Parshas Beha'aloscha 5777
QUESTION:
How can a person prevent himself from suffering depression when old age suddenly appears?
ANSWER:
Sh'sulim b'veis Hashem, if when you're young you are planted in the bais Hashem - you went to the right places to learn, b'chatzros Elokeinu yafrichu, and you blossomed forth b'chatzros Elokeinu, you were in places where they spoke about the purpose of life, and you learned how to think about the chasdei Hashem, you learned how to appreciate everything - then when you'll get old it's a habit that won't be broken, you'll continue. Od y'nuvun b'seiva, even in old age you'll still produce fruit, d'sheinim v'rananim y'hiyu, it'll be fat and juicy in your old age too.
So the old man now, hobbling with a cane, he's so happy he has a cane, he's happy to hobble. He sees the light, like the Rabbeinu Yonah says, what's the happiness of an old man? He sees the light of the sun. I enjoy the light of the sun! Umosok haor, how sweet is the light of the sun, even that's a happiness! Vtov l'einayim liros es Hashem, it's good to see the sun, so you have to practice up when you're young. If you're sh'sulim b'veis Hashem, then od y'nuvun b'seiva.
If you wait till you're old and you have aches and pains, and then you start thinking, 'how can I learn the happiness of life?' It's a little late. You can still try, but the best thing is to start when you are young.
So practice while you're young and you have everything. That's why it says, l'hagid baboker chasdecho, in themorning, morning means when you're young, v'emunascha baleilos, then when you're old in the nighttime, it still continues. You have to start in the morning however; in the morning of life you have to start.
So when you're young it's time to practice up; b'yom tov hoyo tov (Koheles 7:14), when it's a good day, practice up being happy on the good days, and b'yom ru'uh, r'ei, and on another day when it's not so good, you'll continue to see the good.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
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Important Numbers
