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FREEDOM - LIBERTY - EMANCIPATION
Showing posts with label fear of Heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fear of Heaven. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Blossoms of the Springs - Letter 4

Letter 4

B.H., 3 Shevat 718 (Friday, January 24, 1958), Tiberius.
In honor of the possessor of a rich soul, more precious than gems, the pleasant Mr. Z. Shazar. May Hashem protect him and give him a long life satiated with eternal joy and pleasantness.

It was joy to the heart and great delight to the soul for me, the even from Divine Providence that I merited to visit his chamber, brothers sitting even (-with G-d – Rashi, Psalms 133) together, with one heart, a true heart, I was very moved by the heartfelt attention.

I managed to get to know a little of the virtue of his refined soul, more than our meetings in Tiberius last year.

In truth, I say to him, that I do not divert my consciousness of him, he is ingrained in my heart and mind always, as well as, how I will merit to reveal and to illuminate to him the light of the daas (-realization of knowledge) of the light of lights, cached and hidden, Rabbainu Hakadosh (-our holy Rebbe) za.tza.l. which radiates in all the worlds. I will send him some selections of his holy discourses:

He said, I will lead you (plural) in a new way which was never in the world (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 264). How is it possible for them not to oppose me, being that I go in a new way that as of yet no man has went in it ever etc., even though it is an (extremely) ancient way, even still it is completely new (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 392). He said, if the Bal Shem Tov would hear my Torah it would be a novelty to him as well, if Ra.sh.b.i. (Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) would hear my Torah it would also be a novelty even then (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 381). I want to reveal and imbue fear (of Heaven) in my men, wondrous fear (of Heaven) that as of yet there has never been fear (of Heaven) such as this in the world (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 296).

He said regarding the renown leader whom are fraudulent; because upon the ‘bal duvur’ (litigator – Satan) it is very difficult to labor with the entire world to mislead them from the straight (-upright) way, therefore he placed one renown leader in a certain place and one renown leader in a certain place (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 537).

He said regarding the men of his persuasion, that it is difficult for them to elevate themselves to lead with rabbinate and superiority, because I imbued them with abundant truth, more than sufficient (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 538). The most inferior of my men I lead him in the way of a very great tzadik etc. (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 314). Whoever will draw close to the men of my persuasion, and even he who just touches them, will certainly be a truly kosher (-upright) person, and not just a kosher person, but even a very great tzadik, he will be, he who merits to draw close to my men (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 322). He said, I am a river which purifies (from) all stains (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 332).

I am a very beautiful and wondrous tree with very wondrous branches, and below I am set in the ground mamash (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 245). If I desired to reveal of myself – the entire world would run after me (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 246). I know clearly that I am the sole leader of the generation, and there is no leader like me (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 258). There will yet come a time when you will be very rueful for having in your hands such a wondrous novelty and you abandoned him etc. (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 259).

I have already finished, and I will finish (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 229, 322). In the future the entire world will be men of Breslov. “I will put in you (plural) lev <a heart> bussar <of flesh> (Yechezkel 11:19, 36:26)” - letters (of ‘lev busar’ are the same as:) Breslov (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 339).

The bal duvur (-litigator – Satan) overpowers a person, and doesn’t allow him to draw close to the true tzadik from whom everyone nurtures, however, as long as he is still included in Israel and did not leave entirely, then there is still hope for him to draw close to him (-the true tzadik) (Likutay Moharan II 45).

A person needs to examine deeply, and recognize the greatness of the Creator through each and every item of creation, until he comes to the aspect of the tachlis (-ultimate purpose) of that item. And people of low stature, like ourselves today, whom are all on a very inferior level, whom are unable to come to this knowledge, we should yearn and long greatly, “Who would give (-if only) that we had a leader of the generation, a faithful shepherd, who could illuminate even in us, the knowledge and conception of the Creator blessed He, without any separating partition, in order that we merit to come to the tachlis” (Likutay Moharan II 39). Even someone who fell terribly and is stuck in the bottom of hell, everyone can receive life from holiness wherever they are, therefore there truly is no despair in the world, and the main thing is, “From the belly of hell I screamed (Jonah 2),” because even a scream from the bottom of hell is never lost, and he should scream and scream before Hashem Yisburach always, be what may be, until Hashem looks and Hashem sees from Heaven (Meshivas Nefesh – Restoration of the Soul 42, Likutay Moharan II 78).

