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the-shoemaker-report · 1 year

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Mashiach’s Weapon of War

How does Mashiach fight his wars? And by extension, how should we fight our battles?

It is taught (Likutei Moharan 2:1): אִיתָא בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא מִנּוּקְבָא דְּפַרְדַּשְׂקָא מָשַׁךְ רוּחָא דְּחַיֵּי לִמְשִׁיחָא כִּי עִקַּר כְּלֵי זֵינוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ הוּא הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חֹטֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטָם לָךְ וּמִשָּׁם עִקַּר חִיּוּתוֹ וְכָל מִלְחַמְתּוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה וְכָל הַכְּבִישׁוֹת שֶׁיִּכְבֹּשׁ הַכֹּל מִשָּׁם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וַהֲרִיחוֹ בְּיִרְאַת ה' וְכוּ' זֶה בְּחִינַת חֹטֶם (It is brought down in Sifra di’Tzniuta: from the nostril of the nose, the spirit of life is drawn down to Mashiach. For the fundamental weapon [of war] of Mashiach is prayer [tefillah], which is an aspect of ‘nose’ [chotem], like it is written [Yeshayah 48:9], ‘And My praise is that I will restrain My anger for you’, and from there is the essence of his vitality, and all of his wars that he will make for all of his conquests that he will conquer, all of it is from there, like it is written [Yeshayah 11:3], ‘And he shall smell [the truth of a matter] due to his fear of Hashem, etc.’, and this is an aspect of ‘nose’).

There is a great deal of information in this short paragraph, so let’s unpack it a little.

To begin his teaching, R' Nachman shares a secret from the Hidden Torah, included in a book of the Zohar ha-Kadosh known as the Sifra di’Tzniuta, that Mashiach receives his life-force, his vitality, from the ‘nostril of the nose.’ Although it is beyond the scope of this short article to explain this secret fully, suffice it to say that there is in the upper worlds a ‘spiritual building’ or partzuf that is called Arich Anpin [Long Face]. This is a part of the sefirah of keter [crown], which is the highest sefirah and the most difficult for us to grasp. In simple terms, we are speaking about the ‘Will’ of Hashem. In that partzuf (as is the case for all partzufim), there are 248 spiritual ‘limbs’ and 365 spiritual ‘connections’, and one of those ‘limbs’ is the ‘nose’. It is from one of the ‘nostrils’ of that ‘nose’ that the spirit of life descends down to Mashiach to give him life and to keep him alive (for his life is not a simple matter). When Mashiach comes to redeem his people, he receives his power, his vitality—his very life—from that ‘nose’ and it is through that life that he is able to redeem Yisrael.

At this point, we will cease putting quotation marks around all of these spiritual terms. Just keep in mind that we are not speaking about a physical nose. All we need to know at this point is that Mashiach draws down his power and strength from the nostril of this nose.

Next, R' Nachman states that this nose has to do with how Mashiach fights his wars, specifically through tefillah. In other words, Mashiach will defeat all forces of evil, nullifying and subjugating them, through tefillah. That is the weapon—not guns, bullets, protests, demonstrations, revolutions, etc. Similarly, this is the same for the rest of us (Likutei Eitzot, Tefillah 2): עִקַּר הַכְּלֵי זַיִן שֶׁל אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי הוּא הַתְּפִלָּה וְכָל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִכְבֹּשׁ הֵן מִלְחֶמֶת הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע הֵן שְׁאָרֵי מִלְחָמוֹת עִם הַמּוֹנְעִים וְהַחוֹלְקִים הַכֹּל עַל־יְדֵי תְּפִלָּה וּמִשָּׁם כָּל חִיּוּתוֹ (The fundamental weapon for a Jew is tefillah, and all wars that a man needs to fight, whether a war against the Yetzer ha-Ra [Evil Inclination] or whether other wars with those who put obstacles in his path or oppose him, all of it is through tefillah, and from there is his life force or vitality). How does R' Nachman derive this fact? He quotes a part of the verse from Yeshayah 48:9. Here is the entire verse: לְמַעַן שְׁמִי אַאֲרִיךְ אַפִּי וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטׇם־לָךְ לְבִלְתִּי הַכְרִיתֶךָ (For My name’s sake, I am slow to anger [a’arich api] and My praise is that I will restrain My anger for you, so that I will not cause you to be cut off [from the upper worlds]).

Notice two main points. First, Hashem says to Am Yisrael that He is patient and takes a long time before getting angry [a’arich api]. Although the words are written in the future tense, Rashi says that it is an expression of the present tense. But what is more interesting is that these words could be translated literally as ‘I am long to get angry’ or ‘I am long of nose’ since אף [af] can mean ‘nose’ as well as ‘anger’. Second, the expression ‘I will restrain My anger’ is e’chetom, which Rashi says is also an expression of nose [chotem]. In other words, ‘I will close My nose so as not to allow the smoke of My nostrils to exit against you in anger.’ But how does R' Nachman know that this has to do with tefillah? Hashem states that His patience is an aspect of “My praise” [tehillati], and as we read in Tehillim 145:1, tehillah is a type of tefillah: תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ אֱלוֹקַי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַאֲבָרְכָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד (A tehillah of David, I will exalt You, my G‑d the King, and I will bless Your name forever).

