Parshas Lech Lecha &#8211

Free Will: The Awesome & Marvelous Creation written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 24, 2019

In Likutey Moharan Lesson 151 Rebbe Nachman speaks about free will. In his related prayer, Reb Noson explores this topic from a psycho-spiritual standpoint.

It’s a topic filled with awe and wonder.

Reb Noson writes: How astounding is this power to exercise freedom of choice, which You gave mankind, Hashem! There is nothing as awesome and mysterious, as amazing and marvelous, in all of the worlds which You made. Truly unique among Your creations is freewill.

He continues discussing the idea that there are creatures in the world that Hashem created and He gives permission and strength to these creatures to make their own decisions and do what they will. Whether it is Hashem’s will or the opposite, God forbid, each of us has been imbued with the ability and the strength to choose.

When we began to think deeply about free will, though, we run into a wall. Free will is paradoxical. If everything is determined by Hashem, why are we able to have free will? How come we’re able to choose one thing or another?

When we hit up against these paradoxes, there is nothing that can bust through them except faith. If we have the emunah that Hashem created everything, including our free will, we’ll begin to let go of our frustration. We have to remember that our intellect is limited and that there are paradoxes that we can’t understand. When we do, we end up with more peace of mind.

A two-year-old can’t understand the theory of relativity and we can’t understand the paradox of free will, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

We choose with the best information we have at hand. We want to do the right thing. Still, we have to leave the outcome of our choice up to Hashem.

Choose wisely. Choose well. And embrace the unique creation that is free will.

Today’s mini lesson is dedicated Bracha bat Rivkah Mark. To join the daily WhatsApp group and receive audio formats of these mini-lessons, use this invitation.

Turn To Hashem First written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 24, 2019

People will do anything and everything to solve their problems–but sometimes they forget to pray. BRI Breslov’s Chaya Rivka Zwolinski explains. Join ourWhatsApp Group receive a daily mini-lesson.

Keep Calm & Know The Truth written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 24, 2019 Reb Noson explains that the essential truth of the entire universe and all of creation is actually quite simple.

All things were brought into being out of nothingness by the hand of the one G0d and to Him they are destined to return in the end of time when all of creation will be renewed.

Now, when a person fills their whole being with this truth at all times, when a person is aware and conscious that everything was created by Hashem and everything will return to Him then nothing, no negative thing, no falsehood can have a hold of him.

Falsehood is sadness, despair, anger, jealousy, worry. All these things are rooted in falsehood. When a person can remind himself of the source of everything he can always return to the shelter of Hashem.

When we truly connect with emet, truth, we feel a connection, a deep knowledge where everything comes from. We feel calm because we know where everything’s headed and we know that we were created with a Love that can see us through even the darkest, darkest times.

Awhile ago a friend of mine and her entire family experienced a shocking and tragic loss. It was heartbreaking. When I went over to comfort her, she said to me, Chaya Rivka, I don’t understand it, but I know that this must be good because Hashem only does good. And from her smallest grandchild to herself and her husband there was not one member of that family who wasn’t like a rock of emunah, a rock of faith. Even through their tears, even through their pain, that rock-like emunah, fortified their belief that everything is from Hashem. They truly knew that everything is ultimately simple. They truly believed that Hashem’s Goodness is what sustains them and what sustains the Jewish people.

May you have a day where no falsehood can ever encroach upon your peace of mind.

Today’s mini lesson is dedicated to Elana Chava bas Chaya, Avraham ben Elana Chava and Mordechai ben Elana Chava. May they be blessed with hatzlachah. To join the daily WhatsApp group and receive audio formats of these mini-lessons, use this invitation.

When Will My Prayers Feel Real? written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 24, 2019

Rebbe Nachman explains in Likutey Moharan 76 that when you trust in Hashem and look only to Him for all your needs, you form a vessel with which you can receive His blessings. Then what you need will be sent to you when you require it.

This is a very high level of bitachon (trust.) What is trust? Applied emunah (faith.)

Living with trust in Hashem is applying your faith in Hashem. We have faith in our hearts and minds, but we express trust with our actions.

Now, it doesn’t mean just because we trust in Hashem that we don’t have to do necessary hishtadlus, the practical actions that contribute to creating this vessel. However, the higher a person’s level of faith and trust, the less he or she needs to do in order to receive blessings.

This is an internal shift more than an external shift. It’s something we should meditate on, discuss with our friends and talk to Hashem about.

