How Do We Prepare for Geula?

Someone asked me this great question on Facebook in response to a post of mine about the possibility of the impending and inevitable WW3 beginning perhaps sooner than is comfortable. While I am skeptical of the predictions of several sages that I cited in that post, I do not disregard it as a possibility, and we all must be prepared.

I put together a list of things that will help a person prepare for the coming geula and, with HaShem's help, survive the process to greet Mashiah.

1. Spend Time Conversing With HaShem

This is the first and foremost point. You MUST have a spiritual and personal connection with HaShem. This is formed through conversing with HaShem in private, in your native language and in your own words, about anything and everything that is on your mind. We have the Creator of all the universes ready to listen to us at any time and in any place - and get this: he ENJOYS your speaking to him.

This is not some feel-good stuff or some inspirational garbage that you see on internet memes. This is an absolute must for every Jew. Without this, how can you truly serve HaShem? There are many people, talmidei hakhamim, and even Rabbis today who go through their lifetime observing mitzvot without having this necessary connection to HaShem.

You conversation with HaShem will not always flow, but keep at it daily for at least an hour. When you reach the time when the dam bursts and the conversation comes out and you hold nothing back, all the previous words you spoke to HaShem which were said without this same fluidity will rise up with them.

2. Guard Your Covenant

Sex is a very good thing in the right context. However, in the wrong context, especially the act of wasting seed, it is a horrible thing.

Semen is essentially drops of the brain, and they contain the life-force of creation. One who wastes it damages all the 22 letters of Torah which are the building blocks of creation. He also creates demonic forces through this act, since the souls he wastes essentially become demons.

Thoughts of sexual immorality are also extremely horrible and damage a lot. If you would like to commit suicide slowly, cut off your lifeline to HaShem, become depressed, and lose your life in the world to come: then I suggest you waste your seed and think bad thoughts regularly. Otherwise, if you are sane, you will eliminate spilling seed, thinking bad thoughts, and seeing forbidden images.

For those who think this is just a Breslov thing: it is actually all over the Torah, including in halakha. The Rambam, citing the Gemara, states that one who things bad thoughts is one of the people who loses his life in the world to come. He states this is so because the person thinks he did no wrong since he didn't physically do anything to the women he looked at and thought of; but he is horribly wrong and he sins constantly because he doesn't control his thoughts or his eyes.

The Zohar, also states that pure sexuality is the foundation of the whole Torah, as is stressed by Rebbe Nahman. The Parashath WaYeshev of the Zohar, it states such things about spilling seed as stated above.

To rectify any sins, past or present, in this area, you must admit what you've done to HaShem, feel ashamed, and resolve never to return to the sin again. Say 10 Tehillim that have the power to fix, cleanse, and purify the damage from this sin, as revealed by Rebbe Nahman. They are Tehillim 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, 150.

3. Don't Be Scared and Don't Be Depressed

Every event that transpires, every word you hear, every thought that enters your mind is all from HaShem. Not the smallest detail of your daily life is an accident. With this in mind, know that any threat that comes to you is only from HaShem and that he is fully capable of stopping just as he was to cause it in the first place.

Fear no one and nothing besides HaShem. Besides conditioning your mind for this, when you speak to HaShem before you sleep about all the things you did wrong that day and judge yourself and ask for forgiveness, this elevates the fallen fear from among the people and things you naturally fear and elevates it back to becoming fear of HaShem only.

Depression, like fear, is also a lack of ascribing power to forces other than HaShem. Depression is not like a broken heart. A broken heart is good, and that must be taken to HaShem in conversation. As a result, it will change to happiness instead of degrading into depression if you just let it sit.

There is always hope, and when someone knows that HaShem sends every detail of every occurrence their way for a reason, they are able to never become depressed and remain in a state of happiness constantly. Please note that the things HaShem sends are never for a person's detriment: all things HaShem does are good, even the tragedies which occur to us. They are also all to send us messages to encourage us to draw closer to him and to fix problems we need to fix. If you were to see why HaShem did everything, you would see how it is all a huge favor to us all. But we can't usually see the reasons why. That is where emuna comes into play.

4. Take the Above Advice While Outputting Physical Effort

Do not fall into the misunderstanding that you must only trust in HaShem for everything and not do anything. When a person wants to make money, even though the money he will make was already allotted to him by HaShem, he still must do his part on the ground. Since HaShem's active involvement is [intentionally] hidden in this world and we cannot often see his hand at work directly, we must work within that concealment. This means that when you need money, you should first cry out to HaShem for help and then go out and make an effort to find a job or some source of income.

