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build the vessels with which to receive abundance. We do not pray are those vessels. It may be that in consequence of a person’s merits logic. As the Gemara tells, Balak’s ministers told Balaam: “Is there
in order to “persuade” Hashem. Hashem wants to give more than and good deeds heaven wants want to generously give him a great a father who hates his son?” (Sanhedrin 105a). That is to say, does
we want to receive. “More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow amount of holiness and purity, fear of heaven, love of Hashem and Hashem hate the Jews, who are His children? And thirdly, he
wants to nurse” (Pesachim 112a). We pray only in order to construct more. But he must have a great amount of vessels. And therefore he acted against the purpose of the entire world, which is the ongoing
vessels in which to receive the Creator’s goodness and kindness. must engage in much prayer. Even if, according to the reckonings existence and success of the nation of Israel. Nevertheless, the
Therefore, the longer we engage in prayer the more we receive. of heaven, he already deserves to receive, if he does not pray, he power of will is so great that he was led in the direction that he
will not receive. wanted to go. And all of this occurred to teach us that if it is
“To All Who Call to Him” true that a person is led in the way that he wants to go when he
Therefore, Rabbeinu Yerucham says (s.v. Bereishit) that although intends evil, how much more is it true when a person desires to do
the holy matriarchs were promised children and they had many Hashem’s will and come close to Hashem. This principle supplies
This law is stated in the Gemara (Berachot 32a): “Rabbi Chanin merits, “without prayer, they would not have attained anything.”
said in the name of Rabbi Chanina: When a person prays at length, And the same applies to the holy patriarchs and to Hashem’s such a person with great impetus and extensive assistance from
his prayer does not return empty.” We must know that this spiritual above to succeed in emerging from his evil and in attaining all
law is not at all different from any other law of nature that is familiar promise to our forefathers to redeem them. If they did not pray, goodness in this world.
they would not have been redeemed!
to us. Just as there is a law of nature that fire burns and heats, and
there is a law of nature that water extinguishes fire, so too is there Rabbeinu Yerucham concludes, “This is the measure: nothing is
a law that when a person prays at length his prayer does not return given. A person himself is obligated to take them. If he does not set
empty. his mind to pray, he will not attain anything.” A person’s desire has the power to bring about what
he deeply yearns for, even if it is evil. As our sages
We must read this statement carefully and note that the Gemara Thus, the Creator implemented a law in Creation that state, “In the way that a person wants to go…” (Makkot
does not say “when a righteous person prays at length,” but when we pray we bring down abundance and we receive 10b). With his will, a person can even attain all of the
“when a person prays at length,” because it really makes no all that we want. And so the Thus, the life of every person lovely things of this world, as long as nothing prevents
difference who is praying. If he prays at length, there is a law that proceeds in accordance with his prayers. that—i.e., if he does not rightfully deserve it, because
his prayer is accepted. As the verse in Psalms states, “Hashem is in that case it is withheld from him by heaven. If not
close to all who call out to Him” (Psalms 145:18), and as we say in for that, by means of his desire a person would attain
prayer, “He hears the prayer of every mouth” (siddur). Therefore, Fourth Law: When You Want, You Receive all that he wants.
every person who prays at length is assured that his prayer will not
return empty. And so the Gemara advises, “If a person sees that he The holy Gemara in Makkot (10b) teaches that “in the way that Tzidkat Hatzaddik 249
prayed and was not answered, he should pray again” (ibid.). a person wishes to go, he is led.” A person who wants something
is led in that direction. Even if he himself does not have the power
In accordance with this, Rabbi Natan teaches us an iron-clad to proceed, if he only wants, heaven leads him. Thus, the power
principle. He states, “Wherever I see a lack, it is either because of the will is the force that determines the totality of a person’s
people did not pray for something at all, or because they only existence. It is the engine of all life. This is clear, and requires Having Will, and Becoming a Master of Will
prayed a little.” When people lack something, that is because they no proofs and evidence. That which we want we do, without any
did not pray enough. restrictions. And the Gemara says that this is a law in accordance Until this point, I have explained at length that a person is
with which Hashem guides the world: a person is led in the way led in accordance with his will. That is fine, but what does this
Another aspect of this is that heaven may have determined that that he wants to go. mean in practical terms? In order that this law may be practically
a person deserves to receive material or spiritual abundance for his understood, the following explanation is necessary.
merits, but he does not receive it because he does not pray! Why?
That is because abundance must enter into vessels, and our prayers Heaven values and appreciates a person’s every intent, even