Upgrading

 HH

If a person goes from being color blind to being able to see full color, he will see everything so much better - both good things and bad things.

If a skier picks a much steeper slope, he will have much more exhilaration, but will also be faced with much greater challenge and risk.

So when a person rises to a higher spiritual level, it is not all roses, he will also have much greater  perceptions of evil and will be faced with much greater trial tribulations and challenges.

Thus Rabbainu revealed that often a person feels that he has had a terrible descent and fall, and in reality he is being introduced to a higher level.

And thus Rabbainu revealed that no higher level of Torah conception can be achieved without first undergoing a new onslaught of forbidden sexual desires.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

Great Miracles

HH

In Breslov they always said that the greatest miracles Rabbainu performed were his effective endeavors to save the people from the evil inclination and draw them into holiness and proximity to Hashem Yisburach.

Following this train of thought, that which Rabbainu revealed, and is also found in the Talmud, that when a person successfully withstands some se*ual test or trial he will merit to miracles, the biggest miracles that person can merit to is to be saved from the clutches of evil and impurity and draw closer to Hashem Yisburach. This is actually another revelation of Rabbainu, that before any true meaningful ascent one has to traverse through the trappings of the evil (for many different reasons). Thus these two teachings reinforce one another.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman! 

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman - part 2 - His Voyage to Israel - 34 to End

HH

Shivchay HuRan

Part 2

34.

And it was already heard from his holy mouth that he said, that there are tzadikim that served (Hashem) and labored until they merited some high level, each one according to his prominence/virtue, like for example by a king whose ministers merit through their service, each one to some prominence, to some high office according to his service. However, of himself he said, that if he were to know that he is now on the same height and level as a year ago, he would not be conciliated ("desirous of") with himself at all, (and he spoke disparagingly of himself regarding the aforementioned matter if he were to remain in the level of the previous year), just, every time he ascends from level to level.

And there is a very great deal to speak about this matter, however, it is impossible to relate all of this in writing whatsoever, only someone who merited to see with his eyes and hear with his ears was able to fathom in his heart a slight bit of this matter, how he never stood on one level anytime, just, immediately he would yearn to ascend to a higher level until he merited etc. and so forth forever. And he was a great novelty in this matter. And all of this is according to our minuscule grasp (-comprehension), but there is more to this, there is in this matter hidden secrets, wondrous wonders, but suffice with this.

35.

And regarding the matter of "the tachlis (-ultimate extent or purpose) of knowing is not to know," he also spoke with us a little a few times how in every knowledge there is this tachlis. And therefore even though one merits to come to this tachlis of not knowing, even still this is not yet the final tachlis, because this is still not the tachlis of the (-all) knowledge just for this knowledge, and it is necessary afterwards to labor to merit to a higher tachlis, to merit to a higher level of the tachlis of not knowing, and so forth forever. (And this is already explained a little in our words elsewhere). And this matter is very extremely deep and hidden. And there is more to this matter, what we heard one time after Passover, and it will explained elsewhere G-d willing (see The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 282, Rabbainu said that he had just gained knowledge that the tachlis of knowledge is not knowing, means really not knowing, and this is something that seems obvious and cannot be explained, but was a new understanding, and even though he had now attained this understanding he still knows nothing, because previously he had also thought that he had come to this tachlis of not knowing and yet only now he understands that it is to really not know, and he had been very far from this new comprehension, see there).

36.

One time a king sent three men to a country with a secret message to a different king. And they passed through countries where there were opposers to the king.

And the first (of the three men) conducted himself shrewdly, and concealed the matter completely, and he crossed the country and they didn't discern at all that he has (-had) a hidden agenda (/secret message). And the second (of the three men) traversed there, and the people of the country picked up on the matter, and they understood that he has a secret agenda/message and they grabbed/incarcerated him so that he should tell (it to) them. And he acted shrewdly or with might, and he escaped from their hands. The third (of the three men) traversed there, and they also caught on to him, and they figured out that he has a secret, and they incarcerated him, and they tortured him with very profusely with many, many tortures, and all that they did to him, tortures, and torments, and great duress, and (-even still) he didn't say anything, and he withstood the trial and didn't reveal the secret. Until they saw that nothing will work on him and they let him go (because they thought that he presumably doesn't know anything at all), and he passed through and came to the king.

And they were appraising which of the aforementioned three is deserving more reward. Some said, "To the first more is due, because he acted shrewdly to be completely discreet." Some said, "To the second more is due, for they had already figured out his intent and even still he escaped from them with his wisdom etc." as mentioned above. The king said: "To the third is due more reward than all of them, because he was already caught in their stronghold, and certainly he also wanted to be discreet but was unsuccessful, and he was caught in their hands. And they tortured him and made him suffer with such suffering and torture, so that were he to reveal one secret, everyone would have been chasing after him, and even still he stood up to such a test and did not reveal anything, therefore he deserves more reward than all of them. (And the moral is slightly understandable a bit to the understanding).

The End

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman - part 2 - His Voyage to Israel - 33

HH

Shivchay HuRan

Part 2

33.

And after all of this, after he did all the aforementioned devotions with truth and wholeheartedness, and he abounded in fasts and in prayers a very great deal, and in mortifications, and breaking (bodily) desires and vices, and withstood many tests, and all the other aforementioned matters, and he abounded very extremely in hisbodidus - to converse between himself and his Maker -and to express himself in Yiddish (-i.e. his vernacular) etc. as mentioned above, until he merited to a very extremely lofty and supernal level in the utmost of holiness and in the utmost of abnegation and drawing close to Hashem Yisburach, in the level of the greatest of the binay aleyuh (-men of ascent, i.e. who ascend to very high and even Divine paradigms in their devotion to HY). And all of this he merited in his very childhood, because he did not rest at day and did not sleep nor was he passive at night. And he was extremely diligent in his devotion from day to day from the beginning of his childhood and the days of his youth. And he toiled and labored arduously from day to day, until he merited in his very youth to all that was mentioned above, to lofty and awesome holiness and very enormous hasaga (-spiritual conception) etc. in the level of greatest binay aleyuh.

