Mesillat Yesharim 14

בְּחֶלְקֵי הַפְּרִישׁוּת חֶלְקֵי הַפְּרִישׁוּת הָרָאשִׁיִּים שְׁלֹשָׁה: כִּי הִנֵּה יֵשׁ פְּרִישׁוּת בַּהֲנָאוֹת, פְּרִישׁוּת בַּדִּינִים, פְּרִישׁוּת בַּמִּנְהָגִים.

There are three principal divisions of Separation: There is Separation related to the pleasures, Separation related to the laws, and Separation related to the conducts.

הַפְּרִישׁוּת בַּהֲנָאוֹת, הוּא מָה שֶׁהִזְכַּרְנוּ בַּפֶּרֶק הַקּוֹדֵם, דְּהַיְנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא לָקַחַת מִדִּבְרֵי הָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא מָה שֶׁהַצֹּרֶךְ יַכְרִיחַ, וְדָבָר זֶה יַקִּיף עַל כָּל מָה שֶׁהוּא תַּעֲנוּג לְאֶחָד מִן הַחוּשִׁים, וְהַיְנוּ: בְּמַאֲכָלוֹת, בִּבְעִילוֹת, בְּמַלְבּוּשִׁים, בְּטִיּוּלִים, בִּשְׁמִיעוֹת וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, רַק בְּיָמִים שֶׁהָעֹנֶג בָּהֶם מִצְוָה.

Separation related to the pleasures is what we discussed in the previous chapter. Namely, to not take from the world except what necessity forces. This encompasses all that is pleasurable to any one of the senses, whether it be through food, conjugal relations, clothing, strolling, listenings, or in all other similar matters - to partake of them only at days where their enjoyment is a mitzva.

וְהַפְּרִישׁוּת בַּדִּינִים הוּא לְהַחְמִיר בָּהֶם תָּמִיד, לָחוּשׁ אֲפִלּוּ לְדִבְרֵי יָחִיד בְּמַחְלֹקֶת אִם טַעְמוֹ נִרְאֶה, אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁאֵין הֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתוֹ וּבִתְנַאי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה חֻמְרוֹ קֻלּוֹ.

Separation in the laws is to always be stringent in them. To be concerned even for the view of the solitary opinion if its reason has grounds, despite that the Halacha does not follow this opinion. The condition, however, is that his stringency not become a leniency.

וּלְהַחְמִיר בִּסְפֵקוֹת אֲפִלּוּ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְהָקֵל בָּהֶם. וּכְבָר בֵּאֲרוּ לָנוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זַ"ל מַאֲמַר יְחֶזְקֵאל (חולין לז): הִנֵּה נַפְשִׁי לֹא מְטֻמָּאָה, שֶׁלֹּא אָכַלְתִּי מִבְּהֵמָה שֶׁהוֹרָה בָּהּ חָכָם, וְלֹא אָכַלְתִּי מִבְּשַׂר כּוֹס כּוֹס. וְהִנֵּה כָּל זֶה מֻתָּר הוּא מִן הַדִּין וַדַּאי, אֶלָּא אִיהוּ דְּאַחְמִיר אַנַּפְשֵׁהּ.

Likewise, to be stringent in cases of doubt even in situations where one may be lenient. Our sages, of blessed memory, explained the statement of Yechezkel (Chulin 37b) "'behold my soul never became Tamei (spiritually unclean)' (Yechezkel 4:14) - for I never ate the flesh of an animal which a Sage was called to rule on nor did I ever eat the flesh of an animal about which one says "slaughter it, slaughter it [urgently]". Behold, all these things are certainly permitted according to the Halacha but he was stringent on himself and abstained.

וּכְבָר זָכַרְתִּי לְמַעְלָה שֶׁאֵין לִלְמֹד מִמָּה שֶׁהֻתַּר עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לַפְּרוּשִׁים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם לְהַרְחִיק מִן הַכִּעוּר וּמִן הַדּוֹמֶה לוֹ וּמִן הַדּוֹמֶה לַדּוֹמֶה. וְכֵן אָמַר מַר עוּקְבָא (שם קה): אֲנָא בְּהַאי מִלְּתָא חַלָּא בַּר חַמְרָא לְגַבֵּי אַבָּא, דְּאִילּוּ אַבָּא כַּד אָכַל בִּשְׂרָא הָאִדָּנָא, לָא הֲוָה אָכֵל גְּבִינָה עַד לִמְחַר כִּי הַשְׁתָּא, וַאֲנָא בְּהַאי סְעוּדְתָא לָא אֲכֵילְנָא בִּסְעוּדְתָא אַחֲרִיתִי אֲכֵילְנָא. וּבְוַדַּאי שֶׁאֵין פְּסַק הַהֲלָכָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אָבִיו עוֹשֶׂה, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן לֹא הָיָה מַר עוּקְבָא עוֹשֶׂה נֶגֶד זֶה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאָבִיו מַחְמִיר הָיָה בִּפְרִישׁוּתוֹ וּלְכָךְ הָיָה מַר עוּקְבָא קוֹרֵא עַצְמוֹ חַלָּא בַּר חַמְרָא לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה פָּרוּשׁ כָּל כָּךְ כָּמוֹהוּ.

