This same man told me that he wanted to speak to the Rebbe many times, but could not open his mouth when he was with him. He found it impossible to tell the Rebbe what was in his heart. One Friday afternoon when he was attending the Rebbe, he decided that he would speak to the Rebbe right away, but was unable to open his mouth.
As the Rebbe was dressing after his bath, he asked the man to pass him his shoes. As the man handed over the shoes, the Rebbe said, “Make a habit of speaking to God. Then you will also be able to speak to me.”
The Rebbe said, “A warrior girded his loins to overcome a mighty wall. When he came to the gate, he found it blocked by a spider web. Can you imagine anything more foolish than retreating because of a spider web blocking your path?” [The parallel is obvious.]
He said, “The main thing is speech. Use it and you will win every battle. You can meditate in thought, but the most important thing is to express it in speech.”
This parallel teaches a most important lesson. You may find it difficult to speak with God. You might also find it difficult to speak to a true tzaddik. This difficulty is great foolishness. It is mere laziness and bashfulness and a lack of virtuous boldness.337Cf. Beitzah 25b; Avot 5:20; Likutey Moharan I, 22:4, 147, 271; Likutey Halakhot, Matanah 5:11; ibid., Ma'akeh 4:2.
You are ready to use your speech to overcome the great battle against the evil within you. You are on the verge of victory and are about to break down walls with your words. The gates are ready to fly open. Should you then not speak because of mere bashfulness? Should you hold back because of a minor barrier like this? You are about to break down a wall. Will you be discouraged by a spider web?
This same man told me that the Rebbe prescribed that he spend two hours each day in secluded prayer. For an hour he was to meditate and prepare himself to speak. When his heart was awakened, he should then speak to God for another hour.
עוֹד שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּי הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁכַּמָּה פְּעָמִים נִכְנַס אֵלָיו וְרָצָה לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ. וְלֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִפְתֹּחַ פִּיו לְדַבֵּר לְפָנָיו מַה שֶּׁבְּלִבּוֹ. וּפַעַם אַחַת הָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ, וְהָיָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מִיָּד, אֲבָל לֹא הָיָה יָכֹל לִפְתֹּחַ פִּיו כְּלָל.
This same man told me that he wanted to speak to the Rebbe many times, but could not open his mouth when he was with him. He found it impossible to tell the Rebbe what was in his heart. One Friday afternoon when he was attending the Rebbe, he decided that he would speak to the Rebbe right away, but was unable to open his mouth.
וְאַחַר כָּךְ צִוָּה רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, שֶׁיּוֹשִׁיט לוֹ מִנְעָלָיו לְנָעֳלָם לִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת. כִּי הָיָה אָז אַחַר יְצִיאָה מֵהַמֶּרְחָץ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. וְאָז בְּעֵת שֶׁהוֹשִׁיט לוֹ מִנְעָלָיו, עָנָה רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל מֵעַצְמוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ: "תַּרְגִּיל עַצְמְךָ לְדַבֵּר לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאָז תּוּכַל אַחַר כָּךְ לְדַבֵּר עִמִּי גַּם כֵּן".
As the Rebbe was dressing after his bath, he asked the man to pass him his shoes. As the man handed over the shoes, the Rebbe said, “Make a habit of speaking to God. Then you will also be able to speak to me.”
אַחַר־כָּךְ בְּעֵת שֶׁזָּכָה לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, אָז כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס אֵלָיו וְרָצָה גַּם כֵּן לְדַבֵּר וְהָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד לְדַבֵּר.
The man followed this advice and was able to speak to the Rebbe. However, he still found it very difficult to express himself.
עָנָה רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל וְאָמַר: "גִּבּוֹר אֶחָד חָגַר מָתְנָיו לִכְבֹּשׁ חוֹמָה חֲזָקָה. וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁבָּא אֶל הַשַּׁעַר, הָיָה אָרוּג עַל הַשַּׁעַר מַטְוֶה מִקּוּרֵי עַכָּבִישׁ שֶׁסָּתַם הַשַּׁעַר. וְכִי יֵשׁ שְׁטוּת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה חוֹזֵר מִמִּלְחַמְתּוֹ מֵחֲמַת הַסְּתִימָה שֶׁל הַקּוּרֵי עַכָּבִישׁ?! (וְהַנִּמְשָׁל מוּבָן).
The Rebbe said, “A warrior girded his loins to overcome a mighty wall. When he came to the gate, he found it blocked by a spider web. Can you imagine anything more foolish than retreating because of a spider web blocking your path?” [The parallel is obvious.]
וְאַחַר־כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ: הָעִקָּר הוּא הַדִּבּוּר. שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַדִּבּוּר יְכוֹלִין לִכְבֹּשׁ הַכֹּל וּלְנַצֵּחַ כָּל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת. וְאָמַר: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, אֲבָל הָעִקָּר הוּא הַדִּבּוּר.
He said, “The main thing is speech. Use it and you will win every battle. You can meditate in thought, but the most important thing is to express it in speech.”
וּמְבֹאָר הַנִּמְשָׁל מִמֵּילָא, לְעִנְיַן מַה שֶּׁקָּשָׁה עַל הָאָדָם לְדַבֵּר לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אוֹ לִפְנֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים מַה שֶּׁבְּלִבּוֹ. וְכָל זֶה מֵחֲמַת בּוּשָׁה וּכְבֵדוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עַזּוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, בְּוַדַּאי הוּא שְׁטוּת גָּדוֹל.
This parallel teaches a most important lesson. You may find it difficult to speak with God. You might also find it difficult to speak to a true tzaddik. This difficulty is great foolishness. It is mere laziness and bashfulness and a lack of virtuous boldness.337Cf. Beitzah 25b; Avot 5:20; Likutey Moharan I, 22:4, 147, 271; Likutey Halakhot, Matanah 5:11; ibid., Ma'akeh 4:2.
כִּי הֲלֹא הוּא רוֹצֶה לִכְבֹּשׁ בְּדִּבּוּרוֹ מִלְחָמָה חֲזָקָה שֶׁהוּא מִלְחֶמֶת הַיֵּצֶר, וְעַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ לַדָּבָר, וְלִכְבֹּשׁ וּלְשַׁבֵּר חוֹמוֹת וְלִפְתֹּחַ שְׁעָרִים עַל יְדֵי הַדִּבּוּר, וּבִשְׁבִיל מְנִיעָה קַלָּה מֵחֲלִישׁוּת דַּעְתּוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא, יִמָּנַע ח"ו מִלְּדַבֵּר?! כִּי הֲלֹא הַמְּנִיעָה הַזֹּאת נֶחֱשֶׁבֶת לִסְתִימָה שֶׁל קוּרֵי עַכָּבִישׁ כְּנֶגֶד הַחוֹמוֹת שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְשַׁבֵּר בְּדִבּוּרוֹ.
You are ready to use your speech to overcome the great battle against the evil within you. You are on the verge of victory and are about to break down walls with your words. The gates are ready to fly open. Should you then not speak because of mere bashfulness? Should you hold back because of a minor barrier like this? You are about to break down a wall. Will you be discouraged by a spider web?
גַּם סִפֵּר לִי הָאִישׁ הַנַּ"ל שֶׁרַבֵּנוּ צִוָּה לוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הִתְבּוֹדְדוּת שְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת בַּיּוֹם. שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ וְיִשְׁתּוֹקֵק וְיָכִין עַצְמוֹ לְדַבֵּר, וְיַעֲרֹךְ לִבּוֹ לְכָךְ, אַחַר כָּךְ יְדַבֵּר שָׁעָה אַחַת.
This same man told me that the Rebbe prescribed that he spend two hours each day in secluded prayer. For an hour he was to meditate and prepare himself to speak. When his heart was awakened, he should then speak to God for another hour.