Another 'Coincidence'

I recently began re-learning hil. Isurei Bi'a in Mishne Torah. I covered the chapters there about the laws of nida. I finished last week, and on Shabbat I randomly opened up to Torah 30 in Liquttei Moharan ("LM"), which I went through twice during Shabbat. Then, the next day, I opened up Liqutei Halakhoth ("LH") (concepts from R' Nahhman's teachings, mainly from LM, explained regarding halakha). As I opened LH to the section covering the laws of nida - lo and behold it began quoting Torah 70 of LM, the Torah I'd just happened to open to on Shabbat.

Everything About Everything

In parashath Paqudhei, the final parasha of Shemoth, Midrash Raba comments on the beginning of the parasha where the word 'mishkan' is doubled. It states, basically, that the Mishkan is related to the word 'mashkon', meaning a pledge or a loan. Thus as it's written in the Torah "mishkan, mishkan" and the Sages in M"R state to read it "mishkan, mashkon".

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.

Explaining the Different Aspects of Torah

There are important questions to ask about the many different aspects of the Torah, especially like: which should be prioritized?

Ideally, one would want to study all aspects of Torah. However, there are so many aspects of Torah, it would be hard to fit it all into one day, even if you had all day to learn. Here, I want to explain and prioritize it, which can be beneficial to the newbie and the experienced.

How Halakha Works

A lot of people are confused about what is and isn't halakha. That isn't very surprising, since the whole subject of halakha and minhagh isn't really explained. Instead, many people are left with books and volumes of halakhic codes without much explanation of what has taken place for such a book to be written. However, when it comes to religious individuals either not knowing the difference in many important cases, or not properly distinguishing it themselves - this can be disheartening and problematic. Especially when someone tries to claim a halakhic monopoly by insisting that you must submit to what the majority of Jews customarily practice.

Likutei Moharan I #3, Point-by-Point Summary

All the following points are explained and proven in the full text of Likutei Moharan from the Tanakh, the statements of Hazal, the Midrashim, the Holy Zohar, the writings of the Arizal, and more.

1. Through holy melody/song/music, one raises the kingdom of holiness, merits kingship/preeminence, and the melody benefits the service of HaShem.

2. The singers and musicians of the side of evil blemish the kingdom of holiness and lengthen the exile. Their music harms the service of HaShem.

3. Through learning 'Gemara'* at night one is spared from the damage that the bad music of the above-mentioned singers has on the service of HaShem.

*(Note: this includes literally the Gemara, as well as the Zohar, writings of the Arizal, and the Torah of Rebbe Nahman - what we're learning right now)

4. Through song in holiness, it's possible to come to an aspect of prophecy, because it causes the person to cling to HaShem.

5. Through learning 'Gemara'* at night, a cord of mercy is drawn over a person, and he is saved from learning Torah for ulterior motives. Additionally, he merits holy song, kingship/preeminence, he is able to rule over that which he desires, and he is able to merit prophecy.

6. One who learns 'Gemara'* at night and merits all of the above in point #5 is able to cause another to die and cause another to live. Therefore, he must judge every person favorably, in order that he not destroy the world; for HaShem desires mercy and the existence of the world.

7. Through learning 'Gemara'* at night, it is possible to hear the song of unfit singers and musicians who make music from the side of evil and not only not be damaged by it, but he can raise the music and attach himself to HaShem through it.

Likutei Moharan I #2, Point-by-Point Summary

All the following points are explained and proven in the full text of Likutei Moharan from the Tanakh, the statements of Hazal, the Midrashim, the Holy Zohar, the writings of the Arizal, and more.

1. Prayer is the essential weapon of the Messiah and the man of Israel, that through it one can win all wars, both physically and spiritually.

(Note: be aware that this does not mean, as is too commonly misunderstood, that in a time of war one can rely on a miracle from HaShem. Instead, one must pray and also take all necessary action to wage war, as R' Nahman states in Sefer HaMidot, Meriva #101 that in a time of war one must prepare weapons and fight, and not rely on a miracle. Point #1 simply means that prayer is the backbone of physical and spiritual wars.)

2. One who guards himself from sexually impure thoughts, words, and actions, merits prayer; and one who does not guard himself has true prayer taken away from him.