And after he merited to all this, even still he wasn't placated with this, and he did not allow himself to stand. Just, even afterwards, everyday and every hour he longed, and yearned, and pined for Hashem Yisburach as if he did not start yet whatsoever with any devotion in the world. Even after he came from the Land of Israel and merited there to very extremely high and lofty hasaga (-spiritual conception) which is utterly unfathomable, even still from the day that he came from the Land of Israel until the day that he passed away in peace (to) very high above, he always had yearning and longing etc. for Hashem Yisburach as if he still had not started whatsoever.

And to speak of this matter vast folios would not suffice, even what we merited to understand a little of this matter according to what we heard from his holy mouth and we saw with our eyes. Because it was his way every time that he would yearn for Hashem Yisburach, and he was truly lowly in his own eyes, and he had great compassion on himself as if he had still not smelled ever any fragrance of the service of Hashem, and as if he still had not started whatsoever.

And in reality even someone who transgressed the whole entire Torah, Heaven forbid, many, many times, and when this person is aroused in true repentance, at which time (certainly) he certainly has a very broken heart when he looks upon himself where he is in the world, and he has very great compassion on himself with great meekness etc., and there's no need to elaborate on this, on a matter understood of itself, even still, even this compassion and broken heart of the aforementioned baal teshuva (-person repenting), does not reach a thousandth or one ten thousandth of the great compassion and broken heart in great meekness etc. that Rabbainu o.b.m. had, each and every time before he came to some hasaga (-spiritual conception).

And in short, (that) he never rested nor was he still even in the days of his greatness. Even though he had already merited to what he merited, to conception of the Divine, on a very enormous and awesome lofty level, even still he did not suffice himself with this, and he toiled and labored at all times and all hours, and he took upon himself suffering, severe and bitter suffering which are almost unparalleled in this world, and he abounded in many prayers, and pleading, and entreaties, and supplications, and very extremely great and awesome yearning and longing, until he came to a higher hasaga and level. And afterwards, immediately when he merited this hasaga (and) then he was a happy a little. And sometimes we merited to hear from his mouth that he informed us that now he has come to know new things etc. and he was happy then a little. And afterwards, immediately when he merited this, afterwards he began again anew, And he forgot everything that transpired as if he still had not begun at all, and he returned and began anew as if he was starting to go and enter in the holiness of Israel (-a Jew). And sometimes we heard from his holy mouth explicitly that he said in an expression of longing and yearning: "How does one merit to be a Yehoodey (-a Jew)?" And he said this honestly and with great temeemus (-wholeheartedness, sincerity) as if he still did not begin at all. And so it was many times.

And he constantly went and rose from level to level. Even though he merited to extremely lofty and awesome levels high, high above etc., Even still he was never pacified with this at all, and immediately afterwards he would have a broken heart and he had great compassion on himself with great meekness etc. as mentioned above, until he merited to a higher level. And this was his way always until the end.

And many, many times it was his way that he said that now he does not know anything whatsoever, absolutely nothing. And sometimes he swore on this, that he truthfully knows nothing at all (see The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 215), even though on the previous day or the previous hour he revealed formidable ("ateekim" also connotes very well established in time (like 'antique'), principle, and esoteric) concepts, even still afterwards he said that he does not no anything. And in this matter he was a very extremely great novelty. And he said explicitly of himself that his Torah is a very great novelty, however, his "not knowing" is a phenomenally greater novelty. I.e. the aforementioned matter, that every time it was his way to say that now he does know at all, and see more about this elsewhere (see the next article #35, and see Words of Rabbi Nachman 3 - about the tachlis (ultimate extent or purpose) of knowledge is not knowing. And see The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 215 and 283).

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

Vessels and beyond

HH

HY created the world - which is a vessel to realize HY. The only existence that this vessel can possibly have and function with is Fear of HY. At the highest stage of creation that Fear of HY is absolute, high and exalted, and as more and more levels of obscurity are added, the vessels are weaker - less fear. It is that simple - the more fear of HY a person can bring to his consciousness, the more realization of HY he will immediately realize.

This is the level and paradigm of Chuchmu - which the Scriptures and are Sages o.b.m. revealed is unanimous with Fear of Hashem.

Then there is the paradigm of Moshe Rabbainu, whom are Sages revealed, for him Fear was a trivial matter. Moshe was operating on the paradigm of Humility-Kesser. All the fear, vessels, and realization - he abnegated to HY - so that all of that just reflected the One Infinite G-d.

May we merit.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman! 

Devotion to Hashem even when one has absolutely no strength

HH
Serving HY demand tremendous strength, all we can muster and then a whole lot more. For some this is just physical exertion, swaying and screaming and so forth, and for those more advanced it is riling up all of one's concentration with full intensity in His quest.

So what happens when Gf a person is sick and without strength? Even completely incapacitated Gf a person should ponder why he should be any different than the great tzadikim who certainly underwent similar situations, and yet when they lay weak, they were completely holy and replete with Divine Inspiration, so even in these circumstances the person's mindset will determine where he's really at. He may not be able to pray or study, but he can certainly place his thought and consciousness to the very utmost highest holiness.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman