Chayey Moharan

Chayey Moharan by Nathan of Breslov, translated by Wikisource

related portals: Breslov. Biography of Rabbi Nachman

25

Pertaining to the essay "Patach Rabbi Shimon" ( Likutei Moharan #60): After Rabbeinu of blessed memory said this speech he said plainly, "Today I said three things contrary to what the world says: 1) The world says that telling stories induces sleep; but I said that by story tales we awaken people from their sleep. 2) The world says that from telling words no one can conceive; but I said that by the Tzadik’s telling of words, through which he arouses people from their sleep, conception comes to barren women. 3) The world says that the true Tzadik of towering stature does not need much money, because why should he need money? But I said that there is such a contemplative understanding [of the Torah] for which one needs all the fortune of the world.

[Says the copyist:] I heard from one [distinguished] follower of Rabbeinu of blessed memory, that he heard from his holy mouth regarding his will being that they print the Story Tales also in the Yiddish language that we speak; and he said at that time that it can easily happen that a woman who is barren would read some story from them them, and thereby conceive for goodly offspring and be privileged to have children; this is the extent of what I heard. [And there is support for this from what is explained in that essay mentioned above, that via these story tales a barren woman becomes impregnated.]

189

On the road, during his trip to Uman, he replied and said, "Despite this, Hashem Yitbarakh/The Blessed One helps Yisrael always, and there is no orphaned generation." And similarly did Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai say, when a certain Tanna said, "The Torah is destined to be forgotten from Israel," and Rabbi Shimon said, "No! But via this Zohar they will go out from exile. 'For it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their offspring' (Deut. 31:21)." And therefore he stood himself on this verse and revealed the secret printed in Likutei [Moharan, Vol. I] in the beginning -- see there -- regarding the greatness of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. I answered and said to him, Rabbi Shimon certainly also has enjoyment from this, that is, from this wonderful revelation. He replied, "Yes." Afterwards he answered and said, "Rabbi Shimon in his uniqueness is a different matter, because Rabbi Shimon (שמעון) is [alluded to in the acronym of] "עיר וקדיש מן שמיא נחית/A watcher and a holy one came down from heaven" [Daniel 4:10], as printed there, but now there is [myself, נחמן, alluded to in] "נחל נבע, מקור חכמה/a flowing stream, the wellspring of wisdom [Prov. 18:4]!" And it has already been heard that he said of himself, “I am a river that cleanses from all stains."

225

Our Rabbi of blessed memory already assured us during his lifetime, and designated two kosher witnesses on this, that when he passes away, when [people] come to his grave and give a pennance to charity (*) and say these then tehilim/psalms that we have recorded for remedy for nocturnal emission, Heaven spare us, then our Rabbi himself will span the length and width [of the universe], and will surely save this person. And he said, that he will pull him out of Gehinom/hell by his peyot/sidelocks, even regardless of how that person be, and even regardless of what happened, only from now on he must accept on himself to not return to his wicked ways, Heaven forbid. And the night before he passed away he said: "What do you have to worry about, since I go before you; and if the souls who did not know me at all, look forward to my tikunim/remedies, all the more so [should] you" etc. (And likewise even those who were not priveleged to know our Rabbi of blessed memory during his lifetime, when they come to his holy grave and rely on him and learn his holy books and accustom themselves to walk in his holy ways that are mentioned in his holy books, surely they have on what to rely. Fortunate are they! Fortunate is their portion! "And none of them that take refuge in Him shall be desolate" [Ps. 34:23], for he already revealed his mind in several terms, explicitly and by hint, that all that he is involved in with us is not only for us, but with "those who are here...and with those who are not here" [Deut. 29:14], as explained further below (see Sichot Haran 209).)

(*) Printer's comment [Rabbi Natan]: I heard from Rabi Naftali z"l, who was one of the two witnesses who Rabbeinu z"l designated on this matter, i.e. Morein Harav Aharon z"l and Harav Rabi Naftali as mentioned, that Rabeinu z"l said it then in these words: "When they come to my grave and give a pennance to charity for my sake (he means, for remembrance of his holy soul, as commonly practiced), ..." and in Yiddish: "in vet gebin apruta tzedaka fun maynit wegin etc"/and will give a pennace of charity for me."

266

He [Rabbi Nachman] said "All the benefits Mashiach can do for Yisrael, I can do; the only difference is Mashiach will decree and it will happen, but I -- (and he stopped and did not say more) [alternate version: I cannot finish yet]."

306

I heard from a man who heard from Rabbienu z"l that he said in these words: "My fire will burn until the coming of Mashiach."

