being with one's wife, a husband must not be stingy with his wife and must have a healthy physical relationship with his wife within the confines of Halachah.
Finally, read The Garden of Purity and pray on what you learn there. Also, get guidance and you will succeed!!!
2. Anonymous
11/14/2020
Hi!:-)
I kept Tikkun Habrit for 6 years with an 8 months hiatus and then about 7. Yes that took enormous will power. And I did become so holy that it was like I wasn't in the world anymore.. I don't think that's necessarily good.
I think moderation in almost everything no extremes is best. I actually think the addiction to such things is the problem, but I think excessive stringency in this matter could be detrimental to bodily health actually. I really experienced both extremes.not ideal.
11/18/2020
Your Comment brought out some very important points that other men have made! Over the years, Harav has addressed these issues.
Personal holiness has two components:
1. It involves a type of sin that is absolutely forbidden to commit (no leniencies whatsoever)
2. It is required of everyone to advance from level to level until you are rid of the desire completely
Someone who is failing in personal holiness cannot say "it's too extreme and not healthy" because he cannot possibly think objectively at that point.
One who does not keep personal holiness can commit sins daily by rationalizing the sin away. For example, the command not to look at things that are forbidden is in the Sh'ma, and the command not to covet (someone else's wife) is in the 10 Commandments. Someone who is weak in personal holiness will fall many times a day into these sins.
One cannot say to himself that he's not a chassid or a tzaddik like the Baba Sali and that personal holiness is for them but not for him. Personal holiness is part of the 10 Commandments, not a "special level" for "special souls". Until a person is rid of this desire, he must pray every day for Hashem's help.
Even a person who learns all of Torah and follows all of the commandments/mitzvot but does not perfect his personal holiness – when he comes to the Next World, they will tell him he missed the main point! The main point of our lives is to perfect personal holiness. Personal holiness is not a "side issue".
If you're talking about being with one's wife, a husband must not be stingy with his wife and must have a healthy physical relationship with his wife within the confines of Halachah.
Finally, read The Garden of Purity and pray on what you learn there. Also, get guidance and you will succeed!!!
11/14/2020
Hi!:-)
I kept Tikkun Habrit for 6 years with an 8 months hiatus and then about 7. Yes that took enormous will power. And I did become so holy that it was like I wasn't in the world anymore.. I don't think that's necessarily good.
I think moderation in almost everything no extremes is best. I actually think the addiction to such things is the problem, but I think excessive stringency in this matter could be detrimental to bodily health actually. I really experienced both extremes.not ideal.