“How do I trust You, Hashem, to send me everything I need?” We can begin by looking at what we have already and how Hashem has sustained us until this point. Sometimes when we’re going through a tough time, we forget that many of our needs if not most of our needs have actually been fulfilled and are currently being fulfilled. When we reflect on that this increases our future trust.

May you be blessed with a day where you are able to live your faith with trust and hope.

Photo credit: Chana Sneider

The Land of Emunah written by Dovid Mark | July 24, 2019

Rebbe Nachman teaches that each of our souls is rooted in the world of Emunah, yet this Emunah is buried deep within, waiting to be uncovered and revealed.

The whole purpose of our world, our descent to this universe of layers upon layers is for us to bring the Geulah – both in an individual sense and global sense. Inside each one of us is an infinite set of tools to redeem the “letters of Creation” hidden within this world.

Each yid must strive to uplift the Creation and to reveal its Divine root. The ultimate expression of Geulah – of the ability to refine Creation is in the Land of Israel where each time we acquire more land we bring a Geulah in both the individual and global paradigms.

Our settlement of Israel is an act oftemurah , exchange – releasing the sparks of holiness trapped within the ground and revealing the Godliness that was “dormant” at that spot. This transaction is the ultimate act ofEmunah , faith in the Creator and his will that is bound up within each of us and the Land of Israel itself. With the growing lack of Emunah flooding the world, the need for us to dig into the Land of Israel and redeem it is the key for us to find that part of ourselves that is hiding the gateway to our cosmic letters and our root to the world above, the world of Emunah.

(Based on Likutey Moharan 173; Likutey Halachot Karkaot; Degel Machaneh Efraim Parsha BeHar)

The One And Only YOU written by Yossi Katz | July 24, 2019

Rebbe Nachman told a story:

The Simpleton had learned the trade of a shoemaker. Since he was simple, he had to study very much to master it, and even then he was not very expert in the craft. He got married and earned a living from his work. However, he was simple and not an expert in his craft, so his livelihood was very meager and limited … Throughout this, he was always very happy. He was filled with joy at all times.

Since he had not completely mastered his trade, when he finished a shoe, it was usually triangular in shape. But he would take the shoe in his hand and speak very highly of it, deriving much enjoyment from his handiwork. He would say, “My wife, what a beautiful, wonderful shoe this is! How sweet this shoe is! This shoe is as sweet as honey and sugar!”

Sometimes she would answer him, “If that’s true, why can other shoemakers get three gulden for a pair of shoes, while you only get a gulden and a half?” He would then answer, “What do I care about that? That is their work, and this is my work!” “Why must we speak about others?” [He would continue,] “Let’s think about how much clear profit I make on this shoe. The leather costs so much, the glue and thread … so much, and the other things so much. I also have to pay a certain amount for the tongues. Therefore, I have a clear profit of ten groschen. As long as I make such a clear profit, what do I care?” He was thus always filled with joy and happiness. (Rabbi Nachman’s Stories #9, “The Sophisticate and the Simpleton”)

One of the greatest challenges we face is our lack of self- worth and faith in our own individuality. We so often confuse appreciating someone else’s uniqueness or positive qualities with jealousy. We mistakenly think we are doing something constructive by observing special qualities in others, while in fact we are just feeling bad about our own inability to emulate them.

But by observing the Simpleton in Rebbe Nachman’s story, we can see life differently. We should stop looking to others and begin looking within ourselves. If God takes pleasure in my imperfect work, if He appreciates my efforts in spite of my own unique circumstances, should I not feel tremendous inner joy? Yes, the shoemaker couldn’t make the perfect shoe, but he was able to make a fair and honest living. To him, that was all that mattered. Therefore he was able to rise above what society thought of him, and completely disregard their opinions. “That is their work, and this is my work!” he so eloquently pronounces.

This is true not only about earning a living but also about our service of God. Perhaps I was not able to pray as sincerely as the guy next to me in shul, or be the perfect parent like my next-door neighbor. Nevertheless, I do try, and even if I only produce a “three-corner shoe,” a three-corner shoe also has value.

The Torah commands us regarding counting the Omer, “And you shall count for yourselves” (Leviticus 23:15). This implies that in order to count properly, begin by counting yourself. I am a unique person who was raised in a distinctive home and experienced unique circumstances. There is no one like me. It is impossible for me to compare myself with others; I have nothing in common with them. Having faith in myself is no less important than having faith in God.