Hishtadlut, effort, is an essential part of serving HaShem in this world. We cannot annul all responsibility for our actions via a twisted idea about faith. However, to ascribe the achievement of accomplishing something to yourself because "you" went out and found a job and worked hard is a big mistake. HaShem is responsible for all. We must do our part knowing that everything we accomplish is only as a result of HaShem allowing us to, and allowing us to merit such things. Without that, if he showed no interest, we would have nothing.

These are paradoxes that our human minds cannot fully understand. How can someone have free will yet everything is pre-ordained? The purpose for this paradox is so we will have free will. When a person has free will to do whatever he pleases, yet he chooses to go against his natural inclinations and serve HaShem and have the above-stated emuna that HaShem runs it all, he takes immense pleasure from this.

5. Learn How to Fight

It is all over Tanakh and Midrashim: our fathers were warriors greater than any among the nations. This was lost to us over our exile, however, our forefathers' ancient method can be learned today in Jerusalem. It is called Abir-Qesheth and it is more effective and practical than anything else out there - by far. It is not an art, it is a necessity and a way of life, intertwined with Torah; since it is itself a part of Torah.

Abir is so in-depth and so intricate, and provides such a huge advantage over any opponent just by learning its entry-level concepts which offer a whole different way at fighting than the linear systems known throughout foreign systems of warfare, that any one of the fools who think that this is something made up are essentially saying that the Grandmaster is the biggest genius to ever walk to earth for having designed such a mindbogglingly effective and in-depth system.

There are a lot of sources within our Torah and from personal accounts, that attest to the authenticity and effectiveness of Abir.

With all the Jews getting stabbed and attacked here and there - even butchered in a synagogue in Jerusalem - you'd think people would get it. But no, many tend to listen to leaders who do not live in reality and teach them a mentality of the battered galut Jew. All I am saying here is that you should know how to defend yourself and that every Jew should strive to walk in the ways of their forefathers by learning an aspect of our Torah, Torath Lehima.

6. Learn How to Live Without Electricity and Running Water

If, God forbid, something happened like, say, an EMP blast which would render much of our technology useless and basically send us back straight to the dark ages, this advice is a must. Even if something else happened, it may be likely that you will have to travel long distances on foot for your survival.

To get anywhere to find a natural water source, some source of food, you'll need to know point 4, above. Not only will people be rioting and panicking, but if you live anywhere around Arab neighborhoods, you will likely be in serious danger if you know nothing about fighting off multiple attackers.

These points are where I lose a lot of backing from some of my own crowd who tend to be completely ignorant about these things. Some, thank God, are not ignorant, but it seems to be the majority who are. I'm 'sorry' to tell you, but you cannot just rely on a miracle to save you. You have to put in effort and try. If you did your job and learned the re-revealed aspect of Torah, Abir, then you'll have made yourself a vessel for HaShem's protection in a much greater way.

7. Learn Torah Daily

Learn Tanakh, halakha, and the Zohar and/or Breslov books every single day. Go to this link for free downloadable Breslov books, and start learning. You have no idea, and neither do I, of just how immensely important studying Torah is. This gives you much more favor in HaShem eyes when you put point 1 to use. It helps your words of prayer be received and it helps draw upon yourself HaShem's providence.

When you begin to force yourself to sit and learn daily, you will begin to crave it and look forward to it and feel naked without it. It is especially important to study halakha daily, in order to know HOW to do all of HaShem's commands and to clarify your mind.

8. Repeat Point One

Cry out to HaShem, ask him to save you from any difficulties that will come. Ask him to save all of his people Israel from what is to come, from any harsh decrees. Ask him to save the lives of Jews he has already allotted not to make it. Ask him to save all of us from our enemies and spare us all to be able to make it through the process of our redemption.

Don't hold back your thoughts, emotions, angst. Let it all out. This is the most important advice, because the Torah and all the other points here, and more, will become apparent to you as a result of conversing with and crying out to HaShem on a regular basis.

The level of hitbodedut, secluded prayer/meditation, is so high, it is beyond anything else. You will find that when you want to take that hour, your natural inclination will even try to get you to learn Torah instead. That's how much the spiritual side of death does not want you to sit down and talk to HaShem, even when it doesn't flow well.

If you're having trouble getting your words out, try Rebbe Nathan's Liquttei Tefilloth. I often begin with this and then continue on various topics on my own words. It is extremely good to say even just one tefilla from this book a day. On days you find it hard to converse with HaShem, try to put your whole heart and soul into the words of the prayers in this book.

Breslov is Not (Just) a Hasidic Sect - Why Everyone Needs Rebbe Nahman

Breslov is usually thought of as a sect of Hasidic Judaism. That, it might be. However, it is much more than that.

The only reason we have various terms describing groups within Judaism is because of the overall evolution of the Jewish people in exile. Even before this past exile, during Bayith Sheni, there were sects among Jews because of our fractured nature even after just 70 years of Babylonian exile. That sectarianism is part of the reason we were eventually exiled for another two thousand years.

