50 Day Program for Bochurim

Welcome to interactive presentation, created with Publuu. Enjoy the reading!

Shovavim is an acronym for the six weekly

Torah portions Shemot, Vaera, Bo, Beshelah,

Yisro and Mishpatim. The word Shovavim

alludes to the Pasuk in Yirmiya (3:14), “Shuvu

Banim Shovavim” – “Return, wayward

children”… The Arizal taught that these

weeks are especially auspicious for doing

Teshuvah in the area of Kedusha since

these are the parshiyos about the slavery in

Mitzrayim and our subsequent redemption.

It’s a time when there is special divine

assistance for every Jew who wants to be

free of the shackles of the Yetzer Hara!

By working on this area together as a group,

we all increase each other’s strength!

Tzadikim have said that the redemption

of Klal Yisrael, both as a people and as

individuals, depends on our working in

the area of Kedusha. This is the test of the

final generation before Moshiach. Never in

history have there been such challenges,

and this is our ticket out of Galus! And on

the individual level as well, a person is

saved from depression and anxiety and

achieves an inner peace. יֵרְֵׁபִיׁלְוּ קיִִஏ ַּ஢ ּלְ ּעַֻרֵָזָ רֵוֹא

הָחָׁמְִִ஫ בֵלְ. Without working on this area, it is

impossible to merit true joy.

INTRODUCTION

I rejoiced upon learning that you have

been inspired in the path of kedushah,

to go in the way of righteousness during

these holy weeks of םיִבִָבִוֹשׁ. If only I could

become part of your wonderful group!

However, our generation is not like the

generations of old, who afflicted

themselves physically, as is well known.

The suffering that we endure by avoiding

evil, by controlling our desire... and by

controlling our thoughts, whether during

tefillah or as we go about our activities —

this is more honorable and beneficial [than

physical affliction].

… How pleasant is your lot, for you have

bonded together to strengthen yourselves

during these holy days. While it is not within

our abilities to fast and afflict ourselves as

in previous generations, without a doubt

the discomfort of controlling our desires is

more exalted and beneficial than the

discomfort from withholding food and

drink from ourselves.

Some people think that Shovavim is a tikkun

practiced only among mekubalim and

chassidim. Below we quote from a letter of

Rav Simchah Zissel (Der Alter) of Kelm to a

group of bachurim who had undertaken

special improvements in their avodas

Hashem during these weeks.

(Kisvei HaSaba MiKelm, Chanukah U’Purim p. 29.)

Made with Publuu - flipbook maker