#rabbinachmanmoment
I was watching, last night, Rabbi Alon Anava's YouTube on the month of Tivet. It was quite excellent however he said to not be surprised by a trial of your faith this month. The month of Tivet is about judgement.
Thus when I read this by Rabbi Nachman it seemed most appropriate for this month.
To taste the hidden light
One who wants to taste the taste of the hidden light – the secrets of the Torah that will be revealed in time to come – must elevate the attribute of fear to its root. This is done through Judgment. Examine yourself and your life and carefully weigh all your various activities and interests. This will enable you to dispel all your fears of people and forces other than God. These are called “fallen fears”. You will then be able to elevate your fear and attain true awe of Heaven. When a person fails to examine and judge himself, he is examined and judged from on high. God can use any means He desires to execute His judgments: He has the power to clothe them in anything in the world. All things are His messengers This is visible in practice. When something bad happens to a person, the precipitating cause often seems quite insignificant. One would never have expected such a tiny thing to cause such a train of illness, suffering and other dire consequences. What has happened is that the Divine decree against the person has been clothed in these mundane circumstances in order to send him what he deserves. However, when a person takes the initiative to examine and judge himself, the heavenly decree is removed and there is no need to fear anything. Worldly objects and occurrences will no longer veil and cloak God’s decree. Taking stock of oneself dispels the heavenly judgment, because the person is already sufficiently aroused and spiritually awake not to need things of this world to shake him. He has elevated fear to its root: he is not afraid of anyone or anything except God. This will enable him to attain God’s hidden light. Likutey Moharan I, 15
