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of this nation in accordance with the greatness of Your kindness, realm of spirituality, prayer must be accepted immediately. But we put all our strength into crying out to Hashem, so that even if
and as You have forgiven this nation from Egypt until now” when we pray for physical matters, although certainly Hashem we make an opening only as large as the eye of a needle, it will at
(Numbers 14:19). Moses said: “Just as You forgave them until this wants to give and pour forth an abundance of good for the house least be a complete opening.
point, forgive them now as well.” This raises a question: Is that an of Israel, it is impossible to ask Hashem to save us immediately,
argument? On the contrary, if, after all of the times that Hashem but we must wait and look forward with patience for His salvation. The Fourth Axiom: Hashem Wants to Save Us
forgave them, they sinned again, they do not deserve to have Him That is because in physical matters there are heavenly reckonings Spiritually Immediately, at This Very Moment
forgive them now. But Moses knew very well that Hashem wants regarding what a person must undergo in his life and under what
to forgive the nation of Israel because He wants people to do conditions he must serve the Creator. Sometimes, if he is physically
teshuvah. Therefore, Moses did not request forgiveness because rescued that will interfere with his spiritual mission, which is the The One Who graciously gives man knowledge enlightened my
the nation of Israel deserved it. On the contrary, he requested principal factor. Therefore, heaven witholds his physical rescue. eyes on this point with new depth: not only does the Creator want
forgiveness because they did not deserve it—and that is because And it is forbidden to force matters. But spiritual salvation cannot to give to you, but He wants to give to you immediately, this very
moment! When we approach prayer with the proper feeling that
granting this forgiveness reveals Hashem’s compassion. As the be prevented, because attaining that is our entire purpose, it is
verses state: “May the power of Hashem be increased now as You why we were created. Therefore, in Psalms we find many times we must be saved spiritually, we have to come with a wholeness of
spoke, saying: Hashem is patient and extremely kind….” (ibid. 17- that King David asks Hashem, “Make haste to help me,” “Hurry faith that Hashem wants to save us right now.
18). Moses meant to say: “Now is the time to reveal all of the traits to me,” “Quickly rescue me,” “Swiftly answer me,” and so forth. The will of Hashem, with which He created the universe, is more
of compassion that You taught me. Now You must forgive the than something “necessary.” Therefore, be aware that when you
people, because this is Your way and Your true will.” Only in Spirituality come to pray to Hashem regarding your spiritual existence, your
prayer must be accepted. Why? Not because you deserve it, but
And indeed, the Holy One, blessed be He, forgives and acquits. Regarding the topic of prayer that we are learning about here,
He told Moses, “I have forgiven in accordance with your word,” people have asked me: “If I pray to meet my true marriage partner, because Hashem is compassionate and wants to save all those who
and He continued, “As I live…” (ibid. 20-21). The Gemara puts call out to Him in truth. It is true that, from the aspect of who a
these two phrases together and presents a wonderful interpretation: can I ask Hashem to answer me immediately, right now? After all, person is and from the aspect of his deeds, he does not deserve
a person’s entire spirituality depends on his spouse, because then
“This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: he is complete, he is protected from sinning, he can keep many anything. Hashem is not obligated to anyone for anything. Rabbi
Nachman says (Likutei Moharan I 2) that it is not fitting to receive
Moses, You have revived Me with your words” (Berachot 32a). mitzvot, and his entire service of Hashem is on another level.” I
This means that Hashem told Moses, “This was truly My entire will: tell these people, “Praying to meet your marriage partner is called reward even for one’s good deeds, because everything that a person
to forgive and have compassion on the nation of Israel. But I cannot accomplishes is possible only because he received Hashem’s loving
forgive without prayer and outcry. Your outcries and arguments, as a prayer for something physical. Therefore, it is impossible to tell assistance, as the midrash states, commenting on the verse, “Who
Hashem, ‘Give me my spouse, because You want to save me now.’
it were, ‘helped’ Me forgive them as I truly wanted to. Therefore, Who said that Hashem wants to provide you with your spouse right preceded me that I should pay” (Job 41:3). But Hashem wants to
give and help everyone spiritually. That is His will! It is because of
as it were, you revived Me with your words!” So too everyone now? You cannot know the reckonings of heaven.”
who asks Hashem to help him spiritually is, in a sense, eliciting this that He created the entire world! This will is a reality that draws
Hashem’s will. Therefore, you can entreat Hashem with all your Isaac only got married at the age of 40. We can be sure that he tremendous spiritual abundance onto creation at every moment.
might, because you are, as it were, looking to help Hashem do what prayed a great deal. If he had demanded to get married immediately, And whoever brings a vessel receives this abundance.
He wants to do: “Master of the universe, I ask that Your true will he would not have met his true spouse, because Rebecca was only There is a famous teaching in the name of the Kotzker Rebbe, who
be actualized, because in this way Your name is made great, and born when he was 37 years old. Jacob married at the age of 84. raised a question regarding our sages’ statement that “everything is
that is Your true will and Your salvation, as it were!” And there are great tzaddikim who never married at all. Do you in the hands of heaven except for the fear of heaven” (Berachot 33b).
understood what is best for you, what you have come to rectify, The simple meaning of this statement is that the fear of heaven is
To Pray for Hashem and what heaven desires from you? in our hands and not in the hands of heaven. But that raises a
difficulty: how is it that we ask Hashem in many prayers to give us
From this, something very wondrous may be derived. The way of But what if you say that your evil inclination is burning in you?