Articles 104–229 (His Birthplace, Residence, Journeys and Wanderings)

(1) His birth was in the holy community of Mezhibuzh, and he entered the covenant of circumcision on Shabbat HaGadol [the Great Sabbath]. And all his years, as is heard, were approximately forty years, a little less — for in his fortieth year he passed away and departed on high in the month of Eisonim [Tishrei], on the Festival, on the third day, the fourth day of Sukkos, the 18th of Tishrei 5571 [1810], in Uman, the city he chose while yet alive to lie in, as explained elsewhere (below #191, 197, 217). And afterwards I heard that his years were no more than thirty-eight and a half years, and as it appears, this is the truth. (It is known that in the year 5532, Rosh Chodesh Nisan fell on the Sabbath — and that is the day Rabbainu o.b.m. was born, according to both of the above opinions.) (2) From the day of his birth until he grew up and became bar mitzvah, until his entering the wedding canopy — all of it was in the holy community of Mezhbuzh. And it is already explained a little (in Shivchay HaRan) — less than a drop in the ocean — about his service of G‑d, that even in those days in his very childhood he was aroused to His service Blessed He etc. And his marriage was in Medvedivkeh, for there he was betrothed to the daughter of the renowned distinguished man in Torah and fear of Heaven, our teacher the Rav Rabbi Ephraim of blessed memory. His father-in-law was a very distinguished and well-connected man whose origin was in Zaslav. But afterwards things unfolded until he established his residence in the village of Ossyatin and in other villages belonging to the settlement of Medvedivkeh. And he maintained those villages and was well-regarded by name among all the renowned tzaddikim, all of whom lodged with him. His wife too — the mother-in-law of Rabbainu o.b.m. — was a very pious woman, and she merited to have Rabbainu o.b.m. as a son-in-law.

And immediately on the day of the wedding, after he came out from under the wedding canopy, he was yearning and longing for Hashem Yisburach etc. And he immediately became attached to Rabbi Shimon the son of Rabbi Ber. And from then on he occupied himself with the service of G‑d in those aforementioned villages and labored and toiled in the service of G‑d with great effort and with messeeras nefesh (self-sacrifice) etc.

And he would travel from there periodically to Mezhibuzh, and would return and travel again from there. And also his way was to speak at intervals with people about the service of G‑d, arousing them greatly and drawing their hearts to Hashem Yisburach with very intense longing. And as many days and years passed in which he fasted and labored greatly in the service of G‑d and in hisbodidus beyond measure — with trials without number — and he was still sitting in the aforementioned village at the table of his father-in-law.

In the midst of this, certain people began to draw close to him somewhat, even while he was still sitting at his father-in-law's table in the aforementioned village. And all of this was in his actual days of youth, before he was twenty years old — for he was exceedingly diligent in his service, and had already begun in his very childhood as mentioned above.

(3) The aforementioned Rabbi Shimon told me that immediately after Rabbainu o.b.m. covered the face of the bride on the day of his wedding, he went right away and called over several young men, and spoke privately with each one, testing them in his wisdom to see where they stood.

Afterwards he called over Rabbi Shimon and began to speak with him also in that style, as if he wanted — G‑d forbid — the vanities of this world. And Rabbi Shimon stood astonished and did not answer, for he did not desire those things. Rabbainu o.b.m. replied: Are you not a human being — why do you not desire these worldly matters? He answered: I am a simple man and I desire simplicity. Rabbainu o.b.m. answered and said: It appears that there will be a great bond between us — and he said to him in the German tongue: "Sez hot a'panim az mir vellen zich kennen" [It appears we will come to know each other].

Afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. told him that he had spoken with those young men and tested and examined them — behold, they are very far from Hashem Yisburach, and moreover they are blemished and transgressors, may the Merciful One protect us.

Immediately Rabbainu o.b.m. went with Rabbi Shimon out to the field, and they spoke together at length about the service of G‑d with great longing. And Rabbainu o.b.m. spoke to Rabbi Shimon many words of arousal — that there is no purpose in this world except to withdraw from worldly desires and to serve Hashem Yisburach. And especially: I, on this day which is my wedding day when all my sins are forgiven — certainly I must examine my deeds greatly. And with such words he spoke with him at length, and they walked together speaking of this until the wedding canopy.

Fortunate is he who merits on the day of his wedding to think about the true purpose.

And from then on Rabbi Shimon became bound with Rabbainu o.b.m., and he o.b.m. spoke with him much with great arousal — speaking to his heart that he should do as he did, to withdraw completely from the world and to labor and toil and engage only in His service Blessed He. But Rabbi Shimon said to him: You will certainly merit to become a renowned tzaddik — and I desire to serve you always. And so it was. But Rabbi Shimon too was a very upright man of exalted virtue — for I heard from the mouth of Rabbainu o.b.m. himself some years ago that Rabbi Shimon had already completely shattered all the evil character traits.

(4) Rabbi Shimon told that once, after Rabbainu had become renowned, he traveled with Rabbainu o.b.m. through the village of Ossyatin — where Rabbainu o.b.m. had labored in his great service at his father-in-law's house. And he traveled with him through the fields, and Rabbainu o.b.m. was very nostalgic and said: How good it was for me here — for in every single step I felt the taste of the Garden of Eden. For there on those paths he was accustomed to walk and to seclude himself in hisbodidus. And he was distressed and very nostalgic and said: Was it not very good for me here — why do I need the renown of now?

Also another time he told in my presence that in his days of youth, when he would engage in hisbodidus in some place in the forest or in the field, when he returned from there the whole world appeared completely new to him — as if it were an entirely different world. And the world did not appear to his eyes as it had before.

(5) Afterwards things unfolded and he was forced to leave his father-in-law's table — for his mother-in-law passed away, and his father-in-law took another wife from the holy community of Mogilev. And Rabbainu o.b.m. himself arranged this match for him, traveling with him to the city of Mogilev. And he was still in his very youthful days — approximately eighteen years old — but people showed him some deference because he was the grandson of the Ba'al Shem Tov of blessed memory. And they also saw and understood from him personally that he was a precious vessel beyond gold and pearls. And the discerning ones understood even then that when he grew up he would be a novelty in the world.

In Mogilev he was lodged in the house of a distinguished man close to his uncle Rabbi Boruch of blessed memory. And he received him with great honor and made a feast for him. And other important men were there, and they gave him wine to drink. He o.b.m. was still contained and not accustomed to saying Torah in public — but then at that wine feast his heart became inflamed and he opened his mouth and revealed before them wondrous and awesome things. And the men who were there saw and were astonished, and were very alarmed. And then his father-in-law's wedding took place. And the renowned holy tzaddik Rabbi Dov of Zaslav, known as Rabbi Ber son of Rabbi Bunim, who merited to travel to the Land of Israel and passed away there — was informed of everything that had been heard from Rabbainu's mouth then. And he was astonished and very amazed and said: There would be a great novelty in the world.

And while he was still sitting at his father-in-law's table, people from nearby places began to draw close to him. And at times they would travel to him and he would inflame their hearts greatly toward Hashem Yisburach, and they became very pious people, down to this day — fortunate are they.

Afterwards his mother-in-law [the new one] did not fulfill her obligations toward him properly. For in his father-in-law's house Rabbainu o.b.m. had a special room — a small side chamber called an alkir. And there he would sit, seclude himself, and engage in his service. And at intervals he would go outside to the field or forest for hisbodidus.

One day Rabbainu o.b.m. traveled to the city, and his mother-in-law went and placed her bed in his room — wanting to take the room for herself. And immediately when Rabbainu o.b.m. returned and found she had taken his place of holiness, he could no longer be supported at his father-in-law's table. And then he left the village and established his residence in the city of Medvedivkeh.

(6.) Behold, regarding all these matters there is very, very much to tell — countless thousands and tens of thousands of events that occurred to him during those days and years when he resided in the aforementioned places, for that was the main period of his toil and exertion in serving Hashem Yisburach with very great effort, and he had great battles every single day and every single hour before he subdued and broke each and every character trait, and each and every desire. And since I did not merit to draw close to him until he came here to Breslov, and all these things I heard intermittently — the majority from his holy mouth, and the rest from other people who knew him then — I am therefore unable to tell everything in proper order, and I am compelled to skip much from subject to subject. And whatever comes to my memory I shall not withhold from telling, for even of what I already heard, the greater part has been forgotten.

(7.) He would often relate various small incidents that he heard from his holy mouth, may his memory be for a blessing, that he told of his youth — of the time when he was occupied in the service of G-d with great effort. He greatly desired that Hashem Yisburach show him a miracle in order to strengthen his faith even more, and he greatly implored and beseeched and multiplied his prayers to Hashem Yisburach for this.

And he told of three miracles that occurred to him then.

The first: in the place where he was accustomed to walk about outside — here and there — and engage in hisbodidus and cleaving to Hashem Yisburach, there stood in that path a large cross of theirs, meaning a two-beam cross as is their custom, particularly in the villages. And it greatly disturbed him, for he suffered greatly that the cross stood opposite him during his walking in devekus and hisbodidus. And he prayed to Hashem Yisburach that He perform for him this miracle — that the cross be uprooted. And he decreed a matter and it arose, and suddenly the cross was uprooted and fell to the ground.

The second: concerning the fish — that he would go before the river and desired that fish should come to his hand without a net, and so it came to pass.

The third he forgot — it seems to him that it was something he desired to see a dead person, and he beseeched Hashem Yisburach for this, and it came to pass that suddenly a dead man came to him, and he was lying in his room — namely in the alcove room in his father-in-law's house. And Rabbainu o.b.m. was then very, very frightened, because this was the first time he had ever seen a dead person with his own eyes, for it was in the beginning of his youth. And he also said afterwards that that dead man had been a wicked person, and therefore a very great and immeasurable fear fell upon him.

And he began to cry out exceedingly with a very strange cry, and the members of the household came running and tried to enter his room. And they could not enter because Rabbainu o.b.m. had locked the room from inside from the start. And they were compelled to devise means to enter — and I do not remember whether he said they broke the wall or that they climbed over the top of the alcove wall and came to him — and afterwards he calmed down from his fright. And he said that that dead man was wicked, which was why he was so frightened.

And afterwards he saw many many dead persons and was no longer frightened — all the more so in the latter days of his life when he became the Master of the Field, for then thousands and tens of thousands came to him without measure for rectification. For this was his primary occupation — to rectify the souls of the dead, and souls of the naked [unincorporated souls] who had never yet entered a body at all, etc., as is explained elsewhere (below #151).

And he told that he was extremely poor for one week, and once he had nothing to eat in the evening. And he went out to the field as was his custom, and found a kerchief with groats — a kind of cloth with grits — and brought it home to cook. And it appears from his words that this thing was precious in his eyes like one who finds great spoils, because he had trust in Hashem Yisburach and Hashem Yisburach had sent him his sustenance in the field.

For I heard from his holy mouth that he said he knows from trust that even if he had been sitting in an actual field, he would have had trust in Hashem Yisburach that He would send him his sustenance. But this thing is harder and more burdensome — namely, that the true tzaddik hold onto money in his possession and not scatter it immediately — that is harder and more burdensome etc. And he told before me that he had three hundred red coins [adumim] as his dowry and he ate from that money until it was all spent, and afterwards the above-mentioned period of poverty came upon him etc. as mentioned above. But in the beginning he did not think about it at all, just occupied himself in his service and ate from the above-mentioned sum etc.

(8.) He would frequently tell of his thoughts from the time of his youth, when he was occupied in his service of G-d. For he pictured in his mind that he did not want to become famous in any way at all, and he did not want to receive [followers] at all, and he had many many thoughts about how he would conceal himself from the world and how he would manage his livelihood. And sometimes he had thoughts that he would go begging from door to door and no one would know who he was. (10.) Afterwards he traveled from Medvedivkeh to the Land of Israel. Upon his return from the Land of Israel, he arranged a match for his daughter Adil with Rabbi Yoske the son of the renowned holy pious Gaon, our teacher the Rav Rabbi Avraham Dov of blessed memory, the Av Beis Din of the holy congregation of Chmelnik.

(9.) Afterwards he entered Medvedivkeh. And there several village men gathered and established a fixed arrangement to give him one rendl [a type of coin] each week. And he sat there in Medvedivkeh in some quietude and calm, and there several men began to draw close to him, and many people attached themselves to him day after day. And they began to travel to him from the surrounding areas, until they began traveling to him from distant places — approximately twenty parsaos away. For the men of Dashiv drew close to him during his stay there, and all who merited to draw close to him became filled with awe of G-d. And he turned many away from sin and drew them close to Hashem Yisburach with a great drawing-close etc. And also in Medvedivkeh he had some opposition, but all his enemies fell before him. And there were some incidents there with the rabbis of that place — but I do not know them well enough to recount them properly. And after his arrival from the Land of Israel he remained in Medvedivkeh for approximately one year and somewhat more.

Also, immediately upon his return from the Land of Israel he traveled to the holy congregation of Ladi, to the famous pious Gaon, our teacher the Rav Shneur Zalman, may the memory of the holy and righteous be for a blessing. And he spoke with him at great length about the people of the Land of Israel, for when Rabbainu o.b.m. was in the Land of Israel, they earnestly besought him to remain there.

And regarding this matter there are several events to tell of what happened to him during his journey there, during his stay there, and on his return therefrom.

He was also at the holy Rabbi of Neskiz for five days before the passing of that Rabbi. And he traveled to him in great haste, for he was eager and rushed in his journey in order to find him while still alive. And so it was — he arrived close to his passing. And the great love and joy of the holy Rabbi mentioned above at the coming of Rabbainu o.b.m. cannot be told or imagined at all.

For the aforementioned Rabbi was lying bedridden with a very severe illness, as was well known to all, and for half a year consecutively he had been confined to a room into which no sunlight at all entered, for he could not bear even a ray of sunlight. And he did not stir from his place and could not eat any cooked food — for he could not bear the smell of cooked food. And they were compelled to strain his broth several times before he could eat it. And in his entire house it was forbidden to bring any cooked food, for he could not tolerate the smell and the like, for he was greatly ill with great suffering and a very severe malady. And when Rabbainu o.b.m. came to him, he literally revived him. And immediately when Rabbainu's messenger came and brought him the news that Rabbainu o.b.m. was coming to him, the aforementioned Rabbi was filled with joy and said that he had literally revived him. And afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. came to him and he received him with very great honor, and with love and affection without measure and worth, and they spoke together at very great length. And it is heard from the man who was there with him that they spoke of visions and the revelations experienced by true tzaddikim, of what they envision and attain etc., and they spoke of the angel Metatron etc. and the like.

And afterwards the holy Rabbi commanded that a feast be prepared for him in his house specifically — even though it was forbidden to bring cooked food there as mentioned above. Even so, "love overrides the rule," and he prepared a great feast for him, and Rabbainu o.b.m. sat at the head, and the aforementioned holy Rabbi roused himself and entered the house dressed in his upper garment — a gilded embroidered coat [chalat shel gilden gishtik] — and entered and sat with them at the table in honor of Rabbainu o.b.m. — he who for half a year had not risen from his bed nor entered to sit at a table. And for the honor of the great Rabbi Rabbainu o.b.m. he entered in the midst of his severe illness, for those were the days before his passing. And Rabbainu o.b.m. was there from Friday to the holy Sabbath. And the aforementioned Rabbi urgently requested that he eat by him on the holy Sabbath, and Rabbainu o.b.m. did not wish to — and afterwards he implored him greatly, and it seems that he ate there.

And the aforementioned Rabbi sent to Rabbainu o.b.m. a ten-adumin pidyon. And Rabbainu o.b.m. saw that he was compelled to distribute all his money, but this was impossible etc. And he understood that he was compelled to pass on. And Rabbainu o.b.m. returned home before his passing.

In Kremintchak I heard from one man who said he heard from his father — who had served the Rabbi of Neskiz at the time when Rabbainu z"l was there — that he also told how the Rabbi of Neskiz treated him with very great honor. And in the extreme weakness mentioned above, he escorted Rabbainu z"l when he left his house to travel on his way. Afterwards when the aforementioned Rabbi returned from the escorting, he answered and said in this language: "Even had I not come into this world except that Rabbi Nachman would cross my threshold — it would have been enough for me" [in Yiddish: "ich zal mer nit bashafen vern nor az R' Nachman zal bai mir iber tretn di shvel iz oich ginug"].

On his return from the aforementioned Rabbi he was also at the renowned pious Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Tzvi Arye of Aliq. And it is heard from our people that all his dealings with them were regarding visions and revelations, for Rabbainu o.b.m. did not agree with their approach to visions and revelations, and he had great debates with the holy Rabbi of Neskiz — who was famous in this matter — and Rabbainu z"l debated with him much about it. And I do not know the matter of the debates well — but the general principle is that Rabbainu z"l said that one does not see visions in the manner in which they see them.

And the Rabbi of Neskiz once sent him a message: "Tell him that before he entered the city I saw the angel Metatron, and I saw him thus and thus." And it seems to me that I heard that the aforementioned holy Rabbi said that he saw Metatron with literal sight, and Rabbainu o.b.m. said that one does not see him in that way. And it seems that once more the aforementioned holy Rabbi argued with Rabbainu o.b.m. himself: "I saw thus and thus," and Rabbainu o.b.m. would not agree with this and told them: "One does not see Metatron thus — I saw him in such and such a way, and that is the true vision of Metatron." And there were several matters regarding this, but I was not present for all of this and did not merit to hear from his holy mouth a single word regarding this matter — I only heard in passing from him that he had been at the Rabbi of Neskiz.

And he told me other incidents he heard then about the drawing-close of the aforementioned Rabbi to his primary master, the holy Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Michl, may the memory of the holy and righteous be for a blessing. And afterwards on his return, when he was at the aforementioned Rabbi of Aliq — who had already heard all the arguments and debates he had had with the Rabbi of Neskiz regarding visions, for the matter was well known and heard in their vicinity — and when Rabbainu o.b.m. came to the aforementioned Rabbi of Aliq for the holy Sabbath, the Rabbi of Aliq also spoke much at every single meal about visions, and said a Torah at each and every Sabbath meal — and all the Torahs and all the stories were all about visions, to make known that he truly sees.

And Rabbainu o.b.m. did not agree with this at all and was silent entirely — for before entering the holy Rabbi of Aliq he prayed to Hashem Yisburach and considered how to conduct himself with him etc. Therefore Rabbainu o.b.m. was entirely silent for the entire Sabbath. And afterwards at the close of the Sabbath, Rabbainu o.b.m. entered a room within the house of the aforementioned Rabbi, and the Rabbi our teacher Rabbi Tzvi Arye of blessed memory himself came to him and said: "Do you still not believe me that I see? I will give you a decisive miracle that I truly see" — and he began again to say Torah and to prove to him that he sees. And then Rabbainu o.b.m. replied to him: "Many have desired to expound upon the Work of the Chariot and never once beheld it, as our Rabbis of blessed memory said" [Megillah 24b].

