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(Samuel II 23:3)” (Likutei Moharan I 10). Therefore, the Gemara also out, and behold, an army with horses and chariots attain a tremendous capacity to proceed obstinately in order to
tells about tzaddikim who were able to revive the dead. Is there any surrounded the city. [Elisha’s] attendant said to him: fulfil their cravings.
change of nature greater than that? “Oh, my master, what shall we do?”
Indeed, one of the examples that the above Gemara brings
In truth, every Jew can change nature with his prayer. “Every He said: “Do not be afraid, because those who are with regarding the topic of the power of the will, that “in the way that
individual of Israel has the level of ‘the righteous man rules’…. As us are more numerous than those who are with them.” a person wishes to go, he is led,” is from such a negative intention:
the verse states, ‘Your people are all righteous’ (Isaiah 60:21). That
is the meaning of the verse, ‘Israel is His governance’ (Psalms 114:2). Elisha prayed and said: “Hashem, please open his eyes The wicked prophet Balaam was asked by Balak, king of Moab,
That is to say, who rules over Me? The righteous man” (Likutei to curse the nation of Israel. When he sought permission from the
Moharan 34). so that he will see.” Hashem opened the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, to do so, Hashem, may He be blessed,
youth and he saw and behold, the mountain was filled did not agree, and told him: “You shall not go with them. You shall
It is not only that every Jew can change nature, but it is the will with horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. not curse the nation, because it is blessed” (Numbers 22:12). The
of Hashem that the people of Israel will rule with their prayer, and Holy One, blessed be He, revealed explicitly that He did not want
in this way draw abundance into the world. This is because, when The attendant did not initially see this great army of Elisha, Balaam to go with the agents of the king of Moab, and that He did
they implement prayer and thus rule in the world, the sovereignty because it was not a material army but a spiritual army of angels not want him to curse Israel.
of Hashem is revealed and expands. who accompanied and shielded the prophet Elisha. Only when
Elisha prayed did Hashem gave the attendant the spiritual sight to But Balaam very much wanted to. He lusted for the great sum
In accordance with this, we may say: Do you truly want to see the angels. The end of the story is that the “weak” prophet of money that had been promised him and for the honor that
change? Know that this means that in essence you want to change Elisha alone took this entire great army into captivity to the city of he would receive. In addition, a natural hatred for the nation of
your human nature: “A person’s spirit [naturally] craves and Shomron. There they were given food and sent away. There was Israel seethed within him. He stubbornly persisted until in the end
desires thievery and forbidden relations” (Makkot, Chapter 3). When no need to kill them, because they understood that they could not the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: “If the men came to
you pray, you can change nature. You can nullify all of your evil capture this man of God. summon you, arise, go with them” (Numbers 22:20).
drives, and fervently desire Hashem, so that all of the impulses and
desires of your heart will be directed only toward Hashem. And so, According to the Maharsha, whoever strengthens himself and Is it possible that the Holy One, blessed be He, changed His mind,
if you have cravings and overpowering addictions, evil traits and the increases his power of intent creates many angels of intent that heaven forbid? He does not change, and He does not reassess and
like, know that you have a way of nullifying all of this and leave it surround and accompany him, and with their power he can act and reconsider. Rather, we learn from here that the power of the will
all behind with prayer, because according to the spiritual laws the accomplish without fear, because they guard him and guide him. is so strong that it can change the Divine guidance of the world.
way to change nature is to engage in prayer. That is one of the principles that the Holy One, blessed be He,
They Sanctify You from Above embedded in His world: “in the way that a person wishes to go, he
Third Law: When a Person Prays at Length, His is led.” The Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, “nullifies Himself”
Prayer Is Certainly Accepted We find a similar explanation offered by the Ritva, one of the to every individual and does his will—“to act in accordance with the
rishonim. The Gemara states (Yoma 38b): will of each man” (Esther 11:8)—whether positively or negatively.
May it be Hashem’s will that we succeed in revealing this awesome
We must know that it is impossible to receive anything without power in order to use it only for positive goals: for building and
prayer! That is one of the laws of creation, as expressed in the book Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse, beautifying the world.
Da’at Torah (by Rabbi Yerucham Leibovitz of Mir: Bereishit): “If [a person goes] in the direction of scoffing, there will
be scoffing; [if he goes] to humility, he evokes grace”
This is a principle in all Creation: that nothing is given (Proverbs 6:34)? [It means that] if a person comes to defile An Eternal Love
without prayer. And that is indeed a new insight and himself, they provide an opening for him. If a person
a great revelation regarding the topic of prayer…. We comes to purify himself, they assist him…. Balaam knew this principle and he used it for evil. That being