I don't like to break things up into labels. It should be simple. There are Jews working towards our redemption, working towards bringing our long awaited Messiah, working towards doing HaShem's will simply and earnestly. Jews not doing this are problematic to us all, and they are those of the second category.

To divide it up into Haredi, Dati Leumi, Masorti, Hiloni, etc, is not always accurate. You will find even Haredim who may learn Torah all day long, yet they are not in touch with HaShem's direction for the time. This is mostly because of Rabbis who are not in tune with the source of wisdom, the true Sadiq who is the aspect of Moshe Rabenu. This may be even if they claim they are, i.e. that they go by the title "Breslov".

Going back a couple hundred years ago, Hasidut came about out of the teachings of one 'Moshe', the Ba`al Shem Tov, who restored to Judaism what had been lost. Rabbi Shim`on Bar Yohai, the Ari, and others were also true Sadiqim who did this. In exile, we were not simply left alone; otherwise we would have never made it.

Rabenu Nahman arrived at a time where Jews were divided into various groups, sects, and around the time when huge waves of atheism, secular science, and assimilation were about to afflict Jews, especially in Europe. Even in secluded, pure, and ancient Jewish communities like in Yemen, this manifested on a lesser level as the Darda`im. For this reason, Rabenu Nahman stressed emuna - straight, simple, and intense faith in HaShem.

He also knew that the holiness of the brith, upon which all of the Torah is based (as also states the Zohar), would come to an all-time low in these final generations. There has been no other time in history when unlimited forbidden images could be accessed by almost anyone at pretty much any time, HaShem have mercy. Sexual impurity is even forced on people these days, even walking down the streets of Jerusalem. The holiness and purity of sexuality has almost completely gone away. This is why Rabenu Nahman stressed tiqun habrith so vehemently. This is why he made it possible to correct the almost impossibly correctable sin of wasting seed, dwelling on impure thoughts, pegam habrith, by discovering and revealing the ten Tehillim which have an immense impact in repairing sexual sin.

If it isn't clear to you yet, you might have a problem. You need Rebbe Nahman: to heed his advice, to draw near to him, to become attached to him, to make it through the rough and to come out clean when your eternal soul leaves the temporary body laying there in the grave. For those who say this is something foreign the Judaism, it is right there in the Torah, "they believed in HaShem and in Moshe, His servant." It is not a foreign concept, and it is certainly different than the concept that, lehavdil, lehavdil, xtianity ripped off and perverted, God forbid.

Torah 70 of Liqutei Moharan explains that a true Sadiq as humble as Moshe Rabenu is only able to build the Mishkan because he is the idea of the Mishkan. His humility makes him as dust/earth, which has gravitational pull. The word Mishkan is from the root moshekh, pulling, i.e. gravitational pull. Everyone eventually comes to the true Sadiqim, unless there is a counter-force (like if you throw a ball up into the air, it will return to the earth unless a hand grabs it and prevents it). That counter-force today is all of the Rabbis and leaders who don't point you to Rashbi, Arizal, Besht, and Rabenu Nahman. They want their own kavod instead of being branches of the true Tzadikim.

If you are still unsure, do this and you will not fail: plead to HaShem for the truth and nothing but the truth. Beg him to show you, if you really want it. And do your part by learning Torah for its sake, without bias or ulterior motives.

Eliyahu on Gog uMagog

In Tanna Devei Eliyahu, Eliyahu haNavi speaks of the battle of Gog uMagog in several instances. Here I will sum up what is stated and cite where it can be found in the book. This is for all the confused Breslovers and everyone else who thinks Gog uMagog is "only spiritual" or that it is a bad prophecy which can be averted via teshuva. Negative prophecies can be averted, but Gog uMagog is NOT a negative prophecy!

In TDE 1:6,

It states that the nations must be destroyed and descend to Gehinnom on account of having put their hands on Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple. "Know that it is so", for when Nebuchadnezzar summoned many nations to besiege Jerusalem (because it used to be when you wanted to conquer Jews you had to outnumber them thousands or hundreds of thousands to one), the nations were not yet doomed to be destroyed and descend to Gehinnom. After the destruction of Jerusalem, the worst was decreed for the nations in general. HaShem will amass a huge revenge on the hills of Israel to destroy many nations collectively, and cites Zechariah 1:15, 14:1,3 and Micah 5:14.

In TDE 3:3,

It states that for that which will occur in the future, HaShem has done a little bit of already and gives several examples. The last of the examples translated is: "in the future, there will be the blood, carnage, and destruction of Gog uMagog for the nations on the hills of Israel. A little bit [of a foretaste of this] is being done; blood, carnage, and destruction on our oppressors, as our eyes see every single day.