(11.) And it came to pass in the year 5560 [1800] that Rabbainu o.b.m. saw — in the place where he saw, and attained — in the place where he attained — that he needed to establish his dwelling in the holy congregation of Zlatipoleye. And in that year, at its end, on Rosh Chodesh Elul, he arranged the wedding of his aforementioned daughter Adil, and the wedding took place in Chmelnik, and he was there for the wedding with all his household members as was customary. And at the wedding his pious mother, Mrs. Feiga of blessed memory, was present. And she saw at the time of the chupah the holy Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory — for she was a righteous woman possessed of the holy spirit. And all the tzaddikim held her to be a woman possessed of the holy spirit and of great attainment, and particularly her renowned holy brothers — the holy Rabbi of Sedilkov and the holy Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory — they all considered her as one of the prophetesses. And then, at that time, immediately after the aforementioned wedding, Rabbainu o.b.m. arranged a match for his daughter Mrs. Miriam of blessed memory, with the famous pious Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Leibush of blessed memory, the Av Beis Din of the holy congregation of Volchisk.

And on his return from the aforementioned wedding with all his household members, he went and traveled immediately with them to Zlatipoleye, and entered the city without any prior notice to the community members, for he did not ask their permission at all beforehand — he simply rented himself a dwelling there and suddenly established his residence there. But even so, the community members received him with great honor.

And on Rosh Hashana approximately one hundred and more men gathered there with him, and he himself had not prepared for them at all, as he was himself like a guest there — for he entered there very close to Rosh Hashana. And the community members received all the guests among themselves with great honor, and they urged Rabbainu o.b.m. to enter the large synagogue there with all his people to pray, for it was a wide and good place before him to pray there with all his people. And he prayed there with them on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and they gave over to him that he would command everything according to his will — both regarding the prayer leaders and the shofar blowers and the like. And he sat there in peace during the Awesome Days.

And it came to pass that one person led the Ne'ilah prayer before the congregation on Yom Kippur not according to Rabbainu z"l's wishes, and he became tongue-tied in the middle of the prayer and could not open his mouth in any way, until he was compelled to withdraw in great shame, and another stood in his place. And afterwards at the close of Yom Kippur, Rabbainu z"l said elegant witticisms in his manner regarding the prayer leaders of that Yom Kippur — and he said that "this is the coin of Abraham our forefather — an old man and woman on one side, a young man and maiden on the other side" [Bava Kamma 97b]. For first the father-in-law of the above-mentioned Ne'ilah prayer leader prayed, and afterwards the aforementioned son-in-law — and both prayed for the sake of their wives, in order to be honored in their eyes etc. And he then said that he had wanted to occupy himself during prayer with the matter of the prifinatziye [i.e., the matter of the landowners' having taken the tax-franchise from the lease-holders] — "and if you know how the evil inclination stands against something holy and how it gains strength to prevent and disrupt — this one came and stood to pray, and I pushed him away."

And because of this the above-mentioned man complained against Rabbainu o.b.m. and went and traveled to the holy congregation of Shpolye and informed against Rabbainu o.b.m. before the well-known elder there — until he raised a great controversy against Rabbainu o.b.m. And from that time onward the great opposition was aroused, until almost the entire city was against Rabbainu o.b.m. And the immense magnitude of the opposition that was upon him there, and the immense suffering he had there — it is impossible to estimate or tell, for he sat there as if literally on thorns. And after Sukkos the aforementioned elder traveled there and opened his mouth without limit, until he raised a great controversy against him there.

And in the beginning there had been affection between him and Rabbainu o.b.m., and the elder was submissive and humble before him — but from the time mentioned above, when Rabbainu o.b.m. entered Zlatipoleye near his boundary two parsaos away, and also through the multitude of the slanders as mentioned — through this the great controversy was aroused, until they fabricated falsehoods against him that never entered his mind. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said that he was compelled from Heaven to remain there, for he was rectifying the sin of Jeroboam ben Nevat.

And the famous preacher of Tiraovitze — who was one of Rabbainu's people — asked him from his holy mouth: "Why did you not send me before you into the city of Zlatipoleye, so that I could have spoken with the prominent men there and they would have received you into the city with great honor as was fitting?" Rabbainu o.b.m. replied: "If I had wanted to wait, I could have entered the city of Zlatipoleye with a slow wagon with very great honor — but I cannot wait, for I am compelled from Heaven to enter there."

And in all these matters there is much to tell — a multitude of parchment panels would be too short. He also said then: "Just as there are cities below, so too there are cities above" — and he said then the Torah of "These are the journeys of the children of Israel" found in Likutay vol. 2, Torah 62, which speaks of the rectification of the sin of idol worship — to atone for "these are your gods, O Israel" — through the journeys of the children of Israel. And there it is only a hint regarding this matter of Jeroboam ben Nevat mentioned above.

And he stayed there two full years, and drew many people close to Hashem Yisburach there. And the tzaddik, our teacher Rabbi Yitzchok Aizik of blessed memory, also drew close there. And he said many very lofty and awesome Torah discourses there.

(Said the transcriber: May the mouths of the liars be sealed — those who say that immediately after Rabbainu z"l returned from the Land of Israel the aforementioned elder began to oppose him and said what he said etc. May the lying lips be silenced, who wish to deny what is known. For on the contrary — when Rabbainu z"l returned from the Land of Israel, he was in the house of the aforementioned elder, who received him with great honor, as is explained below [#146] in the matter of his journey to the Land of Israel. And as is well known, even afterwards there was great affection between them as before, and the elder treated him with very great honor — until Rabbainu z"l entered Zlatipoleye, which was approximately one and a half years after Rabbainu z"l returned from the Land of Israel to his home. That is when the slanderers and gossips came and spoke a multitude of slanders before him, until he became a great enemy and there was clothed in him whoever was clothed in him, until he caused what he caused through his controversy. And this was approximately one and a half years after Rabbainu z"l had returned from the Land of Israel, as explained here.)

(12.) In the year 5562 [1801/2] in the month of Elul he entered Breslov, and he came here on the Sabbath of Parashat Ki Seitzei. And when the matter was heard in Nemrov — which is close to here — it was a very great wonder to us that he had entered here. But Hashem Yisburach took pity on us from Heaven and planned from afar to do good for our future — to leave a remnant on the earth, so that today He could sustain many people. For here the holy printed books were completed, and here he composed the hidden books that were concealed from the eye of every living being — namely, the one that was burned and the Hidden Book etc. (see below #169, 177). And we merited in His abundant mercies to draw close to him immediately upon his entry here — and this will be explained elsewhere at greater length, if G-d wills (in Yemay Moharnat, vol. 2).

And he said: "Had I not come to Breslov for any other purpose than to draw you close — it would have been sufficient." And here in Breslov he dwelt in peace from the townspeople all his days. But in the world the opposition went on growing ever stronger, and the more he drew people close to Hashem Yisburach, the more the opposition intensified. But he o.b.m. did what was his, and ascended every day, every hour, and every moment to ever higher and more elevated levels — which cannot be estimated at all.

And had the prosecution not intensified against the world to the point where the world was not worthy of drawing nourishment from such a light — and it arose and he concealed it — his greatness would have been revealed in the world and he would have turned the entire world to Hashem Yisburach. For this was his entire aspiration always throughout all the days of his life, and in this he was always occupied — to merit the multitudes and to bring them out from darkness to light, from darkness to great light.

Rabbainu o.b.m. answered and said: "What if they also expel me from here — in every place I come to, in every step I take, I shall always rectify things" [in Yiddish: "vi ich vel antretn ton vel ich altz farrechtin"]. This was said when he left Zlatipoleye at the time the wagons had already come from Breslov to bring him to Breslov. He said: "Here in Zlatipoleye I suffered two gehinnoms — for the judgment of the wicked in gehinom is twelve months [Shabbat 33a], and I suffered afflictions here for two years." He also said: "Until now I sat alone outside the camp, my dwelling apart [cf. Vayikra 13:46]. Now it begins..." — and I do not know the exact language of what he said further — but the general meaning is that now Hashem Yisburach is beginning to do good etc.

Said the transcriber: I heard that Rabbainu o.b.m. said: "We conquered the city of Breslov with clapping and dancing." (For indeed, at the very beginning of his entry to Breslov he spoke at once about clapping in prayer — that through this the air of the diaspora is driven out and the air of the Land of Israel is drawn in, as is explained in the discourse "Attem Nitzavim" etc. [Likutay Moharan, Torah 44]. And also in that year he danced much because of the decree called "punktin" — the decree threatening to conscript Jews into the army, G-d save us — and he danced several times to sweeten the judgments and annul the decrees, as is explained in the Torah "V'eileh HaMishpatim", Torah 10 in Likutay vol. 1, which begins: "Through dancing and clapping, judgments are sweetened." And this Torah was also said that winter in Tiraovitze.)

I also heard that once close to his entry to Breslov, wine was poured for him for Kiddush, and it spilled on the ground. And they poured him another cup and he made Kiddush on it. And afterwards he said: "Today we have planted the name 'Breslov Chasidim' — and this name shall never be extinguished, for our people shall always be called by the name of the city of Breslov." And so it was, as is well known.

And once he said in the house of the holy Rabbi his uncle, Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory: "My uncle wanted to dwell in Breslov and was unable to settle there — and I dwell in Breslov." And thus it is further known among our people that there were many words about his dwelling in Breslov and what may be understood from his words — that his residence in Breslov contained awesome and wondrous secrets.

(13.) In the year 5563 [1802/3] he arranged the wedding of his righteous daughter Mrs. Sara in the holy congregation of Medvedivkeh, with his son-in-law the rabbinic Rabbi Yitzchok Aizik, son of the wealthy Rabbi Leibu Dobrovner — for they both gathered there. Even though he was already in Breslov at that time, the wedding was on Rosh Chodesh Nisan which fell that year on Thursday — and the chupah was in the evening, the eve of the Sixth Day, the eve of the holy Sabbath.

After the chupah there was talk about Messiah etc. (and Rabbainu z"l revealed and hinted that it is fitting that [Messiah] emerge from them etc.). Afterwards on the holy Sabbath he said at the Third Meal a very lofty Torah beginning with "For the sun" in Likutay vol. 1, Torah 49 — and there Nisan and Sara and Yitzchok and bride and wedding are alluded to etc. And he said that this Torah he did not say for our sake but because of the decree called "punktin" that was then heard — that they intended to make a decree against Israel, G-d forbid, which in our many sins was fulfilled in our days. For there it speaks of the subjugation of the nations: "for I will make a complete end of all the nations" — which is the aspect of kallah [bride] — she who consumes all and destroys all — "but you who cleave etc." — and understand there well, for they are very deep and lofty words.

And after he finished saying the Torah he danced very much with his daughter the bride etc. And one who has not seen his dancing has never seen goodness in his days. For though blessed be G-d we merited to see several tzaddikim who danced before the bride, nothing like his dancing was ever seen. And everyone who stood there certainly had a true thought of repentance for all his sins. And the great arousal and enthusiasm of all the people who stood there at the time of the dancing — it is impossible to explain or depict this in writing in any way.

He had already revealed several very lofty Torahs on the matter of dancing and clapping. And also in the Torah "For the sun" mentioned above, the matter of dancing is explained — but it was not common for him to dance except at very rare times. But in that aforementioned year he danced several times — namely on Simchas Torah, and afterwards on Shabbat Chanuka after the saying of the Torah beginning "I Saw a Golden Menorah" in Likutay vol. 1, Torah 8, and afterwards on Purim in Medvedivkeh, and afterwards at the aforementioned wedding.

And he said of himself in that year: "I danced much — and this was because in that year the decrees called 'punktin' were heard, that they wanted to make a decree against Israel, G-d forbid — and because of this he danced several times, for through dancing judgments are sweetened and decrees annulled, as is explained in the Torah V'eileh HaMishpatim, Torah 10 in Likutay vol. 1, which was also said that winter in Tiraovitze." (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' י, יא)

(14.) In the year 5565 [1804/5] he arranged the wedding of his daughter Miriam of blessed memory in the holy congregation of Volchisk. And on the Sabbath before the wedding — called the Forshpil — which was on Parashat Noach, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, he danced the entire day. And such dancing was never seen from him at any other time — for then he danced almost the entire day. And what was there on that Sabbath — it is impossible to explain or recount. And he prayed with us girded with only a kerchief [fatchayle], and afterwards at the Third Meal he sat with us and said to remember this Third Meal.

And he told then that on that Rosh Hashana someone had given him expenses of one thousand red coins [adumim] — after all the need [had been met] — and he was in the place where he was, and it was a place where very lofty Torah was being said, and he greatly loves Torah. And there was a guard standing at the entrance who would not allow him to enter. And he gave him all his thousand adumim so that they would let him in. And he had a great evil inclination about the thousand adumim — not to give them. And even the evil inclination knew that there was something there. And he entered and heard what he heard. And what he heard at that time — namely the discourse "Seal within Seal" in Likutay vol. 1, Torah 22 — it is [taken] from that Torah of that place, only it is a small portion etc.

And he said then the Torah: "Vayomer Hashem salacht'i kid'varecha" — whose initial letters spell Kosi [my cup] — of which only chapter headings were printed in Torah 177 in Likutay vol. 1. And I had ceased saying Kaddish for my mother of blessed memory. And he then said in the Torah: "May His great Name be magnified and sanctified" — as printed in those chapter headings.

And the joy that was there then — it is impossible to recount. Fortunate is the eye that saw this.

On that Sabbath he drank a little wine because of the joy of the wedding as is customary, and was in great joy and danced much, almost the entire day as mentioned above. And then he leaned on Rabbi Yudl and danced, and they sang then a beautiful and fear-awakening melody, and he danced through that melody. For it was generally his way to dance through a melody of awakening and awe. And the melody is known to us. And he said then that this melody is a melody of calling and proclamation — that through this melody all gather at the wedding — meaning, that all the holy righteous souls of his family are called through this melody to gather at the wedding: the Baal Shem Tov z"l, and his grandfather Rabbi Nachman z"l, and his pious mother of blessed memory — that they should all come to the wedding, as is explained in the holy Zohar [part 3, 219b] that at the time of a wedding all of them gather together.

And he then prayed Mincha with us together in the place where we ate the morning meal — namely in the house of study. And he prayed Mincha girded etc., and afterwards sat with us at the Three Meals as mentioned above, and began to sing B'nei Heikhala etc., and the Three Meals were in a mode of joy. And he said then: "One who is able to drink is able to atone for sins" [in Yiddish: "az a guter yid tit a trink vain ken er mochel avonos zain"]. And he said the entire Torah "Vayomer Hashem salachti" etc., whose initials spell Kosi. And afterwards in the evening he boasted that he had not yet availed himself of ancestral merit, and what was in the Land of Israel was actually a benefit to them.

And someone spoke with him about Miriam [מ'] — and he said: "How great she is" etc., "that those from outside the Land of Israel will come here." And he said: "Who knows what will become of Miriam [מ']."

Note: The letter מ' in the manuscript abbreviates מִרְיָם (Miriam) — his daughter, whose wedding Forshpil this article describes. The words are charged with meaning in light of what later occurred: Miriam traveled to the Land of Israel, and passed away on the journey. The phrase "those from outside the Land will come here" may allude to souls gathered at the wedding (as he had spoken of earlier in this article), or to a deeper prophetic sense regarding her fate. (See Hosafos §12.)

(15.) In the year 5567 [1806/7] he traveled to Navoritch, Ostrog, Zaslav, Dubna, and other communities. And he was also in the holy congregation of Brod, and he stayed on this route for approximately half a year. And no person knows what he did on this journey. For he accepted no money on this journey — and also in most of the places he was in, no one knew who he was at all — particularly in Brod, where he entered in great concealment etc. And on this journey his wife passed away in Zaslav, where she had gone to see the doctor. And we were there for the Festival of Shavuos, and after his wife's passing in that summer he arranged a match from Brod. And then the illness of the cough came upon him, and he said immediately that he would pass on. And in the month of Elul he married his second wife. (18.) In the year 5565 [1804/5] between Pesach and Shavuos he traveled to Sharigrad and stayed there two weeks. And this journey was also a very great wonder, and he said to one who accompanied him [to the people who accompanied him]: "The world longs for when there will be like the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory — " And suddenly he went out from there, and said that he is fleeing as from fire. And afterwards there were great conflagrations there several times. And he said: "Had the people of Sharigrad known the goodness I did for them etc. — even so, all this is better than ipush [a severe plague or pestilence], G-d save us." And it is understood from his words that he saved them through his sitting there from ipush, G-d save us.

(16.) And immediately after Rosh Hashana 5568 [1807] he traveled to Lemberg, and stayed there until the middle of the summer, and came home on Parashat Balak. When he traveled to Lemberg he traveled by way of Volchisk, and there he wanted to cross the border [grenitz] and was unable to cross — and was delayed there for more than two weeks. Once he dreamed at night that great armies of our Emperor were standing, and opposing them were great armies of the Emperor of Wien [Austria], and the Empresses themselves were there. And Rabbainu o.b.m. asked one lord to allow him to cross. And he said: "You I will certainly not allow to cross into our country" — and the matter appeared to be that he said to him that he feared he would disrupt the country etc. And he went and asked from the Emperor there himself, and he said: "I am not afraid — I permit him to cross there." And he awoke in the morning and told the man who was with him and said: "I know that today I will cross the border, for so I dreamed it." And so it was — he crossed the border that day. And regarding this dream mentioned above there are more things, for most were forgotten as they were not written down in their time. These are the journeys of the children of Israel — fortunate is the one who merits to know even one secret of his very wondrous journeys which had no ordinary meaning whatsoever. And he said at the time he traveled to Navoritch: "If the world knew the meaning of my journey they would kiss the footsteps of my feet — for in every single step of my journey I tip the entire world to the scale of merit."

(17.) In the year 5570 [1809/10] he traveled to Uman. In the year 5571 [1810/11] he passed away there. And all the events there are in every journey and every place where he dwelt — some of them have already been recorded elsewhere, and the majority has been forgotten. Beyond this there is far more that we do not know at all, for certainly no person knows the inner meaning of his holy journeys. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' קי) (19.) In the year 5562 [1801/2] in the summer, before he left Zlatipoleye for Breslov, he was that summer in Berdichev with his father, the rabbinic pious veteran, the renowned Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Simcha of blessed memory. And then, at the height of the controversy of the well-known elder, it was during the controversy that the elder said he would bring letters from all the renowned tzaddikim, that they all oppose him. And the opposite exactly came to pass.

For letters arrived from all the renowned ones to Rabbainu the holy one o.b.m., and they all upheld his cause with very great love, and wrote bitter words to the aforementioned elder. Namely: the Rabbi the Gaon the pious Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev, and the pious Rabbi Gedaliah of Linitz, and the holy Rabbi his uncle Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory, and the pious Rabbi Ze'ev of Tcharny-Ostrow, and the holy Rabbi our teacher Rabbi Avraham Kalisker from the Land of Israel, and his son-in-law Rabbi Leibush of Volchisk, and his son-in-law Rabbi Avraham Dov of Chmelnik — they all wrote letters with great honor and immense love to Rabbainu o.b.m., and greatly humiliated the aforementioned elder. But the aforementioned elder did not listen to them and persisted in his groundless controversy.

