Saba  True Religion!

(You said that your mother would give you for school a drop of oil on bread?) Yes. Yes. With a few drops. So I asked for a few more drops. So she told me, “What?” she screamed at me, “I need the oil for Sabbath. Do not speak at all, that's enough!” Afterwards I went and gave the bread with the drops of oil; I gave it to a poor man. There was in Tiberius a couple, an elder man and elder lady, and he would go begging. So I wanted to do charity and kindness, I took the bread, I didn't have money, I took the bread which my mother gave me and I went to the old man, this Jew, and I gave it to him. His name was Yosef Noach, that was his name, for I remember till this day his name, Yosef Noach, two names. This was after Succos and after the (weekly Torah portion of) Biraishes came the weekly portion Noach, and on Sunday I went and joyously gave him the bread with the drops of olive oil, I thought that I did great charity, he and his wife would eat, yes.

I went to school, and I didn't have what to eat, because I had given away the bread' yes. So I got a bad headache, I needed to eat but I didn't have. So my teacher, his practice was that on Sunday he would tell the students “This weeks Torah Portion is Noach”. Yes, he would repeat this many times in order that they should know that this week is the Torah Portion Noach. He looked at all the students, and he detected that I was not listening at all, as if I wasn't in school, I don't hear at all, and do not know what-so-ever. So he left me, and then he called upon me, “Yisroel Ber! Tell which Torah portion is this week.” And I didn't know and didn't hear, just my head hurt me, that's all I knew, and I didn't hear at all what he said! Nu Nu … he hit me with cruelty, “What's this?! I said many times that this week’s Torah portion is Noach, where were you?! You do not listen?! What is this?! Where were you?! I give out my throat for nothing?!” He hit me, and I was embarrassed in front of all the students. He wanted them all to see and be afraid. The shame is impossible to describe, he hit me so much with cruelty. (How old were you?) little. (5, 6?) yes, approximately. Beginning to learn the Chumash (five books of Moses), the portion Noach. I said from now on I will no longer give away the bread, if I give away the bread I will receive a beating, I will not give and I will not receive blows, and I will know that the weekly Torah portion is the portion Noach. Even still, I gave the bread another time to this pauper/ This was by me all of Judaism. All that I heard about spirituality, about faith, about the Torah, was with me - I received new knowledge which hadn't appeared before, I didn't know from H”Y, from the Torah. I hear that there is the Torah and H”Y, so there was with me great happiness... I was the worst of all the children, the worst. I was born into poverty and I was also a weak child. Yes, I have miracles that I am alive, that I was able to live.... He wanted to know which children were good and which children were not good, so he suddenly left me, passed over, he asked this child, “Say which Torah portion it is this week.” But when he knew which portion, “Portion of Noach” ho ho, then he was already a good child, but there were children that didn't remember, it needed time that they could remind themselves, “portion of Noach”; suddenly he came upon me, “what is the weekly Torah portion?” I didn't know anything' as if I wasn't in this world, yes, in a different court, nu, he is expectant, he is waiting, he is expectant, maybe I will remember... I? “what is this” doesn't know anything, Noach, Noach? So he – he waited and waited for an answer and there is no answer, does not know. So he asks me, “Where were you? You were not here at all, where? In what world were you? What is this? You don't know? I speak and I give all my strength and you do not listen?” So he was very angry with me, and he hit me cruel blows. He hit me, “What is this? I speak just like that for nothing? And you do not listen? I speak and you do not know even the portion? Yes, do not know one word. “Where were you?!” Even still I saw that I need the bread, for I receive a beating, and such a beating! I suffered from the beating, and also I was embarrassed, I was humiliated before the children.... He didn't hit even one other, just Yisroel Ber! (And the demeaning started from then!), the disgrace was more, more painful than the beating. I tell all of this, so that we know how much H”Y loves simple wholesomeness. I wasn't an intellectual just the wholesomeness of the heart, I very much loved the Torah and the commandments and the faith and fear of Heaven, and when I saw someone learning, or he was simple/wholesome and was reciting Psalms, then I thought, ah – this man he is thinking of the true purpose, fortunate is this man, he is busy with Psalms and he studies!

 

Conversations with Saba Zeh Rebbeniu!

Falsehood will be Transformed into Attachment

My heart and soul, Mr. Zalman Shazar, who purifies and polishes his soul with the exalted and completley new wonders that were revealed in these generations peace and life and all good.

(my words in bold italic)

Even one who merits to  find himself a true friend, who recieved from the True Tzaddik words of truth. That genuinly help his soul, even so one still needs great exertion and much searching until he can find and comprehend the truth of his holy advice. Upon which depends the essence of Judaism. For it a very difficult to help a person with free will, except with the very very awesome kindness of G-d that the True Tzaddik draws down all the time. But one needs from this at least some arousal from below, and therefore the task of working with people to draw them to the ultimate Truth is very very deep; deep deep who can find it. And one needs for this much searching and seeking, both from the friend and from the student, and if they truly will search, certainly they will find!
Rabbeinu [our teacher], may the memory of teh Tzaddik be for a blessing, told Rabbi Yudel, of blessed memory, from Medvidevka, at the begining of his attachment [to Rebbe Nachman], that when one desires to draw near to theTruth then the falsehood becomes powerful. ANd when one overcomes the obstacles and words like these he spoke and rebuked him, until his father-in-law was very regretful about this, and that day onwards. And after Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac, may his memory be blessed, finished the shema, [Rabbeinu] appeared before him, and his heart became very filled with joy and happiness until he litterally restored his life. And in the morning Rabbeinu, may his memory be blessed, arose early and returned to his home, And from then on Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac, may his memory be blessed, toiled in G-d's service without ab obstructer or adversary!
Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda, may his memory be blessed, from Teplik, before his attachment to  Rabbeinu, may the Tzaddiks memory be a blessing, was very famous in many towns, and people would give him redemption money [charity money given to a tzaddik to achieve expiation]. And afterwords, when he recognized the truth of Rabbeinu, may his memory be blessed, he abandoned and rejected his celebrated behavior and took upon himself the yoke of serving the blessed one with sincerity and simplicity. And also he did not turn his face away from all the shame and embarrassment that he had because of this. And he returned to G-d with all his heart and soul, like the other men of Rabbeinu, may his memory be blessed!
The faith alone, in that one believes in the Tzaddik and draws himself near to him, even if he will not get anything from him, this in itself is very good. For through the faith and the attachment  alone his evil is consumed and he is transformed into the substance of the tzaddik, (the substance of the tzaddik? what does this mean)with the stipulation that his intent is for heaven. Rabbeinu, may his memory be blessed, rebuked one person who was close to him and became distant and afterwards returned and came back to him. He answered and said: "Even if many years pass by and one does not move and rise in his level, and just remains at his first level, as in the begining, and even if he is worse the before, as long as he is connected to the true tzaddik, the attachment itself is very good, without measure or value.(as long as he is attached to the true tzaddik this it self is very good without measure? so what is the point of going anywhere else? why not just stay on that level?) Behold there are people with me for whom I do not know if the deepest part of Hell was enough for them, and through me they became close to G-d!" (Wow can any one explain what he means here possibly in plain english laymen terms, more deapth... is he saying what I think he is?)

the one who seeks your peace and success with fierce love, with all my heart and soul.
Yisroel Dov Odesser

Sorry everyone for taking so long to post another been busy. New post comming up..... Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman!!!

Be Strong in Overcoming Obstacles

(again my comments in bold italic)

My dear Mr. Zalman Shazar, who understands one thing from another: great peace.

You must pay attention to understand the subtle implications of our words, to recieve hints from them about the matter of attaching to the Tzaddik, in whose great power even one who is distant and has fallen into a deep endless descent is able to draw near to G-d [the Blessed L-rd]. Even if our deeds do not reflect favourably, and we have done what we have done, and damaged what we have damaged, and become estranged as we have, and have arrived to where we have, so that we have destroyed the house of wisdom, and burned the temple of intellect, and exiled our knowledge to the place of exile: Still G-d does His, and the kindensss of G-d are not exhausted and His mercies do not cease, One who goes in phyicality all his days and afterwords becomes inspired and wants to draw near to the tzaddik. Who will lead him in the ways of G-d; at that point the trait of harsh judgement accuses him and does not leave him alone and arranges a obstacle for him. And the fool, when he sees the obstacle, turns back. But one who is intelligent draws himself near precisley at that point. For in truth God himself is hidden in this obstacle. G-d does not send any person obstacles except according to his strength and ability to stand up to them if he wants to overcome them properly. Therefore really there is no obstacle at all, for all the obstacles are only a illuison. The main thing is to have a strong and couragres heart, and then nothing obstructs him from drawing near to the truth, for every obstacle is nullified for one who makes his heart strong and courages in G-d!!
People have more power then the evil urge to obstruct and entice the person and to distance him from G-d and from the True Tzaddik. Therefore one who wants truly to draw near to the truth needs to be very courges against there evil brazeness, and let his will be strong against theirs, not to be imbarresed by the scoffers. You should think that there is nothing in the world except he alone, unique in the world, and not to look at any person who obstructs him. To be like abraham was one [LM, intro to part 2], as though he is alone in the world. And through this you can merit to find G-d through searching and seeking alone, and that he requests, and seeks, and searches for his Blessed Glory. And precisley by overcomming such a powerful concealment, afterwords his Blessed Glory is elevated and exahaulted even more, and in the end everything is transformed for the good and the world is completely rectified!!!
Because of the preoccupation of Erev Shabbos Kodesh [prepreations for the holy sabbath] , it is imparative to conclude. Your beloved friend, who is connected to your heart everyday always, who truly entreats for your peace and wellfare.

