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FREEDOM - LIBERTY - EMANCIPATION

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Words of Rabbi Nachman - article 5


5

He extremely denigrated the books of the naturalists and the philosophers[1], and he said that there isn't any complete abstraction there as there is in any piece of (the commentary on the Talmud by the) Maharsha or Maharam Shif and so forth[2] from our holy books, which have in them depth and extremely wondrous and pleasant intellect, but in these books there is not found this intellect at all. Because they speak just in the way of self-evident association until they come to some postulate, but the intellect that there is in our holy Torah lihavdil (to distinguish between the holy and what is not), it's not there at all whatsoever.[3]
And he said: Fortunate is someone who does not know at all from their books[4], (and) just goes with timeemus (wholesomeness, sincerity) and he has fear of punishment (yiras hu-oanesh). Because the main devotion in the beginning[5] is just on account of fear of punishment[6], and without fear of punishment it is impossible to begin at all in the service of Hashem. And even tzadikim need as well[7] fear (of punishment), because those who serve (Hashem) from love are very, very few[8]. And the main thing is fear of punishment, because the supernal fear (yiruh eelu-uh) - because He is great/master and ruler etc., that is, yiras haroamimus (fear of the exaltedness (of Hashem)), not every person merits to this fear[9], rather, the main devotion is just through fear of punishment, by most people.

And someone who learns Heaven forbid from the books of the naturalists and the philosophers, there is infused in his heart doubt and heresies. Because every person is born with wickedness[10], because the nature of every person has a tendency for wickedness, that is, for bad desires of this world, may the Merciful One save us. Just on account of his fear of punishment, he breaks his desire and enters in the ways of Hashem. However, when he learns (in/with) those books of chakeeros (theoretics and postulations of the naturalists) Heaven forbid, then he discovers for himself doubts and heresies which help his wickedness that he has in his nature. Therefore, we did not find at all that some person becomes a kosher and God fearing man through the books of the naturalists, even though there are found in their words some words about good character and so forth, even still it is all emptiness, because their losses are greater then their benefits, because they extremely confuse a person's mind. And see elsewhere about this, of the great prohibition of studying these books may the Merciful One save us[11].

And he said: fortunate are we that Moshe Rabbainu r.i.p. chose for us a very good portion, and gave us the Torah, and opened it with (Genesis 1:1), "In the beginning [of] God creating the heavens etc.," without any of their chakeeros (theoretics or analysis) or postulations, he just commanded us to believe in Hashem Yisburach with faith alone, and therefore it is forbidden for us to enter in chakeeros (theoretics etc. of naturalism) whatsoever, Heaven forbid. And even though in the holy Zohar[12] it denigrates fear of punishment[13], there are already answers in the books of ethics to explain this[14], because in truth the main devotion of a Hashem is just through fear of punishment as explained above[15][16].

And he said that these contraptions and inventions that the philosophers invented with their knowledge, like wondrous weapons and other devices which are made tactically based on science, and similarly the rest of the concepts of their inventions which each and every one of their scholars invented, he said, that it is all from above, because it was not possible for them to come up with it, just by their intellect being flared up in that science, that there came to that scholar inspiration from above. Because when the instance and the time came for the revelation of that science or tactic in the world, on account of this they were sent from above into their intellect this contrivance so that it should be revealed in the world. Because certainly the primeval scholars who preceded them also analysed this as well, and why didn't they come up with this contrivance and invention? Just the reality is that it is all from above, and when the time comes for this thing to be revealed, then his intellect flares up, then that scholar comes up with that contrivance, because it was sent to him from above from the place that reached out to him. (Because certainly they do not receive by ways of holiness, just by ways of the other side (realms of evil), and this is obvious/basic).[17]

And also lihavdil (to distinguish between the holy and what is not) those that say interpretations and novelties on the Talmud, the commentary of Rashi, and Tosfos, if it would not have been sent to them from above, from the heavens, it would be completely impossible for them to come up with the novelty. Just in reality everything is from above. (And everyone receives from the place that they receive, and see elsewhere about this[18]. Because certainly there is in this matter thousands and myriads of levels from where each and everyone receives the illumination and inspiration in his intellect, and from what place they present him with the novelty or the knowledge, however, the general principle is that all types of novelties that the scholars come up with, be it in holiness, like interpretations and homilies and so forth, be it lihavdil (to distinguish between the holy and what is not) in matters of their sciences, everything is presented to them and sent to them in their intellect from above, to each and every one from the place that is befitting to him, as explained above.



