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That is the meaning of the verse, “And now, behold, called us His children? Whatever we may be, Hashem to be noted [because heaven will say: ‘Because this person is so
the outcry of the children of Israel has come to Me” calls us His children. “Even if it is right in Hashem’s eyes sure of his merits, let us examine him carefully’]. Rather, a person
(Exodus 3:9). Our rabbis taught that this refers to a person to reject me from being on the level of His child, heaven should have a hopeful attitude that the Holy One, blessed be He,
who prays, weeps and cries out until he can no forbid, I must do my part to make myself like His will act out of His kindness. He should say to himself, ‘Who am I, a
longer murmur with his lips. This prayer is whole. child….” poor and contemptible person, who comes to ask something of the
It is in the heart, and it never returns empty. King, King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He? I can only appeal
Rabbi Nachman adhered to this approach in the most to His vast kindness with which He treats His creatures’” (Shulchan
Rabbi Yehudah said: Great is an outcry, for it tears straightforward way. Regarding every spiritual salvation that he Aruch: Orach Chaim 98).
up the decree of heavenly judgment against a person wanted to attain, he truly felt that without it he was not alive. However, the implication of everything that I have discussed
regarding his entire life. Therefore, he cast himself down before Hashem, with his hands and above is that the concern about “contemplating one’s prayer” is
feet stretched out, and he pleaded for every goal that he wanted relevant only regarding a person’s prayers for physical matters. In
Rabbi Yitzchak said: Great is an outcry, for it rules to attain, and he felt that if he did not get it he was not a Jew at the physical realm, heaven is not obligated to fulfill his requests,
over the trait of supernal judgment. all, and so why should he live? Thus, he was once found “lying and heaven has its own reckonings. However, in spiritual matters,
on the ground with his hands and feet stretched out. Although at there is no such concern. Hashem wants a person to be spiritually
Rabbi Yose said: Great is an outcry, for it rules in this that point [in his life] he was extremely weak, so much so that he effective and successful. The more insistent he is, the more heaven
world and in the world-to-come. As a result of crying was living by a miracle and he was on the verge of dying at every wants to give him what he wants. Therefore, it is no problem for a
moment, until his final hour he did not abandon his admirable way
out, a person inherits this world and the world-to-come. of acting with simplicity” (Sichot Haran 164). person to stand and request spiritual attainments with all his might,
As the verse states, “They cried out to Hashem in their because he is asking to attain the fear of heaven, he is asking to be
distress; He rescued them from their straits” (Psalms 107:6). To Conquer the “Conductor” in accord with Hashem’s will, and he is seeking Hashem Himself,
as it were.
We see explicitly from the holy Zohar that a powerful outcry and
insistent appeal constitute perfect prayer. And that is the secret of We must believe completely that Hashem wants to give to us. Positive or Negative
the heavenly acceptance of prayers that never fails. Every Jew who does the work of the will is basically like Choni the
Circle Maker. He tells the Holy One, blessed be He: “Nothing else
interests me. I will return here day after day and plead before You Therefore, the Gemara sometimes regards the concept of
When We Cry Out, Hashem Hears for half an hour until You save me. I am prepared to pray for this “contemplating one’s prayer” positively and at other times
until my final day.” When a Jew is insistent that he will not abandon negatively (as the commentaries explain). On the one hand, the
There are many ways to pray. As our sages state, “There are the work of the will until he receives and is saved, he can strongly sages state that contemplating one’s prayer is among a set of
ten terms for prayer: imploring, outcry, groan, song, encounter, request of Hashem and tell Him, “I need to be saved immediately, positive actions the fruit of which a person eats in this world and
out-of-distress, calling, prostration, seeking justice and seeking right now.” Because he has such a powerful will and utter devotion, whose principal he receives in the world-to-come. On the other
graciousness” (Devarim Rabbah 2:1). In the course of the work of he will not abandon his goal until he attains it. All that he lacks is hand, the Gemara says that contemplating one’s prayer recalls a
the will, we must make use of all of the ways and languages of proper prayer, complete prayer, the belief that Hashem wants to person’s sins.
prayer and pleading. However, an absolute outcry to Hashem is the give to him and that his function is to “force” Hashem to do so, as
strongest approach and way that always works—even if the person it were, and conquer Him, as it were. Therefore, he tells Hashem: We must be aware that the contemplation of prayer in a negative
is the most abject of creatures. “You want to save me immediately, now, and I need to be saved sense refers to prayer for physical matters. The Holy One, blessed be
immediately, now. Therefore, You must save me!” He, determines the exact conditions under which every individual is
It is possible to learn this from Psalms: “The face of Hashem is to serve Him. A person who whines and complains and, moreover,
against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the land” As Rabbi Nachman says, we must conquer Hashem, as it were. who thinks that Hashem must fulfill his requests, is very foolish
(Psalms 34:17-19). Nevertheless, when even these wicked people and lacks the initial level of faith (as I have discussed at length