=sc_aa1 from =scaa1a .... scaa1j Final docname to be =sc_aa1 Isreal Summer 1973, Arthur's -- Tape 1 Sides A and B One of the concepts that runs through this set of AA1...A7 lectures, is: 'annihilation' Intro notes are filed off to =scaa1int ---------------- ================================================================ START INPUT OF PAGE 1 OF RSC MS. AA1 Isreal Summer 1973, Arthur's -- Tape 1 Sides A and B [ Followed by Tape 1 Side 1, which is RSC Ms. AA2, input as =sc_aa2 ] RSC MS. AA1 PAGE 1 STARTS WITH AN ELLIPSIS ... PRESUMABLY INDICATING THAT THE SPEAKER HAD A HEAD-START ON THE TAPE RECORDER or possibly that the Rabbi had just returned from the moon with enough green cheese for everyone -- ------------------------ ... Avraham avinu came, suddenly after Avraham avinue came, there was one person in the world who was momish there. Suddenly there was one person in the world who was momish there. And because of this one person suddenly the whole world was on a different level. Suddenly Avraham avinue lifted up the world from that free choice level of Being__or__not_being, and it's momish -- Being. Reb nachamn says V_HRN HetiKh . You have to understand this very good because its very very deep. He says, listen to this: If a person is momish, if you are momish momish tied to your roots DvN V_SAhRASHAI (?) [ TRANSCRIBER'S '(?)' ] Lisen to this you know: I have choice to plant a tree, right. But the tree is growing. Does a tree have choice to run away from its roots. It can't. It's really there. How can a tree be without roots right. So therefore the thing is like this: You understand, remember, we were talking Friday night by the holy Wall, something very strong, that: Each time I do a mitzva, each time I learn, I'm choosing to be a Jew. It's onot only that I'm choosing to do this one particular act, I am doing it beccause I am a Jew, right. ------------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 2 OF RSC. MS. AA1 That means each time I do something, I'm choosing to be a Jew. Affecting my whole life. Now listen to this. Very very deep friends. What is the purpose of we yidala on the deepest level of the world. We have to lift up the world to a diffaerent level. We have to lift up the world that the whole world should momish be there. Or you know something very deep. The truth is, listen to this, this is also very true. A lot of times sometimes people aske me: How do you know if somebody loves you. Very simple. If in their presence you're really there, if in their presence suddenly its not that you happen to be here, you're really here. That means theyre giving you for that moment this holy G_d exisetence, that means they really love you, right. Have you ever seen, you meet people, they cut you so short, they dont even let you have this, being__or__not_being existence, just want to wipe you ourt, right. They dont even give you a fighting chance, right. And then there are some eppole, momish they gire you this just utmost of existence. MvOGOB Ha_MSh'aT (?) [ TRANSCRIBER'S '(?)' } And you know what ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 3 OF RSC MS. AA1 we yidala have to do; we have to do this to the whole world. I want you to know something very deep: What are you doing to an apple when you make a BRaKha over it. Before the apple was here, it could not have been here, but then I make a bracha_al BRaKha_LaH [ the word bracha_la does not exist in Hebrew , it is a retro__Yidish dimuinutive of Heb. bracha ] and I say: Little apple_la , I want you to know something: So far you were just an ordinary apple, but now you are are momish [ shall we rephrase that? ] an apple. What happens to -- Imagine: I am walking into a bakery and I can buy 15 challas. I'm taking two challas for Shabos. What happens to those two challas. They are momish there. [ as evidenced by all the little Parker House rolls ] They are momish challas for Shabos. And suddenly they are different and they taste differnt . I want you to know something very very deep friends. You know I'm thinking about it all the time: What do children need most, right. Because when they are born, you see old people are already accustomed to this kind of existence, being__or not_being, hanging around. Children when they are born they momish know their soul tells them I'm only born in this world momish to be completely ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 4 OF RSC MS. AA1 here. And they are waiting so much for encouragement. They are waiting so much. Why do children need so much love when they are little. And not only they need someone to ... [ 3-dots Transcriber ] kvais, they momish need this MChUAv Ha_Mtz'aaH [ Transcriber marks '(?)' ] they really need this kind of existence. They want to momish know that they are momish here. And what does it mean [ that ] therefore the Gemorea says: The first thing [ i.e., as soon as ] a little boy can talk or a little girl can talk, you [ should ] teach them Torah, because [ from ] the moment they can talk, then their tongue wants to exists, righ. And tongue is existing when you say TORaH ?ShIvNu? LaNU MoSheH right. And [ a ] little boy (aa1-4a) can shukle a lulav his hands want to exist right. Because each time I'm doing a mitzva I am momish existing. You know on a very ssimple level imagine: If before I'm putting on tfilin and after I'm putting on tfilin I feel the same way, it was a very lousy putting on tfilin Becuase each time I put on tfilin