355

סִפֵּר לִי אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְשַׁבֵּחַ מְאד אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ לְפָנָיו וְהִפְלִיג מְאד בִּגְדֻלַּת נִפְלְאוֹת תּוֹרָתוֹ. וְאָמַר שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל מְאד לִקְנוֹת סְפָרָיו. כִּי אֲפִילּוּ כְּשֶׁעוֹמְדִין בְּתֵבָה וּמִגְדָּל הֵם טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה כִּי. סְפָרָיו הֵם שְׁמִירָה גְּדוֹלָה בַּבַּיִת לִשְׁמר גַּם הָעֲשִׁירוּת וּמָמוֹן הָאָדָם מִכָּל הַהֶזֵּקוֹת. וְהִזְכִּיר אָז עָשִׁיר אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדְעוֹ וּמַכִּירוֹ וְאָמַר שֶׁגַּם אֵלָיו הִיא טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלִּי בְּבֵיתוֹ כִּי יִהְיֶה לוֹ שְׁמִירָה גְּדוֹלָה לְכָל דָּבָר וְשֶׁתִּתְקַיֵּם עֲשִׁירוּתוֹ. וְהִזְהִיר אֶת הָאִישׁ שֶׁדִּבֵּר עִמּוֹ מִזֶּה, שֶׁיְּזָרֵז אֶת הֶעָשִׁיר הַנַּ"ל שֶׁיִּרְאֶה לִקְנוֹת סְפָרָיו. וְעַיֵּן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר מִזֶּה כַּמָּה הָיָה מִשְׁתּוֹקֵק שֶׁיִּתְפַּשְּׁטוּ סְפָרָיו בְּקֶרֶב כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלא לִכְבוֹדוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אות שנו אַחַר שֶׁמָּסַר הַתּוֹרָה פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּלִקּוּטֵי א' סִימָן ס' אָמַר שֶׁהָיְתָה חֲתֻנָּה יָפָה וְהָיָה רָאוּי לְבַקֵּשׁ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עִם הַפָּמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה עַל הַחֲתֻנָּה. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ בְּוַדַּאי הָיָה בְּכָאן. הֵשִׁיב מִן הַסְּתָם [אָמַר הַמַּעְתִּיק שָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁאָמַר אָז לְאַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַחֲזִיק אוֹתָם בְּעִנְיַן אֲמִירַת הַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ"ל הַנַּ"ל שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁל שָׁה לֵילוֹת וְלא יֵדְעוּ בֵּין יוֹם לְלַיְלָה כְּלָל, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזוהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְכוּ'] אות שנז אָמַר שֶׁכָּל הַתּוֹרוֹת שֶׁגִּלָּה קדֶם שֶׁהָיָה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה כְּלָל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כְּתוּבִים בִּסְפָרָיו רַק מַה שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ אַחַר שֶׁהָיָה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לִכְתּב הַכּל אֲפִילּוּ כָּל שִׂיחָה וְשִׂיחָה הַכּל צְרִיכִין לִכְתּב. וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים הִזְהִיר. לִכְתּב כָּל שִׂיחָה וְשִׂיחָה שֶׁשּׁוֹמְעִין מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְאָמַר בִּשְׁלָמָא דְּבָרִים הַנִּכְתָּבִים בְּסֵפֶר אִם לא יִזְכּר אוֹתָם עַכְשָׁו יוּכַל לִרְאוֹתָם וְלִלְמד בָּהֶם בְּפַעַם אַחֵר אֲבָל כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים מִפִּי שׁוּב לא תִּשְׁמְעוּ עוֹד פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת לְעוֹלָם. עַל כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי אַתֶּם צְרִיכִין לִזְכּר מְאד כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר, וְלִכְתּב הַכּל כָּל שִׂיחָה וְסִפּוּר [וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הִתְחַלְתִּי לִכְתּב קְצָת שִׂיחוֹת שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ אוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, אֲבָל לא נִכְתַּב חֵלֶק מֵאֶלֶף]

358

וְאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה בְּפֵרוּשׁ שֶׁבְּכָל שִׂיחָה וְשִׂיחָה שֶׁהָיָה מֵשִׂיחַ וּמְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת עַל יָדָהּ אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר וַאֲפִילּוּ צַדִּיק גָּמוּר כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹצֶה אִם יִרְצֶה לֵילֵךְ עִמָּהּ לְקַיֵּם כְּפִי שִׂיחָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וּמִי שֶׁזָּכָה לִשְׁמעַ שִׂיחָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ הוּא יוֹדֵעַ זאת בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְבֵרוּר. וְגַם אֲפִילּוּ עַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁלּוֹמְדִין דְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים יֵשׁ לָהֶם גַּם כֵּן כּחַ גָּדוֹל לְעוֹרֵר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לִזְכּוֹת לְדַרְכֵי ה' בֶּאֱמֶת לְמִי שֶׁיָּשִׂים לִבּוֹ הֵיטֵב לִדְבָרָיו וּלְשִׂיחוֹתָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בְּזֶה הַסֵּפֶר, וּבִשְׁאָר סְפָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. כִּי כָּל שִׂיחָה שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא הִתְעוֹרְרוּת נִפְלָא וְנוֹרָא מְאד וְדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וּנְכוֹנָה מְאד לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. לְכָל אֶחָד לְפִי מַדְרֵגָתוֹ יִהְיֶה בְּאֵיזֶה מַדְרֵגָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה. אֲפִילּוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא בְּמַדְרֵגָה עֶלְיוֹנָה מְאד יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וְעֵצוֹת נִפְלָאוֹת מִכָּל שִׂיחָה וְשִׂיחָה שֶׁלּוֹ. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ מִי שֶׁהוּא בְּתַכְלִית מַדְרֵגָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וְעֵצוֹת נְכוֹנוֹת מִכָּל שִׂיחָה וְשִׂיחָה שֶׁלּוֹ לְמַלֵּט נַפְשׁוֹ מִנִּי שַׁחַת, וְלָשׁוּב אֶל הַשֵּׁם בֶּאֱמֶת אִם יָשִׂים לִבּוֹ לִדְבָרָיו הֵיטֵב וִיקַיֵּם אוֹתָם בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִתְמִימוּת בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת. אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁיּאחַז בָּהֶם

359

One time he said in amazement, "The world reckons the Zohar and the Tikunim [i.e. Tikunei haZohar] are all equal." And what was understood from his words was that in truth there is a vast and astounding difference between the book of the holy Zohar and the book of the Tikunim. Even though the book of the Zohar is very holy and awesome, it has no worth at all in comparison to the sanctity and secrets of the book of the Tikunim.

See Also

http://breslev.eip.co.il/books/moharan-life.asp

Notes

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.