The Blog @ Breslov.org

I recently went on a short vacation to Quebec City. While there, I took to opportunity to do my Hisbadudut in a huge park called The Plains of Abraham. The Plains of Abraham are a historic area within The Battlefields Park in Quebec City, Quebec, that was originally grazing land, but became famous as the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which took place on 13 September 1759 between the English and the French.

The conflict between English and French that shaped Canada also shaped the lives of my generation and me personally. There was much to say to HaShem on that ancient field of battle.

I took the picture above to help remember that special Hisbadadut experience.

Chaim Oliver

Chaim Oliver Hitbodedut, Uncategorized Hisbadadut

{This post was first published on 6 June 2010 and was updated 13 June. New comments are in {}. My thanks to those who have commented. You made the post a better one.}

The recent article in Mishpacha Magazine that we were thankful for, and applauded here, was recently followed by a number of “Letters to the Editor.” Those letters, sad to say, were full of canard-laced ignorance-based attacks on Breslov.

Even though we Breslovers are used to such things, it nonetheless is tiresome to hear (or read) yet again. In this case it is particularly disappointing because the same magazine that had shown Rebbe Nachman and Breslov in their true, glorious colors now allowed itself to be used to malign a vibrant community of beautiful Yidden.

Here is some of what I wrote to the editor of Mishpacha in response to those letters. We await word to see if it will be published. {It was not. A fine response by our friend Ephraim Portnoy was published.} May we soon hear good news for all of klal Yisrael (the Jewish people). Amen.

To the Editor:

Although I am the least worthy of my peers and the last one who should be nominated to defend the honor of Rebbe Nachman and his chassidim, I feel compelled to respond to the letters that were published in response to Reb Yisroel Besser’s fine article about Breslov.

First, allow me to respond to the first letter. Even though Breslov is best known for its emphasis on tefilah, from page one of his Likutey Moharan, Rebbe Nachman stresses the primacy of Torah study, particularly learning b’iyun. (in depth). In a number of lessons, Rebbe Nachman teaches the power and importance of learning halachah. In fact, Reb Noson Breslover writes that of all of Rebbe Nachman’s eitzos(suggested practices) only two are universal and daily: hisbodedus (making time to talk to Hashem in one’s own words) and study of halachah.

I’m not sure how you arrive at the correlation of Torah ignorance and questioning Hashem’s ways. To take one well-known example, Acher was quite learned and questioned. Millions of Yidden were unlearned and unlettered, but had faith to live and die without questioning Hashem. Such questions are emunah-related, not knowledge-related.

Of course the Chofetz Chaim’s conversations sounded different than a newcomer’s. Does that make the newcomer’s defective, invalid or unwanted by Hashem? Certainly the Chofetz Chaim’s conversations with Hashem were of a higher quality in his later years than in his earlier years. Furthermore, the Chofetz Chaim became who he did by having hisbodedus. {And please do check Chapter 10 of the Chofetz Chaim’s Likutei Amarim in which he strongly encourages talking to Hashem in one’s own words! My sincere thanks to A Talmid for being the first “to show me it inside.”}

As for the desire for shortcuts to piety or anything else, that is not Breslov. That is human.

“Reb Yid”, author of the second letter, you want us to be cognizant of “the other side of the story,” of catastrophes in Breslov and perhaps somehow fomented by Breslov teaching. I ask you, “Reb Yid”, are catastrophes unique to Breslov? Professionals and askanim know that catastrophes occur in every chatzar/community. I have been involved with “crazies” in Breslov who are refugees from emotional, physical and criminal abuse inflicted upon them by members of the chassidic communities into which they were born. Is that “the other side of the story” of Chassidus X or Chassidus Y? Should we point our finger at the Noam Elimelekh, Meor Einaim or Sfas Emes and put them under lock and key?

Rebbe Nachman points out that TziBuR is an acronym for Tzaddikim, Beinonim, Reshaim. The reshaim, scoundrels and villains, of any community are not those who follow the tzaddik’s advice, but those who do not. We should not judge any community by its “reshaim”—their level we could attain on our own—but by its tzaddikim.

Chazal tell us that the holy Torah—dee heilege Torah!—can be an elixir of life or a fatal poison. What it becomes depends upon the person who learns it. Rebbe Nachman teaches that the same is true of a tzaddik’s advice. What it becomes depends upon the person who receives it. That is to say, the fault, dear “Reb Yid,” lies not in the teacher or in the teaching, but in ourselves.

May I ask if you wish to belittle with faint praise—that Rebbe Nachman is a tzaddik, yes, who ought to be learned, yes, but only by talmidei chachamim, not ordinary folk? Does combining that with what you admit is hearsay “over many years” give license to malign a community of thousands, with chaderim, yeshivas and kolleim?!

Finally, our anonymous, last correspondent, you are simply mistaken. Just as in other chassidic groups, we, too, have our share of disagreements. The leader to whom he alludes has much opposition from within Breslov and has had for many years. (He also has many very loyal adherents.) Breslov leaders are not shy about expressing their disapproval of what they view as a corruption of Rebbe Nachman’s teachings and path. We on the inside know that, but again, like other communities, we don’t wash our laundry in public.

