Ratzon
רצוןWill and desire — aligning the human ratzon with the Ratzon Hashem, and the yearning that carries it. The Sfas Emes on ratzon.
224 essays
Bereishit
Noach
Lech Lecha
- Yearning That Earns AttainmentLech Lecha · תרל"ד · Essay 1
- Avraham channeling all desires to HashemLech Lecha · תרל"ה · Essay 2
- The hidden inner will toward HashemLech Lecha · תרל"ה · Essay 4
- Serving Hashem without ulterior rewardLech Lecha · תרל"ו · Essay 3
- Lech Lecha תרל"טLech Lecha · תרל"ט
- Light Hidden in DarknessLech Lecha · תר"מ · Essay 1
- Bittul to Hashem's word over one's own reasoningLech Lecha · תרמ"ט · Essay 4
Vayeira
Chayei Sarah
Toldot
Vayetzei
- Will draws Hashem's light into any placeVayetzei · תרל"ד · Essay 4
- Vayetze תרל"חVayetzei · תרל"ח
- Thirst in barren times earns revelationVayetzei · תרל"ח · Essay 1
- Vayetze תר"מVayetzei · תר"מ
- Yearning reveals hidden holinessVayetzei · תר"מ · Essay 1
- Yaakov's ladder and the inner point of yearningVayetzei · תרמ"ז · Essay 1
- Body and soul yearn for HashemVayetzei · תרס"ד · Essay 1
Vayishlach
Vayeshev
Mikeitz
Chanukah
Vayechi
Shemot
Vaeira
Bo
Beshalach
Yitro
Mishpatim
- Mishpatim bind by ratzon Hashem, revealing inner TorahMishpatim · תרל"א · Essay 1
- Submitting every deed to Hashem's judgmentMishpatim · תרל"ב · Essay 1
- Na'aseh before nishma rooted in ratzonMishpatim · תרל"ד · Essay 1
- Shabbos bittul as the fulfillment of the workweekMishpatim · תרמ"ט · Essay 3
- Torah revealed through hints that awaken longingMishpatim · תרס"א · Essay 1
Shekalim
Terumah
- Receiving Torah through emunah and ratzonTerumah · תרל"א · Essay 1
- Sincere will draws down divine completionTerumah · תרל"א · Essay 2
- Teruma 5631Terumah · Essay 5631
- The will to give elevates every mitzvahTerumah · תרל"ג · Essay 1
- Building the Mikdash within through ratzon and emunahTerumah · תרל"ג · Essay 2
- Teruma 5633Terumah · Essay 5633
- Inner generosity elevates every deedTerumah · תרל"ד · Essay 1
- Teruma 5634Terumah · Essay 5634
- The wakeful inner point of generosityTerumah · תרל"ז · Essay 1
- Teruma 5637Terumah · Essay 5637
- Torah's power to consecrate the physicalTerumah · תר"מ · Essay 1
- Tuma 5640Terumah · Essay 5640
- Teruma 5641Terumah · Essay 5641
- The soul-root that yearns to reuniteTerumah · תרמ"ב · Essay 2
- Torah uncovers the soul's hidden desireTerumah · תרס"ב · Essay 1
Purim
Ki Tisa
- Ki Tisa תרל"בKi Tisa · תרל"ב
- Shabbos Returning All to SourceKi Tisa · תרל"ג · Essay 1
- Shabbos consciousness in every actKi Tisa · תרל"ה · Essay 1
- Shabbos as the goal of weekday laborKi Tisa · תרל"ה · Essay 2
- Completion unlocks the Torah's giftKi Tisa · תרל"ו · Essay 2
- Shabbos plants yearning for HashemKi Tisa · תרמ"ח · Essay 3
- Receiving Torah with bridal longingKi Tisa · תרס"ב · Essay 1
Vayakhel
Pekudei
Vayikra
- Every Action a Divine MissionVayikra · תרל"א · Essay 1
- Giving the inner self through Klal YisraelVayikra · תרל"א · Essay 3
- Inner self-surrender as the true korbanVayikra · תרל"א · Essay 5
- Heaven Compelling Willing HeartsVayikra · תרל"ב · Essay 1
- Becoming a malach through na'asehVayikra · תרל"ז · Essay 1
- Korban as inner self-sacrificeVayikra · תרמ"ג · Essay 1
Tzav
Shabbat HaGadol
Pesach
- Self‑Nullification and FaithPesach · תרל"ב · Essay 19
- Inner Meaning of the FestivalsPesach · תרל"ו · Essay 12
- Sanctifying Desire Through TorahPesach · תרל"ט · Essay 17
- The Eternal unfolding of SongPesach · תר"מ · Essay 11
- Spiritual Elevation After ExodusPesach · תרמ"ב · Essay 4
- Yearning for the FestivalsPesach · תרס"ב · Essay 5
Shmini
- Acting for ratzon Hashem not distasteShmini · תרל"א · Essay 4
- Serving Hashem for His will aloneShmini · תרל"ו · Essay 3
- Guarding speech expands the inner willShmini · תרל"ז · Essay 3
- Closeness to Hashem through bittul and commandShmini · תרמ"א · Essay 3
- Mitzvos Refine Creation Through ManShmini · תרנ"ו · Essay 2
Tazria
Acharei Mot
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukotai
- Toil in Torah as bittulBechukotai · תרל"ב · Essay 2
- Toiling in Torah elevates the physical worldBechukotai · תרל"ו · Essay 2
- Reasoning as a path to bittul beyond reasonBechukotai · תרל"ח · Essay 1
- Finding the soul's engraved paths to HashemBechukotai · תרמ"ד · Essay 1
