Donate to NNNNM!

Translate

Welcome to Na Nach!

FREEDOM - LIBERTY - EMANCIPATION

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Five Levels of Pleasure

HH

Truth is that this is really good Torah, I am not sure how he merited to it, but he did. This is a Torah from my uncle (grandfather's younger brother) R' Noach Weinberg ob"m. You can see it at length at the aish website they have a page with the whole thing laid out.

Basically we know that man was created to delight in G-d (Ramchal, who's hilula is this Friday), so my uncle laid out 5 levels of pleasure (which can easily be correlated to the 5 partzufim, nukva, zeir, ema, aba, arich). 1st level pleasures are sensual, including sex. 2nd level: love and children. 3rd: a cause. 4th: power. 5th: G-d.

As my uncle points out, the problem is that people don't know how to enjoy these pleasures, and usually they actually suffer from them. So he introduced a Yiddish word that actually made it into the English dictionary: kvell. Which means to experience the joy and pride from something. Parents can just sit and kvell watching their children in delight.

The thing is that kvell also falls short, both in quality and quantity. That of course is where meditation comes in. The problem with meditation is that most of the systems out there are based on pagan idiots, and the framework for "Jewish meditation" is quite shaky.

[This is why addictions and pornography prevail. People get an easy score from them, whereas they can't find any satisfaction from a higher source. Once a person learns how to reach and push Divine buttons, he creates a refuge, allowing himself the possibility of delving into kosher channels, even if it takes more effort, instead of feeling compelled to resort to low measures].

In addition, meditation can not be the complete solution, for even someone who can achieve very satisfying experiences when meditating must still face the challenges life presents to him, and the chances are, the higher that person can go while meditating the more cataclysmic life will be for him. Take for example the great Kabalist Avrohom Abulafia who achieved what can be considered minor prophecy - Abulafia writes how he was completely confounded by tempest of trials and tribulations which encompassed him subjugating him to impure forces and energies, making it utterly impossible for him, for many years, to even attempt achieving the states of consciousness he knew how to access.

Rabbainu's way of hisbodidus is therefore the supreme method and guide in forging a path of meditation which builds a persons life in balance, giving him mastery of all the pleasures G-d set out for him.

Rabbi Nachman and his disciples offered many important tips and directives on how to go about doing hisbodidus. Some of them are brought down directly in regard to hisbodidus, and some are small statements found interspersed in the great vast teachings of Breslov. Today different rabbis or gurus have assembled packages of instructions which they offer to the public. Unfortunately I have yet to see, or even hear of anyone today that can profess achieving any serious ecstasy from their hisbodidus. Sure many people experience euphoria and some transient high, but I haven't found someone who can actually build a proper establishment of Divine pleasure.

Like everything, especially with Rabbainu Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman, the key is in complete simplicity and straightforwardness. Focus on this objective, latch on, and keep strong till you win.

Since the objective is G-d Himself. Focus on G-d, latch on, and don't let go.

This is what Rabbainu said once, to sit down by the table, and feel G-d looking upon you until you turn red in the face. Very simple, extremely powerful, utterly rewarding!

This should be a common practice, exercise, the Baal Shem Tov praised the tzadikim who go about their whole day with this consciousness. So it is a good idea to do it for at least a few minutes a day. To feel the effect, the touch, the kiss of the Divine...

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!




No comments: