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Based on Likutey Moharan II, Lesson #78

“At that time I [Moshe] pleaded with God, saying” (Deuteronomy 3:23).

This is the lesson in which Rebbe Nachman makes one of his most famous pronouncements:

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS DESPAIR!

And how does he know this? From the history of the world.

In Likutey Halakhot (Milah 3:2), his commentary to Likutey Moharan, Reb Noson writes that logically speaking, because the purpose of Creation is that the Jews should live by the Torah, God should have given the Torah to mankind straight away. (Back then the whole world could’ve been, would’ve been Jewish.) Not only that, but since life—the mere animal, “live to eat” kind and the truly human, sacred life—comes only from living according to the Torah, it seems imperative that the Torah be given immediately. So why did God wait for twenty-six generations until He gave it?

God was doing us a favor, a favor we didn’t deserve and a favor that would serve us well when we would be undeserving (as we often are). God doesn’t want to lose a single soul. Any spark of holiness that a soul will produce is the soul’s salvation. Had the Torah been given right away, we would immediately have been charged with its observance. And with the first false step, it would’ve been over.

Because, Reb Noson says, Creation tests our free will and without free will there is no reward or punishment. Theoretically, every human being could always choose to observe the Torah and live a flawless life. Theoretically. But practically speaking, there isn’t a tzaddik alive who hasn’t sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; see Tosafot, Shabbat 55a s.v. arba’ah). So had there ben no twenty-six generation grace period, in which God sustained mankind without anyone at all living by the Torah, the first human mistake (aka sin), would have brought personal, perhaps even global, destruction in its wake.

That initial grace of God still exists. In our personal lives as well, there is always, always, a measure of grace that God extends. It is available even if a person has committed every crime in the Good Book. This grace goes by the name teshuvah, return. This grace is taught and modeled by the tzaddik. Seek him and allow him to show you how to receive and live the gift of hope and repair, of teshuvah, no matter what.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

Ozer Tzaddik, Weekly Parsha, teshuvah Dvar Torah, Tzaddik

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

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

Based on Likutey Moharan I, Lesson 4:8–9

“There were some impure people who were [therefore] unable to make the Pesach sacrifice on that day. They approached Moshe and Aharon that same day. They said to [Moshe], ‘We are impure. Why should be worse than the other Jews and not be allowed to bring an offering to God?’

Moshe said to them, ‘Wait and I will hear what God has to command concerning you’” (Numbers 9:6–8). Rashi on verse 7 cites the Midrash (Sifri 9:22): Moshe spoke like a student certain that he would hear teaching directly from his teacher. Fortunate is one born from a woman, who is guaranteed to speak to the Shekhinah whenever he desires!

Rebbe Nachman teaches that there are three aspects of being close to a tzaddik, i.e., to having a rebbe-talmid (master-disciple/teacher-student) relationship with him. Seeing the tzaddik gives one more strength to overcome his desire for nonsense and to overcome his moping and sluggishness. The Rebbe compares this to a young child who drops his silliness and perks up when he sees his mother. When one sees his root, everything else can be dispensed with.

Giving charity, offering assistance, to the tzaddik humbles and enriches. One realizes that his gifts, as much as he uses them, are still gifts never fully his. Even more, he realizes that he has not used his gifts as fully as the tzaddik. One is then inspired to use his potential more fully to enrich not only himself, but others.
Furthermore, one’s new found humility helps him be more circumspect in his choice of words.

Finally, speaking to the tzaddik, telling him all that bothers you—your failures and frustrations in life, and in particular of your Jewishness unfulfilled, “Why should I be less than all the other Jews?!”—is the deepest part of that relationship. Everything else is preparation, clearing the way for this. Having removed the obstacles via the first two aspects, pouring yourself out to the tzaddik and entrusting your soul’s deepest concerns to him allows the tzaddik to give you what you seek: the guidance you need now to continue on the true road to your destiny.

Fortunate are we that we can forge a relationship with such a tzaddik, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

admin Uncategorized, Weekly Parsha BeHaalotekha, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Based on Likutey Moharan I, Lesson #191

“If you follow My laws and are careful to keep my mitzvot, I will provide you with rain…the land will bear its crops, the trees…will provide fruit…threshing season will last until your grape harvest…I will grant peace in the land…you will continue eating the previous year’s crops…and will eventually have to clear out the old crops because of the new” (Leviticus 26:3–10).

