Q:
Does the Rav think that it’s a good idea to try to daven at a minyan that has Birchas Kohanim every day?
A:
That depends on where you come from and who you are.
I want to make a remark, however. A remark about something else. There are tzadikim who daven Vasikin – very early. Now it’s excellent but I must make one remark. On Shabbos they also daven Vasikin – and they miss the opportunity to hear a little bit of yiras shamayim from somebody who speaks. They come together for a minyan, they daven fast and they go home. Instead of davening in a place where there is a Rav and sometimes he’ll speak a few words of divrei mussar. It’s a valuable opportunity. And it’s more important than Vasikin.
“Asei li’cha Rav,” means: Always be in a place where there is a Rav. Somebody who will tell you something. Don’t think that you know everything. There’s no end to the amount of information that we require to know the derech Hashem. But the people who go early Shabbos morning to Vasikin – they’re so proud and happy when they come out early. And they come out without any kind of lesson. They’re not any better than they were last week. Nobody is telling them anything wrong about themselves and that’s a problem.
A person walks in blindness all his life. Do you know how many faults people have?! Somebody has to criticize you. Your wife is not enough. You need some kind of instruction. How else will you know the truth? We are living in a world of darkness. “Hi’nei choshech yi’chaseh aretz.” The world is covered with darkness. We are walking in darkness and we’re blind to the truths. Only if someone is teaching you can you see through the darkness. You have to have someone to tell you.
There’s nobody to tell you at Vasikin. Vasikin- they probably think it’s the very best thing. No, I don’t think it’s the very best thing.
TAPE #E-231
