Do not attribute bad things that happen to you to good things that you did

HH

This is a rule Rabbainu revealed in Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 298. In the Hebrew below I explain that there are times that good things do have bad ramifications, just that in general especially when one isn't one hundred percent certain, then he should fault the bad with the bad...

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

שיחות הר"ן רחצ

אתם תולים הכבדת החולאת במצוות, טוב וראוי יותר שתתלו בעברות.

רבינו בעצמו תלה מיתת בנו על מצוה שעשה, וכן רבינו אמר שהוא לא יכול להגיד למישהו למסור נפשו על משהו כי יתכן שיצא איזהו משהו לא טוב מזה וכו', וכן יש כמה וכמה וכו'. אלא שכאשר האדם אינו ברור לו, ואפילו אם יודע אלא שיש אפשרות להאשים את העבירה, אפילו רק באתגליא, אז רבינו מורה לנו שבודאי זה מה שמוטל לעשות.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן

Real Real Effort

HH

In Sichos HuRan (Words of Rabbi Nachman) article 121, Rabbainu belittled the effort of the chasidim. He likened their great show of enthusiasm and shouting out in prayer to the charade he played when he was captive on the pirate ship and every man was required to help pull up the anchor, and so Rabbainu was forced to show dramatic effort as if he was pulling with all his might. The chasidim were on fire - they were praying with Rabbainu, and yet Rabbainu said that it was all external and superficial. One must really jolt himself intensely - to beam inside a glimpse of the awesome magnitude of HY, way way and beyond our puny cognizance. There's a great deal more to be said about this, but I'm happy that I've finally at least got this down, because I've been wanting to post about it for a long time, from here on let the reader know for himself the true score and what he must strive to achieve...

BH now I merit to expound a little more.

See Sichos HuRan (Words of Rabbi Nachman) article 170, Rabbi Nussun asked Rabbainu how is it that we see people serving HY with great effort and they fail to attain the levels of the tzaddikim, and Rabbainu answered him that apparently they aren't really expending true effort, see there. Because when one really gives all he has to the devotion of HY, he will merit to get a "jolt" a true realization and awakening beyond the scope of his small consciousness.

Many people feel they are incapable or exempt from attaining high levels of dvaikus (binding) to HY and Torah knowledge. But the reality is that even the smartest and most talented person is quite insignificant and infinitesimal in the arena of true spiritual attainment (- the greatest olympic athlete can only do so much with his body, whereas one who has help even from the lowest angel of the lowest world can fly and carry about as he pleases with ease). The main thing, which every person is capable of and must strive for, is to truly light up his soul in the truth of HY, and according to how much one merits to do so, so will he rise and include himself in the unity of HY.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Where do you see something like that?

HH last night I spent 3-4 hours - till about midnight - speaking to some new souls that are going Nanach B"H, forfeiting chatzot and messing up my whole sleeping schedule. Once a person begins a mitzva he is פטור from all others, so I just gave it as much as I could. They were also exhausted and intermittently nodding off and quickly awakening themselves so as to hear more. One of them burst into tears and spontaneous heartfelt prayers completely overwhelmed by the awesomeness of Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman....

See also Sichos (Conversations) of Rabbi Nachman 231 about the quality of a broken heart....

אות - רלא

ספר לי אחד מאנשיו שפעם אחת שאל את רבנו זכרונו לברכה מהו החלוק שבין לב נשבר (תיח) למרה שחורה. השיב לו: לב נשבר הוא כך שאפלו כשעומד בין העולם יחזיר פניו ויאמר: רבונו של עולם וכו'. ובאותה שעה בעצמה ובתוך כך אמר רבנו זכרונו לברכה בעצמו: רבונו של עולם בהתעוררות נפלא ובנשיאת ידים בהשתוקקות נמרץ כדרכו: ...