(guess i have nothing to say about this it is just inspiring... Anyone else feel free to comment)

Yisroel Dov Odesser

Rebuke

The delight of my heart, finer then gold and pearls, Mr. Zalman Shazar. May the Almighty extend your years with the supreme pleasantness, in a manner that you will cast off and nullify your wisdom and intellect to the sweetness of the light of knowledge of the Tzaddik, the True Sage.

Heartfelt Brother, Gevald! [untranslatable Yiddish expression meaning approx. it cant be!] You are sleeping! How much longer will you sleep? The time is passing and roaring and storming and running and flying fast, more then the shadow of a bird that flies in the air, and it is possible that the day has come for the body to expire. And what shall we do for the last day? There is no wisdom and no advice except to flee to the True Tzaddik, the Elder of Elders, the Saba [literally grandfather, but connoting a very wise old Sage] of Sabin, the choice of the choicest Tzaddikim, who through, his mighty greatness and awesome power, is able to repair everything (again here we also see the True Tzaddik can repair everything).  Even souls, that are so flawed and damaged that it is impossible for them to be repaired in any way.
Even though it is a great thing to rebuke ones friend when he sees that he is not acting properly, even so not every person is capable of rebuking. For the rebuke of someone who is not fit for this, not only does not help but even defiles the smell of the souls who hear his rebuke. For through his rebuke he arouses the bad smell of the evil deeds and evil characteristics of the people that he rebukes, and through that he weakens there souls. But the voice of the proper rebuker strengthens the power of the soul, because he adds and gives a good smell to the souls through th voice of his rebuke, and they merit to perfect faith. And through that the glory of G-d is greatly enhanced. For the main glory of G-d [the blessed L-rd] is when people who are outside of holiness bring themselves near inside the holiness. This is the main glory of G-d, and in such a manner is elevated and enhanced the name of the Holy One Blessed be He above and below. And through this peace is drawn down into the world. This matter of rebuke is from the things that I   wrote two years ago to the prime minister, Mr. David Bengurion, it is worth requesting that he show you the letter, because it is very perinent.

Yisroel Dov Odesser
Tiberias

The Obstacles to Approaching the Tzaddik

(again my words in bold italic)

to the faithful one of my heart, Mr. Zalman Shazar, with a prominently high soul. Peace and great salvation. G-d [the blessed L-rd] think of ways that the estranged to not become alienated from Him. And when He sees that the person is falling to a place that is extremely low and distant from the Torah, in utter lowliness and unworthiness, and that the forces of evil and defilement are spreading out over him from every side and want to swallow him completly, G-d forbid, G-d sends to him hints appropriate to that place. And He sends him a certain merit that he can attain precisley in that distant place. And that is the test and choice. And if there he will merit to remember G-d and to do there what G-d hints to him, wherever he is, he can easily return to G-d.

The Tzaddik, who is of extremely great stature, who has purified himself from everything, is not dead at all. For also after his passing he works to rectify the souls of Israel, even more then in his lifetime, since then he is rising constantly all the time to levels that are so high and wonderous and exalted that he can repair everything. (Saba here says he can repair anything) For the main rectification must be recieved from the highest place, and each person, according to how very much he has damaged, G-d forbid, needs to recieve the repair from a correspondingly high and distant place. And this is the aspect of "From afar" G-d appears to me; From afar precisley, "From afar" she will bring her bread. For the main rectification must be recieved from afar, from a place very much higher and more distant from him.
But the main thing is we must break many obstacles before we merit to draw near to this tzaddik. (so this kind of means that if we are drawing near to the tzaddik we have broken obstalces already,so kinda like Rebbe Nachman says, If one is in despair he can at least rejoice he is a Jew, So couldn't you also say of one is in despair one can at least rejoice that he has merited to draw close to the tzaddik. Also this seems to be saying as one draws close to the Tzaddik there will be many obstacles, and I am assuming one is always rising higher and higher drawing closer to the Tzaddik.?) For the obstacles are very powerful and numerous without number. Especially the mental obstacles that exist; that people do not believe in essence that they can recieve rectification, because of their extensive damage time after without measure, for many days and years. And even though they blame themselves for the damage, this also is a type of obstacle: That they do not believe in the greatness of G-ds kindness, which are unlimted, and in the greatness of the True Tzaddik, who draws down wonderously new kindness each time, until everyone who wants to receieve them can merit through him and be repaired, even if he damaged what he damaged G-d forbid.
The main illumination of the glory of G-d in the world is only through the Tzaddik, who finds righteousness in the majority of the people and trys to draw near the distant and to return them to G-d. For this is the main glory of G-d, may His glory be elevated and increased in the world. Therefore every person needs to try hard to draw the estranged near to G-d. Also one should not say, How can I draw near to G-d when I am so distant because of the multitude of my evil deeds? For just the opposite: The further away one is, the more the glory of G-d is magnified through him when he tries to return and to draw near to the blessed one, for this is the main glory of G-d.

