Based on the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
Did you know Michael Jordan didn’t make the first basketball team he tried out for? Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had his first book rejected by 27 different publishers. Oprah was fired from her first TV anchor job for being ‘too emotionally invested in her stories.’ History is rife with examples of people who made it big, but only after much trial, tribulation and rejection.
History is rife with examples of people who made it big, but only after much trial, tribulation and rejection.
I grew up going to Jewish youth group gatherings where, inevitably, we sang that iconic song, “The whole entire woooorld is a very narrow briiidge; a very narrow briiidge; a very narrow bri-i-i-idge. And the main thing is to recall; is to have no fear – have no fear at all.” The song went on and included lots of yelling and different renditions. I loved this song. Little did I know this is actually a very deep teaching from Rebbe Nachman and is the basis for living life and overcoming obstacles.
In part two of Likutey Mohoran, teaching number 48, Rebbe Nachman states that basic truth we all know: life is hard. It is! He reassures us, not with placating nuances but with the hard truth – that not only is life hard and you WILL meet challenges and struggles, but you’re NOT the only one. All the greats, explains Rebbe Nachman, experience the tumult of life – what separates them from everyone else is what they do with their struggles.
Little did I know this is actually a very deep teaching from Rebbe Nachman and is the basis for living life and overcoming obstacles.
Imagine a young child learning to walk. The parent takes a step or two back from the child in order to encourage it to walk towards him. And as the child takes that first step, the parent takes another step back, all in order to strengthen the child’s steps and ultimately that child’s life, independence and ability to thrive.
The same is true in the spiritual realm. When we feel dejected, down and distanced from G-D and our purpose, we are actually nearing it. “In truth,” says Rebbe Nachman, “all distancing is nothing but being brought closer.”
How can a child learn to walk on his own if his parent is always carrying him? It is that seeming distance that is actually bringing us closer. It is those challenges that are actually opportunities for growth, renewal and closeness.
When we feel dejected, down and distanced from G-D and our purpose, we are actually nearing it
We must see our challenges, especially in the realm of spirituality and self-growth, as rich opportunities that are helping shape us into the people we aspire to be. We must be stubborn in our pursuits and not be distracted by the seeming darkness and distance. Rather, we must focus on the light ahead – the light of who we know we can be; the light of closeness and connection; the light of truth.
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Just as a parent rejoices in every, tiny step his child makes in learning to walk, so too, every step we take in the right direction, every time we even just attempt to stand up to one challenge, every time we focus on our good and refrain from dwelling on our bad, we are winning the battle and the whole world is cheering us on.
“ Know, that man needs to pass on a very very narrow bridge, and the most important thing is not to be overwhelmed by fear!” Meeting challenges face-on can feel like a narrow bridge; a rickety walk with certain spiritual death on either side. But, if we can remember that this bridge in life – whether it is the challenge of holding true to your morals even when your society shuns them or something more nuanced like resisting the urge to keep walking when you see a piece of trash on the ground – is simply the hard work that precedes great reward. Knowing this, we can truly free ourselves from this inner fear, and achieve our wildest goals amidst the greatest opposition.
As my grandfather always says, “The only place ‘reward’ comes before ‘struggle’ is in the dictionary.” Anything worth having requires hard work. This should not be discouraging, but rather a sigh of relief. You can now walk that narrow bridge easily and joyously, armed with the knowledge that this bridge is bringing you to the ‘other side’. This bridge is making you stronger with every step and equipping you with all the tools you’ll need once you reach the end.
As my grandfather always says, “The only place ‘reward’ comes before ‘struggle’ is in the dictionary.”
There might be no shortcuts in life, but Rebbe Nachman does give us a hint as to how to get across the bridge of life without losing anything along the way. “Encourage yourself,” advises Rebbe Nachman. “Be happy…do silly things,” whatever it takes to keep yourself upbeat and motivated.
Life can take some pretty sharp twists and turns. Whether it is through rejection, the feeling of being so far from your goals or being told you’re “too much” or “not enough”, life can seem pretty dark sometimes. But all of these twists and turns are simply opportunities to fine tune who you are. It is these moments that make you you.
Rebbe Nachman was able to achieve the high level of spiritual enlightenment that he reached because of his strong will power to learn, connect, and never give up. Because of his desire for connection and holiness, he was able to accomplish amazing things in his life, and pass down deep teachings and advice to us and all future generations.
But all of these twists and turns are simply opportunities to fine tune who you are. It is these moments that make you you.
Every single one of us is a shining soul full of incredible potential. Each of us have a specific and special purpose for which we came to the world. And yes, we will be thwarted along the way to achieving that. But, if we can remember that these challenges are simply making us stronger; that this darkness is just making our eyesight sharper, then we, and the whole world stands to benefit when we finally triumph.
Each of us have a specific and special purpose for which we came to the world
Keep on, stay true, and don’t forget to SMILE! 🙂
This article is based on likutei moharan 2, torah 48
Please note: We spent much time and effort to bring the inspirational teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov as accurately as possible in this article. If you find any mistakes in translation or have trouble understanding the article, please let us know! Feel free to comment below.We bless the viewers to be connected to Rebbe Nachman and to his teachings, and to always be happy and inspired…
Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me’Uman 🙂