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The Ramchal testifies that this is easy advice that bears much Request forgiveness for the things that were not in keeping with
fruit, that it is the greatest and most useful advice. Moreover, not His will, and seek help from now on in all material and spiritual
only is it the most useful, but there is no other way. None! As he matters—in particular, in all matters that involve serving Hashem—
writes in The Path of the Just (Chapter 3): in --where you need His help. That is all. Regarding this, Rabbi
Nachman said (Likutei Moharan II 25):
I see the need for a person to be meticulous and weigh
his actions every day, like the great merchants who Hitbodedut is on a high level. It is greater than anything
constantly evaluate all of their business dealings so that else. In this practice, a person sets aside a minimum
they will not deteriorate. He should set aside time of an hour to isolate himself in a room or a field and
for this so that his evaluation will not be haphazard, speak to his Creator. He uses logic and arguments, and
but very regular, because that yields great results. he expresses gracious words of appeasement to ask and
Our sages, may their memory be for a blessing, taught request Him, may He be blessed, to truly bring him close
us explicitly the need for this accounting. They said, may to Him and serve Him.
their memory be for a blessing, “‘Therefore, say the
rulers, Let us enter into an accounting’ (Numbers 21:27). This prayer and speech should be in a person’s native
This may be read as: Therefore, say those who rule over tongue…, because it is relatively easy and simple for
their evil inclinations, Come and let us consider the a person to break his heart in his own language. That
reckoning of the world: the loss incurred by a mitzvah is because his heart is involved and more accessible…,
compared to its reward, and the reward of a transgression since he is used to that language…. Thus, he can express
compared to its loss…” (Bava Batra 78b). everything in his speech. He should speak and tell Him,
may He be blessed, everything that is in his heart—
And only those who are no longer controlled by whether regret and repentance over the past or request
their evil inclination but who rule over it can offer and pleading to be able to truly come close to Him,
this true advice and recognize its truth. However, if may He be blessed, from this day onward, and the like—
a person is still imprisoned in the jail of his evil inclination, everyone on his level.
his eyes do not see this truth and he cannot recognize it,
because the evil inclination literally blinds his eyes. He is A person should be very careful to accustom himself
like someone walking in the dark with stumbling blocks to engage in this practice regularly for a designated hour
before him, which his eyes do not see…. But those who every day, and the rest of the day he should be happy.
rule over their evil inclination, those who have already This practice is extremely great. It is an excellent and
emerged from the paths and clearly see all of the paths commendable method to come close to Him, may He
before their eyes, can advise a person who wants to be blessed. It is a universal, recommended practice that
listen, and we must believe them. And what counsel do includes everything. A person should speak and plead
they give us? “Let us enter into an accounting—come with Him, may He be blessed, regarding everything that
and let us consider the reckoning of the world.” That is he lacks in his service of Hashem, or even if he is entirely
because they have already experienced, seen and known far, completely removed, from serving Him, may He be
blessed.