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Bull’s Eye not told him to stop, he would have continued to pray until he
would have nullified the decree, and he would have entered the
A person’s will is called “yearning,” kisufin. The word kisufin is land. The Gemara learns from Moses (Berachot ibid.) that “when a
related to kesef, “money.” Imagine that you have a sum of money person prays at length, his prayer does not return empty,” because
to invest. If you want to put it all in one property, you buy it and “the gates of prayer are never locked” (Devarim Rabbah 2).
you proceed further. But if you want to buy many things at once,
the money will not suffice and you will not buy anything. The key to Moses was entirely a being of intention. He is the representative
properly using the work of the will is to calm your mind and choose and model of the perfection of the will. The numerical value of
one issue to focus on. That focus will allow you to properly utilize the name “Moses” (adding one for the name itself) is equal to that
the power of your will to attain goals, to succeed and to progress. of the word ratzon, “will.” Therefore, he passed away at minchah
Your will is the tool with which to transform every matter and issue. time on the Sabbath, which is a time of “the will of wills.” As
When the tool of your will is focused, it becomes complete, and Rabbi Natan states, “The ultimate perfection of the level of Moses
you attain your goal. But when your will is diffused, you want many our teacher is that he was integrated into the will of wills” (Likutei
things, but with a weak will. Therefore, there is nothing to draw Halachot: Arev 3). That is because “Moses our teacher, peace be
deliverance to you, and even after years pass you will be frustrated upon him, is the best of the human species. Who is greater than
because you have gained nothing. Regarding that, our sages said: Moses, the rabbi of all of the prophets and of the true tzaddikim
“If you try to grasp too much, you will grasp nothing; if you grasp in all of the generations? In the end, when he passed away, he
just a little, it will remain in your grasp.” certainly attained the ultimate level of perfection that cannot be
comprehended. And the entire essence of his extraordinary level
Prayer is called the weapon of a Jew. As Rabbi Nachman says, is that he succeeded at the time of his holy passing away to be
“A Jew’s fundamental weapon is prayer” (Kitzur Likutei Moharan 2). absorbed into the will of wills.”
If a person focuses his prayer on one issue, he is like someone who
aims his weapon and shoots—then he successfully hits his target. The Torah tells and describes Moses’ prayer on behalf of the
But if he does not focus his prayer on one issue, his chances of nation of Israel: “He pleaded … I prostrated myself … I entreated
hitting the target are very low. He has a weapon, but he is not … I prayed ….” That reflects all of the decades during which he
using it properly. Therefore, Rabbi Nachman says, “A person who prayed and cried out to Hashem in order to successfully align
attains the sword [of prayer] must know how to handle it and not himself with His will. Throughout his entire life, he lived with the
turn it to the right or to the left [of the target]. He should ‘aim at fear of heaven. Throughout his entire life, he lived with prayer and
a hairsbreadth and not miss’ (Judges 20:16)” (ibid.). crying out to Hashem. All of his life, he engaged in the work of the
will. Therefore, he became clean and holy, and he attained perfect
To Find the Issue humility. All that he did in life and all that he attained he did with
a great deal of prayer, and he always requested only an undeserved
gift, so that he would never feel pride.
Another military metaphor is that of a commander leading a
battle that is raging on a few fronts, who perceives that his troops But when we do not proceed with prayer and intentions, only
are mired on all of these fronts. What should he do? He should with “my power and the might of my hand,” only with our own
choose one strategic front and concentrate all of his resources actions, then even if we succeed and withstand tests, woe to that
there. He will conquer and overwhelm that front, which will raise success, woe to that shame. That leads a person to pride and to a
the soldiers’ morale and open the way to progress on the other sense of self. Thus, without the work of the will, it is impossible to
fronts as well. succeed: either we fall and despair, or we succeed and fall prey to

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