< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 1 To walk with one’s own light 11 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall A YOUNG RABBI COMPLAINED TO THE RABBI OF RIZHYN: – ’DURING THE HOURS WHEN I DEVOTE MYSELF TO MY STUDIES, I FEEL LIFE AND LIGHT, BUT THE MOMENT I STOP STUDYING, IT IS ALL GONE. WHAT SHALL I DO?’ THE RABBI IF RIZHYN REPLIED: – ’THAT IS JUST AS WHEN...

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< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 2 To walk with one’s own light – Questions and answers 12 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall Question 1 EVEN THE WORDS OF SOMEONE AS TOTALLY AGAINST IDEOLOGY AS YOURSELF, CONTAIN A CONTINUOUS IF SUBTLE IDEOLOGY. IS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK SERIOUSLY WITHOUT IT? It is not only impossible to talk seriously about it – it is impossible to talk about it at all....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 3 The watchman 13 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall IN ROPTCHITZ, THE TOWN WHERE RABBI NAFTALI LIVED, IT WAS THE CUSTOM FOR RICH PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSES STOOD ISOLATED, OR AT THE FAR END OF TOWN, TO HIRE MEN TO WATCH OVER THEIR,PROPERTY BY NIGHT. LATE ONE EVENING, WHEN RABBI NAFTALI WAS SKIRTING THE WOODS WHICH CIRCLED THE CITY, HE MET SUCH A WATCHMAN WALKING UP AND DOWN....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 4 The watchman – Questions and Answers 14 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall Question 1 WHY DOES ALL THAT YOU SAY SEEM COMPLETELY FAMILIAR? I HAVE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE IN VARIOUS CONTEXTS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT SOUNDS FULL OF WONDERFUL REVELATIONS. That’s the quality of truth: it is neither old nor new – or, it is both. Truth is eternal....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 5 The perfect swimmer 15 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall WHEN THE SON OF THE RABBI OF LENSHNO WAS A BOY HE SAW RABBI VITZHAK OF VORKI, PRAYING. FULL OF AMAZEMENT, HE CAME RUNNING TO HIS FATHER AND ASKED HOW IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR SUCH A ZADDICK TO PRAY QUIETLY AND SIMPLY, WITHOUT GIVING ANY SIGN OF ECSTASY. HIS FATHER ANSWERED:-‘A POOR SWIMMER HAS TO THRASH AROUND IN ORDER TO STAY UP IN THE WATER....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 6 The perfect swimmer – Questions and Answers 16 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall Question 1 I DON’T HAVE EYES TO SEE. I DON’T HAVE EARS TO HEAR. AND I AM ABSOLUTELY STUPID. YOU PROMISE US LIBERATION SOME DAY. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE WITH SUCH A HELPLESS CASE AS I AM? AND ON THE OTHER HAND, SOMETIMES I AM FILLED WITH GRACE WHICH NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 7 The light behind the window 17 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall ON A CERTAIN PASSOVER BEFORE THE SEDAR CELEBRATION, RABBI YISAKHAR BAER CALLED HIS GUEST, THE RABBI OF MOGIELNICA, A GRANDSON OF THE MAGGID OF KOZNITZ, TO THE WINDOW – AND POINTED TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE. ‘DO YOU SEE, RAV OF MOGIELNICA?’ HE SAID. ‘DO YOU SEE?’ AFTER THE FEAST WAS OVER, THE RABBI OF MOGIELNICA DANCED AROUND THE TABLE AND SANG IN A LOW VOICE: – ‘THE HOLY OLD MAN, OUR BROTHER, HAS SHOWN ME A LIGHT....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 8 The light behind the window – Questions and answers 18 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall Question 1 I SEEM TO BE NEITHER TOTALLY IN THE WORLD, NOR THE WATCHER ON THE HILL. HOW TO BE SOME PLACE? I FEEL LIKE I AM IN BETWEEN, EVERYTHING I DO. Then that is exactly the place you should be. You go on creating problems....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 9 True wisdom 19 October 1975 am in Buddha Hall ONE DAY THE RABBI OF ZANS WAS STANDING AT THE WINDOW AND LOOKING OUT INTO THE STREET. SEEING A PASSER-BY, HE KNOCKED ON THE WINDOW PANE AND SIGNED TO THE MAN TO COME INTO THE HOUSE. WHEN THE STRANGER ENTERED THE ROOM, RABBI HAYYIM ASKED HIM: – ‘TELL ME, IF YOU FOUND A PURSE OF DUCATS, WOULD YOU RETURN IT TO ITS OWNER?...