R' Nachman also teaches that we can learn this same truth, i.e. that Mashiach draws his power from the nose, from the verse in Yeshayah 11:3. Here is the verse in its entirety: וַהֲרִיחוֹ בְּיִרְאַת יְָי וְלֹא־לְמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו יִשְׁפּוֹט וְלֹא־לְמִשְׁמַע אׇזְנָיו יוֹכִיחַ (And he shall smell [the truth of a matter] due to his fear of Hashem, and not judge through the seeing of his eyes, and not rebuke according to the hearing of his ears). What is the meaning of the word va’haricho translated here as ‘and he shall smell’? As taught in the Gemara, (Sanhedrin 93b): רבא אמר דמורח ודאין (Rava said [it means] that he will smell [a person] and judge [and he will know who is guilty and who is innocent in a case brought by litigants]).

Admittedly, these teachings are somewhat hidden and, perhaps, even obscure. Is there a more obvious source from the Torah that tefillah is the fundamental weapon of the righteous? Yes. Let’s read what R' Nachman states next (L.M. 2:1): וְזֶה עִקַּר כְּלֵי־זֵינוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּחַרְבִּי וּבְקַשְׁתִּי וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י תְּפִלָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב כִּי לֹא בְקַשְׁתִּי אֶבְטָח וְכוּ' בֵּאלֹקִים הִלַּלְנוּ בְּחִינַת וּתְּהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטָם לָךְ (And this is the essence of his weapons, like it is written [Bereshit 48:22], ‘with my sword and with my bow’; and Rashi’s explanation is that it means tefillah and entreaty, like it is written [Tehillim 44:7,9], ‘Not with my bow I trust…in G‑d we will praise [hillalnu], this corresponds to ‘and My praise [tehillati] is that I will refrain My anger [e’chetom] for you).

This verse in Bereshit 48:22 is part of the explanation of Yaakov to his son, Yosef, why he was giving him the city of Shechem as an inheritance. He said: אֲשֶׁר לָקַחְתִּי מִיַּד הָאֱמֹרִי בְּחַרְבִּי וּבְקַשְׁתִּי, i.e. that he took it from the Emori with his sword and with his bow. Although the essence of the meaning of ‘sword’ and ‘bow’ is tefillah and petition, Rashi, in his commentary on the Torah, actually states חָכְמָתוֹ וּתְפִלָּתוֹ (his wisdom/cleverness and his tefillah). The actual words ‘tefillah and entreaty’ quoted by R' Nachman come from the Gemara in a discussion on this verse (Bava Batra 123a): וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר כִּי לֹא בְקַשְׁתִּי אֶבְטָח וְחַרְבִּי לֹא תוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֶלָּא חַרְבִּי זוֹ תְּפִלָּה קַשְׁתִּי זוֹ בַּקָּשָׁה (But isn’t it already said [Tehillim 44:7], ‘For I do not trust in my bow; my sword cannot save me’? Rather, ‘my sword’ is tefillah and ‘my bow’ is petition). So we see that there were two aspects to Yaakov’s weapons of war against the Emori. The first is the sword, i.e. tefillah which corresponds to tehillah, which is praise to Hashem. The second is the bow, i.e. a petition or request for one’s needs. This is stated explicitly in L.M. 2:2: כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה הוּא פִּי שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם וּשְׁאֵלַת צְרָכָיו (For tefillah [in a general sense, not in the specific sense used above, i.e. as only tehillah] is itself double, two, there is praise [shevach, which corresponds to the specific tehillah explained above] of the Omnipresent and asking for one’s needs).

And this double aspect of tefillah is likened to a double-edged sword in Tehillim 149:6-7: רוֹמְמוֹת קֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם׃ לַעֲשׂוֹת נְקָמָה בַּגּוֹיִם תּוֹכֵחוֹת בַּלְאֻמִּים (The elevated praises of G‑d is in their throats and a double-edged sword is in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the goyim, rebukes among the nations). And where is this battle taking place? The previous verse tells us (149:5): יַעְלְזוּ חֲסִידִים בְּכָבוֹד יְרַנְּנוּ עַל־מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם (The pious ones [chasidim] will exalt in honor, they will joyfully sing/shout upon their beds). And how do we know that Mashiach is the leader of these chasidim who engage in awesome tefillah upon their beds? It is written (149:2): יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֹשָׂיו בְּנֵי־צִיּוֹן יָגִילוּ בְמַלְכָּם (Yisrael will be happy in their Maker, the sons of Tzion will rejoice in their king). And who is that king who leads the battle, upon whom all eyes of the righteous look for guidance and leadership? On the one hand, it refers to Hashem. But on the other hand, it refers to Mashiach himself. Therefore, we see that the execution of the final war against the kings and nobles (see 149:8) who fight against Hashem is accomplished by a group of highly devoted chasidim, b’nei Tzion, through this double-edged sword. So if you want to be part of Mashiach’s army to fight his war, now you know, at least, where it’s being conducted. It is the same place where David ha-Melech fought his wars (Tehillim 63:7): אִם־זְכַרְתִּיךָ עַל־יְצוּעָי בְּאַשְׁמֻרוֹת אֶהְגֶּה־בָּךְ (When I remember You upon my bed, during the night watches I mediate about You).

Further support for these conclusions come from a mizmor that we recite on the days when Tachanun is included in Minchah. It explains how the Jewish People will come to know and understand that the one who claims to be Mashiach is actually Mashiach, as it is written (Tehillim 20:7-8): עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְָי מְשִׁיחוֹ יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קׇדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבֻרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ׃ אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם־יְָי אֱלֹקֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר׃ הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד׃ יְָי הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם־קׇרְאֵנוּ (Now I now that Hashem saves His Mashiach; He will answer him from His heavenly place of holiness, with the mighty power of salvation in His right arm; These [trust] in chariot and these [others] in horses, but we make mention of Hashem our G‑d [through tefillah]; These bent over and fell, but we arose and were encouraged; Hashem save! The King will answer us in the time that we call out).

