The Drawing Close of R' Yisroel Karduner
The Drawing Close of R' Yisroel Karduner o.b.m. - - (R' Yisroel Karduner o.b.m.) He received from R' Moshe Breslover, R' Nussun's disciple. He held the yartzeit (-anniversary of death) of R' Moshe'n just like after a father, he would fast the day of his yartzeit. (Someone asks: “How did he come close to Breslov?”) He found some pages of Tikun Haklali (-The General/Comprehensive Rectification revealed by Rabbi Nachman) – the introduction, through this he came close to Breslov!…. He told over to me, the (-his) father was a big merchant, (and) he (R' Yisroel) was the main manager of the store, and the father would send sacks of sugar – with merchandise, (and) he would go sit in the warehouse, and he would give to whom his father ordered him. In that place there were sacks with boxes (Heb: cupboards), he would sit there inside the warehouse between the sacks, and from there he would scream to HY – (that) He should have mercy on him, (so that) he should merit to be a truly kosher (-worthy) man! This is the way one draws close to Rebbe'n! When one begs HY, and desires and yearns – one merits! - One must believe that he will find! (*Based on Likutay Halachos, Laws of Blessing on Fruit 5:1, brought in Ullim Litrufa, letter of Rabbi Nussun from Sunday, Torah Portion of Metzoaru, Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5592, “And this is (Megila 6b) '”I exerted and did not find” – do not believe, “I exerted and I found” - believe', and it is difficult, what is the language of “believing”, behold it is possible to see if he found or did not? However, the truth is that is possible that one tried a lot, and it seems to him that he still has not found anything, and because of this he says, “I exerted and didn't find,” nevertheless, do not believe him, just, “I exerted and I found,” believe, even though he doesn't have anything in his hands that he found, nevertheless, believe with complete faith that certainly he found a lot, because there is a lot that isn't shown to him that he found until the end. And also, even if he still did not find anything yet, nevertheless he found a lot through the searching and exertion alone, because the exertion and the searching alone is not lost in any way, and therefore, “I exerted and I found” - believe, specifically “believe” as explained above, and understand well.” (T.N. see Unkelos on the verse (Genesis 19:15), “daughters who are found (present)” who translates are found faithful).) I exerted and I found! He was drawn close with such a fiery heart. The (-his) father did not want – the father cut him out of the inheritance! And he left his father the way he stood – just with the shoes with (the) clothing, that is how he left him, and he came to Uman. He was a wealthy boy, from a wealthy house, with such honor – and he went begging, just like the beggar – begging alms! And first he printed – two thousand Tikun Haklalis! He went around the houses and begged alms, and from this he printed two thousand Tikun Klalis, and he traveled around selling them, in the synagogues, in the city…. And he gave himself over completely to Rebbe'n like one should – he merited! He was unique amongst the Breslover chasidim! Probably you heard, R' Yisroel Karduner – everyone knows he was an oavaid (server of) Hashem with mesiras nefesh (-self sacrifice). (Someone asks: “How long was he in the Land of Israel?”) He was approximately fifteen years, approximately. He was two times in the Land of Israel, previously he was here for a few weeks, and he traveled back. And afterwards he came (-permanently). He gave his entire life over for Rebbe'n! He published the books of Rebbe'n in the time when no one did (not) - - he published; Likutay Tefilos, and Likutay Moharan, and small booklets – he translated the travels of Rebbe'n to the Land of Israel into Yiddish – into the jargon – into Yiddish. He had no money – he borrowed, it was known that he paid back, he had credit, it was known that he would pay back. He published, sold, everything with prayers. “And Elisha, who did (miracles), with prayers he did (them) (Megila 27a, and see Likutay Moharan 250)!” With prayer he accomplished everything! With such mesiras nefesh (-self sacrifice) which is unfathomable, borrowing money and printing. Today there is “Keren <fund> Hadfusa <printing/publishing> (-Meshech Hanachal),” but back then there was – mesiras nefesh! Later his father had regret, he (R' Yisroel) traveled specially to fulfill (the mitzva of) honoring one's father. He was old, he attended to him. From Uman he traveled to the country where he was born – there where his father lived – so that he could fulfill honoring one's father - - in Tarnapul (Galitzia). R' Shlomo Wexler would say of R' Yisroel'n – of him it says the verse (Isaiah 49:3), “Israel whom in you I glorify.” (*See later where Saba says on him the verse 60:21). * [Someone asks: “He met with R' Avrohom son of R' Nachman (of Tulchin)?”] Yeah! Certainly! They were friends – yeah, certainly! I did not know (“recognize”) him – R' Avrohom'en, I was drawn close when he was already in chutz lu'uretz (-outside Israel). However, I heard from R' Shlomo Wexler, from R' Meir Anshin - - * (Someone asks: “When R' Yisroel sang, did he also dance?”) He sang, he danced also, certainly! He danced even in middle of the week as well! R' Avrohom would say that one must dance a half hour on the clock! It is a great mitigation – sweetening of the dinim (-judgments)! (*Likutay Moharan 10: Through dancing and clapping there is mitigation of the dinim. And see Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 131: His intention is like the simple meaning, that they should strengthen themselves to be happy in the days of joy, like Purim, and Chanuka, and holidays, or a wedding, and so forth all types of joy of mitzvoas, that they should strengthen themselves with great joy, until they merit to be aroused to dance and clap, and through this they will sweeten the dinim etc..) (Someone asks: “Today they don't dance so much - -”) I would dance by myself! Alone by myself at home! Yeah! I sang melodies, another melody, such a melody, such a melody - - I was happy and singing!… (*See Words of Rabbi Nachman, article 273: “It is good for a person to accustom himself so that he can enliven himself with some melody, because melody is a very, very great and high matter, and it has great power to arouse and draw a person's heart to Hashem Yisburach. And even someone who can't sing, nevertheless in his house, by himself, he can enliven himself with some melody as best as he can sing it, because the prominence of melody is unfathomable etc..” And see Ullim Litrufa, letter from 11 Tishray 5593: “And I already said that it is necessary to dance every day, and certainly you heard this, and now I returned and spoke about this, because according to the enormity of the suffering and confusion etc. which transpires over every person now, there is no remedy except to make oneself happy with all that is mentioned above, and to dance every day – in actuality or in words, to speak with his friends of this, or at the very least, in thought, and actually be happy nonetheless etc..”) *