The essential perfection of the tzadik is to be able to show he who is lofty and is under the impression that he is on a supernal level – to show him that he is the opposite. And similarly, to he who is below, on a low level, to show him that he has yet to have lost hope, and even from there he can attach himself to Him blessed He, to return to Him, for there is no despair in the world whatsoever (Likutay Moharan II 68).

And contrivances are not necessary at all, for the main thing is just timeemus (-straightforward wholeheartedness), and pisheetus (-simplicity), and complete faith in Hashem Yisburach and the true tzadik. Fortunate is he who goes with timeemus (Psalms 119). Fortunate is he who merits to draw close to the true tzadik, fortunate is he, fortunate is his lot. And the Bal Duvur (-litigator – Satan) put his heart to this very much to confuse the world, and he established in the world many fraudulent renown leaders. And also between the true tzadikim he inserted strife, to the extent that no one knows where the truth is (Likutay Moharan II 78).

Once, Rabbainu Hakadosh za.tza.l. sat together with his disciple the holy rav, the Maggid (-preacher) of Teerhuveetzeh who was an old man, and had previously been from the elite disciples of the Baal Shem Tov za.tza.l., a friend of the Maggid of Mezritch (-the primary disciple of the Besh”t), and he (Rabbainu) grasped the beard of the aforementioned Maggid in an endearing fashion, and said to him, “A novelty like me has never yet been in the world (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 247), the world needs me very very much, because the world is not able to be without me whatsoever (ibid 248), I have the ability to return the whole world to propriety, not only the simple people, but even all the tzadikim and great men I can return them to propriety, because also the tzadikim need to be returned to propriety, and not only holy Israelites but even all the nations of the world, all of them, I can return them to Hashem Yisburach,and I could return them to Hashem Yisburach to lead them close to the religion of Israel,however it is sufficient for a servant to be as his Master (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 251).

He said, behold, also he who touches me a bit, even with a small finger – there is no measure to his virtue (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 300). What have you (-there is no need for you) to contemplate strategies, you only need to provide stones and mortar, and I build from them wondrous and awesome structures. And he protracted the word “structures” to aggrandize the praise of the wonders of the splendor of the awesome structures he builds with this (Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 293). And he said, behold I am a treasure house of fear of Heaven, so why are they not avidly running after me to receive it. And they asked him, how is it possible to receive, and he answered, with the mouth and the heart, it is necessary to tunnel and request (ibid 294-5). True tzadikim reveal His Divinity blessed He to all that traverse the world. Even to the extremely alienated, that is the wicked and pagans (Likutay Moharan 33), for this is the main glory of Hashem Yisburach, when the overly alienated draw themselves close to the service of Hashem Yisburach, because then the glory of His Name blessed He is magnified and elevated (Likutay Moharan 59), therefore every person has to endeavor very much to draw those who are distanced, close to Hashem Yisburach (Likutay Moharan 62). And also no person should despair of himself from drawing close to the service of Hashem Yisburach due to having very distanced from Hashem Yisburach through his many sins, even though he abounded in doing evil Heaven forbid, because on the contrary, the more he is distant – through him the glory of Hashem Yisburach is made greater, when he strives to return and to draw close to Him blessed He (see also Likutay Halachos, Yoreh Dayah, Laws of Interest 5:24), for this is His main glory blessed He. However, this is impossible – for one distant from a Hashem to draw close properly, except by means of the true tzadik (Words of Rabbi Nachman – Sichos Huran 111, and various places in Likutay Halachos)!

I am confident that he will read this collection very attentively and he will instill them in the depth of his heart. I would be very happy if it would be possible to reply to me with his thoughts on this. He who holds him in esteem, and respects him, and prays for his well being and health always, inquires his well being and goodness in truth, and inquires the well being of all those in his company.

Yisroel Dov Odesser – House of Zalman Odesser – Tiberius

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!



ספר אב"י הנחל - הוצאת נקודות טובות - מכתב ד:

ב"ה, ג' שבט תשי"ח, טבריא
לכבוד בעל נפש עשירה יקרה מפנינים, מר ז.שזר הנעים. ישמרהו ה' ויחייהו לאורך ימים בשובע שמחות ונעימות נצח

לשמחת לב ועונג נפש רב היה לי הסיבה מהשגחה העליונה שזכיתי לבקר בהיכלו בשבת אחים גם יחד בלב אחד לב אמת, התרגשתי מאד על היחס הלבבי.

