Chapter 22

We reached Haifa, and the bus traveling to Safed was already waiting for us. We boarded it. Among its passengers were people from Safed, and they looked on in astonishment at our journey to Meron and at our joy and melodies. Here too we did not withhold our words from speaking about the service of Hashem and the great significance of traveling to the graves of tzaddikim.

R.M. also related to us an incident concerning the holy rabbi of Berditshev, of blessed memory, who said that in all his days there had been only one wealthy man who came before him in three din Torah proceedings and emerged vindicated in judgment (this will be related further below). We likewise spoke of Rabbi Nachman of Tulchyn, of blessed memory, who came every two weeks to spend Shabbos with Moharnat, of blessed memory. His belongings would lie here and there. For example, when they returned from the bathhouse and his shirt was brought to him, he would place it beneath the bed. Moharnat rebuked him for this and told him that he must be orderly, particularly when traveling. When he would hurry back on Sunday, he would be confused and have to search for one object in one corner and another object in another corner, and things would consequently also be forgotten. Rather, one must be orderly: before leaving home, one should arrange together everything needed for the journey, ready for the time one wishes to depart.

We also related another incident concerning Moharnat, of blessed memory, who traveled on the road with Rabbi Nachman of Tulchyn, of blessed memory. Moharnat ate and also slept a little in order to rest and compose himself. Rabbi Nachman of Tulchyn found it difficult that Moharnat was thereby diminishing his divine service. Moharnat understood that this troubled him and said: "Understand that while I am traveling on the road I already endure the exertion of the journey. If I do not eat and do not sleep a little to compose myself, then, when I arrive at my resting place, I will be unable to serve Hashem properly, and the service will be without vitality and strength. But when I see to it that I am neither hungry nor drowsy, then, as soon as I reach a place of rest, I can serve Hashem properly; thus I repay the eating and the sleeping."

We applied this to our own matter: when we travel to such a holy place, we must at least make sure along the road to eat, rest, and compose ourselves, so that when we arrive there our minds will be settled, we will not be weary, and we will be able to serve Hashem.

We thus traveled from Haifa on the bus bound for Safed. The road was filled with joy, songs, music, and words concerning the service of Hashem. We asked the driver whether he knew if anyone was in Meron and whether the place was open. He replied that no one was there and that it was closed. For this reason we traveled directly to Safed, entered the guesthouse, and left our belongings there. We went to the cemetery, to the tziyun of the Arizal, of blessed memory, and increased our prayer there. We also prayed Minchah there and recited the Tikkun Haklali, prayers, and hisbodedus. Afterward we went to the other graves of tzaddikim: Rabbi Shimon, a disciple of Rabbainu, of blessed memory; the Cave of the Yanuka; Hoshea ben Beeri the prophet; and Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair. From there we went to the mikvah of the Arizal, may his merit protect us, and immersed there.

Afterward we returned to the city, entered the synagogue of the Arizal, of blessed memory, and prayed Maariv there. All the people of Safed greeted us and expressed astonishment and wonder at us. We paid no attention to their mockery, etc.; by then they already knew and recognized us.

Were it not for us, no one would have traveled to any holy place up to this day - not to Meron, not to Rachel's Tomb, and not to Hebron. Now, through our having broken the hindrances many times and exercised self-sacrifice, the king's highway has been opened for travel to all the holy places. Afterward we returned to the guesthouse, ate the evening meal together, and spoke about the service of Hashem.

I also spoke with a newly drawn member, a clean-shaven man, etc., who had formerly been secular and had become an upright man through drawing close to Breslover Chassidus. His wife was from among the fervent Gerer Chassidim. When he changed in this way for the better, his father-in-law, of blessed memory, was, on the contrary, pleased by it and drew him close for that reason. His daughter, however - namely, the wife of this newly drawn man - would not consent under any circumstances and did not wish to live with him. I spoke with him and told him to seek means of making peace, but in a manner that would not damage his service of Hashem.

During the night we rose at Chatzos and recited Tikkun Chatzos there. Before the first light of morning we went to the mikvah, then went to the synagogue of the Arizal, of blessed memory, and prayed Shacharis there. Afterward we went and ate the morning meal. We then went to the shamash and spoke with him concerning the keys. He replied that each person must give him one shilling and that he would travel with us, and we were compelled to satisfy his demand.

We boarded the bus that traveled to Haifa by way of Meron and bought tickets to Meron for two grush each. As we sat on the bus, a distinguished young man came, saw us sitting together, and asked where we were traveling. We answered, "To Meron." He asked me whether he would have to return to Safed in order to travel to Haifa. I replied that he would not, for he could travel directly from there to Haifa. I spoke with him extensively so that he would travel with us to Meron: we, after all, had come from Jerusalem solely for this, and he would experience great vitality there. I finally prevailed upon him, and he traveled together with us. Joyfully we came as far as the road to Meron, and from there we proceeded on foot with our belongings until we reached Meron.

We entered and recited the Tikkun Haklali with spiritual arousal and fervor, as is our way there. We engaged in hisbodedus and verbal confession with weeping, etc., and this continued for several hours. Afterward I recited the entire Book of Psalms, as is always my way, and engaged in much hisbodedus. We then sat down to eat. Meanwhile I spoke at length with the new avreich [young married man] who had traveled with us from Safed, aroused him greatly concerning the service of Hashem, and gave him works of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, to recite. He did so, reciting the Tikkun Haklali with spiritual arousal, and likewise Likutay Tefillos, etc.