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Peace Be upon You, Angels of Will must be awe-struck at how all of creation, from its very
inception, was imbued with this law. Thus, all [vegetation]
The statement from the Gemara that “in the way that a person existed right under the surface but did not blossom and
wishes to go, he is led” more literally reads as, “In the way that nothing was given, whether material or spiritual, until
a person wants to go, they lead him.” The Maharsha (one of the man came and brought it out of the ground. And how
great commentators on the Gemara, who lived about 400 years did he bring it out? With prayer.
ago), asks: Who is it that leads him? It is Hashem. As the verse
states, “From Hashem are the steps of a man established” (Psalms That is to say, it is possible to receive true abundance only by
37:23). However, the Gemara should then have stated, “He leads means of prayer. “True abundance” means abundance that brings
him”—in the singular. Why does it say, “They lead him”—in the a person close to Hashem, because he knows clearly that Hashem
plural? The Maharsha explains that a person’s every intent creates gave him the abundance, and he thanks Hashem for that. When
an angel. Thus, every person, in accordance with all of his intents, a person receives without prayer, that is not true abundance, but
creates many angels. It is these that guide him and lead him—either abundance that will harm him, that will fill him with pride so that
on the good path or, heaven forbid, on the bad path, if he desires he thinks that he in and of himself is a success who attained this
evil. Therefore, the Gemara states that “they lead him,” in the abundance, and that will distance him from Hashem.
plural.
The entire purpose of creation is that we recognize the Creator
In accordance with this wonderful explanation of the Maharsha, and know that everything comes from Him. And we know and
we may understand the source of the mighty powers of a person’s recognize the Creator as a result of receiving everything by
will. Your intentions create angels, which give you the power to go engaging in prayer. Therefore, “The essence of bonding and
forth and act. The more you strengthen your intentions, the more clinging to Hashem, may He be blessed, comes about by means
angels you create. If you have strong intentions, you will have an of prayer. That is because prayer is the gate through which we
entire army of heavenly angels working to serve you, actualizing all come to Hashem, may He be blessed. And from there we know
of your good intentions. Him” (Likutei Moharan II 84). Hashem yearns for the prayer of every
individual and desires the prayer of every individual, because that is
This army of angels is no simple matter. the purpose of all creation. Therefore, the Creator established a law
that he will certainly accept whoever prays. If so, whoever wants to
The book of Kings (Kings II 6) tells that the prophet Elisha knew by receive something must engage in much prayer.
Divine inspiration all of the plans of the king of Aram, and divulged
them to the king of Israel. This was the most perfect intelligence When we pray at length, we will certainly attain. Know that
service in history. Only one person knew everything, without a there is a spiritual principle that all states that all abundance that
lookout post and wiretaps, without satellites and spies. King Aram descends from above must come through vessels. These vessels
decided to put an end to this. The Bible tells: are the words of prayer. As Rabbi Nachman says: “How can we
bring down abundance? With prayer. Because the words are vessels
[The king of Aram] sent horses and chariots there that receive the abundance” (Likutei Moharan I 102). Thus, Hashem
[where Elisha was], and a great army. They came at always wants to generously give abundance. And so He wants
night and surrounded the city. us to bring vessels to receive that abundance, since abundance
that comes without vessels harms the recipient. In consequence,
The servant of the man of God awoke early and went Hashem wants us to pray and engage in much prayer in order to