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the fear of heaven—for instance, “May He open our heart in His of the Holy One, blessed be He, for something such as children, prayer with wholeness of faith that Hashem wants to bestow is the
Torah and place His love and His fear in our heart”? life, and income, that is in the hands of heaven. If Hashem, may perfect prayer that emerges out of wholeness of faith. Moreover,
He be blessed, wishes to, He gives him what he requested. If not, there is an additional and wondrous depth to this way of prayer:
Rather, the Kotzker Rebbe interprets this statement as follows: He does not—with the exception of the fear of heaven. If a person such prayer is really entirely on behalf of Hashem, as in the verse,
When we ask Hashem for physical matters, the decision as to asks Hashem, may He be blessed, with all his heart and soul to fill “[Hannah] prayed on [behalf of] Hashem” (Samuel I 1:10). That is
whether or not we will receive them is in the hands of heaven, which his heart with the fear of heaven, then certainly Hashem will not because Hashem deeply wants us to change and comport ourselves
checks to see if it will be good for us to receive them or whether send his prayer away empty, but He will immediately give him the way that the son of the king should act. Therefore, we pray on
it will distance us from our purpose. Not everything that a person the fear of heaven.” The Chidushei Harim states that Hashem will behalf of Hashem. We pray that His will should be actualized and
seeks is really good for him. Heaven makes an exact reckoning, “immediately” give this to him. That means that the person will realized. We pray that the intent of Hashem—Who so much wants
and is therefore not obligated to give a person anything at all. If it receive the fear of heaven right away! and yearns and waits for His sovereignty and faith to be revealed,
is good for him, he will receive it, and if it is not good for him, he for His name to be enhanced and sanctified, and for awareness,
will not receive it. From here, we see the principle that prayer to attain spiritual thoughts of teshuvah and all goodness to pour down abundantly on
matters must be accepted, and such prayer bears fruit immediately, the house of Israel—will be actualized, revealed and maintained in
But when a person asks Hashem for the fear of heaven, for the because that is the Creator’s true will. Practically speaking, a the world!
ability to come close to the service of Hashem, that is, as it were, person’s entire role is only to pray to attain the fear of heaven.
“not in the hands of heaven.” In what sense is that? Since everything That is his entire portion (as was already explained in the previous This is another reason that such prayer brings about salvations
spiritual is certainly good for a person, heaven has decided chapters). Thus, the Chidushei Harim explains here in his holy and that it is called “perfect prayer”: because it is prayer without
from the outset that it is good for him. Therefore, heaven wants language: “That which is in the hands of a person is the following: any personal interests, prayer that is 100 per cent for the sake of
to give it to him. However, this depends on him, on his prayer. as a result of his will and yearning with all his heart and soul to performing Hashem’s will. What constitutes imperfection of prayer?
Thus, this “fear of heaven” is in our hands. If we do not ask, we fear Hashem, Hashem, may He be blessed, gives him that fear of Prayer is imperfect when it contains self-interest and personal will.
will not receive. But if we ask, certainly heaven wants to give us Hashem. [But although it is drawn down by the person], it comes But in this kind of prayer, a person has no personal will. His entire
what we ask for, because it is certainly good for us. Therefore, that from Hashem, may He be blessed. As the verse states, ‘Would that intent is only to want what Hashem wants, to want Hashem’s will
prayer must be accepted. [lit., who would place] their hearts would be like this, to fear Me’ to be actualized.
(Deuteronomy 5:26): they should have the will to fear Hashem and
From here, we see the concept that prayer to attain the fear of place the fear of Hashem in their hearts. This is in the hands of a Therefore, this prayer is called prayer with wholeness of faith.
heaven, which includes our every spiritual request that we make person: by means of proper prayer and entreaty, he will certainly Wholeness of faith means that a person knows that “there is no
with truth and simplicity, must be accepted. If a person does not have an effect and attain the fear of heaven.” And these words other than He” (Deuteronomy 4:35). That means that there is no
make a request with truth and simplicity, and if he does not possess speak for themselves. “I.” If so, on whose behalf is a person obligated to pray in this
sufficient will, he must cry out, entreat and request this itself: he world? On behalf of other people? On behalf of himself? There
must ask Hashem to give him a strong and complete will to want Similarly, Rabbi Yehoshua of Belz teaches, “It is presumed that are no other people, there is no himself. There is only Hashem.
to come close to Him. This request itself—that we should possess all prayers of Israel will be accepted and will not return empty. But Therefore, all prayers are only on behalf of Hashem. A person’s
intent—is called prayer for the fear of heaven, and it must be there is a distinction to be made: if a person prays for matters prayer refers only to the will of Hashem and not to his own will,
accepted. of heaven, he is answered immediately. But regarding matters because his own will is the will of Hashem.
of the body, it is possible that his prayer will be prevented from
Hurry to Help Me being fulfilled.” Prayer on behalf of human beings is a lack of faith. But if that is
the case, how do we pray? An example: if a person is ill, that is

The Chidushei Harim, who was a student of the Kotzker From the words of Rabbi Yehoshua of Belz, we see that everything because he has sinned. The true will of Hashem is that he will do
Rebbe, transmitted this teaching in his name and made a small but that we said here—that Hashem wants to give us immediately, teshuvah and rectify the spiritual cause of his illness, and then he
significant addition. He taught: “When a person makes a request and therefore we can ask Him, “Give me right away, this very will recover. Thus, prayer must be on behalf of Hashem so that He
minute”—is true only regarding spiritual matters, because in the