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he should do what Rabbi Nachman writes in Likutei Moharan I
52 in its simple sense, and engage in a great deal of prayer for a
few hours every night or at least during the day until he nullifies
one element and uproots it entirely. But most people will not be
able to do this. This is possible only for a very few. Therefore, if a
person wants to see great and quick results, it is advisable that he
devote half an hour to one topic every day. But even if a person
wants to work on rectifying three or four things and cannot devote
half an hour to each, he will see results if he devotes ten minutes to
each. It will take much longer to reach perfection in these matters,
three times as long as it will take the person who devotes half an
hour. Certainly, even if—in addition to this half hour—he devotes a
minute or two a day to a few other items, he will certainly progress
and see changes there as well. That is considered a commitment
to engage in the work of the will in the future. But a person who
wants to see quick results must increase the length of his prayers.
In particular, he should dedicate at least half an hour a day to the
central issue that he wishes to rectify, because this half hour is a
notable and pronounced amount of time that has the power to
produce great results quickly. And on occasion, he will find time
to do more.
Many people feel that, realistically speaking, they cannot get rid of
their bad habits, transgressions, cravings, addictions and bad traits.
Therefore, they despair of repenting. But know and understand
that the essence of repentance is intention and yearning, and all that
heaven wants is that you intensify your intentions and yearnings.
Deepen your desire until you succeed in doing the work of the will
for at least half an hour. Every new day, pray with intention until
you see a true, actual change in your life.
“Come to Heshbon”
I have described Rabbi Nachman of Breslov’s path, which is the
easiest, most wondrous and most complete way to attain a perfect
rectification even while in this world. So what do you say? Is the
investment worth it? Do you want to taste at least once the taste of
Chapter Six: | 191
who were saved attained the wholeness of faith that Hashem wants
to save them. Therefore, they were inspired to pray stubbornly with
all their might in order to bring about their salvation immediately
and urgently, and to reveal the true will of Hashem, Who wants to
rescue them. Consequently, their prayer was complete: a strong
prayer, an absolute request without any coldness of spirit. As for
those who were not rescued, although they wanted to live and
felt death hovering above their heads and their hearts were on fire
within them, they did not believe with a wholeness of faith that
Hashem wants to rescue them. Therefore, they did not entreat Him
strongly and absolutely. As a result, their prayer did not have the
power to save them.
Not to Grow Cold
Therefore, a person’s prayer mirrors his measure of faith, and
it is accepted in accordance with his measure of faith. Here we
must be very careful. Many factors weaken our faith and prayer—in
particular, they weaken our core faith that Hashem wants to save
us. We need to know this and guard ourselves from these factors,
because we mus not allow anything to weaken our prayer.
Many times, a person’s familiarity with the teachings of the Torah
and the writings of the tzaddikim discourages him from crying out
and praying with absolute decisiveness. Even knowledge that is true
and filled with faith deters him from attaining wholeness of faith.
But it is forbidden to allow even such absolutely true knowledge to
weaken our prayer in the slightest.
For example, a person knows that Hashem is righteous and
upright: “He is my Rock, and there is no injustice in Him” (Psalms
92:16). He knows that everything is judged measure for measure.
If he was punished, that was certainly because of his sins, because
there is no suffering without sin. He was not stricken without reason.
Hashem does not condemn without justice. Therefore, he must do
complete teshuvah and examine his deeds. And therefore, he must
accept the King’s decree with love and with thanks, and so forth.
All of these are wonderful aspects of wholeness of faith, and they