The Greatness of HY

 HH

Rabbainu spoke of the importance of contemplating the greatness of HY. This avoda is placed prominently at the beginning of the holy work Sichos Huran. In Likutay Moharan, Rabbainu states that one who has achieved any conception of the greatness of HY will scoff at the greatest temptations of the flesh, and even if he were to be presented with an opportunity to privately fulfill the most lustful cravings, he would not even consider it.

In the story of ancient times, of the son of a king and a son of a maidservant who were exchanged, the son of the king comes to a certain level of understanding of the greatness of HY when he says, on the contrary - "Just the reverse. If it is so, that Hashem Yisburach can indeed do such a thing, that they should exchange a king's son, and such things should befall him - do I turn myself to behave this way?! Is it right, what I have done? Does it befit me that I should behave thus, the way I have done?" And he began to have great anguish and strong remorse over the evil deeds he had done. 

[certainly today we can see HY's greatness, with JB et al...]

When contemplating HY one can interject every so often a technique used in hypnosis, stating in the mind or out load, double or ten times stronger.

One chasidic master upon contemplating the greatness of HY was seized with so much fear, all but two of his teeth fell out, and he referred to those teeth as the wicked ones....

Rabbainu was always shaking from fear of HY, so much so, that when he rested his hand on the table, it also shook, as did the people leaning on it.

May we merit, in merit of the holy Petek Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

Meditating on HY

 HH

When meditating on the Divine Names, keep in mind what Rabbainu revealed (Likutay Moharan 15), that HY revealed His names and properties as a kindness solely for our benefit so that we can relate to Him. That Name you are thinking was presented specially to you so that you can connect with it to HY!

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

גר אנכי בארץ אל תסתר ממני מצותיך - תהלים קיט:יט - תראה עצמך כמו חייזר

 HH

Visualize yourself as an alien here on earth, desperately sending out radio messages from the depth of your heart, screaming to HY - save me.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

אחדות השם מאירה על ידי נשמות ישראל

 

ב"ה

השם יתברך אחד, בחר לברוא העולם, וצמצם אלוקותו, ובחלל הזה יש רשימו, ולכאורה זה שורש נשמת ישראל (וזה בחי' יש רל"א). וזאת אומרת (וע' בזה בספר נתיב מצותיך) שבכל מדרגה ומדרגה מה שנותנת לקיום העולם – דהיינו שלא יתבטל הכל להשם אחד, הוא בחי' ישראל באותה מדרגה. הרי שבכל מדרגה, מצד אחד ישראל הוא המעכב כביכול נגד יחוד השם. אלא שמשלו משל שנשמת ישראל הוא כמו הפתילה, שכל האש נבערת עליה.

ולכאורה בסוד כתר מלכות, המלכות הזה שהיא נשמת ישראל, כאשר היא מאירה את אחדות השם יתברך, נעשית כתר.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן

Hisbodidus Versus Meditation

Hisbodidus Versus Meditation

Hisbodidus literally means to be alone in seclusion. The definition for meditation is: Continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse or spiritual nature. The parameters of each of these disciplines can be broadened so that they overlap. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan obm, a great genius and prolific author and translator whose main mentor was a Breslover Chusid, wrote that probably his biggest chiddush (novel idea and insight) was to translate the common word “kavana” which people always use to mean focus of concentration and meaningful intention, as meditation. In this vein he went on to explain that hisbodidus can also be referring to meditation.

RAK obm went so far as to suggest that what Rabbainu revealed and instructed that when doing hisbodidus and one has no words, he should repeat over and over again whatever words he does have, giving an example: “Reeboanoa (Master) Shel (of) Oalum (the World),[1][2]” if one has nothing to say during hisbodidus, he can even just repeat this over and over again[3][4], RAK wrote that this could be alluding to the methodology of the mantra.

