The only time a person can think clearly is when he is dead. When he is lying on the ground with his feet to the door,120Immediately after death, it is customary to place the corpse on the ground with his feet toward the door (Derekh Chaim). he will have the calmness and clarity to see himself, and will finally see the truth. For then he will realize that all his anxiety and fear of those who stood in his way were mere foolishness. All his anxieties were for nothing. For what can a mere mortal do to him!
The same is true of his desires and temptations. Lying there dead, he will realize that he wasted his days in vain (cf. Psalms 78:33). He will know that his most overwhelming desires were mere foolishness and confusion. Who really forced him?! But only then can one fully understand these things.
One may realize clearly that the thing he fears cannot harm him. Still, he cannot help but be terrified of it. This is because of that something within him that generates his fear.
When we shout suddenly behind a person’s back, he becomes startled. He exhibits fear even before he knows of what to be alarmed. He can have fear without it entering his conscious mind.
One may realize that his desire is utter foolishness, but still it remains strong. Here again, it is not the person who desires, but something else within him. Even when one realizes the foolishness of a desire, this something else continues to want it.
If you learn to settle your mind, you can easily rid yourself of all fears, anxieties and desires. You must realize that what you fear or desire is really nothing and that something else within you is responsible for them. Understand this, and you can overcome everything.
בְּעִנְיַן הַיִּרְאוֹת וְהַפְּחָדִים, שֶׁאָדָם מִתְיָרֵא וּמִתְפַּחֵד עַל־פִּי הָרֹב מִכַּמָּה דְּבָרִים אוֹ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְהַזִּיק לוֹ כְּלָל.
About anxiety and fears. Most things and persons that people fear cannot harm them at all.
וְהַדָּבָר נִרְאֶה, שֶׁרַק בַּסּוֹף, כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם נִסְתַּלֵּק וְשׁוֹכֵב עַל הָאָרֶץ וְרַגְלָיו אֶל הַדֶּלֶת (ככה מניסים מת, כשרגליו אל הדלת) אָז יִהְיֶה לוֹ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת בֶּאֱמֶת וְיִסְתַּכֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ וְיִרְאֶה הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁכָּל הַיִּרְאוֹת וְהַפְּחָדִים שֶׁהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא מֵאֵיזֶה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁעָמְדוּ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, הָיָה הַכֹּל שְׁטוּת וָהֶבֶל. וּבְחִנָּם הָיָה לוֹ יִרְאוֹת וּפְחָדִים מֵהֶם, כִּי מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לוֹ אָדָם?.
The only time a person can think clearly is when he is dead. When he is lying on the ground with his feet to the door,120Immediately after death, it is customary to place the corpse on the ground with his feet toward the door (Derekh Chaim). he will have the calmness and clarity to see himself, and will finally see the truth. For then he will realize that all his anxiety and fear of those who stood in his way were mere foolishness. All his anxieties were for nothing. For what can a mere mortal do to him!
וְכֵן לְעִנְיַן הַתַּאֲווֹת, כִּי אָז יִרְאֶה הֵיטֵב אֲשֶׁר בְּחִנָּם כִּלָּה בַּהֶבֶל יָמָיו וּבִשְׁטוּתִים וּבִלְבּוּלִים כָּאֵלּוּ, וּמִי הִכְרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ לָזֶה? וְכוּ'. כִּי רַק אָז יִרְאֶה הָאֱמֶת הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב.
The same is true of his desires and temptations. Lying there dead, he will realize that he wasted his days in vain (cf. Psalms 78:33). He will know that his most overwhelming desires were mere foolishness and confusion. Who really forced him?! But only then can one fully understand these things.
וּבֶאֱמֶת יֵשׁ בָּזֶה דְּבָרִים בְּגוֹ.
There is also a deeper meaning to this.
כִּי יֵשׁ דָּבָר אֵצֶל הָאָדָם שֶׁמֵּאוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר הוּא מִתְיָרֵא וּמִתְפַּחֵד מִמִּינֵי הַפְּחָדִים שֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּחֵד מֵהֶם.
It is not the person who fears, but something else within him.
וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ בְּדַעְתּוֹ בְּבֵרוּר חָזָק שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּחֵד מִמֶּנּוּ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כְּלָל, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן יֵשׁ לוֹ פַּחַד גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֵצֶל הָאָדָם הוּא מִתְפַּחֵד.
One may realize clearly that the thing he fears cannot harm him. Still, he cannot help but be terrified of it. This is because of that something within him that generates his fear.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִין, שֶׁנִּמְצָאִים כַּמָּה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהֵם פַּחְדָנִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם פְּחָדִים שֶׁל שְׁטוּת. וְהֵם בְּעַצְמָן יוֹדְעִים שֶׁזֶּה הַדָּבָר אֵינוֹ כְּלוּם, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הֵם מִתְפַּחֲדִים מְאֹד.
We actually see many people with ridiculous phobias. They themselves realize the foolishness of their fears, but they cannot overcome them.
וְכֵן אָנוּ רוֹאִים שֶׁכְּשֶׁמַּפְחִידִין אֶת הָאָדָם מֵאַחֲרָיו, שֶׁבָּאִין עָלָיו מֵאֲחוֹרָיו פִּתְאֹם בְּבֶהָלָה בְּקוֹל פַּחַד, אֲזַי הוּא תֵּכֶף מִתְפַּחֵד מְאֹד קֹדֶם שֶׁמַּתְחִיל הַדָּבָר לִכְנֹס בְּדַעְתּוֹ כְּלָל. שֶׁעֲדַיִן אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל שׁוּם דָּבָר כִּי בָּאוּ עָלָיו פִּתְאֹם מֵאֲחוֹרָיו. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא מִתְפַּחֵד תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד קֹדֶם שֶׁהִתְחִיל הַדַּעַת לֵידַע מֵעִנְיַן הַפַּחַד.
When we shout suddenly behind a person’s back, he becomes startled. He exhibits fear even before he knows of what to be alarmed. He can have fear without it entering his conscious mind.
וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִתְחִיל דְּבָר הַפַּחַד לִכָּנֵס בְּהַדַּעַת כְּלָל, אִם־כֵּן אֵיךְ שַׁיָּךְ לְהִתְפַּחֵד? אַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת עִקַּר הַפַּחַד שֶׁל הָאָדָם הוּא, שֶׁיֵּשׁ דָּבָר אֵצֶל הָאָדָם, שֶׁמֵּאוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר הוּא מִתְפַּחֵד.
But fear is not in the conscious mind and therefore does not have to be rational. For the fear actually stems from something else within a person.
וְכֵן בְּעִנְיַן הַתַּאֲווֹת הוּא גַּם־כֵּן כָּךְ מַמָּשׁ.
The same is true of desire.
שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהָאָדָם יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַתַּאֲוָה הַזֹּאת הוּא שְׁטוּת וָהֶבֶל, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן יֵשׁ דָּבָר אֵצֶל הָאָדָם שֶׁהוּא מִתְאַוֶּה הַתַּאֲוָה. אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהָאָדָם יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא הֶבֶל גָּמוּר.
One may realize that his desire is utter foolishness, but still it remains strong. Here again, it is not the person who desires, but something else within him. Even when one realizes the foolishness of a desire, this something else continues to want it.
וְעַל־כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי אִם הָאָדָם יְיַשֵּׁב עַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב, בְּקַל יוּכַל לְסַלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הַיִּרְאוֹת וְהַפְּחָדִים וְכֵן כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת מֵאַחַר שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם כְּלוּם רַק שֶׁיֵּשׁ דָּבָר אֶצְלוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִתְיָרֵא וּמִתְאַוֶּה. עַל־כֵּן בְּקַל יוּכַל לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְסַלֵּק הַכֹּל.
If you learn to settle your mind, you can easily rid yourself of all fears, anxieties and desires. You must realize that what you fear or desire is really nothing and that something else within you is responsible for them. Understand this, and you can overcome everything.
כִּי הָאָדָם הוּא בַּעַל בְּחִירָה, וּבְקַל יוּכַל לְהַרְגִּיל דַּעְתּוֹ לְסַלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ בָּאִים כָּל הַפְּחָדִים שֶׁלּוֹ וְכָל הַתַּאֲווֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
For you have free will. You can easily train your mind to discard that which is inside you that has caused your fears and desires.