Waking up

When have you woke up and realized your whole life is a lie? 
Well, everyday that your first thought is not Modeh Ani, is a lie as we will see.

We really have to get into our heads that this life, in this body is just an avatar our souls animate our body. The body we are told, is a golem and only slightly resembles our soul so when we look in the mirror we see a very blurred and distorted version of our real selves.

Our struggle in this state is to be aware and to stay aware of this fact and to as hard as it is, to focus on our real true mission here. You see this is a wonderful world if you view it from reality, it is a Gan Eden. But if you fall into the distraction, then it is a living hell of Gehenom.

You and I choose multiple times a day in which way we will to view it. It has been simplified by the rabbi’s who have shown us the right and correct way to connect to the ‘real’ the ‘alive’ instead of the ‘dead’ of the lie. The structure of our prayers and our learning are designed to help us to from the minute we wake up till we go to sleep focus on the Tachilit the, Emeser Emes, the truth of truth.

 It not easy, even, for those of us who have made it our whole lives’ goal. Just to try and stay focused; we find it at times very difficult to interact with others and events of this world. The World around us by design was to be a perfect place in which every interaction was to be a total reminder of the One who made it. He desired our presence just so He could commune as it were with His children. He longed through the ageless eternity to have essence.  

He created us so that we would choose to be, and to commune with Him. Many of us fall and return daily from this level of consciousness. For some this is hourly. Our hope should be to increase the rate at which we are conscious. These flashes are the result of the constant struggle to remain attached to the source of all the truth and the life. This is our sustenance and our very ‘soul’ lives depend on our attachment to this source.  But sadly to say there are those of us who have just given up and have chosen to just fall asleep and let our time run out. This hospice mentality is a deadly one, just to stay spiritually drugged up until the end. There are two levels of chesder, or concealment.

One is a chesder within a chesder, concealment within a concealment, and this is where most of the world is holding today.

This is the worst situation of all where they do not even realize that they are in a comatose spiritual vegetative state. There is no hope of waking without the greatest of professors i.e. Tzaddik Emes coming and pulling them out of this state. Then there is just a single concealment and this where, the rest of us are. In this state we know vaguely, as we are wake sometimes and asleep at others, we have glimpses of understanding, and later remembering that we are phasing in and out of consciousness. In this state we also need the Tzaddik to come and help us to stay awake. If we at one of these alert times see and find ourselves by the tzaddik then we have grab him and cling to him. Only he can help us and teach us how to remain in a state of consciousness. It takes total commitment and stubbornness to cling to him. 

The whole point of the story of our Exodus from Egypt is to be an example of our coming from this spiritual coma the 49th level, of spiritual unawareness to a state of spiritual alertness of the 50th level. The whole the example of this is to show us those who clung to the Tzaddik ‘Moshe Rabbenu’ and thus were attentive and succeeded in entering the land and the reverse is also true it shows the failure of those who wished to remain spiritually asleep.

Our history as a people is replete with examples of both cases.   At this late hour we really need to review the text of our Exodus and learn from it the sublime essence of the story, which is to cling to and to be bitul to the Tzaddik Ha Emes. The whole of the Torah is to explain to us how to remain awake and enjoy the beautiful garden we are here to tend. May it Hashem’s will that many be awakened at this time in a manner which is both gentle and lasting. May the essence of this truth alive and quicken us in anticipation of our forth coming and final Redemption, May it be soon and may be ready for it, Amen           

Erev Rosh Chodesh in Meron

There is so much I could write on this one trip to Rasbi, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, zt"l. It was intense to say the least. I was joined by a friend and student, Uzi. We had unbelievable experiences more than than once, as we just kept getting the same message, "rok zerok l'sekel shelcha" - just throw away all your preconceived notions.

Like two little children we set out, and what a journey it was. We came to receive a blessing for me, "a refuah" (a healing), and to ask for a special blessing for the new month. We came away with a lot more.

As Erev Rosh Chodesh is Yom Kippur Katon (the beginning of a new month is like a small Yom Kippur), we can wipe clean the slate from last month and start anew.

We rode up from the Shomron (West Bank) in the rain and cold, catching rides (Israeli style). This is my personal favorite way to travel as I always ask Hashem to bring me people to speak to about emunah (faith). I'm getting a ride, they're getting a shiur in Torah, no choice as I just can't shut up about G-d and my Rebbe and how he has changed my life. For me, it's so natural and it just flows.

Every ride was a blessing and a part of the emunah lifestyle, and everyone we spoke to received a blessing. We relate to each as family, and people are just not used to this. They ask, "Are all you guys like this? Alive and energized?" I say chalavei! (We fervently wish!)

One adventure after another (that's another story!) and we arrived at the Kever (Tomb) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai zt"l. Only then did the plane really begin to leave the runway! WOW!!! Everyone from the rebbe ashir b'Torah to the most simple beggar said the same thing! Just throw your sechel (intellect) and just trust in Hashem. I mean everyone!