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Hilkhot Pesach 9

God is Never Far Away written by Dovid Mark | July 24, 2019 One of the weapons Amalek uses in its war against us, is a a feeling of giving up hope. The free space HaShem created in order for existence to take shape allows for the possibility of doubt to settle within our hearts and in turn this doubt can fester and form into hopelessness.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that one must never lose hope – never give up or despair; after all HaShem is with us through everything we go through – good or “bad.” The free space, where we experience time and physicality is nothing but an illusion. God is in a sense hiding behind the curtain of creation never far away.

What Amalek – the ancient serpent tries to do is trick us into believing the world we see is as we see it. God may have created, but he is no where to be found chas v’shalom.

“You don’t need to believe,” the evil one screams at us from within. “You are all alone,” we hear the voice of doubt overtake our hearts.

But we don’t have to listen to the thoughts of hopelessness and despair injected into our psyche. Each one of us must say, “I am the heart of the world.” The whole universe is contained within God. He has no space, because everywhere is his space and we are his heart – his gateway of light and truth into this world for we are a piece of the creator hidden within the layers of illusion this world was created with.

We can yearn to be free of Amalek’s weapon. We can start anew, even before the day’s morning sun rises – all we have to do is open our eyes and realize that G0d, the infinite one is always here.

(Based partly on Likutey Halachot Hilchot Tefillin Halacha 5.6 and 5.9)

Purim & Noah’s Ark: What’s The Connection? written by Meir Elkabas | July 24, 2019 In the Megillah of Purim, Haman’s tactic is to stop us from praying. Learn the powerful link between prayer, faith, and Noah’s ark in this short video with Reb Meir Elkabas.

Podcast: Have Emunah…In The Power Of Emunah written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 24, 2019 Have emunah in the power of emunah. Breslov’s Chaya Rivka Zwolinski explains on the Rebbe Nachman’s Remedies daily podcast. Join our WhatsApp Group receive a mini-lesson each morning.

Seeing Through the Veil of Our World written by Dovid Mark | July 24, 2019 In Rebbe Nachman’s famous story The Lost Princess, the viceroy who is searching for the Lost Princess on behalf of the King who yearns to see his daughter again finds a castle ruled by another king. The castle looks impenetrable with guards all around it. Shockingly they let him right in. The story continues:

“Neither the king nor anyone else asked him any questions. He saw delicacies and fine foods there, and he ate. Then he went to lie down in a corner to see what would happen.

“He saw the king issue a command to bring the queen. People went to fetch her. There was a great uproar as they brought forth the queesn, and the orchestra played and the [the choir] sand. People set up a throne for [the queen], and she sat next to [the king].”

“She was the [lost] princess! As soon as the [viceroy] saw her, he recognized her. The queen looked around, and seeing someone lying in the corner , recognized him. She stood up from her throne, and went over and touched him. ‘Do you know me?’ she asked.”

“‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘I know you. You are the king’s daughter who was lost.'” “He then asked her, ‘How did you get here?'”

“She replied, ‘It happened when my father said [the th Evil One should take me]. This is the place of Evil.'” [Translation by Aryeh Kaplan, BRI]

“This is the place of Evil.” How could the princess say such a thing? After all, the viceroy was allowed in. He ate and enjoyed himself and yet the Lost Princess referred to the place being evil.

To understand the above along with the princess’s statement, it is important to understand that the castle the viceroy entered is an analogy for our own world left in an unrectified state. Our world is called “Olam d’Shikra” – the World of Lies. The princess is “emunah” – the pure faith in the Creator and the viceroy is the Tzaddik, the one who is truly righteous.

The world we live in is beautiful, and seemingly filled with all sorts of amazing things – foods, music, knowledge, and more. How could this world be the Evil Castle in the story? Yet, that is the point, no matter how much we enjoy this world, if we allow it to distract us from our true purpose, which is to rectify the Creation through ouremunah by following the will of the Creator, then it becomes Evil.

When the viceroy asks the princess how he can get her out of the castle. She explains the following:

“‘It is impossible to get me out unless you choose yourself a place and remain there for an entire year. All that year you must long to get me out. Whenever you are unoccupied you must only year, seek and look forward to freeing me.'” [Translation by Aryeh Kaplan, BRI]

The viceroy fails a few times before ultimately freeing the princess. This is a lesson for ourselves. We have a short time in this world to fulfill our purpose. After all, as it says in Pirkei Avot: “This world is similar to a corridor before a great hall.” We must utilize our time here to help reach our potential and free our own princess. We can only do this through prayer and “Avodat Hashem” – service of G-D.

Our world is beautiful and amazing. We must thank the Creator for sending us down here to experience it, but we must also not lose site of the purpose of our time here. This is the ultimate challenge.