Hisbodidus - Alone Time

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Introduction

Hisbodidus {pronounced: hisboadidoos} literally means to be alone, and it takes on the meaning and function of all things holy that are best, or can only be achieved, alone. Notwithstanding all the noble and critical devotions that occur and are performed during hisbodidus – many of which will be presented in this book, being alone is of itself an end not just a means. G-d Almighty is One, solitaire, alone. The father of all Israel, Abraham, is extolled in Scriptures (Yichezkel 33:24) as being “one,” and in the preface to the second volume of Likutay Moharan (The Collection of (the holy teachings) of Our Master Rabbi Nachman), Rabbi Nachman makes it clear that devotion to G-d begins only from this point where a Jew takes on this attribute of Abraham and can stand alone even against the antagonism and backlash of all his loved ones, family, and the entire world. Rabbi Nachman even explained to little children how ultimately they would be alone in the grave.[1] Rabbi Nachman said that if a person, even one stooped in sin and vice, would be left alone without any influence of others, ultimately the person would come around to be good.[2] Rabbi Nachman taught how each person is like a monarch with his own kingdom,[3] and each person must take responsibility for himself and the entire world.[4] This was a phenomenally novel idea for those times when the Jew was totally downtrodden under very dismal living conditions and almost without rights. Even still Rabbi Nachman expected everyone to realize their own majesty and take control accordingly (3). Today, when most people enjoy full rights and liberties, and are privileged with so many amenities the likes of which may not have even been accorded to former kings, Rabbi Nachman’s teaching radiates with its truth. The mentality and viewpoint of a king is entirely different than that of a commoner. A king must have full knowledge of his kingdom, and he must maintain proper control and management. A king also has entertainers. A king must have time for himself, especially in private gardens and nature reserves. All these properties and more, Rabbi Nachman wanted every person to achieve and maintain. Rabbi Nachman belittled the shlimazel (-good for nothing),[5] he demanded that people take control of their lives, for and by themselves. Rabbi Nachman demands that a person have complete financial independence and not need anyone’s approval of any sort for anything.[6] Rabbi Nachman warned very strongly against all the contemporary rabbis,[7] and this was not only due to their fraud, and corruption, and bad advice, but because he expected every person to take stock and be their own man,[8] and not be reliant on anyone. Rabbi Nachman himself rarely told anyone what to do, at best he would give a suggestion, some type of advice with a direction,[9] and there are documented stories of when Rabbi Nachman did tell people what to do, fully hoping and expecting them to challenge what he told them![10] All of this needs to be expounded upon properly in its proper place, for here we will just take out the point that hisbodidus, which is one of the most fundamental features of Breslov, isn’t just a means to be able to work on proper devotion of Hashem, hisbodidus is intrinsically and innately an attribute which must be acquired. Thus Rabbi Nachman said it is extremely beneficial just to sit in hisbodidus even if one is unsuccessful to do anything then,[11] and ultimately one should be able to be in a state of hisbodidus even when surrounded by multitudes of people,[12] and even when interacting with them![13]

Rabbi Nachman said (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, article 107) that in his youth, every time he would return from doing hisbodidus the world looked completely new. This is also an aspect of mastery, because the heightened understanding gained over the world, is new acquisition and secures dominion over it in an even more elevated state (of the world).[14]

There were many great tzadikim who helped elevate their brethren, these tzadikim would imbue those they came in contact with or prayed for, with such holiness that they would uproot them from whatever evils they were caught up in, and immediately bring them to a holy paradigm of existence. Rabbi Nachman reserved such treatment for rectifying the souls of the dead, but for those still living he almost never circumvented their personal bechira (-point of free choice). The person himself would have to overcome and gain in his own personal growth, but Rabbi Nachman would help him in this very point of conflict.[15] Rabbi Nachman said that his entire affair is Rosh Hashana[16] (-New Years), and this is an aspect of knowing the place where everyone stands (because only one who knows where the other stands can judge him, as explained in Likutay Moharan), and thus Rabbainu knows how to help a person in that person’s place. This I believe is part of the secret of what Saba Yisroel Dov Odesser repeated over and over again in the name of Rabbainu: “I am Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman,” meaning that the “I,” a person’s true self and identity is rooted in Rabbainu, particularly in the new revelation of Rabbainu’s name Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman. This is why there can not be any explicit explanation and revelation of this secret, just as Rabbi Nachman wrote afterwards, “with the strengthening of devotion you will understand it.” This is similar to Rabbi Nachman’s reply when Rabbi Nussun asked him a very deep paradox as to the root of a person’s will (see The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, article 482), because the only way to understand it, is to be it.

