R' Naftali336R' Naftali was a childhood friend of Reb Noson, and was with him when he first met the Rebbe (Avenehah Barzel, p. 9, #6). told me that he heard the Rebbe say, “A Jewish heart should be drawn to God so strongly that every heartbeat is a flame yearning for God.”
He said, “Even when you sit among others, you can lift your hands along with your heart and cry out to God with a yearning soul” (see “His Wisdom” #16). The Rebbe then lifted his hands with great emotion and with wonderful yearning recited the verse, “Do not forsake me, O Lord my God” (Psalms 38:22). The Rebbe used this as an example, saying that even when you are among others, you can arouse yourself toward God with great emotion.
שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵרַבִּי נַפְתָּלִי נֵרוֹ יָאִיר שֶׁשָּׁמַע מֵרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: שֶׁטּוֹב כְּשֶׁהַלֵּב שֶׁל אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי נִמְשָׁךְ כָּל כָּךְ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַד שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת וָעֵת שֶׁיִּדְפְּקוּ עַל הַלֵּב, יַתְחִיל תֵּכֶף לְהִתְלַהֵב וּלְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּכְלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ כָּרָאוּי.
R' Naftali336R' Naftali was a childhood friend of Reb Noson, and was with him when he first met the Rebbe (Avenehah Barzel, p. 9, #6). told me that he heard the Rebbe say, “A Jewish heart should be drawn to God so strongly that every heartbeat is a flame yearning for God.”
וְעָשָׂה אָז תְּנוּעוֹת בְּיָדָיו עַל עִנְיָן זֶה.
The Rebbe gestured with his hands to express this great yearning.
וְאָמַר שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים יִשָּׂא יָדָיו וְלִבּוֹ לַה' וְיִצְעַק אֵלָיו בִּכְלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְהֵרִים אָז יָדָיו בְּהִתְעוֹרְרוּת נִפְלָא וְאָמַר הַפָּסוּק "אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי ה' אֱלוֹקַי" (תהלים לח) בְּקוֹל נָעִים שֶׁל תְּחִנָּה וְגַעְגּוּעִים נִפְלָאִים לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְתָפַס זֹאת לְדֻגְמָא. שֶׁכָּךְ רָאוּי לְאִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁהוּא בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים יִתְעוֹרֵר בְּכָל פַּעַם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּהִתְעוֹרְרוּת נִמְרָץ כַּנַּ"ל.
He said, “Even when you sit among others, you can lift your hands along with your heart and cry out to God with a yearning soul” (see “His Wisdom” #16). The Rebbe then lifted his hands with great emotion and with wonderful yearning recited the verse, “Do not forsake me, O Lord my God” (Psalms 38:22). The Rebbe used this as an example, saying that even when you are among others, you can arouse yourself toward God with great emotion.