הספקתי להכיר קצת את מעלת נפשו העדינה יותר מהפגישות שלנו בטבריה אשתקד.

באמת אומר לו כי אינני מסיח דעתי ממנו, הוא נחקק בליבי ומוחי תמיד, ואיך אזכה לגלות ולהאיר לו אור הדעת של אור האורות הגנוז וצפון של רבינו הקדוש זצ"ל המאיר בכל העולמות. הנני שולח לו כמה קטעים משיחותיו הקדושות:

אמר, אני אוליך אתכם בדרך חדש שלא היה מעולם. איך אפשר שלא יחלוקו עלי מאחר שאני הולך בדרך חדש שעדיין לא הלך אדם בו מעולם וכו'. אף על פי שהוא דרך ישן מאד אף על פי כן הוא חדש לגמרי. אמר, אם היה הבעל שם טוב שומע תורתי היה אצלו גם כן חידוש, אם היה רשב"י שומע תורתי היה גם כן חידוש גם אז. אני רוצה לגלות ולהכניס יראה באנשי, יראה נפלאה שעדיין לא היתה יראה כזאת בעולם.

אמר, לעניין המפורסמים של שקר, כי על הבעל דבר קשה מאד לטרוח עם כל העולם להטעותם מדרך הישר, על כן העמיד מפורסם אחד במקום פלוני ומפורסם אחד במקום פלוני.

אמר על אנשי שלומו שקשה להם שירימו עצמן להנהיג ברבנות והתנשאות מחמת שהכנסתי בהם אמת הרבה יותר מדי. הפחות שבאנשי אני מוליך אותו בדרך של צדיק גדול מאד וכו'. מי שיתקרב לאנשי שלומי ואפילו מי שרק יגע בהם בוודאי יהיה איש כשר באמת, ולא איש כשר בלבד כי אם אפילו צדיק גדול מאד יהיה מי שיזכה להתקרב לאנשים שלי. אמר אני נהר המטהר מכל הכתמים.

אני אילן נאה ונפלא מאד עם ענפים נפלאים מאד, ולמטה אני מונח בארץ ממש. אם הייתי רוצה לגלות מאיתי - היו כל העולם רצין אחרי. אני יודע בברור שאני מנהיג הדור יחידי בעולם ואין מנהיג כמוני. עוד יהיה זמן שתהיו מתגעגעים מאד על שהיה בידיכם חידוש נפלא כזה ועזבתם אותו וכו.'

כבר גמרתי ואגמור. לעתיד יהיה כל העולם אנשי ברסלב. "ונתתי לכם לב בשר" - אותיות ברסלב.

הבעל דבר מתגבר על האדם, ואינו מניח אותו להתקרב אל הצדיק האמת שממנו יונקים הכל, אך כל זמן שהוא עדיין בתוך כלל ישראל ולא יצא לגמרי, אז עדיין יש לו תקוה להתקרב אליו.

צריך האדם להעמיק עיונו לדעת ולהכיר גדולת הבורא על ידי כל דבר ודבר מהבריאה, עד אשר יבוא לבחינת התכלית של אותו הדבר. וקטני ערך כמונו היום שכולנו במדרגה פחותה מאד שאי אפשר לנו לבוא לידיעה זאת, יש לנו לכסוף ולהשתוקק מאד מי יתן והיה לנו מנהיג הדור רועה נאמן שיוכל להאיר גם בנו ידיעת והשגת הבורא יתברך בלי שום מסך המבדיל, כדי שנזכה לבוא אל התכלית. אפילו מי שנפל מאד ומונח בשאול תחתיות חס ושלום, אף על פי כן יש לו תקוה גדולה על ידי הצדיק הגדול האמיתי, כי על ידו יכולים הכל לקבל חיות מהקדושה בכל מקום שהם, על כן באמת אין שום יאוש בעולם, והעיקר הוא "מבטן שאול שועתי", כי גם צעקה משאול תחתיות אינה נאבדת לעולם, ויצעק ויצעק לפני ה' יתברך תמיד יהיה איך שיהיה עד אשר ישקיף וירא ה' משמיים.

עיקר שלמות הצדיק הוא שיוכל להראות למי שהוא למעלה ונדמה לו שהוא במדרגה עליונה - יהיה מראה לו שהוא ההיפוך. וכן למי שהוא למטה במדרגה התחתונה יהיה מראה לו שעדיין לא אבדה תקותו וגם משם יוכל לדבק עצמו אליו יתברך לשוב אליו, כי אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל.

חכמות אין צריכים כלל, והעיקר הוא רק תמימות ופשיטות ואמונה שלמה בה' יתברך ובהצדיק האמת. אשרי ההולך בתמימות. אשרי למי שזוכה להתקרב להצדיק האמת, אשרי לו אשרי חלקו. והבעל דבר שם ליבו על זה מאד לבלבל את העולם, והקים בעולם מפורסמים הרבה של שקר. וגם בין הצדיקים האמיתיים הכניס מחלוקת עד שאין אחד יודע היכן האמת.

פעם אחת ישב רבינו הקדוש זצ"ל יחד עם תלמידו הרב הקדוש המגיד מטירהאוויצע שהיה איש זקן והיה מקודם מגדולי תלמידי הבעל שם טוב זצ"ל, חבר להמגיד ממעזריטש, ותפס בזקנו של המגיד הנ"ל בדרך חיבה ואמר לו, חידוש כמוני עוד לא היה בעולם, אותי צריכים כל העולם מאד מאד, כי העולם אין יכולין להיות בלעדי כלל, יש לאל ידי להחזיר כל העולם למוטב, כי גם הצדיקים צריכים להחזירם למוטב, ולא מבעיא ישראל קדושים, אלא כל האומות העולם כולם אני יכול לחזירם לה' יתברך, והייתי יכול להחזירם לה' יתברך להוליכם סמוך לדת ישראל, אך דיו לעבד להיות כרבו.

אמר, הלא גם מי שנוגע בי מעט אפילו באצבע קטנה - אין לשער מעלתו. מה לכם לחשוב מחשבות, אין אתם צריכים רק לתת אבנים וסיד, ואני בונה מהם בנינים נפלאים ונוראים. ומשך מאד תיבת "בנינים" כמפליג בשבח נפלאות תפארת הבנינים הנוראים שבונה מזה ואמר, הלא אני אוצר של יראת שמים ומדוע לא יהיו להוטים ורצים אחרי לקבלו. ושאלו אותו, איך אפשר לקבל, והשיב, עם הפה והלב צריכים לחתור ולבקש. צדיקי אמת הם מגלין אלקותו ומלכותו יתברך לכל באי עולם. אפילו להרחוקים מאד מאד שהם הרשעים והעכו"ם, שזה עיקר כבוד ה' יתברך כשהרחוקים ביותר מקרבין את עצמם לעבודת ה'  יתברך כי אז נתגדל כבוד שמו יתברך ונתעלה, על כן צריך כל אדם להשתדל מאד לקרב הרחוקים לה' יתברך. וגם אין לשום אדם ליאש את עצמו מלהתקרב לעבודת ה' יתברך מחמת שנתרחק מאד מה' יתברך על ידי חטאיו המרובים, אף שהרבה לעשות הרע חס ושלום, כי אדרבא כל מה שהוא רחוק ביותר - על ידו יתגדל כבוד ה' יתברך ביותר כשישתדל לשוב ולהתקרב אליו יתברך, כי זה עיקר כבודו יתברך. אבל זה אי אפשר שיתקרב הרחוק לה' כראוי כי אם על ידי הצדיק האמת!

אני בטוח כי יקרא את הליקוט הזה בעיון רב ויכניסם בעמק ליבו. הייתי שמח מאד אם היה אפשר להשיב לי את דעתו עליו. מוקירו ומכבדו ומתפלל עבור שלומו ובריאותו תמיד, דורש שלומו וטובתו באמת ודורש שלום כל הנלוים אליו.

