from Rav Simcha Zissel on Bearing the burden with your fellow

Bearing the Burden [1]

. . . . .
What you wrote about "In a place where there are no men…"[2] is relevant to our times and related to what I said about how accustomed people are to deluding themselves with regard to the Shema. It is indeed a great thing to be willing to give up one's life for the sake of God, as it says in the "Orchot Chayim": "because this how you observe the words of the psalmist 'for your sake we are killed all day' (Psalm 44:23)"[3] .
Yet this is also where one can go astray, because who knows when the opportunity for this [giving up your life to sanctify God's name] may arise, God forbid. With regard to "you shall love…" Rashi explained that "these matters that I command you today…" are the way to observe the injunction of "and you shall love"[4] . Indeed, this is something that can be verified right after reciting the prayers: is "and you shall love" among the matters one has placed on his heart? And if it isn't, it's just because of the ways people are accustomed to delude themselves.
Now about people who are not impressed by this teaching, which encompasses many useful subjects, I said earlier that among the middot by which the Torah is acquired is also the middah of bearing the yoke along with your fellow. And we can now understand its meaning from what we saw: a horse harnessed to a heavy cart and refusing to move, and the driver hitting it repeatedly. Had the driver tried to pull the load like the horse, with all his might, he wouldn't be so cruel to the horse, and it is only because he doesn't pull along with it that he can't imagine how to be compassionate toward his horse, who always pulls with all its might. And this is why it is said that if you want to feel the pain of your fellow, stand with him and pull at the yoke along with him and then you will be able to feel his pain. And if you recall the more general article[5] I wrote to Rabbi Shmuel Strashun[6] , you will understand this issue better.
Concerning those who don't take in the lesson above, which shows people's desire to delude themselves that they are tzaddikim, and not wanting to be put to the test for fear of seeing this is not so, about such people it can be said that their souls don't belong to them. Indeed they don't care to know their own souls, as David said: "Look on my right hand, and see, for there is no man that knows me" (Psalms 142:5)[7] And what you wrote is precisely about this, about how people devote themselves to what is not theirs, and not to their own selves that belong to them. And about this it is written: "If I am not for myself, who am I?"[8] , since the most important thing is that my self be mine so that I can take care of it, and this is the whole point.

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[1]Letter from R. Simcha Zissel Ziv to his son. In "Chochmah u'mussar", I p.14-15.

[2]Pirkei avot II:6
ובמקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש
"In a place where there are no men strive to be a man."

[3]"Orchot Chayim" by R. Asher Ben Yechiel:
הוב את ה' אלהיך בכל לבבך וגו', למסור גופך וממונך על קדושתו, ובזה תקיים בעצמך דברי המשורר "כי עליך הורגנו כל היום"..

[4]Rashi on Deuteronomy 6:6
And these words… shall be. What is this “love” [referred to in the previous verse]? It is that these words shall be upon your heart, and through this, you will come to recognize the Holy One, blessed be He, and will [consequently] cling to His ways

[5]The reference is probably to a longer article that appears in "Chochmah u'Musar"as " נחמד ונעים מאמר". A translation of this important article can be found in Ira F. Stone, "A Responsible Life".

[6]Rav Samuel ben Joseph Strashun (1794–March 21, 1872) was a Russian Talmudist.

הַבֵּיט יָמִין, וּרְאֵה-- וְאֵין-לִי מַכִּיר[7]7

[8]Pirkei avot I:14
הוא היה אומר, אם אין אני לי, מי לי

from Rav Simcha Zissel: renewed perception is the source of brakhot

. . . Similarly, the models in the Torah, such as the exodus from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna, the giving of the Torah etc, which involve changing the ways of nature and divine revelation, should naturally arouse wonder (hitpa'alut) among those believing in them. Nevertheless, we read or study them in a cold and almost indifferent way, and they don't shock us or make an impression on us, as if they were normal or routine events.

"The person entering mussar study must strengthen his trust and be as if he had never heard anything before, as if she was born today and found a world full of wonders. And from then on he has an obligation to distinguish between good and evil and only then will his trust be complete, God willing. . ."

Our sages interpret the verse: 'which I command you today' to mean: 'they should be new to you as if you had heard them for the first time today'. And Rabbi Simcha Zissel interprets the intention here to mean that they should not only be dear to you as if they had been given to you today, but also that they should be received every day by reflecting anew on them, as if they had been heard today.

