Rebbe Nachman emphasizes throughout his teachings that the ultimate purpose of life is to come to know God. In Hebrew, knowledge of God is called Daat. "Knowledge of God might sound a bit irrelevant and unattainable for the average person, but it is possible to achieve, because it is the reason we were each put here in this world.
Daat is more than simply verbalizing that everything happening in the world is from God. More accurately, it is a deep internal awareness of direct and intimate Divine involvement in every detail of your life from the moment you were born. Random or chance occurrence doesn't exist. This level of consciousness can bring you to experience the entire Creation operating as a single unit, expressing one Divine will. Obviously this takes work, but when you actually live with this type of awareness, you are less angry, lonely and sad, and are more easily satisfied with every aspect of your life. Every moment becomes an opportunity to reveal God-awareness. To attain knowledge of God is the highest expression of the human intellect, but you have to consciously decide that this is what you want. And then, the challenge is to overcome all obstacles and distractions to get to the true purpose of life.
Knowledge of God is related to Shefa. Shefa is the Hebrew word for the influx of vitality that connects us with God. all beneficial influences in the world, both physical and spiritual, are a result of Shefa. On a physical level, health, money and children are the result of Shefa. On a spiritual level, wisdom and knowledge of God are the highest expressions of Shefa. We are connected to God through all forms of Shefa, but knowledge of God is what binds us to Him the most.
In order to receive the flow of Shefa from God's infinite realm to our finite one, a suitable conduit is needed to constrict the Shefa, enabling our limited vessels to receive an unlimited light. On a spiritual level, perceptions of Godliness can only be grasped after going through many constrictions (Likutey Moharan 30). Practically, this means searching for a suitable teacher or mentor who can constrict the light. This makes it possible to receive the light in a positive manner without overwhelming or damaging our intellect. The further you are from God, the greater the teacher you need, since the teacher has to be able to clothe a perception of God in garments perceivable at the student's level. If you really want to come closer to God, don't content yourself with anything less than the greatest. The highest perceptions can only be attained through the greatest Tzaddik, since he acts as a channel between heaven and earth. The connection itself helps to receive the flow of Shefa more easily, whether in physical or spiritual form.
However, even this is not enough, since you need a suitable vessel to receive Divine spiritual perceptions. This is your mind: It is the vessel to receive wisdom and knowledge of God, and just as there are physical limits to vessels, there are also limits to the mind. Thus, it is essential to avoid filing your mind with ideas that can damage or shatter your vessel. For example, delving into philosophical realms that pose contradictory questions impossible for the limited mind to answer, or striving too high to attain a light too great for your present level, can seriously damage one's mind vessel (Likutey Moharan 62).
Another way your vessel can be damaged is through bad character traits and immorality (Likutey Moharan 36). The way to build and strengthen your vessel is to eliminate those factors that corrupt and hinder the reception of Godly influx. Practically, this means attaining and maintaining a high level of personal morality based on the Torah, as well as working to improve your character traits. There are many ways to do this, but first, it may be helpful to understand more about what constitutes the idea of "Godly influx," the spiritual manifestation of Shefa.
Rebbe Nachman teaches that there are two types of intellect (Likutey Moharan 21). The first type of intellect is acquired through many introductions over the course of time, requiring effort on the part of the receiver, i.e., systematically studying a subject in order to master it. This is called "back." The second type of intellect is attained through an immediate downward flow of Godly knowledge, without any introduction whatsoever. This is called "front." This type of knowledge is received all at once, and can be called "holy inspiration," another name for a lower form of prophecy called Ruach HaKodesh. Although we make use of both types of intellect, the second type is a higher level of knowledge, since it is connected with the concept of "face" and is termed Shefa Eloki, or Godly influx. One who attains Shefa Eloki has attained the highest level of completion and perfection that a person can merit.
However, it is impossible to attain the second, higher, level of intellect without first purifying and sanctifying the faculties of one's mouth, nose, eyes and ears. Rebbe Nachman describes a special kind of "menorah" with seven candles. The head, or the mind, is considered to be the menorah; the seven candles are the apertures of the mouth, two nostrils, two eyes and two ears. The "face" of the menorah is the Godly influx itself. These seven apertures are connected to the mind and radiate the Godly influx to us. We purify these apertures by channeling only holiness through them. This, in turn, awakens our mind to receive the influx, bringing it into the category of "front" and "face." Because they monitor the input into the mind, the "seven candles" are the keys to the mind and its thoughts. Simply by controlling what we allow into it, the mind can be elevated to the highest levels of holiness. It can then become a proper vessel to receive the Godly influx.
How do you sanctify your "seven candles"? To purify the mouth, guard how you speak, by avoiding all forms of forbidden speech, including lying, slander, idle conversation and mockery. Instead, engage in "holy speech" such as Torah study, prayer and conversation that focuses on the service of God, and, of course, speak only the truth. In general, speak positively and with a vocabulary free of any negativity. The nose is connected to patience and forbearance. This means taking a deep breath when confronted with any difficult situation or person, expressing love and tolerance instead of anger or annoyance. The nose also represents "awe of heaven," i.e., reverence and fear of a Power infinitely greater than you. Purification of the ears involves not listening to any form of slander, mockery or obscene language, using your ears instead to hear only "holy sounds." This includes paying attention to the words of the Tzaddikim and acting accordingly. The eyes are sanctified by systematically training them where, and where not, to look. Minimally, guard your eyes from gazing at anything immoral or forbidden.
Your sensitivity to holiness will be awakened the more effort you invest in sanctifying your "seven candles." Then, you are opening your mind to receive a level of intellect not usually within your ability to grasp, since it is bestowed as a Divine gift. Anyone willing to do the work can attain this level.
Awareness and knowledge of God is destined to increase dramatically in the future. When this occurs, the spiritual level of the entire world will be elevated, and each person will receive enlightenment according to the measure of their effort and preparation. Now is the time to prepare your vessel.
May God connect us to the Tzaddik who can help us purify our vessels and channel Godly influx to us, and grant us the patience and persistence to do the right work. Amen.
[TZADDIK Magazine archive, Chanukah 5760 / 1999]
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