ישראל דב אודסר - בית זלמן אודסר - טבריא


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The way to know Gd personally and directly

HH
Everyone wants to really know Gd. They tried, they spoke a few words, looked for a sign a miracle, and even if they found something to keep them going, they didn't find Gd in the finite way they would have liked. What is missing?
Parable. A friend tells you he's going to hook you up with some extremely powerful people, and then he takes you to a party, and you have a great time with everyone, and you are left wondering when you're friend is going great to hook you up. But the reality is that those in the party are the powerful people, and partying with them is your connection, and if you want to make a more meaningful, direct, and personal connection you have to see these people for whom they really are, their true power, and directly approach them. According to his conception of their power, so they will in turn relate to him. If he takes them to be simple millionaires, they will respond accordingly, he can gain some business tips, small investment capital and the likes, and if he understands that they are far more powerful than simple wealthy people, holding clout in the government and in major corporate empires, he can gain lucrative and valuable contracts worth fortunes. And if he can understand that their power is even more than all that, he can get them to take him to the top.
So too with HY, everyone in the world is partying with Him, and if they play by the rules they will  thereby undoubtedly be making awesome connection with Him. However if one wishes to merit to a more direct and personal relationship and knowledge of HY he must understand who it is that he is with, and approach Him accordingly directly.
Understanding the enormity of HY is gaining the vessel to approach Him directly, and in fact as soon as one has the vessel, the light is already filling it.
Together with the understanding of HY is fear and awe and shame i.e. realization of one's own inadequacy.
Thus our Sages revealed that the gate to Hashem is fear-awe.
This is a simple principle and so profound it is considered the highest of secrets. So I will not elaborate, only understand it well and in practice and merit!
Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman


Saturday, April 8, 2017

The cancer is back in society

HH
The great rabbi who admitted to some of the molestation he perpetrated has been released early because he is cancer.

For many years his adherents disseminated the holy name of Hashem Y-H-VH with his own determined vowels. It is known that the vowels one assigns to the holy Name bring strength to what they indicate. So knowing very well of his evil intentions the Nanach made sure to remove this influence, and I was puzzled trying to figure out what the vowels were pointing to. After much contemplation I realized that from left to right they were the start of Zimbabwe - that was around the time when the pervert was hiding out there. More recently it finally donned on me that the vowel sequence is mamash the reverse and opposite of the recommended preferred vowel sequence of yeeru - fear/awe of Hashem. This pervert was promoting the detraction of fear of Heaven GF!

NNNNM


Sunday, March 19, 2017

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!



Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Letter of Nachman

HH

By now you must be familiar already with the fact that the entire redemption is entirely contingent on the dissemination of the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, better known as Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman. However, there is a great supplement, an old Jewish treasure from a Rabbi Nachman that lived approximately 500 years before Rabbainu, Nachmanidees. This Rabbi Nachman also made it to the Holy Land, and he wrote a letter to his son, it is only one page, he says it should be read at least once a week, and on any day that it is read all of his prayers will be answered. The letter also asserts that it is the path to receive Divine Inspiration and experience the delight of the future world, even in this world.

Rabbi Chaim Vital, the Arizal's main disciple, in his book Shaarei Kedusha (Gates of Holiness) in the 4th section which documents different techniques of attaining Ruach Hakodesh (due to the nature of this section, it was censured and wasn't printed for the public until about 20 years ago), brings the letter amongst all the other heebee jeebee stuff. Confirming that this letter of simple ethics ranks up there as a method of achieving Divine Inspiration.

The letter is very propitious to reverse depression, and cultivate true inner satiation and happiness.

Take advantage of this! Don't let a week go by without one reading, and aim for a few serious readings. Especially when confronted with trials and tribulations, from the yetzer hura (evil inclination), people around you, or general life circumstances, take a few minutes to give the letter a careful read, and then you will be armed with Rabbi Nachman's guarantee that HY will listen to your prayers, and that you are heading in the direction of holiness.


The main sing is to sing: Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman! 

[The reason Breslov did not trump this holy letter of the Ramban, I think is because in our times the main thing is holy brazenness which is in fact true humility, as explained in various places in the holy teachings of Rabbainu, and this would seemingly conflict with the message and practices advocated in this letter, even still I think any true Nanach will be the first to take advantage of regularly reviewing this letter which will undoubtedly compliment the holy brazenness which Nanach empowers, but without Nanach things can get complicated today when a person wants to lower his own control he can easily GF be hijacked by all types of crazy forces, and my only hope is that if the person is firm the letter will bring him to Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!]