In summary, Mashiach receives his strength, power and vitality from the aspect of the nose of Arich Anpin. Since the nose is an aspect of tefillah, the entirety of Mashiach’s power to wage war, defeat the enemies of Hashem, nullify all evil in the world, and bring the whole world to the side of good and kedushah is only through tefillah, not through fighting a physical war. This is also how we as Jews must fight our wars, our own personal battles against the Yetzer ha-Ra within us and within others who may oppose our walk in the ways of Hashem. There is no other way. These tefillot include Shemoneh Esreh and other tefillot that we pray during the day and during the night, such as during hitbodedut.

Sometimes we find ourselves wondering: “The world is so messed up and getting worse by the day! We need to do something, but what? Since this is the World of Asiyah, the World of Action, we need to do something, right?” The answer is that if we have emunah and believe in the miracle-working power of tefillah, then tefillah is our main action required in this world. No opposing force can stand in its way when it is wielded properly.

#mashiach #war #gog and magog #likutei moharan #rebbe nachman #prayer #tefillah

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torahtot · 1 year

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guys this rabbi nachman class is no joke.. might actually become a butch with long payos.. watch out world..

#nachi speaks #jew blogging #likutei moharan is so based. like i literally get it now #lefty jews should pick up on this and start using it in their proofs of actual judaism being actually progressive #ok that's enough cynicism. i do really like it & learning it w other people is so so nice and makes my heart feel roasty toasty cosy #it's cool & good

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bijoumikhawal · 6 months

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The Rebellion of the Waters

On the second day of Creation, God tore the upper waters from the arms of the lower waters amidst great weeping, and the upper waters were suspended in the heavens by word of God. On the third day, when God said, “Let the waters be gathered together” (Gen 1:9), the mountains and hills were raised up and scattered, and deep valleys were dug in the earth, into which the waters rolled. As soon as they had gathered together, the waters be-came rebellious, rising up almost to the Throne of Glory, and covered the face of the earth.But God rebuked the waters and said “Enough!” and subdued them beneath the soles of His feet. He trod down on them so that the air came out of them. When the rest of the waters saw how He had trampled the ocean, and heard its terrible cry, they fled. Even though they were seething, there was nowhere for them to go but to the sea. Therefore God surrounded the sea with sand, and measured it with the hollow of His hand, and made the sea swear that it would not go beyond the boundary He had set, as it is said, Who set the sand as a boundary to the sea (Jer. 5:22). Some say that God not only circled the sea with sand, but caused it to dry up, in accord with the verse He rebukes the sea and dries it up (Nah. 1:4).

This midrash draws a link between God’s separation of the upper and lower waters on the second day (see “The Upper Waters and the Lower Waters,” p. 104) and the gathering of the waters on the third, suggesting that the waters rebelled because of their anger at their recent separation. This midrash also comments on Psalm 93:3: The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice, the floods lift up their roaring. God’s quelling the rebellion of the waters clearly echoes the struggle between Marduk, the rain god of Babylon, and Tiamat, the personification of primeval waters in the Babylonian epic, Enuma Elish. This epic struggle (also found in other Near Eastern texts) is hinted at in the Genesis creation narrative, where tehom, the deep, echoes Tiamat. The parallels to the Babylonian myth can be seen in the following passage from Enuma Elish, from Near Eastern Mythology by John Gray, 1969, p. 32:

The Lord trod on the legs of Tiamat With his unsparing mace he crushed her skull. When the arteries of her blood he had severed, He split her like a shell-fish into two parts; Half of her he set up and sealed it as sky, Pulled down the bar and posted guards. He bade them not to allow her waters to escape.

Exodus Rabbah 15:22 makes clear that the ocean was not only trampled by God, but slain: “Then God trampled upon the ocean and slew it.” This text is sometimes intepreted to mean that God slew its prince, Rahab. The reference to the hollow of God’s hand comes from Isaiah 60:12. See the following myth, “The Rebellion of Rahab.”

In Likutei Moharan 1:2, Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav interprets God’s command of “Enough!” to stop the expansion of the world as referring to the creation of the Sabbath. The Sabbath, in effect, stops the work of the six days of the week.

The Rebellion of Rahab

When God desired to create the world, He said to Rahab, the angel of the sea: “Open your mouth and swallow all the waters of the world.” Rahab replied: “Master of the Universe, I already have enough.” God then kicked Rahab with His foot and killed him. And had not the waters covered him, no creature could have stood his foul odor.

The traditions about God slaying Rahab grows out of Isaiah 51:9, Are you not he who cut Rahab in pieces, and wounded the dragon? and Psalms 89:10, You have trampled upon Rahab; you have scattered your enemies with your strong arm. This midrash is also based on Job 26:12: By His power He stilled the sea; by His skill He struck down Rahab. This myth is another version of “The Rebellion of the Waters,” which describes the struggle between God and tehom, the deep, and thus also echoes the battle between Marduk and Tiamat in the Babylonian epic, Enuma Elish. However, Tiamat is a feminine figure, while Rahab is masculine.

