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That is why Rabbi Nachman said that a person praying for spiritual a person to improve” (Eichah Rabbati). The Torah has the power to work of the will is called “learning for its own sake,” because it is
matters should feel that he is hanging by his hands from a wall. A subjugate the tremendous evil inclination that overwhelms a person literally learning in order to know and implement Hashem’s will.
person must pray as though he is about to die at any minute. Is it and prevents him from walking on the path of life. As our sages
possible for a person to live with the feeling that he will continue said, “If this reprobate encounters you, drag him to the study hall” The Vilna Gaon learned Mesillat Yesharim 101 times, and
to sin? Is it possible for him to make peace with that? Is it possible (Kiddushin 30b). And they also quoted God as saying, “I created Rabbi Nachman of Breslov learned Reishit Chochmah “endless
to accept that? Certainly not! A person’s self-encouragement does the evil inclination, and I created the Torah as its antidote” (ibid.). times” (Shivchei Haran 7). That raises a question: presumably these
not mean that he tolerates the evil in his life. When a person clearly Thus, the greatest tool with which to conquer the evil inclination is great Torah masters and geniuses knew the books clearly and
understands that every blemish in his life is death, he cries out to deep practical learning and review. learned them by heart the first time they learned them. So why
Hashem, heedless of anything else: “I am not ready to continue did they learn them so many times? The reason is that they wanted
sinning, I am not ready to waste my life in darkness. I am about 2. As a person engages in his daily learning of advice and practical to integrate that learning into their hearts and arouse their will,
to drown! I do not want to die!” That is how the tzaddikim stood ideas, he will find that God’s wondrous individual providence will because the purpose of learning ethical literature is not to gain
and prayed insistently. The Holy One, blessed be He, wants you provide him with the inspiration that he needs that day, so that he knowledge but to build the will and fully acquire what one learns.
to feel that you are in a state of emergency, and He wants you to may draw down heavenly assistance to help him overcome his evil
stand and make demands. The tsaddikim told their students to be inclination. If such giants learned a book hundreds of times in order to master
stubborn in prayer. How can a person be stubborn in prayer? Is he it, how much more must people of scant worth such as ourselves
permitted to obligate and test Hashem? The answer is yes (as has 3. This type of learning inspires a person to do the work of the will review our learning again and again with fervor and enthusiasm
been discussed at length). seriously. Hashem created man in such a way that by nature he is until the material enters our hearts, arouses our will and brings
egotistical, self-interested and focused on his own benefit. Everyone about its proper effect.
Whom Are We Encouraging? wants a good life, peace in the home, a decent income, health, and
goodness for his family. Everyone wants to be saved from troubles It is important to learn with enthusiasm, but it is even more
and misfortune. And in spirituality, everyone wants to succeed in important to learn with unwavering regularity. Therefore, even if
Rabbi Natan of Breslov wrote the most inspiring book in the learning Torah, in acquiring good traits, and in becoming a true, on a certain day you have no free time and your mind is unsettled,
world, Likutei Tefillot, which is entirely based upon this path, holy and pure sage who has faith and who engages in prayer. so that you cannot learn in depth and with enthusiasm, do not
and he also wrote the most encouraging book in the world, Likutei abandon your learning entirely. Instead, show yourself that it is
Halachot, which is entirely filled with awesome approaches to Therefore, when we are aware of the substantial benefits that possible to learn at least a few lines of text, even if you read them
encouraging every person. All of these words of encouragement we will attain when we succeed and the losses that we will sustain hastily and superficially. The main thing is to keep up the regular
are aimed at strengthening a person who truly feels that every sin if we do not succeed, our human nature is aroused to want that flow of daily learning so as not to allow your good will to cool off
that he commits is death and who is shattered by all of the evil in which will benefit and help us, and which will keep us far from entirely, heaven forbid.
him. Therefore, he requires 23 hours a day of encouragement and harmful and injurious elements. We are all familiar with our nature
joy in order to be able to stand before Hashem for one hour a day embedded within us. We must direct it properly and use it for the Good Points of Learning
and break his heart with all his might. good.

But if a person sins and is lustful, and he thinks that this is normal, In short: When a person is aware of the benefits of attaining his Every resolution and good decision you make is very good. But
what kind of encouragement does he need? The encouragement goal and vice versa, his will to change is aroused, and he is thus the most useful resolution to enhance your knowledge and arouse
to continue sleeping away his life? In this regard, Rabbi Natan impelled to engage seriously in the work of the will. your will is to engage in daily learning about the topic that you are
described the type of person for whom he wrote Likutei Halachot: working to acquire. Why is that learning so important and decisive
4. Relatively few obstacles stand in the way of learning. Learning in the work of the will?
I am not addressing a person who does not think about is not especially hard and does not make unusual demands on a
his ultimate purpose, what his end will be when he is person. Therefore, it is possible to regularly implement this advice, 1. That learning is very effective because “the power of the
lying on the earth, etc. (at the time of his death). Such 10 which arouses the will. Torah is very great” (Sichot Haran 19) and “the light within it causes