Lastly, insofar as “crazies” (a word that may be accurate, but is certainly loathsome) are concerned, may I suggest two reasons why there seems to be a preponderance in Breslov. First, since so many communities insist on keeping them out, lest those meshugaim spoil their sheine image, the “crazies” go to the only place open to them—Breslov. Second, nowadays when a bit of nevuah has been bestowed upon the insane, perhaps the “crazies” intuit that of all the rebbes and all the seforim, only Rebbe Nachman is great enough to heal them.

Sincerely,
Ozer Bergman

Ozer Faith, Hitbodedut, Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nachman, Torah, Tzaddik Likutey Moharan, Rebbe Nachman, Tzaddik, Tzaddikim

But Gd willing not the last. From The Rebbe Nachman Thursday Night Chaburah meeting of 6 May’10.

The podcast is here.

Ozer Baal Shem Tov, Classes, Faith, Hitbodedut, Likutey Tefilot, Rebbe Nachman, Shabbat, Tzaddik, awe, money, music, prayer, reb nosson, teshuvah Hitbodedut, Oneg Shabbot, Reb Noson, Rebbe Nachman, Shabbat, Shabbos, Shabbos table, Sichot HaRan, zemirot

Join us in an exploration of Hitbodedut with this new series on the Breslov Blog. Please post your questions and experiences with Hisbodedut whether you have just started or have been following Rebbe Nachman’s path of meditation for many years.

Here is a wonderful story from Reb Ozer’s book that positions the potential of Hisbodedut wonderfully.

THE GENIE

As he walked wearily through the desert, his unknown destination as far removed as ever, he noticed something gleaming just a few steps away. Probably a mirage, he thought—but in a desert one cannot afford the luxury of despair. He changed direction and went over to investigate. There was something there.

He reached down to pick it up, but it was stuck. He got down on his knees to pull it out. It was buried more deeply than he had thought. Other than the little bit that had reflected the sunlight, whatever it was seemed to be part of the sand itself. The blistering sun made his job harder, but made him more determined to unearth his discovery. He dug his fingers and hands more deeply into the sand, getting his fingers under the box. He leaned in, straining his back and shoulders, and started pulling.

He pulled and he pulled harder, the box beginning to budge, the sand beginning to give way. Breathing heavily and perspiring, he stopped and started again and again until finally—finally! —the box came free. He pulled it up.

The box was totally encrusted with sand. He banged on it once, then twice, and layers and layers of sand fell away. Underneath all the sand was a small rusty tin box, its opening sealed with an even rustier lid. He dug his bleeding fingertips into the rust and clawed hard to remove the lid. He did—and out rushed the genie.

“You have freed me!” the genie roared. Our amazed hero looked at the lion-shaped apparition. “I have been trapped for thousands of years and you have freed me! To show my gratitude, I will grant you one wish, any wish you may ask.”

The man thought. He had been in the desert so long. There were so many things he lacked, so much that he needed, so much that he hoped for. Choosing only one thing would not leave him much better off. Was there one wish that the could make tha t would provide all his needs or fulfill all his hopes, even those he didn’t yet know about? Calmly and fearlessly, he gazed at the genie and replied, “My wish is to have a thousand wishes.”

From: Where Heaven and Earth Kiss by Ozer Bergman
© Copyright 2009 Breslov Research Institute

To purchase Where Heaven and Earth Kiss by Ozer Bergman and other Breslov Research Institute publications visit: http://www.breslov.org/bookstore/

admin Hitbodedut

Question:
What is so novel about the idea of Hisbodedus? Don’t we as believing Jews all believe in the importance and power of prayer? Don’t we all sometimes speak to G-d in personal prayer, in English or our native language, for example, by Shema Koleinu or before the end of Shemona Esreh?

Answer:
Of course, belief in and practice of prayer is one of the fundamentals of Judaism, and it’s discussed at length and in depth throughout all of the major works of traditional Jewish thought. And of course, many of us do take the time to compose our own personal prayers, whenever the need may arise.

However, Hisbodedus is something else entirely.

First of all, Hisbodedus is not just a short prayer which we offer in time of need. Besides the fact that Hisbodedus must be in our native language, Rebbe Nachman taught us that we must schedule ourselves to speak to G-d 1) every day, 2) for at least an hour 3) in a secluded place.

This has nothing to do with any specific need which I may have now. It means that no matter what, we must always find time every day to speak to Hashem. Not just for a couple of minutes to get some things off our chest, but to have an hour-long conversation with Him. Of course, if for whatever reason you cannot do it for an hour, then however much you can is certainly fine.

This prayer must inherently be in a secluded place, so it cannot be as an addition to the regular order of davening, and not just because of the difficulty in adding an extra hour to Shemona Esreh. Again, if one doesn’t have a secluded place to go to, Rebbe Nachman offers different ideas as how to conceal yourself as you do Hisbodedus. For example, in shul, you can cover yourself in a Tallis, or sit in front of a sefer and give the impression that you are learning.

Hisbodedus is a vast subject which even more than study, requires much actual practice to properly appreciate its depth and beauty.

Written by Ephraim Portnoy

admin Hitbodedut Hitbodedut