Mastering the Ups and Downs

HH

Rabbi Nachman said that for him the greatest ups were easy to attain, his main devotion lay in bringing it down. So obviously this science and discipline is to be found in his teachings.

There were many great sages and kabalists, and many great revelations and how to merit to attain revelations and Divine Inspiration. But what about all the time in between, when one just can't be there? And one who does merit the ability to bind himself to the supernal, this can be like a fix of holy heroin, a blast out of this mundane world into true holy reality, but what happens next? And even though this is obviously the most holy achievement, can there still be a problem of dependency, need, and addiction?

Rabbainu has the solution!

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

Gain perspective

HH

In Proverbs it says “In all your ways know Him,” Ruvuh said (Brachos) this refers even to endeavors of sin. Many commentaries have elaborated on this. Here I will present one practical approach. Even when a person is convinced that he needs to do something wrong he should approach it with the intent to do good. For example, a person might feel that he needs to watch a movie or television, even though he knows that this is the epitome of the sitra-achra (-evil realm), for Rabbainu has revealed that today the main affair of the sitra-achra is imagination and fantasy. The actual world we live in, our holy sages have already made clear that it is all a façade, and they tried to share with us how to live the true reality of the Torah. However television and movies further enshrouds the world in layers of void and emptiness that subject a person to live in wishy-washy paradigms of delusion. All of this a person knows, and yet he might still need his fix, he might not be able to just break out cold turkey. So the aitzuh (-recourse, advice) is that before he sits down in capitulation, he should make a little disclaimer, and say a few words to his Creator. Let him turn to HY and express his intent, that even though he knows that he shouldn’t be watching this, even still in order to give himself a well needed break from the stresses of the day and all the responsibilities weighing upon him, he feels that this is what he needs, and by watching this he will be able to unwind and regain his breath and strength to get back in their etc..” With this little rejoinder a person will gain eternally, for just the fact that he spoke honest heartfelt words to HY is precious beyond measure, and also now he has steered himself to actually strive to accomplish good objectives, and maybe even he will come to conclude that to reach this clear objective he is better off watching a different show, something more educational and softer on the soul, and in the future he will definitely slowly aim to achieve his stated objective in a better, holier fashion. He will avoid watching shows that are just frivolous and licentious, and he will avoid shows that have vulgar language which completely destroys all holy boundaries and brings death and destruction, may the holy Merciful One save us. He will start to only watch shows that he can find in them some justification and purpose. Eventually he may merit to wean himself off the tube completely B”H.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman!

Bliss of the Century

HH

Rashi brings from the Scriptures and Our Sages o.b.m. that the decree to banish the ten tribes from Israel to be scattered around the world to this very day was because of their rampant imbibition of alcohol. The Talmud says that the high that one gets from alcohol is deducted from his portion in the future world G"f. This certainly applies to the high of drugs. Rabbainu was adamant and particular that even on Shabbos the drinking of alcohol should be extremely restrained and kept in check. Rabbainu revealed in Likutay Moharan (volume 2, Torah-teaching 7 – the very first Torah that Saba learned from Likutay Moharan together with R' Yisroel Karduner) that it is our task and duty to fill the world with people, and people are those with daas – sense and reasoning, and one without daas is likened to an animal, see there.

In our times when a very significant percentage of humanity is very dependent on drugs of all sorts and alcohol, there must be a parallel aspect in holiness, for that is how God runs the world that there is always "zeh li-oomas zeh" – equal opportunity on both sides, and of course the side of holiness will obviously be much much more powerful. Also many have already pointed out that the trend of more and more nakedness and less and less modesty is also apropos to the great spiritual unveiling, as Rabbainu revealed, that many things that were great secrets in the past are already now open and revealed, and many awesome spiritual concepts are readily available and within grasp of the public. There is a responsa from the time of the Gaonim (about 1000 years ago) in answer to a request to reveal some secrets of the Kabala, and the Sage writes that with great awe and trepidation etc. etc. he will begin by telling the names of the Ten Sefiros. This was a great revelation for them that demanded great awe and trepidation, today it is common knowledge not even given a moments thought. Also with regard to music, one of the greatest pleasures in life, as Rabbainu revealed in the story of Ancient Times of the exchanged children, that there are melodies that transcend immeasurably all the pleasures of this world, and elsewhere he revealed how there is an angel with a thousand tongues and each tongue etc. etc. the melody being pleasurable beyond this world. Today thank G-d almost everyone has access and ability to listen to the music of their choice in very high quality, something that in the past was extremely limited to either royalty or public occasions like weddings.