Iggeres HaRamban - The Ramban's Letter
(Written to his elder son, Nachman, with the instruction to read it weekly.)
Hear, my son, the instruction of your father and don't forsake the teaching of your mother (Mishlei 1:8). Get into the habit of always speaking calmly to everyone. This will prevent you from anger, a serious character flaw which causes people to sin. As our Rabbis said (Nedarim 22a):Whoever flares up in anger is subject to the discipline of Gehinnom as it is says in (Koheles 12:10), "Cast out anger from your heart, and [by doing this] remove evil from your flesh." "Evil" here means Gehinnom, as we read (Mishlei 16:4): "...and the wicked are destined for the day of evil." Once you have distanced yourself from anger, the quality of humility will enter your heart.This radiant quality is the finest of all admirable traits (see Avodah Zarah 20b), because (Mishlei 22:4), "Following humility comes the fear of Hashem."
Through humility you will also come to fear Hashem. It will cause you to always think about (see Avos 3:1) where you came from and where you are going, and that while alive you are only like a maggot and a worm, and the same after death. It will also remind you before Whom you will be judged, the King of Glory, as it is stated (I Melachim 8:27; Mishlei 15:11), "Even the heaven and the heavens of heaven can't contain You" -- "How much less the hearts of people!" It is also written (Yirmeyahu 23:24), "Do I not fill heaven and earth? says Hashem."
When you think about all these things, you will come to fear Hashem who created you, and you will protect yourself from sinning and therefore be happy with whatever happens to you. Also, when you act humbly and modestly before everyone, and are afraid of Hashem and of sin, the radiance of His glory and the spirit of the Shechina will rest upon you, and you will live the life of the World-to-Come!
And now, my son, understand and observe that whoever feels that he is greater than others is rebelling against the Kingship of Hashem, because he is adorning himself with His garments, as it is written (Tehillim 93:1), "Hashem reigns, He wears clothes of pride." Why should one feel proud? Is it because of wealth? Hashem makes one poor or rich (I Shmuel 2:7). Is it because of honor? It belongs to Hashem, as we read (I Divrei Hayamim 29:12), "Wealth and honor come from You." So how could one adorn himself with Hashem's honor? And one who is proud of his wisdom surely knows that Hashem "takes away the speech of assured men and reasoning from the sages" (Iyov 12:20)!? So we see that everyone is the same before Hashem, since with His anger He lowers the proud and when He wishes He raises the low. So lower yourself and Hashem will lift you up!
Therefore, I will now explain to you how to always behave humbly. Speak gently at all times, with your head bowed, your eyes looking down to the ground and your heart focusing on Hashem. Don't look at the face of the person to whom you are speaking. Consider everyone as greater than yourself. If he is wise or rich, you should give him respect. If he is poor and you are richer -- or wiser -- than he, consider yourself to be more guilty than he, and that he is more worthy than you, since when he sins it is through error, while yours is deliberate and you should know better!
In all your actions, words and thoughts, always regard yourself as standing before Hashem, with His Shechinah above you, for His glory fills the whole world. Speak with fear and awe, as a slave standing before his master. Act with restraint in front of everyone. When someone calls you, don't answer loudly, but gently and softly, as one who stands before his master.
Torah should always be learned diligently, so you will be able to fulfill it's commands. When you arise from your learning reflect carefully on what you have studied, in order to see what in it that you can be put into practice. Examine your actions every morning and evening, and in this way every one of your days will be spent in teshuvah (repentance).
Concentrate on your prayers by removing all worldly concerns from your heart. Prepare your heart before Hashem, purify your thoughts and think about what you are going to say. If you follow this in all your daily actions, you will not come to sin. This way everything you do will be proper, and your prayer will be pure, clear, clean, devout and acceptable to Hashem, as it is written (Tehillim 10:17), "When their heart is directed to You, listen to them."
Read this letter at least once a week and neglect none of it. Fulfill it, and in so doing, walk with it forever in the ways of Hashem, may he be blessed,so that you will succeed in all your ways. Thus you will succeed and merit the World to Come which lies hidden away for the righteous. Every day that you shall read this letter, heaven shall answer your heart's desires. Amen, Sela!



This translation is part of the Worldwide network of learning materials of Pirchei Shoshanim (c)1996.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman



Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Daas - holy realization of knowledge

