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Mei’eliyahu (Part 4, p. 252) in the name of Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv He went and sat between two [groups of] mountains
Broide (the Elder of Kelm). and hills.

He would ask: He said: “Mountains and hills, request compassion on
my behalf.”
How did the holy forefathers and all of the great ones
of the world attain their level? How is it that their might They told him: “Before we request on your behalf, we
was superior to ours? will request on our own behalf. As the verse states, ‘The
mountains will move and the hills totter’ (Isaiah 54:10).”
And he answered:
He said: “Heaven and earth, request compassion on
They knew of the enormous power that lies in the my behalf.”
visualization of the heart. The evil inclination also knows
this secret well, and it prosecutes its war entirely by They said: “Before we request on your behalf, we will
making constant use of visualizations and illusions, in request on our own behalf. As the verse states, ‘The
which it traps our hearts, snaring us in its net. We can heavens will vanish like smoke, and the earth will rot
only battle against it by using its own weapon—i.e., by away like a garment (Isaiah 51:6).”
utilizing many images on the side of holiness.
He said: “Sun and moon, request compassion on my
We see here a literal application of what Rabbi Nachman says: behalf.”
that a person should visualize his danger. A person should always
recall the story of Rabbi Nachman as he hung from the wall, about They said to him: “Before we request on your behalf,
to fall and with no one to save him. He should visualize in great we will request on our own behalf. As the verse states,
detail that he himself is hanging from the wall, about to plunge ‘The moon will be ashamed and the sun abashed’ (Isaiah
down at any moment. And with that he should cry out to Hashem 24:23).”
with all his might and plead for what he needs spiritually.

He said: “Stars and constellations, request compassion
People Steeped in Craving Cannot See on my behalf.”

A person’s outcry emerges in accordance with the imagery in They told him: “Before we request on your behalf, we
his heart. He knows that it is forbidden to commit a sin. He knows will request on our own behalf. As the verse states, ‘All
that his cravings distance him from Hashem, from his goals and of the host of heaven will melt’ (Isaiah 34:4).”
from the truth, and that his addictions cast him down even lower
than Gehennom and will lead him to absolute destruction. But he He said, “The matter depends only on me.” He put
does not feel afraid and he does not have any sense of danger. his head between his knees and sobbed and wept until
Even though he knows that his addiction is ruining his life (as
was described in Chapter Four: The Laws of Life), he feels his soul left.
no danger. Why doesn’t he feel fear and danger? It is because his
A heavenly voice came forth and said, “Rabbi Elazar