אות - רנט

Once he spoke with me and greatly extolled the virtue of longing and yearning and longing for holy matters — even though one does not merit to do them. Even so the longing and yearning themselves are very good, etc. As has been explained in our words several times.[441] And he then brought a proof for this from the halacha explained in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, section 62 (law 4): that one who is in a place that is not clean and cannot recite Shema should contemplate it in his heart. And the commentaries there explain[442] that the meaning is that he should contemplate in his heart that he needs to recite Shema and cannot — and be pained about it — and he receives reward for this.[443] See there. It is found that the longing and yearning that one is pained that one cannot perform the mitzvah — even though they cannot complete it — they too are precious and one receives reward for them. (What I found in the handwriting of a man — and it was not written in order and properly, and what I extracted from there I copied. And this is it.)[444] 441. RAK: See above, sections 12 and 14. 442. RAK: In the Magen Avraham, section 2. 443. RAK: Frisha there. 444. RAK: It appears that this discourse was said on Shabbos Chanukah in the portion of "Vayeshev." Only five times did Shabbos Chanukah fall on this Shabbos during Rabbainu's lifetime: in 5554, 5561, 5564, 5567, and 5568. It appears this discourse was said in the portion of Vayeshev 5554 or 5561, in Medvedevka or Zlatipolia.