The Obligation to Write A Book
Sefer Chassidim #530:
Hashem preordains the number of books a person will write during his lifetime. He may decree that a person will write one, two, or three books or whether a person will discover new insights in the Talmud, detect ancient manuscripts, decipher foreign languages, or solve other mysteries. And if Hashem reveals something to a person and he does not publish it, he is, in fact, robbing the One who revealed it. Hashem revealed it to him only that he publicize it, as it says, “The secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him, so that they will make known His covenant” (Tehillim 25:14). The same idea is expressed in the verse, “Your springs will gush forth in streams in the public squares” (Proverbs 5:16).
Hashem preordains the number of books a person will write during his lifetime. He may decree that a person will write one, two, or three books or whether a person will discover new insights in the Talmud, detect ancient manuscripts, decipher foreign languages, or solve other mysteries. And if Hashem reveals something to a person and he does not publish it, he is, in fact, robbing the One who revealed it. Hashem revealed it to him only that he publicize it, as it says, “The secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him, so that they will make known His covenant” (Tehillim 25:14). The same idea is expressed in the verse, “Your springs will gush forth in streams in the public squares” (Proverbs 5:16).
6 Comments:
Wow. Beautiful posting.
thank you! wonderful post.
What if you are supposed to write 0 books and you write 1, 2 or 12?
With regards to the question of writing books when your not supposed to, i heard a beautiful teaching bishem Rav Avraham yishayah shlit"a the rosh yeshivah at brisk, were all familiar with the story bout the NETZIV zy"a when he dreamt that he died a shoemaker and in shamayim he was asked where all his seforim were, the rosh yeshivah says the opposite is true as well with mechabrei seforim, they are going to go to shamayim aand be asked where the shoes they were supposed to fix are... "hamakir es mikomo"
Interesting twist on that classic story.
What do you make of the exhortations of Koheleth about writing books ?
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