Students of the Mussar movement were known to repeat holy dictums of our Holy Sages over and over again even for hours on end (-one dictum I remember cited specifically is that of Rabbi Yaakov, prepare yourself in the “prozdor” (anti-chamber – this world) in order to enter the “traklin” (palace – future world), and with regard to them I would definitely feel comfortable calling this a form of meditation. The Talmud itself speaks often of Sages repeatedly reviewing specific teachings 40 times or even 400 times, and actually discusses (Shabbos 66b) “minyunay” - countings – incantations that are to be said numerous times. The Talmud says that if such an incantation does not have a given amount of times it is to be said, then it should be said forty one times.

The Ramchal already describes this method in his awesome work Adir Bamurom (Spinner’s edition, pages 39 and 50), and in his essay Derech Eitz Hachaim. In The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 58, Rabbi Nachman revealed that, “When pondering the Torah one needs to think over the matter of the Torah in which he wants to gain novel insight, to ponder over and over again in his thoughts the verse or the specific matter very many, many numerous times, and to knock and rap on the door until they open for him.” This is certainly a form of meditation.

Rabbi Chaim Vital also documented different forms of holy mantras and meditations in the fourth section of Shaaray Kedusha (The Gates of Holiness). These are just some of the places where mantras and meditations are discussed explicitly. Furthermore, the holy book Shaar Ruach Hakoadesh (The Gate of Divine Inspiration) is dedicated to “yichudim” – unifications, that is systems of Divine and supernal names to contemplate and unite in thought, these would be considered meditations. The Arizal revealed to Rabbi Chaim Vital that doing yichudim was more important and holy than learning Torah. Thus all the great kabbalists and Chasidic masters, and even some of the other rabbis, were very busy doing yichudim. Rabbi Nachman said (The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, article 148) that even the great tzadikim who conducted their entire lives, their every act and behavior according with yichudim, he can show them that they know nothing of the way of yichudim, and show them the way. Rabbi Nussun points out (Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 185), that Rabbi Nachman gave people personal rectifications, specific to the root of their soul, and all these instructions were not in the way of the secrets of the yichudim, just practical devotions. Here again we see that even though the terms of meditation were very familiar and fluent to Rabbi Nussun, he specifically does not use them, and on the contrary, he makes it clear that Rabbi Nachman’s main instructions to the people were not of this type.

Also in regard to the Kavanos of the Arizal for the prayers, even for most of those that Rabbi Nachman himself told to study them, he instructed them not to actually do them, only those who had reached the level of understanding that these kavanoas were second nature to them as they were actually living them in reality, and these kavanos were for them the simple meaning, only for such people Rabbi Nachman allowed to actually practice doing them (Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 75).[5] Further on, you will see that even Rabbi Nachman himself chose to engage in pure heartfelt prayer.

Further, Rabbi Nachman wrote explicitly about ascending into the “World of Thought”, in Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 234, he writes that, “This is called the ascent of the worlds, because thought is extremely high, and whoever desires to enter the World of Thought must be silent, and even if he speaks then a proper word, he will lose the thought, because the thought is an extremely high matter, that even a proper utterance will ruin (it), and this is the aspect of (Minuchos 29), ‘Silence! Thus has risen in the thought!,” for to ascend to the thought it is necessary to be silent, and even if one will be silent and not speak at all, even still there are many confusions which confuse the thought and prevent it, and what is needed for this is purity of thought, and this is through recounting stories of tzadikim, see there.”

Thus, we find places where Rabbi Nachman spoke directly about methodology of meditation and attaining a meditative mind set. This does not seem to be the case with regard to his instructions on prayer and hisbodidus.

In The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman (article 239), “One time a youngster asked Rabbi Nachman how to do hisbodidus, and Rabbi Nachman taught him how to say before Hashem Yisburach, ‘Master of the World have mercy on me etc. because is it possible that I should pass my days with such vanity, can it be that for this I was created?!’ Afterwards, at some point of time, this person stood behind the wall of Rabbainu o.b.m., and he hear Rabbainu himself pouring out his heart before Hashem Yisburach with words like these.”

