“This practice is for every Jew!”
“For it is something that everyone has the ability to do!”
A person’s Prayers before Hashem in Hitbodedut are a form of Ruach Hakodesh (Divine Inspiration).
This is how King Dovid made up the book of psalms. He aroused himself to pray and to speak before Hashem. “To You, my heart spoke” (psalms 27:8), he said. Rashi explains: “To You” in your service, as your messenger “My heart spoke.” His heart served as the messenger of the Holy, delivering the words which Hashem Himself provided for King David to pray before Him. From these words, words of divine Inspiration, the book of psalms was formed. Each person’s level of Divine Inspiration is determined by the extent that he draws upon himself these words which come from Hashem. (Likutey Moharan I,156)
Reb Noson was once describing the greatness of hitbodedut. “Try to picture the high priest as he entered the holy of holies at the one time of the year that this was permitted, Yom Kippur. In describing his appearance, the liturgy states that the high priest looked like “one who sits in solitude to pray before Hashem.” “Imagine,” said Reb Noson, “the high priest entering the holy of holies is likened to the person who sits and pours out his heart before Hashem” (Hishafkut HaNefesh)
Through Hitbodedut, we can, as it were, enter the holy of Holies each and every day! Rebbe Nachman gave the following analogy. You’ll see that all the thieves generally gather around the well know and often used roads, waiting to set upon the innocent passers-by. Someone who wants to outwit them has to find a new road, so that the thieves won’t notice him. The same is true when it comes to prayer. The standard, often used prayers are well know to the “thieves” The other side.
Hitbodedut, on the other hand, is entirely new path. Taking this approach, and using new words and original supplications, deceives these spiritual “thieves” Then our prayers are able to asend without hindrances (Likutey Moharan II, 97). Reb Noson, Test it out. Practice Hitbodedut for forty days straight. I guarantee you’ll see results (Aveneha Barzel) pg.66) The Rebbe prescribed different devotions for each of his followers. Yet there were two devotional practices that were universally prescribed for all his followers in his generation and for all time. They are the daily study of the Shulchan Aruch and the codes and Hitbodedut. He said “this advice is for everyone, because it is something that every Jew has the ability to perform (Rabbi Nachman’s Wisdom #185)
