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420 | A New Light  14                              Chapter Nine:   | 421                420 | A New Light                                                   14

 the “outer forces” and all of the powers of uncleanness seize it,   sole  reality in the  world is the  reality of  Hashem. “There  is no   the “outer forces” and all of the powers of uncleanness seize it,
 contaminate it and defile it with every foulness in the world.  other than He” (Deuteronomy 4:35). Whoever wants to sleep or rest,   contaminate it and defile it with every foulness in the world.
          practically speaking, wants to run away from the reality of Hashem!
 Vast Is Your Faithfulness                                                               Vast Is Your Faithfulness
           “A living person” is a person who lives with faith 24 hours a
          day. When such a person goes to sleep, he is binding himself to
 When a person is sleeping, he can receive faith or lose his faith,                        When a person is sleeping, he can receive faith or lose his faith,
 heaven forbid. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov says, “The renewal of a   Hashem and he binds himself to faith. Therefore, when a person   heaven forbid. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov says, “The renewal of a
 person’s intellect—i.e., the renewal of his soul—comes about as a   lies down to sleep, he must yearn a great deal to attain faith and   person’s intellect—i.e., the renewal of his soul—comes about as a
          not allow any urge to sleep enter his heart. His heart should consist
 result of his sleep…. ‘New in the mornings, vast is Your faithfulness’                  result of his sleep…. ‘New in the mornings, vast is Your faithfulness’
 (Lamentations 3:23). That is because, when the mind grows weary,   of only a single will: to believe in Hashem and bond with Hashem.   (Lamentations 3:23). That is because, when the mind grows weary,
          Thus, because he clings  to  Hashem  and deposits his  soul  in His
 it is renewed with sleep, as may be seen in our lives. That is why   hands, Hashem returns it to him renewed, filled with energy and   it is renewed with sleep, as may be seen in our lives. That is why
 we recite the blessing, ‘He Who gives the weary strength’ regarding                     we recite the blessing, ‘He Who gives the weary strength’ regarding
 sleep.  The  mind was initially  tired,  and  now it is strengthened.   regenerated faith, and refreshed.  sleep.  The  mind was initially  tired,  and  now it is strengthened.
 During  sleep,  a person’s mind—i.e.,  his  soul—enters  into faith,   When a person knows this, he must prepare himself when he lies   During  sleep,  a person’s mind—i.e.,  his  soul—enters  into faith,
 which corresponds to the phrase, ‘new in the mornings,’ etc., as the   down to sleep. He must plead and desire to renew his faith and mind.   which corresponds to the phrase, ‘new in the mornings,’ etc., as the
 holy Zohar states” (Likutei Moharan I 35). And Rabbi Nachman also   If a person wants to sleep, that means that he wants to disengage his   holy Zohar states” (Likutei Moharan I 35). And Rabbi Nachman also
 states, “There are a number of nonsensical matters and perplexities   mind entirely, because with sleep a person disengages himself from   states, “There are a number of nonsensical matters and perplexities
 that cling and adhere to a person’s mind—in particular, confusions   his mind. That is called despising awareness and destroying one’s   that cling and adhere to a person’s mind—in particular, confusions
 in the realm of faith. Through the mechanism of sleep, these are   entire will for holiness. But if a person goes to sleep when his sole   in the realm of faith. Through the mechanism of sleep, these are
 separated from a person’s mind. In particular, sleep is useful for   desire is to cling to Hashem, then he desires mindfulness, he desires   separated from a person’s mind. In particular, sleep is useful for
 gaining faith” (Sichot Haran 110).  faith, he desires to cling to Hashem, he desires to be connected   gaining faith” (Sichot Haran 110).
          to Hashem, he desires to cling to the world-to-come, he desires
 The goal is faith. We must renew our faith and not forget it for                          The goal is faith. We must renew our faith and not forget it for
 even a single moment. In truth, what renews our powers is not   awareness, he desires to receive holy will. Then sleep will assist him   even a single moment. In truth, what renews our powers is not
 sleep but the renewal of our faith. As the verse states, “New in the   and he will see how he will wake up with enthusiasm, with more   sleep but the renewal of our faith. As the verse states, “New in the
          faith and with more desire to serve Hashem. The entire day he will
 mornings, vast is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23).                               mornings, vast is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23).
          be able to cling to Hashem and be filled with intent, powered by
          holy sleep.
 Where Will I Run from Your Face?                                                        Where Will I Run from Your Face?
          Removal of Awareness
 We must live in a state of faith. What does it mean when a person                         We must live in a state of faith. What does it mean when a person
 says that he is going  to sleep  because he “wants to  rest”? That                      says that he is going  to  sleep  because he “wants to rest”? That
           According to everything that has been said until now, it is possible
 means that he wants to rest from faith. He wants to forget Hashem,   to address anew the depth of the topic of sleep and weariness.   means that he wants to rest from faith. He wants to forget Hashem,
 to be disconnected from Hashem, to flee from Hashem. He is like                         to be disconnected from Hashem, to flee from Hashem. He is like
 Jonah  the prophet,  who fled Hashem  and fell  asleep  in a ship,   First: the  purpose  of  man is to  attain holy will. Weariness is   Jonah  the prophet,  who fled Hashem  and fell  asleep  in a ship,
 and was not even awoken by a great sea storm, until the captain   weakness of holy will, and sleep is the death of holy will. The will to   and was not even awoken by a great sea storm, until the captain
 came to him and told him, “Why are you sleeping? Get up, call   sleep is the total opposite of holy will. Therefore, it is absolute evil.   came to him and told him, “Why are you sleeping? Get up, call
 out to your God!” (Jonah 1:6). Like a man who is depressed, who   And that is the most evil will in the world, literally the opposite of   out to your God!” (Jonah 1:6). Like a man who is depressed, who
 sleeps a great deal because he wants to escape reality, so is every   the purpose of creation. If a person were filled with holy will, he   sleeps a great deal because he wants to escape reality, so is every
 person who goes to sleep because he wants to escape reality. The   14                   person who goes to sleep because he wants to escape reality. The      14
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