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Rabbi Nachman of Breslov precisely describes the nature of the that speech “dwells with them in their uncleanness,” “and she goes
hitbodedut by means of which we attain this tremendous level. He with him even in a place of filth” (Likutei Moharan I 78).
teaches: “At first, a person should engage in many prayers and talks
… until he succeeds in nullifying an issue—i.e., in nullifying a trait All that the righteous Joseph could do was to speak with Hashem
and craving. Afterwards, he should engage [in this] again a great and pray, and he did so without end. Therefore, “the name of
deal … until he nullifies another trait and craving, and he should act heaven was perpetually in his mouth.” Similarly, when he was
in that way for a long time…, until he nullifies everything.” subjugated to harrowing daily blandishments (as the midrashim
describe), what did he do? How did he remain strong? Like every
That is to say, Rabbi Nachman states that if a person engages in tzaddik who was in trouble and in danger, and like every Jew who
many prayers he will bring about a change of nature and nullify is in peril, he called out to Hashem: “Rescue me, save me! Waters
his cravings. But he directs a person not to diffuse his prayers by have risen up to my soul. My soul has been placed in irons….” He
addressing a number of topics. Rather, each time he should take one did the work of the will, and he absolutely did not want to fail. As
topic and invest all of his will and prayers in dealing with it until he the verse states, “He refused” (Genesis 39:8). He was unyielding in
is effective and sees results and deliverance. Only afterwards should his will not to surrender even a hairsbreadth to the enticements of
he continue to another topic. That is the work of the will. This lust.
is the great innovation of “One Who Is Awake at Night.”
What have we learned? That prayer changes nature, and that by
Very sadly, most people are still very far from this work—even means of prayer a person nullifies his evil nature. The righteous
those who already engage in an hour of hitbodedut. That is why Joseph changed nature entirely. He transformed himself into a
even people who dedicate an hour every day to their personal complete tzaddik, entirely good, entirely luminous. He became one
rectification and to the work of prayer and hitbodedut do not of the seven shepherds. And he nullified not only his own evil but
advance (as discussed in Chapter Three, The Secret of Life). It is because the evil of all of Egypt. Alone, with the power of his prayer and will,
without dedicating at least half an hour to the work of the will it is he changed that most unclean place in the world, “the nakedness of
impossible to truly progress. the earth,” to a place that was prepared to receive and incorporate
the 70 pure souls of the house of Jacob. If not for the righteous
Simply put, Rabbi Nachman tells each person: Every day, you Joseph, who prepared this place for them, they would have fallen
must devote an hour to your personal work and to making a and been submerged there. Even such awesome tzaddikim as the
personal accounting. Nevertheless, you see that because of all of family of Jacob and the tribes could not have withstood such a
your evil inclinations and cravings you repeat many sins day after test. But this one Jew who engaged in this work brought about
day. Therefore, in addition to a personal accounting, you must accomplishment, rectification and purification for himself and for
engage in fundamental work as well. Choose one issue and focus all the entire nation of Israel that lasted generation after generation.
of your prayer only on that for an extended period of time. Your And so with the power of his prayer he transformed the coarse
imperfection in that area is due entirely to an insufficiency of prayer. Egyptians, who were “steeped in licentiousness,” to the level of
Every step forward in serving Hashem exacts a price of prayer. If righteousness. He had them all circumcised and raised them all to
you spread your prayers among many topics, you will not acquire the level of “guarding the covenant”!
anything. But if you devote all of your time, intent and prayers to
a single issue, you will achieve the required amount of prayers, and Parenthetically, this provides wonderful encouragement for our
you will see an effect. In the most straightforward sense, you will generation. It appears to many people that our generation has
nullify your evil traits and cravings. You will transform yourself, and descended to such places that the struggle is already lost, that there
you will learn from your own experiences the principle that prayer isn’t anything to be done, that people are impervious to influence