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Therefore, he must also sit a little while after he has living without difficulty requires knowledge, because it becomes
prayed, and only then go on his way. much easier when a person knows that only Hashem provides
his income. A person who knows Hashem does not grow angry,
The early pietists used to spend an hour before prayer, because he knows that no one is doing anything to him. Everything
and an hour after prayer and engage in prayer for an comes only from Hashem. At whom should he be angry—at
hour. Hashem? A person who has knowledge undergoes all tribulations
easily, because he looks at everything as being what Hashem wants.
And Rabbi Yehudah Halevi states in Hakuzari (3:43): A person who has knowledge finds Hashem at every moment in his
life. He knows and understands what Hashem wants from him and
A person should not recite his prayers by rote and what Hashem is showing him. Thus, the entirety of having a good
habit, like a starling or parrot. Instead, he should recite life depends on a person’s knowledge.
every word with thought and intent. That period So too the purpose of learning Torah is to know Hashem, because
should constitute the heart and fruit of his time, knowing Torah without knowing Hashem is learning Torah in a
and his other hours should be like paths that lead to that way that is far from a Jew’s purpose in life. The principal point to
period of time. He should look forward to it, because be made here is that a person’s will is knowledge. As the Ramban
he is then similar to spiritual beings and unlike animalistic writes, “The word da’at is used in relation to will” (Ramban on Genesis
beings. The fruit of his day and night should be the three 2:9). Certainly, a person who has knowledge wants Hashem alone.
daily times of prayer, and the fruit of the week should Therefore, we must request, “Give us complete knowledge so that
be the day of the Sabbath, because it is dedicated to we will only want You.” The purpose of life is to attain knowledge,
clinging to the Divine. and with knowledge we can complete all that we lack in life. The
entire crux of this book, with all of its wonderful light, is that we
Rabbi Nachman says that the essential factor is the will. Therefore, must ask Hashem to graciously give us knowledge.
in the essential service of Hashem—which is prayer—the principal
factor is the will in prayer. Although we must strengthen ourselves A Personal Relationship
throughout the day with intent and longing, the time of prayer is
especially designated to fully express all of our intentions. Therefore, When a person knows all of this, his will is awakened to receive
prayer must be the raison d’etre of every seeker of Hashem, of knowledge. This will is the essence of a person’s deep feeling and
every person who is truly bound to that goal. As the Gemara says: heartfelt awareness when he recites the blessing, “He Who graciously
“If only a person could pray the entire day!” (Berachot 21a). gives knowledge.” The more a person wants to attain knowledge,
the greater is the amount of intent that he invests in reciting this
blessing, the amount of soul and vitality that he places in the words.
Then this prayer rises and its every word becomes a complete vessel
Let Us Make Use of This Opportunity in which to receive knowledge. This is (as stated earlier) because the
words are vessels in which to receive abundance, and the wholeness
As stated earlier, the words of prayer are vessels in which we and quality of the vessels correspond to a person’s will and deep
receive abundance. Every one of us recites many words of prayer feeling. Therefore, before you begin to recite the blessing of
every day. We can either pray and build vessels, or simply recite “He Who graciously gives knowledge,” remember that you
words. What does this depend on? It depends our the will! came to this world for the purpose of gaining knowledge:
