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day, then eventually that will certainly bear fruit. Your intent will be without exception—man or woman, scholar or simple Jew, adult
strong and firm, giving you the fortitude to continue working until or young child.
heaven will lead you and protect you from everything forbidden,
and you will undergo an essential transformation. The holy Torah is broader and deeper than the sea. Yet at the
same time it is accessible to and fitting for every person, whatever
The Short and Certain Route level he is on, because “it is not hidden from you and it is not
far from you. It is not in the heavens … and it is not over the
sea” (Deuteronomy 30:11-13). The Torah includes all wisdom,
There are some topics regarding which there exist comprehensive
and well-organized books for practical application, which anthologize concepts and advice to guide, instruct and steer every Jew on
many inspiring teachings and types of guidance. A person who his way. Fortunate are we and fortunate is our portion that we
live in a generation in which “all of us are wise and all of us are
wants to attain the wholeness of the work of the will must always understanding” (Haggadah). Today, every person knows how
have a book at hand on his topic, and learn from it regularly.
If he has the opportunity to read or hear additional sources and to read and write, books are freely accessible and available, and
the authors of our time have accomplished wonderful things in
encouragement on that topic, he should write them down.
composing books that are informative and clear, written for
For instance, a person who wants to engage in hitbodedut everyone in the simplest language. In addition, books today are
should learn In Forest Fields (by the author of this book), which printed in easy-to-read formats, and everything is easily obtainable.
is a practical guide to hitbodedut. Its entire goal is to inspire It is thus simple for a person to find a wealth of material—books,
the people of our generation to engage in hitbodedut. And he
should learn Outpouring of the Soul, which compiles advice other publications, chapters in books or disks—dealing with every
topic that he wants to work on. In previous generations, there was
and encouragement regarding hitbodedut from all of the books of
Rabbi Nachman and his student Rabbi Natan. poverty and scarcity. Not everyone could afford to buy books.
And books in general were much less available. In some cities,
A person who wants to work on a particular topic must be “a wise there was only one full set of Gemara, and people needed to wait
person whose eyes are in his head” (cf. Ecclesiastes 2:14). Instead of to borrow a volume, and when they did so they needed to leave a
“recreating the wheel,” instead of studying and learning for years, large deposit with the owner because it was so valuable. Moreover,
experimenting and erring until you reach proper conclusions, learn the books were physically hard to read: the writing was crowded
from someone who has already toiled and worked hard on your and unclear, and the text contained all sorts of errors. But today,
behalf, who has already plowed, sowed and reaped, and so forth, in our generation of abundance, everything is available. Everything
and who has presented you with foods and delicacies ready to eat. is clear and straightforward. How fortunate we are! It is possible
to go to collections of discarded holy books and return with many
Therefore, a person who wants to acquire the trait of faith, which valuable texts. A person who wants to learn about a particular
encompasses all of the good in the world, should regularly learn subject can easily get material on it. Therefore, acquire books and
In the Garden of Faith and His Gates with Thanksgiving. take the initiative to learn them.
A man who wants to have a good marital relationship should
regularly learn In the Garden of Peace. A woman who wants to Setting Out on the Way
strengthen herself in matters relevant to her should regularly learn
The Wisdom of Women. A person who wants to acquire the How do you take the initiative to learn material that is relevant
trait of joy (as was discussed here) should learn In the Garden of and desirable for your present purpose?