WATCHFULNESS | ZEHIRUT | זהירות
PHRASE/SLOGAN
Busyness is laziness
Don't let the internalized Pharaoh/taskmaster keep you from your true nature
Watchfully reflect before, during, and after the moments of your life
Imitate God's seeing you by seeing yourself
See and be seen: Notice yourself so that God will notice you
Be as careful spiritually as you are physically
Be careful but not afraid
Don't bite the speediness, busyness, running bait
Pay mindful attention to every detail
Watch your deeds before, during, and after you do them
Watch out!: Call people to notice what society has made invisible, silent, unnoticeable
Don't let the internalized Pharaoh/taskmaster keep you from your true nature
Watchfully reflect before, during, and after the moments of your life
Imitate God's seeing you by seeing yourself
See and be seen: Notice yourself so that God will notice you
Be as careful spiritually as you are physically
Be careful but not afraid
Don't bite the speediness, busyness, running bait
Pay mindful attention to every detail
Watch your deeds before, during, and after you do them
Watch out!: Call people to notice what society has made invisible, silent, unnoticeable
SOUL TRAIT (MIDDAH) SPECTRUM
ETYMOLOGY
Zehirut / זהירות
- care, caution, prudence
- strictness
- watchful (inner and outer) awareness, radiant consciousness
- root - זהר
- to shine, radiate, be light
- clear, shone
- spread light, send out light, enlightened
- to warn, forewarned
- admonished, heed, careful
- prohibited
- warn or clarify limitations
- teach
TORAH
וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֽׂוּן׃
ָָAnd enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.
MUSSAR
Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer (1870-1953), in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
Why is it that when there is ice on the streets, everyone walks slowly and carefully out of fear of slipping physically, while in their daily lives, people are not afraid of slipping spiritually? (Week 37, Day 4)
Why is it that when there is ice on the streets, everyone walks slowly and carefully out of fear of slipping physically, while in their daily lives, people are not afraid of slipping spiritually? (Week 37, Day 4)
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman, in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
In the Hebrew, “caution” connotes watching and overseeing, and hints at a separate presence above things observing, which is symbolic of the self watching itself and taking note. (Week 37, Day 6)
In the Hebrew, “caution” connotes watching and overseeing, and hints at a separate presence above things observing, which is symbolic of the self watching itself and taking note. (Week 37, Day 6)
הנה ענין הזהירות הוא שיהיה האדם נזהר במעשיו ובעניניו, כלומר, מתבונן ומפקח על מעשיו ודרכיו, הטובים הם אם לא, לבלתי עזוב נפשו לסכנת האבדון חס וחלילה ולא ילך במהלך הרגלו כעור באפלה.
The idea of watchfulness is for one to be cautious of his deeds and matters, namely, contemplating and watching over his deeds and ways whether they are good or evil; not abandoning his soul to the danger of destruction, G-d forbid, and not walking through the course of habit like a blind man in darkness.
ופשוט הוא שאפילו אם יפקח האדם על עצמו, אין בכחו לינצל אלולי הקדוש ברוך הוא עוזרו.
And it is obvious that even if one is watchful over himself, it is not within his power to save himself without the help of the holy One blessed be He.
אך אם האדם מפקח על עצמו, אז הקדוש ברוך הוא עוזרו וניצול מן היצר הרע.
If a man is watchful over himself, then the holy One blessed be He helps him and he will be saved from the evil inclination.
אבל אם אינו מפקח הוא על עצמו, ודאי שהקדוש ברוך הוא לא יפקח עליו. כי אם הוא אינו חס, מי יחוס עליו. והוא כענין מה שאמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה (ברכות לג): כל מי שאין בו דעה אסור לרחם עליו. והוא מה שאמרו (אבות ג): אם אין אני לי מי לי.
But if he is not watchful over himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, will certainly not watch over him. For if he gives no heed to himself, who should give heed to him? This is as our Sages of blessed memory have said: "it is forbidden to pity anyone who has no knowledge" (Berachot 33a), and this is the meaning of what they said: "if I am not for myself, who will be for me?" (Avot 1:14).
Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness (1990)
Mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness. It is cultivated by purposefully paying attention to things we ordinarily never give a moment’s thought to. (p. 2)
Knowing what you are doing while you are doing it is the essence of mindfulness practice. . . . focus on the basic experiences of living such as your breathing, the sensations you feel in your body, and the flowing movement of thoughts in your mind. (pp. 28-29)
Mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness. It is cultivated by purposefully paying attention to things we ordinarily never give a moment’s thought to. (p. 2)
Knowing what you are doing while you are doing it is the essence of mindfulness practice. . . . focus on the basic experiences of living such as your breathing, the sensations you feel in your body, and the flowing movement of thoughts in your mind. (pp. 28-29)
Rabbi Mordechai Miller (1921-2001), in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
The caution one exerts is proportional to one’s spiritual level. (Week 37, Day 1)
The caution one exerts is proportional to one’s spiritual level. (Week 37, Day 1)
Rabbi Bahya Ibn Paquda, in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
One of the rules of caution is not to be too cautious. (Week 11, Day 3)
One of the rules of caution is not to be too cautious. (Week 11, Day 3)
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935), in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
Fear is complete foolishness. A person must not be afraid, but only needs to be careful. (Week 11, Day 2)
Fear is complete foolishness. A person must not be afraid, but only needs to be careful. (Week 11, Day 2)
הנה מפסידי המידה הזאת ומרחקיה הם שלשה.
There are three factors which cause loss of and distancing from "watchfulness".
האחד הוא הטפול והטרדה העולמית, השני, השחוק והלצון, השלישי החברה הרעה. ונדבר בהם אחד לאחד.
The first is involvement and preoccupation in worldly affairs. The second is laughter and levity. The third is bad company. We will discuss each one in turn.
ואמר עליהם (ירמיה ח): אין איש נחם על רעתו לאמר וגו' כלה שב במרוצתם כסוס שוטף במלחמה.
Regarding them he said: "no man regrets of his evil, saying, What have I done? Each one running to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle." (Jer. 8:6)
והיינו, שהיו רודפים והולכים במרוצת הרגלם ודרכיהם מבלי שיניחו זמן לעצמם לדקדק על המעשים והדרכים, ונמצא שהם נופלים ברעה בלי ראות אותה.
The explanation is that they would pursue and go by the momentum of habit and conduct, without leaving themselves time to consider their deeds and ways. Thus they fell into evil without even seeing it.
הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי וָֽאֶשְׁמָע֙ לוֹא־כֵ֣ן יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ אֵ֣ין אִ֗ישׁ נִחָם֙ עַל־רָ֣עָת֔וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתִי כֻּלֹּ֗ה שָׁ֚ב (במרצותם) [בִּמְר֣וּצָתָ֔ם] כְּס֥וּס שׁוֹטֵ֖ף בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
I have listened and heard: They do not speak honestly. No one regrets his wickedness And says, “What have I done!” They all persist in their wayward course Like a steed dashing forward in the fray.
Rabbi Yosef Yozel Hurwitz (Alter of Novardok) (1849-1919), in A. Morinis, Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices From the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (2010)
Satan's power resides in rushing man to carry out an action right away, before he stops to consider and wonder about what he is doing. The deed is done and there he stands, deliberating after the fact. (Week 37, Day 5)
Satan's power resides in rushing man to carry out an action right away, before he stops to consider and wonder about what he is doing. The deed is done and there he stands, deliberating after the fact. (Week 37, Day 5)
ואולם הנה זאת באמת אחת מתחבולות היצר הרע וערמתו להכביד עבודתו בתמידות על לבות בני האדם עד שלא ישאר להם ריוח להתבונן ולהסתכל באיזה דרך הם הולכים.
In truth, this is one of the cunning strategies of the evil inclination, to relentlessly burden people's hearts with his service so as to leave them no room to reflect and consider which road they are taking.
כי יודע הוא שאלולי היו שמים לבם כמעט קט על דרכיהם, ודאי שמיד היו מתחילים להנחם ממעשיהם, והיתה החרטה הולכת ומתגברת בהם עד שהיו עוזבים החטא לגמרי.