In Enuma Elish Marduk uses Tiamat’s body to build a new world, using half to make the heavens and half to make the earth. He uses considerable violence in defeating Tiamat, as does God in defeating Rahab. Marduk crushes her skull with his club, splits her body in two, and scatters her blood in the wind. In the Hebrew myth, the waters are personified in Rahab, the Prince of the Sea, and instead of trampling the waters, God kicks and kills Rahab. There are hints in rabbinic writings that Rahab once had a great, godlike status. For example, it is stated in Deuteronomy Rabbah 2:28: “Rahab placed God in heaven and upon earth.” Although Rahab is killed in this myth, he reappears in later legends as the Prince of the Sea, and performs various deeds at the command of God or one of the rabbis. See, for example, Y. Sanhedrin 7:25d, where Rabbi Joshua ben Haninah calls upon Rahab to recover a lost charm, so that a spell can be broken.

Midrash Tanhuma tries to explain why God kicked Rahab, the angel of the ocean, who represents the ocean itself: “Why did God kill the angel? The rest of the waters, seeing that God kicked the ocean, and hearing its screams, fled without knowing where to flow, until they reached the place that God had prepared for them.” This violent act is thus explained as a way to force the recalcitrant waters to gather in the right places.See “The Rebellion of the Waters,” p. 105.

An alternate version of the Rahab myth found in the Prologue to the Zohar 56 explains that God’s tears, hot as fire, shed over the exile of the Shekhinah, fall into the Great Sea and sustain Rahab. And Rahab sanctifies God’s Name by swallowing all the waters of the days of Creation—the very act that Rahab refused to do in the other version of the myth, for which God killed him in anger. The moral of the two versions is clear: when Rahab refuses an order from God, he is slain; when he accepts the order, his life is sustained.

Pg 105-107, Tree of Souls by Howard Schwartz

#cipher talk #Jewish mythology

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ome-magical-ramblings · 11 months

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Wisdom, Torah, Tear, Tarot.

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner like all my fathers. Psalm 39:12

and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 Rabbi Nachman mentioned:

מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִבְכּוֹת, יִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הָרָקִיעַ, כִּי הוּא גָּרַם בְּכִיָּה לַמַּיִם. A person who cannot bring himself to cry should gaze at the firmament, because it was the firmament that caused the waters to cry [by separating between the lower and upper waters of Creation]. Enough quoting, I hope that this set the tone and that crying or tearing up is very potent. The image of St Peter's tears is something I wanted to start this post. Wondering if one is stone cold or their heart is not moved by scripture, my only recommendation is not to force it, but find it within yourself and ask the angels, the saints, the prophets, and the gods to soften and wash your heart anew.

Start by a small prayer, a little everyday, slowly your heart will open up and the tears would be of joy, out of control, tears will come running down without control. it is a very powerful sign, but a sign nonetheless and as the door of wisdom opens up the eyes water down. Without water we would become hard, dry, and of course we wouldn't have the gladness, if you think about it the same eyes the burst with tears of joy is the same eyes the weeps with tears of sadness. In this sense, this might seems a very rambling post but I hope that with it carries the weight of this practical teaching. I am not telling you to force yourself to weep or cry but to find it in yourself the knack or the switch that would loosen and soften your heart. In the Sepher Shimmush Tehillim there's a mention of a magical usage of one of the psalms 131 to lower your pride. In that way you open up a secret door or an open secret to this profound door. I recommend Likutei Moharan 175:1 if you're interested in reading more about the kabbalistic meaning of it. If you ever wonder and if you ever hold yourself, am I doing this correctly or am I lying to myself? In the end this is one of the signs on the way, you will see tears bursting from your ear when you read scripture and hopefully you will feel the Joy of Wisdom and the holiness of it. somewhat short post today :)

#occult #tarot #tarotblr #wisdom #christianity #catholic #witchblr #ritual #magic #invocation #prayer #angelic #folk magic #angelic magick #saints #magick

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arieltabarziatorah · 7 months

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The topic of positive thinking can be really simple, but if we only knew how vital it is. Positive thinking is not just a mere state of mind; it’s a powerful tool that can significantly impact our lives.

Research has shown that cultivating a positive outlook can lead to numerous benefits, ranging from improved mental well-being to enhanced physical health. Numerous studies have shed light on the importance of positive thinking and its transformative effects.

A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology explored the impact of positive thinking on overall well-being. The researchers found that individuals who consistently engaged in positive thinking experienced lower levels of stress, increased happiness, and improved coping mechanisms. These findings suggest that maintaining a positive mindset can contribute to better emotional resilience and overall life satisfaction.

Another study conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, which I don't live too far from, examined the link between positive thinking and physical health. The researchers discovered that individuals who practiced positive thinking had stronger immune systems and lower rates of cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, their recovery rates from illnesses were faster compared to those who exhibited negative thinking patterns. These findings underline the significant role of positive thinking in promoting physical well-being.

To tie this into holy teachings, Rebbe Nachman, a revered spiritual leader, echo's the importance of positive thinking in our lives. In his book “Likutei Moharan,” specifically in Part II, Section 24:1:1 , Rebbe Nachman emphasizes the significance of being happy and maintaining a positive attitude. He states,

“מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד, וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר לְהַרְחִיק הָעַצְבוּת וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחֹרָה בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ,”

Which translates to,

It is a great mitzvah to always be happy, and to make every effort to determinedly keep depression and gloom at bay.”

This quote from Rebbe Nachman reinforces the profound impact of positive emotions on our spiritual and emotional well-being. It reminds us of the importance of cultivating positivity, happiness, and actively combating negative thoughts and feelings in order to lead a more fulfilling and joyful life.