3. Giving tzedaka (charity) before praying makes the prayer fluent in the mouth.

4. A person is saved from foreign thoughts that come during prayer via tzedaka.

5. Through whole prayer, which does not veer to the right or left, one "manages his affairs with mishpat (justice)"; mishpat is the Middle Pillar.

6. Complete prayer comes through completely guarding oneself from sexually impure thoughts, words, and actions.

7. The true Tzadik of the generation (note: this is R' Nahman for all the generations between him and the Messiah) knows how to elevate prayers to the proper place. Therefore, all must attach their prayers to him.

8. From the above-stated prayers in #7, the Tzadik builds up the stature of the Shekhina (Divine Presence), drawing closer the coming of the Messiah.

9. Torah learning and prayer strengthen each other, and the letters of the Torah that one learns for the sake of keeping and doing it are sparks of souls that enclothe within the prayer and are renewed there in the aspect of a pregnancy.

10. If a person prays and does hitbodedut (secluded and personal conversation with HaShem) daily for a long time, and it seems to him that it isn't benefiting him, he should only continue because the of the Shekhina (see #8 above) simple has not been built up yet [to the level needed for him to see his prayers come to fruition].

11. It isn't proper to expect reward for anything or to think that one's successes are from his prayers and Torah learning - because everything is from HaShem and His mercy (meaning He is both the cause and the effect).

12. The evil inclination is mainly for sexual promiscuity, and the main testing of a person in this world is in this lust.

13. The true Tzadik of the generation is the 'great luminary' and he shines and enlightens prayer, which is the aspect of the 'small luminary'.

Likutei Moharan I #1, Point-by-Point Summary

All the following points are explained and proven in the full text of Likutei Moharan from the Tanakh, the statements of Hazal, the Midrashim, the Holy Zohar, the writings of the Arizal, and more.

1. Prayers and requests are received via Torah learning.

2. Torah learning elevates the charm and importance of Israel.

3. Learning Torah with might strengthens the Kingdom of Holiness and the good inclination.

4. Torah learning is able to illuminate for a person the wisdom that is in Creation, and a person is able to understand the hints among everything in the world (that is, as to why HaShem created a thing in such a way).

5. Learning Torah is the remedy for the insanity of the spirit of folly by which a person comes to sin.

6. Learning Torah saves a person from the slyness of the evil inclination, particularly when the evil inclination clothes itself in a mitzva (that is, when it tries to make a sin appear like a mitzva).

7. A person must make an effort that his words to HaShem have charm. He merits it through learning Torah.

8. A person must look upon the wisdom and intellect that exists in everything, and to attach himself to the wisdom in order that it enlighten him to draw closer to HaShem.

9. One merits the light of the wisdom and intellect behind all created thing through receiving the Kingdom of Holiness. To do that, he must remove from himself all foreign "wisdoms".

10. The battle between the good inclination and the evil inclination is mainly the battle between true wisdom and foreign "wisdom".

11. Foreign wisdom = the evil inclination = the spirit of folly = insanity = the disregard of the birthright by Esau = the kingdom of the "other side" (the forces of evil/impurity).

12. When Israel eventually merits to subjugate the above in point 11, the light of the moon (Kingdom) is made as the light of the sun (Wisdom), combining ח (Wisdom) with נ (Kingdom), creating חן (charm), and making a mark in the heart of HaShem (figuratively speaking) which is the letter ת (a symbol of a marking), creating the word נחת (content/satisfaction) between HaShem and Israel and thereby Israel's prayers are accepted.

13. For the combination of true wisdom that comes via Torah learning, the Torah learning must be done with innocence and might.

Likutei Moharan I, Torah 6 (Part 2)

The exact wording of Rabenu [Nahman] z"l, given on Shabbat Shuva in the year 5563 (1803) in Breslov."And HaShem said to Moses, call unto Joshua..." (Deuteronomy 31)

(Continued from here)

4. And when a person wants to walk in the ways of repentance, he must be proficient in halakha (practical Torah application), and he must have two proficiencies: that is, proficient in running/going out and proficient in returning; as it is written, "Fortunate is the one who enters and leaves" (Zohar Vayak'hel and Ha'azinu). This is, "if I ascend to the heavens, You are there..." (Psalm 139), the aspect of going up/entering, proficiency in running/going out. [And the second part of the verse,] "...if I descend to the pit, here You are" - the aspect of leaving, the aspect of proficiency in returning/resting/consolidating.