For he knows that if they were to put their ways to heart even the slightest bit, certainly they would immediately begin to feel regret for their deeds. The remorse would go and intensify within them until they would abandon the sin completely.
והרי זו מעין עצת פרעה הרשע שאמר (שמות ה): תכבד העבודה על האנשים וגו', שהיה מתכוין שלא להניח להם ריוח כלל לבלתי יתנו לב או ישימו עצה נגדו, אלא היה משתדל להפריע לבם מכל התבוננות בכח התמדת העבודה הבלתי מפסקת.
This is similar to the wicked Pharaoh's advice saying "intensify the men's labor..." (Ex. 5:9). His intention was to leave them no time whatsoever to oppose him or plot against him. He strove to confound their hearts of all reflection by means of the constant, incessant labor.
כן היא עצת היצר הרע ממש על בני האדם, כי איש מלחמה הוא ומלמד בערמימות, ואי אפשר למלט ממנו אלא בחכמה רבה והשקפה גדולה. הוא מה שהנביא צווח ואומר (חגי א׳:ה׳): שימו לבבכם על דרכיכם.
This is precisely the ploy employed by the evil inclination on human beings. For he is a skilled warrior, expert in the art of cunning. It is impossible to escape from him without great wisdom and far-reaching vision. This is what the prophet screamed out "give heed to your ways!" (Chagai 1:7).
Dr. Reggie Ray, Busyness is Laziness (2008)
Many, many people tell me “I’m having a lot of problems doing this [meditation] practice because I am so busy. I’m really busy. I have a full life. It’s busy and I run from morning ‘til night.” People actually say that.
What kind of life is that? Is that a life worth living? Some people feel it is. America is probably the most extreme example of a speed-driven culture—and this is not my particular personal discovery, but something that has been said to me by many people from other traditional cultures. . . . Western people are running from themselves and they use the busy-ness of their lives as an excuse to avoid having to actually live their own life. We are terrified of who we actually are, terrified of the inner space that is the basis of the human experience.
We are actually incapable of being alone—of any work that requires genuine solitude, without entertainment, that requires making a connection with the silence of the inner being. The American family engineers a life in which there is never any time alone, where we never have to actually talk to each other.
But it’s not the larger culture. It’s actually us. It’s me and it’s you. We load our life up to the point where it’s about to snap. And when you ask someone to sit down and be with themselves they go, “I can’t. I don’t have time for that.”
We run our kids in the same way—and it’s destroying them. The soccer practice and the music lesson and three hours of TV and homework—it goes on from the minute they get up until they go to sleep. They never have an opportunity to experience silence. Psychological development requires periods of solitude. Anthropological psychology—studying other cultures, as well as our own—shows that when children do not have completely unstructured time, when there are no parental expectations looming over them, they actually can’t develop normally.
The problem is not the amount of things you have in your life, it’s the attitude. It’s your fear of space. Busy-ness in the Tibetan tradition is considered the most extreme form of laziness. Because when you are busy you can turn your brain off. You’re on the treadmill. The only intelligence comes in the morning when you make your To Do list and you get rid of all the possible space that could happen in your day. There is intelligence in that: I fill up all the space so I don’t have to actually relate to myself!
Once you have made that list, it’s over. There is no more fundamental intelligence operating. So the basic ignorance is not realizing what we are doing by being busy. What we are doing to ourselves, what we are doing to our families, what we are doing to our friends.
Many, many people tell me “I’m having a lot of problems doing this [meditation] practice because I am so busy. I’m really busy. I have a full life. It’s busy and I run from morning ‘til night.” People actually say that.
What kind of life is that? Is that a life worth living? Some people feel it is. America is probably the most extreme example of a speed-driven culture—and this is not my particular personal discovery, but something that has been said to me by many people from other traditional cultures. . . . Western people are running from themselves and they use the busy-ness of their lives as an excuse to avoid having to actually live their own life. We are terrified of who we actually are, terrified of the inner space that is the basis of the human experience.
We are actually incapable of being alone—of any work that requires genuine solitude, without entertainment, that requires making a connection with the silence of the inner being. The American family engineers a life in which there is never any time alone, where we never have to actually talk to each other.