something has to happen to me, suddenly I am momish here. Momish here. So therevore Reb Nachman says, this is a very very ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 5 OF RSC MS. AA1 high level, although all of us I'm sure have tasted it for a second because its imnposible -- maybe one Rosh HaShana you felt it, maybe one time you were dancing with the Torah Simchas Torah you felt it, or maybe one time you stood by the Holy Wall you really know, I am really here, there really in one G_d. But to be on the level to feel it all the time but to never cease to turn on the whole world to that, right. To give existence to the whole world. So what do you do for that. He says: For that you ahve to momish annihilate yourself before the oneness of G_d. Now listen to this. Kids, I want you to , if you have still strength, I want you to think of it on the deepest level there is: You see, if a person come to you and hes says to you: "I want you to know one very special thing, I am really here. I am really on the level of MCHUAvu HaMitz'a I've got to be here because G_d needs me; but you, ehh, look at yourself, and I am telling you, who are you?" (aa1-5a) How doe sit sound to you. Bad scene, right. You see, its like this: If I'm annihilated before the Oneness --------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 6 OF RSC MS. AA1 of G_d, the Oneness of G_d, then this Oneness it doesn't matter if its an Eskimo, if its a cockroach, or if its a little dog, right, cause G_d's Onness, right. Cause G_d created the world with this holy Onness, but its up to me to bring this holy Oneness, this most existing oneness -- (aa1-7a) (aa1-7a) [ So its clear enough that RSC as a rather young man was making forays into existentialist philosophy -- or one might better say, was breaking the ground for Jewish existentialist philosphy -- or more precisely, 'existentialist metaphysics' -- , largely influenced by -- is it Lurianic mysticism -- the tzim_tzum__guy -- this was Yitzak Luria, haAri of Zfat, do I remember correct -- but its my present impression that careful analysis of what RSC said would show that he didn't get real far into it ] Let's put it this way you see. I dont know if I make myself clear. Now listen to this, now we are coming to the crux of the whole thing if you can bear with me kids, this is just the most important thing. Everyobdy knows: People talk so much about meditation today. I know some of you kids have been privleged to know that: This Tora_la of Reb Nachman has changed the lives of thousands and thousands and thousands of people. Because this is what Reb Nachman says: What does it mean to meditate. to meditate means, not to sit there -- I'm not knocking, G_d forhid, any ways of meditation. I'm sure they're very holy, (aa1-7b) but: Reb Nachman says, what does it mean to meditate. Momish suddenly to become MChOAv Ha_AtzI'aT I'm momish there. And to be momish and really there, you have to annihilate -------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 7 OF RSC MS. AA1 yourself before the oneness of G_d. How do you annihilate yourself before the oneess of G_d. You have to be alongae. You have to be alone. Got to be alone. Its a very strange thing you know, because G_d created the world in such a way that I am I, Michael [ Golumb? ] is Mchael, Barbara is Barbara. But then the thing is, when I want to reach the onness I have to annihilate myself, not Michael, right. !Everybody is ready to annihilate somebody else before the oneess of G_d. I have to annihilate my own walls.! How do I annihilate my own walls. I momish have to stand before G_d and be there. So then he says something very strong: You know what's happening in the world. Listen to this: Why do I have to meet G_d at night. Because during the day the air is polluted. Not polluted with gas, you know Reb Nachman wasn't concerned with that. During the day, the air is poluted because everyone is running. What are people doing all the time. They are thinking, I have to run to make a cow rubles, right. How low can you think. You think you're here for a few rubles. -------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 8 OF RSC MS. AA1 ![ If you think you're here [ on earth ] for a few rubles ] you're definitely not here, right. Your only chance to be really here [ is ] if you know your here because G_d created you, and you have to do something in this world very deep and very holy.! But if you rn around all day long to make a few rubles -- and who knows what you're talking about and thinking about -- then you're completely out. How can I walk around in an air which is so polluted. Which is so filled with that. And how can I momish penetrate this air and momish be here. So therefore Reb Nachman says: It has to be at night. Because at night, you know something, there is something in the air at night, you know. Stars, at night (aa1-8a) there is something very special going on. At night, you know what it is. At night the lowest creature knows deep down I'm here for something deeper than just making money. (aa1-8b) Why are the stores closed at night. Because all the people know I'm not here to run a store. Basically. How come at night, business meetings at night just dont go so strong. Why, because they really know deep down I really shoulnt go to a business ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 9 OF RSC MS. AA1 meeting, I really should do something else. Nebach, not that they know