Learning Talmud and Kabbala

HH

When learning the Talmud one is equipped with the basic knowledge of the rules and the parameters involved, and yet when facing the sugya as it is presented in the Talmud, one is faced and confronted with staggering inadequacy, so many things don't add up and don't figure properly, the Chasam Sofer said that most "dechookim" (seemingly forced, constrained, passable but far from ideal) are true, but it's much more than that, they serve to project how the sugya is so much greater than our feeble conception and grasp. So much of learning of the Talmud is charting and delineating what we don't know.

Learning Kabbala is the opposite. No one really knows the supernal esoteric stark truth of the concepts being discussed. During the learning one gleans here and there some messages and reflections that resonate.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

The Foolish Acquisition of Knowledge without Heart

HH

Knowledge without Heart

Science is known to be cold and calculating. Science measures time, space, and all that those contain, it even measures the soul, levels of emotion and so forth. What science doesn’t know how to measure is the heart, good and evil. Science in fact tries to ignore this dimension. Science for example, regulates urine and stool examples with extreme professionalism, in a septic environment and system, a brazen face against the real nature of these items that are the waste and excrement that the body rejected which stink and are repulsive. Doctors are considered above the temptations of the flesh as they practice their profession, professionalism is considered somehow to be immune to the dimensions of good and bad, the desires of the heart.

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan in his most monumental work, his translation and comments on Sefer Yetzira – Book of Creation, writes an amazing chidush (novelty) which he came up with. One dimension (a line) has 2 directions, two dimensions (a plane), adds another factor of two, how far to extend the lines width, making it two to the power of two. Three dimensions, adds breadth, another factor of two, making it two to power of three . These three dimensions are that of space, making space measurable by a factor of 8. Following this, when the dimension of time is added, there will be another factor of two, making it two to the power of four, 16. When the dimension of good and evil is added, there will be another factor of two, making it 32 directions, 32 is Hebrew is LEV – heart!

With this we can gain deeper appreciation for what it says in Proverbs (17:16), “For what is the payment of the fool in his hand, to acquire knowledge but with no heart?” For the book of Proverbs especially belittles the superficial wisdom of science and philosophy. All the money in the world, all the quantification and research, if it is without heart, it is for nothing.

The Torah says that the world was created for man, all of creation, inanimate and all life forms are supposed to be at his disposal. Man is therefore responsible for the wellbeing and welfare of all creation, as its master. However when man sees himself responsible for creation as its servant, this is the exact opposite of the purpose of creation, and it brings absolute mayhem into the world. Because the world was designed to have man as its master, and if man chases after its tail, then this GF throws the whole sequence and order of the world upside down GF.

[The same holds true regarding climate change, the world was created for man, and man must build and beautify it and not destroy it, but at the same time he must not fall subservient to the conduct of nature. The world was created to host man and all his needs, and man need not and should not view himself as an intruder or a slave who must try to help the environment.]

In today’s society people in the city must clean up after their dogs, and so thousands of people without being fazed at all, without any compunction tend to their dogs manure, picking it up with their hands, very scientifically septic with a plastic bag and all, and carry it with them until they can dispose of it properly. This is done purely scientifically not considering for a moment what is really going on. The peoples need for the animal’s love and acceptance is so great to them that they have become subservient to the extent that they stoop to pick up its manure, relying heavily on their scientific knowledge that there is nothing inherently different in manure than anything in the world, it is just a bunch of chemical components thrown together that forms this mass, which might or might not smell, regardless. But because scientifically it is known to be a terrible affront to many people, and it can contain harmful bacteria and so forth, they must remove it, and so they do without any misgiving.

According to science, a male or female is just so many qualities and properties, and all of those can be manipulated as one sees fit, and viola, it is completely arbitrary. Because there is no heart. Sure they will provide the measurements of the emotions of the person, but the heart, the real heart, they can’t touch that whatsoever. On the contrary, they use all the external emotions and physical properties to project and make claims to dictate what the heart is, it is male or female, because this person has such and such emotions and so forth. They make the heart the servant of the external emotions and properties, when it is the exact opposite, the heart is the king of the body, and all the emotions and properties must subject themselves to the heart. So in their empty arrogant ignorance, they claim that they know the heart!

