Sichos HaRan
Rebbe Nachman's Wisdom

by Reb Noson of Nemirov

#270.

The Rebbe said, 'In Hodu (Psalm 107) that introduces Minchah {the afternoon service} before Shabbat, you can have a broken heart and pour out all your thoughts before God. This psalm speaks of the troubles of the soul and how one cries out because of them. This can be understood by anyone.

'When you say Kegavna before the Shabbat Maariv {evening service}, you should be aroused with great joy and emotion when you recite the words, ÔAnd all of them are crowned in new souls.'Ó

#271.

The Rebbe said, 'A storekeeper will sell to you on credit, to be paid for at a later date. Why not do the same with spiritual goods? Say a few Psalms, learn some Torah or do a few good deeds and let them be put aside and ready when you need them. You will then be able to make use of this merit and not be like one who must ask the storekeeper for credit.Ó

I did not hear this discussion from the Rebbe himself, but from one of my colleagues. It appears that many more beautiful thoughts were expressed at that time, but this is all that I am worthy of recording.

#272.

An irreligious man came to the Rebbe in a certain city and boasted that he was an expert in languages. He had recently been in a government office and was able to interpret a word that even their scribes did not know. He was very conceited because of this knowledge.

When the man left, the Rebbe ridiculed him for such foolish conceit. One of the Rebbe's disciples, an extraordinary God-fearing scholar, was sitting there. He said to the Rebbe, 'Maybe it is better to be conceited because of something foolish than to be conceited, heaven forbid, because of one's knowledge of Torah?Ó

The Rebbe was silent for a moment. He then said, 'No. The opposite is true. The Talmud tells us that when Rabbi Akiva was in prison, Papus said to him, ÔHappy are you Rabbi Akiva, for you were imprisoned for the sake of the Torah. Woe unto Papus, for he was imprisoned for mere foolishness'Ó (Berakhot 61b).

It is brought in Likutey Moharan (II, Lesson #63) that the punishment for conceit is imprisonment. Also discussed there is the imprisonment of Rabbi Akiva. It is better to be imprisoned for the conceit of Torah, than to be conceited because of foolishness.

#273.

The Rebbe said, 'It is good to make a habit of inspiring yourself with a melody. There are great concepts included in each holy melody and they can arouse your heart and draw it toward God. Even if you cannot sing well, you can still inspire yourself with a melody sung to the best of your ability while alone at home. The loftiness of melody is beyond all measure.Ó

The Rebbe's works contain towering lessons speaking of song. The Seven Beggars {from Rabbi Nachman's Stories} also alludes to the importance of melody. The unconscious princess is cured mainly through melody, through the ten types of song. Understand the depth of this.

The divine soul in every Jew is a princess a king's daughter. She is weary and faint because of her sins. She is held captive by an evil king and is shot with ten poisonous arrows. Only a great tzaddik has the power to enter every place where the soul has fallen and remove all ten arrows from her. In order to heal her, he must be able to discern all ten types of pulse.

He must know all ten categories of song, for her main cure is through melody and joy. Taking this as a clue, you can understand the entire story. Use it as a means of returning to God in truth. 'For the main thing is not study, but deedsÓ (Avot 1:17).

#274.

It is very good to have a special room set aside for Torah study and prayer. Such a room is especially beneficial for secluded meditation and conversation with God.

#275.

The Rebbe said that it is very good even just to sit in such a special room. The atmosphere itself is beneficial, even if you sit there and do nothing else.

Even if you do not have a special room, you can still seclude yourself and converse with God. The Rebbe also said that you can create your own special room under your tallit. Just drape your tallit over your eyes and converse with God as you desire. You can also seclude yourself with God in bed under the covers. This was the custom of King David, as it is written, 'Each night I converse from my bedÓ (Psalms 6:7).

You can also converse with God while sitting before an open book. Let others think that you are studying. There are many other ways to accomplish this if you truly want to meditate and express your thoughts to God. Above all else, this is the root and foundation of holiness and repentance. We have discussed this many times.

There are many ways of doing this, but best of all is a secluded room.

#276.

The Rebbe was once lecturing his followers, berating them for not serving God as it truly befits Him. This was the Rebbe's constant theme. This time he spoke very strongly and at length.

After his tirade, the Rebbe began to make up with them. He drew them close and spoke very gently. He said, 'What do I want from them. They are still observant Jews, are they not?Ó The Rebbe then began speaking to their hearts. He said, 'You are certainly good people. If God were small like me, your devotion would certainly be sufficient.

'But God is very, very great! You must gird yourself with a strong desire to serve God properly, for you are serving One ÔWhose greatness cannot be fathomed.'Ó

The Rebbe then raised himself and lifted his hands over his head. He repeated the words, 'But God is so great....Ó He then lifted his hands, using them to express God's greatness.

#277.

The Rebbe said that he never as much as drank water before his morning prayers. He was greatly opposed to those who drank coffee and other beverages before worshipping.

#278.

The Rebbe said that many sayings in the Zohar were revealed by Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai to his disciples after his death. The Zohar speaks of a chabura kadmaah {first edition}. Many do not understand what it is. It is mentioned in the Zohar on the portion of Pinchas and several other places. Rebbe Shimon revealed many lessons after his death. The lessons revealed during his lifetime comprised the chabura kadmaah.

It is therefore not surprising that the Zohar and Tikuney Zohar explain many sayings of Amoraim, {sages of the Talmud who lived many years after Rebbe Shimon passed away}. The meaning of these sayings was revealed by Rebbe Shimon after his death, during the lifetime of these Amoraim. We later found a similar concept in another work.

#279.

The Rebbe once told me, 'When things are very bad, make yourself into nothing. Oon az es iz shoin gor shlekht, iz min zikh gor m'vatel.Ó I asked him, 'How does one make himself into nothing?Ó He replied, 'You close your mouth and eyes, and you are like nothing! Me farmakht dos moil, oon dee oigen, iz men bitul.Ó

We can gain valuble insight from these words. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed by the Evil Urge. You are confused by evil thoughts and very distured, finding it impossible to overcome. You must then make yourself like nothing, you no longer exist, your eyes and mouth are closed.

Every thought is banished. Your mind ceases to exist. You have nullified yourself completely before God.