Page 323 - 20780
P. 323

350 | A New Light                                  Chapter Seven:   | 323

 In practical terms, when a person attains true knowledge, he will   “I have very much yearned to bring everyone to deed:
 entirely eradicate his every problem. As Rabbi Nachman teaches:   that every individual should obligate himself to learn a
 “Know that all kinds of trouble and all sufferings are due only to a   certain amount of material every day without exception,
 person’s lack of knowledge, because a person who has knowledge   and the like.”
 and  knows that  everything is  under  the  providence of
 Hashem, may He be blessed, does not suffer and does not   [Rabbi Nachman] said that the power of the Torah is
 feel any trouble…” (ibid. 2050).  so great that it can liberate people from the sins to which

 Therefore, in any trouble that you may have, anything that upsets   they are habituated, heaven forbid—even people who are
 and disturbs you—any argument, conflict, falling out, entrapment,   very far from holiness, people who have been trapped in
 conflict, worry, doubt, unclarity, anything at all!—put it into the   an evil  snare until they  are  habituated to  sin (heaven
 blessing,  “You  Who graciously  grant.” Engage  in  this  at length,   forbid, may the Compassionate One have mercy, may
 over and over and over again, keeping in mind that you wish to   the Compassionate One save us). If they will make a
 know Hashem. Do not stop reciting the blessing until you feel that   firm rule and a strong obligation to learn a certain
 you have received the knowledge to know what to do and that you   amount of material every day, however they may
 understand what Hashem is teaching you in this situation and how   be, they will certainly be able to emerge from their
 to find Hashem in what you are going through, and how you will   evil pitfall with the help of the Torah, because the
 emerge from this circumstance stronger, believing in Hashem more   power of the Torah is very great.
 and knowing Him more.
           To sum up, we have learned an iron-clad principle: unclear
 The Sole Salvation  awareness is equivalent to a weak will, and clear awareness
          is equivalent to a strong will!
 The complete redemption that will come in the messianic future
 will consist  of  the  perfection  of  knowledge.  As Rabbi Nachman   Therefore, when you want to attain a specific goal, you
 teaches, the entirety of the exile corresponds to a lack of knowledge   must first of all engage in focused and high-quality learning
 (Likutei Moharan I 21). Therefore, in the messianic future, “The earth   every day.  That  will  lead  you to clearly understand  that
 will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem like water covering the   your entire  life  depends  upon  reaching that  goal.  This
 sea” (Isaiah 11:9), and “No longer will one man teach his neighbor   understanding  will  strengthen  your intent  and  help  you
 or his brother, saying, ‘Know Hashem,’ because everyone will know   engage in the work of the will.
 Me, from their smallest to their greatest” (Jeremiah 31:33).

 As I have explained, all of a person’s needs are encompassed in the
 blessing, “He Who graciously gives knowledge.” All of the blessings
 in the Shemoneh Esrei are subsumed to that blessing, because in
 all of them a person’s central intent is to attain knowledge, as I will
 now describe in detail.

 As an introductory  observation, whenever  in  the Shemoneh
 Esrei we make a request such as “Save us,” “Be gracious to us”
   318   319   320   321   322   323   324   325   326   327   328