And in that summer Rabbainu o.b.m. traveled to Berdichev, and there was a gathering of several great ones. For his son-in-law the Gaon of Volchisk arranged a wedding there in Berdichev for his son Moharash of blessed memory, and several great ones were assembled there — some of whom I know: the Gaon of Volchisk, his son the Gaon our teacher Rabbi Yosef Yosqa of blessed memory, the Av Beis Din of the holy congregation of Yass; and the pious Rabbi our teacher Rabbi Ze'ev of Tcharny-Ostrow; and the Gaon our teacher Rabbi Moshe of blessed memory, the Av Beis Din of the holy congregation of Krasneh, son of the holy Rabbi our teacher Rabbi Chaim of the holy congregation of Krasneh; and the pious Rabbi Yitzchok of blessed memory of Kasantin Hadash; and several other great ones. And they all gathered there to place in niduy [excommunication] and cherem [ban] the aforementioned elder for disgracing a true Torah scholar — namely Rabbainu the holy one o.b.m. And the matter was already decided among them with unanimous agreement and they wanted to do so — but one man in Berdichev disrupted the matter and went and spoke to the heart of the holy Gaon Av Beis Din of Berdichev, and said that it was not proper that this matter be done in his city. And because of this the matter was disrupted.

And Rabbainu o.b.m. was then at the holy Rabbi the Av Beis Din of Berdichev, and he received him with very great honor, with great love and affection. For the Rabbi of Berdichev supported Rabbainu o.b.m. from beginning to end — but this matter of the cherem — he did not want to be done in his city, because of the people who spoke to his heart as mentioned. And because of this the matter was disrupted. And afterwards when Rabbainu o.b.m. came back from Berdichev, he traveled to Tultshin and there Rabbainu o.b.m. met with the people of Breslov and they received him to come here with the agreement of the holy Rabbi our teacher Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory, and he entered there in mid-Elul.

(20.) Before he traveled to Berdichev, he gathered a quorum of ten men and made his case before them against the evil one [the Adversary]. And I do not know this matter well enough to recount it properly. And he said that from that time onward, whatever he wishes to do — the evil one allows himself length and breadth to disrupt it. And because of this it is very difficult to accomplish what he commands — but even so, Hashem Yisburach helps him. And whoever merited to draw close to him saw something of this matter. And Rabbainu o.b.m. had no rest all his days — not even for one moment. For he was always fighting G-d's battle at every time and every moment. (We have no one to lean upon except our Father in Heaven — for many have risen against him and against us, and "were it not for G-d Who was for us" etc.)

(22.) I heard in his name that he said that when he was in Berdichev in the summer of 5562 with the well-known elder as mentioned above, and he said then that he had come to know at that time the entire nature and essence of the aforementioned elder — and until that hour he had not said a single word about him. For he said that he had not wanted to speak about him at all until he came to know his entire nature and essence. And then he began to speak about him a little, at very rare intervals.

And know that we have in our possession the handwriting of Rabbainu z"l which he himself wrote — this is his language: "Know, my brethren and companions — I will reveal to you a secret, and you shall conceal this secret to remain hidden among you, so as not to multiply controversy in Israel. Know that the Zeide from the city of Shpole — who is Yuda Leib ben Baruch the famous one — know that I am in holiness, and he is against me in impurity. And I am the true elder of holiness — 'elder' [zokein] meaning one who has acquired wisdom, matters of the Ancient of Days [Atik Yomin]. And he is the elder of impurity — and therefore he is called 'Zeide' [grandfather], for he is the elder of the Sitra Achra — that is, the father of all fathers of impurity. And for this reason he engaged all his days in charity — in order to nullify the power of charity of Israel, the holy people, who give in order to subdue the power of the father of all fathers of impurity, which is the impurity of death, in the aspect of 'Charity saves from death.' And he strove in charity in order to overpower, with his strength G-d forbid, the charities of Israel, the holy people." End of his words. (23.) Our custom was to be with him on Rosh Hashana, on Shabbat Chanuka, and on the Festival of Shavuos — and at these three times we were always with him from the day he established his residence here in Breslov. And he would command and urge to be with him at these three times. And he always said a wonderful Torah at great length at these times. Namely: on Rosh Hashana he would say the Torah between the twilights — between the first and second day — and he would begin at twilight and extend far into the night of the second day of Rosh Hashana. And on Shabbat Chanuka he said the Torah at the Third Meal. And on Shavuos he said it also like Rosh Hashana — between the twilights of the second day of Shavuos — and extended far into the night of the second day.

Regarding the aforementioned elder — it is alluded to in the Torah "Know that there is an Arikh Anpin in the Klipa" [Likutay Moharan, Torah 242], and in the Torah "And the ravens I commanded" [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 4], regarding "And I grasped him by his beard." And he said then explicitly after saying the Torah [in Yiddish: "Ich hob im on genumen far dem Zeide"]: "I grasped him by his beard." And in the Torah "And charity shall be ours" [Likutay Moharan vol. 1, Torah 251], and in other discourses as well. Also see the Tale of the Fly and the Spider in the Legendary Tales. But above all he urged and warned most to be with him on Rosh Hashana. And he said that on Rosh Hashana he wants all of our people to be together as one — not a single person to be absent. And the magnitude of his warning and urging to be with him on Rosh Hashana cannot be estimated — he repeated this warning several times, and said that his entire dealings are Rosh Hashana. Also on the final Rosh Hashana in Uman he spoke with us as well about this — about the virtue of one who merits to be with him on Rosh Hashana — and he said it in these words: "What shall I say to you — there is nothing greater than this" [in Yiddish: "vaz zal ich aich zogn, kein gresiris der fun iz nit do"].

(Said the transcriber:) I heard that once Rabbainu z"l and the aforementioned elder met together — for the world wanted to make peace between them. And the elder said: "Is it possible that an old man like me, who has no teeth, should want controversy?!" And he took Rabbainu's z"l finger and put it into his mouth and showed him that he had no teeth. "Only — I will ask of you several things which you have said: Is it true what you said — that there is a city of Zlatipoleye in the heavens?" Rabbainu z"l said to him: "Is this not the explicit statement of our Rabbis z"l — 'great cities and fortified ones in the heavens' — just as there are cities below, so there are cities above." And afterwards he asked Rabbainu z"l: "Is it true what you said — that in Zlatipoleye you are rectifying the sin of Jeroboam ben Nevat?" He replied: "True." And he told him the matter explained in [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 64] — which speaks there of the rectification of the sin of idolatry, to atone for "These are your gods, O Israel" through "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel" etc. — and this is understood there by allusion. Afterwards he asked him further: "Is it true what you said — that you were in the palace of Mashiach?" Rabbainu z"l replied to him: "And what of it — were you not there yourselves and did not find me?! Only because you are asking me: if you will come with me to my home to drink a cup of tea or coffee together, and you will inform the world that you retract your words which you have said and that you repent of the controversy — I will explain to you the reason and the matter of it." The aforementioned elder replied to him: "I will go first to my home and afterwards I will come to you." And when the elder went away from Rabbainu z"l, Rabbainu z"l heard how he said: "What face will I have before the wealthy patrons if I go to him and make peace with him?" etc. And Rabbainu z"l said: "If from the beginning he had gone to my home as I told him, it would perhaps have been possible for me to have peace with him — but now there will be no peace between me and him and he will persist in the controversy. Only even so, I have no fear of him whatsoever — for has he not already shown me that he has no teeth." And he said: "And if by other tzaddikim there is not such an obligation to be with them specifically on Rosh Hashana, this raises yet another difficulty against me" [in Yiddish: "iz noch a kushya"] — meaning: he does not want to explain and give the reason, but rather as if to say: without this there are already many difficulties raised against him, and this difficulty too will be added — what he insists on so much to be with him on Rosh Hashana more than all other tzaddikim. For though all people traveled to tzaddikim for Rosh Hashana — not one of them was as insistent or warned as much as he did. And further it is explained elsewhere [#403] regarding what he commanded to make a proclamation etc., and he said then that all who merit to be with him on Rosh Hashana should rejoice greatly: "Eat delicacies" etc.

(Said the transcriber: See the Tale of the Fly and the Spider, which pertains to our matter as mentioned above — it is explained there that the enemies of the mountain, before they wanted to ascend the mountain, their teeth would fall out and they were unable to ascend.) And there were yet another three times a year when he said Torah regularly — namely, he would travel to Tcherin and Tiraovitze once in the winter, and he stayed there for the Three Meals and said Torah twice: namely on Shabbat Shira and on another Sabbath. And also in the summer he would travel there but said Torah only once — in Tcherin on Shabbat Nachamu.

He said: "I have such an enemy who cools his anger and wrath at me in no other way — except when he sees my blood" [in Yiddish: "Ich hob azoi a soyne vos er kilt zich andersh nit in mir, saydn er zet main blut"]! And he did not reveal who this enemy is. And this he said on the last Rosh Hashana, after he said the Torah "Blow — Rebuke" [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 8] — when much blood came out of him, as is explained in the book Chayay Moharan and Yimay Moharnat. In general, these six occasions mentioned above — namely, three times at home and three times on the road — he said Torah regularly. And beyond this he had no fixed schedule for saying Torah. For he did not sit with us at the Third Meal at all — only on those aforementioned Sabbaths. But throughout the year he would sit always at the Third Meal alone in his room. Yet even so, we heard much Torah from him also throughout the year — only there was no fixed time for it. Rather, at whatever time G-d blessed us, we merited to hear from his mouth wondrous Torah. Sometimes on Friday night, and sometimes on the Sabbath morning, and sometimes at the close of Sabbath after havdalah, and sometimes on weekdays. And many times it happened that from within the conversation he was having — for he would converse and talk with us much about worldly matters — and we would speak with him about whatever came to our lips. And afterwards we merited to hear much Torah from him, and the Torah was from the realm of all the conversations we had spoken with him.

When the aforementioned elder began to oppose him he said: "I knew the evil inclination — the S"M — would rise up against me. But I am astonished that they handed this over to his hand." And he said a witticism — for our Rabbis of blessed memory said: "Better for a person to throw himself into a lion's den than to be handed over into the hand of his enemies." But what does one do when the enemy himself is a lion? And this was very common — until we began to recognize with our own eyes that all his conversation is entirely Torah. And every time we bent our ears well to his holy speech, we heard that all his words are wondrous Torah — until we began to write down some of his conversations. But not even one part in a thousand or ten thousand was written down. Fortunate is the time, fortunate is the hour, fortunate is the moment that we merited to stand before him to hear the breath of his holy mouth. Who will give us now such an hour — we would roll thousands of parsaos in the dust in order to merit to come before him to hear the breath of his holy mouth, which surpasses all holiness. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' יג)

But "Many are the thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of G-d — it shall stand." And he said that in the Future to Come there will be a beautiful laughter of him [in Yiddish: "oif yener velt vet zain a shein shpilkhen mit ihm"]. (24.) Once he traveled to Medvedivkeh and was delayed on the road and did not arrive for the Sabbath, and was compelled to spend the Sabbath in the village of Halavkyuka close to Medvedivkeh. For the horses became exhausted and could not go, and he was delayed until close to candle-lighting — almost at the time of candle-lighting — to the aforementioned village. And afterwards when he came home here, he told us the entire incident at great length.

Afterwards Rabbainu z"l said several Torahs regarding the matter of the controversy of the aforementioned elder — see there and you will understand. And he said that at the time the horses were walking close to evening — and he wanted them to run quickly but they would not go — it was to him like one who flees in a dream, where a person feels he needs to flee but cannot flee in any way, as is well known by experience — that this is the way of dreams. Just so it was for him then. And he had very great anguish lest he come to profane the Sabbath, G-d forbid. And it seemed to him at the time of the journey like one who is being led to gehinom — for then certainly the fear is endless — just so this very fear fell upon him from the apprehension of profaning the Sabbath, G-d forbid.

Blessed is G-d who has separated us from those who stray, and to be in the holy portion of Rabbainu z"l. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' צ) And from the general import of his words I understood something of the expression: the immensity of the fear that falls upon a person at the moment when he is being led to gehinom, G-d save us. And it is impossible to depict this in writing — for he repeated his words twice and greatly elaborated on the immense, awesome, endless and boundless fear that falls upon a person at the time he is being led to gehinom, G-d save us. And literally this fear was upon him then because he feared he might come to profane the Sabbath, G-d forbid. And this incident occurred in the winter before Shabbat Shira.

(21.) On Shabbat Chanuka of 5569 [1808/9] — which was close to his arrival from Lemberg, for in the summer of the preceding year 5568 he had come home from Lemberg — and then on that Chanuka he said the Torah beginning "The days of Chanuka are days of thanksgiving" in Likutay vol. 2, Torah 2. And he commanded then to sing at the table [Psalms 124]: "A Song of Ascents of David — were it not for G-d Who was for us." And they sang this psalm for him on Friday night many many innumerable times. And also once when he was sitting in Medvedivkeh he also sang the psalm "Lulei Hashem" many times, and afterwards he turned his face to the world and said: "You are not yet accounted among my people — for there will come a time when the entire world will rise up against me and all will oppose me. And then, whoever holds fast and remains with me — that one will truly be accounted among my people." And in this there is a complete story — for Rabbainu's delay was not an empty matter, particularly at the time he was traveling for Shabbat Shira. And already his people were gathered there from several towns, and he needed to say his holy and awesome Torah — and to do and accomplish what he did and accomplished through his holy Torah and his dealings with his people. And he said that at every gathering where he needs to say Torah before his people, the very same tumult and fear that is upon all of Israel on the eve of Yom Kippur at dusk when they go to the synagogue — that very fear and tumult falls upon him on that Sabbath or Festival when he needs to say Torah in public.

And after this great tumult — that he had already been prepared to come for Shabbat Shira as was his custom for several years — suddenly he was delayed and spent the Sabbath in the village: he and his people who had traveled with him, and several more people who had already come to meet him — they all were compelled to spend the Sabbath in the aforementioned village. And they had nothing to eat or drink — they were compelled to eat grain bread and make Kiddush on the bread, for there was no cup for Kiddush on wine, and there were not even knives or any eating utensils. And he o.b.m. afterwards told the entire order of the Sabbath that was there at great length.

After the Sabbath he traveled to Medvedivkeh, and on the second day — which was the fifteenth of Shevat — they made a feast, and he sat then with his people and said then the Torah he had needed to say before them. Fortunate is the one who merits to know even one thing of what passed upon Rabbainu o.b.m. every single time — for in all his experiences there were awesome, wondrous, and mighty secrets.

(25.) After he came from Lemberg he no longer traveled through the Ukraine to say Torah as was his custom before — because of the illness. And once he was telling on Shabbat Shira of the matters of former days when he would travel through the land at those times and would say wondrous Torah there etc. And he was telling as if with longing, and said that when he sat on the wagon it was one particular matter, and when he came to the city to which he traveled and they came out to meet him and did him honor — it was another matter, when he entered the city it was another matter, when he said Torah there it was another matter, afterwards when he received money it was another matter. And he counted several similar matters — that each time it was another matter. And it is understood from his words that in the matter of the journey he had a special, wondrous, and awesome service of G-d for each matter individually — both in the journey itself, and in the honor received, etc.

(1.) At first, before he traveled to the Land of Israel, he traveled to Kamenitz, as is already explained in the printed book (Shivchai HaRan). And on his journey to Kamenitz he said to Rabbi Shimon: "There is a journey before me and I do not know where to." And Rabbi Shimon laughed: "How does one travel if one does not know where one is going?" He replied to him: "Truly, I do not know." And Rabbi Shimon went and prepared a wagon and horses and all the travel needs and traveled with him. And on his journey with him, Rabbi Shimon asked Rabbainu o.b.m. to travel by way of the village of Volchaivetz. And there he took along yet another man, and one man also traveled with them from there — until they came to Mezhbizh. And they still did not know where they were going. And when he came to Mezhbizh to the house of his holy father and mother of blessed memory, they rejoiced greatly at his coming. His mother of blessed memory answered and said to him: "My son, when will you go to your grandfather the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory" — meaning to his holy grave. He replied to Rabbainu o.b.m.: "If my grandfather wishes to be seen with me, let him come here." Afterwards that night he lay down to sleep, and in the morning his mother arose and came to him and said: "Has your grandfather not already been with you? And when will you go to him" — meaning to his grave. He replied to Rabbainu o.b.m.: "Now I will not be at his grave — on my return, if G-d wills, I will be at his grave." And so it was. (2.) When he came from Kamenitz he said a Torah on the Sabbath on the verse [Psalms 63]: "My soul cleaves after You" — a very wondrous Torah. And he boasted of himself greatly and said: "And what — when I came only from Kamenitz I say such a Torah! When I come from the Land of Israel, all the more so I will merit to reveal Torah that is more and more awesome" etc.

And before he came to Mezhbizh, Rabbi Shimon fell ill and came to Mezhbizh with a very severe illness, and Rabbainu o.b.m. was compelled to leave him there in Mezhbizh — and he did not travel with him to Kamenitz. And when Rabbainu o.b.m. went to Rabbi Shimon to take leave of him before traveling to Kamenitz, Rabbi Shimon did not want to let him go until he promised him on his holy word that on his return he would certainly find him alive and in peace. And so it was. (3.) When he came from Kamenitz, a young child passed away before him, may she be in peace. He answered and said: "So many and so many, G-d forbid, will die before me because of one movement that makes a distinction between me before my being in Kamenitz and after my having been there. May G-d save us!"

And also before he left his home he said to Rabbi Shimon: "Can you travel with me?" — and said to him that on this journey he might be delayed a week, or two, or a month, or a quarter of a year, or half a year, or a full year. And at first Rabbi Shimon of blessed memory was silent — but when he saw he truly wanted to travel, Rabbi Shimon said he would cast everything aside and travel with him — even if he would be delayed for some time. And he traveled with him as mentioned above. (4.) On his journey to the Land of Israel he traveled by way of Nikolayev and Kherson to Odessa, and he spent the Sabbath of Shavuos in Kherson, and said there wondrous Torahs on the verse [Psalms 107]: "He raises the storm to stillness," and several more Torahs. And people of the Rabbi of Ladi were there. And they brought before him the Torahs of the Rabbi and he refuted his words before his people, and showed them that it was not as he had said.

And in Mezhbizh when Rabbainu o.b.m. took his leave of him before the journey — at the time Rabbi Shimon was lying bedridden — Rabbi Shimon answered and said to Rabbainu o.b.m.: "When shall I see your face again, for you may be delayed on the road for some time as you said at home that you did not know how long you would be delayed?" He said to him: "I will not be delayed very long — only eight or ten days at most." He asked him: "Did you not say at home that you do not know how long you will be delayed on the road?" He replied: "Truly, at home I did not know — but now I know that I need to travel to Kamenitz, and I will not be delayed very much — only as mentioned — for that night the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory was with me, and then he informed me where to travel — namely to Kamenitz." And he traveled immediately to Kamenitz. And what he did there is hidden from the eye of every living being — and no person in the world has yet come to know it, until the coming of the Redeemer, speedily in our days, Amen. And on the night of Shavuos, after being awake as is customary, he went to the mikveh with one of his people. And this man who went with him to the mikveh on Shavuos told me that Rabbainu o.b.m. asked him every so often along the way whether he hears voices. And he replied that he hears nothing at all. And Rabbainu was greatly astonished that he heard nothing — and said: "How is it possible not to hear voices now?" Afterwards he said: "Perhaps it is the sound of the orchestra [kapelye] that I am hearing." And the aforementioned man replied that he hears no sound of an orchestra nor any sound at all, and he was very astonished. And the aforementioned man understood that he was hearing the voices and thunders of the receiving of the Torah.