Then these great scholars and scientists weigh their grand opinions on society how to run the country, policy making and so forth. They have everything figured out according to their great knowledge and faith in science, and they confidently and emphatically apply their adept knowledge with great certitude, not being able to fathom at all how anyone can doubt let alone staunchly disagree with their conclusions.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman!

The Greatest Wisdom of All - NNNNM

HH

Parable:

There was once a big convention of the greatest minds of times, nobel prize winners and the most renown scientists, researchers, and inventors, each one lecturing and sharing their wisdom. The convention took place on a luxury yacht. There was a simple little Jew running from group to group trying to get their attention, but for the most part he went unheeded. He claimed that despite the great wisdom of those present, he possessed knowledge far more superior, but his cries were dismissed and ignored completely, what could this poor fellow know that could contend at all with the great wisdom being discussed. There was one humble fellow who was curious what in fact could this guy know that he felt was superior to everything else?! So the little Jew told him, “There’s a big hole in the bottom of the boat, and it is going to capsize….”

Rabbi Nussun in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Slaughtering (5), elaborates beautifully in his inimitable style on this concept, how the greatest wisdom of all is the realization and consciousness of the impending end and tachlis. This is a wisdom that our holy Sages excelled in acquiring and disseminating.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

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

HH

Shivchay HuRan

Part 2

33.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman

Real Daas - realization of knowledge - to overcome the exile

HH

In Likutay Moharan (Torah 10 and 17) Rabbainu brings from the Talmud (Megila 12b) that exile detracts from a person's daas - realization of knowledge. However in the secular world they point out quite the contrary, that it is the immigrants that excel, and have brought huge progress and innovation.

So put two and two together, and gain daas... that obviously what the secular world considers success is very empty and external achievement. Sure it might be great to have more modern inventions, but ultimately they are just external, they do not touch the person himself. Real daas, is life knowledge, it is the very soul of a person...

When Yaakov went down to Egypt, he first sent ahead to establish a Yeshiva, as Rabbainu explains in Likutay Moharan (volume 2, Torah 5) - a place to gather the faith. When one is in exile it is really a manifestation of the exile of daas, and the main thing is to get a grip on that, and firmly uphold the daas. Not to get caught up in excelling in external success, which is just a further degeneration Gf, but to get to the core, to take hold of the root - grasp onto HY who is Omnipresent - and Whom is THE infinite DAAS - as He gives it over to His tzadik in His Torah.

Rabbi Nussun writes at length how real, real daas is the true realization that we are only in this world for a very brief time, and what we manage to glean from the goodness of HY, His Tzadik, His Torah, His people, His land... will be eternal.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Daniel

HH

Recently I had the merit of reading the holy book of Daniel with the commentary of Rabbi Moshe Dovid Walli (an elder contemporary and student of the Ramchal) and B"H there are a few amazing things that really stick out. The most amazing and point that struck home, very very strong and profound, was how Daniel merited to everything through fear of Heaven (especially his adamant resolve not to eat non-kosher food, nor even food cooked by a gentile, even at the risk of his life)  and prayer. Daniel merited to Divine Knowledge and Divine Inspiration, and his wisdom far surpassed all the wise men in the world - Rabbi Nachman revealed that Daniel tamed the lions in their den he was thrown into by means of his absolute knowledge of their nature and creation. Daniel is called Eesh Chamudos - The Man of Charisma, and the most powerful King Nevuchadnetzar bowed down to him and offered sacrifices before him, recognizing that HY was mamash inside of him. And all of this Daniel attained through prayer to Hashem!

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

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

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!

Daas - Realization of Knowledge

HH

Previously I've given some insight into this, here's another parable.

A kid walks into a room full of people armed with a loaded machine gun. Everyone present sees. They all know very well what they see. Only one person, yells GEVALD! and dashes over and jumps the kid and disarms him.

Many people will readily acknowledge that there is One G-d who created the whole world and runs every detail, yet they conduct themselves and carry on their lives with very very little inculcation of this knowledge.

Only the holy followers of Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman, are shouting GEVALD! Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!!! There is ONE G-D!!!! There is Rabbainu!!!! There is Torah! There are mitzvos!!!! GEVALD!!! Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!!!

And they can't get past that. As soon as they try to move on, and get involved in some worldly affair, whether it is making a livelihood or passing entertainment, they are constantly catching themselves with the sheer magnitude of the realization: GEVALD!!! There is One G-d! There is Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!