Posts
HH
THE
WRITINGS OF REBBE NACHMAN
Come
and see the works of G-d: an amazing revelation concerning the mystery of the
greatness of the godly sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
a) Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai promised that through
him the Torah would not be
forgotten
from the Jewish People unlike what the rabbis said when they sat together in
the yeshiva of Yavne (Shabbat, 138.)
Rebbi Shimon answered them that it won't be forgotten, as the verse
says, "For it will not be forgotten from the mouth of his seed."
In
the Zohar it says ( Nasso,124 ) "Through this book ,the book of the Zohar,
the People of Israel will come out of
exile."
b)
Understand this secret well. For this Rebbi Shimon brought a proof from the
spell
the name
("כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו")above verse. The
final letters of the verse
Yochai
. That's to say by the seed of Yochai ( Rebbi Shimon, the son of Yochai ) the
Torah will not be forgotten.
c) Know, the secret of Rebbi Shimon himself is
alluded to in the verse," a holy one coming down from heaven " (
Daniel, 4,20 ),the initial letters of which spell the name Shimon.
d) And now… there is "the flowing stream, a
fountain of wisdom " ( Proverbs 8,4 ) the initial letters of which spell
Nachman, who even the holy one ( Rebbi Shimon )
has
to receive from. Understand.
Prayer (47 For Lag B’Omer)
Lag B’omer – Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
[This
prayer is based on an awesome secret that Rav Nachman revealed about the
greatness of Rashbi [Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai], may his memory be blessed. Rabbi
Shimon promised the Jewish People that the Torah wouldn’t be forgotten because
of him, for through the Zohar they will leave their exile. See the introduction
to Lekutey Moharan. It is good to recite this prayer by the holy grave of
Rashbi if one merits to come there. However, wherever you say it, you won’t
lose out, for the radiance of the soul of the tzaddik spreads throughout the
world, as is brought in the Zohar.]
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, “holy one
coming down from heaven,” holy candle, sublime candle, great candle, precious
candle, you promised to the Jewish People that the Torah won’t be forgotten
because of you, for, through the Zohar , they will leave their exile. Even in
the midst of the concealment when God is completely concealed, in these days of
the coming of the Messiah, You promised that, even so, the Torah won’t be
forgotten from our seed, as is written: “I will surely hide my face in that day
for all… that they have done… this song will testify as a witness that it will
not be forgotten from the mouth of his seed.” Behold, the days have arrived in
which we have no pleasure. Our exile and servitude have been long. Every day we
become weaker. We’ve become orphans, without a father. There is no one to stand
up for us. Now, in the midst of the strong end of this better exile, the sparks
of Messiah have already begun to shine. They have been shining since the days
of the divine Ari (Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi), may his memory be blessed.
Your people, Israel, desire and long for the Blessed One very much. Everyone
desires to fear Your Name with a wonderful and strong yearning such as has
never been known. I have come to the end of all generations and I am still with
You. We still hold onto You and long to serve You with great desire. But, even
so, our distance from You in these times is
immeasurable. We have sunk in deep mire without foothold. We’ve come
into the depths of the waters – its flow has flooded us… In my oppression, who
am I to tell of the troubles of Israel? You alone know the standing and
condition of Israel in these, the last of days. However I’ve come to tell and
cry about myself and my soul, about my immense distance from the Holy One;
about the immensity of my many blemishes and transgressions and grievous, willful
sins. About these I cry. Tears flow down from my eyes. I know of no way to gain
back the power of holiness, nor how to merit to complete repentance. I don’t
know on which path to start to abandon my evil ways and deplorable thoughts, or
how to rectify such faults and blemishes. Woe, what has happened to me ?! What
has happened to me? Maybe You’ll take pity. Maybe You’ll have mercy. No one can
stop the Lord from saving me even at this time. Therefore I’ve come as a
impoverished man at the door, poor and wretched, afflicted and oppressed,
confused and crazed, to shout out and cry before the glory of Your holiness.