[1] Rashi in Tractate Shabbos (end of 116a) on the word philosopher, writes: heretic.
[2] Interestingly, both the examples given by Rabbainu, are famous for their commentaries on both the analytical portions of the Talmud and the aggadic lore.
[3] From the time of the Rishonim, the sciences and all the secular disciplines were termed: cheetzoaneyoas – external, for they are all completely based on analyzing the empirical values, whereas the holy Torah is the actual inner living wisdom of creation. There is a very profound and simple parable to understand this. A rock was launched into a pool of water causing ripples to cascade out etc.. No one saw the rock, they just saw the ripples and commotion it caused. Scientists studying the ripples can come up with all types of formulae and postulations, and based upon these they can often accurately predict the course of the ripples and how to navigate them etc., but they basically miss the boat at really understanding what really takes place. The rock in the parable is faith, like King David said in Psalms (104), “all that He does is with faith,” and the Torah is the wisdom of this rock, directly keying into the real workings and creative power of the world.
This is a very large subject and I elaborated BH in the introduction to Likutay Nanach.
[4] The Tshuvas HuRosh (Klal 25), brought down in the holy Shluh (tractate Shevuos), prides himself of not knowing these wisdoms which only confuse etc. see there.
However, it should be noted that Rabbainu revealed elsewhere that very greatest of tzadikim are proficient even in these wisdoms, see e.g. Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 64 and The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 412, that specifically the very great Tzadik has to study them, and see The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 172, that to understand anything Rabbainu revealed in his Burned Book it is necessary to be proficient in all the seven wisdoms, and see Koachvay Ohr (translated into English and published in The Stories of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and Saba Yisroel) the story of the Book of Eylim by Rabbi Yosef of Kandia. Also in the Story of Ancient Times, of the Clever Man and the Simple Man, the Governor suggests that the Simple Man learn all the wisdoms, and he says why not, see there.
[5] Scriptures are replete with verses attesting that Fear of Heaven comes first (see e.g. the beginning of Proverbs), and there are many follow up teachings of our Sages (see e.g. Ethics of Our Fathers 3:9, and Tractate Shabbos 31b), however there are those that try to justify their pursuit of external knowledge as a means of attaining the highest fear of G-d, by gaining insight and awareness of His awesome workings (like Rabbainu revealed in his first Torah of Likutay Moharan, that first the evil inclination dresses the sin with the appearance of being a mitzva), and this is a terrible mistake that Rabbainu set to correct here, making it clear that, first of all everyone must start with the simple fear of punishment, and second of all, most people will really only be living with this fear and not achieve the higher fear of awe, and that is fine, so there is no justification to sacrifice and endanger oneself to losing all fear of Hashem by studying the empty sciences.
[6] In the Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 442, Rabbi Nachman instructed one of his greatest disciples in the practice of speaking to one’s limbs, there too the main message to the limbs is along the lines of the practical fear of punishment and their future decomposition and so forth, with no mention of trying to instill in them the higher fear of awe.
[7] “As well”, can be read with what precedes it: Even tzadikim as well etc. i.e. not just regular people, or with the continuation: Even tzadikim need fear of punishment as well, i.e. in addition to their righteous characteristics they also need fear of punishment.
[8] The inference here is NOT that there are tzadikim that serve Hashem only with love and no fear, because the Torah commands many times that everyone must fear Hashem. There are however tzadikim that don’t need to come on to the lower fear of punishment, their fear of Hashem is out of awe of His exaltedness, and this fear is considered an aspect of love of Hashem (see the beginning of Aruch Hashulchan), this is what is meant here that there are a few tzadikim that only serve with love.
[9] In The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 442, a follower of Rabbainu heeded his advice to speak to his limbs about the fear of punishment and the ultimate purpose of the world, until eventually the limbs would feel how it would be in the grave and afterwards, until he would begin to faint. This was achieved by the fear of punishment, and not many at all can achieve that, so certainly the exalted fear of awe is not something attained by many.
