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then begin to perceive his cravings as death. And in accordance No One Is Born Perfect they believed with a tremendous, powerful faith in Hashem, but they
with his visualization of his danger he cries out to Hashem. lacked faith in themselves—i.e., that Hashem, being all-powerful,
It is crucial to be aware that all of the tzaddikim had cravings and can make them into great and awesome tzaddikim. Therefore, after
A person will cry out to Hashem in keeping with how intensely evil traits. A well-known story (from Tiferet Yisrael on Kiddushin 4:14) they reached a certain level, they stopped in accordance with the
and vividly he visualizes in his heart how every sin, craving and relates that a king sent an artist to paint Moses’ portrait and then level of their faith.
addiction is a burning fire, a gaping abyss. If his perception is not showed it to a physiognomist. The physiognomist said that this was
living and vivid, his outcry will be weak. Even if he engages in the portray of an evil man who possessed the worst traits. When Rabbi Nachman once told Rabbi Natan that when a person’s
prayer with full intent, that is not the complete prayer that has Moses learned of this, he explained that by his nature he had been faith is small, he must toil in serving Hashem, but when a person
the power to tear up and nullify every decree. But if he perceives filled with evil traits and a terrible craving to murder, but he had has complete faith, he can serve Hashem easily. Rabbi Natan was
in his heart the full gravity of the situation, a terrible outcry will worked on himself for 60 years until he was entirely purified, and 8 very surprised. He had thought that he has faith, yet everything
well up from within him, and he will be able to swiftly bring about he became truly great. Similarly, Rabbi Akiva, one of the greatest was very difficult for him. Rabbi Nachman intuited his thoughts
salvations and great changes. Torah figures of all generations, began learning Torah at an adult and rebuked him: “You may have faith, but you do not have faith
age after long years in which he had been an ignoramus who hated in yourself” (ibid.). A person must believe that he is important
The Ignited Heart the sages. and precious in Hashem’s eyes just as he is, that Hashem wants to
bring him close and that Hashem can give him every level—and not
In Kokhavei Ohr, Rabbi Avraham ben Nachman Halevi Chazzan When we truly appreciate the nature of the dangers to which we only that, but Hashem waits, yearns and looks forward to doing
relates that Rabbi Natan once spoke about the tremendous fire that are exposed, our prayers and outcries become entirely different. so. When a person has such faith, he has the vessel to draw down
burned in the heart of the patriarch Abraham, who was the first Caleb, one of the 12 spies sent into the land of Israel, risked his life complete salvation.
person to serve the Creator day and night with utter devotion in to go to the most dangerous place in the land of Israel—the city of
Dear reader, you must believe that Hashem wants to bring you
order to make His name known in the world. In the midst of Rabbi Hebron—in order to pray at the gravesites of the patriarchs. This close to Him and that He wants to help you do complete and
Natan’s holy talk, one of the listeners sadly exclaimed, “Where was because of the great distress he was in. On the one hand, ten
could we find a person with such a heart today?” Rabbi Natan of the other spies were pressuring him relentlessly to acquiesce to full teshuvah—not so that you will be “religious” or “someone
who did teshuvah,” but that you will reach all spiritual levels and
rebuked him, “You too have such a heart, but you don’t ignite their defamation of the land of Israel. On the other hand, he felt stages. If you work on point after point with complete faith and cry
it!” Rabbi Avraham adds: “That is because every person, even the that disparaging the Holy Land and disagreeing with Moses would
lowest of the low, possesses free choice. Everyone can attain the be worse than death. In his adversity, he resolved not to pay any out with all your might, you will certainly reach these levels and
stages, because Hashem is all-powerful, and He only waits and looks
highest levels. As our sages state, every person must say, ‘When attention to any external factors (Zohar: Shelach). Instead, he was
will my deeds reach the deeds of my forefathers?’ (Tana Devei Eliyahu determined to do the right thing, even at the cost of the greatest self- forward to help you attain every sort of holiness.
Rabbah 25).” We must follow in the footsteps of our forefathers sacrifice. And in keeping with his sense of the imminent presence The greatest faith is to believe in yourself: to believe that Hashem
and arouse our hearts so that we will stand in prayer with the same of death, he prayed alongside the graves of the holy patriarchs loves you and wants to bring you close to Him, to believe that
feeling of terrible danger that our forefathers felt when they prayed. with total dedication. He cried out with all his might, as a person Hashem is all-powerful and that He can bring the lowest person
does when he is in mortal peril. Therefore, he attained greatness,
Therefore, before I discuss the high level of crying out to Hashem, extraordinary levels and tremendous rewards. close to Him—yes, even you. As a result of believing in that, you
which brings about salvations swiftly, it is important to note that the will know and understand that all that remains for you to do is to
first stage in the work of the will is to arouse the heart to experience Endangered As I Am want with all your heart. This intent is up to you. It is easy work.
If you want and want, if you enhance your will and beseech the
a sense of danger. And a person accomplishes that by means of his
visualizations in his heart. When a person who requires salvation In light of this, I came to an understanding of Rabbi Natan’s Master of intent to give you complete intent, you will certainly
attain all spiritual levels. Therefore, Rabbi Nachman says, “The
immediately feels that without it he is in terrible danger, his prayer Likutei Tefillot (Collected Prayers). Likutei Tefillot is more teshuvah of a person who is a man of faith is relatively easy” (Sichot
will be an outcry for immediate salvation, and Hashem will answer than just a book of prayers. It is a book of learning how to pray. Pay
it immediately. But if he does not feel danger, that means that he attention to Rabbi Natan’s words as he prays for his life (Prayer 18): Haran 102).