Tell it to the Judge

Translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody

With prayer, you can overcome anything! A negative character trait, any bad habit or any bodily lust succumbs to perseverant personal prayer. The lust for promiscuity is no exception.
 
Rebbe Natan describes Rebbe Nachman's efforts in self-purification (see Shivchei Haran, 16): "He had uncounted toil, trials and struggles until he shattered the "general lust"[1]. He would spill limitless prayers, pleas and tears, spilling his entire heart before Hashem in all different ways of request and appeal, begging Hashem to come to his aid in saving him from this lust, until he was able to withstand all the trials in this area, sanctifying himself in abstinence from this lust until he succeeded in totally nullifying it, to the extent that he was surprised to see anyone who suffered from this lust, and he would speak extensively about how disgusting it is and the need to nullify it."
 
Rebbe Natan adds that Rebbe Nachman couldn't speak with everyone about this subject, for there are people who are so enslaved by this lust that they can't hear or understand how this lust is disgusting and damaging. Yet, a person with the slightest amount of wisdom can totally overcome this lust, for Rebbe Nachman said that for someone with true wisdom, overcoming this lust in not even a challenge.
 
Rebbe Nachman shows us that the entire matter of overcoming lust depends on prayer. The Baal Shem Tov and the great Chassidic masters have revealed the power of prayer, and by way of prayer, they succeeded in ridding themselves of the lust for promiscuity. Once a person accumulates sufficient prayers, he too will be able.
 
Just imagine what you can accomplish in thirty minutes a day! You can emulate the great tzaddikim – it's within your reach! I discovered this in my own experience, because with the demands on my schedule, I simply did not have the time to implement Rebbe Nachman's advice of hours-long personal prayer in the middle of the night. But I could devote an hour a day to personal prayer – thirty minutes of which I begged Hashem to help me overcome bad habits and bodily lust – and this has dramatically changed my life.
 
Steadfast daily personal prayer accumulates to the point where a person can ultimately move mountains. Imagine that a person saves twenty dollars a day; that in itself is a negligent sum. But, over ten years time, twenty dollars a day accumulates to the handsome sum of $73,000 – enough for a down payment on a nice home! Spiritually, the effect of accumulated personal prayer is many times more cogent that the power of saving money daily.
 
Bodily lust and such negative character traits as egotism and arrogance are ingrained on a person. Since they are natural characteristics, overcoming them requires overcoming one's nature, which in itself requires supernatural effort. As prayer is above nature, it is effective in overcoming bodily lust and negative character traits. Pretending that one has overcome lust, without having truly uprooted it, will bring a person to edginess and frustration, for his behavior is not authentic. This might lead him to even bigger sins and utter discouragement. Conversely, a person can erroneously think that he has already reached the level of holiness, and therefore become arrogant. Arrogance is a sign that he's still far away from holiness, and that he's fooling himself.
 
Some people shrug their shoulders in excuse: "What do you want from me? My lust and bodily drives are only natural. How can I overcome what's ingrained in me?" Imagine how a judge would laugh a criminal right out of court and into prison if the criminal claimed, "What do you want, your honor? I was born with a natural tendency to steal." Nature is no excuse for transgressing the laws of Torah, especially since Hashem has given us the tool of prayer to overcome nature.
 
One's focused prayers are the best way attain the desired goal of personal holiness. Prayer is the tool for progress; in addition, it strengthens a person. A person who prays gets the good feeling that he is doing everything in his power  – the rest is up to Hashem. For example, one who prays daily in ernest for the virtue of being able to guard his eyes can say to Hashem, "Father in Heaven! I'm doing my very best – please help me!" As long as he is praying and trying his best to improve, he need not worry at all about what's happening to him in the meanwhile.
 
Rebbe Nachman writes (Likutei Moharan I:155): "A person with patience and perseverance need not worry or be confused about anything, as long as he's doing what he can do. Nothing can disorient him, for he isn't concerned about anything except what he can and must do… he tolerates obstacles and difficulties because he prays, and he is neither sad or lazy. He does what he can. With patience, one attains emuna, and emuna has the power to stimulate growth. This way, he will grow and succeed in his service of Hashem, for nothing can confuse or deter him. He does what he can with agility and with joy, and he doesn't pay attention to distractions."
 
"He does what he can" – Rebbe Nachman refers to his efforts in prayer, the thirty minutes a day that a person prays for true personal holiness – "and he doesn't pay attention to distractions."
 
One cannot change natural inclinations and ingrained behavioral patterns overnight. Such efforts require time, dedication, desire, perseverance and extensive prayer – the more the better. Don't persecute yourself if you don't succeed right away. Do your job by praying and pleading with Hashem; ask Hashem to help you and to save you from temptation and transgression. Do what you can and don't give up. Over time, if you persevere, your prayers will be answered and your desires and dreams will materialize, amen!