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!

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!

Crazy Desire

HH

It defies logic and is absolutely baffling how the leftists promote and staunchly advocate people who would consider it a good deed to literally kill them in the blink of an eye. The answer is explained in the first Torah-lesson of Likutay Moharan, that the evil inclination is set out to make a person "meshuga mamash" - actually crazy. The evil inclination does not just rise against a person to get him to sin, but is intent to completely drive him insane, and this is a case in point.

There is another factor (which is part of the above mentioned craziness on a deeper level). The real enjoyment of sin and abandon comes not so much from the actual deed, but from the forbidden nature - as King Solomon the wisest of men wrote in Proverbs (9:17) stolen water proves to be sweet, and our Sages site this principle quite often. Especially the horrible sin of homos*xuality, we have already explained elsewhere how this abhorrence is almost completely based on the riding the thrill of the shame involved. Therefore as society has increasingly accepted these behaviors, these behaviors increasingly lose all their appeal, and are laid bare for what they are - nauseating emptiness, and the slaves to these impulses become desperate to reestablish their masters (an idea probably very familiar in the world of bdsm).

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman 

Loneliness is caused by pursuit of bodily desires and pleasures

HH
King Solomon, the wisest of all men, said:

לתאוה יבקש נפרד

For bodily pleasures seeks one who is detached/separate

From here we can deduce that pursuit of sensual pleasures causes loneliness.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman

Using the Holocaust to have greater realization of the greatness of G-d

HH

Rabbi Nachman mocked people that carried questions on G-d, as if HY can be fathomed by them at all. The very intellect we have is a creation of G-d, and if a person would be able to comprehend G-d that would mean G-d was that trite GF.

The Torah says that there was great sanctification of the Name of G-d by the death of Nuduv and Aveyhoo on the day of the inauguration of the Tabernacle. Our Sages revealed that these two holy tzaddikim, the sons of Aaron, were in some aspects even greater than Moses and Aron, and when justice was met out to them, the Name of G-d gained more awesome reverence and sanctity. If such is the fate of such holy people - one can only ponder and be baffled by the awesomeness of the Divine traits that HY governs with. (See Rashi on Numbers 20:13).

Similarly we find our holy Sages listing different stringencies that the Torah levies, and they exclaim, if that is so for the bad, it can now be established how radically amazing the goodness is (See Rashi on Leviticus 5:17).

The Ramchal revealed in many places that all the bad in the world that we see and experience is just hallucination, like a dream, for in reality there is no bad, there is only the Goodness of HY, and HY in His Goodness created the greatest possible misconception of bad, so that when ultimately it will be clear that there it was no bad, the absolute supreme Goodness of G-d will be proven as One and Only. The Ramchal makes it clear that it is not that in the end everything will be good, but that it will be clear that the very things that were perceived as bad were in reality good. (Like Rabbainus says on higdeel Hashem Laasoas eem aileh - it will be clear to the gentiles in the future that all their greatness that G-d gave them, was in reality greatness accorded to the Jews). This means that the bad things are vessels for such goodness - that when the goodness is realized there is not even a trace element of any bad. (The late R' Noach Weinberg - my mother's uncle - has a great series called the five levels of pleasure - and he gives a very good parable of a person saving someones life, but in doing so he spoiled his honeymoon, and all his fancy clothes etc. because he has to jump into a very polluted river etc. - but for the rest of his life he will revel in this, and every extra thing that he lost and forfeited will add more to the exhilaration of the experience).

That means when we confront a very terrible evil, we can only deduce from it, that G-d has such an amazing Goodness that he will reveal, something so far beyond our current capacity of comprehension that we can't even begin to fathom, and that Goodness is so amazing that this apparent atrocity was the only vessel for this Goodness, and when that Goodness is realized there won't even be a trace element of any bad at all.

May the Holy Merciful One G-d show us only His Kindness - as we currently perceive kindness - as Yakov told his children (Genesis 43 - as explained in Likutay Moharan, volume 2, Torah 62).

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Appreciating holiness

HH

The problem is that when it comes to the vanities of this world everyone is praising them and glorifying them over and over them, whether it is some fraudulent rabbi that panders to the weak sentiments of the masses, people can't stop saying how amazing and incredible he is, or whether it is a special flavor of ice cream or promiscuity, everyone is moaning with delight, moaning and moaning, how awesome this empty pleasure is. Yet when it comes to holiness, even things that are mind boggling, that can literally blow your mind away, people take it in stride, and say, well that's something to think about, and continue....

Rabbi Nachman presents the "Tam" the simpleton who's occupation was shoe making - prayer, and the shoes would come almost triangular, but that didn't stop the Tam from marveling at his production, another prayer another word offered to the Most High! He would praise it over and over again saying how sweet it was, how precious. And so it was with every need he was provided for, even though it wasn't exactly what he had asked for, the Tam would praise it emphatically in many various expressions of delight.

It is said that the Arizal achieved his greatness due to the great happiness and rejoicing he had over every tiny novelty of Torah he gleaned.

