Q:
You said last week that there’s no such a thing as bad weather. Is it a chisaron if a person enjoys a warm mild day more than a rainy day or a very hot day?
A:
When a person enjoys a certain kind of weather he is justified; there’s nothing wrong with that. And not only is he justified but he is a wise man for appreciating it. Of course, if he understands that all weather is good — even though he may not enjoy it, but he understands that it’s a benefit for him, then he’s even wiser. The fact that a person enjoys spring time more than any other season doesn’t detract from the fact that he can understand that summer is very important. After all, spring-time is not the time when the apples are ripe and when the pears are ripe. In the summer is when they begin turning red. Their cheeks display a color which makes them more and more attractive as they become sweeter and softer. And therefore, despite the heat of summer, he’s able to appreciate it because of the benefit it provides.
So the fact that one season is more beloved than others, doesn’t detract from the fact that you understand that all seasons are valuable. And so, if you’re a wise man then you learn to enjoy the summertime. Oh yes, the summer has many attractions. You know, there are songs about the summer. They sing about July and August. Then there’s a song about September; Nothing Like September Morning. Ahh, a September morning is pleasure. For every month of the year there are poems.
And we have to learn to sing the songs of every month – not the gentile songs; you can sing your own songs. If we’ll sing all the songs, so we’ll start by singing songs in January – January is very good! The bracing cold of January is a blessing for the world. February? Ah mechayah! Walk outside in February, well dressed, and enjoy the brisk fresh air. March, April, May; every month has its blessing. Nissan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamuz, Av, Elul; every one of them is a time of special brochos. And the person who learns to appreciate them, that’s a שמח בחלקו.
TAPE # E-13 (June 1995)
