The rebbe wasn't a liberal, and he melded kaballah with fervent Torah study, but he also advocated free-form prayer -- talking to the divine as you would a friend, or an imaginary friend.
He also advocated that we always be happy.
One can't always be happy, and Rebbe Nachman's real life story speaks to that. Green's biography, Tormented Master speaks to the rebbe's possible bipolar disorder. Happiest of happy; lowest of lows.
But my absolute favorite thing about Rebbe Nachman are his followers, who take "always be happy" to the extreme, dancing ecstatically to techno music about their rebbe in the streets of Israel. How can you not love these guys?
entertaining and happy. But why no women celebrating? If this were reconstructionists wouldn't women be part of the celebration?
ReplyDeleteYes, if they were more "liberal" or egalitarian Jews, women would be part of the celebrations, but that's not to say that the Breslov women don't have their own celebrations and live out Rebbe Nachman's edicts. The rules of modesty would dictate that they don't pop out of vans and dance in the street in front of complete strangers. Who knows what their private lives are like?
ReplyDeleteInteresting question!
Do notice, though, that throughout the video there are women that join in the dancing and no one makes them stop.
ReplyDelete