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and you would have attained goals that you could not otherwise great things with just a small amount of will power. This means that
have dreamed of attaining, because heaven possesses all of the in many instances if a person says that he cannot do something
resources that can help you attain everything you want. But even if the truth is that he does not want to do it. As they say in the
you didn’t actually achieve your goals, if you were strong in your army, “‘I can’t’ is first cousin to ‘I don’t want to.’” That means
will, it would be written down in heaven that you succeeded, and that this person is deceiving himself, because when he wants to do
no complaints would remain against you—because your will is the something, he does it.
essence of what is wanted of you.”
This is an important principle about intent, which doesn’t require
Why Didn’t You Want? lengthy exposition. A wonderful story in Tana Devei Eliyahu
illustrates this point.
With Hashem’s help, I found another proof for this concept in
an important halachic work, Hilchot Talmud Torah, by Rabbi Once, as I was traveling, [tells Elijah the prophet,] I
Shneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Tanya, which in discussing met a man who did not know Chumash or Mishnah, and
this matter makes an incisive and striking statement that we could who spoke [of Torah learning] scornfully and mockingly.
never have said on our own. I will quote the passage and then put
the material in the context of our generation. Rabbi Shneur Zalman When he turned to me, I told him: “My son, how
of Liadi writes (Shulchan Aruch Harav: Yoreh Deah: Hilchot Talmud Torah will you answer your Father in heaven on the day of
3): judgment?”

The sages said (Yoma 35b): Hillel obligates the poor to He said to me: “Rabbi, I will have an answer for my
be judged by heaven, because [he mastered the Torah Father in heaven on the day of judgment. I will tell Him
despite his poverty, and so other poor people are that heaven did not give me the understanding and
compared to him]. They do not fulfill the mitzvah of knowledge to learn Chumash and Mishnah.”
learning Torah since they must work to earn a living the
entire day or most of the day. But they are not acting I told him: “My son, what is your profession?”
as Hillel did. He would cut wood every day to earn half
a dinar. He would give half of this to the guardian of He told me: “I catch fish in nets.”
the study hall, which in those days was located in the I told him, “My son, who told you how to take linen
field, [to gain admittance]. From the other half [of his and weave it into nets and cast them into the sea, and
salary], he would support himself and his family—i.e., raise fish out of the sea?”
the amount of three pundayonot (an ancient currency).
In those days, for a pundyon, one could buy a loaf of He said to me, “Rabbi, understanding and knowledge
bread that had the volume of six eggs (a little more than were given to me for this from heaven.”
300 grams). And he would also use that [money] for
other household expenses, as well as for Sabbaths and I said to him: “My son, just as understanding and
holidays. And although not every person can do this knowledge were given to you on how to cast nets and
literally as did Hillel, nevertheless [heaven] judges raise fish out of the sea, when it comes to words of