Breslov Therapy : PESACH, MATZAH AND MARROR - THE "AZAMRA!" AND "AYEH?" COMBINATION

Thursday, March 26, 2015

PESACH, MATZAH AND MARROR - THE "AZAMRA!" AND "AYEH?" COMBINATION

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that a person must always strive to be happy. Always! This is mainly through the approach of sifting out the "good points" from within the bad points. And even if these good points seem so "bruised" and "rotten", still one must sift out the good point from within the good points. This process continues, finding other similar good points.

By doing this, one gathers strength to start again in life, and is filled with renewed energy and hope to be optimistic and happy. The main result of this attitude is that you are now able to open your mouth (i.e. to be talkative) and praise/sing to Hashem for all the good points that you have found. This being the opposite of not being able to speak due to sadness, depression and lethargy.

This is hinted in King David's words: "Azamra LeLohay BeOdi"- I will praise/sing to my Lord [Hashem] with my little bit of good that I find within myself.

(for more elaboration on the concepts of this lesson please listen to: Likutey Moharan #282 - AZAMRA!)

However, there are times when a person is so broken and stuck in darkness that, try as he may to find some modicum of good, he just can't. What then? Rebbe Nachman teaches that when the darkness is very thick, not allowing for even a ray of light, one must then cry out "Ayeh Mekom Kevodo?" - Where is the place of His [Hashem's] Glory? By turning to Hashem for help, thus recognizing that Hashem must be behind this darkness, this leads to a strong revelation of His presence even within the darkness, thus turning the darkness into light. This light enables one to "see" the good points.

(for more elaboration on the concepts of this lesson please listen to: Likutey Moharan II #12 - AYEH?)

Reb Noson, Rebbe Nachman's primary disciple, explains that where the lesson of "Azamra" [I will sing!] doesn't work, the lesson of "Ayeh?" - [Where is His Glory?] will definitely work to help one find the good points again.

The following parable illustrates this point quite clearly:

Once, there was a wealthy merchant who sat in his store selling his merchandise and wears. He was set upon by robbers who robbed him of his money and merchandise. Still, with whatever he salvaged from the robbery, he picked himself up and started again, selling whatever was left and buying other merchandise. Then again he was set upon by robbers who robbed him of this too. Still, he picked himself up again, salvaging whatever little was left from this too, and together with money that he got from selling his wife's jewelry, he purchased more merchandise and started again. Then again, he was set upon by robbers who robbed from him this too.

Having barely nothing left, he closed his shop and became a travelling salesman of tiny items such as needles and trinkets. He would travel from village to village trading with the farmers his tiny items for eggs, chickens and the like, so that he could have some food to bring back home.

Once, while travelling back home he was set upon by a mounted bandit, carrying two large sacks on his horse. The merchant begged the bandit for mercy, saying that he had nothing left besides what he was carrying. The merciless bandit took everything the merchant had, leaving him totally empty-handed.

Broken and crying bitterly, the merchant had no idea what to do and where to go. Suddenly he noticed that the bandit had fallen off of his horse, and while trying to get back up, the horse trampled on the bandit's head thus killing him.

Approaching the sacks containing his robbed items left on the horse, the merchant opened them, discovering to his great delight and joy, that they contained all of his stolen items even from the first robbery in his store. Everything was there. He thus retrieved all of his wealth and merchandise, reconnecting to his previous wealthy status.

(taken from Chayey Moharan #97, translated as: TZADDIK - A PORTRAIT OF RABBI NACHMAN)

The merchant was able to pick himself up and salvage the remaining stock, because he was focusing on the good, on what was still there. He followed this pattern every time, thus continuing along the path of his goal in life.

However, when set by the bandit who took everything left, he was so broken and overwhelmed that he couldn't find a way to get up and start again. Even if such a possibility somehow did still exist, still the darkness of his situation blocked him from seeing this avenue of hope.

What did he do? He cried out in despair. Because he didn't see any light, he cried out, as if to say "Where are You Hashem in my miserable situation?" By doing so, not only did he see the opening - i.e. the death of the bandit - but also got back all that was stolen from him.

In this vein we can make the following summary:

Azamra! - i.e. finding the good points - is to maintain the continuity of not falling off of one's path.

Ayeh? - crying out to Hashem in despair- is to help a person retrieve all that was lost and taken from him.

Thus, with the combination of these 2 pathways there really is NO DESPAIR!

This is also the concept of Pesach, Matzah and Marror.

In the Seder night, we perform the Mitzvah of Korekh - commemorating the eating of the Pesach sacrifice, the Matzah and the Bitter Herb (Marror) all together.

Pesach literally translates as "skipping over" symbolizing Hashem's skipping over the houses of the Israelites when he inflicted the Egyptians with the plague of the death of the first born.

In our context this is "skipping over" the bad points, while focusing on "finding" good points.

This "finding" is connected to Matzah. The word for Matzah (מצה in Hebrew) is etymologically similar to the Hebrew word for finding (מצא with an Aleph at the end).

