אות-פח

The critical standing (station for existence) is prayer

The evil inclination and the sitra-achra (-other side – realm of evil – Satan) are the aspect of fraud, for they deceive and mislead the people in various sorts of deceit and error without measure and computation, until they exchange a lasting world with a transient world Heaven forbid, and cozen the person from the eternal good life to go after them, like sheep brought to slaughter, to the ways of scheol (-hell), more bitter than death even in this world, all the more so in the world to come, and there is no extortion in the world so great like the extortion of the evil inclination. And the main aitza (advice, remedy) and the strategy to escape fully from this great bitter extortion is just through prayer and entreaty. For if the person is strong and resolute in his mind, that he will always pray to Hashem Yisburach that He should draw him close to His service in truth, come what may, then certainly the evil inclination will not be able to extort him and delude him further in any way.

And this is the aspect of (the rule; Kesuvos 99b) land does not have overpricing, because land is the aspect of prayer, which is the aspect of faith, which is called land, as it is written (Psalms 37:3), “Dwell the land and feed on faith,” as is brought down in the words of Rabbainu o.b.m. (Likutay Moharan 129 and 155). And this is also the aspect of conjugating redemption to prayer (Brachos 4b, 9b and elsewhere -primarily manifested in the daily prayers where the blessing of “Who redeemed Israel” is immediately followed by the eighteen benedictions - which is the main prayer), because our essential hope and reliance in the complete redemption, may it be soon in our days, for the generalities and the particulars, is just through prayer, as mentioned above. For even if a person is caught in what he is caught Heaven forbid, there is still hope, and support, and a standing through prayer, and entreaty, and supplication, even in the quagmire without foothold, as it is written (Psalms 40:2-3), “Hope, I have hoped to Hashem, and He inclined (His ear) to me, and He heard my cry. And He raised me from the dark pit, from the muck of the quagmire, and He stood my feet up on rock, made my footsteps firm etc.;” for through this that I cried to Hashem Yisburach constantly, with hope after hope, through this I merited, “And He raised me from the dark pit, from the muck of the quagmire, and He stood my feet up on rock,” because the essential fundament, and the standing, and the support is upon prayer to Hashem Yisburach, as it is written (Psalms 122:2), “Our feet stood in your gates Jerusalem,” because Jerusalem – the Temple is there, which is The House of Prayer, (over) there is the main standing, as mentioned above. (Likutay Halachos, Laws of Overpricing, law 1).