what they have to do -- yet. But there's something in the air. QUESTION: "What's the force that makes you scared to belittle yourself. Makes you scared of making yourself nothing before G_d. I don't know -- something blocks -- [ but I think the questioner means 'humble' if not 'annihilate' -- not 'belittle'.] (aa1-9r) RSC: You're afraid to annihilate yourself before G_d? You see, I'll tell you something very deep because our, our life level is always on the being__or__not_being , right. (aa1-9a) (aa1-9q) [ I do not know what RSC means by 'being__or__not_being' ] Maybe close to Satre's 'existence' (in Sartre's contradistinction to 'essence' ) -- which indicates, maybe, the everyday humdurm ] Everything, you see, because until they reach the level of G_d choosing us or us choosing G_d, which is deeper than free choice, everything is part of the free choice level, right. (aa1-9s) I'll tell you something very strong, very deep: A lot of parent dont want to send their chldren to Hebrew School. They say, when they grow up let them make their own choice. They said, we can not send them to Yeshiva because they'll become too Jewish and they dont even have free choice anymore. You know whaz that means. Its very sweet beause their whole life level is on a free choice. Being__or__not_being , maybe yes maybe not right. They have never tasted for one second what ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 10 OF RSC MS. AA1 it is momish to be there, right. Tell you something very deep: Most marriages -- why do they break up so fast. Because they could have married this girl or they could have married somebody else. So they married this girl, right. Ok, so if it didn't work out they'll marry somebody else. Its all on a free choice level you know, its never real. Its not on a G_d level because G_d is not ''HE'__could__be;__'HE'__could__not_be ; 'HE' really IS -- right. You see, if someone says to me, 'it so happens I'm a Jew, I could have been a Zen Buddhist also', he might be a very holy man, but he is not on this -- whatever his service of G_d is -- not on the level 'it could be be any other way'. [manuscript AA1 p10 sic, but I think misspeak or mis_transcription error for: ''it could not be any other way''] You see if I keep ShaBaT [ merely on the level that ] I could also not keep Shabos, it is not ShaBaT. It is not G_d__Shabos . But you see, this is tremendous, tremendous, momish you have to annihilate yourself before that, you know, to know, momish, this is IT , you know. It is deeper than free choice. Because we are holding on to a little free choice, right, this is the last thing we have. We don't realize that not having free choice is much deeper than all this. You know, if I wake up ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 11 OF RSC MS. AA1 [You know, if I wake up] in the morning and I have free choice to put on tfilin or not to put them on , its very holy, but then while I'm putting on the tfilin its deeper than free choice. (aa1-12a) Anyway kids if you have strength let me just -- give me five more minutes, or two more minutes. Now he says something very deep. Reb Nachamn goes so strong, he says: Not only you have to walk alone, even at night I have to walk in a place where people dont even walk in the day. It has to be two things. It has to be in night, the time has to be at night, but also it has to be a place that during the day people are not walking. Because its disturbing. You can't reach the level of annihilating__yourself__before__G_d if people walked there who dont know what it is. And then you're all alone, and then momish you have to cleanse your heart of anything which is unimportant. And then you have to doven, you dont need prayers from prayer book because this is somethign else. Listen to this: There are two levels of davening. There is a level of davening when I pray from the pryer book -- it is very holy. --------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 12 OF RSC MS. AA1 But this is only after after I'm existing. After I'm a yidala, after I'm existing, I'm already part of everything holy, then I daven, to ask for my needs . But momish to tie myself to G_d. But then there is a deeper kind of thing, that I momish want to be in this world, I want to exist, give me a completely different kind of existence and there is nobody in the world who can tell you how to pray. Nobody in the world, not even Reb Nachman, not even Moshe Rabenu can tell you what to say. This is the deepest secret between you and G_d. There you have to make up your own words. And sometimes, Reb Nachaman says, you have no words, you just kretch, you sigh. What a sigh. What a sigh. And then he says something very strong. This is so true: If a person ever reaches the level of really this true existence, then you are completely cleaned from every arrogance in the world. From any coarseness or any arrogance. Cause if you ever tasted this real existence, and then you give existence to every person you meet, what's their arrogance. Whats 'they're better ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 13 OF RSC MS. AA1 [ Whats 'they're better ] than you, you're better han me. I have four Ph.d's you have only 3 Ph.d's'. It's all nonense, right. Then momish you're above all this nonsense. (aa1-13a) [ And of course this is HIK's prayer, "Raise us above the distinctions and differences that divide us." ] Because he says, listen to these words: The moment you are