This is, "I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me" (Song of Songs 6), "I am for my beloved..." - this is the aspect of entering/progressing; "...and my beloved is for me" - this is the aspect of leaving/returning/settling/resting/consolidating. This is the secret of the mystical intention of [the month of] Elul, and it is the main honor of HaShem. This is, "and you shall honor him from doing your ways" (Isaiah 58). "Your ways" is in the plural - meaning [the two 'ways' of] entering and leaving. And when one has these two proficiencies, then he walks in the ways of repentance and merits the honor of HaShem. As it is written, "and you shall honor him from the doing your ways". That is, that he merits kether (crown), for there is no kavod (honor) without the letter kaf, and then the right hand of HaShem is stretched forth to receive his repentance. This is the secret of the mystical intention of Elul.

5. And through silence and being quiet, the aspect of [the vowel marking] hirik [which is a single dot] is made, as is brought in the Tikunei HaZohar (Introduction, p. 7), ""...and underneath his feet was like the work of sapphire stone" (Ezekiel 1), this is [the vowel marking called] hirik". This is the aspect of "the earth is his footstool [hadom]" (Isaiah 66) - hadom (footstool) corresponds to demima (silence) [both words derive from the same root word d-m]. This is the aspect of the bottom dot (the lower left leg) of the image of [the letter] alef, א. And the upper point (the upper right part) that is upon the alef corresponds to kether (crown) as in, "and from above the sky, upon their heads, was a sapphire stone, the image of a throne" (Ezekiel 1), [as the Tikunei HaZohar comments in it's Introduction], "hidden above the [letter] vav, ו, (the straight line that passes through the alef א horizontally) which is called 'the sky'".

The [upper] dot is the hidden throne, as was said, "don't seek that which is beyond you, and that which is hidden from you, don't investigate" (Talmud, Hagiga 13) - this corresponds to "the honor of God is a hidden thing" (Proverbs 25), corresponding to kether (crown). The [letter] vav, ו, that is within the alef, א, is 'the sky', heavens (shamayim), [the word shamayim is a combination of the words] esh (fire) and mayim (water), corresponding to the shame from which one's face changes colors, and through this a person is made to sit on the throne (which is the upper right dot/line of the letter א), as it is written, "and the image of a man (adam) upon it, above" (there in Ezekiel). "For there is no [word] 'man' (adam, אדם) without the letter alef, א" (there in Tikunei HaZohar).

And these are the letters, אדם, adam (man): [the letter] alef - [added to the word] dam (silence or blood), א דם. That is, through "be silent (דם) to HaShem" [the letter] alef is made, and a person (adam) is made to sit on the throne. For the vav, ו, that is within the alef, א, is the sky, which encompasses [different] colors, alluding to shame. And the lower dot is being quiet and silence, as it says, "the earth is his footstool (hadom, הדום). This is the aspect of [the vowel marking] hirik [which is a single dot], corresponding to "below his feet". And the upper dot is the hidden throne, the aspect of [completed] repentance, corresponding to "the honor of God is a hidden thing", corresponding to, "that which is hidden from you, don't inquire", corresponding [further] to, "above the sky" - and the person is made to sit on the throne, the aspect of "as the image of a man (adam) upon it, above".

And then, a unification between the sun and moon is made; that the sun illuminates the moon and a unification between Moses and Joshua is made, for "the face of Moses was as the face of the sun" (Tal. Bava Bathra 75) - that is the upper dot, the throne, Moses, as it is written, "His throne is like the sun across from me" (Psalm 89), the aspect of "from above the sky was an image of a throne".
The lower dot is Joshua, the aspect of the moon, corresponding to, "and below his feet was as the work of LiVNath..." - this is the moon (LeVaNa). And the vav, ו, that is within the alef, א, is the sky, an aspect of the tent [of meeting], as it says, "and Joshua the son of Nun should not depart from inside the tent" (Exodus 33). The tent is the sky, as it is written, "and He stretched [the heavens] out like a tent to dwell" (Isaiah 40), and it is written, "[You] extend the heavens like a curtain" (Psalm 104) - this is, "the curtains of the tent" (Exodus 26).

