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else but You cannot have compassion on me, heaven forbid. But abundance and attain all spiritual levels. As Rabbi Yerucham says: Clear and Absolute Faith
You are a compassionate Father and Your compassion is infinite, “That is the matter regarding which our sages said, ‘We bring about
even for me. And what am I asking for? Am I asking You to help positive matters through meritorious people.’ What merit did they As we learned in the Gemara above, the difference between
me sin, to give me the ability and funds to continue sinning? No! I have? They had the merit of making requests of Hashem. When the prayers of those who were answered and those who were
am not asking to sin. I am asking You to help me live in accordance a person requests something good, it is impossible that his not answered is that those who were answered had the faith that
with Your will. I am asking for Your true compassion. You certainly request will return empty. ‘If a person says to you, I toiled Hashem wants to save them. The same applies to the work of the
want and desire to help me and to have compassion on me, even but I did not attain, do not believe him’ (Megillah 6b)” (Divrei will. The first topic of discussion must be our obligation to possess
at this moment!” Torah: Bamidbar). the clear and absolute faith that Hashem wants to rescue us and
save us spiritually even more than physically. Believe that Hashem
And the essence of Hashem’s compassion is expressed when He Similarly, it is written that in this era, following the destruction wants to save you spiritually even more than you yourself want to
gives a person a state of awareness that will keep him from sinning. of the Temple, a person’s outcry to Hashem for physical matters be saved, because “more than the calf wants to suckle, the cow
As Rabbi Nachman teaches (Likutei Moharan I 7): might not be answered. As the Gemara states: “From the day that wants to nurse” (Pesachim 112a). And since that is the principal
the Temple was destroyed, the gates of prayer were locked. As the element, I will expand on this theme and develop it.
There is nothing more pitiful than when the holy verse states, ‘Even when I cry out and wail, my prayer is blocked’
nation of Israel falls and sins, heaven forbid, may the (Lamentations 3:8)” (Berachot 32b). There exist spiritual barriers, as it We must know and review repeatedly the concept that Hashem
Compassionate One have mercy. That is the most pitiful were, because of the state of the generation and the concealment wants every Jew, without exception, to succeed spiritually, not to
kind of state, because all of the grievous afflictions in the of God’s countenance. All of this is true only regarding our prayers stumble and commit any sin or slightest trace of a sin, to attain
world are considered as nothing at all compared to the for physical matters. But even at this time, our prayers for spiritual complete faith, to attain good and upright traits, to attain the
heavy burden of sins, heaven forbid. When the people matters are answered. As Michtav Mei’eliyau writes in the name complete fear of heaven, to become holy and pure, separated from
of Rabbi Israel Salanter (Part 4, p. 77), “Even though, after the
of Israel fall and sin, heaven forbid, that is a very heavy destruction of the Temple, the gates of prayer were locked, it is all cravings and from all matters of this world, to learn the Torah
weight, an unbearably heavy weight, as in the verse: known with certitude that there is still one type of prayer that is and acquire knowledge of the Torah in depth and in breadth, and
“Like a heavy weight, they are too heavy for me” (Psalms answered at every time and in every situation: and that is to reach the level of Moses.
38:5). A person who knows the holiness of the people of prayer for heaven’s help in spiritual matters.” And he writes as well And why does Hashem want to contribute to us, help us and
Israel, who knows where they come from and who knows that this is the sole counsel that can help a person break open his save us in spiritual matters? It is because Hashem created us only
the spirituality and nobility of the people of Israel knows sealed heart. for this: to attain all spiritual levels. Therefore, know that when you
that the people of Israel are entirely removed from sin, pray, you are not coming to “persuade” Hashem. Rather, know
and that sin has no connection to them at all, whatever, He Wants to Reveal His Compassion that Hashem wants to give you more than you want to receive,
in the context of their great holiness at their root and and the intent of all of your work is solely to build vessels in order
their great nobility and spirituality. And so all of the The deep meaning of all of this is that Hashem wants to reveal to receive, and this is the foundation of all of the work of the will.
sufferings in the world are not considered a burden when His compassion. And to whom is His compassion revealed? It is Know that a lack of faith that Hashem wants to give all of this to
compared to the heavy burden of sins, heaven forbid, revealed to a person who does not deserve it, because a person you is a lack of faith in Hashem—and when there is a lack of faith,
prayer is not effective.
may the Compassionate One have mercy…. who deserves it will receive good things justly, and not as a result of
Hashem’s compassion. Therefore, the lower a person is, the more
Not only is this a lack in faith, but it demonstrates a lack of respect
The essence of compassion, of having compassion on he can entreat Hashem, “I believe with complete faith that You for Hashem. All of the cravings and all of the matters of this world
Israel, the holy nation, is to bring them out from under want to help me as I am, even if I am the lowest of the low, because are one large waste bin containing foolishness and vanity. Do you
the heavy burden of sins. And so every time that the in my case Your compassion will be especially revealed. If You do think that Hashem wants His son to live in a waste bin, to live like a
not have compassion on me, that indicates that Your compassion is
people of Israel fell and engaged in some sin, Moses finite, heaven forbid, as though You are compassionate to everyone crazy person, heaven forbid? That is an insult to Hashem. Even the