And this is, according to Rav Simcha Zissel, the intention of our sages when they prescribed the blessings, both the blessings for enjoyment and those for mitzvot: so that we won't, out of habit and distraction, ignore natural events and the observance of Torah and mitzvot and to arouse our attention and capacity for reflection.

a dream from Rabbi Nachman (Hebrew)

תקס"ט. א' דַּחֲנֻכָּה אַחַר הַדְלָקַת נֵר חֲנֻכָּה בַּלַּיְלָה אוֹרֵחַ נִכְנַס לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת. וְשָׁאַל לְבַעַל-הַבַּיִת מֵאַיִן פַּרְנָסָתְךָ? וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ אֵין לִי פַּרְנָסָה קְבוּעָה בְּבֵיתִי רַק מִחְיָתִי מִן הָעוֹלָם. וְשָׁאַל לוֹ מָה אַתָּה לוֹמֵד? וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ. וְהָיוּ מְשִׂיחִים יַחַד. עַד שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בְּתוֹךְ שִׂיחַת דְּבָרִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הַלֵּב, וְהִתְחִיל הַבַּעַל הַבַּיִת לְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק וּלְהִתְגַּעְגֵּעַ מְאד אֵיךְ מַשִּׂיגִים וּמַגִּיעִים לְאֵיזֶה דְּבַר מַעֲלָה שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה. אָמַר לוֹ הָאוֹרֵחַ אֲנִי אֶלְמַד עִמְּךָ. וְתָמַהּ הַבַּעַל הַבַּיִת וְהִתְחִיל לַחֲשׁב אוּלַי אֵינוֹ בֶּן אָדָם כְּלָל. אַךְ חָזַר וְרָאָה שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם. אַךְ תֵּכֶף נִתְחַזֵּק הָאֱמוּנָה אֶצְלוֹ לְהַאֲמִין בּוֹ. וְהִתְחִיל תֵּכֶף לְקָרְאוֹ רַבִּי, וְאָמַר לוֹ קדֶם כָּל אֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לִלְמד מִכֶּם אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג בִּכְבוֹדְכֶם וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאֶפְגּם מַמָּשׁ בִּכְבוֹדְכֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם רַק אַף-עַל-פִּי-כֵן בֶּן אָדָם קָשֶׁה לוֹ לְהִזָּהֵר לְגַמְרֵי כָּרָאוּי, עַל-כֵּן אֲנִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁתְּלַמְּדוּנִי אֵיךְ לִנְהג בִּכְבוֹדְכֶם. וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ כָּעֵת אֵין לִי פְּנַאי, בְּעֵת אַחֵר אָבוֹא אֶצְלְךָ וַאֲלַמֶּדְךָ זאת, וְכָעֵת אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ מִכָּאן. וְאָמַר לוֹ גַּם עַל זֶה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לִלְמד מִכֶּם כַּמָּה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְלַוּוֹת אֶתְכֶם, וְאָמַר לוֹ עַד אַחַר הַפֶּתַח וְהִתְחִיל לַחֲשׁב אֵיךְ אֵצֵא עִמּוֹ כִּי כָּעֵת אֲנִי עִמּוֹ בֵּין הַבְּרִיּוֹת וְאִם אֵצֵא עִמּוֹ לְבַדּוֹ מִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הוּא וְשָׁאַל לוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ יֵשׁ לִי פַּחַד לָצֵאת עִמָּכֶם הֵשִׁיב לוֹ אִם אֲנִי יָכוֹל כָּזאת לִלְמד עִמְּךָ. גַּם עַתָּה אִם אֶרְצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר מִי יִמְחֶה בְּיָדִי. וְיָצָא עִמּוֹ מִן הַפֶּתַח. וַאֲזַי תֵּכֶף חָטַף אוֹתוֹ וְהִתְחִיל לִפְרחַ עִמּוֹ, וְהָיָה קַר לוֹ וְלָקַח מַלְבּוּשׁ וְנָתַן לוֹ, וְאָמַר לוֹ קַח זֶה הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ וְיִיטַב לְךָ וְיִהְיֶה לְךָ אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וְכָל טוּב וְתֵשֵׁב בְּבֵיתְךָ וּפָרַח עִמּוֹ.

בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ הִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ. וְלא הָיָה מַאֲמִין בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ, אַךְ הִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא מְדַבֵּר עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם וְאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה כְּדֶרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ חָזַר וְהִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא פּוֹרֵחַ כְּבַתְּחִלָּה, חָזַר וְהִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ, חָזַר וְהִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא פּוֹרֵחַ, וְכֵן הָיָה מִתְנַהֵג זְמַן רַב. אַחַר כָּךְ הוֹרִיד אוֹתוֹ בֵּין שְׁנֵי הָרִים בְּגַיְא וּמָצָא שָׁם סֵפֶר וְהָיוּ בּוֹ צֵרוּפֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת אז"ח הוּא ד' וְכוּ'' וְהָיָה מְצֻיָּר בְּהַסֵּפֶר כֵּלִים וּבְתוֹךְ הַכֵּלִים הָיוּ אוֹתִיּוֹת. גַּם הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הַכֵּלִים אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לַעֲשׂוֹת עַל יָדָם אֵלּוּ הַכֵּלִים וְהָיָה לוֹ חֵשֶׁק מְאד לִלְמד אֶת הַסֵּפֶר. בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ הִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ, חָזַר וְהִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא שָׁם, וְהִתְיַשֵּׁב עַצְמוֹ לַעֲלוֹת אֶל הָהָר אוּלַי יִמְצָא שָׁם אֵיזֶה יִשּׁוּב. וּכְשֶׁבָּא אֶל הָהָר רָאָה עוֹמֵד שָׁם אִילָן שֶׁל זָהָב עִם עֲנָפִים שֶׁל זָהָב וְעַל הָעֲנָפִים תְּלוּיִים כֵּלִים כְּמוֹ אֵלּוּ הַכֵּלִים הַמְצֻיָּרִין בַּסֵּפֶר, וּבְתוֹךְ הַכֵּלִים הָיוּ כֵּלִים שֶׁעַל יָדָם עוֹשִׂים אֵלּוּ הַכֵּלִים. וְהָיָה חָפֵץ לִקַּח מִשָּׁם הַכֵּלִים וְלא הָיָה יָכוֹל, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהָיוּ נִסְבָּכִים שָׁם עַל הָעֲנָפִים שֶׁהָיוּ בְּעַקְמִימִיּוּת. בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ הִסְתַּכֵּל וְהִנֵּה הוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ. וְהָיָה לוֹ פְּלִיאָה גְּדוֹלָה מַה זּאת שֶׁהוּא פַּעַם בְּכָאן וּפַעַם שָׁם. וְהָיָה חָפֵץ לְסַפֵּר זאת לִבְנֵי אָדָם אַךְ אֵיךְ מְסַפְּרִין פְּלִיאָה כָּזוֹ לִבְנֵי אָדָם מַה שֶּׁאֵין רָאוּי לְהַאֲמִין. בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ הִסְתַּכֵּל מִן הַחַלּוֹן וְרָאָה אֶת הָאוֹרֵחַ הַנַּ"ל וְהִתְחִיל לְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ מְאד שֶׁיָּבוֹא אֶצְלוֹ, וְאָמַר לוֹ אֵין לִי פְּנַאי כִּי אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ אֶצְלְךָ. אָמַר לוֹ זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ נִפְלָאת בְּעֵינַי. הֲרֵי אֲנִי כָּאן וּמַה זֶּה שֶׁאַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים אֶצְלִי? הֵשִׁיב לוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּתְרַצֵּיתָ לֵילֵךְ עִמִּי לְלַוּוֹת אוֹתִי מִן הַפֶּתַח אָז לָקַחְתִּי מִמְּךָ הַנְּשָׁמָה וְנָתַתִּי לָהּ לְבוּשׁ מִן הַגַּן עֵדֶן הַתַּחְתּוֹן וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ רוּחַ נִשְׁאַר אֶצְלְךָ. וְעַל-כֵּן כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מְדַבֵּק מַחֲשַׁבְתְּךָ לְשָׁם אַתָּה שָׁם וְאַתָּה מַמְשִׁיךְ הֶאָרָה מִמֶּנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ, וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה חוֹזֵר לְכָאן אַתָּה כָּאן. וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵיזֶה עוֹלָם הוּא, מֵעוֹלָם טוֹב הוּא בְּוַדַּאי וַעֲדַיִן לא נִגְמַר וְלא נִסְתַּיֵים:

