In Rav Avigdor Miller's dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Savo 4 – Attaining True Bitachon, we learn HOW to cry out to Hashem.
Tanach brims with statements of Am Yisrael crying out to Hashem, but pages 4-6 describe how they did it.
(Rav Miller also suggests going to a very noisy place, like under elevated train tracks, and shouting with everything you've got: "I have no king except for You!")
Altogether, it sounds like what the Breslover tzaddikim encouraged everyone to do, with all the groaning, crying out, and pleading with Hashem in a way our modern minds consider "pestering" Hashem.
(Except doing so is not uniquely Breslov; it's an integral part of Judaism that Breslov emphasizes.)
And Hashem LIKES to be pestered. He's a TRULY loving father Who loves you personally.
And the crying out changes YOU.
It's not only that Hashem had mercy on the suffering that prompted their cries.
By crying out in that manner, Am Yisrael changed themselves to become worthy of Redemption.
Tanach brims with statements of Am Yisrael crying out to Hashem, but pages 4-6 describe how they did it.
(Rav Miller also suggests going to a very noisy place, like under elevated train tracks, and shouting with everything you've got: "I have no king except for You!")
Altogether, it sounds like what the Breslover tzaddikim encouraged everyone to do, with all the groaning, crying out, and pleading with Hashem in a way our modern minds consider "pestering" Hashem.
(Except doing so is not uniquely Breslov; it's an integral part of Judaism that Breslov emphasizes.)
And Hashem LIKES to be pestered. He's a TRULY loving father Who loves you personally.
And the crying out changes YOU.
It's not only that Hashem had mercy on the suffering that prompted their cries.
By crying out in that manner, Am Yisrael changed themselves to become worthy of Redemption.
The Fundamentals of the Human Soul
Here is something vital to know about the human soul (page 7):
We must understand something about the human soul and its function in this world.
The human soul is very deep; it’s profound and bottomless.
Hakodosh Boruch Hu breathed the soul into man and anybody who breathes into somebody breathes of himself.
And that means that there’s unlimited greatness, infinite possibilities, in each one of us.
Rav Miller explains how we have everything we need inside of us already.
We received it from the angel in our mother's womb.
Yes, we forgot it mentally—but it's still there inside of us.
We received it from the angel in our mother's womb.
Yes, we forgot it mentally—but it's still there inside of us.
Turn to Hashem First
Starting on page 7, Rav Miller delves into a subject very close to us today: turning to Hashem FIRST.
Especially growing up in the secularized "you-control-your-own-destiny" culture of the West, even frum people absorb the idea of "First I'll do all my practical hishtadlut and THEN I'll turn to Hashem if the other stuff doesn't work."
But really, we need to turn to Hashem FIRST.
In fact, turning to Hashem from the beginning can prevent the urgent desperation to turn to Him when nothing else works (because turning to Hashem first can cause everything to work).
We can still invest practical efforts in achieving our goals, but we need to be in touch with Hashem all along.
Especially in our times now, when things are becoming progressively less reliable & less predictable, we need to cultivate a close connection to Hashem.
Especially growing up in the secularized "you-control-your-own-destiny" culture of the West, even frum people absorb the idea of "First I'll do all my practical hishtadlut and THEN I'll turn to Hashem if the other stuff doesn't work."
But really, we need to turn to Hashem FIRST.
In fact, turning to Hashem from the beginning can prevent the urgent desperation to turn to Him when nothing else works (because turning to Hashem first can cause everything to work).
We can still invest practical efforts in achieving our goals, but we need to be in touch with Hashem all along.
Especially in our times now, when things are becoming progressively less reliable & less predictable, we need to cultivate a close connection to Hashem.
Building Your Own Fire
Rav Miller recalls learning Mesillat Yesharim in the Slabodka yeshivah, where they shouted out the phrases, repeating the same phrase again & again at full volume.
(Wish I could've experienced that...)
And this method caused the words & ideas to penetrate their hearts.
This transformed them.
As Rav Miller describes (page 9; boldface mine):
(Wish I could've experienced that...)
And this method caused the words & ideas to penetrate their hearts.
This transformed them.
As Rav Miller describes (page 9; boldface mine):
At the end of the hour, when you came out, you were a new man.
You saw things so clearly that nobody else understood.
The same statements that were superficial before now became so sharp and so brilliant in your mind.
Rav Miller emphasizes the need to be your authentic self in davening.
You need to build up your own individual fire in your tefillah regardless of the example of others around you (page 10):
You need to build up your own individual fire in your tefillah regardless of the example of others around you (page 10):
Don’t look at the people around you!
The glorious opportunity of tefillah should be utilized even if it means you’ll have to disregard all those people around you.
Even if they are talmidei chachomim, if they're stuck in the rut of habit, disregard them.
Sometimes if you want to become something, you have to be independent.
You cannot lean on the opinions of other people; you must set out on the path to Hakodosh Boruch Hu all by yourself.
Save your life! You only have one life!
Getting Practical about Self-Transformation
Pages 10-13 are vitally important to read.
Rav Miller explains how the path of bitachon (trust in Hashem) is a lonely one.
It's not about announcing to the world your intentions.
(In fact, he discourages you from doing so because others might discourage you & dampen your fire.)
You must go it on your own.
Also, Rav Miller offers ideas for kavanah in Shemoneh Esrei on those pages.
On page 14, Rav Miller offers simple thoughts to think as you go about routine acts throughout the day.
Rav Miller explains how the path of bitachon (trust in Hashem) is a lonely one.
It's not about announcing to the world your intentions.
(In fact, he discourages you from doing so because others might discourage you & dampen your fire.)
You must go it on your own.
Also, Rav Miller offers ideas for kavanah in Shemoneh Esrei on those pages.
On page 14, Rav Miller offers simple thoughts to think as you go about routine acts throughout the day.
Don't forget the Practical Tip on page 15.
Credit for all quotes, material, and inspiration goes to Toras Avigdor.
Credit for all quotes, material, and inspiration goes to Toras Avigdor.
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