LEAVING OUR CRISES BEHIND

 LEAVING OUR CRISES BEHIND, THE BRESLOV                                              WAY

PART I

Do you feel like you're drowning in a sea of problems, or stuck in a prison-like situation? Do your negative states of mind literally make you sick? Or do you feel lost, without a clue where to turn next? Or is your situation much less extreme, but could possibly be improved in any of these directions?

You're not alone. In fact, these are four types of crises that we all go through in life. They're the subject of Chapter 107 of Tehillim, which lists four instances when people owe special gratitude to Hashem: crossing the desert; being freed from prison, recovering from a serious illness, and returning from a sea voyage.

Yet these circumstances don't have to be taken literally. They're just the archetypes of crises that happen to all of us.

The good news is that there is a way out! In fact, Reb Noson of Breslov, in his "Likutei Halochos", offers a complete program for leaving such problems behind. According to him, these four situations are caused by four types of blemishes that need to be corrected:

- Losing one's way in the desert is caused by flawed tzedakah giving.

- Finding oneself in prison is caused by a blemish in attitude to Shabbos and emunah because, as it says in "Likutei Moharan", Shabbos is freedom.

- Being sick is caused by imperfections in learning halacha because halacha is a key to balance and harmony in life as well as in the human body.

- Getting lost in a rough sea is caused by a blemish in tikkun ha-bris (for women this means modesty in clothing, speech, behavior, and thought), while getting ashore is possible only through the strength of the tzadikkim.

So, taking Reb Noson words as an inspiration, I decided to create a short practical program for making all those crises the thing of the past. For maximum benefit, it would be best to work on correcting all four types of blemishes, doing something small in each direction every day:

1. Tzedakah (also includes gemilas chasadim - being kind and doing favors for other Yidden). This could be something as small as putting a coin in a tzedakah box, or lending a couple of eggs to a neighbor with a smile. Also included are volunteering and donating money to worthy causes. If you can't give much yourself, you can get others to give!

2. Shabbos/emunah. This includes looking forward to Shabbos and doing something small to prepare for it every day, as well as thinking about how keeping Shabbos reflects our emunah in Hashem.

3. Learning halacha. The best way to work on this would be to pick a book on halacha and study it for five to ten minutes every day while being careful to fulfil any relevant halachos.

4. Modesty in clothing, speech, behavior, and thought. What I suggest here is just being mindful of the challenges that Hashem sends us every day in these areas and making an effort to work on them as they come. Of course, if you feel ready to make some real improvement in the area of tznius (something small, so that you don't become discouraged if you can't keep it up), this would be even better.

5. Our connection to tzaddikim. This could be studying Breslov (or Chassidic) books and doing your best to apply their recommendations to real life, visiting kivrei tzaddikim, or finding your own way to work on this connection consistently.

The key is finding some small but tangible way to work on all these five areas daily for at least a month. I've been working on this project for several weeks already, and now I feel the need to share it with other growth-oriented women. Please join me - doing this together would be much more fun!

LEAVING OUR CRISES BEHIND, THE BRESLOV WAY

PART II

How do we get out of feeling stuck in our life cicumstances and negative attitudes; of having lost our way in life; of drowning in our problems and overwhelming emotions; and, finally, how do we get healthy - physically, emotionally, and spiritually?

We already know that Reb Noson of Breslov offers five rectifications for fixing all those problems:

- giving tzedakah;

- keeping Shabbos and strengthening emuna;

- studying halacha;

- working on tikkun ha-bris (keeping our Covenant with Hashem, which for women means modesty in clothing, speech, behavior, and thought);

- feeling connected to tzaddikim.

Once we've mastered, at least to some extent, these five rectifications, we're ready for the next step that will really help us to leave our current problems behind.

As we know, Hashem created the world with the letters of the Torah and continues to direct it now using these same letters.Yet the Hebrew letters have a unique quality - they're lifeless and silent by themselves; in order to come to life, to be pronounced, they need vowel points (nekudos).

But how are these nekudos created? In Torah 31 of "Likutei Moharan", Rebbe Nachman says that they are formed by kisufin - yearnings of the Jewish people. When we want what is really good for us, we create positive combinations of the Torah letters. This, in turn, impacts the whole world for the better and saves us from our own troubles.

No we are ready to work on the second part of this program. To make it easier to remember, I have based it on the following aphorism from Rebbe Nachman's "Sefer Ha-Middos" ("Mitigating Judgement" 9): "There are four things that abolish harsh decrees against a person: tzedaka, crying out to Hashem, changing one's name, and improving one's conduct".

Now let's consider each part individually (we're going to change the order a little):

1. Tzedakah. This is really a reminder to continue working daily on all the previous rectifications, one of which is giving tzedakah. For optimum results, it's best to practise this program as a single whole.

2. Changing One's Name. Of course, this shouldn't be taken literally. Rebbe Nachman says that the name reflects the nefesh, and the nefesh is formed by a person's desires. So "changing one's name" really means changing one's aspirations.

Suggestions for Practice: Several times a day, ask yourself, "What do I really want in life?" And, even more importantly, "What do I really want to want?"

Another question to think about, "Are there any desires that are keeping me stuck, that I want to stop entertaining?"

Rebbe Nachman says that thinking about one's desires is what forms the nefesh b'koach (potentially).

3. Crying Out to Hashem. Yet it's not enough just to yearn for good things in one's thoughts. The next step is articulating one's positive aspirations. This is what actually (b'poal) creates one's soul. Reb Noson says that once a person is in trouble, it's not enough to just talk to Hashem; what one really needs is to cry out to Hashem with full force!

Suggestions for Practice. This is best achieved via hisbodedus (personal prayer) - one's private conversation with Hashem. One should strive to practise hisbodedus daily, starting with five or ten minutes. Speak (or cry out) about what you really want in life, what at this stage you only want to want, and how you need Hashem's help in getting rid of desires that aren't good for you.

4. Improving One's Conduct.

Positive aspirations are meaningful and valuable only when they lead to positive action. You may not be able to put into practice everything you yearn for (or at least not all at once). Yet the most important thing is action, as it says in the Talmud, "The goal of the Torah is teshuvah and good deeds".

Suggestions for Practice: Every day try to realize at least one positive intention, no matter how small, that you have thought about during daily hisbodedus. Or you can devise a plan and every day work on one small step.

As a result of all this work, your articulated aspirations, combined with some positive actions, will create good combinations of the Torah letters, which help you to leave your current problems and crises behind.

I truly believe that this program is going to help you as it is helping me. I've been working on it for several weeks now, and the positive influence it is having on my life is very real and tangible.