As a side point today also happens to be the hiloula of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I looked for a nice piece i can put into this article and this partstood out to me which i found off therebbe.org.

“Every person has both a body and a soul,” said the Rebbe. “It is like a bird and its wings. Imagine if a bird were unaware that its wings enabled it to fly, they would only add an extra burden of weight. But once it flaps its wings, it lifts itself skyward. We all have wings — our soul — that can lift us as high as we need go. All we have to do is learn to use them.”

Hashem Yitborach gave us the ability to choose between right and wrong. At times it can be a war and sometimes it can be dead quite. The most important thing is to always keep that sadness at bay and like the Lubavitcher rebbe says, use our “wings” per say to bring ourselves to higher levels of holiness and truly realizing our experience.

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kolhaneshamamx · 2 years

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Yitro.

Nos explica el Zohar al comienzo de Perashat Yitro acerca de la importancia y la fuerza que tienen las manos del ser humano. Nos dice que cada uno de los diez dedos corresponden a diez fuerzas espirituales que se encargan de llevar todas las bendiciones y alabanzas a Hashem y por otro lado se encargan tambien de vertir hacia abajo la bendición que proviene de lo alto.

Debido a esto, es que la persona tiene prohibido alzar sus manos a menos que se para pedir o rezar. Nos hace saber adicionalmente que estos diez entes espirituales son llamados los guardianes de la ciudad mencionados en el libro de Kohelet 7:19.

Son diez, como las 10 Sefirot, 10 como las 10 expresiones divinas de la creación, 10 como los Aseret Divrot, 10 como los 10 dedos de las manos y que en ellas se encuentra el secreto del numero 14 יד y el numero 28 (14x2) siendo este el valor numérico de la expresión fuerza/כח, la fuerza creativa que encuentra en todos nosotros, aludida por las 28 falanges de los dedos de la mano en conexión con las 28 letras del primer versiculo de la Torah בראשית ברא אלוהים את השמים ואת הארץ. Verso que nos revelan los Sabios contiene ya a toda la creacion.

El likutey Moharan nos explica que “ciudad” es una referencia a la tefila. Como esta escrito: Tehilim 48:2. “Y alabado en la ciudad”.

Nos dice tambien en referencia a los patriarcas que cada uno de ellos hizo palpable la Presencia Divina en diferentes grados cada uno mas intenso y tangible que el anterior.

Leemos asi que de Abraham esta escrito: “la montaña donde Dios aparecera” Bereshit 22:14. Acerca de Isaac esta dicho: “ Y salio al campo a orar” Ber. 24:63. Mientras que de Yaakov dice: “Y llamo al nombre del lugar Bet-El”. Siendo cada unos de estos niveles un grado de manifestación de la Divinidad, superior y más tangible que el anterior. Acerca de esto David escribio: “Grande es Di-s y alabado en la ciudad” Tehilim 48:2. Siendo esta la expresión manifiesta de la supervisión e intervencion del Infinito (la NO-CASUALIDAD) en cada detalle y detalle de la vida de la persona y de el mundo en general, este es el nivel donde todos somos conscientes de la dirección y sabiduría Divina en nuestras vidas. Por eso se denomina ciudad ya que es el conjunto de varios individuos en un solo lugar/idea.

Sin embargo existe algo dentro del ser humano que impide que la persona se entregue en las manos del Creador, lo impide de sentir su conexión constante y unica con el Creador, en otras palabras lo llena de incertidumbre y ansiedad del futuro. Tambien en ocasiones lo hace incapaz de rezar o incluso si reza lo hace sin Emuna (certeza). Y cuando esta Klipa es muy potente puede causar que la persona deje de identificar su deseo de apegarse a lo absoluto a lo Infinito y lo hace alejarse de El debido a que se siente inerte, sin vida e incapaz de sentir, como una piedra y parece que no hay palabras ni estuido que pueda devolverle esta sensación de sentirse vivo, con propósito y en unicidad con su Creador. Todo esto resultado del vacio y frustración al que conduce esta Klipa.

Esta energia interna es llamada Abimelej אבימלך (Rey filisteo) y representa el deseo humano de controlar, de reinar sobre todo, de imponer sus reglas y su lógica. Sabemos que el deseo de control cuando se encuentra en un estado de desequilibrio puede ser muy peligroso para el ser humano tanto psíquicamente como emocionalmente y también físicamente trayendo resultados debastadores para la salud de la persona.

Esto esta ilustrado con el evento sucedido entre Sara y Abimelej, donde Sara representa el reinado/control y él (Abimelej) pretende tomarla por la fuerza. Desea quitarsela a Abraham, que representa la certeza de que todo tiene un sentido. Sin embargo, vemos que en la historia interviene Hashem, lo divino, el universo, aquello que siempre esta oculto pero sabemos que en ultima instancia dirige toda vida y todo destino a un propósito. Y le dice: “Devuelve la mujer del hombre/ השב אשת האיש” Hasheb eshet Haish” Ber. 20:7.

