Kedusha wrote on 21 Aug 2009 11:15:
Will wrote on 21 Aug 2009 07:20:
Kedusha, why shouldn't a person do everything within his power to reduce the amount of keri he experiences?
Dear Will,
Despite the messages above, my understanding was that you were quite serious, as your latest post indicates.
The short answer: Because the ways of the Torah are pleasant.
If you avoid Histaklus and Hirhur to the best of your ability, then a Mikreh Layla is not even considered an Aveira. If one carelessly brought it on based on letting his eyes stray during the day, then he is held accountable. Even in that case, it is very difficult to say that he will be punished for what happened while he was asleep, which was beyond his control. Rather, the punishment (unless he does Teshuva) is for what he did during the day.
Of course the ways of the Torah are pleasant. But the very battle of hirhurim is an unpleasant thing that is cumulative to a pleasant thing i.e. true fulfillment in Avodas Hashem. So to stick a tennis ball in your shirt for a couple of days, experiencing slight discomfort only for a bit, is worth it- first of all because you'll be doing it entirely lishma (if you wont get punished anyway), and second you really will be giving it your
all.
Even if the tennis ball only saves you the discomfort of getting up in the middle of the night and washing yourself off- for the rest of your days- it will have been worth it!