a dream from Rabbi Nachman

First day of Chanukah, after lighting the Chanukah candle at night, a guest came in to the householder. He asked him “how do you make a living?” And he replied “My home doesn’t have a steady income only what I make from out in the world”. And he asked him “What are you studying?” And he told him. And they talked together. Until things from the heart started to enter their discussion and the householder started to yearn and to long to acquire and reach high, holy things. The guest told him “I will study with you”.
And the householder started wondering and thinking he might not be human at all. But he saw that he talked to him like human beings do. He was immediately encouraged by this and decided to trust him. And he started calling him "Rabbi" and saying to him reverently “I would first like to ask to learn how to behave toward Your Honor, so it won’t be said that I harmed Your Honor in any way, God forbid; a person cannot be too careful with his behavior and that’s why I want to learn how to behave toward Your Honor." He answered saying “I don’t have time now, I will come some other time and teach you, but now I have to go.” And he said: “This is also something I have to learn from Your Honor, how far should I accompany you?” and he told him “Just beyond the entrance.” He started thinking, "Should I step out with him? now I am among people but if I step out with him by myself who knows who he is", so he told him: “I am afraid to step outside with you”. And he replied: “If I can come in and study with you like this, should I want to do something to you now who can stop me?” So he stepped out with him.
And then he immediately grabbed him and started flying with him and he was cold and he took clothing and gave it to him saying “Here, take this and all with be well with you, you’ll have food and drink and you will sit in your house”; and flew with him.
So he looked and there he was, in his house. And he couldn’t believe it, but when he looked, there he was talking to people, eating and drinking in worldly ways; so he looked again and there he was, flying as before; he looked again and there he was, in his house; he looked again and there he was, flying; and this kept happening for a long time. Then he let him down in a pass between two mountains and there he found a book and in it combinations of letters aleph, zain, chet and dalet and so on; and in the book there were pictures of vessels and inside the vessels there were letters and also letters of the vessels by means of which those vessels could be created; and he felt like studying that book.
He looked and there he was, in his house; he looked again and there he was, about to go up the mountain, in the hope he might find some settlement there. And when he got to the mountain he saw a golden tree standing there, with golden branches and from the branches there were vessels hanging, just like those in the pictures in the book; and inside the vessels there were vessels by means of which those vessels could be created. And he wanted to take those vessels but couldn't because they were tangled in the crooks of the branches. So he looked and there he was, in his house. And he wondered greatly at this, how he was now here, now there. And he wanted to tell people about it, but how can one tell people about such an unbelievable wonder. He looked out the window and saw the same guest and started begging him to come in to his house, and he replied that "I don't have time because I am coming to you". He said to him: "I can't help but wonder about this too: since I am right here, what does it mean that you are coming to me?" He replied "When you wanted to accompany me past the entrance I took your soul [nefesh] and dressed it in clothes from the lower Gan Eden, but your spirit [neshama] I left in you. And because of this when your thoughts cling to that place, then you are in that place … and when you come back here you are here." And I don't know what world he is from, though surely he is from a good world and it hasn't ended and is not over yet.

from "Chayei Moharan"; Hebrew original

from Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira on teshuvah and zrizut

"If you feel that your heart is breaking in your bosom and that both heart and spirit have dried up in you, don't be too confident just yet. Instead, hurry up and look deep in yourself and plow there the hardened soil of your heart, heal the wounds, straighten what's crooked and clean out the worms that are nesting in there.
But do it quickly.
Because even though you think you feel the kind of surrender that comes with teshuvah, it could be that this is just a reaction to some frustrated desire or to some honor that you have been denied, or some other deprivation that you might not even be aware of.
And you cannot be sure that in the next moment, when that desire is fulfilled, your heart won't harden again as before, and the stone won't fall back to close the heart that had been momentarily open. And your heart will be like stone again, sealed and uncircumcised all around. And you'll be left outside, yearning to heal something in there, but alas, you're locked out of your heart and cannot reach it any more."

Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira, "Tzav v'ziruz"

Rabbi Nachman and the narrow bridge

ודע,שכל התנועות וההעתקות, שאתה נתק ונעתק בכל פעם איזה מעט מן גשמיות
לעבודתו יתברך, כלם מתקבצים ומתחברים ומתקשרים ובאים לעזרתך בעת הצרך,
דהינו כשיש, חס ושלום, איזה דחק ועת צרה, חס ושלום. ודע, שהאדם צריך לעבר
על גשר צר מאד מאד, והכלל והעקר שלא יתפחד כלל
ליקוטי מוהר"ן חלק ב', תנינא, מח


"And know that all the moves and actions through which you separate yourself little by little from materiality for the sake of serving God, all gather, join and connect with each other and come to help you in your time of need - that is, when you are hard pressed or in distress, God forbid. And know that a person has to cross over a very, very narrow bridge and the most important rule is not to keep frightening yourself."
Likutey Moharan, Part 2:48