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and are past hope, heaven forbid. That is all correct in actuality. impossible. And it is impossible to describe to you what sort of life Rabbi Nachman knew that people are living in the reality of this
But with will and with prayer, there are no limitations. You carry awaits you when you use this tool and begin to act and transform world. Even those people who have will believe that they cannot set
out your obligation of intent and allow the Creatorto do His part. yourself. You will see the way to the Garden of Eden! aside all of their activities and engage only in the work of the will for
When you do the work of the will, you can be entirely protected, several hours every night. In truth, this is not correct. There is no
holy and pure even in this generation, even if you are on the lowest Acquire and Progress “can’t,” but only “doesn’t want.” Nevertheless, Rabbi Nachman 5
level. Not only do you withstand all of the tests, but along with offered us the greatest discount: an hour—at a minimum—every
yourself you rescue the entire generation and the entire world. Rabbi Nachman’s famous and fundamental teaching on how day. Less than that makes a mockery of this work. Decide: do you
That is because when a Jew rises in holiness, level by level, he raises a person may attain rectification is called “One Who Is Awake want to change or not? And thus said Rabbi Nachman:
all of the worlds as well. As Rabbi Nachman of Breslov teaches, at Night” (Likutei Moharan I 52). This contains the most basic
“When a person who was on the lowest level rises a level, he causes instructions about the service of the will, and the present book is [Rabbi Nachman] discussed hitbodedut a great deal.
a second person right above him to rise a level. And that second based on that teaching. He spoke at great length in a wonderful talk using various
person causes the person above him to rise a level, and so forth and expressions with which to encourage us and urge us
so on, higher and higher” (Likutei Moharan I 25). In this teaching, our holy rabbi, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, states strongly to encourage ourselves to engage in a great deal
that the proper way for a person to nullify all of his cravings and evil of hitbodedut and speak to our Maker.
Who Does Not Want? traits is to first focus on one evil trait or craving that has dominated
him and work on it for a long period of time, praying at length, He said that he would have wanted us to engage in
These awesome tzaddikim, Moses, Joseph and David, who until he nullifies it. Then he should choose another trait and engage hitbodedut the entire day, spending the entire day on
attained a perfect will, also attained perfect prayer. They reveal to in much prayer until he nullifies that one—and so on for evil trait this, but not everyone can do this. Therefore, one
us the secret of the power of diligence and tenacity in prayer, and after evil trait, and evil craving after evil craving, until he is cleansed must direct people to engage in at least some hour
what can be achieved and attained by means of prayer. They are a of all evil intentions, and he has a strong will and many wondrous of hitbodedut, because that too is very good.
living model for the work of the will. vessels of prayer. And then there is no end to the abundance that But if a person’s heart is strong in [serving] Hashem
he will receive. Rabbi Nachman does not term this “the work of
We have learned that in order to induce a true change we need the will,” but this is in fact the work of the will about which I am and he wants to truly accept His service, then [Rabbi
extremely strong spiritual intentions. But intention is not enough. speaking: that a person set aside time every day to be strong in his Nachman’s] will is that this person engage in hitbodedut
We must express our spiritual intentions with our mouths, translating will and in his prayers until he sees a change in himself. the entire day. “If only a person would pray the entire
them into long prayers on spirituality. As Rabbi Nachman states: day” (Berachot 21a). (Likutei Moharan II 96)
“Know that it is not sufficient for a person to yearn in his heart Practically speaking, Rabbi Nachman innovates here a way
alone. A person must express his longings with his lips. That is the within a way. Overall, the way of hitbodedut is an astounding From Rabbi Nachman’s words, I understood that the work must
basis for the institution of the prayer service. This is because the method by means of which we attain tremendous and infinite be made easy for people. Therefore, I relied on his statement that
yearning in the heart creates a potential soul and ‘vowels.’ But benefit. And within that hitbodedut is a wondrous way of engaging this work should take at least an hour in order that it be something
when a person expresses his yearning with his mouth, that soul is in self-rectification. I call this teaching, which is presented “One of value, but it does not have to be more. I understood that a
actualized.” Who Is Awake at Night,” the work of the will. person needs to devote at least half an hour a day to work on one
topic, so that there will remain time for a personal accounting, since
The midrash states: “Open for Me an opening of repentance like Rabbi Nachman states: “It is only possible to attain nullification if he spends less time than that, he evidently does not understand
the eye of a needle, and I will open portals for you through which by means of hitbodedut. When a person engages in hitbodedut and the meaning of the work of the will, and he does not understand
carriages and wagons can pass.” The opening is the heart and the speaks to his Maker, he is able to nullify all of his cravings and the meaning of prayer and yearning. A half hour commitment is
will. Everyone has will—everyone makes these openings. So why evil traits until he succeeds in nullifying all of his physicality, the minimum amount to show that a person really wants to engage
doesn’t the Holy One, blessed be He, open portals for us as He and he is absorbed into the root of his being.” in this. A person who thinks that such a commitment isn’t possible
promised? Rabbi Simchah Bunim of Peshishcha states that although apparently does not understand what he is doing here in this world.