Learning Talmud and Kabbala

HH

When learning the Talmud one is equipped with the basic knowledge of the rules and the parameters involved, and yet when facing the sugya as it is presented in the Talmud, one is faced and confronted with staggering inadequacy, so many things don't add up and don't figure properly, the Chasam Sofer said that most "dechookim" (seemingly forced, constrained, passable but far from ideal) are true, but it's much more than that, they serve to project how the sugya is so much greater than our feeble conception and grasp. So much of learning of the Talmud is charting and delineating what we don't know.

Learning Kabbala is the opposite. No one really knows the supernal esoteric stark truth of the concepts being discussed. During the learning one gleans here and there some messages and reflections that resonate.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

Prayer over Torah

HH

The Ramchal (in Adir Bamarom and in Ginzay Ramchal) revealed that the Torah is the aura of the radiance of the Sefiros, their garment, and from there the souls are rooted. Prayer on the other hand, Rabbainu revealed, is itself Divine!

The litvaks made a few mistakes, one, they seemingly seem to contend that the Torah is G-d Himself, and not just the aura as above. Two, it is therefore best to just hold on to the Torah because that way one is always attached to G-d and there is nothing higher than that, because prayer is just a means not an end and is secondary.

Prayer demands the leap of faith, because as long as one is attached to the Torah he will be attached to HY, and in some ways that is the most preferable as our Sages explained the prophets admonition - if only they would leave Me and take up the Torah its light would return them to be proper, however if one can make the jump, to let go of the lifeline and just pray, then he can achieve absolute unity with G-d. This is like mountain climbing where certain patches cannot be scaled slowly step by step, but demand momentum, to be able to leap from foothold to foothold. Ultimately one should be praying the Torah, to keep the Torah to realize the Torah to be the Torah, and that is the consummate unification of Hashem, the Torah, and the soul (it should be noted that the greatest secrets of the Torah are an aspect of prayer).

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman! 

Prayer for Hisbodidus - Likutay Tefilos 147

HH

Likutay Tifeeloas 147

Collection of Prayers #147

“From the straits I called Yu”h (-Hashem) He answered me in/with the expanse of Yu”h (Psalms 118:5).” “In my distress I call Hashem, and to my G-d I cry out, He will hear my call from His chamber, and my crying out before Him will enter His ears (Psalms 18:7).” “I called from my dire straits to Hashem, and He answered me, from the belly of Hell (-Scheol) I called out, You heard my call (Jonah 2:3).” “My calling is to Hashem, I call and He answers me from His holy mountain, sela/eternally (Psalms 3:7).” “My calling is to Hashem, I scream, [my calling is] to Hashem I entreat (Psalms 142:2).” Help me Merciful One so that they are unable to confuse me – the thoughts and the ideas which confuse and impede (me) from praying, and screaming, and arranging my prayer, and my entreaty, and my supplication before You at all times, and let not the pain and the destitution of body, and soul, and money, encumber me Heaven forbid from calling out to You, just, I should merit to call out and scream to You always, be what may be. Because You know how very hard and heavy it is upon me, every day and at all times, to open my mouth before You in prayer, and specifically when I want to express my words (-what is on my mind) before You, to the extent that usually I am unable to open my mouth to speak a word before You due to the abundant stress and heaviness, “Because day and night Your hand weighed down on me, my bodily fluid has regressed in the sweltering heat of the summer, sela (Psalms 32:4 – part of the Tikun Haklali).” And I have no rest from the predators of my soul at all times. And from the utter magnitude of the abundant hardships of the soul and the body, my mouth is shut and mute, and it is extremely difficult and heavy for me to open my mouth before You. And primarily because of infirmity which knocks me down and weakens my confidence at all times, because I know that I myself am at fault for all that is transpiring to me. However, You Merciful One have already made known to us that even still You desire our prayers, and want our entreaties, and listen, and hear, and heed the call of our conversing, and our groaning, and our sighing, as You alerted us many innumerous times, as it is written, “For He has not despised nor abhorred lowliness/calling out of the pauper, and has not hidden His countenance from him, and when he cries out to Him, He listens (Psalms 22:25).” Therefore I hereby cast down my plea before You[1], and spread out and outstretch my palms opposite Your very extremely abundant and wondrous mercies, and Your graciousness, and Your compassion, that You should be with me at all times and at every hour, and You should help me always so that I do not pay any attention to all types of confusions and ideas of this sort and kind, just, I should merit to strengthen (myself) at all times to begin to express my words (-what is on my mind) before You from the midst of the straits and the distress, and to fulfill, “And my mouth spoke when it was difficult for me (Psalms 66:14).” And I will strain, and tunnel, and push myself to always incline my thoughts and my heart to the truth, and to speak before You all that I can speak, some true word whatever (/however small) it is, even from the midst of the great hardship and the distress. And You with Your abundant mercies and kindnesses, give me expanse in the straits at all times, and augment my mouth [with supplications for all that my heart desires (Rashi)] and fulfill it (-all that I ask for).[2] And help me, and save me, and merit me, and open my mouth with great expanse to express, and to explain, and to converse all my words (-what is on my mind) before You with words of charm/eloquence, and appeasement, and full of entreaty, in such a way that You listen to my prayer and my entreaty, and Your mercies well up/prevail over me at all times, and draw me close to You and to Your Torah and to Your worship in truth.

And merit me to draw close to true tzadikim who the light of the revelation of their novel Torah is drawn from above to below; that above, their Torah is very broad and lofty and below it becomes much more narrow, in order to inoculate it into our hearts and our minds, to each one as it befits him. And distance me from those who upend the just/straight ways, whose Torah are from bottom up, that below they broaden it too much, and above it is very narrow.[3] And similarly with all the prayers, and entreaties, and supplications I should merit to begin from the straits and the confined, and You in Your mercies augment my mouth (-with words), and endow me with Your holy spirit (-ruach hakoadesh) from the Heavens, that I should merit to truly express all my words (-what is on my mind) before You as is Your good desire, and my words should be really sweet before You.

