The Blog @ Breslov.org

Dear Chaver (Friend) of Breslov Research Institute,

After many years of hard work and tremendous help from the One Above, we are nearing completion of the multi-volume Likutey Moharan in English project. This is a milestone in Breslov Research Institute history. The series features full Hebrew-English text on facing pages, a running commentary based on traditional Breslov sources and profound, highly accessible notes drawing from the Written Torah, Gemara, Zohar, Midrash and kabbalistic works.

As you may know, Breslov Research Institute recently published Volume 13 of this series. There are only two more volumes that remain to be done. The zekhus (merit) of joining us is in completing this mitzvah is open to everyone and anyone who believes in bringing this unprecedented project to fruition.

Our Sages observe, “im ein kemach, ein Torah . . . Without money, there is no Torah” (Pirkey Avot 3:17). Breslover Chassidim point out that the Hebrew word kemach (literally, flour) has the same gematria (numerical value) as the name “Nachman.” This means is that if we give some of our “flour” for Rebbe Nachman’s holy books, we’ll surely succeed in connecting to Torah—and in helping others to do so, as well, for Rebbe Nachman’s works are keys to each area and level of Torah.

The Breslov Research Institute is in earnest need of your partnership. Our Sages teach that one who helps complete a mitzvah is accredited the entire mitzvah. Your contribution, great or small, gives you a genuine claim to this rare mitzvah.

For a generous contribution of $180 you can sponsor a page of Likutey Moharan with an opportunity to dedicate that page in honor or in memory of the person of your choice. Upon completion of the project, you will receive a complimentary copy sent directly to your home.

So please join us for the final leg of this project and be sure to share this opportunity with your friends. To contribute online, please visit www.breslov.org/LM/

If you are unable to contribute the entire amount right now, Breslov Research will gladly accept ten payments of $18 a month.

A list of lessons available for dedication is also available, please click here.

Additionally you may mail your contribution to:
Breslov Research Institute POB 5370 Jerusalem, Israel
Tel.: 972.2.582.4641 Fax: 972.2.582.5542
North America: POB 587 Monsey, NY 10952-0587
Tel.: 732.534.7263/ 1-800-33BRESLOV Fax: 732.608.8461

All contributions are fully tax deductible in the USA, Canada, UK and Israel.
Thanks for being a part of this monumental mitzvah!

All the best to you and yours,
Breslov Research Institute

admin Uncategorized Breslov Research Institute, Gemara, kabbalistic, Likutey Moharan, Midrash, Torah, Zohar

My girlfriend’s husband is dying of brain cancer. They are both Jewish and I am Roman Catholic. I had purchased the book, The Gentle Weapon and found the prayers very helpful when praying for myself and my friends. I was wondering if there are any prayers of Rebbe Nachman that were
for people near death or for the families of the dying. My girlfriend, who is not used to praying, is open to prayers. I have many prayers for the dying from my faith but feel it is more important to use prayers of the Jewish faith out of repect for my friend. Thank you.

_________________________
Shalom!

Thank you for your question, care and concern.

Rebbe Nachman did not write prayers specifically for those near death or their families. If your friend, or her husband, formulate a prayer in their own words that is certainly acceptable. To ask for mercy in the healing, farewell, transition are certainly within the realm of Jewish teaching and tradition. In certain situations, it may even be a greater mercy to request of God that the patient take his leave. (However, it is forbidden to do anything to hasten his demise!)

You can find the standard Jewish prayer for healing here:
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Liturgy_and_Prayers/Siddur_Prayer_Boo
k/Torah_Service/Prayer_for_the_Sick.shtml

If it seems that death is imminent, it is best for the ill person to confess. For more information see:
http://www.mazorguide.com/MazorNet/DeathAndMourning/OrthodoxFinal.html

I hope this helps.

With prayers for healing of body and soul.
Ozer Bergman

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Rabbi Rietti will speak July 4th Sunday night on the topic of

The science of ANGER
And its Relationship to the Churbon.

Pinewood Dr, Monsey NY
When: Sunday JULY 4, 2010
Time: 8:30 pm

$10 Suggested Donation
For more info:
347-598-9592 or 917-620-4511

admin Uncategorized anger

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Melamdim 4:6

Remember what Amalek did to you b’derekh, on the road, when you left Egypt (Deuteronomy 25:17).