Sounds pretty good, and I even left out some of the blessings that are on the list. Keep those mitzvot, learn some Torah and then reap the rewards—literally, it says—and enjoy! Right? Well, it depends.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that two people can be sitting next to each other in Gan (the Garden of) Eden, the Heavenly abode awaiting those who are careful to keep God’s mitzvot while they live on our planet, and they will have totally different experiences. One will have “all the pleasures and delights of the 310 worlds, while his friend will feel nothing and have no pleasure whatsoever.” Since they both were observant Jews, why the difference?

Rebbe Nachman explains that Godliness resides in the heart. And even though the heart (and brain) are quite small, though can contain country upon country, with all the things, places and people they contain because, “the Heavens to the heights and the earth to the depths, and the heart of kings is unfathomable” (Proverbs 25:3).

So, if you want to enjoy the rewards of mitzvah performance you have to enjoy doing the mitzvot. You have to put your heart into them, contemplate their wisdom and mystery, the greatness of the One Who chose you to observe them and the wonder of being privileged to do them.

Do that and you’ll enjoy Gan Eden right here on earth!

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

admin Weekly Parsha Behar-Bechukoti, Likutey Moharan, Parsha

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Chukat HaAkum 2:6–7

Dvar Torah for Parshat Ki Tisa

“God said to Moshe…ki tisa et rosh, when you take a census (literally, ‘when you lift the head’) of the Israelites…each shall give an atonement offering…everyone included…must give a half-shekel…” (Exodus 30:11–12).
Lifting your head, writes Reb Noson, means cutting through the mirage that chains you a lower, less spiritual quality of life.

Lifting your head can be accomplished by giving tzedakah, charity. In adition to the obvious result of helping the cause to which you have donated, giving tzedakah has two not-so-obvious, but related, by-products. The first is that the true beauty of the Jewish people becomes more visible: all can see that Jews are kind, generous and charitable. The other result, even more subtle, is that God’s greatness, His kindness and generosity, also becomes more apparent.
Perceiving God’s greatness, “lifting the head” and growing wiser, causes the mirage to vanish. What seemed apparent, so true and solid, is no longer there to confuse our thinking and throw us off course.

We all know, however, that giving tzedakah is not the easiest mitzvah. This struggle is hinted at by the Torah’s telling us to give a “half-shekel.” Each of us has his tests and struggles in which two lights, one finite, one infinite, seem balanced, half and half. Until and unless we “lift the head,” the mirage persists. Giving tzedakah lifts our thinking so that we see clearly how the infinite far out-weighs the finite.

But which tzedakah? Should you give to Congregation Yeshiva Mishkan or to the Golden Calf Society (God forbid!)? A donation to either would be an expression of Jewish generosity. Your choice will reflect what you image yourself to be. If you picture yourself as a Jew who will emulate God’s compassion and graciousness, then Congregation Yeshiva Mishkan will benefit from your largesse. One who harbors, God forbid, an ambition to be a Golden Calfer throws away his money on the production of more mirages.

So, writes Reb Noson, our ability to image is like the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It can go either way. It depends on what we want. To help us make the right choice, we are advised of two mitzvahs—to imitate God’s behavior and to keep company with genuine Torah scholars—and a third mitzvah, to avoid associating with those who don’t incorporate Torah values into their lifestyle.

agutn Shabbos!

Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

admin Weekly Parsha Parshat Ki Tisa

Based on Likutey Moharan I, Lesson #54

“Moshe said, ‘God said, “About midnight I will make Myself known in Egypt and every firstborn in Egypt will die”…’” (Exodus 11:4–5).

“At midnight I awake to thank You…” (Psalms 119:62).

Did David know and Moshe not know [when midnight was]?! David had a harp hanging over his bed. When midnight came, the North Wind would blow, and the harp played by itself (Berakhot 3b).