Afterwards, when he came out of the mikveh, he said: "I have now come to know — at the time of the receiving of the Torah — regarding what is said in the holy Zohar [Tikkunei Zohar 73b]: 'There is awe and there is awe' etc. — and now it has become known to me that there is yet another awe that is still further and further, even beyond the Ira Ila'ah [supernal awe] mentioned there. For it has become known to me now an awe of Divinity that is a very, very exalted and elevated fear and awe."

(5.) It was heard from his holy mouth before his departure from Medvedivkeh for the Land of Israel, during the days of Pesach, that he said he wants to travel to the Land of Israel in order to fulfill there all the six hundred and thirteen commandments — to combine together all the commandments dependent on the Land, with all the commandments of the Diaspora, to combine them together and fulfill them spiritually. And afterwards he would be able to fulfill them properly physically as well. And in all these matters there are many conversations and stories, as understood from the people who told this before me. But I myself was not present in all this — therefore most of it has been omitted and I was unable to gather sayings except a very few.

And he said that for this reason too he was traveling to the Land of Israel — for previously, when he needed something from his grandfather Rabbi Nachman of blessed memory, who rests in the Land of Israel, he would send the tzaddik Rabbi Yeshayah z"l [of Yaniv] who rests in Smila — and now he cannot send him. Therefore he is traveling to the Land of Israel in order to speak with his grandfather of blessed memory and to establish with him a way by which he could always know from him what he needs to know through him.

And it is heard that he had many many reasons for his journey to the Land of Israel — beyond the hidden ones that he revealed not at all. For everything he ever did — he never did any one thing for one reason alone; rather, in everything he did there were countless thousands and tens of thousands of very exalted, profound, and lofty reasons. And particularly the journey to the Land of Israel, for which he sacrificed his very soul immeasurably and beyond all measure, as is already explained [in Shivchai HaRan].

(6.) I heard in his name that he said before he traveled to the Land of Israel that he wants to travel in order to attain the supernal wisdom — for there is a higher and a lower wisdom, and he already possesses the lower wisdom, but he still needed to attain the supernal wisdom, and for this he was traveling to the Land of Israel. And it was heard from his holy mouth that he said: as soon as he walked four cubits in the Land of Israel, he immediately merited to attain all he sought and desired when he traveled there to the Land of Israel. And I also heard from his holy mouth something of this nature — about the great joy and satisfaction he had immediately upon coming to the Land of Israel, that his desire and longing was fulfilled etc.

(7.) He said then to Rabbi Yudl that he wants to travel to the Land of Israel, and Rabbi Yudl blessed him. And he said to him: "Rabbainu, certainly you want to accomplish something great there — may it be G-d's will that He help you to merit to accomplish there what you want." And he nodded to him at his blessing. Afterwards he said: "I could accomplish what I seek and desire — what I want to accomplish in the Land of Israel — I could accomplish it even here through prayers and supplications and entreaties alone, and I would not need to travel to the Land of Israel. Only the distinction is that when I merit to be in the Land of Israel I will merit to receive my attainment through garments — but here in the Diaspora I cannot receive my attainment through garments, only without garments. And this is the distinction between the holiness of the Sabbath and the holiness of the Festival." And he opened the Siddur of the holy Ari of blessed memory for Rabbi Yudl and showed him in the intentions that this is the distinction between Sabbath and Festival — that on Sabbath the light is clothed in garments, and on Festival the light is without garments, as is known.

(8.) At the time he traveled to the Land of Israel, at the beginning of his journey from his home, he spent the Sabbath in the village of Skalyeh. And there he saw the famous tzaddik, our teacher the Rav Menachem Mendl of Vitebsk. And he revealed to him that the Name "Atah" [You] is an effective segulah on the sea, as it is brought in his book [Torah 256] — for it is written [Psalms 89]: "When its waves rise, You still them." And there is more to tell about this that I heard in his name, but I do not now remember it, and one needs to inquire of our people who heard from Rabbi Shimon about this. (9.) On his journey there — immediately when he sailed from Odessa on the Black Sea — there was a great commotion and storm wind. Then a dead person came to him who had recently passed away. And Rabbainu o.b.m. asked the man who was with him: "Did you see the young man of Volchaivetz etc. who was here?" But now this event is no longer novel at all — for afterwards he occupied himself very much with this matter of rectifying the souls of the dead, thousands and tens of thousands. And this was the main purpose of his passing — as is explained in its place [below #191]. See there.

(Said the transcriber: I heard from one man who heard from Rabbi Shimon that the explanation is thus — that Atah [You] stands for the letters Alef, Tav, Heh. Therefore one must write five notes, called kvitlach [slips], and on each note write the two words v'rav chesed — whose numerical value is two hundred and eighty, and five times two hundred and eighty equals one thousand four hundred, which equals Alef-Tav — for v'rav chesed equals two hundred and eighty, and five times two hundred and eighty equals one thousand four hundred. And the five notes are the Heh. And this is the name Atah. And at the time of a storm at sea, G-d forbid, one should throw the five notes with v'rav chesed written on them into the sea, and it will certainly help. And Rabbi Shimon said that he himself made use of this and it helped him greatly. And before he traveled the second time to the Land of Israel he was here in Breslov and went to the scribe and had him write several such notes on parchment in Ashuri script.) (10.) Previously, people did not travel to the Land of Israel by way of Odessa, for they feared to travel that way. And he was the first to travel via Odessa when he traveled to the Land of Israel. And from then onward it became a well-trodden path and everyone travels that way. And similarly with several other things — he began them first and afterwards the world became accustomed to follow after him.

Also, when he was in the Land of Israel and was at the graves, there was a grave of a tinok [young child] — and people had always been afraid to enter that cave, saying there was a snake there. There was also something wondrous there — a tree grew on the cave. And he was the first who paid no attention to this and entered there, holding the root of the tree in his hand — for the root was in the ground and passed through the hollow of the cave. And there was no snake there at all. And from then onward everyone goes to that grave.

And I myself merited to be there at the aforementioned grave of the tinok and I saw all this with my own eyes. Praise to the living G-d.

(11.) Before he came to the Land of Israel he had great sufferings and very great obstacles — which it is impossible to explain or recount. And in Istanbul he threw himself into very extreme smallness — beyond all estimation. And he clothed himself in torn garments and walked barefoot and without an outer hat, and walked outside and conducted himself like one of the very lowest of the lowly, and similar such things — many matters of smallness and lowliness that he practiced there for some time. And he engaged in mock fighting with other men in the manner of youths who play with each other etc., and similar other matters of jest and smallness which it is impossible to explain or recount.

Also it happened that two men from our surroundings were there in Istanbul — men who had previously been in the Land of Israel and were returning at the time when Rabbainu o.b.m. was there in Istanbul on his way to the Land of Israel. And they encountered him and did not recognize him. And he used his wisdom and appeared to them as if he were, G-d forbid, a man of deceit. And they heaped upon him all manner of humiliations for several consecutive days — and he accepted all the humiliations upon himself, and on the contrary devised means so that they would humiliate him.

And Rabbainu o.b.m. said that had he not had this upon him — meaning the self-abasement he threw himself into of that great smallness, and those aforementioned humiliations — it would not have been possible for him to come to the Land of Israel because of the obstacles he had. For in every place he came to there was ipush [pestilence], G-d save us, and great wars in the world, and the French army was then in the surroundings of the Land of Israel. And the majority of the obstacles he had — it is impossible to recount.

And he said that the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory and the Gaon Rabbi Naftali of blessed memory could not come to the Land of Israel because of the obstacles they had. And he o.b.m. — upon him were all the obstacles that were upon them — and he passed beyond them all by virtue of...

(12.) And I heard in the name of Rabbainu o.b.m. that he said — for before one comes to greatness one must first fall into smallness. And the Land of Israel is greatness of greatness — therefore one must first fall into the smallness of smallness. And he merited to come to the Land of Israel through the great smallness he descended into with his wisdom — smallness of smallness — until he merited to come to the Land of Israel which is greatness of greatness. And the immensity of the attainment he merited in the Land of Israel — were all the seas ink etc., there is not enough to explain — the like of which was never heard of nor seen, of one who would merit through entering the Land of Israel such a wondrous, immense, and supreme attainment. Until he ascended to a level and degree immeasurably high. And it would be profane to speak of this — lest we diminish and belittle his honor, G-d forbid — for we have no vessels and words to name with them the magnitude of his attainment and his level. For Rabbainu o.b.m. was a wondrous novelty, exceeding all bounds — the like of which never existed even in previous generations.

And he said explicitly about himself that if it were not for such a generation as this — as every individual knows from himself the lowliness of this generation — were it not for this, he o.b.m. would have been a great novelty in the world. But in our many sins, because the generation was not worthy, the light was greatly concealed and not even a drop from the sea was revealed from him.

(13.) On his return from the Land of Israel on the Great White Sea [the Mediterranean], they had the six orders of the Mishnah, and he looked into them. And when he came to Mishnah 2, chapter 5 of tractate Sotah — "Rabbi Yehoshua said: who will remove the dust from your eyes, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai — for you used to say: one future generation will..." — he became greatly inflamed and struck palm against palm and said: "Who sees as I do? For something has been revealed to me from this Mishnah" — and he did not wish to reveal it. And one thing he revealed to the man of his household —

(14.) When he came from the Land of Israel he said along the way: "On this journey I fulfilled the entire Torah in all its aspects — for I attained the fulfillment of the entire Torah, so that even if I were sold to an Ishmaelite in distant lands where there is no Jew, and he sent me to tend animals, and even if I did not know when Sabbath or Festival is, and I had no tallis or tefillin and no sukkah and no other commandment etc. — even so I would be able to fulfill the entire Torah in its entirety." And this is already explained elsewhere [Shivchai HaRan, 22].

(15.) When he came from the Land of Israel he said a Torah on the verse [Numbers 25]: "Make yourself a fiery serpent and place it on a pole" on Friday night. And afterwards at the Third Meal he said a Torah on the verse [Isaiah 43]: "When you pass through the waters, I am with you" — and this Torah has already been printed in Likutay vol. 1 [Torah 73]. And this Torah was very dear and great in his eyes. (18.) And when he came to Shpolye they dressed themselves again in their [proper] garments. And the elder of that place was there — who afterwards became a great opponent of his. And at that time the aforementioned elder had not yet opposed him at all — on the contrary, there was great affection between them, and the aforementioned elder received him with very great honor and very great love and fondness. And he made a great celebration and banquet for him, and they sat at the table together the entire night. And all the other important men who were with the elder — they all were reclined at the table in honor of Rabbainu o.b.m. And there was great rejoicing. And whoever came to his house — the aforementioned elder would call him as a witness and say to him: "Testify for me that it is not at all my custom to eat a night meal, and now because of the immense love for this dear and precious guest, who is very dear and precious to me, and I have great delight and pleasure from his coming to me — because of this I am eating with him." And he said: "I did not know what to do because of the joy." And also in the morning they spoke together in great affection and fondness.

(16.) Once after he came from the Land of Israel, the Maggid of Tiraovitze of blessed memory was with him for the Sabbath in Medvedivkeh. And Rabbainu o.b.m. then said a Torah on the verse [Psalms 24]: "This is the generation of those who seek Him" — that according to the generation so are its seekers. And the Torah he said we did not merit to have written down. And he said then to the Maggid of blessed memory in these words: "By way of analogy — you are the generation and I am the seeker for you." For throughout their days there was great affection between them — until the time when Rabbainu o.b.m. left Medvedivkeh for Zlatipoleye, which was approximately one and a half years after Rabbainu o.b.m. returned from the Land of Israel to his home. Then the slanderers and tale-bearers went and spoke many slanders before him — until he became a great enemy, and there was clothed in him whoever was clothed in him — until he caused what he caused through his controversy. And the famous Gaon of Shpitivkeh z"l cursed those slanderers with very sharp curses, and said in these words that their tongues should stretch down to their navels etc. And when Rabbainu z"l heard the controversy — that he was opposing him and saying invented falsehoods about him that had never entered his mind — Rabbainu z"l said: "I am very pained that they handed this over to him." And afterwards he said that this is the explanation of what David said [Psalms 118]:

(17.) On their return from the Land of Israel, during their journey from the Dniester River, they were compelled to change their garments and appeared in the fashion of the young merchants of today etc. And because of this several people mistook them and thought they were among the frivolous etc. And when he came to Uman there was a test for them etc. And then on his journey from there in great haste, he immediately defended the world and said: "Know that all our path is to know that there are trials in the world, and one can easily stumble, G-d forbid." And he said "woe is me" etc. and sighed greatly over this. For in that house where the wagon driver stopped they understood and saw that there was great licentiousness and immorality, G-d save us, etc. — but he said that with G-d's help it will be for good what was there — that from now on licentiousness shall no longer be found in that house. And then his mind was set at ease. (19.) Close to the time before he traveled to the Land of Israel, one person asked him why he does not draw them close and does not speak with them. He said to him that he has no words now. And he said that it had become known to him now regarding the verse [Isaiah 43]: "When you pass through the waters, I am with you" — how one can see when one desires the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And it was also a wonder to me why specifically on this verse. But I think it is because I need to cross the sea — but what is that to you? What need do you have of it? And even if I could clothe this in a moral teaching that would be needed for all — but I have no words now.

Also in Teplik they did not know who he was, and he entered the home of a teacher, and earnestly besought him to take him in for the Sabbath. And the teacher did not wish to — because it seemed to him as if he were, G-d forbid, one of the thieves. And he came to the man who was with him and told him etc. Afterwards he was walking back and forth in the house, and answered and said: "I am poorer and more destitute than all the great ones — this one has money, that one has silver, this one has towns — and I have nothing. But this is all my consolation: when I recall that in the World of Truth all will need me and all will long to hear the novelties I constantly innovate at every time and every moment. What am I? Only what my soul innovates."

(20.) (This too [was said] before the Land of Israel journey.) "The entire world needs me — not to mention you and your like, as you yourselves know. But even those tzaddikim who can already pray — I can show them that they do not know at all what prayer is, and show them a path in prayer. And also even very great tzaddikim who already walk only in yichudim [unifications] — I can show them that they do not know at all the path in yichudim, and show them a path in yichudim." And it seems he enumerated yet several more such matters. And immediately and at once when the Maggid heard that Rabbainu o.b.m. was there, he cried out with agitation from the greatness of the joy and said to the aforementioned man: "Quickly! Hasten! Harness my carriage and run after me to the village, and I will go on foot until you overtake me." And the Maggid ran immediately in agitation without a hat and without a belt until he left the city. And thus he ran further until he came to the village on foot — for he preceded his carriage, which came behind him. Even though the aforementioned man harnessed the horses with great haste and ran immediately after the Maggid — the Maggid walked so quickly that he came to the village on foot, and the man with the carriage did not overtake him until he had already entered to Rabbainu z"l.

(21.) The Maggid of Tiraovitze walked half a parsah on foot with great speed to receive him when he came from the Land of Israel. And it was close to Kaniblad — for Rabbainu o.b.m. was traveling that way home. And one of the Maggid's people saw him there near the bridge close to the city, and was greatly startled. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him that he should go and inform the Maggid quietly that he should travel to him at the close-by village — half a parsah away. For Rabbainu o.b.m. did not want to stop and enter the city. And the aforementioned man ran and came in great haste and informed the Maggid. And the Maggid was then outside, speaking with people without a hat and without a belt. I have recorded this to make known the great enthusiasm and longing of those who tremble at the word of G-d, to see the face of the great true tzaddikim.

And before the birth he sat for several weeks in Kremenchtchak and waited until she would give birth. And throughout that entire period before she gave birth he did not show a cheerful face at all, and was strict when they served him two dishes at a meal — for his eyes longed all day that his daughter should give birth safely. And he was in great distress all that time until the birth. And then after the birth he immediately became filled with joy and commanded to light candles and to make a drink called "punch" [mixed with wine, honey and water] and was in great joy. And afterwards on the eighth day he circumcised his infant grandson as was proper. And after the bris milah he was joyful that day and said he had satisfaction from what he heard from people etc. who mentioned that his name was Yisrael ben Sarah — like the name of the Baal Shem Tov z"l. But afterwards on the third day after the circumcision his daughter who had given birth became weakened, and he had great distress and fled in great haste from Kremenchtchak. And he said that his life force was cut off from the greatness of the distress. (22.) A word-for-word copy of the letter from the holy lofty and renowned Gaon, our teacher the Rav Rabbi Avraham, may the memory of the holy and righteous be for a blessing, known to all as Rabbi Avraham Kalisker — which he sent from the Holy Land to Rabbainu z"l. And this is it: (2.) In the aforementioned year 5566, when he began to speak with me about the rectification of the souls he is occupied with — which is the matter of the Master of the Field etc. as mentioned above — he then said to me: "In Zlatipoleye, a little of this became known to me" — that there he began to know something of this matter of the Master of the Field. And it is understood from his words that there he began to know something, and the main knowing is now. And he said that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai alluded to a little of this in the holy Zohar [Shemos 166b]. And what was understood from his words was: that in the matter of this Master of the Field, as he now knows it, no tzaddik in the world yet knew it.

Peace and great salvation to the most-spoken-of of my heart — The renowned Rav, holy shall he be called, with him are wisdom and knowledge of G-d, understanding well — the honor of his holiness our teacher the Rav Rabbi Nachman may his light shine, of the holy lineage, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory, may his merit shield us forever, may light shine, may G-d's light rest upon him — and to all the members of his household and those who associate with him, abundant peace, Amen, so may it be His will. (3.) In the aforementioned year 5567 before Purim he traveled from here Breslov, and no explanation whatsoever was known to anyone regarding that journey at its plain meaning. And he traveled then to Navoritch and wanted to travel further beyond, but was delayed there during the days of Purim in the house of the Rabbi there — who was a somewhat distant relation by marriage. And from there he turned and traveled to Ostrog, and from there he sent people to bring his wife to the doctor there — to Osherdin — to attend to her healing, for she had a life-threatening illness — the illness of the cough. And he himself remained there alone — only they hired him one man to attend to him.