One of the leaders of Breslover chassidim today, Rebbe Yaakov Meir Schechter (may he live and be well), once pointed out that Rebbe Nachman’s two major works open in a similar vein. The very first lesson in Likutey Moharan begins with the verse (Psalms 119:1), “Fortunate are those whose derekh, road, is faultless.” Sippurey Maasiot (Rabbi Nachman’s Stories) is prefaced by Rebbe Nachman’s terse comment, “On the road I told a story….”*

What has this to do with Parshat Balak? The holy Zohar (3:199b) notes that the Hebrew letters which spell the names of the villains in this week’s parsha, BaLAaM and BaLaK, spell the words BiLBuL (confusion) and AMaLeK. Confusion of values and misunderstanding Torah ideas play into Amalek’s hands. That being the case, he wants us to be unclear in every situation and every position in which we may find ourselves.
That way we will live in illusion, lose our faith and, God forbid, adopt his values.

The inoculation and remedy for this? To bear in mind the words of the Shema Yisrael: “and you will speak [these words] when you are home and when you go b’derekh, on the road” (Deuteronomy 6:7). The Talmud (Berakhot 11a) teaches that the word b’derekh indicates that no matter what position one finds oneself in—standing, sitting, walking—one may read the Shema. Reb Noson writes that it’s obvious that what we can do to serve Hashem varies from situation to situation. After all, Shabbat is not Wednesday, morning is not night and being on the road is not being at home. But no matter where and no matter what, there is always some way to connect with God.

Our job is to believe that and then—figure out what it is! Is it prayer or Torah study? giving charity** or doing a favor? yearning to be a better Jew? raising your awareness of God’s presence? believing in Him, the Torah, tzaddikim or yourself? As Udel, Rebbe Nachman’s daughter, would often be heard saying, “God—what pleasure can I give you now?”

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

*To not leave you in suspense, the remainder of the comment is: “and everyone who heard it had a thought of repentance.”

**Many worthwhile causes (and individuals) can receive donations via PayPal.

admin Weekly Parsha BaLAaM, BaLaK, Dvar Torah, Parshat Balak, Reb Noson, Rebbe Nachman

Upcoming Events

Rabbi Chaim Kramer Wed. June 23
Peace and Joy & the deeper meaning of the 17th of Tammuz
with Rabbi Chaim Kramer from Jerusalem
Founder and Director of the Breslov Research Institute
When: Wed. June 23, 2010, 8:00-9:30 p.m.
Where: Marchette Family home 21 Portina Rd., Brighton
Sugg. Donation: $10
RSVP the Marchettes at 617-903-0613

admin Uncategorized Rabbi Chaim Kramer

Breslov Research’s R’ Dovid Sears sent us the following:

New Breslov Center Website

After many years of kind sponsorship and assistance from Nachal Novea Mekor Chochma, the umbrella organization of the Breslov community Tzefat, the Breslov Center (formerly The Breslov Center for Spiritual Growth) will no longer be using their server.

Instead, we are recreating our website in blog format, with several pages linked on the sidebar—including the new “Solitude/Hisbodedus” archive of essays and translations. It will take time to complete the transfer, but the new site is already up and running:
www.breslovcenter.blogspot.com

Many changes should take place during the next few weeks, as work on the site continues.
In the meantime, we are retaining our old URL of breslovcenter.org, but the old site will be dismantled eventually, and the material on the “Learn” and “Listen” pages will be recreated as separate links to the new site.

Thanks for your patience. Hope you like the new site and will find it useful.

The Breslov Center
Brooklyn, NY

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Based on Chayei Moharan #83*

At the beginning of the summer of 5564/1804 Rebbe Nachman prefaced the following vision by saying, “I will tell you what I saw. And you tell your children.” We present here the beginning of that vision, with some of Reb Noson’s corresponding comments.

There was someone lying on the ground, and around him people were sitting in a circle. Around this circle was another circle; around that circle was another circle, and so on, many circles. Then around them were sitting yet more people in no particular order.

The one sitting in the middle was leaning on his side, moving his lips. All those around were moving their lips after him. After this I looked and the one in the middle was not there. All those sitting around stopped moving their lips. “What is this?” I asked. They answered me that he had become cold and had expired and he had stopped speaking.

Rabbi Noson writes:
All this I heard directly from his holy lips. He said that all his lessons contain references to this vision, and that the entire lesson Nine Tikkunim (Likutey Moharan I, Lesson #20) is a commentary on it. One with understanding will see in that lesson numerous remarkable references to the vision…

Regarding the person sitting on the ground who disappeared because he had become cold and expired, this is the same concept as “the soul wracked by suffering” referred to in the lesson. This suffering is characterized in the Mishnah, “You will eat bread with salt (Avot 6:4). The Mishnah continues, “and you will sleep on the earth.” Perhaps the person lying on the ground is an allusion to this Mishnah.
The people surrounding him, in circles and beyond, in no particular order, parallels the concept of how everyone receives from the pain-wracked soul. This is because this soul is the source of all Torah explanations. The way all the people were moving their lips is, perhaps, an allusion to this: they were revealing Torah explanations. This is why when the one in the middle became cold and expired, all the others stopped moving their lips and speaking. For when this soul becomes cold, i.e. departs, there is no strength to draw forth Torah explanations, as explained in Lesson #20. If you examine the vision and the lesson in great detail you will be able to understand more awe inspiring allusions.
agutn Shabbos!