At midnight, sacred music, descended from David’s harp, is triggered.
This is the music that extracts the good spirit from the bad. This is the time [of day] to strengthen oneself in service of God, to awake and immerse oneself in Divine worship, to pour out one’s heart to God…Understand well the practical application of these words.
(Lesson #54 [end])

Let’s face it. When the Redemption, the one we Jews have been waiting for for close to two thousand (count ‘em—2000!) years, finally comes, the “bad guys,” people whose attitudes and behavior are antithetical to what redemption and the Redemption Era are all about, are going to get hurt. They will have to be “removed.”

This is not something that has to happen. It is quite avoidable.
People and peoples can get with the program so that they can be part of the Redemption Era. Pharaoh got hit real bad because he wouldn’t take a hint and get the message to rehabilitate himself. He had opportunities to soften his heart and change for the better, but he waffled and refused so often that ultimately he couldn’t.

When Pharaoh didn’t change, neither did his people. As a result, they died—but not from loss of life. They died from too much life. When God revealed Himself, they didn’t have the vessels to hold the Divine life-force. They shattered.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that God is constantly trying to get us to soften our hearts. Whatever your situation, everything in your life, even the seemingly random, is a message to “let My people go so they may serve Me” (Exodus 9:1). Admittedly, says Rebbe Nachman, the ordinary folk cannot perceive from every detail of life every hint.
But we ready ourselves to hear and accept the message through simple
activities: sleeping, tzitzit and tefillin, Torah study (including reading the Shema), prayer and business. Each, in its way, prepares a person to understand what s/he needs to understand to become a better Jew.

Rebbe Nachman suggests another way to prepare: wake at midnight. By waking in the still of night to devote time to hitbodedut, Torah study and prayer, one will remember life’s true purpose. The more one’s memory is sensitized to that purpose, the more one is prepared to receive the life-force of the Redemption Era, may it come swiftly and soon, in our lifetime. Amen

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

Chaim Oliver Weekly Parsha Parshat Bo

Based on Rabbi Nachman’s Wisdom #232

“The Israelites didn’t listen to me, how will Pharaoh? And my lips are sealed” (Exodus 6:12, see Rashi).

Even Moshe Rabbeinu, who knew how to daven (pray) very well (as evidenced by the results of his prayers following the sin of the Golden Calf and the sin of Miriam), felt that he didn’t have the words to overcome Pharaoh. He felt that way despite the fact that it was God Who was sending him to speak! The lack of immediate success in liberating the Israelites and the worsening of their condition, discouraged him so much.

Sometimes you and I might also feel that way. The “Pharaoh” of food or money, or some other “Pharaoh,” doesn’t let the “Israelite” within you go free so fast. In fact, despite your hitbodedut (speaking to God in your own words), your spiritual feelings and progress are making negative progress. So although you have something convincing to say that will actually free you from your bondage, you feel too discouraged. You’re trapped at the gates of your lips.

Rebbe Nachman likens this to a warrior, armed to the hilt, who comes to the gates and finding them covered by spiderwebs, turns back from his mission. How silly! says the Rebbe. On account of some defeat and for the lack of a bit of courage should you give up the mission you set out on and for which you are so thoroughly equipped?! Absolutely not.

God sent Aharon to assist Moshe Rabbeinu. We also have tzaddikim, their works and other good teachers who can (and will) accompany us on our mission to overcome Pharaoh. Let’s not be bashful in asking God for help to find them, and in asking them to teach us what to say and to daven on our behalf.

agutn Shabbos
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

admin Weekly Parsha Parshat VaEra, Rabbi Nachman

Dvar Torah for Parshat Shemot

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Taaruvot 3:2–3

“And the Israelites were fertile and prolific; their population increased greatly. They became so numerous that the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7).

The Torah tell us about the Jewish population explosion right before going into the account of the Exodus. What’s the connection?

We know that any time God needs to chastise the Jewish people, He always prepares the cure/solution before the disease/problem (Megilah 13b). The huge surge in the Israelite birth rate immediately prior to the pain and humiliation of the Egyptian exile was a seed for the geulah (exodus) that was to take place. It is a suggestion for us, how we can bring the future, final geulah that much sooner.

Reb Noson acquaints us with the following concept: the more Jews there are, the more sacred daat (God consciousness) there is; the more sacred daat there is, the sooner the geulah arrives. How does this work?