MChIAv Ha_MTzI'aT , the moment you are really there, then momish you become one with the whole world. Not just one, you are completely annihilated for the whole world, and the most important thing, you are really one with your own soul. You see, what does it mean that my soul is part of G_d. You see, my soul is really there, right. But the way I am createed that my whole soul is not shining into my body yet, that means my soul and my body is only on the level 'yes_or__no,___could_be_no'. But if Im on the level MChIAv Ha_MtzI'aT then my whole soul is shininh into me. My whole soul. And then through me I can lift up the whole world. COMMENT FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY: "I'm sorry to interrupt." RSC: No, its ok, brother. QUESTIONER: "You say that when you're at thsz level, [ then ] to distinguish between degress of learning, say, -- is silly stuff. Wouldn't it ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 14 OF RSC MS. AA1 be the same thing then, on that level to distinguish between traditions, customs, and religions. Say like Im a yidala and you're a Buddah. You just referred to Zen Buddism. Because a Zen Buddhism perhaps would have also --- RSC RESPONDS: I'll tell you something very deep. You know, you're right, Bill. (aa1-14ac) CAST OF CHARACTERS (and Characters they were) [ So this is most likely BILL RICHMAN, Famous Tree Planter at Mevo Modi'in and subsequent (32 years later) Victor in the Battle of Billy's Trees, at that time a dropout Assistant Distric Attorney or some such with the Chicago Prosecutor's Office, where he tended to side with the Defendant rather than the State, because he felt sorry for the former and no doubt reckoned the latter could take care of itself. ] You see what most of our Jewish kids make the mistake is one thing: If I utmost and completely respect a Zen Buddhist for being a Zen Buddhist, that doesn't mean I have to become a Zen Buddhist also. See, us yidala, most of our young people have so little pride and so little taste of their own --- I'll tell you something very storng: Imagine: I'm a man, right. So then I will say I meet a woman Im so much annihilated I will say I've got to be a woman also. No, Im a man, she's a woman, right. And Im not making myself smaller or bigger by, I am you [ TRANSCRIBER REMARKS: You said 'you' -- perhaps you meant to say 'I' ] [ I (sa) would only add that to work with RSC material -- transcribing, or even, as I am now doing, merely typing manuscript transcriptions -- is in some sense and to some extent to enter into a dialoge with RSC } and you are you, right. The truth is, I meet a little Zen Buddhist, right, lets say I meet Swami Satcha__da_nomi [ MS. sic, but I would guess: Swami Satchidananda , for such was his nomi } , right. I am respecting him a billion percent, right. And we are giving each other existence. He in his way and I in my way. ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 15 OF RSC MS. AA1 But that doesn't mean that therefore I have to say maybe he's right. BILL: "But when you're way up there, you say Satchadonanda, are you even thinking that he has another tradition? (aa1-15a) RSC: Sure, why not. Like Im aware that this is a man, this is a woman, right. Becuase the holiness of the world is that everybody has to be what G_d wants him to be, right. BILL: "But even when you're way up there, are you even thinking this is a woman." (aa1-15b) RSC: Why not. MR. RICHMAN, I PRESUME: "Well, I don't know why." RSC: No, 100 percent, because if Im saying 'No', then Im not aware of G_ds creation. You see, on the contrary, the more this is real existence, right, then things are really shining the way they really are. You know, on the contrary, you see, I tell you something: If you are aware of a woman before you reach holy existence, then you are only aware of a woman -- 'Ahh, it is a good thing for me, maybe I can do something' -- you know. On a low level, which has nothing to do with that PERSON [ my emphasis on 'person' , in contrast to 'woman' -- sa ] , right. But if I am on this ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 16 OF RSC MS. AA1 high existence level, Im momish aware this is a woman, G_d made her into a woman, G_d made me into a man. "Are you even thinking about that up there?" RSC: No no, you see, I tell you what. Most of us sadly enough are so coarse that the moment they think man and woman they think something else. Listen, if I tell you this is an apple, this is a pear, doesn't affect you badly. (aa1-16a) No, so the same way, right. If Im on that level on being compltely there in awe before G_ds creation, so Im aware this is a woman, this is a man, this is a Zen Buddhist, this is a Jew. Im therefore in touch with what everything really is because this is the way it should be. BILLY THE KID, I PRESUME: Before, you were talking about cockaroaches. If you see a cockaroach, you think, what a beautiful cockaroach. (aa1-16b) (aa1-16b) As_it_is_said (reportedly by Jesus) 'the meek shall inherit the earth' THE RABBI MAKES REPLY: Right. NOT CLEAR FROM TRANSCRIPT WHO SAYS WHAT NOW: What do you think, it may be the highest. Maybe its the highest but Im wondering if the the highest is if you don't say, Oh, this is a beautiful cockaroach. ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 17 OF RSC MS. AA1 THE QUOTES FOR QUESTIONS RESUME, SO THIS IS PRESUMABLY RSC: What else should I think it is. It really is. DOUBTLESS BILLY: "This is a beautiufl creature." RSC: Oh no no. D_d didn't make a 'creature'. G_d made a cockaroach. Because you're cutting off G_d. Im making G_d smaller. G_d made a cockroach. Why szhouln't I be aware its a cockroach. Why shouldn't I be aware of it. If I see a mountain and a valley, I'll say Im so turned on I dont know which one is a valley, which is a mountain. Im completely disregarding G_ds cretion. Cause G_d mae this into a valley, and this into a mounta9in. You see if Im on the leel of AhUAv Ha_MMTzI'aT , really there, on the contraray, Im really aware. Not less aware. (aa1-17a) (aa1-17a) Ok, sports fans: I think we can clarify this distinction by applying PVK's temrinology. In that terminology, Billy is sepaking of 'samadhi with closed eyes' [ ie, samadhi beyond existence ], while RSC is speaking of 'samadhi with open eyes'. You see, the sad thing is, you see all eastern religions, they always think the less aware you are, the holier you are. But for us yidala its just the other way around. BILLY, I RECKON: "But could it be like if you're on top of a mountain, you wouldn't say, what a beautiful mountain. You would say, what a beautiful place this is. And if you are in a valley you wouldn't say this is a beautiful valley -- " (aa1-17b> (aa1-17b> [ Billy seems here to be arguing that the essential form of predication is relational. So if your consciousness has transcended relational conceptualization, you ain't gonna be able to say nothing nohow, Chou. But PVK's conceptualization suggests that one transcends conventional relationships, and then parceives the archetypal relationships. "Just a thought." ] --------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 18 OF RSC MS. AA1 But the thing is a valley, right. ESQUIRE BILL RICHMAN: "If he wants distinctions." RSC: No, no . Listen Bill, I'll tell you something. Dont be angry but this sounds to me -- BILL: "Don't be angry with me Shlomo cause I've been thinking about these kind of questions so much its bursting out of me." RSC: First of all you're my top holy man. But Im just telling you what I think, maybe Im wrong you know. I dont know. But you're asking me right. For me to be momish MChUAv Ha_MTzI'aT means Im completely aware. Ill tell you somethng very strong. Do you think, if I'll talk to an Eskimoe, lets say I have some Chinese friends, right. There is something especailly beautiful about Chinese people, right. So the more Im aware of G_ds creation the more Im aware that those people have something maybe I dont have, right. On the contrary, so if I say they are momish one, Im not Chinese and you're not Jewish, this is stupid. On the contrary. So see, I'll tell you what. The hardest thing is when you really are a little bit universal, then we think already we have to cut everything out. Not true. You know. ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 19 OF RSC MS. AA1 when we talk when Meshiach is coming he world will be one, that means everybody will have the same face, the same nose, G_d forbid. You know the holiness of G_ds Oneness is that G_d's Oneness will shine out of everybody, but everybody will be what they are. Ill tell you what, something without telling you stories, it so happens I said Swami Satchdanonda, because we are momish soul friends, you know. And it never happened that, that I am less of a Jew when I am in his presence, and he is less of a Hindu in my presence. On the contrary, momish, I am completely a Jew. Its only the little Jewish kids that hang around there, they dont know where its at anymore, you know. They dont know, should they - they dont know where its at. Because us Jewish kids -- because our parents never gave us this real exisence, so we're still 'free_choice' yidala, they're hanging about, they never know where its at you know. I dont know if I made myself clear to you, Bill, but I really think you know. Ill tell you something very strong , you know: The whole idea that women have to stop being women because its not holy, this is a very ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 20 OF RSC MS. AA1 low kind of holiness. (aa1-20a) (aa1-20a) [ This is a critique of the ultra_orthodox notion of snias, of standards of modesty for women. ] The highest holiness is, listen: The Torah is the holiest in the world, right. Every word is holy. So maybe the Torah should never say: 'this is a man, this is a woman'. The Torah szuould say, somebody Avraham, somebody Sarah, somebody Rachel --- [ 3_dots in text, preumably not omitted words, merely a pause ] but this isn't it. The holiness of the Torah is that the Torah says this is Adom, this was Eve, this was Sarah, this was Avraham. You know, ask Abraham, tell me the truth, are you a man or a woman. He'd say, wait till later, Im too high now, I'll tell you later. Doesn't go. Avraham said, you know, I really am a man, G_d created me a man. And Sarah will say, all the time Im a woman. You see, Bill, I'll tell you something. you're 100 percent right the way we aare living in this world, the moment you say man and woman, you think of something else. But if man and woman would bring to your first mind, your mind first, that G_d created the world in a most beautiufl wy, there is such a thing as men and women, would remind you of G_d, not something else; if Im on that level. SARAH: I remember, a long time ago, you were talking about holy colors in the sense that its like ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 21 OF