Fires of Israel - Part 45

36. It is a great thing for a person to still have an evil inclination because then he is able to serve Hashem with the evil inclination itself. That is, to take all of the fire in his heart and channel it towards service of Hashem. For example, to pray with fiery passion of the heart, etc. For, if there is no evil inclination in a person, his service cannot be complete. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 49]

37. It is good to set aside a specific time everyday to be heartbroken and to speak out all ones problems before G-d (especially at midnight – 6 hours after nightfall), but the rest of the day be only happy. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 34]

38. The essential joy comes from good deeds. [Likutay Moharan 30:5]

39. Hisbodidus (personal private prayer and conversation with G-d) is a virtue of great height and magnitude more than everything. I.e to set a time, at least an hour (sometimes in Hebrew “an hour” can refer to a small slot of time) or more, to be alone in seclusion in a room or field, and express himself to his Creator, with argumentation and justification, with words of favor, good will, and appeasement. To ask and plead before the Blessed G-d, that He should draw him to His devotion in truth. This prayer and conversation should be in one's vernacular. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 25, The holy book of Outpouring of the Soul is dedicated to this subject]

40. A person needs to scream to his Father In Heaven with a powerful voice from the depths of his heart. Then G-d will listen to his voice and turn to his outcry. And it could be that from this act itself, all doubts and obstacles that are keeping him back from true service of Hashem will fall from him and be completely nullified. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 46]

41. Know that it’s not enough to have yearnings [for G-d] in the heart alone, for a person needs to bring all his yearnings out into words. [Likutay Moharan 31]

42. When a person has a yearning for something and he brings it out into words, a soul is created. This soul flies in the air and reaches another person thereby awakening in him too a yearning. [Likutay Moharan 31]

43. Behold! Precious is the sigh (called ‘krechtz’) from a Jewish person. [Likutay Moharan 8]

44. When one prays with all his energy as in “my entire essence speaks…” (Tehilim 35), the energy (coa’ach) that he inserts into the words are the 28 (coa’ach) letters which the world was created with. The 10 sayings of creation receive their energy from these 28 letters. The words that come out of this person's mouth are then actually the words of Hashem, as in the verse “I will place my words in your mouth” (Isaiah 51). [Likutay Moharan 48]

45. Prayer depends on the heart. A person should put all of his heart into it, so that it shouldn’t be in the aspect of “With their lips they honor me but their hearts are far from me (Isaiah 29).” [Likutay Moharan 49]

46. Someone who wants to merit to do teshuva (repentance) should make it a practice to say Tehillim (Psalms). [Likutay Moharan vol. 2 73]

47. A person should find himself within the words of Psalms. Tehillim (Psalms) was written with Divine Inspiration and includes within it each individual’s personal struggle, whatever he may be going through at any given time. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 125; Outpouring of the Soul 1]

48. Rabbi Nachman revealed that saying the following ten chapters of Psalms together serves as a Tikun Klali – a general rectification: 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, 150. [Likutay Moharan vol. 1, 205; vol. 2, 92; Sefer Hameedoas, Nocturnal Emission 5, Words of Rabbi Nachman 141; Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 59, 162, 184, 225. “General Rectification” - Likutay Moharan 29]. Many Jews say these every day.

49. “Even when people are serving idolatry, nevertheless, deep down, they are all submissive to G-d and serving Him, only it is taking place in a greatly concealed realm.” [Likutay Moharan 56]

50. Immersion in a mikvah redeems a person from all hardships, and purifies from all impurities and from all sins, for the mikvah draws down extremely lofty awareness and supernal kindness and compassion. [Likutay Moharan 56]

51. Philosophies and intellectual wisdoms are not needed at all. Only pure and simple faith. Sophistication can greatly damage a person. Devotion to G-d is not even with real wisdom, only with pure and simple faith! It is even necessary in the devotion to G-d, to act and do things that appear foolish or silly, as it says in Proverbs (5) “in his love he constantly errs foolishly,” even to roll in all types of mud and mire for the service of G-d and His blessed commandments, even just for a nuance of fulfillment of the Divine Will, to bring our Father in Heaven nachas (enjoyment). Through this one merits to understand the most hidden ways of G-d – even why bad things are brought upon the righteous and the wicked enjoy privileges. One is granted to unrestricted access to G-d's treasure houses. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 78; also see the Legendary Tale of the Sophisticate and the Simpleton]

52. The greatest wisdom of all wisdoms is not to be wise at all, rather to be pure and honest with simplicity. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 44]

53. A person shouldn’t take upon himself added stringencies, as our Rabbis taught ‘The Torah was not given to angels.’ Stringencies can make one fall from the service of Hashem. Rabbi Nachman testified on himself that he himself had no stringencies, not even regarding Passover (where the Code of Law recommends stringencies). [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 44]

54. It is incumbent upon every single Jew to study Halacha (Jewish law) every day without allowing a single day to pass without it. Even if he is held back for he didn’t have time, he should study at least one section of “Shulchan Aruch” no matter which one, even if it is not in the place he is holding during his usual order of studies. For a Jew must learn at least some law in Shulchan Aruch every single day, all the days of his life. If he is not held back due to extraneous circumstances, he should have a set study in Shulchan Aruch each and every day, in order, from the beginning to the end. When he finishes he should go back and do it again. In this way he should accustom himself his entire life. For it is a very very great fixing of the soul. [Words of Rabbi Nachman 29]

55. When there are harsh judgments on the Jewish people G-d forbid, through dancing and clapping ones hands, the judgments are sweetened. [Likutay Moharan 10]