The Trips to the Breslovers in Jerusalem
The Trips to the Breslovers in Jerusalem I sat in Tiberius in yeshiva, however, my heart burned for Jerusalem! I was in Tiberius, and my heart was in Jerusalem! And for example – when some sort of holiday came; Purim, Chanuka, I left the yeshiva – be what may – and I traveled to Jerusalem! And thank G-d I had a lot from this – very much, because I had “sheemush” (-attending to a Sage, which is considered more important than actually learning Torah from him)! I was by so and so for a meal, and by so and so – and I received from each one a lot of stuff! Such things that – I already don't remember, but this I remember, that when I would come home to Tiberius with merchandise! That is, I prayed differently, and differently - - an entirely new Yisroel Ber! A new Breslover!…. Tiberius was a small town, it isn't Jerusalem. A small town – so when I came (back) from Jerusalem, the talk of the town was that Yisroel Ber was in Jerusalem!… They wondered, “How does he travel?… From where does he get money for travel expenses?!” And this was a kiddush (sanctification of) Hashem! They knew that my traveling was not for money, for other things, only sincerity, only sincerity! - They felt this! They asked themselves, “What is it – we are always depressed, and Yisroel Ber is always happy?!… We have parnasa (-livelihood), and he is a poor man – and he travels all the time to Jerusalem, and he is missing nothing, and he is happy, and dances?!” And this was a kiddush (sanctification of) Hashem – I brought (into) them heart ache (-or worse)! Because they were misnagdim (antagonists), I brought (into) them - - * (Someone asks: Did you know R' Meir Anshin?) Yeah… I would eat by him on Shabbos, we would dance together!… (“He was older than you?”) Yeah, I was a youngerman (young man -usually a term for a married man studying in Kollel), and he was already an older Jew – he lived a long life! (“He was a disciple of R' Avrohom the son of R' Nachman (of Tulchin)?) Yeah. He served R' Avrohom R' Nachman's (-that is R' Nachman's son R' Avrohom), and R' Avrohom R' Nachman's was by him in the house like a member of the house. * (Someone asks: Did you see R' Avrohom the son of R' Nachman (of Tulchin)?) I did not know (“recognize”) him. Only what I heard of him – from R' Yisroel'n, from R' Shlomo'n. R' Naftoli Cohen was his shvehr (father in law – from R' Avrohom's second marriage). This R' Avrohom R' Nachman's – there was also not left from him any children. He had two children – with R' Naftoli's daughter. And he traveled away to Rebbe'ns tzion (-tomb – in Uman) – He traveled away for Rosh Hashana, there was the war, and he wasn't able to come back, and the children passed away in the war – during the time of the war. * Every one of our men was a different (-Hebrew: unique) world! This one was such a world, and this one was such - - and I had this (-something) from each one! And it did great deeds, each one, accomplishments, with their words, which I saw - - it is impossible to say over! This is spiritual matters. * R' Gedalia Berger o.b.m. This R' Gedalia (Berger o.b.m.) didn't miss a day that he didn't go to the Western Wall, after the yeshiva. He would sit in the yeshiva, and when he came home – he sat (-lived) outside the city – he sat (-lived) in Mishkanos, under the city there, today it is already built up a lot - - And this R' Gedalia had a wife, his wife – she was sickly, she was sick l”o (-not upon us). Of the poverty – in addition sick as well!… Nu, and when the wife is sick it isn't a good thing, one can have worries, fall into depression, into lethargy. Poor and sick…. He came from chutz (-outside) lu-uretz (-the holy land) – R' Gedalia came from chutz-lu'uretz. Most of our men came from chutz-lu'uretz, he was from Russia. He was a poor man, and he would travel – for Rosh Hashana there is nothing to talk about – just, he would travel a few times in middle of the year, not for Rosh Hashana!…. He passed away not long ago – roughly ten years ago. Nu, and he nebach suffered tremendously, and he was in an old age home. There it was hell – not upon us and not upon us (*translator's note – for many years Saba was in an old age, where he had only one small room – there are videos of it, from the end of his stay when people started visiting him and shortly thereafter broke him out, from here we can understand what it was like for him….) - a type of hell, such – that I wondered; “He should always be depressed?!” “I am situated in a hell – I am situated in such a place!” And he was always happy, and his mind was only set (-placed, resting) in Likutay Moharan, in the Toaroas (-holy teachings) of Rebbe'n! I would come almost every day to him in the old age home to visit him – to see his condition, and I saw how his mind with his heart were set (-placed, resting) just by HY! He yearned for humility and for joy – and he felt that he is completely distant! I spoke with him, such…. ***