[10] See Genesis 8:21, “Because the inclination of the heart of man is evil from his youth <meeni-ooruv>,” and the Medrash Rabba (Noach 34:10, cited in Rashi) deduces from this word <meeni-ooruv> that as soon as the baby stirs in the womb to be born it is imbued with the evil inclination. There are some conflicting opinions when exactly this happens. The Jerusalem Talmud (Brachos 3:5) sets a rule that a minor from the time he can eat a certain amount of food is already beset with bad thoughts. The nature of this evil and its parameters are analyzed and discussed at great length by many commentaries.
[11] The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 407-425. Rabbi Nussun wrote prolifically about this, including very harsh prayers to eradicate all who study and teach these things. Many of his expositions were collected and published in a book entitled “Machneya <quash> Zaidim <malicious sinners>.” Other great tzadikim also wrote books about this.
[12] Introduction of the Zohar, pg. 11b.
[13] In the famous prayer of the holy SheLaH (acronym of the book: Shnay Loochoas Habris) for parents to say on behalf children, the prayer specifically asks for Fear of Awe and NOT to have fear of punishment! The Ramchal in Yichud Ha-Yeeruh goes so far as to say, that it is almost appropriate to say that it is better not to have any fear at all than to just have fear of punishment, however ultimately a person must have fear of Hashem, even if it is just of punishment. The Ramchal explains this in his inimitable fashion, laying down awesome foundations, see there. BH this will be expounded upon in the coming footnotes.
[14] To this day I haven’t found anywhere directly addressing this problem and providing a resolution. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan in his footnotes here cites two places, as if to say they answer the question, it took many years until I was able to get a hold of these commentaries, only to be disappointed. The first source he provides is Ohr Yisroel, the notes of the Kuzhnitzer Maggid on the Tikunay Zohar, there (pg. 15a of the pgs. of the TZ) the Maggid asks, if fear of punishment is so lowly, how come it is so important to know the punishments (as they are written in the Torah and expounded upon at great length and detail by the Sages)? He answers that one must fear Hashem lest he causes Divine wrath to incur the punishments. Thus, the Maggid clearly retains the simple understanding of the Zohar. The second source RAK brings is the commentary Mikor Chessed on the Sefer Chasidim (13:9) there he explains how fear of punishment which is rooted in belief in the Torah, is needed to merit to Torah, and only through Torah one can come to the higher fear of awe. Perhaps this can be seen as a resolution, because it asserts that one can only start with fear of punishment, and thus ultimately it alone is a requisite, and it alone is all important. However, this falls short of satisfactorily resolving the Zohar’s severe stance against fear of punishment.
In Likutay Halachos (Orach Chaim 1, Washing Hands 6:99) Rabbi Nussun brings this teaching of Rabbainu and writes, “Even though it is written in the holy books that it is necessary to have specifically fear of awe etc., however, in reality if only <halivaye> we would merit to be saved from what we need to be saved through fear of punishment, and so we heard from many great tzadikim that the main thing is fear of punishment.” From this it doesn’t look like Rabbi Nussun found a satisfactory answer, and just relied upon Rabbainu that fear of punishment was the main thing.
A further look at the Zohar will put everything in perspective.
The Ramchal wrote a little treatise called Yichud HaYeeruh (today it is published in the back of his work Kitzur Hakavanoas) which is based on this excerpt of the Zohar. The Ramchal reveals the huge secret of the power of the fear of awe which is a gateway to awesome revelations of the Divine, so much so that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai cried before revealing it to his holy chevra (-group), he said, “Woe if I don’t say it. If I say it then the wicked can know how to serve their Master, if I don’t say it the chevra will lose this word.” This is utterly astounding! Why would Rabbi Shimon not want to have the wicked know how to serve Hashem?! The Ramchal explains (pg. 308) that it is not desirable for the wicked to just grasp this lofty way, because a person should merit to this by virtue of the purity of his deeds. The question screams out, does not this very Zohar propound that all of the service of Hashem begins only with the fear of Hashem, and that fear should be fear of awe, so shouldn’t the wicked also be entitled to know this very basic precept?! One might finagle out of this question, but the most apparent answer is: no, even after all that the Zohar denigrates fear of punishment and promotes the fear of awe, this is only something special for those meritorious, but for most people Hashem primarily wants for them to purify their deeds. Thus, the Zohar which at first glance seemed to be completely contrary to Rabbainu’s teaching, this very Zohar absolutely vindicates it! This is also exactly what Rabbi Nussun wrote, that it is true, fear of awe is greatly extolled, but for us, if only we can merit to be saved from what we need to be saved from….”
The only question that remains is one more of disappointment, after the Zohar revealed that the importance and superiority of fear of awe, how could Rabbainu just leave us with the basic fear of punishment which the Zohar denigrates, even though it is true and in order, we would expect for Rabbainu to pull us through to the top as he always does.
The answer is that everything in its proper place. Here Rabbainu had to make it extremely clear as to the primary nature of the fear of Heaven (at the very same time he warned against external wisdom, this itself already will propel a person to seek the higher fear of Hashem, because the conception of external wisdom is true only in the paradigm of fear of punishment, one who seeks real wisdom of the Torah will be forced to aim for the higher fear of awe, see this at length in Yichud HaYeeruh), elsewhere Rabbainu himself taught (Likutay Moharan 15 and 154) how one has to raise all the fallen fear (fear of anything other than Hashem, which is the root of all fear, and when it is fallen it dresses itself in all types of things which people then fear) until ultimately he will achieve the supernal fear of awe. Furthermore, Rabbainu made it very clear (article 48) that to be a truly kosher person one needs to have the determination and conviction to serve Hashem irregardless of any reward or punishment, see there. Furthermore, Rabbainu revealed )Likutay Moharan II, Torah-teaching 4) the way of ratzon (-Will), which is the root even, of all fear. Thus we see Rabbainu didn’t hold back from revealing and guiding everyone to the highest aspirations, just everything in its right place.
In addition, the denigration of the fear of punishment according to the Zohar has a lot to do with the inability to progress from it to true fear of Hashem (see this at length in Yichud HaYeeruh). However, the Baal Shem Tov already revealed in a letter to his son, a method how one can do so, by viewing the punishment as messenger and reminder. Rabbainu himself concretized (Likutay Moharan 87) that fear of punishment is in fact a prerequisite and a stepping stone to attaining fear of awe, because true faith in G-d is only be virtue of having a meaningful awareness of Divine retribution, the strength of a persons fear of the punishment meted out by Hashem is the determining factor of how much that person really believes in G-d’s omnipotence, so the more one strengthens his fear of punishment, the more he is actually gaining faith in G-d Almighty Himself, which is itself the fear of awe.
This already seems to contradict the understanding of the Zohar presented by the Ramchal that there is no progression from the fear of punishment to the fear of awe. (One might argue that Rabbainu is Torah 87 is referring to the fear of punishment as explained by the Maggid of Kuzhnitz above, however Rabbainu distinctly contrasts the two fears, so it very unlikely). The answer I think is contingent on another fundamental scheme eluded to in the Zohar which the Ramchal revealed and expounded upon, and I will try to summarize very rudimentarily its basics. This is the system of the rectification of the beginning and the ending. HY is infinite, above time and space, He created the vacant space in which all of creation begins and ends. The beginning is G-d’s unity, and the end is where every single atom of creation gains its complete independent identity. The rectification of creation can thus come from either end. The preferred way is from the beginning, by bringing the Unity of G-d into the world, everything immediately is abnegated to HY, and G-ds unity is shown to be eternal and ubiquitous. Because of sin, this way is blocked, and creation has to unravel and develop to show all the elements it contains, and then the rectification of the end shows how despite all these different elements, there is nothing by the unity of G-d.
In previous times there was great fear in the world from many elements, Kings and governors held the power of life and death, in addition to all the other fears of insecurity of living in those times. The world was also much, much more spiritual and superstitious. In such a milieu fear of God came more naturally, and it was fear of retribution, this is in line with the holy Zohar. Rabbainu already set down (Likutay Moharan 56 and elsewhere, see the Introduction to Hisbodidus – Alone Time) that every person is their own monarch of their own little kingdom. This is very much in line with the understanding of the rectification of the end. From this perspective one really sees themselves independent, secure, and self reliant. From this perspective, any fear of G-d will come only with belief that HY is in fact G-d and does in fact rule the world, and rewards and punishment, this is exactly what Rabbainu wrote in Torah 87. Thus, every little bit of fear that a person gains today, is an awesome rectification uniting the beginning and end.
[15] Rabbi Nussun expounds on this teaching in Likutay Halachos, Orach Chaim 1, Washing Hands 6 article 99.