Siendo Hasheb/ השב Rashe Tebot (Letras iniciales) de Har/Montaña הר Sade/Campo שדה y Bait/Casa בית (los niveles en los cuales los patriarcas revelaron a Hashem) y Eshet/Mujer אשת es Rashe Tebot de: “Adonai sefatai tiftaj/ Dios abre mis labios” Tehilim 51:17. Es decir la plegaria, es decir la certeza de que internamente tengo ya todas las herramientas para cambiar, lidiar, solucionar etc. cualquier situación que se presente pues esta fue puesta únicamente para el desarrollo de mi ser interior dándome así la pauta para la superación constante y por lo tanto un extasis cotidiano pues en el “nivel” de Yaakov/casa todo tiene sentido, todo me es util. La plegaria no es otra cosa mas que la conexion interna con lo Divino que yace dentro de mi, con lo infinito, con el potencial que yace infinitamente en mi.

Pero que es eso divino? Aquello divino es aquello que permanece, que por naturaleza no tiene fin ni comienzo, que es capaz de atravesar incluso la muerte pues no existe fin ni limite, solo procesos diferentes y formas diferentes de reconocer y apegarse a la bondad Divina, al sentido absoluto.

En principio, cuando se comienza este proceso de “montaña-campo-casa” esto se expresa inicialmente como una lucha consciente de buscar el sentido personal y de un intento constante de conexion. A pesar de que estos esfuerzos en su mayoria pueden terminar en un sentimiento de frustracion debido a que la sensacion de insensibilidad persiste, eventualmente dara resultado y comenzara otra etapa en esta etapa se descubre ya un sentido a la existencia y se comienza con la sensacion de que todo acontece para nosotros por nosotros y para nuestro bien. En ultima instancia se logra una armonia con nuestro interior y con lo que sucede en lo exterior, en este nivel de conciencia desaparece incluso la regla karmatica de causa y efecto (mida kenegued mida) y ahora solo se perciben diferentes e ilimitadas formas de expresion del Ein sof/ El infinito.

#torah portion #cabala #judaismo #desarrollo emocional

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diwonmusic · 2 years

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Tonight is the Hillula of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, so I'm partying it up Israel-style here in L.A. Rebbe Nachman (Great-Grandson of the Baal Shem Tov), has changed my life & the lives of so many people I love into something transcendent. I visited his kever in Uman, Ukraine when I was in Kiev for Shabbat after playing a show in Yalta, the Black Sea, when I was there reciting Tikkun HaKlali & felt on fire for Hashem like I never had before. This was prior to my knowing about Breslov, the movement that he started & my familiarity of the rich texts of his teaching, including Likutey Moharan. My soul knew what my intellect did not yet connect, I was Breslov & these teachings were my home. Rabbeinu was orphaned as a very young child, & spent his formative years between his uncle’s house & wandering from place to place, relying on Hashem for his needs. It was then that he formed a habit of hitbodedut, the practice of secluded meditation with God where one pours out their words & heart to the Creator. This act of speaking to the Infinite, just as one would with a friend or parent, became a hallmark of Breslov Chassidism. Rabbeinu often hid his teachings in stories, many of which rival classic literature in both their style & lyricism. He did so, motivated by the belief that in the story form, these lessons had the power to awaken slumbering souls. These stories contain practical lessons alongside the secrets of the Torah & Kabbalah. Despite the great & unparalleled achievements of Rabbeinu, his life was full of adversity, four of his eight children died in infancy, & he lost his wife to tuberculosis, which he too would pass away from at age of 38. It was this hardship that inspired his emphasis on joy being of the utmost importance, as he would teach to others, “Struggle with all your might to be only happy at all times, since it is natural to be drawn into depression & sadness…” His most famous dictum being, “Ein shum yeush ba’olam klal!”, which means, “There is no such thing as despair in the world, at all!’ His revolutionary teachings & outlook on inward enlightenment lives on to this day & as he was quoted saying, “Until the Moshiach.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CjpNDXoOdki/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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rabbishlomonachman · 4 years

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Join us for the Holiday

Will you be home alone for Turkey Day? Hang out with us!Our regular broadcasts will be on as normal B"H Wednesday and Thursday: 12 Noon Eastern.We'll be discussing gratitude and thanks giving and chatting together. I hope you will join us live in our Zoom Shul: https://zoom.us/j/6714203394 . ALL people of good intentions are always welcome!NO MASKS REQUIRED!

#beit emunah #likutei moharan #derech hashem

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breslovwomansays · 2 years

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Rebbe Nachman Teaches: Elul is A Time of Life-Changing Spiritual Work -- Prepare Now!

Rebbe Nachman Teaches: Elul is A Time of Life-Changing Spiritual Work — Prepare Now!

It’s almost Elul! Rebbe Nachman teaches us to prepare in advance for Rosh Hashana and Tishrei. Sharing Rebbe Nachman’s teachings with others will sweeten judgments for the upcoming new year. Dedicate One or More BreslovWoman Programs in Honor or Memory of someone, for a Refuah Sheleimah, as a merit for Success, Parnassah, a Shidduch, Children, Shalom Bayit, Spiritual Growth, or any…

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#Elul #hitbodedut #Inside Judaism #Likutey Moharan #Nishmat #Rosh Hashanah #teshuvah #Torah Vav

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rosen-dovecote · 22 days

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Human nature is to draw itself to gloom and depression [...] And every human being is filled with suffering. Therefore, a person has to exercise great effort in forcing [themself] to be happy at all times, and to bring [themself] to joy in any way [they] can — even with silliness [...]

It is right to set aside for oneself some time in the day for feeling remorse and speaking one’s piece in the presence of the Blessed One, as is brought in our works. But the entire [rest] of the day one needs to be happy. For contrition more easily leads to depression [...] For this is the more likely: That contrition will lead to gloom.

One should therefore always be happy, and only at the designated time have a broken heart.

