The Sweet Life for a Sweet New Year

Translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody

 
My students and I live a sweet life. Everything at our yeshiva, Chut Shel Chesed in Jerusalem, and all of Rebbe Nachman’s teachings are about living a sweet life. It’s not difficult. I’ll share a few simple secrets with you, so that you can live a sweet life too.
 
We don’t speak a single derogatory word about any single human.  A person has to be a total heretic to speak or to listen to a single non-complimentary word about anyone. Anybody with the slightest concept of emuna knows that Hashem created each person with his or her own special talents and individual mission on earth. Who has the right to talk about one of Hashem’s special creations? That’s total insanity! Despite my more than busy schedule, I make myself accessible to all my students and to all those who attend my lectures. I listen to loads of people’s problems. But, I’m not willing to listen to anyone who talks about another person.
 
Rebbe Nachman teaches us to look for the good in everyone. This is a cardinal teaching in Breslev thought. One cannot implement this if he or she listens to bad things – or speaks negatively – about other people. By implementing Rebbe Nachman’s advice, we life a sweet life; we won’t let anything or anybody ruin our sweet life.
 
People ask, “Who’s the real Breslev?” Everybody is. We love them all and respect them all, regardless of who their Rabbi is. They all have an equal share in Rebbe Nachman. I’ll go a step further – we love every Jew: it doesn’t matter if they’re Lithuanian, Sephardi, or Chassidic. We don’t care what color their skin is or what color their kippah is. We especially love our soldiers and our not-yet-religious brothers too. Our whole nation is a nation of righteous people. Who can talk about them?
 
Would you like to know something else? We love all of humanity. One of my greatest joys is to hear about a person in Singapore or in South Texas who is now talking to Hashem everyday. And that’s not just nice talk. You’ll find my students spreading the light of emuna all over the world, among Jews and non-Jews alike.
 
We harbor no malice to enemies or anyone who wishes us harm. Everything comes from Hashem; our misdeeds simply bring about unpleasant things. Hashem sometimes must prod us to do teshuva. So, we don’t get upset when someone makes trouble for us; it’s not them – it’s Hashem! When you see Hashem only, you live a sweet life.
 
Sure, everybody acknowledges Hashem. But few people truly believe that ein od milvado, there’s no one but Him! And even fewer people truly believe that Hashem does everything for the very best. When you believe these two things –  ein od milvado and that everything’s for the best, you live a truly sweet life.
 
Don’t judge other people, ever. You can’t possibly know all the facts; and, without the facts, you can’t possibly judge a person fairly. If a person’s head is full of confusion about other people and what he perceives about them, he can’t possibly learn Torah.
 
Learning Torah is not an end goal as many misconceive. The true end goal of learning Torah is to bring one to emuna and to holiness. When your life’s focus is on emuna and holiness, you live a sweet life. People are bitter because they’re far from emuna and far from holiness. So, if you’re learning Torah yet you feel bitterness in life, that means you’re not learning Torah with the proper objectives.
 
All of our books and CDs are about living a sweet life – a life free from debts because we only pay cash, marital bliss, and joy from our children.
 
We don’t compete with anyone. We simply have our own little niche where we serve Hashem. I’d be extremely happy if everyone were better than us. We don’t envy anyone either, for we’re delighted with our own lot in life. That’s sweetness. If someone wants to join us, fine! But, Heaven forbid, we don’t try to force our beliefs on anyone.
 
Hashem is so very forgiving, but He can’t stand promiscuity. Promiscuity destroys life’s sweetness and blessings, especially income. So, be completely steadfast and loyal to your partner on all levels of body, mind, and soul; not only is physical contact forbidden with anyone other than your spouse, but looking at or thinking about someone else is equally devastating. So don’t touch anyone of the opposite sex outside the context of marriage. That way, you’ll have a sweet life.
 
So it really is simple! I wish you a sweet life too, and a wonderful New Year!