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with the complete faith that there is no other than He and that “Blessed are You, Hashem, Who teaches Torah to His nation of
there is no evil in the world. Israel.” Fortunate is he and fortunate is his portion.
The Torah is Clothed in Prayer If you do the same, you can spend six hours a year on this
wonderful blessing, because when you say it with strong intentions
for a minute every day, the minutes will add up to six hours of the
Rabbi Nachman said that we must turn his teachings into
prayers. That is to say, a person must pray to implement what work of the will a year. Then you will have done the work of the
he learned. First, he should learn and understand the meaning will for six hours on the sweetness of Torah, on learning Torah for
its own sake, and on the success of your children in Torah. Truly
of what he has learned, and then transform that into prayer (as
explained in the introduction to Likutei Tefillot). This creates wonderful!
very great delights in heaven (Likutei Moharan II 25). These insights It is also possible to do the work of the will in every other part
into Rabbi Nachman’s teachings can also be applied to personal of prayer that is not the conclusion of a blessing—for instance,
prayers and to the Shemoneh Esrei: a person can mentally review “Our Father, Father of compassion…, place understanding in our
Rabbi Nachman’s teachings and insights that he has learned and hearts….” By spending a minute or more on the work of the will
then request knowledge of each teaching from Hashem. Thus, each regarding Torah learning, you will easily attain six hours a year.
time a person says, “Graciously grant us from Yourself wisdom, And the same applies to the words, “May we not toil in vain.”
understanding and knowledge,” he should focus on a particular
teaching about spiritual attainments that he has learned and have in The same applies to every other section in prayer on a topic
mind the wish to achieve them. In that way, he can focus on that at regarding which you want to see actual results and you feel a
length with intent and will when he recites that blessing. particular urgent need to ask Hashem for help. If you recite it every
day as everyone recites it, that will certainly not go to waste, but
For example, when a person who has learned Likutei Moharan neither will it have the power to change you. However, if you invest
I 1 says, “Graciously grant us from Yourself wisdom, understanding even a minute a day of focusing your intentions on this prayer, you
and knowledge,” he should have in mind that he wants to attain the will build vessels and you will see great changes—and certainly if
knowledge to find the wisdom in every entity and connect himself you invest more than a minute. Therefore, when you want to do
to the wisdom and intellect that exists in every entity. If he has the work of the will on particular sections of prayer—not necessarily
learned Likutei Moharan I 4, he should again say, “Graciously the Shemoneh Esrei—it is very worthwhile to mark those places (as
grant…,” and desire to know that all of his circumstances are for I wrote in Successful Children regarding the prayer for children).
his good. If he has learned Likutei Moharan I 54, he should And, as has been extensively testified to by people about their own
repeat these words of prayer and have in mind that he wishes to experiences, you will see that your deep feeling will be aroused and
understand the hints that Hashem sends him in every thought, your intentions will gain in strength.
speech and deed. And so forth.
We must pray to understand the truth in what we learn. A A Wonderful Gift
person who does not possess understanding cannot understand the
true meaning of anything that he learns. Even if he learns In the This simple advice is a wonderful gift and a sweet way to gain
Garden of Faith and In the Garden of Peace, which contain “savings” of minutes that will add up to hours of intentions. When
wonderful counsel and guidance for life, he must pray a great deal your intentions gain strength and increase, they will bear wonderful
to know how to truly understand the light in those books, and how fruits. And so it is possible to bring about and hasten every salvation,
