Human thought has tremendous potential. Thought can bring about many things, even inflation.93This may refer to the inflation mentioned below in “His Wisdom” #186.
When thought is intensely concentrated, it can exert great influence. Every faculty of the mind, both conscious and unconscious, down to the innermost point, must be focused without distraction. When many people do this, their thoughts can actually force something to take place.
However a diffused, generalized thought is like an incomplete vessel (Keilim 12:6; Chulin 25a). Such an incomplete mental vessel can lead one to error. This is what happened to Nebat, who saw fire emerging from his member and thought that he would be king.94Sanhedrin 101b. This error led him to rebel against King David; Nebat being identified with Sheba, son of Bichri, in II Samuel 20. It was actually his son, Jeroboam, who became king.
For example, you can concentrate on completing the four sections of the Shulchan Arukh. You can calculate that if you study five pages each day, you will finish all four sections in a single year.95Reb Noson actually did this (see Tzaddik #435). Picture in your mind exactly how you will go about this course of study. Concentrate so strongly that you are completely focused on this thought. If your desire is strong and your concentration intense enough, you can suceed.
The same tactics can also be applied to other studies such as the Bible, the Talmud with its major commentaries, the Rif96Acronym for Rabbi Isaac al-Fasi (1013-1103), the first major codifier of the Talmud.. and the Rosh,97Acronym for Rabbi OSHer or Asher (1250-1327), another major Talmudic codifier. as well as the Arba'ah Turim.98"Four Rows,” a halakhic code predating the Shulchan Arukh, written by Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (1270-1343), son of the Rosh.
The Rebbe said that the Talmud alludes to this concept when it states that thought helps, even for the study of Torah (Sanhedrin 26b). Rashi might interpret this Talmudic passage differently, but the Rebbe’s explanation is also certainly true. The Rebbe did not elaborate further, but both are the living words of God (Eruvin 13b; Gittin 6b).
דַּע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּבְנֵי אָדָם סְגֻלּוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כִּי יְכוֹלִין לִפְעֹל עַל־יְדֵי מַחֲשַׁבְתָּם מַה שֶּׁהֵם חוֹשְׁבִים. וַאֲפִלּוּ הַיַּקְרוּת ח"ו, הוּא בָּא מִמַּחְשְׁבוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם.
Human thought has tremendous potential. Thought can bring about many things, even inflation.93This may refer to the inflation mentioned below in “His Wisdom” #186.
כִּי כְּשֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה הִיא כֻּלָּה אֲחוּזָה וּדְבוּקָה בְּדָבָר אֶחָד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כֵּן, (דְּהַיְנוּ כָּל הַבְּחִינוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה דְּהַיְנוּ פְּנִימִיּוּת וְחִיצוֹנִיּוּת וּשְׁאָר הַבְּחִינוֹת כֻּלָּם עַד הַנְּקֻדָּה) וּכְשֶׁכֻּלָּם כְּאֶחָד אֲחוּזִים וּדְבוּקִים וְחוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כֵּן בְּלִי בִּלְבּוּל וּנְטִיָּה לְמַחֲשָׁבָה אַחֶרֶת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הֵם פּוֹעֲלִים שֶׁבְּהֶכְרֵחַ יִהְיֶה כֵּן כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם חוֹשְׁבִים.
When thought is intensely concentrated, it can exert great influence. Every faculty of the mind, both conscious and unconscious, down to the innermost point, must be focused without distraction. When many people do this, their thoughts can actually force something to take place.
וְגַם שֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה תִּהְיֶה בִּפְרָטֵי פְּרָטִיּוּת, לֹא בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיַּחֲשֹׁב שֶׁאִם יִהְיֶה כֵּן יִהְיֶה כָּךְ וְכָךְ בִּפְרָטִיּוּת.
To accomplish this, the concentrated thought must spell out every step of the desired result in detail.