I already explained earlier that what is permitted to the common masses cannot be applied to the Perushim (those who practice Separation) for it is incumbent on them to distance from what is repulsive, or the like and the like of the like. As, Mar Ukba said: "In this matter I am as vinegar derived from wine compared with my father. For if my father were to eat flesh now he would not eat cheese until this very hour tomorrow, whereas I do not eat [cheese] in the same meal but I do eat it in my next meal." (Chulin 105a). There is no question, the Halacha was not like his father did, for if it were, Mar Ukba would not have acted against this. Rather, his father was stringent in this due to his Separation. Therefore, Mar Ukba would call himself "vinegar derived from wine", for he did not measure up in Separation as much as his father.

וְהַפְּרִישׁוּת בַּמִּנְהָגִים הוּא הִתְבּוֹדְדוּת וְהַהִבָּדֵל מִן הַחֶבְרָה הַמְּדִינִית לְפַנּוֹת לִבּוֹ אֶל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְהַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בָּהּ כָּרָאוּי, וּבִתְנַאי שֶׁלֹּא יִטֶּה גַּם בָּזֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה הָאַחֵר, שֶׁכְּבָר אָמְרוּ זַ"ל (כתובות י"ז א): לְעוֹלָם תְּהֵא דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מְעֹרֶבֶת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכֵן אָמְרוּ (מכות י ב): חֶרֶב אֶל הַבַּדִּים וְנֹאָלוּ, חֶרֶב עַל שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים בַּד בְּבַד וְעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה. אֶלָּא יִתְחַבֵּר הָאָדָם עִם הַטּוֹבִים זְמַן מָה שֶׁמִּצְטָרֵךְ לוֹ לְלִמּוּדוֹ אוֹ לְפַרְנָסָתוֹ, וְיִתְבּוֹדֵד אַחַר כָּךְ לְהִדָּבֵק בֵּאלֹהָיו וּלְהַשִּׂיג דַּרְכֵי הַיֹּשֶׁר וְהָעֲבוֹדָה הָאֲמִתִּית.

Separation in conducts consists of secluding and separating oneself from societal company in order to turn one's heart to the divine service and to proper reflection in it. This is on condition that one does not turn in this to the opposite extreme. For our sages, of blessed memory, already said: "a person's mind should always associate with others" (Ketuvot 17a). Likewise they said: "[what is the meaning of the verse] "A sword is upon the boasters (baddim) and they shall become foolish" (Yirmiyahu 50:36) - A sword is upon the enemies of the disciples of the wise, who sit separately [bad bebad] and study Torah. [What is more, they become stupid]" (Makot 10a). Rather, one should associate with the good for whatever time he needs, for his Torah study or livelihood, and then seclude himself afterwards to cling to his G-d, and to attain the ways of the just and the true service.

וּבִכְלַל זֶה לְמַעֵט בְּדִבּוּרוֹ וְלִזָּהֵר מִן הַשִּׂיחָה בְּטֵלָה, וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהִסְתַּכֵּל חוּץ מֵאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹתָיו וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה מִן הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁהָאָדָם מַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ בָּהֶם עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁאָרִים לוֹ בְּטֶבַע אֶל תְּנוּעוֹתָיו.

Included in this [type of separation] is to minimize one's conversation and to guard from idle talk, and not gaze outside one's four cubits, and the like, of the [noble] things a man can habituate himself in until they become as second nature within him.

וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַחֲלָקִים הָאֵלֶּה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲמַרְתִּים לְךָ בִּכְלָלִים קְצָרִים, הִנְּךָ רוֹאֶה שֶׁהֵם כּוֹלְלִים פְּעֻלּוֹת רַבּוֹת מִפְּעֻלּוֹת הָאָדָם, וּכְבָר אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שֶׁהַפְּרָטִים אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְסֹר כִּי אִם לְשִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת לְהַיְשִׁיר אוֹתָם עַל יֹשֶׁר הַכְּלָל וַאֲמִתּוֹ.

Even though I have told over to you these three divisions as short general principles, you can nevertheless observe that they encompass many activities of human beings. And I already mentioned to you [last chapter] that it is impossible to set forth the details of their application because personal judgment is required to apply them properly according to the justness and truth of the general principles.