From Likutei Moharan Part II, Torah 24:2; Rabbi Nachman of Breslov via Sefaria (My Ko-Fi Here)

#Likutei Moharan #Likutei Moharan Part II Torah 24:2 #Rabbi Nachman of Breslov #Sefaria #Prayer & Adoration #Jewish Studies #Quote

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the-shoemaker-report · 2 years

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A Nation That Will Dwell in Solitude

In the past two issues, we wrote about the importance of waking up and getting out of bed at midnight. We focused on two tasks and their accompanying benefits: (1) by learning Torah after midnight, we draw down a thread of chesed throughout the day, and (2) by reciting Tikkun Chatzot, we help raise the Shechinah from the dirt, helping to merit in the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and ushering in the final redemption. In this issue, we will add a third important reason why we should wake up and get out of bed while it is still night.

We are all familiar with the story of Balak hiring the prophet Bilaam to curse the Nation of Yisrael. But every time Bilaam opened his mouth, he praised them instead of cursing them, for example (Bemidbar 23:9): כִּי־מֵרֹאשׁ צֻרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ וּמִגְּבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב (For I see it from the top of the rocks, and from the hills I observe it. Behold! It is a nation that will dwell in solitude, and it will not be considered among the [other] nations). What is the meaning of ‘a nation that will dwell in solitude’? And why is this statement one of praise? Although introverts readily appreciate the benefit of being alone, a highly extroverted individual might actually dread it! So how is being alone something praiseworthy for everyone, for the entire nation?

Lamenting why so much suffering and tragedies befall the Jewish People, the Chofetz Chaim writes (Likutei Amarim 10): ולא יסתפק אדם במה שמתפלל השמונה-עשרה שלש פעמים בכל יום, אלא כמה פעמים ביום צריך לשפוך תפילות ובקשות בינו לבין עצמו כשהוא בביתו מעומקא דליבא .כי השלש תפילות הן אצלו כבר שגורות בפיו ואינו נותן לב להם כל כך; מה שאי כן אם יתבונן כל אדם בינו לבין עצמו ויעשה חשבון נפש על מצבו ומעמדו (A person should not be satisfied with the three times he prays the Shemoneh Esrei each day; rather, many times throughout the day he needs to pour out his prayers and requests, privately, by himself, when [for example] he’s in his house, from the depth of his heart, because his mouth is already accustomed to saying the three [formal] prayers, and as a result, he doesn’t pay attention to them all that much. But that’s not the case if everyone were to be introspective and do a cheshbon nefesh [personal examination] on his situation and his standing in life). He continues to explain that we are not answered in our three regular daily prayers because we don’t pour out of heart to Hashem when we pray. Instead, we’re praying like a machine. Plug it in, set the speed dial to ‘rapid’, push the ‘start’ button and away it goes. If we spoke to our friend or spouse that way, do you think they would be particularly interested in listening to what we had to say? Likewise, do you really think Hashem is any different in this regard?

The Chofetz Chaim is speaking about the need for everyone to spend time each day—even throughout the day—praying to Hashem in one’s own words, a practice known as hitbodedut [private, secluded prayer].

R' Nachman taught (Likutei Moharan II:25): הַהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת הוּא מַעֲלָה עֶלְיוֹנָה וּגְדוֹלָה מִן הַכֹּל דְּהַיְנוּ לִקְבֹּעַ לוֹ עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים שָׁעָה אוֹ יוֹתֵר לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד לְבַדּוֹ בְּאֵיזֶה חֶדֶר אוֹ בַּשָּׂדֶה וּלְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין קוֹנוֹ...שֶׁיְּקָרְבוֹ אֵלָיו לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת (The practice of doing hitbodedut is very exalted and greater than everything, i.e. to fix a time for oneself, at least one hour or more, to seclude oneself alone in some room or in the field, to lay out one’s conversation in private with one’s Creator…that he would be able to draw closer to Him and serve Him in truth). It doesn’t make any difference if we feel that we are already close to Hashem or if we feel that we are too far from Him to be of importance or if we can’t even open up our mouths to say anything, the main point is to spend time in solitude knowing that you’re sitting with Hashem. This in and of itself is very, very good. In fact, there is nothing greater than this.

Regarding the best time and place for hitbodedut, we read in Likutei Eitzot, Hitbodedut 7: עִקַּר הַהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת הוּא בַּלַּיְלָה שֶׁאָז הַכֹּל יְשֵׁנִים וְגַם טוֹב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמָּקוֹם חוּץ מֵהָעִיר שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ יְחִידִי דְּהַיְנוּ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין בְּנֵי אָדָם ��וֹלְכִים שָׁם אֲפִלּוּ בַּיּוֹם (The essence of hitbodedut is at night because then everyone is asleep, and it is also good that he should be in a place outside the city, that he walk to a solitary place, i.e. a place where even by day people don’t go). The reasons for this are because the quietness of night is the best time for obtaining clarity about oneself because the cares of the world are decreased. Although these parameters are optimal if one is able to fulfill them, they should never prevent someone from spending his hour of hitbodedut during the day in a room of his house if that works for him. The main point is to spend one interrupted hour alone with Hashem, each and every day. Once you get used to this hour, it should become the best hour of your day.

But what is the real purpose of hitbodedut? Is it to tell Hashem all the things we need or want in life, to make our requests known to Him—“I need a good spouse. I need a nice apartment. I need a high paying job. I need…”? No. That’s the purpose (in part) of the Shemoneh Esrei. The purpose of hitbodedut is something completely different. Simply put, it is to work on oneself, to fix one’s deficiencies and faults, to achieve self-nullification, thus becoming part of the necessary reality. Let’s explain.