RSC MS. AA1 this, that red, there's a holy kind of red and holy kind of blue, that are really, they're really all part of the same thing, but red is still really red and blue is still really blue, because thats the way '' made them. And its not that its the same thing or that my soul is the same as your soul, they're both souls, and they're both part of the same thing. And also at the same time they're really separate and different souls. RSC: I know what you mean. When was it said. In San Francisco, no? In the good old days. One more second, because I don't think I made myself very clear to Bill. SPEAKING OF BILL, THIS IS BILL SPEAKING, PRESUMABLY: Shlomo, I think I dont understand you. Like, I can't completely feel what you're sayintg, I dont want to teach, you know, I know Im here to learn, so thats why I think you should talk some more. RSC: No, I want to tell you something, Bill. You're 100 percent right but I tell you one thing. Again, like you see, when it comes to man and woman, we are so accustomed if someone tells us man and woman, right away, who knows what he's thinking about. That means right ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 22 OF RSC MS. AA1 away walls, right. The way we are living, you think if I say Im a Jew and he's a Zen Buddhist, means I make a long wall. Why. Doesn't have to be any walls, but it doesnt' make me stop being a Jew or he a Zen Buddhisit. TRANSCRIBER NOTES: TAPE INTERRUPTS ... [ REAL ELLIPSIS, INDICATING TEXT_LOSS FROM TAPE_SNARGLE ] /way out, way out, way out. On the highest level, all the souls are one. "What do you mean by that, Shlomo?" RSC REPLIES: Wait, let me explain. On the highest level, you see \ TRANSCRIBER NOTES: GARBLED [ ie, TEXTLOSS , cannot transcribe from tape ] it has nothing to do with being created. Lets say -- You see, according to us, the soul was here before the world was created, only the world was created. But if I believe that Im part of G_d, then I was here before the world was created. On that level, there is no such thing as men and women. Only after the creation of the world, then there is such a thing as man and women. You see -- wait one second, its very very deep -- listen to this. The thing is -- remembers, as I told you before: There is a Shabos before craetion and Shabos after creation: in the same way there is also, the Zohar Kodesh says, there's also a oneness between husband and wife, like the Shbabos after creation, or it can be on the level of shabos before creation. So the thing ------------------------------------------------------------------ START PAGE 23 OF RSC MS. AA1 is like this: The Zohar Kodesh says that there is before creation they were momish one, right. Then G_d created them, man and women and they became a little bit separate and they got married, they became one again. And then depends on the level of their oneness. I want you to know something way out strong, that: Imagine if the soul of a woman is born in this world, right, and then, oh, lets say of a man, right. And then because of one reason or the other, his soul has to come back, but because of some reason, without knowing why, his soul is coming back into the body of a woman. So the Zohar Kodesh says that this woman can't have children because its the soul of a man. (aa1-23a) So I tell you something very very strong. This is a very very deep thing, you know, this is just really touching the deepest secrets of our creation, but you see its like this, that, its very very deep you know, that you see even: The Neshamah itself has five parts, you know. The action, the feeling, the thought, the life, and the oneness. Maybe on the oneness level its [ ie, male and female ] never that much apart. But in action level, its very much apart, right. Feeling level, women have different feeling ------------------------------------------------------------------ START PAGE 24 OF RSC MS. AA1 then men. Even on a life level its a different life level. One oneness, what does it mean they are one, they lose their identity but one means thEy're ready to be one with something else. TRANSCRIBER NOTES: TAPE 1 SIDE 1 ENDS TAPE 1 SIDE 2 BEGIN ... [ ELLIPSIS TRANSCRIPTION, PRESUMABLY INDICATING TEXT_LOSS ON TAPE_FLIP ] OIK, listen to this kids, its just so holy. Momish, G_d shine it into me. Do you know what it is. The stars, you know officially, you really dont need the stars, right. (aa1-24a) As much as we know the stars are doing like everything you know (aa1-24b) stars are doing milions of things, every star on a light level, right. What do you need the light of the stars. doesn't show you anything, but its a much deeper light. It doesn't show you anything, but it is light. Anything you know, this kind of light which shows me is not the highest light yet. there's just a light which is momish there. its momish there, just there. (aa1-24c) (aa1-24c) [ This seems to be a very groping attempt to present what HIK more tidily terms the 'all-pervading light'. That is a term from mysticism; if I recall, PVK suggests that the physical analogue is some sort of interstellar photon plasma.] You know, imagine on a very high level, I'll be studying all my life and really do all the mitzvas and Im a yidala and Im proud of it and I know it and it is. But on the great day, when Meshiach is coming, when the world will be ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 25 OF RSC MS. AA1 so real, its not real enough yet. This isn't it