We gotto start doing this, we have to start drooling over the holy Petek! We have to start expressing extreme delight, moaning with pleasure every time we say Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

beautiful! GEVALD!

aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!!!!

The music is playing but who can hear it?!

HH in the story from ancient times, of a king's son and a maid's son who were exchanged, only after the man of the forest revealed to them that the day laughs at the night etc. only afterwards they discerned that the beasts roaring and screaming at night were in actuality producing a melody of such ecstasy that all the pleasures of the world are null against it! First you have to hear the day laughing at the night, and only then can you merit....
Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman!

How low can you go?

HH

Some people have a real hard time in this world, it just isn't worth it to them, they even contemplate suicide G"F. This is nothing for the tzaddik. The tzaddik has absolutely no enjoyment or benefit from this world, the tzaddik begins his sorrows when he ceases to even be able to project for himself a future world. Rabbainu says that a Jew only begins to enter the devotion of G-d when he reaches this state -- not having any portion what so ever, at which point the person takes upon himself the service of HY for this alone, for the glorification of HY, without having any thoughts of personal benefit or promotion. This is where it all begins!

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Five Levels of Pleasure

HH

Truth is that this is really good Torah, I am not sure how he merited to it, but he did. This is a Torah from my uncle (grandfather's younger brother) R' Noach Weinberg ob"m. You can see it at length at the aish website they have a page with the whole thing laid out.

Basically we know that man was created to delight in G-d (Ramchal, who's hilula is this Friday), so my uncle laid out 5 levels of pleasure (which can easily be correlated to the 5 partzufim, nukva, zeir, ema, aba, arich). 1st level pleasures are sensual, including sex. 2nd level: love and children. 3rd: a cause. 4th: power. 5th: G-d.

As my uncle points out, the problem is that people don't know how to enjoy these pleasures, and usually they actually suffer from them. So he introduced a Yiddish word that actually made it into the English dictionary: kvell. Which means to experience the joy and pride from something. Parents can just sit and kvell watching their children in delight.

The thing is that kvell also falls short, both in quality and quantity. That of course is where meditation comes in. The problem with meditation is that most of the systems out there are based on pagan idiots, and the framework for "Jewish meditation" is quite shaky.

[This is why addictions and pornography prevail. People get an easy score from them, whereas they can't find any satisfaction from a higher source. Once a person learns how to reach and push Divine buttons, he creates a refuge, allowing himself the possibility of delving into kosher channels, even if it takes more effort, instead of feeling compelled to resort to low measures].

In addition, meditation can not be the complete solution, for even someone who can achieve very satisfying experiences when meditating must still face the challenges life presents to him, and the chances are, the higher that person can go while meditating the more cataclysmic life will be for him. Take for example the great Kabalist Avrohom Abulafia who achieved what can be considered minor prophecy - Abulafia writes how he was completely confounded by tempest of trials and tribulations which encompassed him subjugating him to impure forces and energies, making it utterly impossible for him, for many years, to even attempt achieving the states of consciousness he knew how to access.

Rabbainu's way of hisbodidus is therefore the supreme method and guide in forging a path of meditation which builds a persons life in balance, giving him mastery of all the pleasures G-d set out for him.

Rabbi Nachman and his disciples offered many important tips and directives on how to go about doing hisbodidus. Some of them are brought down directly in regard to hisbodidus, and some are small statements found interspersed in the great vast teachings of Breslov. Today different rabbis or gurus have assembled packages of instructions which they offer to the public. Unfortunately I have yet to see, or even hear of anyone today that can profess achieving any serious ecstasy from their hisbodidus. Sure many people experience euphoria and some transient high, but I haven't found someone who can actually build a proper establishment of Divine pleasure.

Like everything, especially with Rabbainu Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman, the key is in complete simplicity and straightforwardness. Focus on this objective, latch on, and keep strong till you win.

Since the objective is G-d Himself. Focus on G-d, latch on, and don't let go.

This is what Rabbainu said once, to sit down by the table, and feel G-d looking upon you until you turn red in the face. Very simple, extremely powerful, utterly rewarding!

This should be a common practice, exercise, the Baal Shem Tov praised the tzadikim who go about their whole day with this consciousness. So it is a good idea to do it for at least a few minutes a day. To feel the effect, the touch, the kiss of the Divine...

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Satisfied Now?

HH

The satisfaction of scoring a goal or the like in sports, is so empty, what was accomplished??? The same is true with so called sexual satisfaction, when nothing was accomplished just a fleeting empty pleasure. A person can G”F waste his entire lifetime filling it with these satisfactions, and be left with absolutely nothing (besides all the damage and destruction caused by his actions). This is what the holy Zohar says is a sign of the “other side”, that it is sterile and can not produce offspring. Depending on a persons standing, the quicker he will be to not tolerate even an iota of emptiness. The foolish say, a little indulgence is good, and not only do they lose those moments for all of eternity, usually they get trapped and addicted.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!