And the upper throne, meaning the upper dot [of the letter alef, א] is divided into three drops because repentance must be on three conditions. As it is written, "Lest he see with his eyes, hear with his ears, his heart understand and he returns/repents" (Isaiah 6). These three aspects are the vowel marking [called] segol (which are three dots arranged in a triangular pattern), "and [the vowel marking] segol is the sun" (Tikunei HaZohar, Introduction p. 7) - that is, "the face of Moses was as the face of the sun".

TO BE CONTINUED

Likutei Moharan I, Torah 6 (Part 1)

The exact wording of Rabenu [Nahman] z"l, given on Shabbat Shuva in the year 5563 (1803) in Breslov.
"And HaShem said to Moses, call unto Joshua..." (Deuteronomy 31)

1. Everyone must decrease his own honor and increase the honor of The Place (HaShem). For one who runs after honor doesn't attain honor of God, rather [he attains] honor of kings of which it is said, "The honor of kings is an investigated thing" (Proverbs 25). All inquire of him and ask: 'who and what is he that he is allotted this honor?' However, one who runs from honor, decreasing his own honor and increasing the honor of The Place - then he merits honor of God, thus people do not inquire of his honor, whether or not he is worthy. About him it is said, "The honor of God is a concealed thing" (Proverbs 25); for it is forbidden to inquire of this honor.

2. And it is impossible to come to this honor except through repentance; and repentance is essentially when one hears his disgrace and insult and remains silent. "For there is no kavod (honor) without the letter kaf" (Zohar, Pinhas). "And kaf is kether (crown)" (Tikunei HaZohar), corresponding to AHYH (a Divine Name meaning "I will be" which is associated with the Sefira called Kether), corresponding to repentance since AHYH means 'I am ready to be'. That is, before repentance one hadn't had existence, as if he hadn't yet been in the world, for it was better that he hadn't been created than having been created. And when he comes to purify himself and repent, then he is in the aspect of AHYH; that is, that he'll have existence in the world, meaning 'I am ready to be'.

This is the aspect of kether (crown), for kether is the language of waiting, corresponding to repentance, as our Sages of blessed memory said, "One who comes to purify [himself] is helped" (Talmud, Yoma 38). An example is one who comes to buy a persimmon and they say 'wait', etc. This is the aspect of kether, as it is written, "Katar (wait) for me a little and I will tell you..." (Job 36). However, before repentance, the aspect of AHYH is in hidden-face from him; for he has not yet prepared himself to be in the world. And the hidden-face of AHYH is the numerical value of dam (blood). (An explanation: the backward sequence of the Name AHYH is the numerical value of dam, as brought. That is, when spelling the name in backwards sequence, like א, אה, אהי, אהיה (A, AH, AHY, AHYH), that you return back each time [to the start of the word], it reaches the numerical value of dam. This is the turning back and concealment of the face of AHYH that reaches [the numerical value of] dam.)

That is, spilling of blood and insult, according to "those who despise Me will be disgraced" (I Samuel 2). For the blood is yet in the left chamber of the heart which is the dwelling place of the evil inclination as it says, "The heart of the fool is at his left" (Ecclesiastes 10). It (the evil inclination) is still attacking and strong and for this reason insults and bloodshed come upon him - for this is the aspect of the concealment and turning back of AHYH, the numerical value of dam (blood). The remedy for this is to change dam into dom (silence); to be among those who hear their disgrace and do not reply nor be exacting about the insult of their honor. When one fulfills 'be silent before HaShem', then the Holy One Blessed is He throws down causalities [HaLaLim] for him (that is, He takes down that person's enemies), as it says, "Be silent before HaShem and wait [hitHoLeL] for Him..." (Psalm 37), "And he will take down casualties (HaLaLim) for you" (Talmud, Gittin 7). That is, "My heart is hollow [HaLaL] within me" (Psalm 109); that means, through decreasing the the blood that is in the left chamber/hollow [HaLaL] it is the aspect of sacrificing the evil inclination. Through that, one merits Godly honor, as it says, "One who sacrifices a thanksgiving offering honors me" (Psalm 3). The Sages of blessed memory commented, "[This is] about sacrificing the evil inclination" (Tal. Sanhedrin 43).