And help me, and save me at all times with all that I need to be saved, in such a way that I merit quickly to be truly as Your good desire. Because You alone know the labors of man and his struggles in this world every day, especially when he wants to approach holiness[4], to express his words (-what is on his mind) before You Merciful One, that many rise against him, with/his body and soul, physically/materialistically and spiritually, especially someone destitute like myself. “G-d, You know my fallacy, and my transgressions are not restricted from Your knowledge (Psalms 69:6).” “You know my sitting and my standing, from afar You sagaciously befriended me[5] (Psalms 139:2).” “Hashem, how abundant are my tormentors, many[/the greats] rise up against me (Psalms 3:2),” at all times. Have mercy on me, and strengthen and embolden me at all times to have trust in Your abundant kindnesses to call out to You always, be what may be. “Turn to me, and be gracious to me, give Your might to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant. Make of (-for) me a favorable sign (-that will make it apparent to everyone that You pardoned me), and my enemies will see (it) and they will be ashamed, because You Hashem helped me, and comforted me (Psalms 86:16-17),” amen and amen.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman! 

---

[1] Daniel 9:20.

[2] Based on Psalms 81:11.

[3] This is explained in Likutay Moharan 279.

[4] Literally, to approach the Sanctuary – see e.g. Numbers 8:19 in Sifsay Chuchumim this exact phrase.

[5] Alternately: from afar You understood my thoughts.

Nanach on the Torah Portion of Terumah - references to all the original teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and his disciples

HH

Tiroomu – פרשת תרומה   Donation

25:2 מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ וגומר: From every man whose heart is benevolent they should take etc..

The power of charity to arouse hold desire and will which vanquishes even the idolatry

Likutay Halachos, Laws of Blessings of the Morning 5:45

25:16 וְנָתַתָּ אֶל הָאָרֹן אֵת הָעֵדֻת: And you should put in the ark the testament (-the loochoas – tablets).

The reason that the tablets <luchos> are called “testament” is because the Torah is testimony on His Divinity blessed He

Likutay Halachos, Laws of Testimony 4

26:11 וְעָשִׂיתָ קַרְסֵי נְחֹשֶׁת חֲמִשִּׁים: And you should make clasps of copper, fifty.

The fifty clasps connote fifty gates needed to ascend to the side of the holy of holies and to grasp and inculcate that which is perceived from therefore

Likutay Halachos, Laws of Matrimony 4:12

 Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman - part 2 - His Voyage to Israel 28-30

HH

Shivchay HuRan

Part 2

28.

And the epic enormity of his hasaga (-spiritual conception) that he attained in the land of Israel is impossible to explain and relate whatsoever, mamash (-really) there is not heard nor is there seen the likes of this, that one born of a woman should merit to such hasaga through the atmosphere of the Land of Israel (-the Talmud Bava Basra 158b reveals that the atmosphere of the Land of Israel make people wise), and it is impossible to speak or talk about this. And he boasted profoundly of himself, with what he merited to be in the Land of Israel, and also at the end of his life he said that he vitalizes himself immensely with his having merited to be in the Land of Israel. And he said: "This I know already, that when a person wants to do some matter of holiness and he has impediments on this etc.," as all this explained further on.

29.

And the man who denigrated him exceedingly in Istanbul (-see above article 9) passed away immediately upon his arrival home. And the aforementioned man that was with him asked Rabbainu o.b.m.: "Does it not say (Proverbs 17:26), 'Also punishment is not good for the tzadik (-Rashi in Tractate Sanhedrin 105b explains that it isn't becoming of the tzadik to have people punished on his account, i.e. even if they are guilty and culpable, so why did Rabbainu bring about this man's demise)'?" And he answered him with a parable regarding this: That there was a king, and h e loved one of the children of the nobility, and he showed him affection, and drew him close with all types of love and affection. And afterwards when he grew up, he was brazen against the king. And the king said: "Know, that even though I love you very much, even still it is impossible for me to disregard the law and ordinance of the kingdom. And your judgement is decisively for death. And immediately the king commanded to restrain him in iron fetters, And put him in prison.

And this son of nobility began to picture in his mind the suffering that he will have from the death, and he saw that his pain would not be drawn out a long time, just until he was killed. However, when he began to picture in his mind the pain of the king, he saw that the pain of the king would be very great because the pain of the king would be always. Because he knows that the king loves him very much and he will have great yearning after him, and great anguish forever. And he had more pity on the king's pain than on his (own) pain. And he contemplated contemplations how to save the king from his pain. And he came to the following resolution: Behold embarrassment is considered to be like death (Bava Metzia 58:).

And he instructed the administrator of the prison to admit him in before the king. And he said to the king: "I know the truth, that your pain is greater than my pain, however, it is impossible for you to disregard the statute and law of the kingdom. Therefore this is the advisable recourse, bring about with ruses, that someone will embarrass me in public, and the shame is considered like death. Therefore, see to it to take from the captives a thief who is to be sentenced to be killed, and I will intimidate him until he gets mad at me, and denigrates me, and hits me in public, and I will be incurred great embarrassment, and it will be considered like death. And afterwards take the thief who is liable of death regardless (of this) and kill him as is his penalty. And the world (-everyone) will think that because he denigrated the cherished servant of the king he was killed, and the honor of the kingdom and his servant shall not be profaned.

Thus, sometimes someone denigrates that tzadik, and in reality he does a great favor for the tzadik, because he brings atonement to him for what he was liable to pass away, exchanging it for this embarrassment. But even still it isn't the honor of Heaven not to exact revenge from this person who denigrated the servant so beloved to the king. But to punish this person who denigrated the tzadik for what he did, is also not pleasing before Him, because "also punishment on account of the tzadik isn't becoming." Therefore, He blessed He "turns around stratagems (Job 37:12)," and stands up against the tzadik such a person that is already culpable of death and punishment. "And He summons both of them to the same inn (Makos 10b, regarding bringing about the punishment of someone who killed unintentionally unnoticed)," and this person denigrates the tzadik, and the tzadik is thereby exonerated from his penalty as mentioned above. And this person is punished afterwards, and the Name of Heaven is sanctified, because (ostensibly) on account of the honor of the tzadik he was punished. And in reality "he killed a dead man (Bava Kama 41a)," because he was already liable for his punishment previously. "And the ways of Hashem are straight (-just, upright) (based on Hosea 14:10)," "and there is no injustice in Him (Psalms 92:16)."