In The Life of our Leader Rabbi Nachman (Chayay Moharan 441) it is taught: Once Rabbainu obm spoke of the necessity to engage copiously in reciting Psalms, and entreaties, and supplications, and hisbodidus etc. So the Rav, Rabbi Yudel obm asked him, “How does one get heart? (i.e. how does one merit that this verbiage will be with arousal of the heart).” Rabbainu obm answered him, “Tell me, by which tzadik have you received arousal of the heart, the main thing is the saying with the mouth.” I.e. to abound in words of entreaties and supplications with the mouth, and the arousal of the heart will come of itself (see The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 75).” This shows very clearly that Rabbainu did not intend for one’s main hisbodidus to be an exercise of meditation, rather a session of ardent and profuse verbal expression of prayer in which all ascensions would come of their own accord, not through directly grasping them or their invocation. Also, in the The Words of Rabbi Nachman (article 75) Rabbainu made it very clear that the main kavana – intention and focus – of the prayer should be just to understand the simple straightforward meaning of the words and to hear them well, and definitely not to engage in Kabalistic schemes and intentions. Also, in all these places and many more (see e.g. The Words of Rabbi Nachman article 74), the main direction seems to be a striving for more passionate prayer, and not necessarily to be trying to achieve higher consciousness. Rabbainu did instruct (Words of Rabbi Nachman 232) once “To have two hours of hisbodidus a day, one hour as a preparatory session, to go and yearn and prepare himself to speak, and to arrange his heart for such, and then to speak for one hour.” This preparatory hour can be taken to be even a meditation, however the purpose and the activity of the main hour of hisbodidus is simply: to speak.

Furthermore, even though the world of thought is higher than the world of speech, Rabbainu said that ultimately speech is more powerful. Similarly Rabbainu said his main thing was emuna – faith, which even though it is the lowest Sefirah, whereas the Sefiros of thought (ChaBaD – Chuchmuh – wisdom, Beena – understanding, and Daas – realization of knowledge) are on the top, through faith one merits and attains the absolute highest attribute of Kessehr – Crown, which is “ratzon” – will and desire even to an infinite extent.

So in conclusion, it seems clear that the primary hisbodidus of Rabbi Nachman was not meant to be an exercise of meditation, just time spent alone in seclusion conversing with G-d Almighty. Meditation is important and should even be used to prepare for hisbodidus, and when meditating it is necessary to be completely silent.  However, hisbodidus is definitely included in the broader sense of the word meditation, as it is definitively a state of mind. Rabbainu revealed some of the physical criteria which facilitate successful hisbodidus, such as going out somewhere no one goes, and at a time when everyone is asleep, but ultimately one can do hisbodidus even when surrounded by a tumultuous crowd, as Rabbainu said of himself (Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, article 241): “When do I have hisbodidus?” and he said, that at the time when everyone is standing around him and he sits in their midst, then he has hisbodidus.”[6]

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

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[1] In Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, article 440, Rabbainu said that even if one has nothing to say just “Master of the World,” this is also very good.

[2] In the Letters of Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin, published in Ullim Litrufah, he writes, “And even if one can’t speak but a few words, “Master of the World, have mercy on me.” The added words, “have mercy on me,” make it clearer that this is intended more as a prayer than as a meditation.

[3] Likutay Moharan II, Torah-teaching 96, brought in Outpouring of the Soul (article 4). There Rabbainu says one should speak this thing that he does have many, many times without limit or measure, and even to spend many, many days just with these words alone, this is also good.

[4] Rabbi Nussun was once confronted and challenged by the praises of a certain scholar who was profuse in 500 pages of the Talmud by heart, Rabbi Nussun retorted that his Moshelle (-R’ Moshe Breslover, the mentor of Rabbi Yisroel Karduner) can say Master of the World 500 times (Yisroel Saba, chapter of One Silence. To See The Blossoms of the Spring, chapter of Prayer).

[5] There are of course exceptions to this general rule. The main one being for the Tikun Klalli – the ten Psalms Rabbi Nachman revealed as a general comprehensive rectification, for this Rabbi Nachman himself revealed Divine Names that should be kept in mind when saying them.

From here we can establish that obviously Rabbi Nachman was not ruling out the holy practice of doing yichudim, rather he was making it clear that the quintessential devotion must be with simplicity and wholesomeness – each person according to their level, and the main thing is real dialogue and expression, and not to overreach and lose that personal perspective.

