By a Hair’s Breadth

 

 

 

If we go back to the source of our greatest errors, we will find that the initial deviation was always trifling, negligible. We deviated a hair’s breadth, then from one hair breath to the next, we found ourselves a thousand miles from the starting point!

 

Therefore we ought to keep a stringent watch on ourselves.  We must not allow ourselves even the tiniest deviation.  All the more so because, initially, this small deviation is not truly difficult to overcome.  Yet when we realize where it can lead us, when we think about it, we have every good reason not to allow it to happen.  Otherwise, this small error will grow, will take root to the point of becoming a habit which will be very hard to overcome.

 

On the other hand, the principle of the hair’s breadth is as true for the return to God, as it was for the abandoning of faithfulness to Him!

 

It is true that a small deviation can take us very far in the wrong direction, but it is also true that a slight uplifting, a very small effort to react against a habit, can lead us to correct it completely and be cured of it.  Just as great failures have commenced by a hair’s breadth, so our great victories over ourselves could begin by something very small.

 

What wonderful encouragement to know that with a little good will we can bread free of the grasp of even the most powerful bad habits. If he knows not to neglect the small efforts which are still possible, victory becomes accessible even to the seemingly weak person.

 

 

You can’t do everything… At least do a little. As time goes by, the small victories will pile up. One day your savings of small efforts will add up to an impressive sum which you will be able to redeem yourself. This is the case of those who repent at the end of their lives and who receive a total pardon, as our Sages teach us. How can this be? They sinned years, and then everything gets wiped out by simple remorse? But truly, the reason is that in order to arrive at this final remorse, at this last upsurge of good, they never completely accepted defeat throughout their lives. Certainly, they often failed, but each time that they could, they "grabbed hold" of something, a mitzvah, a good deed, a page of study or of prayer. All these pearls accumulated to their credit and when the time came, they helped them to make that decision bound of faith. From all this, the following rule emerges: Never resign yourself!

 

Evil has overcome, it dictates to you? Do not allow yourself to sink completely. Never go all the way. Even if you are held at the thrall of a flood of bad emotions that drag you into an appalling vortex, try to cut your losses, to save "hair’s breadths." These such valuable small efforts will grow into mountains over the years and will lead you, to your surprise, to the greatest victories.

 

 

In order to find our way back to the true spiritual realm, we must confront the antagonism of those around us. People will pick quarrels with us, offend us, intimidate us. Let’s not reply to them, let’s not react to their attacks, let’s not counter the provocations, and at the same time let’s not capitulate.

 

This is the basic line of action, and the man who acts in this way has acquired wisdom.

 

Just as arrogance is, in general, despicable, so boldness at the right time is indispensable. Without the leopard’s boldness, how can we stand in the face of adversity, when efforts are made to deflect us from our goal by people around us, and even by our own instincts.

 

In order to be capable of bolness, we must fill our hearts with joy, for "the joy of the Lord is you audacity."

 

We will no longer be ashamed of taking the right path, even in the face of mockery. We will stand proud and strong in our position.

 

We have need of boldness also to break through our timidity and to ask the sages everything we need to know, for "a shamefaced man cannot learn."

 

 

(Used with permission from COURAGE by Israel Isaac Besancon. Published by Shir Chadash Publishers).