The Magid of Kozhnitz zy”a would explain the pasuk (Devarim 12:4): “You shall not do this to Hashem, your G-d”, by saying that one should not tell Hashem how to save him from his difficulties. For example, he should not tell Hashem to help him by arranging such-and-such a shidduch, or such-and-such means of parnassah. Instead, one should have simple emunah in Hashem and trust that He will help him in the best way possible.
If someone is busy with all different types of segulos – such as saying Shir Hashrim, Perek Shira, etc. – it is clear that his tefillos are not in vain. They certainly will help him and his offspring. At the end of the day, however, the yeshua won’t come in the way he thinks is best. Rather, it will be exactly as Hashem desires.
It is related that a woman would often come to the Ahavas Yisroel of Vizhnitz zy”a and ask him to daven for her. She would always ask the Rebbe to pray that she be helped in a specific way. In the end, however, her salvation came in a totally...