We know from our own first-hand experience, as well as from history, that pain is a major feature of exile. The genesis of exile-pain, whether inflicted by others or ourselves, is misguided thinking. When non-Jewish concepts, values and weltanschauung hold sway, the inevitable results are a decline in faith (in God, His Torah and her
teachers) and in the exercise of defining Jewish values—kindness, modesty and compassion. Misconceptions about what Jews do or think, whether entertained by Jew or gentile, lead to slavery: mental, emotional, physical, financial and spiritual.

When Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher) saw that so many Israelites were freed from Egypt and on their way to receive the Torah, he thought mankind’s redemption was at hand. He thought there were enough Israelites with kosher thoughts and attitudes to induce the rest of the world—starting with the Mixed Multitude (non-Jews who departed Egypt with the Israelites)—to accept the notion of “God is One and His Name is One.” That will definitely happen, and soon, we pray. But conditions weren’t ripe then. The Mixed Multitude proved incorrigible and ended up harming the Israelites.

So in later Egypts we continued our history, always accompanied by some great tzaddik reprising the role of Moshe Rabbeinu, always trying to correct the damage done by the Mixed Multitude. The damage is undone when every little Jew gets born and grows up thinking and behaving as a Jew should. The damage is undone as each of us gets re-born, from day to day and hour to hour, thinking and behaving a bit more Jewishly.

May we soon see the fulfillment of the prophecy, “The smallest will number in the thousands and the least will be a mighty nation. I, God, will hasten it, in due time” (Isaiah 60:22). Amen.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

© Copyright 2010 Breslov Research Institute

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admin Weekly Parsha Likutey Halakhot, Parshat Shemot

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Basar b’Chalav 5:7-8

“The days of Yisrael drew close to dieing; [Yaakov said to Yosef,] ‘I will lie down with my fathers…’ (Genesis 47:29,30); [Yaakov said to Yosef,] ‘behold I am dieing’ (48:21); [Yaakov] passed away (v.31); Yosef said to his brothers, ‘Behold I am dieing’ (50:24); Yosef died at the age of 110…and was placed in a casket” (:26).

Every human being comes to this world in order to make the world a better place by doing good deeds. However, most don’t get it right; they make things worse. This is why they undergo any number of reincarnations and suffer in many different ways. The primary foundation for improving the world is by affiliating oneself with a tzaddik who knows the root of every soul. Such a tzaddik knows how to deal with each soul, while it is alive and when it is dead, in order to fix it and help it to receive the maximum daat (Divine awareness) it can. (This daat is the essential delight of the World to Come.) So it’s a good idea to attach yourself to such a tzaddik while you’re still alive. It’s much harder once you’re dead. (But it’s not
impossible.)

We find that many people fall away from their attachment to the tzaddik. There are even some who for the most of their lifetime were closely connected to the tzaddik, but when they grew old broke their connection and became opponents to the tzaddik—may God save us! The critical part of any episode in life, and of life itself, is the ending. (All’s well that end’s well, as they say.)

As we grow older we should be growing wiser, with an ever more refined spiritual wisdom. Because the older we get, the closer we get to returning to our spiritual root and, ideally, to our ultimate tikkun (rectification). But also, for as long we’re alive we struggle with our evil inclination. The more spiritual wisdom and daat one must attain, the greater one’s struggles. Often one who regresses spiritually in his old age has not sanctified him sufficiently earlier in his life. Therefore, he is unable to receive the spiritual wisdom that comes his way and, as it were, loses his mind.

Sometimes Divine wisdom and daat are sent to us in pleasant packages; sometimes in less-than-pleasant ones. Study of a tzaddik’s teachings and otherwise affiliating with a tzaddik gives us the tools and vessels to receive the wisdom and daat, so that neither the pleasantness nor unpleasantness of the package overwhelms or distracts us.

So, “Don’t trust in yourself until the day you die” (Avot 2:5). “Don’t trust in yourself”—Don’t think you can go it alone; we all need the tzaddik’s advice. “Until the day you die”—to fully absorb the teachings of the tzaddik you have to be willing to “die,” to make sacrifices, even suffer shame and humiliation, in order to maintain your connection with him “until the day you die.”

May God bless us that we live well and wisely, for a long, long time. Amen.

(Next week we’ll talk about birth—I promise!)

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

admin Weekly Parsha Likutey Halakhot