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your prayer is accepted and answered. But know that you cannot That is how a person should approach all of his imperfections you are required to wait, because “a person who comes to be
tell Hashem, “Rescue me and save me immediately, right now,” and cravings. All of these enhance the power of imagination and purified is told to wait.” You must be stubborn and consistent day
as long as you are not yet experiencing the deadly danger vividly visualization. When the power of imagination rules over a person, in and day out, so that heaven will see that you are serious. You
and deeply. Therefore, the first thing is to yearn, want and strive he is an animal on two legs—a ravening, wild beast—because must attain a strong, powerful will so that you will be called a
to be 100 per cent aware of the danger. Then you can think about the power of imagination is the animalistic power, as the Hasidic “master of will,” and you truly receive the title of “one who wills.”
the possibility of immediate changes. teachings explain. A person is called a human being only when his You will receive everything as a result of a great deal of prayer.
power of imagination is purified. Therefore, the Hebrew word for These are the spiritual principles, and this is truly how things must
To Emerge from the Grave “man”—adam —comes from the word edameh, as in the phrase, be (in accordance with what I explained in the section on the
"I will visualize” (Isaiah 14:14). Every person who is controlled by spiritual principles).

In accordance with this principle, I understood something evil traits and cravings must feel that overall he is not a human being, But when we pray, we do not ask God to save us in another
extraordinary: that he is only an animal and beast. What terrible punishment this is:
to be an animal and beast on two legs! As a result of contemplating few years. Doing so would dramatically weaken and subdue our
As is well-known, after the sin of the spies in the wilderness, a and visualizing this, he can have compassion on himself and feel prayers. When we pray and cry out, we want to receive salvation
heavenly decree was passed that our forefathers would not enter that his every flaw and craving are worse than death. at this very moment. Why? Because we are standing and crying
the land of Israel. Thus, over the course of less than 40 years, out before the King, King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,
600,000 Jews would die in the wilderness—more than 15,000 To Live the Truth Who is all-powerful, no thought of Whose is thwarted. As the verse
men every year. Our sages relate that every year on the night of states, “I know that You are all-powerful and no thought of Yours
the ninth of Av, the men would dig graves and lie down to sleep in The tzaddikim knew that every sin is death in its simplest sense. is frustrated” (Job 42:2). Hashem transcends all principles and all
them. Overnight, more than 15,000 men died, and the remainder Therefore, the Gemara tells about tzaddikim who were ready to die rules. Hashem created the laws of nature, and He nullifies them
emerged to live until the coming year, when the process would be rather than commit a sin, because they drew no distinction between when we truly cry out to Him. Hashem created the spiritual rules
repeated. Presumably, every individual prayed to Hashem from the committing a sin and experiencing death. Therefore, they chose to as well, and He has the power to nullify them when we truly cry
depths of his heart to gain another year of life, and he did teshuvah die rather than transgress Hashem’s will. The Gemara tells: out to Him. Therefore, when we pray for spiritual matters, we do
with all his might. Yet nevertheless, 15,000 died. not accept the limitations of any spiritual law, impediment or delay.
A gentile noblewoman urged Rav Tzadok to sin. He Every such acceptance constitutes a great weakness in our faith that
The midrash tells that in the last year the final 15,000 entered told her that he was famished and he must first eat. She Hashem is all-powerful.
their graves, but they all remained alive. They thought that perhaps went and lit a fire in the oven in order to cook him
they had miscalculated the date, and so they lay in their graves a some food. He entered the burning oven and sat down. Transcend the Laws
few more nights until the fifteenth of Av arrived, when the moon is
full and so the ninth of Av has certainly passed, and so they knew Hashem protected him, and the fire did not harm him. When you understand that a sin or craving is a deadly spiritual
that the decree had been nullified (Midrash Eichah Rabbati). The woman asked him, “Why did you do something so danger (as we will learn further on), you cannot entertain the notion
dangerous?” that Hashem only wants to save you in five years, that Hashem will
This raises the question of why the final 15,000 succeeded in tell you, “Continue sinning for another few years, until I give you
nullifying the decree, whereas all of the previous tens of thousands He told her, “A person who commits this sin falls the knowledge, power and will to overcome your evil inclination.”
every year did not. This is basically the question of the Gemara in into the fire of Gehennom. Therefore, I decided to go That is not logical. Although there are spiritual principles, they
Rosh Hashanah: “Why were these answered and those were not?” straight into the fire.” are in Hashem’s hand, and He is able to give you salvation and
circumvent all of these principles.
I attempted to recreate how those who entered the graves She said to him, “If I knew that this sin is so grievous in
prayed. In the first year, they knew that only 2½ percent would your eyes, I would not have caused you so much pain.” However, there is really no need for that. Hashem has the power
die. Thus, it may be understood that despite all of the danger, their to give you salvation even in accordance with these principles.