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that he undergoes every day and hour. And in keeping with what that a person cannot attain, even though he wants them. A person
we have learned in this chapter—that the essence of that judgment can be thwarted even when he very much desires something.
concerns a person’s will—we see that a person’s intent determines
what kind of life he will live in this world: a life of comfort or of The Imrei Emet goes on to teach that we may justify the Chida’s
suffering, a life of frustration and bitterness or of joy, a life of statement by interpreting the phrase, “nothing can withstand
feeling bad or of feeling good. [a person’s] will” as meaning that there is nothing that can
prevent a person from exercising his will. This statement does
Thus, a person’s intent directly determines how his life will not claim that a person can attain everything that he wants, but
appear to him and how he will experience everything that he that although it is possible to prevent a person from exercising his
must go through in this world. On the other hand, his intent is his will, it is not possible to prevent him from wanting, because his will
most extraordinary tool to sweeten any judgments against him. If is free. A person can have many reasons and explanations for why
a person feels all sorts of depression and experiences unpleasant he did not succeed in life, but he cannot have any reason for why
incidents or various kinds of troubles and problems, that indicates he did not want to succeed, because nothing can stand before the
that judgments are resting upon him. And that is because when will, oppose it or block it, because the power of will is always free.
heaven recently judged him, he did not emerge innocent. If he
strengthens his good intentions to align himself with Hashem’s will, Thus, a person’s will is the only thing that is always completely
heaven will consider him as being righteous, and in his coming free. A person cannot always change things in reality. But his free
judgment heaven will judge him positively. That will then manifest will is the force that motivates him to attain all goodness and serve
itself in his experiencing everything as easy and pleasant, with joy Hashem in all ways (as we shall explain). Therefore, first of all,
and a good feeling. exercise your will! It is true that the practical consequences will not
be immediate, but the change in your will is immediate, and so you
An Illustration are already considered as though you have acted, and you already
grasp the principal factor, which is the exercise of your will. And
that principal factor is always available to you. Even if you have
The principle that Hashem judges a person in accordance with
his will is based upon the axiom that was earlier discussed: that a difficult, insuperable obstacles, your will is always free.
person always has free choice, and the essence of that free choice Moreover, even if in actuality you cannot accomplish something
lies in his will. Therefore, a person is judged for his will. I will or change a situation, you can always exercise your will. A person’s
illustrate these axioms in the following story to make them easier to will is so free that even if a loaded gun is pointed at him and he is
understand, and with that I will bring this chapter to a close. told, “Do not want,” and he says the words, “I do not want,” in his

heart, he can want without cease. This intention in his heart is the
Due to a state of emergency, the rabbinic leaders of the generation essence of his free will, because his will is an inner matter that no
met and issued a proclamation calling upon the public to gather one else can touch. It is in his hands alone. Further on, this book
together for a mass prayer meeting. All of the community rabbis,
leaders and heads of yeshivas told their congregants and students to will discuss how we can always move from the exercise of the will to
actual change. But first we must clearly understand that everything
participate. They said that every individual was absolutely obligated
to heed the words of the sages, the leaders of the generation, and begins with will.
to participate in praying on behalf of the public, and that no one
had the right to separate himself and stand off to the side.