Group None

Now, if we look with a penetrating eye, we will see that our strategies focused on remedies against the evil urge are only in the physical dimension, namely, contemplation of reverence and study of halakhot, as mentioned above. For the second type of remedy,53Torah study in general, not necessarily halakhot connected with the specific sin. the spiritual dimension, emerges of its own accord,54There is no logical connection between the studied text and the sin; the healing effect is consequent to Torah study. and is therefore called a coincidental remedy. For Torah study, a positive mitzva in its own right, hinges on its parameters, as defined by the halakhot of Torah study regarding how to practice it vis-à-vis worldly affairs. There is no difference in the practice [of Torah study] whether a person’s urge overwhelms him a lot or a little; a person must study constantly in order to fulfill the mitzva of Torah study properly, even if his urge is not overwhelming (see our preceding essay55This may be an editorial reference inserted by R. Blazer to Letter 31, which addresses the importance of learning Torah. In R. Blazer’s editorial judgement, he placed Iggeret HaMussar immediately after Letter 31, even though chronologically it was written much earlier.). And [even if his evil urge is overwhelming], he is not required to learn more than his obligation. When he upholds the mitzva of learning Torah properly, its spiritual remedies are extended, as a matter of consequence, to his urge, somehow.56R. Salanter may be polemicizing against those who argue that one should learn Torah and not Mussar. They would be claiming that learning Torah reduces the evil urge and prevents sin. R. Salanter acknowledges this effect, although he has no rationale for it, but still insists that learning Torah is not enough.