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Intrusive Thoughts

Question:

Hi Cvod Harav,
I struggle a lot with intrusive thoughts, especially about regretting mitzvot. It makes me very worried I can lose them. What does the Rav suggest that I do? Bh I already say the Ben Ish Chai ztl Moddah to cancel bad thoughts throughout the day.
Also, May the Rav please help me understand how the halacha looks upon an intrusive thought, what is the difference between an actual thought , & an intrusive thought- the amount of time it lasts, if one ponders on it, etc.
Thanks Cvod Harav!

Answer:

Thank you for your question.

Having such thoughts can be very perturbing, and worry some, but in truth you don’t have to worry about it. The reason is very simple, you don’t really mean to regret all the good deeds that you did…not at all. You don’t deeply mean to regret the good things you did until now, you are not taking a different course in life. You are merely being attacked by your yetzer hora, who is harassing you with such thoughts, in order to make you nervous. In fact, the opposite is true, these yetzer hora induced thoughts, are causing you to love your past mitzvos even more! Therefore my suggestion is, that whenever you get such thoughts, ignore them and realize that is just your yetzer hora playing games with you, and gently think about a different topic.

Best wishes

 

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