Don't Join The "Frummies" In Gehinom

I know Parshas Naso was last shabbos but I still think this is worthwhile to read.

Parshas Naso: Kli Yakar - Don't Join The "Frummies" In Gehinom

Rebbi Eliezer HaKiper famously states that the reason a Nazir Tamei brings a Korban Chatos. The Meforshim explain that despite his holy agenda, still he restrained himself from drinking wine and indulging in a pleasure that Hashem gave us. While this is a wonderful thing, nevertheless in a slight sense he did not live up to the order that Hashem created in the world.

The Kli Yakar asks, if so why is it that only a Nazir who became Tamei brings this Korban and not a Nazir Tahor who finished his term of Nezirus?

He answers that if he truly served his term of Nezirus and spent his days immersed in holiness like the Torah prescribes, then he is not a chotei and his abstinence is commendable. When he ends up becoming Tamei and the days of his Nezirus go to waste and he must start again, then has he abstained from the pleasures Hashem brought to the world in vain.

The Kli Yakar says this peirush is "yakar". Quite often we take on extra Chumros which we honor superficially. It does not penetrate our insides and is purely an external exercise and a show of frumkeit. One could wonder based on this Kli Yakar if at the end of day we will need to give a Din VaCheshbon on all the grief and pain our abstinence causes us that we did not take advantages of the conveniences Hashem blessed us with and we chose to give them up for silly reasons that have nothing to do with Hashem's will.

This may be pshat in the gemara Yuma (72b). The gemara says that a Talmid Chochom must be gold on the inside and on the outside, MiBayis U'MiChutz Titzapenu" (Shemos 25:11). "Woe is to those who learn Torah but do not have Yiras Shamayim!" Rava pleaded with his Talmidim not to live two Gehinom's, one on this world toiling in Torah and not benefiting from this world, yet earning a second Gehinom when they arrive in Shamayim and find out their efforts were not at all appreciated.

When sacrificing for a Chumra ask yourself two questions. First is it really justified? Secondly "why am I doing this"? Don't be a martyr only to join the Nazir Tamei section of Gehinom. Better to do it right and be Kadosh V'Tahor. It is the same act and only a shift in mindset, but at the end it make a huge difference.