Likutay Moharan - Volume 2 - Torah-teaching 25

Likutay Moharan II, Torah 25: Hisbodidus Is a Supreme and Great Virtue Above All

hisbodidus [solitary prayerful meditation] is a supreme and great virtue above all. That is, to designate for oneself, at the very least, an hour or more to be alone in some room or in the field and to pour out one’s sichah [speech] between oneself and one’s Maker with arguments and sayings, with words of grace, appeasement, and conciliation, to request and beseech before Him, blessed be He, that He bring one close to His service in truth. And this tefillah [prayer] and sichah should be in the language that one speaks, that is, in lashon Ashkenaz [Yiddish] (in our country). For in lashon hakodesh [Hebrew], it is difficult for one to pour out all one’s sichah, and also the heart is not drawn after the words because one is not so accustomed to it, for it is not our way to speak in lashon hakodesh. But in lashon Ashkenaz, which we converse and speak in, it is easier and closer to break one’s heart. For the heart is drawn and closer to lashon Ashkenaz because one is accustomed to it. And in lashon Ashkenaz, one can pour out all one’s sichah and relate before Him, blessed be He, all that is in one’s heart, whether charatah [regret] and teshuvah [repentance] for the past or requests and supplications to merit to draw close to Him, blessed be He, from this day forward in truth, and the like, each according to one’s level.

And one should be very careful to accustom oneself to persist in this every day at a specific hour, as mentioned above. And the rest of the day, one should be in simchah [joy], as mentioned above. And this practice is very, very great in virtue and is a very good path and advice to draw close to Him, blessed be He. For this is a general advice that includes everything. For regarding all that one lacks in the service of Hashem or if one is completely far from His service entirely, regarding all, one should pour out one’s sichah and request from Him, blessed be He, as mentioned above. And even if sometimes one’s words are blocked, and one cannot open one’s mouth to speak before Him, blessed be He, at all, even so, this itself is very good, that is, the preparation that one is ready and stands before Him, blessed be He, and desires and yearns to speak, but cannot. This itself is also very good. And one can also make from this itself a sichah and tefillah. And from this itself, one should cry out and beseech before Him, blessed be He, that one has become so distant that one cannot even speak. And one should request from Him, blessed be He, mercy and supplications that He have compassion on one and open one’s mouth, so that one can pour out one’s sichah before Him.

And know that many, many great and renowned tzadikim [righteous ones] related that they reached their level only through this practice. And the wise one will understand from oneself the greatness of the virtue of this practice, which ascends higher and higher. And it is a matter equal for every soul, from small to great, for all can conduct this practice, and through it, they will come to a great level. Fortunate is the one who holds fast to this. Also, it is good to make a tefillah from the Torah, that is, when one learns or hears some Torah teaching from a true tzadik, then one should make from it a tefillah. That is, to request and beseech before Him, blessed be He, regarding all that is said in that teaching, when will one also merit to attain all this, and how far one is from this. And one should request from Him, blessed be He, that He grant one to attain all that is said in that teaching. And the wise one and the one who truly desires will be led by Hashem in the path of truth and will understand from oneself, thing from thing, how to conduct oneself in this so that one’s words will be words of grace and proper arguments to appease Him, blessed be He, that He bring one close to His service in truth very much. And especially when one makes a tefillah from the Torah, from this are made very great delights above.