[6] This is like the classic Book of Charedim writes (page 48, also included in the daily learning of the Chok LiYisroel, for the Monday of the Torah Portion of Meekaitz): It is written (Genesis 6), “With the Lord walked Noach,” i.e. he would do hisbodidus with his Creator, and he didn’t have companionship with people, or, due to his habituation to hisbodidus, even when he was in the midst of people they didn’t unsettle his mind, because they were as not in his eyes, and this is what the poet (Rabbi Avrohom Ibn Ezra, “Agadelchuh”) said, “When I stand in the midst of Your congregation Rock/Creator to exalt, to You I prostrate and bow (my) head and stature,” that is to say, that their company doesn’t encumber me to detach my thought from You, because the whole world is a flock of sheep, and He Blessed He is the solitary shepherd and overseer over every single particular etc..

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

The Five Levels of Pleasure and Peace - a few ideas put together

The Five Levels of Pleasure is a hierarchy that the late Rabbi Noach Weinberg (my grandfather’s younger brother) devised which delineates each level culminating with the highest level of the pleasure of the Divine. Already on a lower level of pleasure, the pleasure of having children, my uncle points out that people don’t know how to capitalize on this pleasure, and life goes by bereft and often even on the contrary, people are greatly pained by their children. So my uncle introduces the Yiddish word: kvel, which means to simply sit and reap in the sensation of the goodness being graced before you, like when a one looks lovingly at someone, kvelling is the practice of doing just that. This is really beautiful, and when it comes to the highest level of pleasure of the Divine, one really needs to do this, and in this sense it is classically known as divaikus (clinging, bonding, attachment).

So after such a beautiful presentation proving and selecting divaikus as the highest pleasure and purpose of intent, and also pointing out how people categorically ignore and do not even know to capitalize on the real pleasures, and pointing out the need to do things like kvelling, one would think, ok this guy has it all figured out he must be putting it into action. But no, not in his institution of Aish Hatorah, or in any institution that I know of today (with the exclusion of meditation and yoga, which maybe some can consider to be an attempt at divaikus), do they have a program to proactively seek divaikus. There are sessions for all types of subjects and studies, even sessions to teach of divaikus, but to actually commit to achieving and even living a life of divaikus everyone shirks away.

Peace, everyone knows that you can’t force peace, force and peace are opposites. Some people try to get around this by trying to cultivate peace with incentives, to make it worthwhile for both parties to be at peace. But what type of incentive can rival the vitality and the industry of hatred? Money or sensual pleasures, are often very insufficient to keep hate at bay. And when the money and pleasure are coming from people whose lives are so empty and meaningless, what appeal do they have? The recipient can hope to gain the “good life” of the donor?!

So ultimately peace has to come from each individual, first one must gain inner peace, peace in his home, and then he can pray and promote peace in the world (-see this in Likutay Moharan, Torah-lesson 14). Also when a person reaches a standard of living which has a vitality much more powerful than hatred, then just his presence alone will force the other side to submit to him. In the Story of Ancient Times of the Seven Beggars, Rabbainu revealed different aspects of his good life that he had, these are not only incentives for peace, but they actually induce peace, because without the teeth to actually dig into these paradigms that Rabbainu revealed, one will only be able to shirk away humbled. It has been said that when a person see someone very great, in his mind he sees a reflection of himself. This is true of seeing a great person whose greatness is superficial and self aggrandizement, such a great person who knew how to successfully achieve the empty pleasures of this world. When looking on such a great person, a person will see in his mind a reflection of his own self. However when a person looks at a truly great person, then he will see how much he himself is in the dark and how his own personal immense deficiencies. So the more people up their game and begin to achieve the true pleasures of life, the pleasures of the Divine, the more everyone else will follow suit, and the more peace will reign.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman!