“Rebbi, Rebbi, Rebbi!” My father, my father, chariot and horseman of
Israel,” flame of the candle of Torah – awake, why are You sleeping? How can
you bear the suffering of Israel? Rise and awake together with all the true
tzaddikim and look at the bitterness of the suffering of our souls… Tzaddikim,
foundations of the world, rise and come to our assistance in this time of
trouble. Take pity and have mercy upon all of the congregation of Israel,
including myself, the sinner, who is blemished and full of sins, from head to
toe. You know all the hardships that have befallen us from the day of our exile
from the Land of Israel until now. You know what has happened to the People of
Israel, in general and specifically, what has happened specifically to each
individual, in particular what has befallen me since the emanation, formation,
creation and making of my higher soul, spirit, soul and body. You know all that
has befallen me in each reincarnation and, in particular, what has happened to
me in this body, everything that has happened to me since I came into existence
up until today. That which I still remember and that which I’ve forgotten – all
the reams of blemishes I’ve committed in
just one day, according to the place where they reach in relation to the source
of my soul. Certainly, even more so, that which I’ve blemished in all these
days from when I was born until today [specify the blemishes in detail]. Who
can tell, who can measure? What can I say?
Master of the World, put into the heart of this holy and awesome
tzaddik [who rests here] and into the heart of all the true tzaddikim that they
not conceal themselves from me. Let them stand up for me and speak on my
behalf. Let them search and find in me good points, to turn things to my merit.
May they advocate well on my behalf so that You bring me closer to You, with
compassion. Give me a new heart and place a new spirit within me, so that I merit
to really awaken from now on to return to You, truthfully and wholeheartedly!
All you who rest in the dust, pray for me, for one who is sunken in deep mire
without a foothold.
Rabbi, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, remember this and take
notice, that we’ve merited in these generations to hear awesome wonders of your
greatness and learnt how it’s alluded in the Torah that through you the Torah
won’t be forgotten. The verse you brought is itself proof - “for it will not be
forgotten from the mouth of his seed" – In
Hebrew the final letters spell out Yochai. Your holy name itself is alluded to
in the verse. “Holy one coming down from Heaven”, whose initial letters spell
Yochai. You alone know the secret of these things. You alone know the greatness
of the promise you gave us, that through you the Torah won’t be forgotten from
Israel. You know how Moses prophesied this beforehand in his holy Torah.
Therefore I’ve come, holy Rabbis, to remind you. Have pity on me. Don’t look at
the evil that I’ve committed up until today, in thought, speech and deed. Have
mercy upon me. Don’t take notice of all that I’ve transgressed. Don’t be angry
at me, G-d forbid. From now on think of ways that I won’t be pushed away from
the Holy One and from yourselves, Heaven forbid, for nothing can prevent the
Lord saving me even at this time. I have no strength now other than in my
mouth. This is also from God whose kindness and truth haven’t left me. They
have given strength to someone as tired as myself to sat these few words. In
this I have put my trust, that you, the tzaddikim, will have mercy on me and
act so that I merit to truly return to the Holy One (and to come safely to the Land of Israel very soon, to
say all this, and more than this, on your holy tomb). In His mercy, may the good
Lord hearken to your prayers, help, protect and save me and all Israel for your
sakes. May G-d return me in perfect repentance before Him quickly. May He hold
me and not let go of me; don’t leave me or abandon me under any circumstances
until I merit to really return to Him and to be as He wills, from now on,
forever. Through the strength and the merit of the true tzaddikim, let me
rectify in my lifetime all that I’ve blemished. Upon them alone I can rely to
arrange these words before them and before the Holy One, the Merciful One, Who
knows hidden things… “Bring my soul out of prison so that I may praise Your
Name; the tzaddikim will surround me; for You will deal bountifully with me.”
Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman!
No comments:
Post a Comment