Depression

HH

A few of my friends have complained of suffering from depression, and I always felt that this comes with the turf of fighting to reveal the ultimate redemption of Na Nach into the world, obviously the evil realm will do its utmost to crush them, may HY the all merciful One save us. However, Rabbainu revealed another way of understanding this, and that is almost the very opposite; the depression is not the work of the evil realm, but rather it is Hashem Yisburach revealing to the person the state and the plight of the Shechina! Rabbainu says that when a person realizes this, even though the pain may be great, he will be overcome with ecstasy in the realization that he is privileged to be privy to such a direct revelation from HY. May HY save us from such things, and may we work harder and more effectively on bringing respite to the horrible plight of general state of affairs of the world which are unfortunately very shrouded in the all types of darkness.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

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!

Ramchal - the entire Torah

HH

In honor of the 4 and 1/2 new sets of Ramchal which were donated to his holy tomb - an amazing first in history B"H - and to encourage you to donate quickly for the remaining sets which urgently need to instated. Each set is 8 volumes, each volume is apx. $15.

In the letters of the Ramchal replies to a challenge claiming that G"F his awesome revelations of the Torah are G"F from the realm of evil, for our Sages reveal that in the exile, due to our sins the secrets of the Torah have been given over to the realm of evil. The Ramchal first asserts that G"F to even consider that the realm of evil became the masters of the secrets of the Torah etc. - this is not for this post, maybe another time. The Ramchal further asserts that even if one would entertain the thought that G"F realm of evil had some jurisdiction over some of the secrets of the Torah G"F, it would be impossible for the realm of evil to have control over the entire Torah, G"F, that would be utter heresy, to say that G"F all of the Torah was under the control of evil. So the Ramchal says, that being that he has been granted from heaven an angel that must reveal to him anything he desires in the entire Torah, with absolutely no restriction, obviously this can only be from a holy source.

This is reminiscent of the story of how Rabbainu came to reveal his Sefer Hameedos ("Character") - this is how I published the story at the end of the introduction to the book (available now on Amazon for $35- there are also a few copies still available for free B"H - we can really use a new publication - about $4,500 for 2,000 books):

The story of how Sefer Hameedos ["Character] came to be revealed:

There was a follower of Rabbi Nachman, Rabbi Dov Chailis, who gave up a respected Rabbinic post in order to give himself entirely to the path of Breslov. He came to live near Rabbi Nachman, and merited to come before him daily. He would relate stories and Torah teachings from ancient books, and Rabbi Nachman would occasionally lift up his hand and declare that a particular teaching truly emanated from Divine Inspiration.

One time, Rabbi Dov told Rabbi Nachman a story about a certain head of a yeshiva who married his daughter to one of the students, who was a superlative scholar. He studied day and night, and spent his nights in the study hall. A Torah Maggid from Heaven began to come to him, and would study with him the whole night. However, this Maggid was from the forces of evil, not from a holy source (for apparently the student had stumbled in some sin, through which the Other Side gained power over him). The student did not tell anyone about this, and was not aware that the Maggid was from the forces of evil.

One time, the Maggid began to tempt the student to have relations with his wife during her period of impurity. He proved to him that it was the will of Heaven, and that through this; his wife would conceive the soul of the Mashiach. The student believed him, and began to speak to his wife to convince her of this. He told her of the Maggid that had come to him from Heaven and commanded this, for it was the will of Heaven. However, his wife had great fear of Heaven, and said she would ask her father first, and did so. Her father was very shocked by this, for he perceived that the Maggid was from the forces of evil.

He immediately summoned his son-in-law, and said, "Know that this Maggid is from the forces of evil. The sign is that a Maggid from the Side of Holiness has the whole alphabet written on his forehead, and the letters of the four-letter Name of God are illuminated. However, while a Maggid from the forces of evil also has the alphabet inscribed, the letters of the Name are not illuminated. So when the Maggid comes to you, you see that the letters of the Name on his forehead are not illuminated, and you will know that he is from the forces of evil. Beware of him, for he will try to harm you. I will give you amulets to protect you."

That night, the Maggid came to him, and when the student saw that the letters of the Name on his forehead were not illuminated, he knew that he was from the forces of evil, and followed his father-in-law's instruction and was saved from him.

When Rabbi Nachman heard this story, he was very excited, and said to Rabbi Dov, "But with me, thank God, all the letters of the alphabet are illuminated!" Immediately after this, he transmitted his alphabetical Book of Traits to be transcribed

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Chag HaPetek and the Ramak

HH today 23 Tamuz is the day that Saba received the holy Petek from Rabbainu. It is also the hilula of the Ramak. The Ramak was the chief Kabalist before the Arizal, and until his passing the Arizal was strictly behind the scenes. Hence with his passing the Arizals enormous revelations began to come out. Apparently today is mesugal for awesome revelations.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman