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when] they cry out, Hashem hears.” The holy
books state that the simple meaning of this is that
when these people who do evil cry out to Hashem,
may He be blessed, Hashem hears and rescues
them from all of their troubles. Similarly, our rabbis,
of blessed memory, state that “it is a good thing for
a person to cry out [to Hashem], whether before the
heavenly decree of judgment against him or after the
heavenly decree of judgment.” Countless texts explain
that this describes the tremendous benefit of crying out
to Hashem, may He be blessed, under all circumstances—
no matter how low a person may be. This may be
seen in the psalm that we recite on Friday afternoon
(Psalms 107): “They went astray in the wilderness … and
they cried out…. Those who dwell in darkness and the
shadow of death, prisoners of affliction and iron…, they
cried out…. Fools because of the way of their sin…, they
cried out…. Those who go down to the sea … rose up
to the sky, they descended into the depths…, and they
cried out….” The entire psalm speaks about all of
the descents and ascents experienced by those who
want to come close to Hashem, may He be blessed
(as is known, and as I have explained elsewhere). And
the general advice regarding all kinds of confusions,
impediments, temptations, and so forth, is all expressed
in the words, “They cried out to Hashem in their trouble
that He may rescue them from their straits.” When a
person cries out to Hashem, may He be blessed, about
his great distance from Hashem, he draws onto himself
the level of the holiness of Yom Kippur, which is the
level of teshuvah…. Understand well in practical terms
how good it is for a person to always cry out and never
despair of crying out all the days of his life, no matter
what he undergoes.
The principal idea is that an outcry is an expression of perfect
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must feel like a poor person at the door, but that does not contradict
the fact that his prayer must be piercing and uncompromising, and
include every expression of stubborn insistence.
While on the topic of Moses’ prayer, we must know that Moses
prayed with utter devotion. He stood stubbornly and asked for
life and not for death. Whenever Moses prayed, he did not wait
to hear “no.” He prayed stubbornly until he would hear “yes.”
Therefore, he told the Holy One, blessed be He, “If not, wipe me
out now” (Exodus 32:32). That is to say, “either accept my prayer
or kill me.” That is not just a prayer. That is utter devotion. He 9
told Hashem, “Without this salvation, nothing interests me, my life
has no importance whatsoever!” without this salvation!” Therefore,
Moses’ prayer could nullify every decree.
Thus, a unique expression is used to describe Moses’ prayer: “I
fell before Hashem” (Deuteronomy 9:18). In the middle of his prayer,
he threw himself to the ground with tremendous stubbornness, like
a child who, if his parents do not give him what he asks for, is
ready to throw himself to the floor, beat his head, kick his feet
and punch the floor until he gets what he wants. Moses possessed
uncompromising stubbornness because he believed that Hashem
wants to give to people and to save them. Therefore, he paid
no attention to any obstacle. The midrash describes this vividly:
“There was not one corner of the firmament that Moses did not
crash into.”
We see here that there is no contradiction between pleading
for Hashem’s compassion and strong insistence. And there is an
additional reason that a person should cry out with all his strength
and demand salvation immediately, and even tell Hashem, “You
must save me.” When a person feels that committing a sin puts him
in mortal danger, he feels that he is hanging by his hands from a
wall, and he does not want to live unless Hashem saves him. Such a
person can demand of Hashem with all his might, “You must rescue
me, because otherwise in another second there won’t be anyone
left to rescue.” And he can present strong arguments to Hashem:
“If You do not rescue me, I will continue to sin, heaven forbid,
and that is certainly against Your will. Therefore, You must have
compassion on me, and save me and rescue me this very moment!”