Wake up and Save the World written by Davy Dombrowsky | July 21, 2020 Oh no! It’s the 9 days again. Ever get that feeling? Me too. Want that feeling to go away? Me too. So how can we get rid of it? One good way would be to get rid of the 9 days altogether. Chazal tell us that “in any generation that the Holy Temple is not rebuilt, it’s as if that generation destroyed it”. If we had been to the Holy Temple, experienced the holiness of it and then seen it destroyed, we’d definitely cry a lot. It seems like it was just a building. But it’s not just a building, or even a holy building, it’s the embodiment of our souls. The pain and suffering that we’re going through, and even the pain of the whole world is directly related to the lack of Hashem’s presence in the world, because our Holy Temple is gone. So what can we do? Well, literally the third halacha in our Shulchan Aruch says as follows: “It’s fitting for anyone with awe of Heaven to feel pain and distress over the destruction of the Holy Temple” (Orach Chaim 1:3) The Mishna Brurah there spells out how to practice this “pain and distress”. One should try and get up at Chatzos (midnight) to say the Tikkun Chatzos (The Midnight Repair), which is a special prayer service recited nightly throughout the year to express our grief and concern over the destruction of the Holy Temple, the Jewish exile and our yearning for redemption. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov was BIG into Chatzos. He once said “A Jew’s main devotion is to get up for Chatzos” (Sichos HaRan 301). He also said that “Tikkun Chatzos has the power of redemption. It sweetens harsh decrees” (Likutei MoHaRan I, 149). Reb Nosson writes that “Just as the Exodus from Egypt began at Chatzos, so too the final Redemption will begin at Chatzos. And it will come in the merit of those who get up for Chatzos” (L”H Hashkamas Haboker 1:15) When is chatzos? Breslovers hold of the opinion that it begins 6 hours after sunset and lasts for two hours. (For example, tonight in Beit Shemesh it would be from 1:44am-3:44am). (FYI – You don’t have to get up, if you’re already up). There are two parts (or two Tikkunim) in the service. Tikkun Rachel, which is more about mourning, and Tikkun Leah, which is more about yearning. We only say both parts on days that we recite Tachanun. So on Shabbos, Yom Tov etc., we only say Tikkun Leah. So here’s the idea. Why don’t we all try to say Tikkun Chatzos for these 9 days? Wow! I can’t imagine what a noise it would make in the Heavens if simple folk like us would get up at night and say it during these 9 days. Let’s do it collectively. Join the Whatsapp group invite below if you’re committed to give it a shot. Post an emoji/sticker/gif/pic or whatever the heck you want when you finish the Tikkun Chatzos prayer to encourage the other participants. Share how it is going for you. Ask your questions etc. Please keep the discussion related to the topic. It’s a 9 day trial and a 9 day Whatsapp group. Let’s make a difference and help bring the redemption that much closer. Who’s in? published on TikkunHaklali.net. The Power of Speech: Loud Talk? Soft Talk Is Better written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 21, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVkhefO6ML4 Talking loudly and quickly can increase agitation. Simple behavior changes, such as trying to speak more softly can make profound psycho spiritual changes. Chaya Rivka Z. explains. Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom 41,42 & 43 | Nothing More Whole than a Broken Heart written by Effie Sussman | July 21, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hnQB_4_BYY Contrary to popular belief broken heartedness is a good thing while depression is lethal. In this lesson Rebbe Nachman explains the fine line between a broken heart and depression. Sources: Sichos Haran Lesson 41,42 & 43 For any questions email Effie Sussman at [email protected] Don’t Confuse Politics with Judaism or Torah written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 21, 2020 The current political landscape is one of drama, as this nation and the world, appear to be hurtling towards an unknown political outcome. It seems so many people are in the thrall of one political ideology or another. We can argue that one side is more moral and/or rational than the other. But we can’t say that it is Torah morality or Torah logic. We can say that there is wisdom in one side (or another.) But we can’t say is that it is Torah wisdom. Chaya Rivka Zwolinski explains. To hear a Breslov audio mini-lesson daily, click on this WhatsApp Invitation and join the group. Pathways – Parshat Matot- Masei written by breslov.org | July 21, 2020 We think of Moses as being the ultimate prophet, someone who spoke “face to face” with God and stood between Heaven and earth. Therefore we assume that when he experienced a prophecy, its message and interpretation were obvious to him. Indeed, in this week’s parashah Moses states, “This is the word that God has commanded” (Numbers 30:2). Rashi explains that only Moses was able to say “this,” describing the vision that God had given him with absolute clarity, while the capabilities of the other prophets were much more limited….. Read the rest of the above article and more in this week’s Pathway’s below. Breslov: The Danger of Philosophy (How Can Knowledge Be Harmful?) written by Chaya Rivka Zwolinski | July 21, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TK34j-YKEw Rebbe Nachman of Breslov cautioned people against studying secular and even Jewish philosophy. How could knowledge be harmful? Isn’t more information always better? Rebbe Nachman explains that when philosophy poses unanswerable questions (sometimes along with weak, flawed “answers”) it erodes emunah (faith.) Ultimately, Torah and traditional Jewish wisdom touches on every subject under the sun, but when the faithless give credence to ideas that can best be described as black holes of thought, atheism, hopelessness, and nihilism can take root. Chaya Rivka Z. explains. It’s all in the effort written by Shaul Mizrahi | July 21, 2020 Last week we saw how the difficulties a person experiences when trying to do a mitzvah add to the value of the mitzvah when he finally succeeds and to the simchah he experiences. Rebbe Nachman continues in the next sichah, Sichah 12 in Sichos HaRan, to discuss difficulties that are not overcome. The Rebbe reveals that the way of the world is that a person who wishes to come close to HaShem experiences much confusion and many difficulties. It is so much so that he has no idea what to do, and everything he tries to do seems impossible. Whether it is to do a mitzvah or sanctify himself by refraining from something inappropriate, despite intense efforts, he doesn’t seem to ever succeed. Naturally, this situation lends itself to despair. However, the Rebbe is warning us that this is the normal course of events, and therefore there is no reason to despair. About the person who toils in trying to serve HaShem and seems to fail, the Rebbe says the pasuk in Tehillim (44:23): “Ki Alekha horagnu kol hayom, nechsavnu ketzon tivchah“, we were killed for You every day, considered sheep for the slaughter. His efforts in trying to serve HaShem, especially when he knows he will probably not succeed, are likened to bringing a sacrifice in the Beis HaMikdash. For example, a person who tries to daven with kavanah and is constantly attacked by disruptive thoughts, his efforts in trying nonetheless to daven and his desires to daven with true kavanah are brought up on the altar as a sacrifice to HaShem. Therefore, a person should continue to try and do what he can, and know that his efforts are as pleasing to HaShem as a sacrifice in the Beis HaMikdash. The Rebbe ends this sichah with the words “do what you can, and HaShem will do what is good in His eyes.” With this he is making a distinction between the effort and the result. We would like to think that the results of our actions are in our hands. However, this is only our ego who wants to run the world, saying “Ana emlokh“, I will rule. In fact, the results are always in HaShem’s hands. We can only choose what to do or not to do. Therefore, when we choose to try to come close to HaShem and leave the results in His hands, we are sacrificing our ego on the altar, and in this way we will definitely come close to Him. The duty of a Jew is to serve HaShem. The true way to serve Him is on His terms. If a person is only happy if he succeeds in davening the way he thinks he should, then he is trying to serve HaShem on his own terms. In other words, he is not really serving HaShem. He is serving himself. Our successes and failures are in HaShem’s hands and we need not take responsibility for them. All that we need to do is to make sure we are doing everything we can and know that our efforts are very precious to HaShem.