Is Breslov For You?

I've been gone awhile, and I'll be back soon. In the meantime, here is a video I made with a pretty decent text-to-speech app. I'm thinking of making more like this, on various topics.

As always, if you like it, share it.

Hanuka and Oil

What Was the Miracle?

Many think that the miracle of Hanuka was having one day's oil last eight. The main miracle of the oil was the great military victory HaShem gave to Israel over the Greeks. How is that a miracle of oil, you might ask? Because an 'ish shemen', that is, an 'oil man', means a warrior.

Having a hard time believing this is the main miracle? Take a look at '`al hanisim' that we add in our prayers during Hanuka. What does it say there? It thanks HaShem for the military victory, the giving over of the wicked, militarily strong, and impure Greeks into the hands of the righteous, militarily small, and pure Jews - and that's it. No mention of the oil lasting eight days, which is minor and secondary.

Running and Returning

Raso washov, from Yehezqel 1:14, meaning 'running/going out and returning'. This concept is mentioned multiple times by R' Nahman in Liquttei Moharan, at least in 6, 13 and 79 of the first part.

(Sorry for these westernized renditions of Yehezqel's vision. They're entertaining, at least.)

While Rabenu offers fresh, original, and new hidushim on this concept from one Torah to the next, I just understood a very practical understanding of this concept that is something based mostly on what Torah 6 of L"M teaches about it.