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁחוֹשֵׁב בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל, הוּא בְּחִינַת גָּלְמֵי כֵּלִים (כֵּלִים י"ב־ו חֻלִּין כה.), וְיָכוֹל לִטְעוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁטָּעָה נְבָט שֶׁרָאָה אֵשׁ יוֹצֵא כוּ' (סַנְהֶדְרִין קא:)
However a diffused, generalized thought is like an incomplete vessel (Keilim 12:6; Chulin 25a). Such an incomplete mental vessel can lead one to error. This is what happened to Nebat, who saw fire emerging from his member and thought that he would be king.94Sanhedrin 101b. This error led him to rebel against King David; Nebat being identified with Sheba, son of Bichri, in II Samuel 20. It was actually his son, Jeroboam, who became king.
וְגַם לְעִנְיַן הַלִּמּוּד מוֹעִיל זֶה: אִם תִּהְיֶה מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ תַּקִּיפָה מְאֹד כַּנַּ"ל, בְּוַדַּאי יִהְיֶה כֵּן.
You can also make use of this in your studies. You can focus on something so strongly that it comes true.
וּבִלְבַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה תַּקִּיפָה וַאֲחוּזָה מְאֹד בָּזֶה כַּנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ לְמָשָׁל שֶׁיַּחֲשֹׁב בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד וְלִגְמֹר כָּל הָאַרְבָּעָה פּוֹסְקִים כֻּלָּם עִם כָּל הַפֵּרוּשִׁים הַגְּדוֹלִים. וְיַחֲשֹׁב וִיצַיֵּר בְּדַעְתּוֹ בְּאֵיזֶה אֹפֶן יִלְמַד אוֹתָם וּבְכַמָּה זְמַן, כְּגוֹן לְמָשָׁל שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד חֲמִשָּׁה דַּפִּין בְּיוֹם אֶחָד עַד שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִגְמֹר כֻּלָּם בְּשָׁנָה אַחַת. וְיַכְנִיס מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בָּזֶה הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב בְּתֹקֶף גָּדוֹל מְאֹד עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה תַּקִּיפָה וַאֲחוּזָה בָּזֶה מְאֹד.
For example, you can concentrate on completing the four sections of the Shulchan Arukh. You can calculate that if you study five pages each day, you will finish all four sections in a single year.95Reb Noson actually did this (see Tzaddik #435). Picture in your mind exactly how you will go about this course of study. Concentrate so strongly that you are completely focused on this thought. If your desire is strong and your concentration intense enough, you can suceed.
(וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה בִּשְׁאָר לִמּוּדֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה כְּגוֹן שַׁ"ס עִם הָרִי"ף וְהָרֹא"שׁ וְטוּרִים וְכוּ' וְתַנַ"ךְ וְכַיּוֹצֵא) וְיִכְסֹף וְיִשְׁתּוֹקֵק וְיַחֲשֹׁב בָּזֶה הַרְבֵּה בְּתֹקֶף גָּדוֹל אֲזַי יִזְכֶּה שֶׁיִהְיֶה כֵּן.
The same tactics can also be applied to other studies such as the Bible, the Talmud with its major commentaries, the Rif96Acronym for Rabbi Isaac al-Fasi (1013-1103), the first major codifier of the Talmud.. and the Rosh,97Acronym for Rabbi OSHer or Asher (1250-1327), another major Talmudic codifier. as well as the Arba'ah Turim.98"Four Rows,” a halakhic code predating the Shulchan Arukh, written by Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (1270-1343), son of the Rosh.
וְאָמַר שֶׁזֶּה מְרֻמָּז בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (סַנְהֶדְרִין כו:) בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ: מַחֲשָׁבָה מוֹעֶלֶת אֲפִלּוּ לְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, מוֹעֶלֶת מַמָּשׁ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמּוֹעֶלֶת וּמְסַיֵּעַ לָזֶה אֲפִלּוּ לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרַשִׁ"י פֵּרֵשׁ שָׁם בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא כָּךְ. וְלֹא סִיֵּם לְבָאֵר הַדָּבָר יוֹתֵר. וְאֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹקִים חַיִּים.
The Rebbe said that the Talmud alludes to this concept when it states that thought helps, even for the study of Torah (Sanhedrin 26b). Rashi might interpret this Talmudic passage differently, but the Rebbe’s explanation is also certainly true. The Rebbe did not elaborate further, but both are the living words of God (Eruvin 13b; Gittin 6b).