Hitbodedut
"seclusion, solitariness, solitude";[1] Tiberian: hīṯbōḏăḏūṯ [hiθboːðaˈðuːuθ],[2] Ashkenazi: hīsboydedēs/hīsboydedūs or hīsbōdedūs, Sephardi: hitbōdedūt) refers to practices of self-secluded Jewish meditation.
The term was popularized by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810) to refer to an unstructured, spontaneous, and individualized form of prayer and meditation through which one would establish a close, personal relationship with God and ultimately see the Divinity inherent in all being.
[3] According to some scholars, within the school of ecstatic Kabbalah, hitbodedut should be understood as "concentrated thought as part of a clearly defined mystical technique".
This is demonstrated in the teachings of Kabbalists such as Abraham Aboulafia, Isaac of Acre, Moses Cordovero, Elazar Azkiri, Eliyahu De Vidas, and Hayyim Vital, also suggesting that this practice may have influenced later Jewish mystics, including Hasidic masters.
In some instances, Rabbi Nachman emphasizes that seclusion and frank talks with God are intended to bring about potent mystical experiences, which is viewed as the ideal culmination of Breslov hitbodedut.
It is believed that this tradition has been adapted to modern spiritual needs, shifting from solitary communication with God to a focus on personal well-being, emotional healing, and self-exploration.
[6] Instead it suggests that the earliest hitbodedut guide was written by Abraham son of Moses Maimonides (1186–1237), leader of the Pietists of Egypt, proposing that hitbodedut should be understood as “a meditative practice comprising three key elements—withdrawal from physical stimuli, directing awareness toward the Divine, and applying focused concentration to cleave to God and potentially attain divine inspiration.”[6] It is suggested that hitbodedut was transmitted to the 13th century Kabbalists of Acre, the 16th-century Kabbalists of Safed, and eventually to later 18th-century Kabbalists such as Moses Hayyim Luzato, as well as Hasidic masters such as Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
[6] Among the earliest documented evidence to the use of hitbodedut as a spiritual practice can be found in the teachings of the Jewish pietistic movement in Egypt.
The Rebbe Nachman of Breslov used to teach that one should spend a lot of time in solitude every day: during these moments, which would later turn into semi-prophetic or ecstatic experiences for the knowledge of God and the truth of the Torah, the devout Jew has more opportunities for Teshuvah, due to innovations in the knowledge of the Torah itself, in addition to being a specific meditative modality for personal prayers and being able to trust God as you would with a friend.
One should also use the opportunity to examine his behavior and motivations, correcting the flaws and errors of the past while seeking the proper path for the future.
[10] Rebbe Nachman told his leading disciple, Reb Noson, that hitbodedut should be practiced in a simple, straightforward manner, as if he were conversing with a close friend.
[13]Another form of hitbodedut is called bitul (nullification), in which the practitioner meditates on God's presence to the exclusion of all other things, including oneself.
I knew that if we did not listen to the Torah at that time, we would lose the opportunity to hear it fully: "You will give us the blessing, God willing, when you get home.
