It therefore follows, to you men I will call, children of a living G-d, be strong and strengthen yourselves for our G-d and we will have pity for the honor of our Creator, for our souls and for our spirits and we will not commit (spiritual) suicide. We will believe in our holy Torah and in the words of our holy Sages, may their memories be blessed. From this time on, we will not waste our precious and valuable time but will speak words of Torah when we lie down and when we get up. We will be happy and rejoice in the words of Torah learning and the commandments and will speak about them both by day and by night.
A merchant should not say ‘I have studied such and such Psalms and such and such holy Zohar, laws etc and I have already been uplifted. One who is a Torah Sage can immerse himself in the Torah all day but these kinds of studies it is impossible to be busy with all day.”
This is also nonsense for our Sages have said that one who does not know how to study, even if he repeats the verse “and the sister of Lotan was Timna” all day, he is considered before G-d as though he was busy with Negaim and Ohalos (the two most difficult studies) and this justification does not release him from judgement. He should work hard and review his study at least a thousand times and not sit wasting time for the honor of Hashem, may He be blessed, and for the honor of His Torah.
Anyone who hears this, things that the public have trampled on and turned into permissible acts, should think that this is something that is impossible to fulfil – to be separated from this world like the Serving Angels – but would that I had found it written in any book that G-d does not bring judgement for these matters, I too would turn a deaf ear. It hurts me about myself and our brothers the Children of Israel for I tremble before the wrath and anger which will pour upon the heads of the wicked on the great, fearful and awesome day of judgement. Therefore, from the depth of my pain I have spoken so far to myself, and those who hear should listen and a good blessing should come upon them. All beginnings are difficult and in direct proportion to the greatness of the pain is the greatness of the reward.