But it’s not the larger culture. It’s actually us. It’s me and it’s you. We load our life up to the point where it’s about to snap. And when you ask someone to sit down and be with themselves they go, “I can’t. I don’t have time for that.”
We run our kids in the same way—and it’s destroying them. The soccer practice and the music lesson and three hours of TV and homework—it goes on from the minute they get up until they go to sleep. They never have an opportunity to experience silence. Psychological development requires periods of solitude. Anthropological psychology—studying other cultures, as well as our own—shows that when children do not have completely unstructured time, when there are no parental expectations looming over them, they actually can’t develop normally.
The problem is not the amount of things you have in your life, it’s the attitude. It’s your fear of space. Busy-ness in the Tibetan tradition is considered the most extreme form of laziness. Because when you are busy you can turn your brain off. You’re on the treadmill. The only intelligence comes in the morning when you make your To Do list and you get rid of all the possible space that could happen in your day. There is intelligence in that: I fill up all the space so I don’t have to actually relate to myself!
Once you have made that list, it’s over. There is no more fundamental intelligence operating. So the basic ignorance is not realizing what we are doing by being busy. What we are doing to ourselves, what we are doing to our families, what we are doing to our friends.
וְאֶת־מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵם֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים תְּמ֤וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם֙ תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־נִרְפִּ֣ים הֵ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֗ן הֵ֤ם צֹֽעֲקִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
But impose upon them the same quota of bricks as they have been making heretofore; do not reduce it, for they are shirkers; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God!’ [Pharoah projecting his own laziness as slaver/master unto enslaved doing all the work, who then are not only seen as lazy when they want to be free, but who internalize the poison and self-inflict, becoming "lazy" by virtue of their distractedness and alienated busyness]
Rabbi Dr. Kohenet Jill Hammer, The Leitzanit and Zehirut, at Kohenet Ketzirah, https://devotaj.com/
We embody the Fool when we make plain what society has declared invisible—when we yell “watch out!” about a danger everyone has agreed not to notice.
We embody the Fool when we make plain what society has declared invisible—when we yell “watch out!” about a danger everyone has agreed not to notice.
My Cup Runneth Over / Kosi Rivayah / כוסי רויה
והנני רואה צורך לאדם שיהיה מדקדק ושוקל דרכיו דבר יום ביומו כסוחרים הגדולים אשר יפלסו תמיד כל עסקיהם למען לא יתקלקלו, ויקבע עתים ושעות לזה שלא יהיה משקלו עראי, אלא בקביעות גדול, כי רב התולדה הוא.
I see a need for a man to be meticulous and weigh his ways each and every day like the great merchants who continuously evaluate all of their business matters in order that they not degenerate. He should fix definite times and hours for this weighing so that it not be haphazard but rather with the greatest regularity for it yields great results.
אך לפחותים מאלה, תהיה ההערה לפי הבחנתם, והוא, לפי ענין הכבוד אשר הם מתאוים לו.
Those of lesser understanding, however, will be roused to Watchfulness according to their perceptions. Namely, according to the matter of honor that they crave.
אך ההערה לכל ההמון, הנה הוא בענין השכר ועונש עצמם בראות עומק הדין עד היכן מגיע, אשר באמת ראוי להזדעזע ולהתחרד תמיד, כי מי יעמוד ביום הדין ומי יצדק לפני בוראו באשר השקפתו מדקדקת על כל דבר קטן או גדול.
But the general masses will be roused to "Watchfulness" through the matter of reward and punishment upon recognizing the extent of the depth of judgment on this. In truth, it is proper to continuously shudder and fear, for who will stand on the Day of Judgment? Who will be found righteous before his Creator, whose sight scrutinizes all things, great and small.
וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּמִצְוָה קַלָּה כְבַחֲמוּרָה, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת.
And be careful with a light commandment as with a grave one, for you did know not the reward for the fulfillment of the commandments.
