Machshovos Zoros - Foreign thoughts: Difference between revisions

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Machshovos Zoros - Foreign Thoughts is a general term for thoughts that disturb a person during their avodas Hashem, such as during davening or during Torah study.

Origin of the Term

When the Beis Hamikdash existed, the main connection between man and Hashem focused on the korbanos service performed by the Kohanim in the Beis Hamikdash.

When a person would sin and damage their connection with Hakadosh Baruch Hu, they needed to bring a korban asham to atone for their sin and strengthen their connection with Hashem. Similarly, when a person experienced a miracle, they needed to bring a korban todah and thank Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash.

One of the laws regarding bringing a korban was that the person needed to purify their thoughts and focus only on the purpose for which they were bringing the korban. If not, their offering was not considered valid and they needed to bring another korban. These thoughts are called "machsheves pigul" or "machsheves chutz" in Torah literature.

After the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, davening replaced the korbanos service in connecting man with Hashem, and the term from the laws of korbanos was borrowed to refer to thoughts unrelated to davening that disturb a person.

Severity of the Thought

In Chazal we find that "thoughts of sin are worse than sin itself^[1]," an expression teaching that in certain ways, when a person sins through their power of thought, it is even more severe than if they had committed the actual sin.

Many explanations are given for this, including: since when a person sins only in thought they don't feel a need to regret it^[2], since the action of the sin affects the soul more deeply, and more^[3].

In Chassidus^[4] it is explained that the garment of thought is closer to the soul to the point that it is united with the soul, which is why a person cannot stop thinking even for a moment. Therefore, when a person damages this garment, they damage a deeper place in their soul.

Types of Foreign Thoughts

There are different types of foreign thoughts, such as thoughts related to parnassa that confuse a person and prevent concentration, or forbidden thoughts like thoughts of sin or thoughts of avodah zarah.

Although usually the term refers to various thoughts that arise in a person's mind during avodas Hashem, in a more general sense any action that a person does with personal motives is considered a 'foreign thought', since these thoughts and interests are 'foreign' to what they are involved in^[5].

The Torah forbids a person from dwelling on foreign thoughts^[6], but if it wasn't expressed in actual deed, the person is not punished for the thought, since one cannot be punished for matters of thought.

Dealing with Foreign Thoughts

In a letter responding to a Yid who complained about having disturbing foreign thoughts, the Rebbe instructed him to check his tefillin to ensure they were kosher according to halacha^[7], On another occasion^[8], the Rebbe instructed to memorize the beginning of Chapter 41 in Tanya (until the words "lifnei hamelech"), a section discussing how Hakadosh Baruch Hu constantly watches over a person, and to review this section each morning before davening.

It is explained in Chassidus^[9] that the most important thing to know about avoiding foreign thoughts is that the garment of thought is compared to skin - just as one cannot remove the garment of skin, one cannot not think at all. However, one can replace thoughts with other thoughts (of kedusha, or if necessary of kelipas nogah), therefore everyone who is literate must know divrei Torah by heart so they can always "draw out" an alternative thought^[10]

In Tanya (Chapter 27), the Alter Rebbe writes that when one diverts their mind from evil thoughts and desires, "they should be happy with their portion" that even though these thoughts fall into their mind, they divert their attention from them to fulfill the verse "and you shall not follow after your hearts and after your eyes."

During Davening

In Chapter 28 of Tanya, the Alter Rebbe says that when foreign thoughts fall to a person during davening or learning, they should ignore them and strive to contemplate and delve deeper into the davening or learning, rather than trying to investigate where these thoughts came from and remove the problem at its root.

He explains that the reason for this is because the foreign thoughts that fall to most people aren't truly 'foreign', but thoughts that come from the person themselves - meaning these thoughts have already occurred to the person in the past and are now just rising and surfacing. Therefore, there's no point in fighting with the foreign thoughts that arise, rather the way to deal with them is simply to replace them with other thoughts.

To prevent foreign thoughts from confusing a person during learning or davening, the Rebbe suggests holding an open sefer and specifically davening or learning from the sefer.

In Chassidic Folklore

In Chassidic stories, it appears that one of the Polish chassidim asked the Rebbe Maharash why chassidim don't daven quickly to shorten the time of davening and 'escape' from the foreign thoughts that arise during davening. He compared it to Jews traveling in a wagon when boys start throwing stones at them - surely the advice in such a case would be to whip the horses and flee the place.

The Rebbe answered: This advice is correct when the boys are chasing after the wagon, but when they've managed to climb onto the wagon, it won't help to whip the wagon and speed up its journey. Rather, one must stop the wagon, struggle with them, and drive them away.

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 In a letter responding to a Yid who complained about having disturbing foreign thoughts, the Rebbe instructed him to check his tefillin to ensure they were kosher according to halacha<ref>Igros Kodesh 5720 (1960) Volume 18, page 270.</ref>, On another occasion<ref>Igrot Kodesh Volume 16, page 263 </ref>, the Rebbe instructed to memorize the beginning of Chapter 41 in Tanya (until the words "lifnei hamelech"), a section discussing how Hakadosh Baruch Hu constantly watches over a person, and to review this section each morning before davening.
-It is explained in Chassidus<ref>Dibur Hamaschil "Vayishlach Yehoshua" in Sefer HaMaamarim Melukat volume 2</ref> that the most important thing to know about avoiding foreign thoughts is that the garment of thought is compared to skin - just as one cannot remove the garment of skin, one cannot not think at all. However, one can replace thoughts with other thoughts (of kedusha, or if necessary of kelipas nogah), therefore everyone who is literate must know divrei Torah by heart so they can always "draw out" an alternative thought.
+It is explained in Chassidus<ref>Dibur Hamaschil "Vayishlach Yehoshua" in Sefer HaMaamarim Melukat volume 2</ref> that the most important thing to know about avoiding foreign thoughts is that the garment of thought is compared to skin - just as one cannot remove the garment of skin, one cannot not think at all. However, one can replace thoughts with other thoughts (of kedusha, or if necessary of kelipas nogah), therefore everyone who is literate must know divrei Torah by heart so they can always "draw out" an alternative thought<ref>Hayom Yom Yud Aleph Teves</ref>
 In Tanya (Chapter 27), the Alter Rebbe writes that when one diverts their mind from evil thoughts and desires, "they should be happy with their portion" that even though these thoughts fall into their mind, they divert their attention from them to fulfill the verse "and you shall not follow after your hearts and after your eyes."