30.

And in the Land of Israel he engaged in Torah and prayer, and every day he wrote by himself his Torah (-original holy insights). And he boasted tremendously and said that the difference between the Torah of chutz-lu'uretz (-outside Israel) to the Torah of the Land of Israel is like the distance between east and west (see Beraishis Rabah, parsha 16 - there is no Torah like the Torah of the Land of Israel etc.). And every single day the big/great with the small went to him to wait on him (-sheemoosh - attending to the tzadik is the greatest way of gaining his wisdom and holiness) in order to hear the wisdom of his very extremely holy and awesome Torah.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

King David's case for Psalms and Hisbodidus against the leading Torah scholars

HH
This is something I've already wrote about at length, but since I found myself rewriting it for someone recently, I will share it.

HH King David had great disputations with the Torah scholars of his time who belittled him and shamed him in the Bais Medrah (-study hall) - all of this is documented in the Talmud. The question is why did they have such a vendetta against him?! So a big litvak Rabbi who passed away a few years ago A.M. explained elaborately that King David was the greatest hero of the time, more than any politician, actor, singer, or billionaire - he had absolutely everything, and he was a mighty warrior and king, so he was obviously the highest aspiration and hero-idol of the world. He was also the authority on halacha, as our Sages laid down that the halacha is like him always, and that he had an inner comprehension of the Talmud ("gulee misechtu"). But King David was a terrible disappointment to many of the Torah scholars, because he did not advocate to the masses such an approach, rather he professed the ideals of Psalms and hisbodidus. This was a huge threat on the whole system of Judaism the scholars we're familiar with which was completely based on complete abnegation just to the study of Torah, and there was barely room even for prayer - and now the people were going to aspire not to their ideals but to King David's. Therefore they did their utmost to shame him in the Halls of Torah to try to prove that the path of King David brings to utter failure in the acquisition of Torah. But how does King David prove to the world that there is just the way of prayer. In Psalms he said: Taste and see.... He didn't get into philosophical arguments and deep complex proofs, he said simply, if you want to know the truth, taste it and you'll see. This holds true to this very day. If you want to know the truth of Nanach simply taste it's holy awesome ways and you will know for yourself. Leave all the fancy complex disputations and reasonings and dissertations and proofs and whatnot. Get real with yourself and with the absolute truth of Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman.

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman - part 2 - the Order of His Voyage to the Land of Israel - 17-18

HH

Shivchay HuRan

Part 2

17. However, the people of the Land of Israel living in Tsfas (-Safed) and Tiberius, immediately upon hearing that Rabbainu o.b.m. was in Haifa, the greats and the tzadikim who were there sent to request Rabbainu o.b.m. that he should travel to them. And the people of Tiberius came for Yom Kippur to him, and they brought him letters from the greatest tzadikim, that they all are requesting him to come to Tiberius for the holiday of Sukkot, but he paid no attention to all this. And he said to the man that was with him to buy him Esrogim (-citrus fruits - one of the four species taken up on Sukkot), and he went to the Chuchum (-Rabbi of Sephardim) located there and gave him 20 paras (a copper coin), and he went to an Ishmaelite field and brought him 3 very beautiful choice Esrogim.

In the meantime, while he stayed in Haifa, a young Ishmaelite came and sat next to him and spoke to him a great deal of words, and he (Rabbainu) didn't know what he was saying, and so it was by every single meal, in the day and at night, and he (the Ishmaelite) was very friendly to him. And one time he (the Ishmaelite) came to him (armed) with weapons, in great anger, and began to scream and shout at him, and he (Rabbainu) didn't know what he was saying, however, there was a woman there from the province of Volichai (-from the border of Romania), and immediately after the Ishmaelite left, she said to Rabbainu o.b.m., for the sake of Hashem, that he should flee from this house, because this Ishmaelite said, that he o.b.m. should meet him in battle, which is called "fechtin" (- similar to the English word feuding, but should probably be the Russian word for duel: poyedinok , which shares (-anagram) the same consonant letters as fechtin (the Hebrew letter for f and p are the same, and the original Hebrew was printed without distinct vowels) just inverted at the end).

So immediately he o.b.m. fled to the house of the chusid (-pious/hasid) the famous (rabbi), our teacher Rav Zi'aiv of Tcharney-Austria mentioned above, and he hid him in an innermost room, and  afterwards the aforementioned Ishmaelite came again to the house of lodging of Rabbainu o.b.m. and said: "Where is that man?; He should know that I like him very much; I will give him my donkeys and also my horse, so that he can go with the caravan to Tiberias, and from now on he has no longer anything to be afraid of me." And so it was, that Rabbainu o.b.m. came to his lodging, and the Ishmaelite came and did not speak with him at all, just was silent and laughed, and afterwards this Ishmaelite was extremely friendly with him with extra affection. 

And this matter with the Ishmaelite was a great wonder, and Rabbainu o.b.m. said, that he had more suffering from the affection of the Ishmaelite than from his hatred and anger; and according to what was heard from his holy mouth, that there was inherent in this incident that he had with the Ishmaelite, great danger, and it seems that it was heard from his holy mouth that he said, that this Ishmaelite was the Samech Mem (-these are the first and main descriptive letters of the angelic name of Satan) himself, and Baruch Hashem that he was saved from him peacefully with the kindness of Hashem.

18. And on Chol Hamo-ed (-intermediary days of the holiday of) Sukkot all the people went, and also Rabbainu went with them, to the cave of the Prophet Elijah, and there all the people made great joyous festivities, and dancing, and circles of dancing, but he was not happy at all, just, he sat there with great submission and with a broken heart. And the Rav, Rabbi Zi'aiv mentioned above, asked the man that was with him: "What is this, and over what is this, that he is melancholic from Rosh Hashanah till now? Hashem knows if this is a propitious matter (-i.e. it is definitely not)!" And also on Simchas Torah they made hakafos (circling the Torah scroll/s on the central bima) with dancing and joy as is customary, especially since there were chasidic men there. And he o.b.m. was also in the synagogue, but did not want to make any hakafa (-circling), just, he sat there in submission and bowed head (as was his way to do so usually before he merited to accomplish what he desired, at every time and at every hour (that) he would be very brokenhearted, every time etc., as will be explained further on (article 33)).

And after Simchas Torah he said to the man that was with him: "Baruch Hashem I accomplished what I desired in a fashion most optimal and correct, and even still I was thinking of tarrying here out of affection for the Land of Israel, but now it is my desire to conduct the travels to our homes in Chutz-lu'uretz (-outside the Land of Israel), therefore go and rent (passage on) the boat to Istanbul; but the man that was with him did not want to listen to him, and he refused to travel to his home, because he said, that his desire is to be in Tiberius etc.. And Rabbainu o.b.m. answered him: "Since you desire to be in Tiberius, go and rent donkeys to go there," because his way was not to be very stubborn over anything etc.. And he rented donkeys, and they went to the holy city of Tiberius, and they came there towards evening; and the whole night the people of Tiberius went to greet/receive him; This one entered and this one left, and many dressed themselves in Shabbos clothing in his honor, and he did not sleep the whole night because of this. And in the beginning he stayed in the house of his relative, a descendant of the holy Rav, our teacher Rav Nachman of Horidainke o.b.m., but many (people) said, that it was necessary to see (to it, to attain) for him a large house, so that he has expansive consciousness, and immediately they agreed that he should stay in the house of the famous rabbi, the veteran/faithful and the chusid (-pious/hasid), our teacher Rav Tzvi Harker, and he moved in there.

And the holy famous Rav, our teacher Rav Avrohom Kalisker o.b.m. sent to him: Being that it is the day of bloodletting by him, therefore it is not possible for him to go to him (Rabbainu) to give him Shalom. And Rabbainu o.b.m. replied, that regardless of this he had been planning on going to him. And immediately he went to the aforementioned mentioned tzadik, and he (R.A.K.) received him with very, very great honor, and exceeding love, and very, very great affection. And the greatness of the love and affection that the holy rabbi, our teacher Rav Avrohom mentioned above had with our honorable holy rebbe o.b.m. is impossible to explain or to relate. And he (R.A.K.) appealed to him that he (Rabbainu) should lodge with him, and Rabbainu replied that this was not possible, for him to stay permanently by him, however, for one Shabbos he will be by him. And on the morrow he (R.A.K.) sent for him, and he received him for the first Shabbos, (of the weekly Torah) portion of Noach, and on the night of Shabbos, Rabbainu o.b.m. bent his head down so that he (R.A.K.) should bless him, and he (R.A.K.) jumped back four cubits away from him with great trepidation, and he spoke with tremendous fervor, and it was impossible to understand what he said, but in the end of his words they heard that he said: "How we (-third person, referring to himself) are ashamed in the presence of the progeny of the Baal Shem Tov o.b.m.," and he did not want to bless him, however, the man that was with Rabbainu o.b.m. he blessed promptly when he (-the man) bowed his head.

And during the feast there was great joy, and the aforementioned tzadik requested of Rabbainu o.b.m. that he say Torah (-holy teachings), but he did not want to in any way. So the aforementioned tzadik himself said Torah; and so it was at the second feast and the third. And the recital of Torah of the aforementioned tzadik, our teacher Rav Avrohom, was with great fervor and great shouting, and no word at all could be heard (-discerned), just at the end he concluded: "This is the essential devotion of the Creator blessed He." And Rabbainu o.b.m. would praise and glorify his Torah immeasurably, almost without an equal. Also I (myself) heard from his (Rabbainu's) holy mouth that he said, that perfection was only by the tzadik our teacher Rav Avrohom mentioned above. And he said to me: "Behold I have seen many tzadikim, but perfection/completion was just by the aforementioned holy tzadik." (T.n. this was the tzadik who ruled that the book of the Tanya must not be printed and must be put into geniza).

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman 4-7

HH

Shivchay Huran

4-7

4. Also in his childhood he began to study with very tremendous diligence in his studies, and he would pay the teacher from his (own) pocket three large coins for every daf (-two sides of a page) of Talmud that he would learn with him, besides for the tuition of the tutelage that is father paid the teacher, he himself of blessed memory would give the teacher from his own (money) three large coins for every single daf, in order that the teacher would force himself to learn with him many dafim (pages) of Talmud every day. And so it was, that the teacher would learn with him many, many dafim every single day, and he would pay him as mentioned previously three large coins for every single daf besides for the tuition of tutelage.

5. ‎And so he entered into the devotion of Hashem, and all his devotion was with very extremely great secrecy/modesty, to the extent that absolutely no one new of him at all, because he was very concealed and hidden. And all his devotion was in concealment with great privacy. And his main devotion at first was with great simplicity without any smarts whatsoever, just with absolute simplicity, and every single thing that he did, everything was with great exertion and with great force and mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice). And there is no matter of devotion which came to him easily, just every single thing came to him with very great exertion, that he would exert himself many times for every single matter of the devotion of Hashem. And he had many, many ups and downs, thousands and myriads beyond measure and reckoning.

And it was very extremely difficult and heavy upon him to begin to enter the devotion of Hashem to accept upon himself the yolk of His devotion blessed He. And he would frequently begin for a few days to engage in the devotion of Hashem, and afterwards would fall from it, and would return to begin, and would return and fall. And so it was many, many times until one time (t.n. there is a dream regarding this) he gained conviction that he would be very strong, that he would hold to devotion of a Hashem forever, and he would not look upon anything in the world. And from then on his heart was strengthened in Hashem, but even still even afterwards he constantly had very, very many ups and downs, just that afterwards he was strong that he would not let up His devotion blessed He forever, even though at times he will have a descent, even still he would strengthen himself in the devotion of Hashem Yisburach as much as he can.