ותראה קושי הלצון והשחתתו הרבה, כי כמו המגן המשוח בשמן אשר ישמיט ויפיל מעליו החצים ומשליכם לארץ ולא יניח אותם שיגיעו אל גוף האדם כן הלצון מפני התוכחה והמרדות, כי בליצנות אחד ובשחוק קטן יפיל האדם מעליו ריבוי גדול מן ההתעוררות וההתפעלות מה שהלב מתעורר ומתפעל בעצמו מדי ראותו או שומעו ענינים שיעירוהו אל החשבון והפשפוש במעשים.
Consider the severity of levity and its destructive power. For just like a shield smeared with oil deflects and drops arrows from him, causing them to fall to the ground, preventing them from reaching the body of the man, so too is levity before rebuke and reprimand. For with one act of levity or a little laughter, a man casts from himself a great many rousings and impressions that the heart was made to feel due to stimulation in seeing or hearing matters that awakened him to an accounting and examination of his deeds.
ובכח הליצנות יפיל הכל לארץ ולא יעשה בו רושם כלל. ולא מפני חולשת הענינים ולא מפני חסרון הבנת הלב, אלא מפני כח הלצון ההורס כל עניני המוסר והיראה.
The power of levity knocks it all to the ground thus not making any impression whatsoever on him. This is not due to the ineffectiveness of the matters nor to lack of understanding on his part, but rather to the power of levity which demolishes all matters of Mussar (ethics) and fear of G-d.
אַבְטַלְיוֹן אוֹמֵר, חֲכָמִים, הִזָּהֲרוּ בְדִבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁמָּא תָחוּבוּ חוֹבַת גָּלוּת וְתִגְלוּ לִמְקוֹם מַיִם הָרָעִים, וְיִשְׁתּוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיכֶם וְיָמוּתוּ, וְנִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל:
Abtalion used to say: Sages be careful with your words, lest you incur the penalty of exile, and be carried off to a place of evil waters, and the disciples who follow you drink and die, and thus the name of heaven becomes profaned.
וְהַ֨מַּשְׂכִּלִ֔ים יַזְהִ֖רוּ כְּזֹ֣הַר הָרָקִ֑יעַ וּמַצְדִּיקֵי֙ הָֽרַבִּ֔ים כַּכּוֹכָבִ֖ים לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ {פ}
And the knowledgeable will be radiant like the bright expanse of sky, and those who lead the many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever.
וָאֶרְאֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה דְמוּת֙ כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֔שׁ מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה מׇתְנָ֛יו וּלְמַ֖טָּה אֵ֑שׁ וּמִמׇּתְנָ֣יו וּלְמַ֔עְלָה כְּמַרְאֵה־זֹ֖הַר כְּעֵ֥ין הַחַשְׁמַֽלָה׃
As I looked, there was a figure that had the appearance of fire: from what appeared as his loins down, [he was] fire; and from his loins up, his appearance was resplendent and had the color of amber.
מִֽכׇּל־מִ֭שְׁמָר נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃
More than all that you guard, guard your heart-mind, for it is the source of life.
מכאן א"ר פנחס בן יאיר תורה מביאה לידי זהירות זהירות מביאה לידי זריזות זריזות מביאה לידי נקיות נקיות מביאה לידי פרישות פרישות מביאה לידי טהרה טהרה מביאה לידי חסידות חסידות מביאה לידי ענוה ענוה מביאה לידי יראת חטא יראת חטא מביאה לידי קדושה קדושה מביאה לידי רוח הקודש רוח הקודש מביאה לידי תחיית המתים וחסידות גדולה מכולן שנאמר (תהלים פט, כ) אז דברת בחזון לחסידיך
From here Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would say: Torah study leads to care in the performance of mitzvot. Care in the performance of mitzvot leads to diligence in their observance. Diligence leads to cleanliness of the soul. Cleanliness of the soul leads to abstention from all evil. Abstention from evil leads to purity and the elimination of all base desires. Purity leads to piety. Piety leads to humility. Humility leads to fear of sin. Fear of sin leads to holiness. Holiness leads to the Divine Spirit. The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead. And piety is greater than all of them, as it is stated: “Then You did speak in a vision to Your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20).