Make it Real

HH

Moshe Rabbainu said to the Children of Israel (Deuteronomy, Portion of Neetzuvim), “You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem….” Do not think this was like some type of “listen up folks, we’re standing before the Lord now…” G-d forbid. When Moshe Rabbainu told them that they were standing before HY, he gave them to completely realize this reality, to have consummate awareness of it in their minds and hearts, it was a wave of prophetic consciousness.

For a few decades the western world has been enchanted by different meditation systems, yoga, and the likes, but something seems fundamentally deficient, because if a person would even for one second achieve real humility, he would attain such a mighty conception of HY that it would completely blow his mind and alter his entire life radically. The tzadik does this, with one word, one statement he brings a person to the real consciousness of HY.

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!

Strong roots

HH

Obviously it is very important to know your roots, and obviously this is critical for serious meditation. All real and true meditation today is based on the system of Kabala which the Arizal revealed. Here there is a great deficiency. The Arizal primarily revealed only from Adam Kadmoan and below, and even though there are a few holy books (such as Mikdash Melech) from his disciples which reveal many awesome details of higher worlds, they provide a great deal of amazing information, but there is still missing a simple map of the structure, and how it all works in the big picture (-according to my very limited knowledge).

True, the very prime source, root, and reasons of creation are known and openly proclaimed in the scriptures and holy teachings of the Oral Torah, but from there on there is a very big gap until the worlds of Adam Kadmoan. 

The only one who revealed all of this, setting up the basic frame and delineating the overall functioning and working of all the major increments of the formation of Creation, from the inception to the present, is the Ramchal, particularly in his book (which he authored in the year Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman etc. etc. as explained elsewhere) Adir Bamurom [and in fact the acronym is Aleph Bet... the abc of the business...].

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Elul - Man and His Beloved

ELUL

Elul is acronym Ani Lidoadee – I am for my beloved, Vidoadee Lee – and my beloved is for me, and we found countless times where the relationship between HY and the Jews is likened to that of a Man and his Beloved.

Previously on this blog I already wrote how this makes it more natural for a woman to connect with HY, then for a man, see there. Here I would like to build on this.

A woman has 4 very strong emotions regarding her man, these her body and whole being scream out, even if she doesn't actually let them escape her lips. These are not simple pronunciations, but repeated and continuous, incessant, flowing and gushing, and pleading. Much of this unfortunately is reduced to vulgar and coarse language, simply because the way of holiness has been despaired[1]. Obviously it will be more powerful if one actually expresses himself out loud to HY, but there is also the factor of streaming the thoughts intensely as described above.

1.       NEED. Even before any contact is made, and throughout any union, there is the overall urgent and or definite NEED.

2.       GRATITUDE. [YES!]

3.       The need to really experience him completely: GIVE IT TO ME….

{particularly on the inhale}

4.       Surrender. I AM YOURS.

{particularly on the exhale}

One should offer these up to HY, every second, for every second in this world one's very being and essence, his composition, consciousness, and breath is all from HY, and one can max out on this, pouring out, even only in thought – in his mind, thanks and gratitude, and plead to receive more, and to fully surrender and be His.[2]

The wise will understand that this is just the groundwork, the beginning, every detail enhances, intensifies, and fortifies the aggregate effect. One must be nak*d – completely bare and open before G-d, completely vulnerable, and then of course there is the factor of humiliation, and so much more.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

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[1] There is a story of the Baal Shem Tov who saw that there was great prosecution against Israel because there was a priest who had never experienced a nocturnal emission. So the Baal Shem Tov visited him and caused it to happen, the Baal Shem Tov spoke in holiness cloaking his words in worldly expressions, which were enough to bring the priest over the edge just by hearing them. And as the power of holiness is infinitely greater, who can imagine what the Baal Shem Tov experienced!

[2] These four can parallel the 4 preceding steps of the building of the Malchus in the first blessing of Shemoneh Esray (very succinctly): Melech (Kessehr) – need. Oazair (chaba"d) – gratitude for being there for you. Oomoasheyu (chaga"t) – getting everything. Oomugain (nihe"y) – completely dominated.