6. And he used to begin each time anew, that is when he would sometimes fall from his level he would not despair of himself because of this, rather he would say that he would start anew as if he did not begin yet at all to enter His devotion blessed He, just now he is starting new. So it was every single time, always he used to begin anew, and he had many beginnings in one day, for even in one day sometimes he fell from his devotion and would begin anew, and so forth many times in one day.

7. And he studied with tremendous diligence and he learned a very great deal; "shas (Talmud)," and "poskim (halachic deciders)," and "Ta.Na.Ch. (Torah, Neveim-prophets, Kesuvim-scriptures)," and "Ain Yaakov (an anthology of the agada of the Talmud with commentaries)," and the books of the Zohar, and Tikunay Zohar, and all the "Kisvay (writings of) Hu-Ari (The lion, also acronym Rabbi Isaac (Luria)) o.b.m., and a vast amount of the other books, and "sifray (books of) mussar (ethics)," very abundantly.

And he said: that all the small books that speak of mussar (ethics), all of them where in his father's house. And he studied from all of them. He also learned a lot of "Raishis Chuchmuh (Beginning of Knowledge, a work of ethics authored by a disciple of the Ramak, based on Kabbalah)," and he said explicitly: that he learned the book Raishis Chuchmuh countless times (t.n. see the Words of Yisroel Dov Odesser where he tells over about R' Tzvi Hersch Rosenthal who was very keen on this work).

And the greatness of his vast proficiency in all the books as can be seen ostensibly somewhat, was without limit, and especially in the books of Ta.Na.Ch. and Ain Yaakov and all the Kisvay Hu-Ari and the books of the Zohar and Tikunim there is no one in the world to be found of his caliber. Because the whole Torah in its entirety was ready before him, fluent in his mouth, like a set table mamash, like something placed before the person before his eyes so that he could take for himself what he desires, similarly all the holy books were mamash set before the eyes of his holy intellect whenever he desired. And a bit of this can be seen and discerned in his holy books.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman!

Torah

HH
When hearing or learning Torah one should see himself as the actual embodiment and projector of those holy letters and words beaming them out in the Ain Sof BH.
In this way Moshe had humility that transcends all attributes, even fear of Heaven which is the making of all attributes, for they are all vessels of some sorts, whereas humility sees through even that fear and recognizes only the Ain Sof BH Himself, and thus he who is humble will reflect all of the attributes of creation in himself.
May we merit.

ויש לפרש עוד שלכן על ידי ענוה והתבטלות להאמין סוף זוכים לשמחה כמובא, ושמחה הוא שורש יראה כמובא, כי היראה הוא הכלי וזה עול גדול וכבד ועל ידי ענוה נחלץ מזה, כי לא הוא צריך להיות הכלי אלא הכל מאתו יתברך. וזה מה שמכוונים בשמע-אחד אשמח עד. כי אז מכוונים ממש לביטול לאין סוף, וזה בחי' עד מלשון עדי וכתר בחי' אשת חיל עטרת בעלה, שהוא תכלית היחוד אין סוף בנפרדים.

וזה ליראה את ה"א לא שאתה ירא, ויראה מילתא זוטרתא למשה ענו, אלא ליתן את היראה, שרואים בך את כל המידות שמהותן בגדרותיהם הם בבחינת יראה.

ועיין בחיי מוהרן הסיפור של המלך שצוה לשני עמים לצייר הפלטרין ואחד צייר ואחד ביום האחרון צבע הכל שחור והיה כאספקלריא עיין שם ועולה יפה עם הכתוב פה בס"ד.

נ נח

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

Parables of this world

HH

When you need to bring a big piece of furniture into a house or room it won't fit in through the doorway, and it is necessary to first dismantle the item and then rebuild it inside. Same thing with holiness, when one approaches the gates of holiness, there is no way he can simply enter with vessels he has prepared, he must first totally abnegate himself, only then can he slip inside and begin to rebuild in the new holy atmosphere.

This world is like a big mountain climb, and the leader of the group helps each and every one make the trek and ascend to the top. The climb is hard enough as it is, and having to shoulder all the gear and whatnot compounds the complexity and makes things extremely more difficult. So the group leader will step in and carry that cumbersome weight for them. That is part of what the tzadik does for us.

Intellectual property

Every Jew has their own face of the Torah – everything he learns is his own unique take, therefore no Jew encroaches upon another's potion of the Torah. However, a gentile who learns the Torah is stealing or even worse, for he doesn't have a portion of the Torah, and his learning is invasive and he is squatting on property that is not his.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Quality verses Quantity

HH

In Likutay Nanach I have already shown how in Judaism quality is predominantly more important than quantity (once there is a bare minimum). Recently I learned that even when Rabbainu told Rabbi Nussun that he must be happy always - that is how Rabbi Nussun translated it into Hebrew, but in the Yiddish he presents in brackets it is clear that Rabbainu didn't say always, but "unusually"!

In Kabbala we learn that there are eegulim - circles and yoasher - straight direct verticle lines. Circles are continuous, but the vertical lines "bring it on".

In Likutay Moharan, Torah-lesson 54:2 Rabbainu revealed even great tzadikim who understand the lofty allusions in their life and environment, and can serve Hashem this way, even still this is a way fraught with danger and a low equilibrium. See there.

It is amazing to note, that in all the extensive recordings and letters we have from Saba Yisroel, I don't seem to recall anywhere where he exhorts people to fulfill what Rabbainu says in Conversations of Rabbi Nachman (Sichos Huran 297) that he desires very much for people to go (-live out) with his Torahs, see there. In Likutay Nanach I propound that this was perhaps a manifestation of how Saba rose above all the contemporary Breslovers who very much were inclined to the lamdunus (intellect, reasoning) of the awesome teachings of Rabbainu, even though they were obviously very very adherent to the practical fulfillment of the holy teachings, having basically mastered the path, they aimed to live Rabbainu even more, and were thus very inclined to really merit to the infinite wisdom. Rabbi Avrohom ben Huran was known to have lived his life in the venue of each one of Rabbainu's teachings in Likutay Moharan, and Shmuel Horowitz was very keen on the very in depth study of Likutay Moharan, and he credits Rabbi Avrohom for this. However in Likutay Moharan, Torah-lesson 31, Rabbainu revealed that there are two levels of bris (covenant) - Tzadik, and lamdan, and the main thing is to aspire and keep at being a tzadik, see there. And thus Saba, never really talked about pursuing the goal of lamdunus. All this I elaborated upon in Likutay Nanach. Now I see even more, based on the above, why Saba didn't focus on promoting the teaching of going with the Torahs, because not only is there the danger of lamdunus, there is the danger of making this the main focus, when it should only be in one's periphery of avodas Hashem. It is most certainly vital and critical, but it is not the lead.

There is more to this, because in Likutay Moharan I show that with Nanach it seems that quantity is in fact more important than quality.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman! 

Exposition of Disputation - "Maamar Haveykuach" - Ramchal's introduction to Kabala

HH

Maamar HaVeykuach

Exposition of Disputation

Author’s Introduction

Hashem the G-d of Israel, our Father Who is in Heaven, Who chose us to be his special (-segula) nation (Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, 26:18), this He gave us as a sign of His love, and of that which he separated us from all the nations – knowledge of His great name and the secret of His wondrous deeds, which is impossible for any creature to figure out, except to the extent that He illuminates their eyes and imparts upon them of His spirit. And likewise Elihu said (Job 32:8), “Truly (wisdom) is a spirit in man, and the Divine (- of the Name: Sha”dai) soul gives them understanding,” and regarding this matter it is said (Psalms 111:6), “The power of His deeds He told to His nation.”

And because He hid the splendor of His Shechina (-presence) from the world, and constricted It in the Heavens, as it says in the verse (Psalms 115:16), “The heavens are the heavens of Hashem,” therefore people don’t know and are not perceptive of the truth of the works of Hashem, and as to the reality of His conduction the world, rather they attribute everything to nature, and to the constellations of the heavens, and their foolishness. And the first heretics contrived to serve all the hosts of heaven in ways known to them, in which they drew their powers down according to their way of endowment. And all of this came about from the administration of the holy Shechina not being revealed openly in the world, only in a concealed way. This not being the case with the angels, whose place in in the heavens, where the Shechina reveals Her dominion, and those standing in them (-the heavens) – know the truth which is hidden from those living on Earth.

However, when the Holy One Blessed He desired to draw close to Him His nation which is very dear to Him, behold He tore the Heavens (-at Sinai by the giving of the Torah), and revealed to them His concealment, to the extent that they all knew, and it was made clear to them in truth – that the entire conduct of those below, in the most exactitude conceivable, is only in the hands of the Shechina. And you don’t have a tiny thing in the world which doesn’t have vested in it extremely exalted and lofty matters. And then they knew and understood the entire secret of creation: for what the world was created, and on what it stands, and how it is conducted, and what the end of all these things is. And they knew the depth of His scheme, blessed is His name, and the great creations which He created for His glory. And they also saw how the people of the world go in darkness, and the truth is hidden from their eyes. And how the Holy One Blessed He set those things which cause the wicked to blunder. For, because He is hidden from the people of this world – He gave allowance to Satan to roam the Earth and go about it, and to do, and to seduce the heart of people with all types of trickery and deception, which the heart of man is lured after them, and is mistaken in so many mistakes, and thinks that the world only functions according to this nature which is visible to the eyes.

And behold all these things He revealed to their eyes, and they saw them, and they comprehended them in truth, and the reasoning to all this, and the depth of the supernal scheme which operates all this with tremendous wisdom, till the end of everything. And here they saw the greatness of the Torah and the mitzvoas (-commandments), what they are about, and how they enact great effects in all of creation. And they saw all the details of the mitzvoas, upon what they are based, and how they are so very, very necessary, like they o.b.m. said, “Between each and every statement (-of the 10 Commandments) – were enumerated the exact specifics and particulars of the Torah (Shir Hashirim Raba 5, Jerusalem Talmud Shekulim 6:1).” And regarding all of this, Moshe Rabbainu r.i.p. said to them (Deuteronomy 4:35), “You have been shown to know that Hashem is G-d in the heavens above and upon the earth below, there is no other.” Because the Holy One Blessed He showed them all of existence, and upon what it stands, and they knew with clarity that He alone is the conductor, and there is no other conduct, not natural, and not random, and not in any other way, just the conduct which He blessed He conducts in the deep scheme which He revealed to them. And He commanded them as it it written (/likewise) to inculcate in their hearts this truth, that it should be resolved in them without any doubt, like they saw it with absolute clarity. And this is what he said to them (Deuteronomy 5:21), “

That’s it for now, pray that I merit to finish this very quickly.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Ramchal - the entire Torah

HH

In honor of the 4 and 1/2 new sets of Ramchal which were donated to his holy tomb - an amazing first in history B"H - and to encourage you to donate quickly for the remaining sets which urgently need to instated. Each set is 8 volumes, each volume is apx. $15.

In the letters of the Ramchal replies to a challenge claiming that G"F his awesome revelations of the Torah are G"F from the realm of evil, for our Sages reveal that in the exile, due to our sins the secrets of the Torah have been given over to the realm of evil. The Ramchal first asserts that G"F to even consider that the realm of evil became the masters of the secrets of the Torah etc. - this is not for this post, maybe another time. The Ramchal further asserts that even if one would entertain the thought that G"F realm of evil had some jurisdiction over some of the secrets of the Torah G"F, it would be impossible for the realm of evil to have control over the entire Torah, G"F, that would be utter heresy, to say that G"F all of the Torah was under the control of evil. So the Ramchal says, that being that he has been granted from heaven an angel that must reveal to him anything he desires in the entire Torah, with absolutely no restriction, obviously this can only be from a holy source.

This is reminiscent of the story of how Rabbainu came to reveal his Sefer Hameedos ("Character") - this is how I published the story at the end of the introduction to the book (available now on Amazon for $35- there are also a few copies still available for free B"H - we can really use a new publication - about $4,500 for 2,000 books):

The story of how Sefer Hameedos ["Character] came to be revealed:

There was a follower of Rabbi Nachman, Rabbi Dov Chailis, who gave up a respected Rabbinic post in order to give himself entirely to the path of Breslov. He came to live near Rabbi Nachman, and merited to come before him daily. He would relate stories and Torah teachings from ancient books, and Rabbi Nachman would occasionally lift up his hand and declare that a particular teaching truly emanated from Divine Inspiration.

One time, Rabbi Dov told Rabbi Nachman a story about a certain head of a yeshiva who married his daughter to one of the students, who was a superlative scholar. He studied day and night, and spent his nights in the study hall. A Torah Maggid from Heaven began to come to him, and would study with him the whole night. However, this Maggid was from the forces of evil, not from a holy source (for apparently the student had stumbled in some sin, through which the Other Side gained power over him). The student did not tell anyone about this, and was not aware that the Maggid was from the forces of evil.

One time, the Maggid began to tempt the student to have relations with his wife during her period of impurity. He proved to him that it was the will of Heaven, and that through this; his wife would conceive the soul of the Mashiach. The student believed him, and began to speak to his wife to convince her of this. He told her of the Maggid that had come to him from Heaven and commanded this, for it was the will of Heaven. However, his wife had great fear of Heaven, and said she would ask her father first, and did so. Her father was very shocked by this, for he perceived that the Maggid was from the forces of evil.

He immediately summoned his son-in-law, and said, "Know that this Maggid is from the forces of evil. The sign is that a Maggid from the Side of Holiness has the whole alphabet written on his forehead, and the letters of the four-letter Name of God are illuminated. However, while a Maggid from the forces of evil also has the alphabet inscribed, the letters of the Name are not illuminated. So when the Maggid comes to you, you see that the letters of the Name on his forehead are not illuminated, and you will know that he is from the forces of evil. Beware of him, for he will try to harm you. I will give you amulets to protect you."

That night, the Maggid came to him, and when the student saw that the letters of the Name on his forehead were not illuminated, he knew that he was from the forces of evil, and followed his father-in-law's instruction and was saved from him.

When Rabbi Nachman heard this story, he was very excited, and said to Rabbi Dov, "But with me, thank God, all the letters of the alphabet are illuminated!" Immediately after this, he transmitted his alphabetical Book of Traits to be transcribed

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Transgender

HH
One of the most highly regarded works in Brisk and the Yeshivos is the Minchas Chinuch (my father gives lectures on this book, and many have been recorded and are available online on frumtube or koshertube), which analyzes the mechanics of the mitzvos. Very, very often the Minchas Chinuch presents different approaches and in order to show why and how it actually makes a difference which way you see it, he resorts to the case of a tumtum (se**al organs covered and unknown) and androgeenus (having both)- where according to one approach such people would be obligated and according to the other approach they would be exempt, or vice versa.

So maybe all the learning of the Minchas Chinuch was instrumental in an oblique way to the sexual mayhem prevalent today, or as a true yeshiva person would say: If people would be learning more from the Minchas Chinuch, the world would be spared the craziness of people actually going that way.

There could be another facet. For time immemorial the world was led to believe that learning Torah is more important than prayer. In recent times Rabbi Nachman has made it abundantly clear that prayer - for spirituality - is much higher. Torah is the aspect of the male, and prayer is the aspect of female. So now that the world is make the transformation, and shifting its focus to favor prayer over Torah, this effects all the echelons of society, ultimately bringing severe identity crisis and issues to some of those more prone to confusion, may the Holy Merciful One spare us and save us and redeem us very soon.

Na Nach Nach Nachman MeUman! 

The curse of external knowledge of the gentiles

HH

Rabbi Nussun, the prime disciple of Rabbi Nachman, was the master of seeing only good in people. He received from Rabbainu the teaching and life practice that even in the most evil Jew there is some good point, however small, which one should search out, latch on to, and only see this person through the vantage of this goodness. Rabbi Nussun said that he can explain elaborately any area of the entire Torah, but to explain even the most insignificant Jew he was unable.

This very Rabbi Nussun composed pages and pages of diatribe, castigation, and curses against those who teach and pollute the young Jewish minds with secular knowledge. Today probably thousands if not tens of thousands of Breslovers pray and articulate these words every day! Be aware!

This should drill home the utter evil and danger of secular knowledge.

Today as science manifests its exhibitionism of its measurements and computations, producing tools and devices, it becomes harder to retain the realization of how superficial all of it is, really just an assembly of the empirical in a mechanical fashion so that it can serve humanity in some way. In a previous post Machine Angels you can see how all the services these new robots are providing and many more, were all provided for Adam directly via spiritual forces of angels, and every physical entity is in reality empowered by a spiritual one, and it is a terrible handicap to be blind to the reality and only see the superficial physical shell and credit it for more than what it is, a slave. All the external knowledge of the sciences and all the fields and disciplines studied in the secular world, are simply just that - slaves, at the service of the true inner purpose, nothing more. Don't mistake it from what it is, don't be misled. True it may contain some amazing facets, such is the nature of the creation of G-d Almighty, but in no way does it even begin to touch the true wisdom of the Torah. Every letter of the Torah is true living wisdom of creating value - not simply empirical, stagnant, and dormant. There is a great deal more to be said....

Keep strong.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Nanach is the narrow bridge one must take in this world

HH

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman - the essential Rabbi Nachman. Saba Yisroel was the only Breslover in all of Tiberius, the whole city, men women and children mocked him and castigated him, yet he fortified himself with the holy teachings and methods of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and managed to surmount their antagonism not only with resilience but with joy and exuberance. However when he saw that he had succumbed and ate on the fast of the 17th of Tamuz, he couldn't come to terms with how he had been let down to commit such a blunder, all of Judaism was reliant on him to bear the true tradition of Rabbainu and yet he can come to such a thing as not honoring completely the solemness of the fasting for the destruction of the temple? None of the teachings and techniques of Rabbi Nachman were able to restore his standing, he could find no solace no raison d'etre. All the teachings that had given him such formidable strength and resolve did nothing for him now, and were to no avail. It was only then that he was prepared from on high to receive the way of Rabbi Nachman which had never been divulged, not even to Rabbi Nussun, the way of dealing with those who had completely fallen from the faith Heaven forbid. Upon receiving the holy Petek, Saba Yisroel knew like never before that there absolutely was no despair in the world whatsoever, true he had heard and relied on those very words before, but previously he had known those words in the paradigm of Torah, and when a person falls Heaven forbid completely from the Torah then he will obviously be confronted with doubts in this dictum as well, but now he knew - even outside of the paradigm of Torah - he knew in the very paradigm of existence, in the paradigm of prayer, that there was no despair in the world whatsoever, and with this realization he was infused with supernal joy not of this world, and he was reset and prepared for the mission he was to accomplish initializing the entire world to the holy ways of Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman.

Today there are people that call themselves Breslov, who are really old, set in their ways may the Merciful One save us, they have everything figured out and packaged, they will pander to the masses their wisdoms and contrivances, but this is not Breslov, this is not truth. They have systems and balances, but none of that can withstand the rigors of today's turbulence. So they are just a facade of falsehood may the Merciful One save us. And likewise there are people on the other extreme who have rejected to some extent basic tenets of the Torah, and parade pridefully and staunchly claiming to be Nanach.

One must traverse in this world on a very narrow bridge... Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

The house of Rabbainu

HH this Rosh Hashana the group I stay with (the publishers of Rabbainu) moved to a new location - right next to the house of Nachman Nussun - the house where Rabbainu himself stayed.
Interestingly, on Rosh Hashana I opened the holy book Words of Rabbi Nachman and briefly perused through it, and I happened on item #206 where Rabbainu asserts that it is extremely good and beneficial to just hear the voice of the Tzaddik when he is saying Torah, even without discerning any words or meaning, even to just stand in the house....
NNNNM!

Last chance

HH
The Talmud in tractate Chulin 92.: says that of the 30 commandments (there's much discussion as to the nature and origin of 30, because it is known that there are only 7 laws of Bnei Noah) the gentiles have, they only keep 3 (10%).
1. Even though they have designated homose*ual partners and relationships they are not so frivolous and brazen to make marriage contracts for these.
2. They do not have a market to sell human flesh.
3. They have respect for the Torah.


Today the world has already, by and large, done away with #1. As for #2 there is a huge market for human body parts. That leaves the world with only #3. This is also very week as we see the world grappling now with this, e.g. the ruling to remove the monument of the Ten Commandments. However the main Torah is the direct teachings of the tzadik of the generation who is in the aspect of Moshe Rabbainu, namely Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman, and BH in general we are seeing in the world not just acceptance and curiosity, but even an attraction and inclination towards the holy messages of Rabbainu. So basically the worlds last chance is Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman!

The Secret to Understanding the Torah

HH

In the holy book Yosher Divrey Emess (Straight Words of Truth) he writes that everything he received from the Maggid of Mezretch (the main disciple and successor to the Baal Shem Tov) he already had known, for he was a huge scholar in his own right, the only difference was that what he hear from the Maggid he received with conviction as if he heard it from the Tanaaim (Sages of the Mishna). From this we learn that the real key to understanding the Torah is the importance that one attributes to it. How much one is “mispaael” (roused, worked up, inspired, blown away....) from the Torah.

The Vilna Goan points out that the holy books begin by stating who their author is. This is intrinsic to understanding the content, because knowing who is speaking is the key. When a ten year old gives a business tip it doesn't carry any weight, but when it comes from someone renown, the same tip becomes a strong principle.

There are different versions to the story, but the basic gist of it with regard to the above, that one of the great scholars went to test out the Baal Shem Tov, and the Besh”t gave him to read and explain a passage from the Eitz Chaim (work of the Arizal), the scholar did so, but the Besh”t said that it was not satisfactory, the scholar applied himself again unsuccessfully, and yet again. Finally the scholar told the Besh”t that's the best I can do, if I am not correct please show the proper interpretation. The Baal Shem Tov took the holy book and told the scholar, “Stand on your feet!” The Baal Shem Tov began reading the passage aloud, this particular passage mentioned the names of various angels, and as the Besh”t read their names the angels appeared.... The Baal Shem Tov then told the scholar, your explanation and understanding was correct but it was utterly deficient.

On the first word of the Torah, “Beraishis” Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai revealed 70 different interpretations and expositions which are said to have an entirely different meaning every hour, each interpretation encompassing intelligence which can explain the entire working of the known universe and supernal worlds. We look at this word and see so little, but when Rabbi Shimon considered this word it was the Tikunay Zohar.

If you want to begin to understand the Torah, you have to take the time to contemplate and actually feel the enormity of the awesome power it is packing. When the Jews stood by Mt. Sinai and heard G-d speaking to them their souls flew away, and they jumped a mile away, angels had to bring them back, and G-d provided special dew to resurrect and restore their souls. This is really what a person has to be prepared to take when preparing to learn the holy Torah.

By the Baal Shem Tov the holy disciples would hear the thunder and lightning that was by the giving of the Torah! Rabbi Nachman questioned those about him, if they too heard these callings.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Only with Rabbainu

HH
You should know by now that when a person learns Rabbainu's Torah he sees in it many allusions to what is going on in his life, Rabbainu himself bragged about this. So as I learn Lkm Torah 31 which discusses how Acher went into the Pardes and became a apostate - - and our sages revealed that this was because he used to listen to Greek music -- I found it very interesting when a woman on fb asked me if I appreciate her Greek music... NO SIRRY!!!

B"H there are many other things going on that I can also correlate, but I can't write it all.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!