- Nullifying intellect to Hashem's TorahBechukotai · תרנ"ב · Essay 1
- Receiving reward lishmah as avodahBechukotai · תרנ"ה · Essay 1
Bamidbar
- Leaping to holiness through the AvosBamidbar · תרל"ד · Essay 2
- Yearning that binds one to HashemBamidbar · תרל"ד · Essay 4
- The banners and cleaving above one's levelBamidbar · תרל"ה · Essay 4
- The ever-present voice of TorahBamidbar · תרל"ה · Essay 5
- Each soul's root found through TorahBamidbar · תרל"ט · Essay 1
- Three soul-levels and three ShabbososBamidbar · תרמ"ז · Essay 1
- Nullifying one's will earns the heart's desiresBamidbar · תרמ"ח · Essay 3
- The tzaddik's holy desire for HashemBamidbar · תרנ"ו · Essay 2
Shavuot
Naso
- Naso תרל"דNaso · תרל"ד
- Weekdays as pillars joining will to deedNaso · תרל"ד · Essay 1
- Hashem lifts the inner pointNaso · תרל"ד · Essay 2
- Naso תרל"הNaso · תרל"ה
- Weekday yearning draws down ShabbosNaso · תרל"ה · Essay 1
- Naso תרל"וNaso · תרל"ו
- Refining the soul's yearning for HashemNaso · תרל"ו · Essay 1
- Naso תרל"זNaso · תרל"ז
- Naso Essay on Avot תרל"זNaso · תרל"ז
- Mutual longing in CreationNaso · תרל"ז · Essay 1
- Hashem's favor kindles the inner sparkNaso · תרל"ז · Essay 2
- Refining the silver of ratzon through the fire of TorahNaso · תר"מ · Essay 2
- Refining the dross through Torah and ShabbosNaso · תרנ"ב · Essay 1
- Shabbos restores the soul's true yearningNaso · תרנ"ד · Essay 2
Beha'alotcha
- Holy Desire Versus Selfish CravingBeha'alotcha · תרל"א · Essay 2
- Rectifying and unifying all desire toward HashemBeha'alotcha · תרל"ג · Essay 2
- Beha'alotcha תרל"דBeha'alotcha · תרל"ד
- Matching deeds to one's true willBeha'alotcha · תרל"ו · Essay 3
- Arousal from below awakens the light aboveBeha'alotcha · תרמ"ב · Essay 3
- Accepting hardship with love nullifies the selfBeha'alotcha · תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח - תרנ"ב · Essay 9
Shlach
- Bittul as the shliach's protectionShlach · תרל"ה · Essay 1
- Shlach תרל"זShlach · תרל"ז
- Divine will above nature and the spies' failure of emunahShlach · תרל"ט · Essay 2
- Doing Hashem's will above spiritual comfortShlach · תרמ"ג · Essay 1
- Longing for Hashem transcends time and natureShlach · תרמ"ג · Essay 2
Chukat
Balak
Pinchas
Matot
Masei
Vaetchanan
Eikev
Re'eh
- Broadening The Inner PointRe'eh · תרל"א · Essay 4
- Longing That Bridges DistanceRe'eh · תרל"א · Essay 5
- Yearning to Retain ShabbosRe'eh · תרל"א · Essay 7
- Elevating The Mundane Through WillRe'eh · תרל"ב · Essay 2
- Elevating Sparks Through EatingRe'eh · תרל"ג · Essay 5
- Eternal Imprint of HolinessRe'eh · תרל"ז · Essay 2
- Hidden Cravings Of AscentRe'eh · תרל"ח · Essay 3
- Seeking the Shechinah Through YearningRe'eh · תרמ"ד · Essay 2
- Elevating Physical Desire Through TorahRe'eh · תרנ"ו · Essay 2
Shoftim
- Brief Notes on ShoftimShoftim · תרל"א · Essay 1
- Teshuvah That Erases SinShoftim · תרל"א · Essay 5
- Eis Ratzon Within ManShoftim · תרל"א · Essay 6
- Judging the Heart's GatesShoftim · תרל"ד · Essay 1
- Wholehearted Surrender To HashemShoftim · תרל"ו · Essay 3
- Inner Will And DeedShoftim · תרל"ז · Essay 1
- Pursuing Truth ForeverShoftim · תרל"ט · Essay 1
Ki Teitzei
- Gathering the Soul for WarKi Teitzei · תרל"א · Essay 4
- Difficulty of the Lighter MitzvahKi Teitzei · תרל"ב · Essay 2
- Ki Teitze תרל"גKi Teitzei · תרל"ג
- Awakening Hidden Chein Through MitzvosKi Teitzei · תרל"ג · Essay 1
- The Unspoken CryKi Teitzei · תרל"ד · Essay 2
- Heaven Compels The WillingKi Teitzei · תרל"ח · Essay 3
- Accepting the Heavenly YokeKi Teitzei · תרמ"א - תרמ"ב · Essay 2
Ki Tavo
Nitzavim
Vayeilech
Rosh Hashanah
Sukkot
- Elevating the lowest levelSukkot · תרל"ו · Essay 4
- Joy awakened through the longing of galusSukkot · תרל"ז · Essay 12
- Elevating the lower world before the selfSukkot · תרל"ז · Essay 13
- The addition of Shemini AtzeresSukkot · תרל"ט · Essay 8
- Sukkos: Hashem grants renewed joy and desireSukkot · תרמ"א · Essay 4
- Torah as living water of SukkosSukkot · תרמ"ב · Essay 16
- Longing for the shade of the sukkahSukkot · תרנ"א · Essay 1
- Remembering the Mikdash Through the LulavSukkot · תרנ"ב · Essay 3
- Yearning for Hashem opens the wellspringSukkot · תר"ס · Essay 5
- The Beloved Impermanence of the SukkahSukkot · תרס"ב · Essay 5