Rebbe Nachman said: By reciting Tikkun Chatzot, the Midnight Lament, a person can speak his heart out to God just as through hitbodedut. This is because in all likelihood we do not recite Chatzot over the past. The primary focus while reciting Chatzot is that which is presently happening to a person. When a person recites Chatzot in this manner, he can find everything assailing his heart within the words of the Midnight Lament.

The same is true of reciting Tehillim (the Book of Psalms) and the like. A person should endeavor to find himself within all the psalms, and within all the supplications, entreaties, penitential prayers and the like. And easily, simply, without any sophistication, he can find himself within all the supplications and entreaties, and especially in Tehillim, which was composed on behalf of the Jewish people—on behalf of each and every one personally.

Each person—every battle he has against the evil inclination and whatever happens to him—it is all clarified and explained in Tehillim. This is because it primarily applies to the battle against the evil inclination and its troops, which are a person’s main enemies and foes. They would keep him from the path of life and force him down into the netherworld, God forbid, if he fails to protect himself from them.

It was solely about this battle that the Book of Psalms was compiled. For the chief principle, root and foundation of all advice for getting close to God is nothing other than reciting psalms, and other supplications and entreaties, and hitbodedut—speaking to God, pleading with Him to draw one closer to His service. Only through this is it possible to win the battle. If he is very strong and courageous in always beseeching, praying and pleading with God, come what may, then he will certainly triumph. Fortunate is he.

This is what we understood from the talks of the Rebbe, of blessed memory.

For although there is much good counsel in Rebbe Nachman’s works, which are full of guidance for getting closer to God, more often than not it is difficult for a person to fulfill the advice itself. Therefore, the main thing is prayer, supplication and entreaty. Come what may, he should say something, and constantly plead with God to transport him from darkness into the light, and to genuinely bring him back in perfect repentance. “Nor should he allow Him any silence,” until He answers him.

And even if a person has been calling and shouting out to God for an extremely long time and is still very, very distant, if he persists and perseveres in the prayers and supplications, ultimately God will certainly answer him. And He will certainly and without any doubt genuinely bring him closer to His service, as long as he remains strong and courageous. This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Berakhot 32b) : Prayer requires encouragement, as it is written, “Hope to God! Be strong, and He will give you courage. And hope to God!” (Psalms 27:14). Rashi explains: And if your prayer is not accepted, go back and hope. And keep on doing this forever, “until God looks down from heaven and sees” (Lamentations 3:50).

Now, this has already been explained many times in our teachings. Yet it is necessary to repeat this again and again and to recall it daily, because there are countless things which dampen and confound it, more than the mouth can express or the heart estimate. A person therefore has to repeat this thousands of times, so that he will be strong and courageous; so that, come what may, he will remain steadfast, to constantly pray and plead to God to bring him closer to His service.

“Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in heaven” (Lamentations 3:41).

“For God will not forsake His people or abandon His inheritance” (Psalms 94:14).

“God’s acts of kindness have not ceased, His mercies have not been exhausted” (Lamentations 3:22).