HH

HH Blessed is HY Who gave us His holy Torah and inscribed our names and sealed them in the Holy Torah where room is given for existence of diverse mindsets in the absolute Unity of G-d. The Unity is always there; was, is, and will be, and in the cycle of time this will become more and more apparent until it becomes blatant, and eventually a powerful consuming certainty. In today's modern word even religious people often put more faith in science than they do in their religion. And as science progresses producing all types of wonderful technology, more and more people are becoming disillusioned, the new technology hasn't brought real change to anything in their life, they waited and longed for the new computer, phone, robot, and now that they have it they are left with the same emptiness. And maybe this is a big factor in the appeal of islam, which advocates throwing away ones mind and just accepting One G-d. Seeing the uselessness of technology in providing meaning, they despair completely of their acumen, and just fall into mindless subservience. Abraham already referred to it as similar to a donkey, which is not altogether derogatory, for in fact Our Sages praised the righteous who set themselves like domesticate animals in their devotion of HY (Chulin daf 5). The true reality however is that the greatest wisdom and science is the fear of HY, and King Solomon the wisest of all men, and Our Sages in the Talmud already proclaimed that fear of G-d is one with wisdom – it is the very same concept, two sides of one coin, the coin being daas – the holy realization of knowledge – knowledge not just factual or logical – but knowledge which is a person's reality – the way he perceives and relates to everything in his life. Daas is a marriage (which by definition can only be holy) and union of holy knowledge and fear of Heaven – one compliments the other and strengthens the other. A person's knowledge is completely contingent on the paradigm of his reality, if he is stuck in modern science he will never be able to find the knowledge of G-d, which is the true life source and mechanism of everything in the universe, even still the Divine is always hidden everywhere, and even the scientist will have ample opportunities to realize from the very pit of science that there must be a Divine source for everything. The more the person gains awareness of the magnitude of the reality of the One G-d the more he will enter a paradigm where the wisdom is real and meaningful – not just technical relating to molecules and cells, but relating to life, and real life is Divine. And the more real wisdom one gains, the greater his awe of G-d will become – together these two factors create his daas.
The reason why we don't automatically have amazing daas, is because HY created the world with a constriction which blocks out daas, and a person has to break through to merit to the daas. Above the constriction of this blockage is a true reality of daas, it is a paradigm where all existence – aspect of Chuchma - is reflected in the souls of the tzaddikim – the aspect of Bina. Thus the daas we must gain in the world is by drawing close to the true tzaddikim who are the providers and the very paradigm of daas. So first we must dispose of our mindsets which are regulated and enslaved to the constricted reality which is bereft of daas, and then we must gain true daas as it is prescribed and emanated from the true tzaddikim.


Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!


Friday, November 4, 2016

Vessels

HH
Previously we learnt that the main thing is to have the vessels - which are the aspect of fear of HY, because HY is infinite, and in order to get the light one has to have something to hold on to, and no matter how big the vessel it will still be infinitesimal in the Ain Sof B"H.

Even after making a vessel, the light is completely overflowing, it needs a top - this is Beena.

Even after one has the top, the vessel needs to be anchored - this is Chuchma.

But how does one even go about making vessels in the Aid Sof - with what power can one even do anything in the Ain Sof B"H. This is the big question - and the secret is that the vessels have to be made with the Ain Sof BH Himself. A person doesn't just erect his own fear of HY, he must draw and maneuver the meeda - the attribute of HY Himself - the fear of HY Himself, one has to merit to enter it.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman! 


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Yoke of Heaven -- way to freedom

HH

The Zohar reveals that the Yoke of Heaven actually serves to make things easier. A bird is free to fly if it can get off the ground. An engine can propel an object with great speed to its destination, but if the object is not directed, then it will just spin out of control. Fear of Heaven is the first gate to literally set one's soul flying in the spiritual worlds, one has to know how to harness himself properly in its yoke, and then can take off.

After writing this B"H I was blessed with further insight.

Fear of Heaven <Yiras Shumayim/Hashem> is the aspect of the woman, as the verse says 'eesha yiras Hashem', the woman's position is below the man, as 'malchus' is the final sfirah and mate to all the 9 sfirot. Malchus is 'ani' - I. When a person fears Hashem, there is a definite sense of identity, this person is fearing Hashem. This is firm rooting in the ground (also aspect of the female).
Keter - crown, the highest sfira, which is the emanator, is 'ain' <complete abnegation>. The crown is also the ultimate aspect of the woman of valor, as the verse says, "a woman of valor is the crown of her husband".
It is known (Zohar and other holy books, also see the letter of the Ramban) that through fear of Heaven, which is considered the aspect of the heel, one can come to humility, the aspect of the crown.

By embedding oneself in the malchus, which would seemingly ground him, on the contrary he completes his identity, and can abnegate himself even to Keter - the crown, divesting himself completely of all ego or credit, projecting only the malchus of the ein sof.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!