yet. Ill tell you something on a human level: Imagine if I love somebody very much becuase I travelled all over the world and momish I realize that this person is the most beautiful thing in the world, right. And its very holy, right, very deep. This isn't it. Cause you know what that means. That means it is still on the level I can compare her to somebody else, cauSe this is better, right. Its a limited light, right. But then there is such a thing momish, this is it, you know. So Moshe Rabenu asked G_d, 'How come you blessed us to be like the stars. Why didn't you bless us to be like the sun and the moon.' Meaning to say Moshe Rabenu was asking G_d, 'Why didn't you really shine into the yidala the greats light in the world. To let them know what it is to be a yidala.' G_d says, 'No, there's a much deeper light than that.' You know: With the light of the stars you can't walk an inch, you know. How far can I get. Cant get anywhere, hut its there, right. Its momish there. You know, the holiest light of yidishkite is, I can't do anything with it. You know what will last forever, this little ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 26 OF RSC MS. AA1 light with me, Yiddishkeit, this little soul of mine, I dont know. didn't move me maybe, I didn't move an inch in my whole life but gvalt is burning inside of me you know. Even after the sun and the moon are gone. Even if they are put to shame. They didn't help. They didn't do anything you know. You know what it is. Some day we'll realize that all the great lights didn't help any. Cause the world will say listen, we're living with the sun and moon for so long, there still is no peace in the world, right, We haven't become yidala yet. We have great suns and great moons, great rabbis, great teachers, great everything, great, but where are we. And then suddenly will come little kids like the holy beggarla, little little stars you know. Shivering on the sky. That will be it you know. Sweet little holy kids you know. You ask them, how much have you been walking. Oy vay, havent walked an inch yet. Im hanging on the sky my whole life the same place. This is it. Oy oy oy. You know, I've got to bless holy HILERY, its her birthday. Listen, you shine so much that I want to bless you that you should momish ----------------------------------------------------------------- MY XEROX MS. HAS HERE A BLANK PAGE, WHICH I XEROX'D FROM THE BLANK PAGE IN THE BZ COLLECTION. THIS BLANK PAGE IS A FULLY DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ESSENCE OF ZEN BUDDHISM. ----------------------------------------- START PAGE 27 OF RSC MS. AA1 be a holy star you know. Inside of you should be this holy light. You see most people think, you know, that even light has to be used. Everything has to be used, right. Thats a low level yet. Ill tell you something very deep: Imagine if have a friend and I think, you know, this friend can really do a lot for me. Its a friendship with a great light, but if my whole relationship is what I can do with it, its a very low low kind of friendship. The sun is a great light. The moon is a great light, right, but I can do a lot of things with it. The stars, I can't do anything, this is it, you know. (aa1-27a) Ill tell you something very deep you know, as far as Im concerned: If someoone tells you, you know, to be a Jew means to be happy, to be secure, to go to Heaven, and momish you're flying high. Every Shabos you're in another world. Every Sukos you're in Paradise. Its all true, but this isn't where its at. This is still 'the__sun__an__the__moon'. G_d blessed Jakob, you know, your children weill be like little stars. [ I'm still blundering around through Genesis, trying to find this quote. Or even the blessing to Avraham, thy dsscendents will be like the sands and the stars, which one cannot count for their multitude. ] Inside light. Inside inside. Oy. (aa1-27b) This tora of Reb Nachman is just so important, and I dont know if we learned ------------------------------------------------------------------ START PAGE 28 OF RSC MS. AA1 it already and we learned it with a lot of kids but maybe not with some of you here: That Reb Chaninia the son of Chanoi [ transcription sic, Chanoi, but Pirke Avot 3:4 ChaKINAI ] says: Ha_NeoR B_LeILaH If you're up at night and you walk our way alone and you turn your heart to, actually,, L_v_taH means, if you translate it properly, to nothingness, you know, to unimportant things, that means you walk around with stupid thoughts. Then you bring about --so to speak strong -- you bring your own death with your own hands, right. Cause you momish deserve, G_d forbid, you have no right to live. (aa1-28a) Its in Pirke Avos. (aa1-28br) (aa1-28bra) (aa1-28br) REFERENCE: PiRQeI AvOT 3:4 (Metsudah Sioddur translation. Rabbi Chaninah ben Chachina says: He who keeps awake at night, or travels alone on the road, and makes room in his heart for idleness, sins against himself. (AA1-28cR) RABi ChaNINA BeN ChaKINAI AOMeR: HaNe'OR B_LaILaH , who keeps awake at night V_Ha_M_Ha_LaKh B_DeReKh YHIDI, and who travels on the raod alone V_PaNeH Lv_I L_vataLa and makes roomH in his heart for idlemess HeRi ZeH M_TCHaIev B_NeFeSh_O is like one who kills his soul (AA1-28DR) (AA1-28DR) So the translation does not support the fire_and_brimestone reading RSC gives to this passage. But the translation is a bit euphemistic; the original Hewbrew, as RSC points out, does seem to support RSC's paraphrase, to