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wants, they will nullify all of his physicality; if he wants, they will The rabbis taught: The verse, “You shall not defile you must change your nature. And to that end there is one path
purify him. And this is taught explicitly in the wonderful words of yourselves with them, that you should become unclean that is simple, clear, and accessible to every individual.
the Sefat Emet (Kedoshim 5632): “How can flesh and blood be through them” (Leviticus 11:43), means that if a person
sanctified? Only when a person has the will and yearning for that.” defiles himself a little, they defile him a great deal. If he The Second Law: Prayer Changes Nature
Again, what is the meaning of “will”? It means that a person sets defiles himself from below, they defile him from above.
aside time for the work of the will—i.e., he engages in prayer for If he defiles himself in this world, they defile him in the Rabbi Nachman states, “Prayer changes nature.” Know that only
what he wants for a significant amount of time every day.
world-to-come. one thing changes nature and that is prayer, in which we beseech
This idea can be a source of great encouragement for all of those the Creator, Who made nature, to change it.
who have fallen into the craving of unhealthy eating. The Torah Our rabbis taught: The verse, “You shall sanctify That principle is stated in our sources many times, and it is a basic
says, “Sanctify yourself with what is permitted to you” (Yevamot yourselves and you shall be holy” (ibid. 44), means that article of faith for every believer: that the entire power of nature is
20a). Even if a person eats only kosher food, if he gives free rein when a person sanctifies himself a little, they sanctify him in the hands of the Creator, Who can change nature with His will
to his cravings, he is called “a sordid person within the parameters a great deal. When he sanctifies himself from below, they and bring about miracles and wonders. Therefore, regarding every
of the Torah” (Ramban on Kedoshim). From the words of the Sefat sanctify him from above. When he sanctifies himself in trouble and every problem, without exception, even matters that
Emet, we learn: how is it possible to sanctify oneself? Only by this world, they sanctify him in the world-to-come. have no natural solution, it is possible and necessary to turn to the
means of the work of the will. Creator and seek His aid.
What is the meaning of “if a person comes to purify himself…”?
That being the case, even though a person’s physical and spiritual 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
capabilities and possibilities are very limited and constrained, and person who no more than intends to be purified. Already at that 25a):
in practical terms he is truly total nothingness—as the prophet stage, he is helped from heaven to actualize his good intentions.
Isaiah says, “Withdraw yourselves from man, whose breath is in Here too we must read the Gemara carefully, as did the Maharsha. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa had a woman neighbor.
his nostrils, because in what merit is he to be esteemed?” (Isaiah The Gemara states, “They open … They help … They purify …”— She built a house and ordered wooden beams for the
2:22)—when he wants, he attains the help of heaven, both in the in the plural. The Ritva (who lived about 700 years ago) explains
material and in the spiritual realms, receiving infinite powers beyond that those who “assist him” are the angels: “If he sanctifies himself roof, but the beams were too short. She went to Rabbi
the way of nature so as to become unlimited, because Hashem is from below, the holy angels sanctify him from above. Similarly, the Chanina ben Dosa and told him her problem. He prayed
with him—and who will tell Hashem what to do and what to bring 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
about? Therefore, a person’s true will changes nature! 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
They Open the Way for Him 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
This is also true in a negative sense: a person’s desire for bad is the house for which Rabbi Chanina provided a roof
things creates evil angels that will lead him to those things, because From this Gemara quote, we may learn about the principle being with his prayers.” Thus, heaven wished to strengthen
the power of the will is extraordinarily strong. Therefore, many discussed here that a person does not have the power to sanctify people’s faith in the power of prayer.
times we see that “the way of the wicked succeeds” (Jeremiah 12:1). himself, because physicality and cravings are embedded within him.
Such people succeed in their evil because their evil intentions create The person’s physicality and coarse body with its cravings prevent In this story, we see how Rabbi Chanina’s prayer brought about a
destructive angels that help them go on their way. In particular, we him from being spiritual and holy. Holiness is transcendent, a change complete and absolute change in nature, so that the wooden beams
see that when cravings blaze in lustful and sinful people—and such 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
cravings constitute a very great and powerful will—these people 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