This book has primarily two parts. The first part is a translation of the entry on hisbodidus from the holy book Likutay Aitzoas – A Collection of Remedies/Advice. Likutay Aitzoas presents the reader with succinct summations of the teachings of Rabbi Nachman in such a way that they can be readily and practically implemented. Rabbi Nachman himself commissioned Rabbi Nussun to compose it. Since the topic of hisbodidus earned an entire book dedicated to it – Outpouring of the Soul (Hishtapchus Hanefesh) where almost everything in this book is brought down, and often at greater length with greater clarification and elaboration, citations are provided for it along with the original sources.

The second part of the book are prayers pertaining hisbodidus taken from Likutay Tifeeloas (Collection of Prayers) authored by Rabbi Nussun based on the teachings of Likutay Moharan (Also composed at Rabbi Nachman’s bidding).

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[1] Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 490.

[2] Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 81.

[3] Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 3 and 56 and volume II, Torah-teaching 1 and 7.

[4] Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 5.

[5] Likutay Moharan, volume II, Torah-teachings 7 and 72. Sefer Hamidos – Character, entry of Mitigation of Judgment, item 2.

[6] Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 66 and elsewhere. Independence primarily refers to the mindset of complete faith, reliance, and trust in Gd, even if practically one is receiving from others (see The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman, article 502, and Likutay Halachos, the presents of one on his deathbed, 2:2).

[7] Likutay Moharan, volume 2, Torah-teaching 80, and in too many other places to enumerate here.

[8] Thus Rabbi Nachman explained (Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 3) the Mishanaic dictum (Ethics of Our Fathers, 1) to make for yourself a rabbi, to really mean, make yourself the rabanut – build up your own kingdom!

[9] Chayay Moharan - The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 430.

[10] See Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 406, regarding what Rabbainu told someone not to come to him for Rosh Hashana, and see Siach Sarfay Kodesh 4:626 how Rabbainu originally told Rabbi Nussun to take up the position of Rabbi, and he stuck to this instruction even after Rabbi Nussun asked him (with tremendous holy brazenness) if it was the truth, only after Rabbi Nussun persisted and continued to ask Rabbainu if it was the utter real truth, only then Rabbainu told him definitely not!

[11] Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 275.

[12] Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 241. Sefer Charaidim, page 68a, brought in Chok LiYisroel, Meekaitz, Monday.

[13] Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 158.

[14] For deeper understanding and contemplation of this, see Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 247, that the more worldly honor and wealth a person attains, the further and more distant it will be from him, in contradistinction to Torah and good deeds where the greater the attainment the closer they are. And see Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 191, that a king holds in his heart his entire kingdom.

[15] There references for this are too numerous, but so as not to leave the reader without anything, see the Intro to Rabbi Nussun’s letters Ulim Litrufa, and see Michtivay Shmuel 1:67.

[16] The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 220, 403.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

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[1] Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 490.

[2] Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 81.

[3] Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 3 and 56 and volume II, Torah-teaching 1 and 7.

[4] Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 5.

[5] Likutay Moharan, volume II, Torah-teachings 7 and 72. Sefer Hamidos – Character, entry of Mitigation of Judgment, item 2.

[6] Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 66 and elsewhere. Independence primarily refers to the mindset of complete faith, reliance, and trust in Gd, even if practically one is receiving from others (see Likutay Halachos, the presents of one on his deathbed, 2:2).

[7] Likutay Moharan, volume 2, Torah-teaching 80, and in too many other places to enumerate here.

[8] Thus Rabbi Nachman explained (Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 3) the Mishanaic dictum (Ethics of Our Fathers, 1) to make for yourself a rabbi, to really mean, make yourself the rabanut – build up your own kingdom!

[9] Chayay Moharan - The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 430.

[10] See Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 406, regarding what Rabbainu told someone not to come to him for Rosh Hashana, and see Siach Sarfay Kodesh 4:626 how Rabbainu originally told Rabbi Nussun to take up the position of Rabbi, and he stuck to this instruction even after Rabbi Nussun asked him (with tremendous holy brazenness) if it was the truth, only after Rabbi Nussun persisted and continued to ask Rabbainu if it was the utter real truth, only then Rabbainu told him definitely not!

[11] Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 275.

[12] Chayay Moharan – The Life of Our Master Rabbi Nachman, article 241. Sefer Charaidim, page 68a, brought in Chok LiYisroel, Meekaitz, Monday.

[13] Sichos Huran – The Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 158.