some extent. That is: M_TCHaIev B_NeFeSh_O is rather euphemistically translated "sins against himself", my translation is "kills his soul", though RSC's paraphrase "you bring your own death with your own hands" seems a bit too much, and he seems to have carried himself away with his interpretative commentary "Cause you momish deserve, (G_d forbid), you have no right to live." RSC CONTINUES: Now the simple meaning of it is that if a person -- I'll tell you something very very deep, friends. I want you to listen to it very deep: Imagine I tell you, imagine you want to get angry at somebeody very much. And this person is not here, right. You just, you make up your own mind that if this person walked in the room now I gonna grab him and momish Im going to tell him where its at, and then Im definitely going to throw him out. I'll never speak to them again. Something happens when thIs person walks in and Im not so angry any ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 29 OF RSC MS. AA1 more. And I then I definitely decide I'll never throw this person out. (aa1-29a) Just saying, you know, why did you do that, in a soft way. The person will just say, I really didn't mean it, and the whole thing will be forgotten. Isn't it crazy. What, this person didn't utter one word, they just walked in. What happened. But now everybody knows that everybody has an inside light and an outside light. A surrounding light. Everybody knows my whole soul is not within my body. A little prt of my soul is within my body giving me life. But the truth is that the essence of my soul is beyond me. Beyond my body, right. Its just there. And this is a very great light. Very great light. So I might be angry at somebody but the mooment when they walk in and Im standing in front of them, then the light of their soul is shining so much , I can't be angry. Just cant. But now listen to this, this is very deep: Imagine -- the truth is, according to our tradition, everything wrong which happens to me is only because my soul wasn't shining in my surrounding light, because if my soul is really shining, then no evil can fall on ---------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 30 OF RSC MS. AA1 me because evil can't reach me. Evil can't reach me. So how can I be on that level that my soul should be really shining. If Im learning. But you know its very deep. If my insides are filled with learning, with Torah, because, I tell you something very strong: Remember, we were learning a few times, the whole Torah is really one. One . If I learn one letter, Im really learning all the letters. (aa1-30a) (aa1-30a) [ and similarly, PVK speaks of "a wave that emerges as the sea." And in Leibniz, each monad is a minaturized mirror of the Whole ] If Im learning one word, Im really learning all the words, right. Ill tell you somethg very deep. You know what a good friend is. What does it mean to love somebody very much. Its very simple. If I dont love somebody very much , I'll say I love you, that means right now, its now a few minutes after five, I said to you, on whats today, Tuesday, I said I love your, right. So its sweet. But then, there's sometimes I love somebody so much, I said I love you it really includes all the eternities of the world, right. You can momish hear the echo like I said it about 30 times, right. Before and after. You know what it means to learn the Torah really on a high level. That means while Im learning, its not just this minute, all of me before, all of --------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 31 OF RSC MS. AA1 me after, whatever happens before and after is learning, right. This is only the Torah. I can not say Im taking a book on psychology and my whole eternity is learning this book, because its just information. Its not soul, right. So the thing is, if Im on that level then suddenly Im on this tremendous eternity level, then everything which goes around in time can not reach me, right. Just can't reach me. People can not get angry with me. The little dog in the house wants to bark at me, cant, you know. (aa1-31a) (aa1-31a) [ So this is an interesting take, and suggests and interesting midrash, on that line in Exodus, "Not one dog shall whet its tongue." ] Cause it saw a holy soul going, right. So the simple meaning is still very high, but this is the simple meaning, right, it is dangerous to walk. Or lets even say this world, the whole world is like a night. If you are up at night you walk alone, you know what it means to be alone. Because what do you mean, I walk alone. Isn't there one G_d in the world. No, I cut myself off from G_d. You walk alone. Have you ever heard a yidala walking alone. When a yidala walks, all the yidala, Avraham is with me, Eliahu haNavi walks before me, what do you mean, 'alone'. No, I walked alone, cut myself off from everything ----------------------------------------------------------------- START PAGE 32 OF RSC MS. AA1 holy, In my heart, in my mind I cut myself off from the Torah, Im thinking about everything stupid, right. Ill tell you someting very strong. Without getting involved, but imagine if every Jewish boy or girl would G_d forbid want to leave our religion. If they would have to say goodbye to the six million before they leave, right: if momish in their mind, because thy're walking with me all the time, and if I am G_d forbid breaking away from Yiddishkeit, I have to just walk over and say goodby to the six million.