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The rabbis taught: The verse, “You shall not defile you must change your nature. And to that end there is one path
yourselves with them, that you should become unclean that is simple, clear, and accessible to every individual.
through them” (Leviticus 11:43), means that if a person
defiles himself a little, they defile him a great deal. If he The Second Law: Prayer Changes Nature
defiles himself from below, they defile him from above.
If he defiles himself in this world, they defile him in the Rabbi Nachman states, “Prayer changes nature.” Know that only
world-to-come. one thing changes nature and that is prayer, in which we beseech
the Creator, Who made nature, to change it.
Our rabbis taught: The verse, “You shall sanctify
That principle is stated in our sources many times, and it is a basic
yourselves and you shall be holy” (ibid. 44), means that article of faith for every believer: that the entire power of nature is
when a person sanctifies himself a little, they sanctify him in the hands of the Creator, Who can change nature with His will
a great deal. When he sanctifies himself from below, they and bring about miracles and wonders. Therefore, regarding every
sanctify him from above. When he sanctifies himself in trouble and every problem, without exception, even matters that
this world, they sanctify him in the world-to-come. have no natural solution, it is possible and necessary to turn to the
Creator and seek His aid.
What is the meaning of “if a person comes to purify himself…”?
This is not speaking about a person who is already purified, but a I will relate an episode that is recorded in the Gemara (Ta’anit
person who no more than intends to be purified. Already at that 25a):
stage, he is helped from heaven to actualize his good intentions.
Here too we must read the Gemara carefully, as did the Maharsha. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa had a woman neighbor.
The Gemara states, “They open … They help … They purify …”— She built a house and ordered wooden beams for the
in the plural. The Ritva (who lived about 700 years ago) explains roof, but the beams were too short. She went to Rabbi
that those who “assist him” are the angels: “If he sanctifies himself Chanina ben Dosa and told him her problem. He prayed
from below, the holy angels sanctify him from above. Similarly, the
Gemara in Makkot says, ‘In the way that a person wishes to go, he for her until the beams grew a cubit longer than was
is led,’ and the Gemara in Yoma says, ‘When a person comes to be necessary on each side. The Maharsha explains that the
purified, they assist him.’ Both of those sources are based on the beams grew longer than necessary in order to publicize
same verse, ‘If [a person goes] in the direction of scoffing, there the miracle. Indeed, one of the Tannaim tells that he saw
will be scoffing; [if he goes] to humility, he evokes grace.’” that house, and the residents of the city told him: “This
is the house for which Rabbi Chanina provided a roof
From this Gemara quote, we may learn about the principle being with his prayers.” Thus, heaven wished to strengthen
discussed here that a person does not have the power to sanctify people’s faith in the power of prayer.
himself, because physicality and cravings are embedded within him.
The person’s physicality and coarse body with its cravings prevent In this story, we see how Rabbi Chanina’s prayer brought about a
him from being spiritual and holy. Holiness is transcendent, a change complete and absolute change in nature, so that the wooden beams
of nature. A person needs a great deal of heavenly assistance to be grew longer. That is not an unusual story. There are more such
sanctified, and the way to receive this help is to want. Thus, the narratives without end. And that is “because, in truth, the tzaddik
sole way for a person to be truly sanctified is to engage his will rules with his prayer. As the verse states, ‘The righteous man rules’
to be sanctified. If a person wants, they will sanctify him; if he