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The Greatest Wonder

Rav Shlomo taught that the finest wonder a tzaddik can work is to give a Jew the holy strength to pray.

A teaching ofRav Shlomo of Karlinהרב שלמה בן מאיר מקרליןProfile ›

Chassidim of Karlin remembered a saying that the Rebbe used to repeat. The greatest wonder, he said, is to bring into the heart of a Jew an abundance of holiness, so that he is able to pray to Hashem. He was surrounded by people who came to him for healing and blessing, and the stories of his miracles spread far. Yet he named something quieter as the highest thing he could give. A cure helps a person once. The ability to pray, to stand before Hashem with an open heart, helps for as long as he lives and reaches into every future need. In the Karliner's eyes, the true work of a Rebbe is to awaken that strength in others and then to step aside, so that each Jew speaks to Hashem for himself.

Source: Shema Shlomo (sayings of Rav Shlomo of Karlin recorded by his chassidim)

Practical lessonHelp someone find their prayer

Think of someone near you who has stopped praying, or who says the words without feeling. This week, do something small that might warm the heart: invite them to hear a niggun with you, sit with them for a few minutes while they daven, or simply share a line from Tehillim that moved you. Do not argue or push. The Karliner's idea is that the best gift is not advice but a spark. Offer it gently, then let Hashem and the person take it from there.

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