Thus, Pesach and Matzah connotes skipping over the bad points and finding the good points.

However, they are both eaten together with Marror, which connotes bitterness. This is the bitterness of darkness, not knowing where there is hope. By crying to Hashem out of this bitterness - Ayeh? - one can again find more light and newer openings and opportunities that weren't there before.

May we merit through the holy light and devotions of Pesach to finding the good and crying out of the darkness, and merit to get back all of our lost items, including our long awaited Holy Temple in Yerushalayim the Golden, speedily in our days, Amen.

With blessings for a Kosher and Happy Pesach

Meir Elkabas

* * *

To help needy and large families in Jerusalem (including my family) to cover the Pesach holiday expenses, please follow this paypal link: PESACH SUPPORT FOR NEEDY FAMILIES IN JERUSALEM

Your name will be included in a 40-day davening list, including sporadic prayers at the holy cites of the Holy Land.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TIZKU LEMITZVOT

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A Brief Outline of Breslov Therapy

By Meir Elkabas

for a brief audio outline please listen to: Breslov Therapy - A Brief Outline

When a person doesn't feel well he goes to a doctor who diagnoses his condition and prescribes a treatment. If the condition is a serious one then he made need to go to a specialist. So too Rebbe Nachman offers a diagnosis to every person at every age and in every situation in life, offering advice - treatment - as to what can be done. Rebbe Nachman is the all around specialist.

In Breslov Therapy, the following material is used:

1- Likutey Eitzot (Advice)

2- The Kitzur (Abridged) Likutey Moharan

3- Likutey Moharan

4- Likutey Tefilot (The Fiftieth Gate)

5- Likutey Halachot.

The very first step is to do what is called hitbodedut - secluded meditation. In hitbodedut one should attempt to pinpoint what one feels to be the root attribute in preventing one's personal development in life.

One will find attributes and characteristics in oneself grouped in two categories: 1-cause/root attributes. 2- effect/resulting attributes. For example, one may suffer from haughtiness and anger. Haughtiness could be the "cause" for the "resulting" anger.

Thus haughtiness is a root attribute that requires priority attention.

Once you have located what you feel to be the "root" cause to other negative attributes, take a look at the book Advice/Likutey Eitzot in the chapter which closest relates to your root. Eg. for haughtiness take a look at the chapter Pride and Humility

After looking up the whole chapter, see which paragraph most relates to what you are going through. Then look up the corresponding lesson in The Kitzur (abridged) Likutey Moharan. Eg. paragraph 21 reads: Humility protects against sexual temptation. Pride arouses it (130). The number (130) refers to lesson 130.

It happens sometimes that you relate to several paragraphs in a single chapter, and you just don't know which one to choose. If this happens take a look at the corresponding lessons in the Kitzur Likutey Moharan and see if your variety of choice still stands or not. If you still cannot choose between several lessons, then take a look at the corresponding prayers on the lessons in the Likutey Tefilot – Fiftieth Gate.

Once you have found what you feel to be the "right" lesson. Start reviewing the actual lesson in the Likutey Moharan over and over again along with the corresponding prayer in Likutey Tefilot.

Get so associated and adjusted to the lesson until you practically know it by heart. As you continue to review, the lesson begins to literally turn "alive" illuminating your life: You can use your life experiences to perceive the lesson, and also use the lesson to perceive your life. All the while continually saying the corresponding prayer along with your own additions.

Learning the lesson in Likutey Moharan activates the actual remedies, guidelines and advices in your life. The more you review the lesson (seeking deeper insight) the more refined and acute is the remedy. Praying to attain the lesson's themes directs this "remedy" to where the spiritual wound is located.

This can be compared to having the right medication, but if you don't apply it to the actual wound, it won't help that much. So too, Rebbe Nachman's deep, profound words actually create a spiritual remedy, but if you don't daven to HaShem to direct the spiritual doses in the right area, you won't get that far. Judaism is based mainly on articulation – in torah and prayer.

Thus far, we have 2 stages in Breslov Therapy: The diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis is finding the right lesson that relates to you and the treatment in itself has 2 parts: learning the lesson to activate the remedy and davening about it through the Likutey Tefilot on the lesson joined with your own personal hitbodedut.

However, like in any surgery/treatment if there is no pain-killer the treatment hurts, especially in this case where the Rebbe's teachings are going straight to the core of all physical/spiritual maladies. For this, one requires an anesthesiologist. Rebbe Nachman's advice is to always carry along with you two lessons and constantly go with them – lesson 282 and 195.

By going over the lesson and accompanying prayer the treatment is in process. The next stage is the recovery process. This is the Likutey Halachot.

Likutey Halakhot shows you how to implement and apply the lesson's themes, ideals and practical ramifications in day to day life, and how these items are found hidden and underlying various subjects in the Torah.

At the back of every standard edition of Likutey Moharan, you have an index showing the various discourses in Likutey Halachot that are based on a particular lesson in Likutey Moharan (for more details see "The Methodology of Likutey Halachot" at the appendix to the book "Through Fire and Water")

In Summary:

1) The diagnosis is learning the right lesson in Likutey Moharan that relates exactly to what you presently need, offering you advice as to what to go about doing.

2) The actual surgery/therapy/treatment is in itself 2 stages - a) learning the holy words of the lesson have the power to activate the remedy while b) davening about the lesson using the Likutey Tefilot, Tehillim and especially your own hitbodedut "directs" the remedy to the appropriate place.

3) The recovery stage using the Likutey Halachot which guides you how to implement the lessons ramifications in your life on a broader scale to cover just about every area in life.Although note: since the process is painful you will need constant dosages of lesson 282 (Azamra) and 195. Also, these 3 stages may be done simultaneously.

The lesson in Likutey Moharan should be reviewed over and over again until you literally know it almost by heart. While reviewing questions will and should pop up. You may reach a point where the lesson might become a bit dry. At this point you should go a step deeper and begin to delve into the main commentaries on Likutey Moharan.

There are 4 main commentaries on the Likutey Moharan: 1) Parparaot LeChochmah 2) BeIbey HaNachal 3) Mey HaNachal 4) Biur HaLikutim.

As you learn the lesson with these commentaries, you will notice that they ask most of the questions that you yourself had (it makes you feel good that you are at least on the right track!!!).

Furthermore they will arouse your attention to newer and deeper perceptions into the lesson which will only enhance your feeling and excitement to connect with the "soul" of the lesson.

This is especially true with the fourth commentary, the Biur HaLikutim. Biur HaLikutim is a very, very deep commentary on the Likutey Moharan, which requires you to be totally absorbed into the lesson in order to actually understand what he is saying. The author developed 18 rules to learning the Likutey Moharan which he culled from the writings of Reb Noson.

With all this simultaneous input from the Likutey Moharan, Likutey Tefilot, Likutey Halachot, etc. you will amazingly see how your whole life will presently revolve around the lesson. You will be able to connect everything in life as hints to the lesson, from your daily prayer services to your spouse's latest arguments.

For most people entering the Likutey Moharan with its accompanying commentaries is too deep to begin with. Therefore it is highly suggested and recommended to use the BRI's translation and commentary to the Likutey Moharan.

The commentary collects all the commentaries as they relate to understanding the simple flow of the lesson, along with accompanying background info to all the verses, Talmudic, Midrashic, Zoharic and Kabbalistic quotes that Rebbe Nachman refers to.

The feeling and experience of how Rebbe Nachman "dresses-up" his perception in a Biblical verse or quote from Chazal is truly inspiring. It could literally ignite you with fiery words in your personal hitbodedut. In essence this is the "shpitz" of Breslov Therapy - to renew and enflame yourself with powerful and deep words of prayer to Hashem in order to effect positive changes in life.

People generally ask: Does Breslov Therapy really work? Is it proven and tested?From personal experience of almost 20 years it has helped tremendously!!! However, there are practical hints that you can use to see if you're headed in the right direction:

1) if things do not change in life - have patience and keep on going until you do see some change.

2) If things start to get worse, this may also be a good sign, as Rebbe Nachman states, that at the beginning of a healing process, the sick person normally gets worse but then gets better.

3) If things get just worse and worse and worse - then you could assume that you are in the wrong direction, and take another lesson to work on.

Another point to take note of - if you do see positive changes in life with a specific lesson, continue until the moment you don't see or feel any noticeable changes. Know then that you have received the main points of the lesson. Look into another characteristic that you would like to work on.

When getting adjusted to the Likutey Tefilot and Likutey Halachot on the accompanying lesson you will notice that they relate to you more than anything else in life. From this you can see Reb Noson's greatness, in that he continues to be your best and most understanding friend in life.

If after all is said and done, Breslov Therapy still doesn't work, then possibly the problem is more profound. I.e. if a person goes to a "doctor" to receive treatment, and then argues with the doctor about his treatment, the patient won't get too far. One must trust and put his faith in the "doctor" that he is giving the best treatment possible.

So too, for Breslov Therapy to work one must have faith and trust that Rebbe Nachman knows his stuff and offers us the best diagnosis possible to help our situations. A suggestion to build this faith would be to learn the following books: 1) Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom 2) Tzaddik - A Portrait of Rabbi Nachman.

Another important item which can help is to actually visit the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman, Ukraine, and simply ask him to open one's heart and soul to the healing effects of his teachings. Judaism is based on the belief that tzaddikim never die and their spirit can still be found hovering over the grave.

For more info please contact Meir Elkabas:

WhatsApp:

1-732-800-1863

breslovtherapy@gmail.com

Breslov Therapy

RESOURSES FOR ACTIVATING AND INTERNALIZING LIKUTEY MOHARAN LESSON 24

Thursday, March 26, 2015

PESACH, MATZAH AND MARROR - THE "AZAMRA!" AND "AYEH?" COMBINATION

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