Daily Tanya 20th Adar 1: Middle of Chapter 30-Lack of effort in Sur Meira-Iskafya in Unpopular Mitzvos

(LY) 20^th Adar 1

3.      Lack of effort in Sur Meira-Iskafya in Unpopular Mitzvos

• Even regarding matters of transgression [i.e. Sur Meira], a person who contemplates can find in his soul that he too is not perfect in this in its entirety, as there are matters of evil that he too performs, regarding those lusts that require an extreme battle with his inclination, and sometimes even when the battle is not as strong. Such as for example:
• Stopping in middle of a luscious and gossipy story: For example, does one control himself and stop in middle of a luscious mundane conversation, or gossipy story about another, as even a slight disparaging remark is forbidden even if truthful, and even if done for the sake of exonerating oneself from any wrongdoing. This can be learned from what Rebbe Shimon told his father Rabbeinu Hakadosh that it is not he who wrote the invalid Get but rather Yehuda the tailor who wrote it, to which Rabbeinu Hakadosh replied that he should stop speaking gossip.
• There are many other such matters that are abundantly common for people to transgress, [due to their pettiness and lightness in one’s eyes, which does not view it as sinful].
• Sanctifying the permitted: Likewise, does one control himself to not indulge in the permitted more than necessary which is a Torah obligation, as Scripture states that you shall sanctify yourself, and even if this command is only Rabbinical, it is known that Rabbinical matters are to be viewed even more severe than Biblical.
• All the above are examples of sins that a person does not view as serious sins, and thereby becomes used to transgressing, and perhaps even views them as if they are permitted being that he has transgressed them so often. [However, in truth, they are sinful.]