In TDE 5:9:

States that just as the nations have done horrendous affliction to Israel, so will HaShem amass the nations on the hills of Israel to suffer carnage, destruction, and torture, feeding their flesh to the birds of the sky and beasts of the field, with no one to have any regard for their corpses. It goes on to quote Ezekiel 39 which likens the event to a big sacrificial banquet that HaShem will prepare for the birds and beasts, wherein they will feast on flesh to satiation and drink blood to intoxication. Then all the nations will see HaShem's judgment and the hand he placed on them, and Israel will then know HaShem is their God from that day on. This section of TDE goes on to say more.

So I must come to ask, why would a Jew who has been oppressed for over two thousand years straight by various nations, suffering horribly throughout, not rejoice at the fact that HaShem will dish out revenge by our very own hands? Are they rendered so beaten they wish for no such revenge? Is it possible there could be no revenge here on this earth in order to sanctify HaShem's Name which the nations denounced by saying, "these are Jews? God's supposed chosen? Why are they so easy to kill?"

An even better question to ask is, do these people read Tanakh and Midrashim? If so, do they read it for its sake, or do they read it through the lense of their own horribly mistaken opinions?

The remedy for them is to begin at the beginning and the foundation of serving HaShem, namely truth. If a person is motivated to find the truth and they learn Torah with that pure motive of truth, they will not end up skewing what they read or falling for false rabbis nor will they skew the words of true rabbis to fit their tragic misconceptions.

The reason I speak so bluntly is because I care. I care about the my people, my brothers, and I cannot stand seeing the reality on the ground in such miserable shape. Please wake up! Things are happening fast and now is the time to stop living in your little dream land, fantasy world. Your little bubble. If you're comfortable in these times, you likely have no idea what is going on. It is one thing to be confident in HaShem and another to be ignorant of the facts because you've been duped by some false rabbi or you've assumed a real rabbi meant something he didn't. Again, all it takes is the aspect of truth and some hitbodedut.

Hashkafa Help

What a week. Just walking to the bus stop outside my house, I had a conversation with a few Breslov children. I've also been arguing online with another NaNah who claims the war of Gog uMagog will not be physical at all. That is some kooky garbage that is par for the course for both Chabad and Christianity.

So I'd like to make some statements out of immense emuna in the validity of them:

- Jumping up and down in a street singing about HaShem and Sadiqim is not a hilul HaShem. If it were, Dawid HaMelekh would have been doing something wrong war-dancing before the Aron HaBrith. Mikhal had a problem with him, and look what she was cursed with as a result. You didn't think of that, little nine-year-old Breslov kid with a bad attitude because your dad never disciplines you, did you?

- Gog uMagog is spiritual and physical. The spiritual wave of atheism and lack of belief permeates even into the Haredi world. It is something Rebbe Nahman predicted would come upon the whole world. However, Rebbe Nahman in no way stated that there would never be a physical Gog uMagog, as recorded in a previous post, Reb Nahman likely did a real physical reenactment with real flesh and blood - definitely for some deep reason we have no idea about. Anyone who thinks Gog uMagog will not be a real war is a fool and a denier of Tanakh. Tanna Dvei Eliyahu also states quite plainly that Gog uMagog will be a physical war including the deaths of all those who oppressed Israel over our exile, as a huge revenge by HaShem.

- You cannot interpret Rebbe Nahman's words outside of halakha. Pronouncing Hebrew correctly is something that is required by HaShem for all Jews at certain times. It is possible to learn how to pronounce Hebrew correctly today, whereas 100, 200 or more years ago, this might have been impossible for many Jewish communities who had an inaccurate tradition.

- Abstaining from kitniyot is a custom, not halakha. Ashkenazim are not bound by this custom in Israel. One certainly cannot treat it like hames ("chametz"), for example, if one eats a place of rice, the other will not eat anything off of it because they consider kitniyot as hames. This is silly and halakha, Hazal clearly state that no hames derives from kitniyot. It may be a nice custom for those who do it, and that is fine, but it is not obligatory, especially not in Israel since it is a custom of exile.

- Saba's statement that he is Na Nah Nahma Nahman MeUman is not literal. Anyone who believes it is mistaken and silly. Saba is referring to becoming the essence of the Sadiq by drawing closer to him, being connected to him, and following his advice. It doesn't mean he was literally Rebbe Nahman.

-Saba's statement that he is the king and we all must accept it does not mean he is the Messiah. He certainly was the main Sadiq of his time and a branch of Rebbe Nahman.

-Uman is not over. Rebbe Nahman, however, should be brought back to Israel where he belongs. His body, not corpse, since Sadiqim do not rot in the grave, they are merely taking long naps with their body fully intact. May we all be spared from hibut haqever which is even more terrible than the punishment of Gei Hinnom, as per Sha`arei Qedusha.