In Chapter 71, the Kav Hayashar explains how, despite claims to the contrary, Hashem still speaks to us today.
It's much more subtle and it's filtered through our neshamah, which we sense with our nefesh (the seat of our emotions):
It's much more subtle and it's filtered through our neshamah, which we sense with our nefesh (the seat of our emotions):
וְגַם צָרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ: בְּעוֹד הָאָדָם בְּחַיִּים חַיּוּתוֹ, אָז הַנְּשָׁמָה מְעוֹרֶרֶת אֶת לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם לִדְבַר ה', כִּי זֶה קַבָּלָה הִיא בְּיָדִי מִסְּפָרִים קַדְמוֹנִים
It has also been passed down to us through the writings and texts of earlier generations that even while a person is still alive, his neshamah arouses his heart regarding the word of Hashem.
A Good Mood
Then the Kav Hayashar offers an interesting insight into what our moods might be telling us. He starts off by explaining the hint of a good mood:
כִּי בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיָּבוֹא פִּתְאֹם מַחֲשָׁבָה טוֹבָה בְּלֵב שֶׁל אָדָם, מַחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה וְאַהֲבָה לְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה אוֹ מִצְוָה, אֲזַי תֵּדַע שֶׁאָז הוּא עֵת רָצוֹן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מִתְפַּלֵּל. וְזוֹ הַתְּפִלָּה דְּבוּקָה תֵּכֶף בְּהֵיכַל מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא
You should know that whenever a good thought suddenly enters a person’s heart — such as joy over or love of words of Torah or a commandment — it is a favorable time for prayer.
The prayer that one utters at that time will immediately enter the palace of the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One Blessed is He.
A Bad Mood
And the message of a bad mood?:
וּבַאֲשֶׁר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִפְעָמִים עֵת וּזְמַן, שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם עֲגוּמָה עָלָיו, קָרוֹב הַדָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֵיזֶה גְּזֵרָה רָעָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם עַל הָאָדָם אוֹ עַל קְרוֹבָיו, אוֹ גְּזֵרָה רָעָה עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם, כִּי עַל פִּי רֹב כְּרוּזִים יוֹצְאִים וּמְעוֹרְרִין לְבָבוֹת הָאָדָם, כִּי הַלֵּב יוֹדֵעַ מָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ, אַף שֶׁבְּאָזְנָיו לֹא שָׁמַע. וְעַל כֵּן אִם יִתְעַצֵּל הָאָדָם וְלֹא יִתְפַּלֵּל תֵּכֶף, אֲזַי הַגְּזֵרָה מְמַשְׁמֶשֶׁת וּבָאָה
And if on occasion, a person experiences a moment or period that his soul is filled with melancholy, it is very likely that some evil decree has been issued against him, Heaven forbid, or upon a member of his family or upon the entire world.
In most cases when decrees are issued, heralds are then dispatched to arouse people’s hearts. For a person’s heart knows the bitterness of his soul, even if he does not hear anything with his ears.
Therefore, if a person is slothful and fails to pray immediately, the decree becomes a reality.
Occasionally, Not Chronically
Interestingly, he specifies that if a person experiences a melancholy moment or period on occasion -- sheh yesh lifa'amim, then that could likely be a "herald" dispatched to arouse people's hearts.
To me, this is an important emphasis because people who spend years in an embittered or depressed state tend to self-aggrandize. Some drift into a sort of paranoia or think that Hashem is punishing other people on their behalf when something bad happens in the world, they even feel gratified by this, chas v'shalom.
Certainly, those people should also turn to Hashem, preferably in search of gratitude, to heal their souls from their darkness.
But if a person experiences a nefesh agumah (a melancholy soul) occasionally, it could be a sign of marat nefesh (bitterness of soul) from a negative decree that only his heart senses, even though he doesn't "hear" the decree or perceive it with his other senses.
And in such a case:
To me, this is an important emphasis because people who spend years in an embittered or depressed state tend to self-aggrandize. Some drift into a sort of paranoia or think that Hashem is punishing other people on their behalf when something bad happens in the world, they even feel gratified by this, chas v'shalom.
Certainly, those people should also turn to Hashem, preferably in search of gratitude, to heal their souls from their darkness.
But if a person experiences a nefesh agumah (a melancholy soul) occasionally, it could be a sign of marat nefesh (bitterness of soul) from a negative decree that only his heart senses, even though he doesn't "hear" the decree or perceive it with his other senses.
And in such a case:
עַל כֵּן יְזָרֵז הָאָדָם עַצְמוֹ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּדְמָעוֹת כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ
For this reason let him arouse himself to the best of his ability to pray with tears before the Holy One Blessed Be He.
Prayer, Not Panic
Please note that he doesn't say to panic, fret, or start disasterizing when you experience the herald's call of a bad decree.
He just says that you should immediately start praying to Hashem.
And simply by doing that, you may nullify an evil decree.
May Hashem sweeten all decrees.
He just says that you should immediately start praying to Hashem.
And simply by doing that, you may nullify an evil decree.
May Hashem sweeten all decrees.
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