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234 | A New Light
with all of our fervor and might, and in this way we will certainly
bring about salvations.
A Person Who Acquires the World-to-Come in a
Single Hour
Let me underscore that when we engage in the work of the will,
we must request immediate salvation. When a person learns about
teshuvah, he finds out that it is a long and gradual process, and
it is impossible to skip steps. That is true. It is impossible to skip
steps—but it is equally impossible to continue sinning. To continue
in that way is unthinkable. It is a deadly danger. Therefore, cry out
to Hashem, Who is all-powerful and Who can give you complete
knowledge, faith and perfect prayers. Ask Him to attain salvation
this moment, because you can no longer bear matters as they are.
If you possess a strong and absolute intent to no long continue
sinning, and complete faith that Hashem can help you progress in
a single moment, you can bring everything about “on the spot,”
because Hashem is beyond time and beyond all of the spiritual
principles.
This is all based on the simple faith that Hashem is all-powerful—
meaning that He is all-powerful without any limitation. Therefore,
Joseph learned all languages in a single night. And our sages say
that when King David sat down with Samuel the prophet to plan
the construction of the Temple, he learned more than a veteran
student could in a few years’ time (Chronicles I 28, Rashi). When
there is a need to rectify the world, Hashem can nullify all of the
spiritual principles and all limitations. And no rectification of the
world is greater than a person’s fulfilling his role faithfully and who,
to that end, cries out and asks Hashem to help him conform to
Hashem’s will.
Therefore, there is truly “a person who acquires his world in
one hour,” as the Gemara tells about Rabbi Elazar ben Durdiya,
who was steeped in sin in a terrible way, and who was told that his
teshuvah was not accepted (Avodah Zarah 17a). What did he do?
Chapter Six: | 247
craving is burning in him. Since he wants to fulfill his craving or
addiction (this latter is nothing but a magnified craving), and since,
in addition, he has sinned and transgressed so many times, he does
not feel the danger of death. Moreover, he wants and desires to sin.
When he is in such a state, it is impossible to say anything to him
about being aware of the danger. As a first step, such a person must
cry out to Hashem on his level. He must start by crying out to
Hashem to nullify his cravings and desires entirely and uproot them
from his heart. Until Hashem nullifies his craving, he will be unable
to feel that his sinning subjects him to mortal danger.
Every person who is ruled by his appetites and addictions must
engage in the work of the will regarding the craving that most
powerfully overpowers him and overwhelms his mind. At a time
that the craving is not engulfing you, you must engage in strong
and proper service, visualizing the dangers and consequences of
your craving and addiction. Even before dealing with the spiritual
consequences, visualize the physical danger and the great suffering
that this craving causes you. As a result, cry out and ask Hashem to
save you. Say to Hashem: “I do not feel any danger, any suffering,
I do not see the results. I literally cannot see. I am like a blind
person held hostage. I am killing myself with my own hands. I
must experience my danger in order to attain perfection of the
will, nullify my craving and be redeemed from my addiction. But
I cannot, because I am so steeped in craving that I lust and yearn
for the craving itself. Thus, I am literally dead. I have no feeling.
Therefore, I do not ask You to save me from danger, but I ask
You to give me life, to do the miracle of reviving me from the
dead, so that I will have a heart, so that I will have eyes to see my
reality and the terrible danger that I am in. I beg You to give me
wholeness of intent to escape my craving, to want and want and
pray that You completely nullify all of my craving, my addiction,
that is destroying my life.”
The path described in this book not only is very efficacious in
rescuing a person who wants to attain spiritual levels, but it can help
everyone who wants to live a good life in this world. On this path, a
person cries out to Hashem to give him intent, so that he will want