Two kinds of realities exist: necessary reality and dependent reality. Hashem, of course, is the ultimate and only necessary reality. Everything created in all the worlds is just a dependent reality. None of it must exist. All of it came into existence by the Creator who spoke it into existence, as it is written (Tehillim 33:6, 9): בִּדְבַר יְיָ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כׇּל־צְבָאָם...כִּי הוּא אָמַר וַיֶּהִי הוּא־צִוָּה וַיַּעֲמֹד (By the word of Hashem heaven was made, and by the breath of His mouth, all of their host…He spoke and it was, He commanded and it stands). The moment Hashem created the soul of Adam ha‑Rishon to have free will to choose and to do His will, reality changed. All of the created worlds acquired a certain aspect of the necessary reality, i.e. all the upper and lower worlds need to exist in order for Hashem’s purpose to be fulfilled. And what is that purpose? It is to return and be encompassed in one’s Source, in the only true, independent necessary reality. This is all explained in detail by R' Nachman in L.M. 52, but here’s a short summary: וְעַל־כֵּן אָז דַּיְקָא כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ נִכְלָל הָעוֹלָם בִּבְחִינַת מְחֻיַּב הַמְּצִיאוּת כַּנַּ"ל כִּי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ יוֹתֵר הֵם נִכְלָלִין בְּיוֹתֵר עִם כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת הַתְּלוּיִים בָּהֶם בְּחִיּוּב הַמְּצִיאוּת (Therefore, it is specifically then, when we [the inheritors of the mission and soul of Adam ha‑Rishon, i.e. Yisrael] do His will, that the world is included in an aspect of the necessary reality, for the more we do His will, the more we are included together with the worlds which are dependent upon them, in the necessary reality).

This is really an amazing and awesome truth! Even though the world and everything in it, including ourselves ‘start off’ as a dependent reality in that everything is created by Hashem and has no independent existence in and of itself, when the object and purpose of His creation actually perform the will of its Creator, then not only do all the worlds acquire a certain aspect of the necessary reality but, more importantly, the people who perform His will also acquire a certain aspect of the necessary reality. And it is a matter of degree. The more we do Hashem’s will, the more we are encompassed in His Oneness, and the more the world and everything in it, including ourselves, become part of this same necessary reality.

Now the logical question is: How do we actually achieve becoming encompassed in one’s Source so that we move from being a dependent reality to being a part of the necessary reality? R' Nachman explains (L.M. 52): אַךְ לִזְכּוֹת לָזֶה לְהִכָּלֵל בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹ דְּהַיְנוּ לַחֲזֹר וּלְהִכָּלֵל בְּאַחְדוּת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁהוּא מְחֻיַּב הַמְּצִיאוּת זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִזְכּוֹת כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי בִּטּוּל שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל עַצְמוֹ לְגַמְרֵי עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִכְלָל בְּאַחְדוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ (However, to merit this, to be encompassed in one’s Source, i.e. to return and be encompassed in the Oneness of Hashem, may He be blessed, who is the necessary reality, is possible only through bitul [self-nullification]. A person needs to nullify himself completely to the point that he becomes encompassed in His Oneness, may He be blessed).

Self-nullification? That seems a bit drastic, if not kind of weird. What does it really mean? Bitul means to negate all of one’s negative character traits and all of one’s physical desires and lusts—anger, impatience, theft, stinginess, harboring grudges, jealousy, laziness, selfishness, stubbornness, ungratefulness, speaking negatively about others, self-justification, lying, lusting after food and drink, lewdness, feasting one’s eyes on that which is forbidden to look at, immodesty, desire for honor and prestige, love of money, arrogance, lack of emunah and bitachon, etc. But isn’t that impossible? R' Nachman assures us that it is very achievable, not just by the tzaddikim, but by all of us. How so? These are his holy words (L.M. 52): וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לִידֵי בִּטּוּל כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי הִתְבּוֹדְדוּת (It is impossible to achieve bitul except through hitbodedut). This is the real reason for hitbodedut. It is the most powerful tool available for fixing ourselves. Reading self-help books, listening to lectures and inspirational talks, reading articles (like this one), or even talking to therapists may be fine and dandy, but that will not get us to the goal of our lives, which is to return to our Source and become encompassed in the Infinite for eternity.

But it seems so overwhelming! Perhaps, but that’s why we were given life in the first place, to achieve that which seems so impossible. After all, is anything truly impossible with G‑d? Can He not help us achieve the impossible if we really want it? But we have to be honest. We can’t go into hitbodedut and pretend. The moment we walk out into that field or close that door, we have to be real. We have to speak only truth. Nothing gets fixed without truth. We start with one negative trait and we keep talking to Hashem about it night after night until we negate it. It may take years of concerted effort, but all sincere effort will be rewarded. And when we nullify one negative trait, we move onto the next one, and so on, until we nullify them all. At that point there will be nothing left of us. We will have achieved complete bitul and become nothing, i.e. no-thing—even as Hashem is ‘No-thing’. This is how we prepare for becoming merged into the Eternal Infinite, to be fully encompassed in the necessary reality even as Hashem is the necessary reality.

May G‑d give us strength to be what we were destined to be, a nation that dwells in solitude (not because of government coercion, but voluntarily), each one of us becoming an expert at hitbodedut and achieving his true mission in life.

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