The author and arranger, who prays always and everyday for your peace and welfare, with all his heart and with self sacrifice, who seeks your peace and the peace of your dependants.

Yisroel Dov Odesser

The Tzaddik is the Cure for All Problems

(my words are in bold italic)

To the beloved of my heart, who yearns and desires to see the sparkling secret, hidden visions, Mr Zalman Shazar. May the L-rd uplift the horn of his salvation and open the eyes of his mind to distinguish and see the truth eye to eye.

In our days a robber has entered our borders, and he is the head of all our enemies. He has put a iron trap upon us and buried obstacles in our path. He has spread out nets for our feet. His eyes are peircing at us, and his teeth grinding upon us. To fall upon us and destroy us. And each and everyday he renews his strength and overpowers us. Forcing us to drink his cup of poison, and it is complely beyond our capability to stand up against him. Therefore the L-rd has done a wonder with us and has brought the cure before the blow and has sent down to us the True Tzaddik, the head and chosen of all the choice Tzaddikim. He is the Rebbe and the leader of our generation and of all future generation, who will water the all the earth with wisdom and knowledge of the L-rd, using the rivers and streams of his wisdom and his profound rectifications and advice. In order to purify the impure, to wash off the soilded, to whiten the stained, to give merit to the guilty, to atone for the transgressors, to drawn near the estranged, to gather in the exiled and lost, to liberate the imprisoned, to rejoice the hearts of the depressed and ostracized!
Happy is the one who is save from erring and those who wander in darkness and gloom, who cannot see and gaze at the light of the True Tzaddik, who is the root of all the Tzaddikim of all generations. For He will finish completly all the rectifications that the Tzaddikim of all the generations began and will rectify the entire world in utter perfection. And with this enormous power he will suppress and nullify all of the heresy and atheism from the world and will draw into the world great faith. And he will illuminate for everyone a revelation of G-dliness so extremley awesome that the likes of which has never yet been heard or seen in the history of th wold.
When the force of the serpents poison becomes over-powering, G-d forbid, and one become very distanced fromt the holiness of his Judaism. And he wonders aimlessly and burdned., and he has replulsed him from his holiness time after time. Then the holiness of the human soul awakens; and then precisley, if one is strong and courages and starts to request, search, seek, and dig at every moment and to yearn and desire to find the Holy One Blessed be He. And even if still many days and years pass by and he does not merit to find the Holy One Blessed be He and to be drawn near to Him; even so he should know and believe that every moment, through every searching and seeking and through every summons that one summons and searches and seeks to find the Glory of the Holy One Blessed be He and through every glance and yearning that He looks and lifts his eye towards Holiness, through all this he merits each time to break walls of iron and doors of brass. And even though each time afterwards they overpower him even more, eves so his effort is not in vain, G-d forbid, and no movment that he turns towards Holiness is lost, G-d Forbid. (Wow! Inspiring! I would do well to always remember this!)
And certainly in the end he will merit to find the Holy One Blessed be He to ascend to the greatest ascent. :-)   And this power to search and seek for the blessed One even in the greatest descent, in the deepest exile of the soul, is in the merit of the teaching of the True Tzaddik, who turns to lovingkindness always and finds good in every member of Israel, and through that he endeavers to heal each one, even if he is very very sick with spiritual illness. For He [True Tzaddik] finds also in him good points, like hairs: as when he disengages from evil and attaches himself to good even as much as a hairs breath. And that hair becomes a channel through which the Tzaddik introduces intelligence also into him, until he instills within him even comprehension of the Divine. For this is the essential greatness of the Tzaddik: When he can heal even the sickest person!

The writer and organizer, who prays everyday for your peace and success, and who is bound to your precious and pleasant soul always and at all times, truly with all my heart and soul, and who seeks your peace and welfare and the peace of your dependants.

Yisroel Dov Odesser