Also the three particular expressions can correlate to the three main paradigms of the Yichudim the Ramchal revealed. 1. Gratitude – zivug of the middle – azteelus, where we are just recipients. 2. Give it to me – the second level of Yichudim where azteelus is the soul and the tzadikim are the body – definite players. 3. Utter consummation – the highest and final Yichud of the beginning and the end, where the end shows that there is just the beginning, there is only HY.

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! 

Simple very effective meditation

HH

There is a very simple technique to really soothe and relax your body and mind. Simply sit comfortably and address each and every single part of your body individually, and tell it to loosen up and relax - there are some that suggest to first tell it to flex and tense up and then tell it to relax - and so one categorically addresses every muscle, bone, joint and whatever - you will feel and experience empirically how this simple dialogue works wonders.

Rabbainu said you should talk to your limbs, tell them to fear and be in awe of Hashem! Tell them that they aren't in the world for very much longer, and soon they will be rotting in the grave... Tell them about the aspect of Moshe Rabbainu - the utter humility - that is cloaked in them.

These are two paradigms; the external paradigm (of these two, but very much internal compared to the other consciousnesses) is fear and awe - יראת ה' - the fear and awe of Hashem - Yiras - is numerical value 611 together with nefesh and ruach (two yichudim of Hava'ya Adny and Hava'ya Elokim) equal the 613 components of the body - (see Yichud Ha'yeeru of Ramachal). The inner paradigm is the humility which is the paradigm that is resurrected - as explained in Likutay Moharan.
[The level of Yiru, I think can be correlated with the 2nd level of the general yichud explained in the Ramchal's kavanos for the prayers, and the level of humility, which culminates with mem vuv = 100 through Moshe Rabbainu, as explained at the end of Yichud Ha'yeeru, is the complete yichud described there - the 3rd level].

Based on this principle I put together some conversations one might like to have with the different parts of his body in this little book:

Pray With Your Limbs & Other Devotions of a Nanach
https://www.createspace.com/6508295

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Vessels

HH

A vessel has walls which shut out the whole world and thus it is able to receive the amount it can hold. HY is Ain Sof - infinite - anything and everything that He desired to be able to seen in Him is going to be just a vessel which HY empowers the walls of this vessel to shut out His infinite presence, so that the vessel can actually show something particular to itself, what it contains. This is true at every level, even the highest height - the main thing to achieve is the shutting out of the Infinite so that one can attain what he is focused on.

In Likutay Moharan (#49), Rabbainu revealed further that a Jewish heart is Ain Sof, and from there on a person must build the constraints. That means a person already has such holiness, even higher than all the greatest tzaddikim ever, except that he is so overwhelmed and swamped that he is lost and unaware and detached, and in all likelihood he will find some tiny - probably bad - idea and latch on to it, and completely derail himself GF from the infinite and imprison himself GF in a vanity - mirage - of this world. By studying the Torah and screaming out to HY, one concentrates his focus and builds the walls of his vessels to shut out - even the immense light and goodness - until he can successfully achieve clear perception of holy concepts B"H.

This is what Rabbainu says in LM Torah 5, that the main thing is Yira - fear - which is the vessel, and even though the Ahava - love - is stronger, the Ahava comes automatically with the Yira. As soon as one has the vessel, the Love is already filling it up.

When a person is to receive a sum of money - a check - he needs a bank account, otherwise the check doesn't mean anything to him.

The currency is da'as (realization of knowledge) and the vessel is fear - Yira. [This is the secret of the revelation in the Ain Sof, the secret of AHYH ashehr AHYH].

If a person doesn't go out to the fields and communicate with HY - he doesn't have the vessel - he has no way of hearing HY. So unless he does some unbelievable act of G-dliness which will merit him to a complete metamorphosis - that HY gives him a transformation of special vessels so that he can even experience and live the Divine in his regular life - he doesn't stand a chance of catching even a ray of light from HY. He simply is not plugged in to the circuit.

A teacher gave out a test. Before starting the test the teacher instructed to turn the test over - with the blank side up, and then let the class proceed - setting a two hour time limit to finish. The teacher never told them to turn the paper back over, but most people do just that, they don't follow the real instructions, and they might answer some or even all of the questions - but they failed miserably.