News from the Land — to inform of the coming of our messenger of this year, in the month of Shevat past, and we greatly rejoiced when we heard of the abundance of his well-being. For he came home in peace, and we saw that the bond of the cords of love did not cease — with his whole heart he seeks our good and sets his footsteps on the way, and he guided his journey himself to the land of Russia. May G-d be with him. And his wife came there for the Great Sabbath, and she did not want to accept medicines from the Osherdin doctor — only to travel to Zaslav to the doctors there. And he traveled with her on Sunday — which was four days before Pesach. And also Rabbi Shmuel of Teplik was with him there. And they all traveled and came to Zaslav close to Pesach. And the immensity of the displacement they had there cannot be estimated, and there is much to tell about this. And he was delayed there until after Shavuos. And on the eve of Shavuos his wife passed away there. And we gathered together to him and came to him for the Festival of Shavuos in Zaslav. And Hashem Yisburach took pity on us, and we merited even then to hear wondrous Torah from his holy mouth — and it is already printed in the book, Torah 67.

And of what occurred in the Holy of Holies in all of the past episode that befell us after the departure of his Torah's honor from us — he has certainly already come to know through our beloved messenger of last year, the wondrous one, our teacher the Rav Rabbi Eliezer. And regarding the settlement we settled with the men of the land of Volhynia — we have not yet collected from them even once, and we do not know what the end of this matter will be. And behold, we are bewildered in the land from much anguish and worry, awaiting G-d's salvation at every moment, for we have not yet been saved from any direction — and also from the land of Russia we have no information of what transpired there after the departure of his Torah's honor to there. And we should meet face to face and tell all the trouble that has found us. (4.) I heard in his name that he said at the time he traveled to Navoritch and the other communities, and he spoke then about his journey — that no person knew any explanation or hint about it, for he traveled in concealment from the world and accepted no money on the journey. And he said then [Brachos 4]: "My hands are soiled with blood and with the afterbirth and the placenta in order to purify a woman for her husband." And something of the hint of his journey was alluded to in this.

We await that the height of his Torah's honor will inform us in detail of all that was done there. And let it be known what we still owe the Minister — all are compelled to... (5.) Before the aforementioned journey he said: "I am like a small child who does not want to go to cheder — but when he enters the cheder he will be able to learn." "Had the world known what I am traveling for, they would kiss the footprints of my feet — for in every single step of my journey I tip the entire world to the scale of merit."

[The letter continues further — and here are brought only some matters.] Fortunate is the one who merits to have such a letter arrive from the holy ones of the Land of Israel, and to receive such love and longing from there. (6.) He said: "My place is only the Land of Israel — wherever I travel I travel only to the Land of Israel. And for now I am shepherding in Breslov and the like."

(1.) In the year 5566 [1805/6] — the fourth year of his residence here in Breslov, which was the fourth year of my drawing close to him — for upon his entering here I drew close to him immediately, as mentioned above [#115] — then in that summer of 5566, in the month of Sivan, his holy infant son Shlomo Ephraim of blessed memory passed away. And it is already explained elsewhere [above #28] regarding this dear holy child — what Rabbainu o.b.m. said, that he was already prepared etc. And then, after the passing of the aforementioned child, when we came to him, he began to speak with us about the rectification of souls — about the matter of the Master of the Field: that there is a field in which souls grow, and the Master of the Field is needed to rectify them. And one who girds his loins to be Master of the Field has immeasurable sufferings upon him, as is explained in the Torah "And Boaz said to Ruth" in Likutay vol. 1, Torah 65 — see there. And from then on he spoke much about the rectification of souls. (7.) Before he left on the aforementioned journey he clapped his hands together in joy and said: "Today a new thing begins." And then he said: "We are like one who plays music, and the world dances — and one who does not understand and hear the melody, it is a wonder in his eyes why they run after him and why they dance. Thus it is a wonder in the eyes of the world why you run after me." "When I return from my path I will be able to play music and you will be able to dance."

And particularly after he came from Lemberg — particularly upon his entry to Uman — for his entire entry there, and his choosing to pass on there and to be buried there, was all because of this: for the rectification of the souls in need of rectification from several hundred years. For there in Uman many, many souls were killed beyond measure — and many thousands of children who were killed before their time etc. — as is understood from his conversations in Uman, some of which are recorded elsewhere [below #190, 191]. And afterwards he traveled to Navoritch, and was in Zaslav, and in Ostrog, and in Dubna, and in Brod and yet other places. And he disguised himself and they did not know who he was. And he was in the house of every one of the great merchants of Brod, and he had dealings with each and every one. When he entered Brod all the city came out toward him. [Explanation: they did not at all intend to honor him — for they did not know him at all — rather it happened thus coincidentally from Hashem Yisburach.] "And I heard the sound of the clamor of their desires — that they desire and cry out for money etc." — that there was a great cry from their desires. At that same time, on the eve of Shavuos, his wife passed away. And we gathered to him for the Festival of Shavuos and he said us the Torah as mentioned above.

And then, in that year [5566], he began to tell the legendary tales that are now printed. And he said: "Now I will begin to tell legendary tales" [in Yiddish: "ich vel shoin on heiben mayses derzeilin"]. And then on the following Rosh Hashana — which was Rosh Hashana 5567 — he said the Torah "Rabbi Shimon opened" [Torah 60] which speaks about legendary tales etc. And then on that same Yom Kippur there was a great fire here in Breslov, G-d save us, at the time of the Kol Nidre prayer — at the hour the cantor began the piyyutim after Maariv, namely Ya'aleh etc. — and we all scattered to save his house and possessions, and the prayer was disrupted. Only after the fire was completed at night, a minyan gathered — and Rabbainu z"l was also with us — and we completed the piyyutim. And then on Motzai Yom Kippur Rabbainu z"l said that on that Yom Kippur he had desired to accomplish a matter before Hashem Yisburach — — and he had many arguments for this. The matters he claimed to Hashem Yisburach, if they were to be written down, would fill many pages [bogin / gilyonos]. And I made for myself a great order regarding the aforementioned. But through the fire the matter was disrupted. And also after he came from Lemberg he spoke about this matter — and it was understood from his words that from the time he had desired on Yom Kippur to accomplish this, because of this there was a great accusation against him Above, and the illness and sufferings he had and still had was because of this. And he said: even though my intention was certainly for the sake of Heaven — even so etc. (10.) After his wife's passing in Zaslav, he afterwards arranged a match from Brod. And when he came home to Breslov he told on the Sabbath the tale [Sipuray Masiyos, Tale 7] of the King who was saved by the page of the book etc. And he said before he told that tale: "I will tell you my journey" — and upon this he told the aforementioned tale. And there the ending is missing — regarding the beautiful woman from whom children went forth.

And he told then the incident of the son of the Rabbi of Shpitivkeh, who was ill and knew that it was because of a sin he had committed in failing to honor his father — and yet he understood in his heart that he did not truly repent etc. And he told this against himself — that even though he knows that his sufferings and illness are because of the aforementioned matter — even so he does not repent in his heart. And he said that Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak — who is now the Rabbi in Tcherin — had informed him beforehand of the fire that would occur. And also in Medvedivkeh there had been a fire, and Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak was there at that time and informed me in advance — and the name Shmuel Yitzchak in gematria equals "fire" [sereyfah] as written in the Torah deficiently [Genesis 29]. (11.) On his return from the great journey to Navoritch in the aforementioned summer, the severe cough illness came upon him. And then Rabbainu o.b.m. greatly warned us to pray much for him. But in our many sins the angels prevailed, and he passed on three years after the cough illness came upon him — and he said that even those three years he lived by miracle etc. And in all this there are several events to tell, beyond what is hidden from us without measure.

And in that same year I was compelled to move from my place from Nemrov to Mohlev. And in that year many of our people became confused — Rabbi Avrahamtzi was in Petersburg and many were greatly confused. And Rabbainu z"l himself was wandering in that year on the great journey that he traveled to Navoritch and Brod etc. and he was delayed on that journey approximately half a year. And in that winter when he was in Tcherin for Shabbos Shira and afterwards in Kremenchtchak as was his custom every year — there was born his grandson Rabbi Yisrael of blessed memory, son of his righteous daughter Moras Sarah. And his birth was before Rabbainu z"l traveled the aforementioned journey, and immediately after he came from Kremenchtchak he traveled on the aforementioned journey. (12.) He said that immediately when the cough came upon him — immediately upon his first cough — he knew right away that he would pass on. And immediately he began to speak of his passing — even though Hashem Yisburach in His great kindness performed wondrous great miracles for us, that he lived afterwards for three years and somewhat more. But even so, immediately in the summer of 5567 [1806/7] when the cough came upon him — while he was on the road during his return from the great journey he traveled to Navoritch and Zaslav etc. as mentioned above — and immediately upon his coming home from the aforementioned journey he began to speak of his passing. And he said then that great fears were upon him, and he said that he would have needed sixty warriors, as the Baal Shem Tov z"l had. And he spoke much about this matter. (But I myself did not merit to hear these matters from his holy mouth, for I was not with him — and much of this has been forgotten.)

And the man who was with him — Rabbi Shmuel of Teplik — lingered a bit, and he left him there and did not wait for him and traveled without him. And Rabbi Shmuel was compelled to hire a wagon and run after him. And afterwards when he came from Kremenchtchak he traveled to Navoritch and the entire great journey mentioned above. And in that winter I was ill three times in Mohlev — and so were my wife and children — and Rabbainu z"l had great distress over this. And through G-d's kindness and through the power of his holy prayer I remained alive, praise G-d. And once he wept on the Sabbath and Rabbi Naftali was with him then. And at that same time he told the tale of the King who had great wars against him — about the matter of the fly and the spider. And he traveled then through the Ukraine as was his custom — always traveling to Tcherin for Shabbat Nachamu. And on the way in the holy congregation of Ladizhin he spoke with our people there, that he is compelled to pass on — and he also spoke with them about the sixty warriors he needs, and that the Baal Shem Tov z"l had sixty warriors. And certainly they will grow and become of his sixty warriors — but they are still youths and tender in years, and the battle is very heavy and strong upon them, and he has no one to lean upon etc.

And in all this matter there is much to tell — for there are very hidden matters in all this, hidden treasures of the King, which he merited to attain in all these matters, for which he was compelled to wander so much and to bear so many sufferings — all for the rectification of the worlds, the rectification of the souls and spirits of the living, and especially the souls of the dead — which he occupied himself with more at the end of his days, as he said explicitly: what he does for us is a small thing for him and that we need to do ourselves — but he must occupy himself with the rectification of the souls of the dead, for there are naked souls etc. as explained elsewhere [Sichos HaRan §23, 195]. And he spoke of this several more times, and from some of them I heard: that even if he had sixty warriors it would not help him to be healed from his illness. And he said that he wanted to travel to the Land of Israel — meaning, to travel once more to the Land of Israel and to pass on there — but he feared that perhaps he would not be able to get there. And also if he passed on there, no one would come to his grave and they would have no dealings with his grave. And he said in these words [in Yiddish]: "Men vet keiner nit kumen oyf dem kever, men vet nit hoben tzi ton mit dem kever." But if he lay in our land — certainly we would come to his grave to learn and pray there, and it would be for him great delight and pleasure from this. And from that time onwards he spoke greatly about the matter of his passing, and spoke greatly about his grave. And he revealed his view many times in many kinds of language — that people should come to his grave always to say Psalms over his grave and to learn there and to increase prayer and supplications there. And he spoke with many people about this. Also when he came from Lemberg he said that it was good before him to pass on and lie there because of the many righteous great men who lie there. But because of this it was not agreeable to him to pass on there — because there no one of his people would come to his grave.

And even if we have not heard and do not know of all this even as a drop from the sea — and even the little of the little with which he took mercy on us and informed us, it is impossible to explain except a little of a little by allusion — even so I did not refrain from noting what was possible, for it is a great good for those who truly desire it, who are diligent at his gates — when they know what they know of what passed over him and what came forth from his holy mouth in these matters. And the enlightened ones who study our words with a true eye will understand a little of the greatness of the Creator Yisburach through all this, and the greatness of the tzaddikim, and how many sufferings and troubles they bear for the rectification of our souls — perhaps through all this one will be awakened to go in his holy ways which he taught us in his holy books, and we will return to Hashem in truth, speedily in our days, Amen. And he said: when one comes to his grave and says a chapter of Psalms with awakening of the heart — it will be great pleasure for him. And he made movements with his body and bones then, hinting that it would be for him a releasing of his bones then in his grave when they say Psalms over his grave. And he spoke further about this matter many times. And afterwards he revealed the Ten Chapters of Psalms [the Tikun HaKlali], and said that whoever comes to his grave and gives a coin to charity and says these Ten Chapters of Psalms — he will stretch himself out lengthwise and breadthwise to help that person, even if he has done what he has done etc. — and he will designate two witnesses over this, as is explained elsewhere [below §225].

(8.) On that Festival of Shavuos he studied much during the morning feast meal, between one dish and the next — before the dish was brought to the table he would study in the meantime [and he studied then the Idra — Zohar Naso 127b]. And afterwards they brought the dish and he stopped and ate a little and returned to his study — and so it was every time between each and every dish. And he kept thinking each time that they would not bring another dish — but they brought more dishes each time, and he studied between each and every dish as mentioned. And he also spoke much about the matter of Lemberg, and it was understood from his words that what he said was relevant to Yom Kippur — and there is still upon him a great accusation Above and the illness and sufferings he has — and he said: even though my intention was certainly for the sake of Heaven — even so etc.

After the meal he answered and said: "They are arguing with me — for I kept thinking each time they would not bring another dish, and they brought more each time. And behold, they are arguing with me. For I wanted that the end of the meal should be with study — which is the simple level of service where one eats in order to have strength to study. But they are elevating me to greatness and want the end of the meal to be with eating — which is the elevated level of service where one studies in order to know how to eat. And I wanted literally that the end of the meal should be with study after eating — that is the simple level of service: one eats in order to have strength to study. But they are holding me to greatness and bring dishes each time, wanting the end to be with eating — that is the elevated level of service: one studies in order to have intelligence and mind and understanding of how to eat. And understand." And he told then the incident about the son of the Rabbi of Shpitivkeh who was ill and knew that it was because of a sin he had committed in failing to honor his father — and yet he understood in his heart that he did not repent etc. And he told this against himself — that even though the illness and sufferings are because of the aforementioned matter — even so he does not repent in his heart. And he said that Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak, who is now the Rabbi of Tcherin, had informed him beforehand that the fire would occur. And also in Medvedivkeh there was a fire and Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak was there then and informed me in advance — and Shmuel Yitzchak in gematria equals "fire" as written in the Torah deficiently [Genesis 29]. And also he told an incident about the son of our Rabbi of Shpitivkeh who was ill, and knew that his illness was because of a sin he had committed in failing to honor his father. And even so he understood in his heart that he did not repent etc. And he told this against himself — that even though he knows that his sufferings and illness are because of the aforementioned — even so he does not repent in his heart.

(9.) While he was in Zaslav he felt ill and had a severe illness, and he wrote a letter to all the generality of our people, urgently requesting that we pray for him. And afterwards he returned to his strength. And afterwards he wrote another letter to all the generality of our people — not to let his labor have been in vain, the labor he exerted with every single one of them to save them from the teeth of the evil inclination, as the letter copy is brought elsewhere [below #166]. And when he came home he said that through our prayers we accomplished that he recovered from the aforementioned illness in Zaslav. (13.) I heard that he said to Rabbi Shmuel of Teplik in Zaslav: "I am telling you so that you will know that I know what will happen afterwards — there are three things: two of them are one, and one is one. And when the two things will be, the one thing will not be — and when the one thing is, the two will not be." And he said: "I want more..." — and it was forgotten how he said what he wants — whether he wants more that the two should be or the reverse.

[Regarding the ritual slaughterer of the community of Arinsk:] "On this night I occupied myself in a book of remedies — even though remedies are nothing — but a wife of one's youth is not to be found. From Mezer [a remedy] one will go to Mezhiritch, and from there one will travel to Ostrog and from there one will travel to Breslov — to bring my wife there to be occupied with remedies." And so it was done. And he said then that he thought he would have there the matter that was for him in Istanbul when he traveled to the Land of Israel.

All this I heard from Rabbi Shmuel of Teplik who told of the journey to Navoritch — but most of it is missing, and there is much more to tell of the matter of this journey, which was a very wondrous and lofty wonder. And still no person knows what his intention was in this.

(14.) On Sukkos 5568 [1807/8] — at the time the cough illness was beginning for him, before he traveled to Lemberg — it was heard from his holy mouth on the first night of Sukkos that he asked what the word "hust" is in a foreign language. And at first they did not understand his intent. And afterwards he spoke of this — that in their language a guest [ushpiza] is called hust. And he did not speak further on this matter — but he then mentioned the saying of our Rabbis of blessed memory that they were accustomed to speak in the language of wisdom, as our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Eruvin 54a]: "Rabbi Avahu when he would speak in the language of wisdom..." and the like. And it appeared that he was hinting in his holy conversation to the matter of the holy ushpizin [supernal guests] who enter the sukkah. And none of us knew to what extent.

For this is already known to us and is a great principle: that in all things of the world and in all the languages of the nations one can find G-dliness, as is explained from his words in his books several times. And it is as he brings the teaching of our Rabbis of blessed memory [Jerusalem Talmud, Ta'anis]: "Tat in Kaspai [means] two, pat in Africa [means] two" etc. And the immensity of the greatness of Rabbainu z"l's attainment in this matter — it is impossible to estimate or tell — even of what we merited to see and understand with our own minds. For we saw with literal physical experience that before him the entire world was open and revealed, and he would see in everything the clothing of the vitality of G-d, to the point that he could make wondrous and awesome Torahs from all things in the world. And it is impossible to elaborate or tell of this to one who did not merit to see it with his own eyes. And if you merit to walk on the straight and true path, and merit to delve deeply into the books of Rabbainu z"l, you will merit to understand something of this.

The above-mentioned Nachman.

(15.) A word-for-word copy of a letter in Rabbainu z"l's own handwriting that he wrote to his brother, our teacher the Rav Yechiel z"l of Kremintchak — where there was controversy against him from wicked opponents who greatly pained him, as is understood from Rabbainu z"l's own words in this letter: (16.) A word-for-word copy of a letter in Rabbainu o.b.m.'s own handwriting that he wrote to all the generality of our people, at the time he dwelt in Zaslav in the year 5567 [1806/7]:

With G-d's help, Monday, Parashas Bechukosai. Let it be known to all of our people that I have grown weary of dwelling in Breslov because of the immense troubles and hardships that have come upon me. And now I will be wandering from tent to tent — not to settle, but only to sojourn. Therefore, my request and plea of you: that my labor should not have been in vain — the labor I exerted with each and every one of you to save you from the teeth of the evil one. G-d is righteous and I have acted wickedly — and my actions caused me the sufferings and the death of dear children, and the controversy and the prosecutions. Even so, I knew fully well that also the dealings I had with you — to save you from the teeth of the evil inclination — for all of these it sharpened its eyes and gnashed its teeth at me.

To my beloved brother, my precious friend and beloved, the rabbinical, wonderfully distinguished, perfect sage — our teacher the Rav Rabbi Yechiel Tzvi, may his light shine and radiate: Therefore, my beloveds, my brothers and friends — strengthen yourselves and be courageous in the awe of G-d, each one according to his strength and his level, and do not let my labor have been in vain. And observe the Torah of Moses servant of G-d as I taught you. And know that even though I am now far from you, this is nothing but a physical distance — and this distance G-d forbid is not in our souls — for we are close.

Your letter has reached me here in Zaslav and I had great anguish from it — how the hearts of these wicked men could be so filled, and how they brazen-faced themselves so greatly against you. And I wonder how there was found no good counter to evil — to stand against them and root out the evil. Nachman son of our teacher the Rav Simcha, may his Rock guard him and grant him life.

The above-mentioned Nachman.

My beloved brother, the soul of my heart — do not fear and do not be dismayed before them. Only strengthen yourself and be courageous in Torah and in awe of G-d all day, as was spoken between us two. And the merit of your fathers supports you — for all of this is to elevate you and increase your honor and enlarge your understanding. For just as all kinds of seeds cannot come to the full extent of their growth until the grain is first put into the earth and afterwards the grain decays — and after its decay it flowers and sprouts and becomes a great tree — so too this matter: that through their humiliating you down to the dust, you will thereby grow and flower and blossom in the world. Were these wicked ones to know of this, they certainly would not humiliate you — for their entire intent is for evil. [Up to here, word for word.] One also needs to search for another letter that he wrote to the generality [of our people] from Zaslav, as it has not yet been found.

And let it be known to your honor that it is my intention to remain here in the holy congregation of Zaslav for approximately three months, and afterwards I shall know how to proceed. And let it be known that my wife initially had some improvement — and now the reverse has occurred and her strength goes and diminishes each day. And the expenses here are considerable — for I have had expenses here of fifty-four red coins [adumim]. And nothing more — only: may you live. (2.) When he was in Lemberg he was in great danger, for he was occupying himself there with medical treatments. And there was a long period when he was lying on one side and could not lie on his other side. Afterwards Hashem Yisburach performed wondrous and awesome miracles with him, and he began to recover somewhat. And suddenly in the night he turned onto his other side and lay on it, and said that his healing was not through the doctor — but that at night someone came and said to him: "The government has decreed upon you to lie on your right side." And he lay as was his custom on his right side [which for a long time he had been unable to lie on]. And that one who came to him in the night was the famous pious Rabbi, our teacher the Rav Rabbi Aharon of blessed memory of Titayev — a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said that now the aforementioned Rabbi is a faithful friend to him with very great love.

From me, your brother who loves your soul, who seeks your Torah's wellbeing and awaits to hear from you. (3.) In Lemberg, between Purim and Pesach in the year 5568, he went to a special room and wept very greatly there, and called for Rabbi Shimon — and his tears were on his cheeks. And he groaned and said: "There is no one to consult with." And he told him then about the matter: that he has a book at home which cost him the loss of his wife and his children — for they passed on because of it. And he sacrificed his soul for it. And now he does not know what to do.

Nachman son of our teacher the Rav Simcha, may his Rock guard him and grant him life. And the matter was this: that he saw he was compelled to pass away there in Lemberg. But if this book were to be burned, he could live. And therefore Rabbainu o.b.m. was in doubt and did not know how to counsel himself — for it was very painful for him to burn this holy and awesome book, for he had sacrificed his soul for it and had lost his first wife and his children because of it etc. And the holiness and awesomeness of this book — it is impossible to speak of it at all. And had this book remained in the world, people would have seen the greatness of Rabbainu o.b.m. with their own eyes etc.

Let it be known that, blessed be G-d, I am in the line of health — without involving myself in physical remedies. Rabbi Shimon replied: "Certainly, if there is any consideration that your life depends on this — certainly it is much better to burn the book so that you remain alive." Rabbainu o.b.m. replied: "In any case the time will be extended — meaning: if this book is burned, in any case he will have an extension to live in this world for some time. But even so it pains me greatly to burn it — for you do not know the immensity of the preciousness of the holiness of this book. And I lost my first wife and my children and many great sufferings that I had because of it etc." And he wept very much.

[Up to here, word for word.] One also needs to search for another letter that he wrote to the generality [of our people] from Zaslav. And afterwards the doctor came to his house, and Rabbi Shimon and Rabbainu o.b.m. were engaged in the aforementioned conversation. And Rabbi Shimon told the doctor by way of complaint against Rabbainu o.b.m. — that he is weeping now at this time when his illness is so heavy upon him. And the doctor was then greatly alarmed before Rabbainu o.b.m. And afterwards he recovered immediately upon arriving in Breslov and was healed as at the beginning. And he took the two books and burned them both. Woe to us that we did not merit that the great light of this book should remain — and because of our many sins it was decreed from Heaven to burn it. And Rabbainu z"l said: "This book will no longer exist in the world — alas for what is lost through our many sins — a loss that does not return." And he said that this book had to be burned — and that the book Likutay Moharan will be printed and spread throughout the world. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' קלט)

My beloveds, my brothers and friends, please and please: let these words of mine which I have poured out be close to you day and night. And let it be known that now I am dwelling in the holy congregation of Zaslav, and here I shall remain if G-d wills for approximately three months. (4.) When I copied before him that holy book that was burned on his command as mentioned above, he answered and said at the time when I was copying before him: "If you knew what you are writing..." I answered him with humble heart: "Certainly I do not know at all." He replied: "You do not know what you do not know" [in Yiddish: "dia veist gor nit vos dia veist nit"].

These are the words of your beloved who writes in tears — from the greatness of the joy in my heart, that the Holy One Blessed be He has given me strength of iron to bear the yoke of such sufferings and displacements. (5.) There was yet another book of his — even higher and higher than the burned book — and that is the Hidden Book. And he said that even his own body withdrew when he wrote it, and that book has never been seen by any eye. And he said it is of the aspect of razin d'razin [secrets of secrets] — meaning, as it appears to him, compared to the other matters he reveals. And he said that Messiah will explain it. And this Hidden Book was already completed by him at the beginning of the year 5566 (5567) — five years before his passing.

Let it be known that, blessed be G-d, I am in the line of health — without involving myself in physical remedies. And now stand and contemplate — to what level he reached afterwards. For he never stood on one level his entire life — and literally at every hour and hour he attained new things according to his awesome level. And understand this very, very well — for the level of the greatness of the Hidden Book is beyond any thought whatsoever — and Messiah will explain it. And from now contemplate and estimate in your mind his greatness, for he lived afterwards five full years — with difficult and severe sufferings — and was in all the towns and the displacements of the journeys to Navoritch and afterwards was also in Brod and Lemberg — through all of which he acted and accomplished very much. And now stand and contemplate — to what level he attained afterwards! For he never stood still at one level until the day he passed on — and literally every single hour he attained new things according to his very awesome level. And understand very very well — for the greatness of the Hidden Book cannot be grasped by any thought whatsoever, and Mashiach will tell its interpretation. And from now you shall contemplate and estimate in your mind its greatness etc.

(1.) In the year 5568 [1807/8], after Sukkos, he traveled to Lemberg in great haste. And I pursued and ran after him as far as Krasneh. Then he answered and said to me: "We shall see and see and see" [in Yiddish: "mir velin zich zehn un zehn un zehn"] — and he repeated the matter several times. And he said: "If you want to be a proper man, what are you worried about? The entire world is toiling and exerting itself for you — this one travels to Breslau, and this one to here and that one to there — all for you." And the next morning he suddenly departed from Krasneh, and I pursued him until we merited to reach him by the bridge etc. And he was somewhat pleased, and he then said regarding his journey — about the matter of the Mishkan — that each one of the tzaddikim builds etc., as is brought in Likutay vol. 1 in Torah 282, "Azamra Leilokai b'Odi." (6.) Regarding the aforementioned book that was burned, he said that no one knows anything in it except a great tzaddik — one unique in the generation — and also one who is wise in all seven wisdoms.

(7.) And I myself already heard from his holy mouth that he said regarding the aforementioned book — that a tzaddik alone will not understand anything in it, and similarly a sage alone will not understand it either — only a tzaddik who is also a sage: namely, one who is a very great tzaddik and also wise in all seven wisdoms. But even so, in any case someone will be found who understands it. But the Hidden Book — which is of the aspect of razin d'razin compared to him — this book has never been seen by any eye in the world. And he said that in this book no person in the world will understand anything at all — only I heard in his name that he said Messiah will explain it as mentioned above.

(8.) The second burned book had four sections. That aforementioned book he first handed to two of our people [Rabbi Yudl and Rabbi Shmuel Aizik], and he commanded them to travel to the towns and to say in each and every city a little from this book. And he also commanded them to take some booklets in manuscript of the Torah discourses he had revealed — which were afterwards printed in the book Likutay Moharan — and to leave in each city some pages from them. For at that time none of his holy books had yet been printed. And there are also several stories about those two aforementioned men in this matter. (And this was in the summer of the year 5566.) (9.) The book that the two aforementioned men carried was my copy — what I had copied of that holy book as mentioned above. The book that was burned — we call it the Second Book — for all the books that were printed are of the aspect of the First Book, since they are all his revealed matters (even though in the eyes of the entire world it is loftier than secrets of secrets — for every single word of his printed books is filled with secrets upon secrets and razin d'razin without end, as a discerning person understands — but in his own eyes it was all in the aspect of the revealed).

And the book he commanded to be burned when he was in Lemberg — this is the Second Book, and it is of the aspect of his razin [secrets]. And this Second Book I copied before him in the year 5566, and my copy was the one handed to the two men to carry to the towns as mentioned above. And he swore them at that time not to reveal the matter to any person.

And there was yet a Third Book — and that is the Hidden Book that no human hand ever touched and no eye ever saw. And it is of the aspect of his razin d'razin. And also this book was already completed in the year 5566 at its beginning — for it was then that he told me all this. And now come and see and understand what he attained afterwards — for he already boasted many many times that he never stands on one level forever. And he said: "If I knew that today I stand on yesterday's level, I have no need for myself at all." And each time he said he does not know at all — because he wanted to attain more and more.

And now understand to what extent his attainments were immense — for he lived afterwards five consecutive years...

(10.) When he handed the aforementioned book to the two aforementioned men, I did not know of this at all — for he did the matter in great concealment and no one knew of this. Afterwards at the beginning of the summer 5566 I came before him, and he said to me: "I have given you merit in a commandment — in that I had you write that aforementioned book." And he said: "The book of yours has already begun to do deeds in the world."

(11.) And he then also warned me greatly to pray for his dear precious child Shlomo Ephraim of blessed memory — for he had the cough illness at that time. And he greatly urged me to multiply prayer for him. And he said: "I know that when I handed the book to the aforementioned men, they would take hold of themselves and overpower those against the child" [meaning the prosecuting forces]. And he also greatly warned the one to whom he handed the book — one of the two aforementioned men — at the time he handed it to him: for G-d's sake that he be careful to pray and beseech much for the aforementioned child. But in our many sins, the prosecution intensified until the aforementioned child passed on in that summer.

(12.) In that summer he sent me to Rabbi Yehoshua of blessed memory of the holy congregation of Dzerin — close to his passing — with a note [kvitl], that he should take in mind the names recorded there so that it would be good for him in the World to Come. And he said that through this Rabbi Yehoshua would be able to come to him immediately after his passing. And so it was — Rabbi Yehoshua came to him immediately upon his passing.

(13.) When he came from Lemberg he said: "I am like Choni HaMe'agel who slept seventy years" [Ta'anis 23a]. And I thought that they had already forgotten me — but when I came to Vorneyuvitze one of our people jumped to me immediately when he saw me, and he literally revived me.

(14.) The matter was like one who has a great need for the world etc. and they grabbed him and put him in a room: "Sit here." That they took me and seated me on a third or fourth floor, very high up etc. Was I not like a merchant who goes out to the market and has several things to do — to grab this transaction and that transaction etc. Even when they told me I need to rest and refresh myself — it did not enter my ears what rest and refreshment is — for one must always, always be doing. And now I must observe the time of eating and sleep and the like, because of the illness.

(15.) "I had a fine body that was not demanding and did not press itself at all. Now I must observe the time of eating etc. And the sufferings I had there are beyond explanation — needless to say the suffering of the mind. I also received remedies and was drinking quinine [china — remedy for fever/malaria] — and there in the land of China they are complete heretics who say there is no judgment and no judge. And similarly other remedies from other places that have other heresies there. And when all of this came inside my innards, what was made was made. For it was necessary that the medicine coming from there should enter his innards in order to subdue those heresies mentioned — and similarly with other medicines." (From this the discerning one will be able to understand something of his dealings with remedies — beyond the other lofty secrets that were in all his ways and conducts. But for the rest of the world he warned very much by way of good counsel to stay far from medicines and doctors.) (18.) While he was in Lemberg he handed over the book Likutay Moharan to one man who had come to him from Medvedivkeh, and he commanded this man to travel to our land to print the book. And so he did. And in the beginning he pondered and deliberated much in his mind about this — for in previous years we were careful to conceal and hide the writings of his Torah teachings from the world. But afterwards he commanded me to copy them in order — for at first the Torah discourses were written by me in scattered booklets out of order. And afterwards in the year 5565 [1804/5] he commanded me to copy them in order and to make a volume from them. And he warned me to hasten in this. And Hashem Yisburach was my help, and I copied them nicely in order. And I brought the booklets before him and they were very pleasing in his eyes. And afterwards I gave them to the bookbinder here in Breslov to bind them nicely — and this was on Friday, the eve of the holy Sabbath. And I was compelled to stand over the craftsman to guard during the binding that no foreign hands should handle it.

(16.) Once after he came from Lemberg he said: "I am now like a weaned child upon his mother" [Psalms 131]. And afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. sent one of his people to stand over the craftsman to guard — so that I could come before him to speak with him. And at once I came before him, and he spoke with me greatly and truly revived me. And on that day I heard the beginning of the revelation of the matter of the ten Psalms of Tehillim that are the Tikun for a nocturnal emission, G-d forbid. And because of this matter he was prevented from sleeping that same Friday eve — only he spoke with me greatly first while lying on his bed, and afterwards he rose from his bed and sat at the table in his large room and spoke with me greatly and with everyone until close to evening. Although his custom was always to go to the bathhouse just after midnight — now he sat and spoke with us until close to evening.

(17.) In the summer 5568 [1808] he came from Lemberg to his home in Breslov on Sunday Parashat Balak — and he spent the Sabbath on the road in the holy congregation of Yanov. Also on his journey from Lemberg he traveled via Brod and was delayed there for some time — approximately two weeks. And the doctors said it was very difficult for him to travel because of the severity of his illness — and that he could travel no more than one parsah per day. But he paid no attention to this and traveled with great speed — several parsaos per day in the manner of swift merchants. And he said then: "How difficult it is to be a leader" [in Yiddish: "vi shver es iz tzu zain a giter Yid"] — for is not this binding of the book that they are now binding... and the meaning of his words is that everything that is done in the physical world — even this binding of pages into a book — has its deep spiritual significance. And he elaborated on this.

On the road we met Rabbi Meir of Teplik — who was the aforementioned first messenger — and Rabbi Meir descended from his wagon and stood on our wagon and spoke with Rabbainu o.b.m. And Rabbi Meir told Rabbainu o.b.m. how they are pleased to receive him and that there is a very fine and good dwelling there. He answered and said: "Is not everything ours? For a person is obligated to say: the world was created for my sake [Sanhedrin 37a] — for Nachman and Nussun are traveling here, and if so everything is ours." And he commanded that this not be spoken of, and he said: "Does not Rabbi Meir discern in a name?" [Yoma 83b — meaning: the name reveals the essence]. And on Sunday when he came home he departed early in the morning from the holy congregation of Yanov where he had spent the Sabbath — and on Saturday night he did not sleep as was his custom. And in the morning when dawn broke, he traveled from there with speed until he came home that same day while the day was still long. And also afterwards at home he conducted himself regarding his eating in a manner contrary to the doctors' advice — for he saw there was nothing to them at all, as they themselves admitted explicitly with a full mouth. And he elaborated on telling this, and greatly warned not to involve oneself with doctors and medicines at all, as is explained elsewhere [Sichos HaRan]. And he said that immediately upon traveling from Breslov this thought came upon him and entered his heart deeply — but he did not want to speak of it. Only through Rabbi Meir who met us — through this he revealed it. For this is of the nature of hidden conduct — for these are the secrets of his ways. And he said it in these words: "Thus does Hashem Yisburach conduct the world." And he then said wittily: if one were to call someone "Rabbi Nachman-Nussun." And he spoke then of Kiddush and stretched out his hand as at the time of Kiddush when one holds the cup, and said: "This Kiddush and this wine was made in a house where the Name of G-d was never mentioned at any time." And he then said the matter printed in the Legendary Tales [Sichos HaRan 3] that begins with: "He greatly extolled the greatness of Hashem Yisburach."

(1.) In the year 5570 [1809/10], on Friday night Rosh Chodesh Iyar, there was a great fire in Breslov and his house also burned. Afterwards on Tuesday after the Sabbath he traveled to Uman — for in the previous week he had sent one man to arrange a dwelling for him there in the house of Rabbi Nussun-Nussun [R"N"N]. And we saw G-d's salvation — that exactly in the previous week he had sent the aforementioned messenger. And on Sunday, immediately after the fire, a messenger came that he should travel there — for they are pleased to receive him. And I also traveled with him. (2.) When he left Breslov he answered and said: "Also because of this it is very fitting that I traveled from them — for it is not fitting that they should be in anguish and I in joy. For if only I had not been burned and they had — then I would be compelled to grieve together with them, for when Israel has such anguish I too am compelled to suffer with them in their troubles. But now, since my house too was burned, I am certainly required to accept it with love and with joy — and specifically great joy is needed — namely to strengthen oneself with great joy. And therefore it is not fitting that I be among them — for they are in anguish and I am in joy."

Afterwards he said: "Not to speak of money — namely financial loss — certainly I accept with joy, for [Job 2]: 'Skin for skin, and all that a man has he will give for his life.' But even when a soul, G-d forbid — and may G-d guard him from this day forth — is also missing before me, even this he accepts with great joy — to the point that all the mourning practices one is obligated to observe, such as weeping and the like, he must force himself to do. For he has great joy then, and everything is equal before him as if it had never existed in the world at all. May G-d guard him always from now and forever."

(3.) Before he left Breslov for Uman to pass on there — at the time he left the doorway of the house and outside to ascend upon the wagon — he stood by the mezuzah and placed his hand upon the mezuzah. He answered and said to the world: "See to it that you all gather together and pray together — for if you pray with intention, perhaps you will be able to draw me back here once more."

(4.) When I traveled with him to Uman at the end of his days — and he spoke with me on the wagon with words of comfort — several beautiful and holy life-giving conversations. And I understood from his holy words the immensity of the compassion of Hashem Yisburach — and that in the end G-d will reveal the truth and make our latter end good etc. Then I answered and said before him with heartfelt arousal: "Even so, G-d will complete according to His will" [in Yiddish: "Got vet fort ois firn"]. He replied to me with a tone of wonder: "What is it that you say that G-d will complete? — G-d always completes!" [in Yiddish: "vaz iz er vet ois firn. Got firt tamid ois"].

(5.) On the road during his journey to Uman he answered and said: "Even so, Hashem Yisburach always helps Israel, and there is no orphaned generation." And as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said [Shabbat 138b] — when a certain Tanna said: "The Torah is destined to be forgotten from Israel" — Rabbi Shimon answered and said "no" — for [Devarim 31]: "From this Zohar they will go out from exile." For it will not be forgotten from the mouth of his offspring. And therefore he stood himself upon this verse and revealed then the secret printed in Likutay vol. 1 at its beginning — see there — about the greatness of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. I answered and said to him: "Rabbi Shimon also certainly has benefit from this — namely from this wondrous novelty." He replied: "Yes." Afterwards he answered and said: "Rabbi Shimon himself is another matter — for Rabbi Shimon is [Daniel 4]: 'a watcher and holy one descends from heaven,' as printed there." "And now there is a flowing spring, a source of wisdom [Proverbs 18] — such that even the holy watcher " It was also already heard that he said about himself that he is the river that purifies from all stains.

(6.) On the road of his journey — before he entered Uman — close to the city, he told a tale about the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory: that once the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory came to some place, and there he was in great depression and sadness. And they recognized that he had this depression. But who would open his mouth to ask him about this. And it was so for a day and a half. Afterwards on Friday afternoon after midday, the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory commanded that all the guests found in the city be sought out and brought to him — that they should eat with him for the Sabbath. And there were not many guests there — only two foot-travelers were found, and they brought them to him. Afterwards they heard that the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory argued with them, and Rabbainu o.b.m. said he does not remember the tale well enough to tell it properly.

But the essence of the matter was: that in that place there were souls from three hundred years who had no elevation. And when the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory came there, they all gathered to him — for they are always waiting for such a person who can rectify them. And because of this he was in depression — for this matter weighed very heavily upon him. And the matter was that it was impossible to rectify them except through his passing — and this was very difficult for him. Therefore he was in sadness. And G-d sent him those two people and through this the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory was saved. And it seems to me that those two aforementioned people suffered harm through this.

(7.) Tuesday the 18th of Tishrei — the second day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos — towards evening, of the year 5571 [1810], the ark of G-d was taken, and the light of Israel was removed — the glory of our master, teacher, and Rabbi — the supernal lamp, the holy precious lamp — the hidden and stored light — our teacher Rabbi Nachman, may the memory of the holy and righteous be for a blessing. And he was buried the next day — Wednesday — in Uman, in the place he chose for himself during his lifetime, as is explained in this book in the Conversations — where it is stated explicitly that it was good in his eyes to be buried in Uman, because a very great kiddush Hashem [sanctification of G-d's name] occurred there, as is well known. Also the main purpose of his passing was because of the holy ones who were killed there, as we understood from his words — for he told that there are tens of thousands of souls there that he needed to elevate.

Also on the second day of Chol HaMoed mentioned above — one day before his passing — he answered and said to me: "Do you remember the tale I told you?" I said to him: "Which tale?" He replied: "The tale of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory that I told you at the time I entered Uman." I replied: "Yes." He answered and said: "This has been a long time that they have been watching for me to seize me here." Then he answered and said again: "Not thousands of souls here — but tens of thousands upon tens of thousands."

Also on the following night he told about this matter too and said: "How many trials and how many holy ones etc. were here." And he said: "Why should you worry — since I am going before you. Those of our people who died earlier had reason to worry — but you, since I am going before you, you have nothing to worry about at all." "And if the souls who did not know me at all are waiting for my rectifications — how much more so you!"

(8.) While he was sitting in Uman he was sitting and conversing with us, and he said: "Do you remember when I began to speak about Uman?" And I said to him: "I remember — when he called Rabbi Yudl and asked him about the matter of the Sophia garden [Safiye] in Uman." Rabbainu o.b.m. answered and said: "You also do not know and do not remember — for certainly even before that I had already been speaking of this. And when I spoke with Rabbi Yudl — at that time I was grasping this matter from afar. And I had already entered into the study of this very deeply — for at that time I already had the ability to bring this into the conversation so that it would have some significance and relevance." And he said: "You are also not wise — you think the matter is about Rabbi Nussun-Nussun [the acronym in the house name]. In truth, that is not even one out of millions and tens of millions of the matter he came for." And he said that also in the previous winter when he spoke of wanting to travel through the country — his essential intention then was to remain here for some time. And he further spoke with us of this. From all of this it is heard that he had a very great and awesome intention in this — in his coming to Uman — and that it had been a long time since he began to attain this matter, and that he had a complete and very profound study of it. And also while he was still in Breslov for a long time before he traveled to Uman, he had already spoken of this — and even then he was grasping this study from afar. How much more so now that he had already entered there — and it is impossible to depict even what flickered in our minds about this. For very deeply did his thoughts go in all that he did — and particularly in the matter of his journey to Uman to pass on there: "Deep, deep — who can find it?"

(9.) He said: "Those great wicked ones — when they enter before the true tzaddik, the mere self-abasement alone that they humble themselves a little before him — just by going to him and honoring him — from this itself a very great rectification is made in the place where it is made. For according to the immensity of their great wickedness — when they humble themselves even the slightest bit before the true tzaddik, a very great rectification is made thereby. For Israel says every day many times: 'For G-d is great above all gods' — and no great commotion is made from this. But when Yisro came and said [Exodus 18]: 'Now I know that G-d is greater than all gods' — then [Zohar Yisro 69a] 'G-d's Name was exalted and elevated above and below.' For specifically when one comes from so far away — from the depths of the klippos — and humbles himself under the holiness — from this G-d's Name is elevated and magnified. And understand."

He also said — I heard in his name that he said to someone: "Don't you know that when one of them bows himself" [meaning: enters to him and bows himself toward the holiness] "then all the heavens bow themselves" [in Yiddish: "az einer fun zei tit zich ab beign beign zich di himlen"].

(10.) He said: "One who reveals a new wisdom in the world — namely some secular wisdom from the secular wisdoms of this world — in the end his latter end is not good, and he has a downfall through that very wisdom he revealed. As we find with several sages of the nations who invented novelties — for example Columbus who discovered America and in the end died in chains because of it — for he was handed over before the King because of it, as is explained in their books. And similarly several of their sages — for example one who invented a technique to be saved from lightning bolts — in the end died by lightning. And another invented some wondrous mirror — in the end they burned him because of it. And similarly many incidents. And so too Asikratos, head of the ancient philosophers — in the end they killed him with poison because of his wisdom. And so too many many philosophers who invented novelties had a downfall through this."

"Also in matters of the holy Torah I heard from his holy mouth that he does not agree with those students and great ones who specifically want to invent novelties — for example some new law or some new conduct. And their intention is not truly for truth's own sake — only to invent novelties. And he said this is a desire among the great ones to invent novelties specifically. And he did not agree with this at all. For we do not need to invent novelties — the main principle is that one's intention should be toward the absolute truth."

(11.) Here in Uman, Friday eve of the holy Sabbath, Parashat Bechukosai — two weeks since he had arrived here — he was still staying in the house of R"N"N. He was conversing and talking with me about awe of G-d and whether I weep from time to time etc. He answered and said: "Behold, we are now at the edge and end of Israel — at the place where the boundary of Israel concludes, for everything has an end and conclusion." (Explanation: And if so, even for us — the holy nation of Israel — there is some end and conclusion too. Meaning, there is a place where the holiness of Israel concludes — where from that place onward the holiness of Israel does not spread further. And in this place they were very far from Hashem Yisburach. And therefore he said: we are now in the place where the holiness of Israel concludes.) "And therefore great vigilance is needed not to stumble, G-d forbid." Afterwards he said to me: "But even so, certainly they will not be able to dislodge us, G-d forbid, from our holiness — for we are firm in our understanding. And in understanding, certainly they will not at all be able to dislodge us to confuse our mind with their foolish views. For certainly they will not harm us at all, G-d forbid. For from the aspect of the soul — namely from the aspect of understanding — we are certainly firm, and they will not harm us at all, G-d forbid. Only in outward matters — namely in matters of food — in that we need to be vigilant not to stumble, G-d forbid. And we need G-d to guard us in this, and we must ask Hashem Yisburach to guard us from this."

He answered and said: "Certainly everything that occurs in the world — even what occurs among the nations — all their conduct and their manner of dress — all of it without exception: certainly nothing occurs in the world in vain, G-d forbid." (Rather, each thing has some root.) "And even one who does not know what occurs in the world — even so, when he merits to do the will of the Creator, certainly he is very good. Fortunate is such a person."

Before this, when he was speaking about awe of Heaven and weeping — to weep before Hashem Yisburach like a child who weeps before his father, that we have become so distant from our Father in Heaven — he answered and said: "When I do repentance, it is a greater goodness than your matters of repentance — for I do repentance in simplicity: I greatly regret and am greatly ashamed, and I accept upon myself that I will never again do it in any way." And he said that he did repentance for that word that had gone out from his mouth on the wagon when he traveled with me — regarding the matter of Rabbi Nachman-Nussun as mentioned above. And he said that this was the act of the Adversary — in order to make it harder and heavier afterwards. And I asked him: "But did he not say that because Rabbi Meir met us he said it?" He answered: "Even so — they should not have said it then. And if he had waited, he would not have said it at all."

(12.) Monday, the 24th of Iyar, in Uman — he was speaking with me and said that at these times he greatly desires to cast off and throw away from himself the world — meaning, he wants to choose a place to sit alone by himself, without the burden of the world being upon him. And he said that he thinks: if he had not begun at first with the matter of the leadership of famous people, perhaps he would have reached what he would have reached. And I said to him: "But did not Moses our master, upon him be peace, also occupy himself with this — with the leadership of the world — to draw people close to G-d?" He replied: "Did not Moses our master, upon him be peace, also err in this — for Moses too was punished for having drawn close the mixed multitude [Erev Rav]."

And he said that the essential service which exists in every matter — what is left to a person's own choice — namely, the matter remaining upon his own mind. And there is no commandment in this — meaning, no commandment is given to him about that matter, and they do not tell him at all to do so. Only the matter remains upon his own mind, that he should do as he chooses. And this is the aspect of [Shabbat 87b]: "He added one day from his own understanding" — said about Moses — for this aspect exists in every service and every service. For in every service of G-d there is a matter that is left and given over to a person without a commandment and without a warning — and they do not command him to do so. Only the matter depends on his own mind and choice — like Moses our master who added one day from his own understanding without a commandment [see Likutay vol. 1, Torah 190 on this]. And in this aspect is the essential service and choice — for one always remains uncertain how G-d's will is, since He did not command him how to act.

And he said that in truth he finds no heaviness or effort in any service or any matter in the world compared to the will of Hashem Yisburach. And even all the sufferings in the world, G-d save us — according to what he knows of sufferings — he does not want to bring them out in speech, G-d save us. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' ד)

(14.) He said a parable about the matter of the known types of people who enter his presence — those who are wise in their own eyes. And they told before him several tales of foolishness that are found in their books. He said: "Soon all of it will be exhausted for them — for quickly they will have nothing more to tell." And he said a fine parable:

They tell about one man whom a robber accosted and wanted to rob him. The robber asked him: "Do you have money?" He replied: "Certainly I have money — I will give you all my money for my life." And the robber robbed him. Afterwards this robbed man said to the robber: "How will I come home without money?" He told him: "I will give you money for the road." And the robbed man received money for the road.

When the robbed man arrived home, his household members asked him: "Where is all your money?" He said: "A robber took everything from me." They said to him: "If so, how do you have money for the road?" He replied: "The robber himself gave it to me." His household laughed at him very much. Afterwards the robbed man went and gathered his people and went back to the forest and lay in wait for the robber, and seized him by his neck and called his gang and overpowered the robber and defeated him.

The moral is understood to those who were present at the gathering when he told this.

(15.) On Sunday, Rosh Chodesh Sivan, in Uman, he answered and said to me: "At the time you went out with me on the road to travel" — meaning at the beginning of this summer when I traveled with him here — "you told me something; afterwards Rabbi Naftali told me that same thing; afterwards Rabbi Yudl told me that same thing. And you told me in allusion. And I was very, very astonished." But [he indicated that] they had told it to him explicitly — and also according to what the world was saying, the same could be heard from their mouths as well. He answered and said: "Now we shall see." I asked him whether the matter was like a matter of future-knowing, according to the implication of his words. He replied [that the matter was beyond ordinary knowledge] and said: "When this matter comes about, the eyes of the philosophers will be able to be put out." [The matter is sealed, and none of us knows what this matter is that we told him — until we merit to see it, if G‑d wills.) And one man, thinking he was praising him, said that [the reason] was because of such and such. He answered and said in a joking tone: "It seems from this that my wisdom is very easy to attain." [Meaning: if so, everyone can easily know immediately what my intent was in this? Astonishing!]

(16.) Regarding the matter of the things he does at times — things which are very great wonders in the eyes of people — and the world misleads itself about his matters, in things he does. For each one misleads himself and thinks in his mind that such-and-such is the reason he did this. And this one misleads himself in one error and that one misleads himself in another error. For example, regarding the matter of his journey to Uman — each one found a foolishness and error as to what his intent was in this. [And in truth his intent was very elevated matters, as is understood a little above. And certainly his intent had nothing at all to do with any personal benefit — only for the sake of His Name Blessed He.] He answered and said: "But did not Hashem Yisburach Himself dress Himself in Egypt? For the whole episode of Egypt is entirely the aspect of garments — for it was necessary that Hashem Yisburach dress Himself [in such a manner] so that they could draw close to Him. For initially, they were unable to draw close to Him except through the aspect of garments — that is, the whole episode of Egypt which is the aspect of garments as mentioned above. And afterwards, the more they drew close, He could reveal Himself to them more and more. But initially it was impossible for them to draw close to Him except through the aspect of garments, namely the entire episode of Egypt as mentioned above."

(17.) Regarding the matter of honorable garments — that a pious man is obligated to take care to be dressed properly if at all possible, and should not be degraded — for even regarding the tzaddik, people draw close to him only through his garments, for they see that he is dressed with honor, and through this he is considered in their eyes [worthy] to draw close to him. And if he were not dressed [properly], he would not be considered at all in their eyes. (18.) On Shavuos 5570, he was in Uman at the beginning of his entry there — and he did not say a Torah on that holiday. Afterwards he said to us in a joking manner: "You are not sinful enough for me to say you Torah." And he concluded himself afterwards: there are certain Torahs that come about specifically through sins — such as the portion of the golden calf and the like — where the Torahs in those portions came about through sins. And likewise our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Nedarim 22b]: "Had Israel not sinned, they would have had only the Book of Torah and the Book of Joshua — for the rest of the books of the prophets and the rest of the other writings came about because Israel sinned and they had to be rebuked." Thus the entire books of the Prophets and Writings were brought into being through the sins of Israel.

(19.) The 10th of Iyar — he told [something] here in the home of Rabbi Nachman-Nussun: that while reciting [the morning prayer beginning] "Restore our judges as of old" (Hashiva shoftaynu), the thought of Rabbi Nachman-Nussun came to his mind — meaning that he thought to do something for him to rectify him.

(20.) On the night of the Sabbath portion Chukat and Balak, the 12th of Tammuz 5570, he told at the table about his own matters, and he was astonished at himself — that he always does strange and wondrous things that are beyond ordinary human understanding. He wondered at himself about his always wandering from place to place — and what had been lacking for him in Medvedivkeh, where he had been sitting in peace and tranquility? He should have sat there always. But he did not want to sit in peace, and he traveled from there and established his residence in Zlatipoleye, and there he had great opposition and very great sufferings. And he traveled from there and established his residence in Breslov. And afterwards he traveled to Uman etc. And he was astonished: "Who compelled him to do all this? And if indeed he wanted to, he had no lack: here in Uman he also has everything he needs. For the house is fine and the garden is fine and the surroundings and the people here are fine — and everything is fine." And he said: "And nevertheless, all this is for the benefit of Israel — and everything is from Heaven and everything is for the good." And he spoke much more about this at the table on Friday night and on the Sabbath day, greatly elaborating on the aforementioned difficulty. And the matters are sealed and hidden.

And he analyzed this great difficulty at length — that all his wanderings and travels from place to place are a very great wonder that no human mind can comprehend. And he said: "All these travels are from Heaven. For I know that a little earlier, before I left each place, I was in great happiness and contentment there, and I had not wished to leave. But nevertheless I was compelled from Heaven to leave, and I left. And this too is from Heaven — that now I am here in Uman." And he elaborated at length on this — how greatly he was laboring in Uman — for the rectification of souls that he was rectifying there was immeasurably great and awesome. And he said: "Even with me myself — this is a great matter for me." And he said many more things about his great work in Uman at great length. And he said: "This that I did not flee from Uman when the fire broke out there [in Breslov] — this itself was a great thing." And he said: "When I set out to travel to Uman — know that I set out with great messeeras nefesh [self-sacrifice], an unfathomable messeeras nefesh. And I know that I will not return from Uman." And he also said: "I know that in Uman there are very great rectifications that I need to do there."

(21.) I heard from one man of our fellowship: when he traveled with him from Uman to Tiraovitze in that summer of 5570, he was speaking with him about himself, and said: "I am astonished — as one who has no portion in this world at all. And yet wherever we come, we have a place, and everything is ours." And he asked him: "But surely the world has a portion in you?" He replied to him and spoke with him several words — and among his words he answered and said: "The current-day small leaders, of low degree, do not understand and know at all what I am doing in Uman." And he said: "Do you know why I come to Uman? Because of the great massacre of Jews there, whose souls have not yet been rectified and they are waiting for me. And also in Uman there are great sinners — the greatest of sinners — whose souls need very great rectifications."

[Said the transcriber: all of the above, and a great deal more about the same matter, was heard from that man, and the words were awesome and holy. But the majority is missing, and I write only what I recall. And it is all for the sake of His great and holy Name Blessed He.] And he then said: "Fortunate are you that you have such a Rabbi — I envy you."

"Now it is already very difficult for another one to draw close."

(22.) Regarding the matter of the melitz [advocate/intercessor] — meaning those who have mastery of language and eloquence — he said: when a person passes away he immediately becomes a melitz, as it is written [Job 33]: "If there be for him an angelic melitz, one among a thousand." For indeed a melitz is also the aspect of language and eloquence itself — for the melitz too, when he wants to advocate and defend someone, must express his advocacy in the manner of eloquent speech. For this one who wants to advocate — if he says those very matters in another language or in another style, he will not succeed in finding merit through his words — only when he says them in the manner of eloquent speech, in a manner that will be accepted. And he who has great mastery of language has great power [to advocate]. But there are sinful melitzim — the aspect of [Isaiah 43]: "And your advocates have transgressed against Me." [As is the case now generally, where most of those who compose in elevated language are great heretics.]

(23.) He said in the house of Rabbi Nussun-Nussun, where he resided as a neighbor: "I have never in my life lived as a neighbor — and now I am a neighbor. It is fitting that my illness should thereby be canceled." And then he said this verse [Isaiah 33:24]: "And no dweller shall say: I am sick." And he said it as an elegant witticism (vertil) — meaning: since he is a neighbor (shakhen), it is fitting that he should not be ill. And those who heard it were astonished, and it was a great wonder in their eyes. For when that holy word came out of his mouth — it came out with all manner of grace, truth and holiness. Afterwards we merited to hear a very awesome Torah on Rosh Hashana about this, and it is connected to Likutay Moharan vol. 2, Torah 8, paragraph 7. And if you have an eye of intelligence, you will understand a little of how far his conversations and his holy words reached — especially his witticisms.

(24.) He said: "At first the world was chaos — and afterwards [G‑d] created the world. And one needs to explain this matter regarding what was said [here]."

(Said the transcriber: I heard from the Rabbi Rabbi Naftali of blessed memory that once, before Rabbainu of blessed memory, he said that the preacher of Tiraovitze had raised two difficulties against him: First — why did he settle first in the house of Rabbi Nachman-Nussun and only afterwards in the house of Rabbi Yosef Shmuel? For seemingly he should have entered the house of Rabbi Yosef Shmuel immediately, as he is a pious man etc. Second — he raised [the question of] why he draws close and speaks to such-and-such people who are not truly worthy.

Rabbainu of blessed memory replied regarding the first difficulty: "At first the world was chaos — and afterwards G‑d created the world." Meaning: just as initially the world was in a state of void and chaos and afterwards it was properly formed — so too in this matter.

And regarding the second difficulty — about those he draws close to him who are not so worthy — he replied: "What do you hold onto? You are nothing but like feathers on a coat (kaptan) — when one blows them, they fly away." Meaning: you do not hold on to [any steadfastness] — just as feathers on a coat, one merely blows and they fly off.)

(25.) He said: "These frivolous ones who enter my presence — they are already full of regrets, and they do not know at all what repentance [charata] is etc." — as is printed in the Conversations [Sichos HaRan, #6].

(26.) In Uman he spoke with me about his journey and said to me: "There is a path that goes from the house to the outside, and from there to the hill, and from there one circles around by the small river and the bridge, and from there to the house of Rabbi Shimon, and from there to the house of Rabbi Zelig, and from there to Uman." For that was the path on which he had gone out to Uman — for at the time of the fire on the night of the holy Sabbath, he fled suddenly at the moment of the tumult of the fire, while he was sitting at his Sabbath meal. And he said then that he did not know at all etc. And in the midst of saying those words, the tumult of the fire began. And he said [in Yiddish]: "I do not know at all" etc. And at the time of the fire the house was already burning, and he fled through that path mentioned above.

And he said: "When I went out that night by that path, I said [in Yiddish]: 'So I go out to Uman.'" And he began to speak about the wonders that occurred in this — about the escape and the miracle — that he had been sitting at the Sabbath meal and suddenly rose and fled and was saved. For the house burned entirely and everything was lost in the fire. And none of the household members were harmed at all — and the rescue and the miracle were very great.

And I — R. Nussun — say: may we who have already merited to understand from those several words which he spoke with me about this, understand somewhat the wondrous depth of secrets in the path and the fire and the escape. For there are immeasurably great and concealed secrets and wonders hidden in every step and every aspect of his passing.

(27.) At the beginning of his entry into Uman, a man came to him who was somewhat close to Rabbainu o.b.m. and said to him that the people of the study house there apologized for not all having come out to greet him, and gave several excuses for this. He answered and said: "New chassidim I no longer seek. If the old people of our fellowship — those who have long been close — will be truly pious men, then good. And if not — for the world I alone am sufficient." [In Yiddish:] far noyt bin ich alayn genyug.

(28.) After Shavuos in Uman, when he entered the house of Rabbi Yosef Shmuel, he began to say a Torah and did not finish it. And I was not present then, and I heard that he mentioned there that regarding the false famous leaders who have a name and renown in the world, it is said: "And you shall not mention the names of other gods." He also mentioned that there are true tzaddikim whose name has been concealed — that is, who do not have the name and renown that is due to them — and this is the aspect of [Exodus 3:15]: "This is My name forever" — [the word l'olam "forever" being read as l'alem, "to conceal"]. And I did not merit to hear this matter at all from his holy mouth.

Also note that the Arizal revealed that in the future the halacha will be like the House of Shamai. And Rabbainu revealed that in the future — or at least with regard to the halachos of the future — the halacha will be like the Rambam. (See Siach Sarfay Kodesh 2:56.) And Rabbainu also said that the halacha is like Rav Nachman — alluding to himself. (See this book, article 212, and transcripts of Saba Yisroel.)

215 — This seems to be alluding to more than just the aforementioned concept of descent for the sake of ascent. See this book, article 215 (and Yimay Moharnat, vol. 1, article 51) and Likutay Moharan, volume 2, Torah-teaching 78 — where Rabbainu revealed that sometimes even the greatest tzaddik is forced to detach from Torah study. And in those times he draws life to himself and to the world through his complete simplicity. And this places him in the paradigm of the unconditional love of Hashem — the aspect of derech eretz which precedes the Torah. Which is derech — the way to — eretz — the Holy Land. And this is why Moshe was praying to enter the Land of Israel not on account of his merits but simply...

(29.) During the time he resided in Uman, he said to Rabbi Naftali: "Who knows what this is that we have done here in Uman — for we are compelled now to remain here so long. For it seems that we cannot leave here, as if we have been seized here and they do not want to release us from this place."

(30.) At the time when the illness of the cough — through which he passed away — was upon him, he said once to the famous righteous preacher of Tiraovitze: "If the world knew how much they need me — they would all fall on their faces and beseech Hashem Yisburach that I return to health. For the whole world needs me very, very greatly — to the point that they absolutely cannot exist without me."

(31.) On Friday night of Shabbat Nachamu 5570, in Uman, after Kiddush he said a Torah about the matter of his simplicity — namely, what he is at times, a simple man they call prastik [in Russian/Yiddish: simple, plain]. And he said that he then enlivens himself in those times of his simplicity from the path of his journey to the Land of Israel. And he explained the matter as is printed in our books in Likutay Moharan vol. 2, Torah 78 — see there.

And he swore [then] that he knows nothing at all. And he said [his oath] in this language: "I swear by the holy Sabbath" — namely, concerning the matter above, that he knows nothing at all now. And afterwards he said he was now afraid [of the implications of this oath]. And then he said: "Every person in the world is obligated to say: the world was created for my sake."

And on the Sabbath of Shabbat Nachamu the following day, he said several things. And among other things he then said to Rabbi Naftali [in Yiddish]: "Naftali, why should we be ashamed? The entire world was created only for our sake." And he was then in very great joy.

(32.) Regarding the wisdom of poetry and eloquent language called in their language poezia — he said: "One who cannot fa-zia [meaning: to disdain properly the desire for sexual transgression, as is fitting], cannot poezia" — for [Proverbs 29:3]: "He who tends harlots destroys wealth" — and do not read "from his wealth" (mehono) but "from his throat" (migarono). It turns out that he who tends harlots destroys his voice and his song. And therefore, one who cannot fa-zia — meaning, to have with him whichever woman [zia] there may be as repulsive and disgusting — cannot poezia. And understand.

This too was said on the aforementioned Shabbat Nachamu night. And these are witticisms from the matter of the greatness of the sanctity of the covenant. And we also saw several wondrous and awesome matters then — apart from all the hidden things that are concealed from us, as "the hidden things belong to G‑d our L-rd."

(33.) In Uman he stayed first, upon his arrival there, in the house of Rabbi Nussun-Nussun, and sat there from the 5th of Iyar until the close of Isru Chag of Shavuos. And I was with him there throughout all those days. And he was seeking a dwelling where he could live with his household members. And we searched throughout the city for him for some dwelling that would be good before him. And no dwelling presented itself according to his will, as was fitting for him. And suddenly one man came etc. and said that he would give him his dwelling free of charge — a fine and good dwelling that suited him greatly, since there were several rooms there. And also there was a garden there and the area was pleasant and fine.

And from Isru Chag Shavuos he moved to the house of Rabbi Yosef Shmuel, and sat there until his passing. And the dwelling was very fine and satisfying before him — and he was very pleased with it, and said: "This is truly a fine dwelling." And also the city of Uman itself was very pleasing before him, and he praised it very much. And he said: "The people of Uman are very fine people — they are quiet people." For the nature of the people of Uman was to be quiet and unassuming, not quarrelsome or disruptive — and he was very pleased with this. And he greatly praised the city of Uman in general and the people of Uman.

And he also said several things about the matter of why he chose Uman — because there the great massacre [of Jews by the Haidamak uprising] had taken place, and there were many thousands of holy martyrs buried there, whose souls needed great rectifications. And because of this he chose to rest there — to be near them and to rectify them. For as the [master of the field] who tends his field, the essential field is the place where he rests. And thus he needed to rest near that holy field of the massacred ones of Uman, in order to be the master of that field and to rectify those souls.

And he said many great and awesome things in this matter, and I heard much from him about this — but the majority I have forgotten and cannot recall. And I write only what comes to my mind. And there is a great deal in my heart, but it is impossible to explain because of the darkness of the world. And all of it is truly awesome and wonderful and mighty and concealed beyond all estimation. But we hold onto hope to merit all the good that he wishes to do for us forever — and the word of our G‑d shall stand forever. And in all of this there is a great deal in my heart — but it is impossible to explain because of the darkness of the world.

(34.) In Uman, before the final Rosh Hashana, he was speaking with his people about his passing — for already three years had passed since his passing began, in his eyes. For from the time the illness came upon him, he considered himself in his own eyes as having already passed from the world. And he said he did not know by what merit he was living these three years by miracle etc. Then his people conversed with him, and they were sighing greatly — "what will be, and to whom will he leave us?" And he replied: "Only hold together — then you will be pious men. Not only pious men, but even absolute tzaddikim, as I wish — as long as you hold together." And he said: "Hold together — and you will be pious men." [And he said this a number of times with great emphasis.] And afterwards he added: "And not only pious men but even absolute tzaddikim, as I wish." And see below regarding the virtue of those who drew close to him [Proverbs 18].

(35.) Throughout that summer he greatly anticipated that we would be there for Rosh Hashana — for the essential matter for him is Rosh Hashana. And he said that all his dealings are Rosh Hashana. And on the days of the Shavuos holiday many of our people also gathered there, and they expected that he would say Torah as was his custom on every Shavuos. But he did not say any Torah on that Shavuos, and said then that you are not sinful enough — as mentioned above (#202).

But on Rosh Hashana he said a wondrous Torah there in Uman, and it is the Torah beginning Tiku [blow the shofar] in Likutay Moharan vol. 2 [Torah 1]. It is impossible to explain and tell what happened there. The praying was very awesome — and also the saying of the Torah was most awesome. He said the Torah while sitting on his bed — because he was very ill and weak from the illness, and could not stand on his feet. And there gathered in that room many hundreds of people — and the room was extremely small. And when he reached the section of the Torah that speaks about blowing the shofar — he raised his voice and was very greatly inflamed, and called out the words with great burning: "Blow, blow!" And [he did this] several times with great enthusiasm. And the people were in danger then, and nearly fainted. And even so, we merited that he finished the entire Torah at great length. Fortunate is the eye that saw this.

(36.) On the eve of Rosh Hashana, he spoke with us about the Rabbi of Breslov who was not present for Rosh Hashana in Uman that year. And he said to us: "What shall I say to you — there is nothing greater than this, namely to be with me on Rosh Hashana." Even though other tzaddikim do not say it so — for among them there is not such a great obligation to be with them specifically on Rosh Hashana — "there is yet another difficulty" [in Yiddish: iz noch a kushya]. [Meaning: without this there are already many difficulties raised against him, and this difficulty too will now be added — what he insists on so much to be with him on Rosh Hashana more than all other tzaddikim.] And he greatly urged them to listen to him and be with him on Rosh Hashana. And he said then that they should make a proclamation etc., as is explained elsewhere (#403). And he spoke about this many times.

(37.) On the final Rosh Hashana in Uman, close to his passing — and they were in the house of Rabbi Nussun-Nussun — they prayed within the ambar [barn/large storage hall], and he said that at that time they needed to strengthen themselves more in prayer. And he said: "Now it is fitting for you to look more carefully — puk chazi from the ambar." (It seems to my humble understanding: in the manner that our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Brachot 45]: puk chazi mai amma davar — "go out and see what the people are doing.") And in our many sins we did not take to heart his holy words, and did not merit to understand them. And close afterward the light of our eyes was extinguished, the glory of our master, teacher and Rabbi, his holiness our Rabbi Nachman of blessed memory — and he was buried in Uman as has been explained.

And I — R. Nussun — say: may Hashem Yisburach in his abundant mercies have mercy and send us the righteous redeemer speedily, to say to us: "This will console us" — in days like [those] of our affliction He will make us joyful. Amen, so may it be His will, speedily in our days, Amen.

(38.) On the final Rosh Hashana, the illness grew very strongly upon him, as mentioned above (#219). And on the second night of Rosh Hashana, after the saying of the Torah, his illness then grew even stronger. And some people stood with him and were running back and forth in great haste to bring the doctor — but they could not bring him, because it was in the middle of the night. He answered and said: "It is good to thank G‑d that the doctor did not come." And he said: "Whoever wants to have pity on his life — let him try hard not to let any doctor come to him — even though afterwards he may receive a doctor." [Meaning: even though he himself received a doctor afterwards, even so his general advice was to avoid doctors and medicines as much as possible.]

And afterwards he became somewhat better, and those who stood before him then heard that he was speaking with someone — and it seemed as if he was speaking with a deceased person who had come to him. And one of those present asked him: "Who is this?" And he replied: "He is one of the important people here [in Uman]." And he spoke with him [that soul] for a while, and spoke several words of comfort to those standing before him about his passing.

And afterwards Rabbi Aharon [one of his close disciples] came to him, and Rabbainu o.b.m. spoke with him and said several important things to him — things that have not been written down and are still not recorded, and I do not know them. And among those things, one matter stands out very much: that he spoke with him and said a parable about a king who had a servant who faithfully served him for many years, and at the time of the servant's death the king stood weeping at his bedside, and comforted the servant with great words etc.

And among the words he spoke then — at the very end, just before his holy soul departed — was [in Yiddish]: "Abraham, we have nonetheless done something in this world!" [A man named Abraham was present, and he said to him:] [In Yiddish:] "Avraham, mir hobn zich fort epes gitohn oyf der velt" — "Abraham, we have after all accomplished something in this world." And understand.

(39.) Close to his passing, at the time of the strengthening of the illness — and he was very weak, nearly expiring at every moment. And we were standing before him, and he o.b.m. was sitting on the chair — very weak, and suffering very greatly. And he was speaking with us by way of complaint about the greatness of his sufferings. In the midst of this, he clenched his hands closed tightly and made a fist, and shook his fists with force — as if to say: even so, my inner strength is very great. And it is impossible to depict this in writing. And what was understood from his words: that even in the extreme weakness of the body, the soul's inner power was still very mighty and strong, ready and capable to overcome everything and to complete everything as he wished, with G‑d's help.

Close to his passing, Rabbi Meir came to him and seized him by his woolen garment and said [hinting]: "Ah, how strong!" etc.

(40.) When he was lying and groaning with many great groans — afterwards he answered and said: "This has nothing to do with me at all — only one stands and strikes, and he is in his place."

(41.) Rabbainu o.b.m. had already promised in his lifetime — and appointed two kosher witnesses upon it — that when [people] would come to his grave and give a coin to charity, he would do what he promised:

(Said the transcriber: I heard from the Rabbi Rabbi Naftali of blessed memory that he was one of the two witnesses whom Rabbainu o.b.m. appointed on this matter — namely, the Rabbi our teacher Rabbi Aharon of blessed memory and the Rabbi Rabbi Naftali as mentioned above. And Rabbainu o.b.m. then said in this language: "When they come to my grave and give a coin to charity for my sake" — [his intent was:] let them give in whatever manner they wish, but their intent should be for the sake of his holy soul — "and say those ten chapters of Psalms" — which are [the ten chapters of the Tikun Klali]: 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, 150 — "I will extend myself the length and breadth to help him, even if he has done what he has done." [He meant: even if he transgressed greatly, even so I will help him.] "And from this you should understand and know that it is a very great thing to be there [at my grave].")

And it is known that since the time of the early masters of prayer until the most recent [generation], one has never heard of nor seen such a promise as this — a promise with witnesses — that a tzaddik made regarding himself during his lifetime, that he would help whoever would come to his grave and say those ten Psalms. And this is hinted in a concealed manner in the verse [Ruth 4:14]: "Blessed is G‑d Who has not withheld a redeemer from you today" — the first letters of asher lo hivit lach hayom go'el [spelling] Aleph-lamed-heh-yod-gimel — [read as:] alai — "upon me [I take it upon myself]" — meaning: "upon me [I take it] to be a redeemer to you" — go'el. And the ten Psalms are [alluded to by the numerical value:] "his name shall be famous in Israel" [Ruth 4:14] — yikra shemo b'Yisrael — where the numeric value [of the initials] equals 365 — and the chapters [of Psalms] together with the number 10 also equal 365.

And he said: "And from this you should understand that all that I do with you is not only for you — for it encompasses both those who are present here and those who are not here." And this was said in allusion both explicitly and in hint — that all his work with us is not for us alone — for [Deuteronomy 29:14]: "both those who are here with us today and those who are not here with us today" — and as is further explained elsewhere [Sichos HaRan, 209]. (עַיֵּן שִׂיחוֹת הָרַ"ן רט) (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' יז)

(42.) I heard from Rabbi Naftali that he said in Uman: "As I leave the city, I will spread out my hands" [Exodus 9:29].

(43.) I heard from Rabbi Naftali that he said to him before Rosh Hashana in Uman: "Behold, a great and awesome mountain approaches — but I do not know whether we are going toward the mountain or the mountain is coming toward us."

(44.) He once said: "Have they not broken us like a broken vessel! — Did I not think that you would all be tzaddikim? Great tzaddikim with such intellect — such intellect as has not existed in many generations — and now they have broken us like a broken vessel."

(45.) Once I asked him: "What will be of the words that were spoken?" — meaning: at first we heard from his holy mouth several words which seemed to indicate that he would live for many years and complete everything according to his will etc. He answered and said: "Did you hear what he is asking? It is also difficult for me myself" [in Yiddish: es iz mir oych kasheh]. And even so he said: "I have not finished." [With a tone of wonder:] "I have already finished and will finish!" [In Yiddish:] "Ich hob nit oys gfirt [with astonishment] Ich hob oys gfirt un vel oys firn!" — as is mentioned elsewhere (#322).

Also, when he traveled to Uman, his people traveled with him, and there they inquired about the meaning of his journey, and what would happen next. And he said: "It does not matter — in any case the outcome will be good." And one person was asking him in a worried manner about many things. And he answered him and said: "In truth it is difficult — but what can be done? One must believe that ultimately the outcome will be good — and this is the main principle that one must hold onto." And he said: "And I know that you will hold together after my passing — and through this everything will be good."

Many more matters about this are already printed in the Conversations after the Legendary Tales — see there. And here are brought only some matters not yet printed.

End of the first part of Chayay Moharan. Articles 104–229 — His Birthplace, Journeys, and Residence in Uman. Continued in File 5: Part II — Shivchai Moharan.