Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Unique: 3

Rebbe Nachman taught that when a person speaks to Hashem as if he was speaking to a person, there is an aspect of רוח הקדש, divine spirit, to his words that connect to the spirit of Mashiach. They come from a place that is unblemished.
He explained that there are certainly fine people who have never engaged in Hisbodidus. However, when Mashiach comes and invites them, they will be completely thrown off and confused. Those who have engaged in personal communication with Hashem, by contrast, will be like people who have just awakened from a good sleep. They will be alert and connected.

Unique: 2

The 70 years of the life of Dovid HaMelech were supposed to have been the final years of Adam's life. But Adam never lived those years in this world. They remained 70 years that were unsullied by his sin.

All of the service to Hashem done by Dovid and by the Tzaddikim of each generation who carry a spark of his Neshama, the spark of Moshiach, is to show people how to get to those 70 years, how to reach a place where sin does not exist.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Unique: 1

One of the ideas brought forth by Rebbe Nachman in his teaching about Hisbodidus, is that each person has his own personal and unique connection to Hashem. As the Midrash says: Moshe told the Jewish Nation, just like He is unique in the world, so too each individual has a unique way of serving Him.When you serve Him in your unique way, you will see upon yourself the glory of Hashem."
The primary way a person can express his unique approach is through Hisbodidus. In Hisbodidus he reaches the highest levels of his soul, the level called יחידה, singular, and he is joined with the One. Through Hisbodidus a person raises himself for a time to feel like Adam before the Sin. That he is completely connected to Hashem.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Moma Lushen: 3

If you don't know someone and you need to ask him for a favor you will plan out ahead of time what you are going to say. After your request is granted you will be sure to thank him immediately. A small child with his parent acts differently. He will ask without thinking about what he is saying, and he may or may not remember to thank his parent immediately. This behavior shows that there is an inner, permanent relationship.
Even though in regular prayer we have a tradition as to the proper form of prayer, but in Hisbodidus there is no order. There you can see the true nature of the relationship.
On the last Rosh HaShanah of Rebbe Nachman's life, as he was already quite ill and near death, he turned to his three year old grandson and said, "Yisroel, daven to Hashem that I should return to good health." Yisroel said, "Hashem, Hashem make my grandfather better." Some bystanders began to chuckle. Rebbe Nachman explained to them that this was the proper way to make requests of Hashem. Simply. Like a child talking to his father, or a person speaking to his good friend.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Mama Lushen: 2

There is a deeper concept underlying the idea of Mama Lushen.
When a young child speaks to his mother he speaks with no inhibitions to ask what he needs. "I'm hungry." Plain and simple.
But when he grows up and has a mind of his own he begins to think before he speaks and stops expressing himself naturally. He is careful not to say something that will contradict something he has said previously, even if he wants to say it. He may refrain from speaking at all, even if he desperately wants to, for fear that his words today may cause complications tomorrow.
This is not the world of a child. He simply says, "Do this. I'm tired. I want."
This is the idea of Mama Lushen, to speak simply what is in one's heart.
It is the language of being present.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Mama Lushen: 1

It is well known that Rebbe Nachman encouraged people to engage in personal prayer in their native language. In those places where people spoke Yiddish, he encouraged them to pray in Yiddish. He explained that when people pray in the language in which they are most comfortable, the heart is connected to his words and he can better connect to Hashem.

Elsewhere he explained that by speaking in his native Yiddish a person will find himself more inspired.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Being Faithful: 5

As a person contemplates his attitude towards Rosh HaShanah the following should enter his mind:

Hashem calls to us with great love that He desires to renew Creation. He awaits our response; for us to realize that it is our destiny as the purpose of Creation to proclaim Him as King. Why are we then selfishly just asking for life, children and sustenance and not thinking of our Father in Heaven? Why are we appearing like a child who is attempting to flatter his father in order to get the car keys?

By engaging in a Hisbodidus such as this our entire attitude towards Rosh HaShanah will change. We will realize that we hold in our own hands the very future of Creation. The whole world awaits for us to come to this realization and open the door to prayer and Teshuvah that connect to the very foundation of being.