“There are three forms of negative service that obstruct prayer: idolatry — that is, the distortion of emunah (faith), sexual immorality, and humiliating one’s fellow.” (Likutey Halakhot, Rabbi Nathan of Breslov)
Rabbi Nathan reveals here three deep-rooted forces that block prayer from rising: idolatry, sexual immorality, and humiliating another person. These aren’t merely transgressions — each one, in its own way, severs the living connection between a person and Hashem.
Idolatry, even in subtle forms, begins when we place our trust in something other than God — money, status, self-image… It distorts emunah, the faith that sustains true prayer.
Sexual immorality scatters the soul’s inner energy. It weakens awareness, defiles the imagination, and makes the heart less receptive to light.
And humiliating another human being strikes at the very foundation of divine relationship — for to degrade a soul is to offend the One who created it.
To understand this is not to fall into fear or guilt, but to deepen our sensitivity. The more we guard these three dimensions — faith, purity, and human dignity — the more our prayers can rise: direct, clear, and strong.