3. One must hold to the characteristic of repentance, "For who can say, 'I've purified my heart, I've become clean of my sins'?" (Proverbs 20). For at the time a person says 'I've sinned, I've transgressed, I've committed crimes' - even this is impossible to say with [complete] purity of heart without alternation. (That is, who can say 'I've purified my heart, I've become clean of my sins'? Who can say his heart is clean and pure of alternation even at the time of saying 'I've sinned', etc, as in "Who can say... I've become clean of my sins", that is, clean of [the confession] 'I've sinned, I've transgressed, etc' which he stated, for even then he is not clean and pure of alternation.)
Hence, one must repent over the first repentance, that being the [confession of] 'I've sinned, etc' that he said, because about this it is said, "With their lips they honor me..." (Isaiah 29) since honor of HaShem comes through repentance, [but] "...they've distanced their heart from me." (Isaiah 29, continuation of the verse).

Even if a person himself knows that he repented completely, even so he must repent over the first repentance because when he repented originally, he did it according to his attainment [of awareness, as it was then]. Afterwards when he repents, he definitely recognizes and attains [awareness of] HaShem more. Hence, according to his current attainment, [he realizes that] his original attainment was definitely categorically worldly. Hence, he must repent over his first attainment, over having materialized the loftiness of HaShem's Godliness.

This is the aspect of the world to come which will be entirely Sabbath; that is, entirely repentance, as it is written, "You shall return/repent [ShaVTa (same letters as 'Sabbath')] unto HaShem your God" (Deuteronomy 30); for the world to come is mainly the attainment [of awareness of] HaShem's Godliness, as it is written, "And they will know me, from their littlest to their greatest" (Jeremiah 31). Hence at every time they will attain a greater awareness, then they'll repent over their previous attainment.

This is what our Sages of blessed memory, "Everyone who sacrifices his inclination..." (Tal. Sanhedrin 43), meaning the aspect of repentance, corresponding to "My heart is hollow within me", "Be silent before HaShem", corresponding to [the Divine Name] AHYH, kether (crown), honor, [all] as mentioned above - "...and confesses over it..." (continuation of Tal. Sanhedrin 43), meaning he confesses over the sacrifice of his inclination, that is, he repents over his previous [incomplete] repentance and attainment [of awareness of HaShem] - "...it is as if he honored the Holy One Blessed is He in two worlds" (continuation of Tal. Sanhedrin 43). For the original repentance was the aspect of honor [of HaShem] in this world, and after that repentance that he merits a higher attainment and recognizes the loftiness of HaShem's Godliness more, thus repenting over the first repentance - this is the repentance that is the aspect of honor [of HaShem] in the world to come.

This is what our Sages of blessed memory stated, ""A bright light and darkness" (Zechariah 14) - a light that is bright in this world will be dark and dull in the world to come" (Tal. Pesahim 3). Hence, in the world to come when people will merit a greater attainment [of awareness of] HaShem's Godliness, they will definitely become remorseful and repent over the attainment of this world. For the attainment of this world is in the aspect of rain/physicality compared to the attainment in the world to come. This is like honoring the Holy One Blessed is He in two worlds: the sacrifice of the [evil] inclination is the original repentance, which is honor [to HaShem] in this world. And the confession over the sacrifice of the [evil] inclination, the second repentance, corresponds to the honor of the world to come; that the first honor is made dark and dull compared to the second honor.

And this is what the Holy One Blessed is He says, "You did these and I remained silent, you imagined I would be [AHYH] like you..." (Psalm 50), for a person, through being silent, attains [the aspect of] AHYH (meaning 'I will be'). However, the Holy One Blessed be He, when he remains silent towards a person, it is not for [the aspect of] AHYH, God forbid, for this is not appropriate to the Holy One Blessed is He; [rather, Him remaining silent] is only that people will receive their punishment in the world to come, because there they set out one's sins before his eyes, and they reprimand him to his face. This is [the second part of the verse from Psalm 50], "...I will reprimand you and weigh before your eyes."

(Continued here)

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.