We met a tzaddik who took us on a trek behind the tomb, hiking around the hills to the cave of Hillel HaZakain, the great Hillel the Elder, zt"l. We were not sure what was about to happen, even began to get nervous at entering a cave with the fellow. But what a blessing! This guy just started giving us Torah like you would not believe. There was one confirmation after another, WOW! We exchanged numbers and prayer requests, Reb Shimon ben Miriam want a zivug (marriage partner), so I promised to pray for him everyday and I look forward to dancing at his wedding very soon, may it be His will!

We trekked back around the hill to the mikvah by the kever, to purify ourselves and say Tikun Klali (the spiritual repair of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov). There energy there like Uman! As we finished and left to go outside for cup of tea, I ran into the Melitzer Rebbe (literally, bump!) Bli ayin hara, ben porat yosef, a very special tzaddik who I had come to see, to give a pidyon nefesh (a soul request) and recieve a bracha (blessing) for a refuah shalayma (a completely recovery). All I can express is...Wow. He had come with Rabbi Lazer Brody of Lazer Beams.

After spending a few precious minutes with this special man of G-d, my friend Uzi and I merited to have some private time with Rabbi Brody on the side of the hill. Ahh, the the cream of the trip. Torah, words of praise of Hashem and the prayers of old soldiers were shared! G-d willing, I should merit to write another post just to tell you some of we learned on the side of the hill by Rashbi in Meron.

Hodu l'Hashem Key Tov, Key Le'olam Hasdo!

Posted at Mystical Paths. Read it elsewhere? Stop by the sour

waiting for the sign

Yes, we are waiting for sign. And this is it! Pure and simple as a pimple. Nothing more nothing less. It is written in the Nach (biblical prophets), "If you will but return to me I will return to you!" We must return! He is waiting for the sign, and this is it: "our return"!

Hashem is WAITING FOR US!!! We are the ones extending this! We must show Him the sign, not wait for Him to show us!

It is written in Kol HaTor (by Rabbi Moskolav z"l, the chief student of the Gra zt"l) that all the signs are past and it is now up to us! That was over 200 years ago.

If we could but remember Him, he would remember us! We talk here about a partial remembrance and full remembrance, these are speaking of us remembering. Haval, we we can not wake up! Please Hashem, please help us to remember. Please help us to call out to you. Please Borei HaOlam, please!!! "ABBA ten lanu rachamim."

If we were but to cry out and ask, each of us, for Him to help us... You see all of this is on us. This galus is unlike the previous ones; in this that it has no expiration date. Galus Mitzraym 400 years, galus Baval 70 years. You see we could have ended this the day after the Horban Mikdash (destruction of the Temple), but we are spiritually asleep. We need to wake up, each one of us! We have to decide which are we: Dor Midbar or Dor Geula (generation in the desert or generation of redemption). It's up to us.

We didn't make it the first time, so we have come back in this generation to fix the problem. In truth it really is up to each one of us. Ask yourself, saying "hey self, are you ready too continue in the mess that we are in or are we gonna jump up and say maspik (enough)??? Enough, we're ready, we're waiting we're returning to You now!!

And now WE say "I mean now you have to return to us"!!! Ribono Shel Olam, we are done suffering in this misery!!!

And HE says:

"OH daughter of Zion how long are you gonna sit in the dust, rise up and shake of the chains for I have unlocked them. Put off your sack cloth and wash yourselves and get ready for the feast, put on your wedding gowns for I long to reunite with you!! Please I am waiting here for you!!!"

You see it doesn't have to take earth shattering events "unless you like to suffer". We can end this, this year and sit in Yerushalayim and shout "this year in Jerusalem" . Just trust in Him, He's doing it all for us, and in reality we have no choice but to believe and come and perform His will. 3 times a year for all males are to come to Jerusalem and stand before Him. Let's not wait until Shavous, let's meet Him for the Korban Pesach!

Thanks for all the support and remember, kemach d' pischa, the geluah comes through the miztvah of tzedakah (charity), so please give and receive a blessing knowing that you made it possible for those who wouldn't have had otherwise.

A guten chodesh (a good new month!) have and kosher and joyful Pesach (Passover),
Reb Nati

"Emunah" Faith

"We have to tremble with fear when considering G-d's greatness. The whole world is filled with His Glory!" Rebbe Nachman repeated this to us manny times. He wanted to instill in us a feeling for G-d's greatness and a feeling for how much faith we ought to have in Him. (Tzaddik #414)

A New Day Is Dawning

Boker tov from Eli we'll be soon up and running. There's alot to share so stay tuned!

V'yehi Erev V'yehi Broker A New Day

"And it was evening and morning", A new day.
A new begining, as we approach the end of days, we need more than ever to return to the begining, to a simple faith in the creator, to the father of all, the G-d of Avraham, Yitzak, And Yaakov. WE as Jews call Him simply Hashem, "the Name".