Shabbat Shalom!
© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

*In the Breslov Research edition of Chayei Moharan, Tzaddik, this is found in #209. The translation there has been edited for this dvar Torah.

admin Weekly Parsha Parshat Chukat, The Breslov Research Institute

Chaim Kramer the founder of the Breslov Research Institute and author of several books will be giving two lectures in the New York Area so far this week.

1. Tonight, Monday June 14th in Jamaica Estates in Queens, NY – 81-42 193st, Jamaica Estates, NY 11423 @ 8:45 PM in the home of Shimon Lubeck. The topic will be: This Land is my Land. Email shimonyakov1@aol.com for more info.

2. Tomorrow night, Tuesday, June 15th in Teaneck, NJ at Congregation B’nai Yeshurun, 641 W. Englewood Ave. Teaneck, NJ @ 8:30 PM.

Hope to see you there and please keep informed as more events and lectures are scheduled in the coming weeks. If you are interested in sponsoring a shiur, please contact Yossi Katz at yossik@breslov.org

Breslov Research Institute

admin Uncategorized Chaim Kramer

Based on Likutey Moharan I, Lesson #24:2

“Let Korach and his entire party…offer ketoret (incense)…each one took his fire pan…and offered ketoret…Moshe then said to Aharon, ‘Take the fire pan…offer ketoret and take it quickly to the community to atone for them” (Numbers 16:16, 18; ibid. 17:11).

Kelipot (literally, shells, husks) is a generic name which chassidic works give to the evil forces that weaken people’s mitzvah performance and diminish the honor of God and His Torah. Ketoret, the special incense that was offered twice daily in the Holy Temple, has a unique power to counter kelipot, even the darnedest of them.

One of the most pernicious kelipot is overreaching, wanting more than you can have, more than is good for you. This is true not only in material concerns, but even in spiritual ones. For example, if you’ve been given the honor of being a Levite, with the privilege of serving in the Temple, don’t insist on being a kohen (priest) who wears a fancy uniform and offers the sacrifices. One of two things happens when we overreach. Either we get what we desired and grow too big for our britches, or we don’t get what we want and come to grief.

For the time being we lack the Holy Temple. Are we at the mercy of kelipot? God forbid, no! Is there something that can substitute for the ketoret? Yes! Rebbe Nachman teaches us that simcha shel mitzvah, performing mitzvahs with joy, has the same effect. The Arizal teaches (Shaar HaKavanot, Derushei Tefilat HaBoker p. 85) that the eleven spices of the ketoret canceled and nullified the eleven “crowns” of the other side—that which makes them seem fragrant and alive. Genuine life, that which is sacred, is freed from working for the kelipot. In this way, ketoret brings joy (Proverbs 27:9).

Each mitzvah we do makes use of some piece of the physical world.

Until a Jew interacts with it, that piece was “extra,” not-yet-used in the service of God. It was still in the clutches of the Other Side, ready to be used for a non-purpose, a goal which leads to grief.

The simcha (happiness and joy) we invest in doing a mitzvah cancels the potential sadness that would result from misusing that piece of the world. The secret of creating within ourselves simcha shel mitzvah comes (in part) from realizing the privilege we have to be “Levites serving in the Temple”—ordinary Jews—even if we are not yet a “kohen”—a total tzaddik.

Happily doing a mitzvah may not seem like such a big deal, but the Arizal said that he attained his great success in Jewishness as a result of performing the mitzvahs with great simcha.

May we have full faith in the genuine tzaddikim, emulate (not mimic!) them, always side with them and never revolt against them. Amen!

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

admin Uncategorized Breslov Research Institute, Dvar Torah, Kelipot, Parshat Korach

BRI is proud to release our latest addition to the Likutey MoHaran Series – Likutey MoHaran Vol. 13. This monumental publication features the first ever English translation and commentary of Rebbe Nachman’s Lessons 7-24 (of LM II) For more information or to purchase, please visit http://www.breslov.org/bookstore/rebbe-nachman-39-s-works/likutey-moharan-vol-13/prod_185.html

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