# Azamra / Rabbi Nachman: Who He Was - Part 16
אזמרה
Source: https://ajew.org/reader/azamra/1/16 ## Segment 1 66. Conceptions of G-dliness are only possible to grasp through many constrictions. Therefore a person should search very much for a proper teacher who is able to explain things and make these lofty concepts understandable, for this, a person needs a tremendously great teacher who is able to explain such lofty concepts on a simple level enabling small-minded people to understand. The smaller a person is and the further away from Hashem he is, the greater teacher he must find, just as the sicker a person is the greater the doctor he needs. Much prayer is needed to find a teacher like this, but one must never lose resolve and settle for mediocrity. [Likutay Moharan 30] ## Segment 2 67. A Rav must have in him the two powers that there are in the Torah, that is, “a drug of life and a drug of death” (Yoma 72), in order that it will be possible for those who come close to him to receive according to their own will, as in the Torah “the righteous will walk and the wicked will stumble” (Hosea 14). If he yearns for true service of Hashem he can receive from the Rav a straight path to serve Hashem, but if his heart isn’t pure, he can also find in the Rav something impure and be led completely astray. There are those who connect to the Tzaddik and become complete apostates. [Likutay Moharan 31] ## Segment 3 68. Every Tzaddik needs to be both; well versed in Torah and full of good deeds, for if he is not learned, our sages say, “an unlearned person cannot be a chassid.” But a person only learned, isn’t anything, for it is possible to be a very educated and studious person and remain completely wicked, for “If he is not worthy it will be a drug of death” (Talmud Yoma 42b). Torah without good deeds is not only insignificant - it is detrimental. [Likutay Moharan 31] ## Segment 4 69. Since the evil forces see that the Jewish people are very very close to the end (to the messiah), and there are Jews nowadays who have tremendous yearning and passion for spirituality and G-dliness, such a thing that has never occurred in past generations, so the evil forces insert arguments between the tzaddikim, and they establish in the world many false leaders, and even between true tzaddikim the evil forces cause great arguments, until no one knows where truth can be found. Therefore, a person needs to plead very much from Hashem to merit to recognize and come close to the true Tzaddik. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 44] ## Segment 5 Rabbi Nachman said of himself: ## Segment 6 70. “A chidoosh (novelty) like me never existed in the world.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 247] ## Segment 7 71. “I am a river that purifies all stains.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 332] ## Segment 8 72. “I am a beautiful and wondrous tree with great awesome branches, but below I am set firmly in the ground.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 245] ## Segment 9 73. “How could they not oppose me, for I walk a new path, one that no man has ever walked before, nor any creature since the time the Torah was received. Even though it is a very old path, nevertheless it is completely new.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 392] ## Segment 10 74. “There are those who are against me yet they don’t even know me at all. This is as it says in the Zohar, when the Torah states that Pharaoh said to the Egyptians, “Let’s outsmart the Jews.” Could it be that he went to each and every citizen to personally relate this message? Rather he inserted it into their hearts.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 394] ## Segment 11 75. “You should constantly review my teachings until you know them by heart.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 346] ## Segment 12 76. “All my teachings are introductions.” [Words of Rabbi Nachman 200] “My teachings are completely ideational aspects.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 350] ## Segment 13 77. “My fire will burn until the coming of the Messiah.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 46, 229, 306; The Petek] ## Segment 14 78. “The whole world needs me. You (my students) already know how much you need me, however, even all the Tzaddikim need me, for they too need to be benefited. All the nations of the world need me as well.” [Life of Rabbi Nachman 250] ## Segment 15 79. Rebbe Nachman said that all of his teachings and sayings are not only for us. Rather, “for those who are here standing with us today and for those who are not here with us today” (Devarim 29:14). In other words, it is for the generations that are yet to come. He spoke to us about this many times and he hinted to us in his words to make it known to the future generations… One time when he told us about passing on everything that happened with us and everything we heard from him to our children, he said this verse with great passion like fiery coals, “You should make known to your children and your childrens' children.” And he said, “Know and believe, if its possible to take one person out of the garbage dump, anyone who holds on to that person will come out as well.” [Words of Rabbi Nachman 209; Life of Rabbi Nachman 225] ## Segment 16 Coming to the holy Tomb of Rabbi Nachman – especially for Rosh Hashana – the Jewish New Years: ## Segment 17 80. 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 penny to charity (*) and say these ten 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 peyos/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 privileged 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 Sichos Haran 209).) (*) Printer's comment [Rabbi Nussun]: I heard from Rabbi Naftali z"l, who was one of the two witnesses who Rabbeinu z"l designated on this matter, i.e. Moreinu Harav Aharon z"l and Harav Rabbi Naftali as mentioned, that Rabeinu z"l said it then in these words: "When they come to my grave and give a penny 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 penny of charity for me." [Life of Rabbi Nachman 225] ## Segment 18 81. Rabbi Nachman said: “My Rosh Hashana is more important than everything. So its wondrous to me, why my followers who do believe in me, so why don't they warn all those that are drawn to me, that they should all be by me for Rosh Hashana, no one is exempt. For my entire matter is just Rosh Hashana. And he (Rabbi Nachman) warned that an announcement should be broadcasted that whom so ever that is inclined to his directives and is close to him, should be by him for Rosh Hashana, no one should be missing. And whomever merits to be by him for Rosh Hashana is befitting to be very very happy. [Life of Rabbi Nachman 403] ## Segment 19 82. Eat or don't eat, sleep or don't sleep, pray or don't pray; just make sure to be by me for Rosh Hashana! [Life of Rabbi Nachman 404] ## Segment 20 83. My Rosh Hashana is a great novelty. The Blessed G-d knows that this matter isn't an inheritance from my fathers, just the Blessed G-d gave me this as a present, that I know what Rosh Hashana is. Not only all of you are completely contingent on my Rosh Hashana, even the whole entire world is contingent on my Rosh Hashana. [Life of Rabbi Nachman 405]