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whether he wanted to act like Hillel, leading a life restoring what is lacking in the world and on praying on people’s emerge from every sort of imprisonment—and in particular from
of suffering! behalf.” Rabbi Nachman silenced them and said: “Don’t your ears the imprisonment of cravings and addictions. Therefore, knowing
hear what your mouth is saying? … This teaches that every person that your will is always free constitutes your emergence from prison!
Let us understand this in contemporary terms. Hillel the Elder is obligated to say that the entire world was created only for him.
earned the equivalent of about 15 modern Israeli shekels for a If so, every person is under an obligation from which he cannot When your will is free, you are free.
day of work (about $5.00). He paid the study hall guardian seven excuse himself….” His intent was to tell them, “Even if you cannot
and a half shekels to enter the study hall. He spent five shekels do something, you are obligated to want, yearn and pray for it.” Doing God’s Will
on bread for his family, and he set aside two and a half shekels Thus, the entire intent of his words was to arouse a person to want.
for Sabbaths and holidays, when he didn’t work. That is to say, In accordance with this, we may understand the holy mishnah in
Hillel afflicted himself and lived a life of want and penury that To Enter the Garden of Eden with Intent Pirkei Avot (2:4), which states, “Do His will as your will, so that
is completely unimaginable to us. Although he was famished, he He will do your will as His will. Nullify your will before His will, so
dedicated himself completely, devoting his time and energy, to In this way, we may understand the words of Rabbi Natan of that He will nullify the will of others before your will.” How does
learn Torah, giving half of his meager salary to enter the study hall. Breslov, who said that because of his Likutei Tefillot many people a person serve Hashem? He must know what Hashem wants, and
were privileged to enter the Garden of Eden (Siach Sarfei Kodesh want it himself; similarly, he must know what Hashem does not
That being the case, the Gemara’s statement that by his example I 397). That is because Likutei Tefillot is filled with awesome want, and must not want it himself. Since a person has personal
Hillel obligates all poor people to undergo judgment is hard to prayers that express yearning and longing. There is no mitzvah or wishes that aren’t in accord with the Creator’s will, he must clearly
understand. How could heaven challenge anyone, “Why weren’t any topic related to serving Hashem about which this book does understand what the Creator wants of him, and nullify his personal
you like Hillel”? Could an ordinary person withstand and survive not contain wondrous prayers. When a person is able to recite desires to the Creator’s will, and want only what Hashem wants.
such a reality? Is this what Hashem demands of every poor person— many entreaties and he fortifies his intent regarding every holy The mishnah does not state: “Perform your actions in accordance
in fact, of everyone? Why are all of the poor obligated halachically matter, heaven views him in accordance with his intent and not in with His will” or “Do not transgress His will,” because actions are
for not having emulated Hillel, when what he did is reserved for accordance with the outcome, because that is the entirety of how not in a person’s hands. In this mishnah, our holy rabbis teach us
the elite of the elite? Who could live like this: to work at such heaven judges a person. Therefore, when a person regularly recites the concept discussed earlier: that free choice lies only in a person’s
backbreaking labor and endure such poverty? Would someone who Likutei Tefillot, he is privileged to enter the Garden of Eden. will, because all that is free in a person on a constant basis is his will.
lives like this have the time, will and presence of mind to think
about learning Torah, and in addition spend half of his income This explains another statement of Rabbi Natan about Likutei
on his learning? If a man were to do so in our generation, his Tefillot: that since the publication of these prayers, people will
wife would throw him out of the house. That being the case, how have to give an account for every day that they do not recite them
will heaven make a demand of the poor that there is no way to (ibid. 395). This is problematical. Where do we find a requirement
comprehend and, moreover, no way to attain? And so, the author in the Torah to recite the prayers in Likutei Tefillot? Does Rabbi
of the Tanya offers a frightening answer: the poor will not be Natan have the authority to add a mitzvah to the Torah? But this
condemned because they did not act like Hillel, but because may be understood in light of the words of the Shulchan Aruch
they did not want to be like Hillel. A person is not judged on his Harav quoted earlier, which indicate that a person is judged for
deeds and attainments but on his will. his intent. A person will be told in heaven, “It is true that you
could not serve Hashem fully. But if you had recited Rabbi Natan’s
Shulchan Aruch Harav is not a book of ethics dealing with prayers, you would have yearned for Torah, for prayer, for joy, for
elevated qualities, piety and purity, but a manual of halachah that giving charity, and for keeping every mitzvah.” In accordance with
dictates how we must act. This passage appears in black on white in this, heaven will judge him: “Why you didn’t want these things?”
a book of practical halachah and with straightforward words: that
Everything depends on a person’s will. The principal factor is the