The Ramchal says that all the yichudim - unifications/kabalistic meditations - must be done in the field - they simply aren't designed to work in a house or settlement. Most people don't pay attention to this - if they go to the field, then how can they proceed with the devotions. But the real devotion is to follow the real instructions.

There's a great deal more to be said, but B"H at least I got all of this down.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Be Happy

HH

For some years already it has become popular B"H to promote spending time thanking HY in detail for all the good things we have going for us. This has of course many fringe benefits, one of which is more satisfaction with what one has, and even joy. Even still this is also a devotion and task which entails a complete procedure of things one must do: come up with the positive points and do the thanking, and as such it can also be a chore and cumbersome, and can also be an impediment, as if one needs to do this thanking in order to be in good standing. So let me introduce B"H something more basic and fundamental - just sitting and being happy as Rabbainu said that it is a great mitzva to always be happy (In Yiddish there is such a concept of kvelling - just sitting and seeping delight "shepping nachas" - which is a derivative, but not necessarily the bud itself, a person can find plenty of delight in things and yet not be happy. In fact the Talmud points out that on Shabbos the Torah commands us to have Oaneg - delight, and on Yom Tov - holidays - to have "simcha" - happiness and joy - they are two things (Rabbainu revealed that even on Shabbos the main thing is "simcha")). So just take a moment, and feel happy. Be happy with HY as it says in Psalms - Israel shall rejoice with his Maker.

And when things are just not working out, and they are just beyond your control or ability, take a moment and just be happy. And even if G"F you have just failed or feel you are a failure, just take a moment and be happy.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Outpouring of the Soul - English translation - free to read online or download pdf

HH

B"H Outpouring of the Soul is one of the most principle books of Breslov, it lays down the method of hisbodidus and prayer. In addition to being a guide and a how-to, it also offers strong incentive, inspiration, awakening, and arousal, to actually practice this ancient holy way of our forefathers which was reintroduced by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov better known as Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Section One:

Introduction to Outpouring of the Soul
This has just been updated with a few minor corrections
http://naanaach.blogspot.com/p/hh-na-nach-nachma-nachman-meu.html 


You can read it online there, or download it for free as a pdf.

Section Two:

Opening to Outpouring of the Soul - read online or download link for free PDF
This has just been edited, and is now called the Foreword to Outpouring of the Soul
http://naanaach.blogspot.co.il/p/opening-above-i-have-already-brought.html

Section Three:

Full Body of the holy Book Outpouring of the Soul!!!  B"H.

Outpouring of the Soul: Articles 1-102 - read online or download link for free PDF.
http://naanaach.blogspot.co.il/p/outpouring-of-soul-1-30.html

NEW

Section Four:

Prayer built on Torah - a synopsis of Likutay Halachos, laws of Rosh Chodesh 5
read online or download link for free PDF
http://naanaach.blogspot.co.il/p/outpouring-of-soul-final-section.html




FOR MORE ENGLISH BRESLOV BOOKS CLICK HERE


Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Touching Home Base

HH

A simple meditation before the Shmone Esray

The Shmone Esray is in the world of Atzilus, so upon saying the introductory verse before the Amida, Adonoy Sifusay Tiftach…. one should try to emulate this progression. Really all of the prayer leading to the Amida was to enact and raise the prayer to this world, however before the Amida it is highly conducive to briefly run through the stages so as to fully kick in to the Divine consciousness before him.

The first step is to acknowledge the nefesh – asiya, which is the body and the blood pumping in the veins and arteries. These are many, principally 248 limbs and 365 blood vessel. A person is a microcosm of the whole world, so included here is all of creation.

The second step is to pay attention to the ruach – yetzira, which is the spirit of speech, which emanates from all the body parts but already achieves a unity of expression.

The third step is to empower your thought over and throughout the nefesh and ruach. Your thought is focused and one, and now represents all of you, and all of creation for that matter, in unity.

The fourth step is to bind and conjugate the Divine Ein Sof to your thought. With a little work and practice, this should be enough to really blow your mind B"H.

