אות-מט

One's main weapon is prayer. The teachings of Rabbi Nachman themselves empower a person to fulfill them.

Every single word of prayer counts. Prayers accrue until there is made a complete structure and then there is salvation.

Do not attribute the salvation solely to your own merit and prayers. The main weapon of a Jewish person is prayer, and all the battles that a person needs to conquer, be it the war of the evil inclination or other battles with the obstructionists and the adversaries, everything is through prayer, and from there, is all his vitality. Therefore whoever desires to merit to the true holiness of an Israelite, needs to abound in prayer, and beseeching, and conversation between himself and his Creator, for this is the main weapon to win the battle. (Likutay Moharan, Torah 2; Likutay Eitzos, Prayer 2).

[And see in the book Ullim LiTrufa (Leaves for Healing, letter 117) from our holy teacher, the rav, Rabbi Nussun zatza”l, where he writes that every single holy expression of Rabbainu o.b.m. that he mentions by every matter, has special power to arouse and strengthen the heart of the Israelite to engage in it. And whoever takes to heart that all his armament is prayer etc., is aroused anew to engage in this, because he will consider in his heart: “If I do not have the strength to fight so much like great officers, nevertheless behold I am like a simple soldier who also takes arms from the royal ministry, and must learn warfare etc. every day, and everything is with (-through) the power of the king and the officers that train him etc., and whatever the case may be, I know that the battle is lengthy and ferocious, and I don't have any weapon etc. just the few words of my mouth, and even this is with the salvation of Hashem and His tremendous wonders etc.,” see there]. And if a person abounds in prayer and hisbodidus for many days and years, and even still he sees in himself that he is still very far from Hashem Yisburach, and it seems to him that Hashem Yisburach is hiding His face from him Heaven forbid, he should not be mistaken Heaven forbid that Hashem Yisburach doesn't listen, hear, and heed every single word of every prayer, and entreaty, and conversation, and not a single word is lost Heaven forbid, rather, every single word makes a small impression above, and arouses His mercy Blessed He every time, but the holy structure that he needs to enter still has not been completed; and with the accrual of days and years, if he isn't foolish, and does not fall from his resolve in any way in the world, then through the abundance of prayers His mercy will be welled up, until Hashem Yisburach will turn to him, and shine His countenance upon him, and fulfill his desires and wishes, by the power of the true tzaddikim, and He will draw him close with great mercy and compassion (Likutay Eitzos, Prayer 3). And even if a person merits sometimes to some relative salvation and reception of closer connectedness, he should not think to attribute that he merited this through his prayer and good deeds, for all the good deeds are from Him blessed He, as our Rabbis o.b.m. said (Vayikra Rabba 27:2) on the verse (Job 41:3), “Who proceeded me that I should pay (/complete) him?” Who set for me a mezuza before I gave him a house etc.. And if not for His great kindness, he would already have drowned Heaven forbid in what he was drowning, may the Merciful One save us (Likutay Eitzos, Prayer 6).