Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught… |
“The main completion of the soul is accomplished when it is able to remain down below even after it has already departed above [after death]. This is the reason why one must leave behind a blessing: either a child or a student, so that one’s G-dly awareness can remain down below even after his soul ascends on high.” |
What does this mean to me? |
The Midrash teaches that the purpose of creation was because G-d desired “a dwelling place in the lower worlds.” It was not enough for angels to attain knowledge of G-d; human beings with all of their struggles and all of the concealment that they face are the ideal agents for this mission. Rebbe Nachman taught that all of our hard work to attain this awareness cannot be only a personal attainment; every spiritual achievement is meant to be shared so that its light can spread further and further, making the “lower worlds” a fit dwelling place for G-d. And before we leave this world, we need to find a “blessing”—our own child or a student who is like a spiritual child of our own—to carry the light of that awareness further when we are no longer able to do it for ourselves. |
A prayer: |
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These emails are sent free of charge and are part of the ongoing work of the Breslov Research Institute to make Rebbe Nachman’s Torah available to people of all languages. If you enjoy these emails and our other work and would like to contribute to our mission, we encourage you to do so by clicking here or the PayPal (P) icon below. All US donations are tax deductible. *“The Gentle Weapon: Prayers for Everyday and Not-So-Everyday Moments – Timeless Wisdom from the Teachings of the Hasidic Master, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov” by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Adapted by Moshe Mykoff & S.C. Mizrahi with the Breslov Research Institute, 1999. Permission granted by Jewish Lights Publishing, Woodstock, VT, www.jewishlights.com. |