To fully understand this one must read the Ramchal's instructions as to the proper tachlis of the kavanos of the prayer.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman

Hierarchy

HH

Korach told Moshe (16:13)
המעט כי העליתנו מארץ זבת חלב ודבר להמיתנו במדבר כי תשתרר עלינו גם השתרר
It is it not enough.... that you make take rule (office) over us as well

The Meshech Chuchma (Litvak Rabbi of Dvinsk) says a beautiful insight. We find in the mishna (Yuma 7:1 and Sota 7:7-8) that when the High Priest or King would read from the Torah before the multitudes, the Torah would be taken out by the President of the Synagogue, who would give it to the Assistant High Priest, who would give it to the High Priest, who would give it to the King. All of this was to bring more honor to the King.

This is what Korach accused Moshe, saying that Moshe was creating new offices and positions between him and the people, only to bring himself all the additional honor which comes with the appointment of every new station.

From this one should learn practically to inculcate different progressions of supernal worlds in his meditations and prayers to G-d. Before speaking to HY, or meditating of His existence, one can gain profoundly heightened consciousness by simply reviewing in his mind quickly the hierarchy of the seven heavens and seven heichulos (chambers).

There is another advantage as well, usually in order to fly one needs to first take some small jumps in progression. Similarly, at least for beginners, it might be hard to bind oneself directly to the Ein Sof B"H immediately, but by first grabbing higher cognizance one at a time, maybe B"H he will be able to go all the way to the Ein Sof B"H.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

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!

Ramchal's One infinite vessel

HH
Tonight, yesod she-bi-yisod, is the hilula of the Ramchal (acronym Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto). He brought many souls to Nanach, including myself. When I read his work "daas tevunos" (realizing knowledge of understanding) I was an extremely diligent yeshiva boy very much ingrained in the Yeshiva philosophy, this work made a huge dent in my belief in their system. It was such a huge game changer - I understood distinctly that a person can excel and master the whole Talmud, and not realize the enormous revelation of this holy awesome work. From then on I intensified my search, concentration, and focus on finding out the important things in life. This is in fact what "Torah Lishmu" (Torah for the Sake of the Shechina), as Rashi in two places in the Talmud says explicitly that this is the intent to find the secrets of the Torah. On all of this I would need to go to great lengths to explain, but here is not the place or time.

It's been many many years since I've reread this holy work, and I can not do full justice or take responsibility of accuracy. Arguably the main point of the work is to show how G-d created the world to reveal His unity, as this allows for the manifestation of all the possible levels of non-unity, where as any other attribute only shows a clear expression of it's positive existence but not of it's ineptitude. E.g wisdom manifests itself at many levels, but there is no measure for stupidity, it is just the absence of intellect, whereas G-d's Unity is just the opposite, His unity is infinite and cannot be fathomed, but every type, form, and amount of unity clearly manifests itself, and thus can be used as a handle of showing some level and perception of G-d's unity. as negative vessels, to reveal that there is only The One Infinite. These vessels show that after every possible force, virtue, or anything achieves maximization, it is nothing, there is just G-d. The evil was created to show that as much as it can even look as prevalent, a rock to big for its creator, it can even give such an impression, and this too is nothing, for the reality is the One Infinite G-d. The infinity of G-d can not be shown in itself, it is impossible to show the infinity of 1, so G-d showed every possible venue, and the more realization of how they have no existence outside of G-d, the more realization of the infinity of G-d Himself.

Some people find this hard to understand, and that's reading it from the clear writing of the Ramchal, so don't go hard on yourself if you don't get my one paragraph synopsis written 15 years after reading the original. But it's the best I can give you for now.

The Ramchal himself reveals, and this is something the Baal Shem Tov really drove home, that all of the Kabbala, all the worlds, are in Man. When sitting before G-d, you gotto let G-d take over. Contemplate how all your limbs are inverse vessel (vessels that don't hold things inside of them, but rather like a dot which holds everything around it) screaming the ultimate presence and realization of G-d. If you could do this, you will be one very happy camper, fortunate is your lot in this world which is already the next world.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!