[16] Here is a good place to point out that pretty much all the teachings we have from Rabbi Nachman were transmitted by Rabbi Nussun, and Rabbi Nachman himself said various statements to this effect, that transmission of his teachings would be via Rabbi Nussun. However, as Rabbi Nussun himself says, he – Rabbi Nussun did not come to the toenails, so to speak, of Rabbainu, and the profundity of the teachings of Rabbainu are way beyond his – or anyone’s grasp, far greater than can be fathomed. Just, from all the disciples, the understanding and delivery of Rabbi Nussun was the chosen. One of the things Rabbi Nussun writes explicitly that he had absolutely no understanding, was how Rabbainu conducted himself with the maskilim – the so called enlightened Jews, the leaders of these Jews resided in Uman, they had so distanced themselves from the faith, that they swore to never even mention G-d lest they might have any second thoughts or remorse. Even the greatest of Rabbis, such as Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev who is legendary for only seeing the good even in the most despicable people, even so he could not even look at the faces of the maskilim of Uman, and they laughed him out of the city. When Rabbi Nachman came to the Uman, by their invitation, he turned the tables on them, he blew their minds with his prowess in mathematics and his genius and knowledge of everything, and he would play chess with them. [Some secular scholars in their arrogant ignorance try to explain this as an inner conflict G-d forbid, as if Rabbi Nachman was grappling with issues of faith and conduct. These are the same people who have the audacity to suggest all types of ridiculous theories about Rabbi Nachman. They do not have any comprehension of anything. Rabbi Nachman had trained himself as a very young child to always see the letters of name of Hashem before his eyes, always, and he fasted most of the year, all this as he mastered all fields of knowledge, people testify that he always trembled visibly from the fear of HY, and so forth and so on, and these scholars have the stupidity to ask whether he suffered from depression and from doubt.] Once when Rabbi Nussun saw Rabbi Nachman playing chess with them, he was shocked to the core, and he asked Rabbainu what was going on? Rabbainu brushed off the question saying that just like a King has advisors to help govern, he also has friends for entertainment, so too, these were his friends. Rabbi Nussun never really understood this, and even Rabbi Nachman warned him against speaking with them, except for one of them. In this vein Rabbi Nussun always kept his distance from the maskilim, even though he had their respect, and in his prolific works he warns very strongly against any interaction whatsoever with the heretics, saying that only the true Tzadik himself, alluding to Rabbainu, can deal with them and rectify them.
This was the way of Breslov for many generations, until Rabbi Yisroel Dov Odesser, known as Saba, or Saba Yisroel. Saba openly engaged and befriended even the heretics. Once, Saba was invited to be on television, and before entering the building he stood by the door and said, “Rabbi Yisroel Karduner (Saba’s mentor in the ways of Rabbainu, who Saba never ceased to praise lavishly) would never step foot into such a place,” and then he stepped in and did the interview. From these points, and many others, it is my belief that Saba Yisroel, with the receival of the Petek – the letter – from Rabbi Nachman in 1922 which states: “Upon you I stated, ‘my fire will burn until the coming of Messiah,” and signed the note “Na NaCh NaChMa NaChMaN MayUMaN,” with this Saba received ordination as the transmitter of the other way that Rabbi Nachman had, how he conducted himself with the heretics. The transmission of the way of the Torah is through Rabbi Nussun, and the other ways of Rabbi Nachman are through Saba Yisroel.
All of this I present here, because it is clear that the way Rabbi Nachman dealt with the heretics was not by insisting they begin by accepting the fear of Divine retribution, as presented here as a fundamental prerequisite. So it is clear that Rabbainu had another way, a way not transmitted by Rabbi Nussun. To find out more about this other way one must study and examine everything available from and about Saba Yisroel.
[17] Regarding inventors and their inventions, see also The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 194.
[18] See article 245, “Someone who merits to come up with a novel matter in the Torah, from where was this novelty taken? And what was understood from his words was that from this that they merited to come up with this novelty, this is a manifestation of the revelation of His Divinity blessed He, that He blessed He brings from nothing <ain> to something <yes>, because originally he did not know at all this novelty, just now he takes and draws from the source of which wisdom which is the aspect of nothing <ain>, that is from the Ain Soaf <No End – the Infinite One> etc..” See also The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, articles 342 and 353.


ENGLISH BRESLOV LITERATURE


Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman


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