So people really have to start getting with the program, and start to learn how to get the highs which are obviously part and parcel of our times – they must start getting them from Nanach.

There is a tradition by chasidim that there is a special light one gets when learning the commentary of the Muggen Avrohom (on Shulchan Aruch – Code of Jewish Law, also known to frequently site the writings of the Arizal). Where the Shulcha Aruch writes the halacha that it is forbidden to cry on Shabbos, the Muggen Avrohom writes that this prohibition doesn't forbid they crying out of dvaikus (-clinging to Hashem). Here the Muggen Avrohom reveals a little secret, that one can really bliss out on dvaikus – to have tears of ecstasy streaming down ones face, without any drugs or alcohol or anything, just to bliss out on G-d – and this is straight up in the Shulchan Aruch.

Rabbainu revealed that one can sit and feel Hashem Yisburach's looking upon him, to the extent that the person will blanch, all the blood will rush out of his face in humiliation before the Infinite One blessed He. Imagine the ecstasy of such an experience. Rabbainu sited the words of Our Sages o.b.m. that a sigh breaks the body of the sigher, and Rabbainu said that he tested and experienced this, he sighed and witnessed how his strength was depleted – imagine falling into such surrender into the hands of Hashem Yisburach, like a beloved falling languish in surrender into the strong powerful hands of her lover. These are just a few examples, for in fact every word of Rabbainu is a gateway to experience, not just in the future world, but mamash right here and right now the most wondrous ecstasy, euphoria, exhilaration, excitement, elation (the mnemonic is e=5^th letter of the alphabet), bliss and so much more, if one sets his mind to it and is committed to abnegating himself to Hashem Yisburach and His Tzadik Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman and to His Torah.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman - part 2 - The Order of His Voyage to the Land of Israel 13-14

HH

Shivchay HuRan

Part 2

13. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said, that he got so into the puerility, and got so used to the childish things, so much so that afterwards when he came to the land of Israel and he wanted to discard it, he was forced to force himself with strengths (of his character) to break and to discard the aforementioned childish things, because it was already difficult for him to discard it because of the great regularity - so much he had gotten into the puerility at first. Also afterwards, when he came from the Land of Israel, he was a wondrous novelty in this matter.
And the enormous superlative greatness of his wisdom in this matter (was) - deep, deep, there has not been heard nor has there been seen such as this, because it is known that before one departs from one level to (the next) level, there needs to be a descent before the ascent etc., and then one needs matters of puerility, to be a completely simple person etc.; and he o.b.m., because all his days he did not stand any time on one level, just every time, everyday and every hour, he would ascend always from level to level, therefore his wisdom in these matters was extremely lofty and deep; "deep, deep, who can realize it (Koheles 7:24)."

14. And then, at that time, it was the war of France (the French Campaign in Egypt and Syria ( 1798–1801) by Napoleon Bonaparte), that France went to the land of the Togar (Ottoman Sultan, as explained previously), to Egypt, and to the land of Israel, and so forth, as is well-known, and when the people of Istanbul heard that the aforementioned war is awakening, and the French are on the way on the sea, thence the holy community of Istanbul did not want to allow any Jew to leave the walls of the city and go out to put out to sea, but Rabbainu o.b.m. did not pay attention to this, and he wanted to act with abandon ("mafkeer") of himself, and he said to the man that was with him: "Know, that I wish to endanger myself even in great and enormous dangers, however, I do not wish to abandon your soul (-life); therefore, if you want, take money for expenses, and return peacefully to your home, and I will travel alone in secrecy and in concealment from the people of Istanbul, because myself I abandon, be what may be etc.." And the aforementioned man refused this, and said, "In the place where my master will be, whether for death or for life, there your servant will be;  and where you go I will go as well."

And Hashem Yisburach in His mercy "He turns around inductions (Job 37:12, a very reoccurring theme in the books of the Ramchal)," brought about in His mercy, that after a day or two it was heard: Being that there in Istanbul was staying a Great Sage from Jerusalem, who collected by hand donations for the poor of the holy city of Jerusalem, and he had been planning on staying there for another year, and suddenly he was aroused and said to the people of Istanbul: "Know, that it has been revealed to me, that I must travel immediately to Jerusalem, because I see, that the days are impending ("stirring and coming") for the (-my) departure from the world, and you (-plural), do not fear the French nation, and you have nothing to worry about for an Israelite to go there (-to Israel), because certainly there will not occur to them any harm, with the help of Hashem, and Hashem will guard them with His mercy until they arrive there, because the place of my burial is already inscribed to be in Jerusalem." 
And immediately they heeded his words, and they went and chartered a large boat, and they announced: "Whoever wants to go on the boat - should board." And many men, and women, and children went, both from the sphardic people and from the ashkenazic people, and Rabbainu o.b.m. also traveled with them on this boat to the Holy Land, and Rabbainu o.b.m. spoke with the aforementioned sage from Jerusalem that he should take him to Jerusalem, because he said, that he does not want to be, not in Tsfas (-Safed) and not in Tiberius, and so they resolved secretly between them.

And as they traveled on the sea there was a very great storm wind which is called "a very great afirtineh (-this word was also used earlier in article 9, it is the Turkish word firtina, and can mean a gust, tempest, hurricane, storm etc.)," and the boat was in great danger; "they rise to the heavens, they descend to the depths etc. (Psalms 107:26)," and no one retained in their heart  (conception) that they would be saved from death, and they were all screaming to Hashem; and it was one night like Yom Kippur mamash, with everyone crying, and confessing, and asking for atonement for their souls, and they said slichos ("veniality"- liturgy special for repentance) and other items of prayers and beseechings; but Rabbainu o.b.m. sat silently. And some people started to tell him, why does he remain silent in a time of such a plight, and he did not answer; however, the wife of the Rav of the holy community of Chutin, who was educated, and cried and screamed the whole night, also began to tell him like those, why is he silent - and presumably, he cursed her, and said to her: "If only you (-plural) would also be quiet, it would be good before you; this is the test: if you will be quiet - the sea will be quiet from you as well." And so it was, and they ceased from screaming and they were quiet, then immediately at daybreak - "He stood up the storm making it silent and their waves were quiet/still. And they were happy etc. (Psalms 107:29-)."

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

The direction of the nauseating media

HH

In the first Torah-lesson ‫of Likutay Moharan, Rabbainu reveals how the evil inclination first presents itself as a mitzvah, ‫ and even when not presenting itself as an actual mitzvah, very often the lines are blurred and it is difficult to distinguish between good and bad, and certainly there is plenty of room for a ‫person to justify doing many things he should not. But as the bad develops and begins to show its true colors decision making becomes much easier, just that the temptation is already set in and much harder to break. However as the bad develops still further it becomes really ugly and loses all appeal and allure, and unless a person is already completely addicted Heaven forbid, it will be abhorrent and he will be nauseated by it.

Such is what we are seeing in the media today, and with the movies and television.  Originally there was some appeal to it all, and there was definitely room for a person to allow himself some entertainment by it. Today already it is becoming increasingly nauseating, as the producers introduce more and more of their vile vices and views, and it's just disgusting and sickening to watch. What will probably happen is a very strong bipolar radicalization where there will be an increasing development of extremely kosher shows verses the tasteless faithless repugnant ones.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman

Don't get into something that can't end well - that you can't take all the way

HH

Yesterday I was inundated with bad thoughts, and I was desperately calling up all my little tricks to escape but was not fairing well. B"H one thing snapped me out of it, I thought of what I would look like if I actually went full out with bad thoughts and even acted upon them G"F, and I got a pretty scary (-i.e. utterly disgusting) image, and with that B"H I got right out. This is probably the same with many things, like drugs, hitting up even once has to be understood in the context of the big picture - what is the tachlis (-end-ultimate purpose), to get high, and if this high is a good thing, so it would be done more and more, ultimately ending in the person G"F being a junky, hence this high is actually a piece and part of a very nefarious ordeal. The desire for money on the other hand, although we know that our Sages obm revealed one who has a hundred wants two etc., even still there is a certain satiation point or goal where a person is providing for his needs, just like eating. The highs from drugs or the gratification from sexual desires are not the same, because they are not intrinsic to a persons life -- a person does need highs and does (if he is not a tzaddik) need a sexual outlet, but those have a kosher scheme which in and of itself means that they are are being used intrinsically for his life, and not some external quest. Quests for holy highs are very intrinsic and satisfying, yet even they are surrounded by great dangers, for at every new level one is faced with more powerful needs of gratification, and if he is not constantly on guard and aspiring to the holiness he has become accustomed to, he will be hit very hard for vitality from the other side G"F.

There's a great more to be said about all of this, and of course it is much better to read about these things directly from the holy teachings of Rabbainu, but B"H it is good to at least write a little something and not let it go unmentioned.

May the Holy Merciful One G-d help us have holy thoughts and only holy thoughts and holy consciousness.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

high on nanach

HH people have claimed that the Nanach dancing in the street are on drugs GF. The irony is that there are some Nanach whose previous addictions led them to seek the healing and detox of Nanach and sometimes the have relapses - and those are the times that you will not see them dancing on the street.....
Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman!