# Chapter Sixteen: Wine on Purim

<div dir="rtl">נִגּוּנִים וּתְפִלַּת רֹאשׁ-הַשָּׁנָה</div>

Source: https://ajew.org/reader/yisroel-saba/1/16


## Segment 1

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אָז אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל: "טוֹב תִּתֵּן לִי, אֲבָל כֶּסֶף אֵין לִי עַכְשָׁו, אַחֲרֵי פֶּסַח אֲנִי אֲשַׁלֵּם לָכֶם".

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Rabbi Yisroel, of blessed memory, began to drink in the house and to dance in the house — and I saw that with every passing moment he was going out more and more from this world into another world…


## Segment 2

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אָז הוּא אָמַר: "אֲנִי מְפַחֵד מִכֶּם!" וְהוּא נָתַן לְרַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָּה קֶמַח שֶׁהוּא רָצָה.

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In any case he began to walk from the house — from the door out to the street — to announce that it was Purim: "To announce, to announce, to announce, to announce…" I walked with him — and he walked the entire street to the place of the great opponents. They were mockers; they mocked Breslov. And there he went and entered the house — and they all sat drinking wine and telling of Purim. And he entered as if into his own house… and danced!


## Segment 3

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מִשָּׁמָּה הָלַכְנוּ לְמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תַּנּוּר, וְהוּא רָאָה אֶת רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוּא שָׂמַח מְאֹד, כִּי הוּא יָדַע שֶׁעַכְשָׁו יִהְיֶה לוֹ פַּרְנָסָה.

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There was an elder there — Rav Leishke. He said to me: "Do you understand his dancing — Rabbi Yisroel's? Do you understand what this is? These are most wondrous dances!"


## Segment 4

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"אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַצּוֹת"

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So he said to me — the head, the leader of the opponents, their very head! He saw the dancing of Rabbi Yisroel — and he was utterly annulled!


## Segment 5

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"טוֹב, אֲנִי אֶתֵּן לְךָ, אֲבָל מָה עִם כֶּסֶף?"

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Rabbi Yisroel entered among the opponents — among snakes and scorpions — and made them into nothing and nothingness. Nu — who has seen such a thing? What courage it took to enter into the very joy of the Ba'al Davar [the Adversary — the evil inclination personified] and say to him and show him: "Come, come, come, come — I am not afraid of you!"


## Segment 6

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"אֵין עַכְשָׁו, אַחַר-כָּךְ אֲנִי אֶתֵּן לְךָ", אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

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Whoever sees the dancing of Rabbi Yisroel… is utterly annulled!


## Segment 7

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"אֲנִי מְפַחֵד מִכֶּם, אַתֶּם נֶאֱמָן אֶצְלִי, אֲנִי אֶתֵּן בְּלִי כֶּסֶף". כָּכָה הָיָה.

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In secret I traveled to Yerushalayim. I was in Teveriah — Rabbi Yisroel had passed away and I remained alone. One in the city — one! And I laughed at all of them. I danced in my house — joy was always in my house: melodies and dances, even alone and on Shabbos. And this was such a power — a wonder, a wondrous thing from Rabbenu. And also everything I did was a kiddush Hashem [sanctification of G-d's Name]. When I traveled to Yerushalayim, all of Teveriah knew: "Yisroel Ber — we have not heard the Shabbos zemiros. It seems he has gone to Yerushalayim."


## Segment 8

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אַחַר חַג הַפֶּסַח הִזְמִין לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אִישׁ אֶחָד זָקֵן מִיַּבְנִיאֵל שֶׁאָהַב אֶת בְּרֶסְלֵב, אָז רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר לוֹ שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ מַלְבּוּשׁ חַם וְהוּא צָרִיךְ כֶּסֶף. אָז הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה נָתַן לוֹ מַלְבּוּשׁ חַם, וְגַם-כֵּן הוּא הָיָה לוֹ תַּרְנְגּוֹלִים, הוּא לָקַח תַּרְנְגֹלֶת גְּדוֹלָה בְּרִיאָה מְאֹד וְעָשָׂה בִּשְׁבִיל רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִשְׁבִילִי מָרָק, אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל: "אֲנִי לֹא אוֹכֵל, רַק לֶחֶם וְתֵה".

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And when I returned they said: "Ho — Yisroel Ber has already returned from Yerushalayim. He has brought new melodies."


## Segment 9

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אָמַר לוֹ: "אֶצְלִי כָּשֵׁר, אַל תְּפַחֵד".

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I had brought to Teveriah the sick man with the forgetting illness [from Chapter Five] — and all the city marveled: "Yisroel Ber has brought a guest to Teveriah for Shabbos! The wife has not a piece of bread — and how did he bring a guest?!" Yes — a guest. And so on and on…


## Segment 10

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אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל: "לֹא עַל זֶה, אֲנִי רוֹצֶה רַק לֶחֶם וְתֵה".

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Teveriah is not Yerushalayim — it is a small city; everyone knew everything that passed. And I went to Yerushalayim and brought back instead of money — a guest. This is such a story — it makes a kiddush Hashem. And everything was kiddush Hashem: I danced, I rejoiced, I was in joy — all kiddush Hashem. This comes by itself — kiddush Hashem happens of its own accord.


## Segment 11

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"אֲבָל אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי כְּבָר, בִּשַּׁלְתִּי כְּבָר, הַכֹּל מוּכָן".

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Purim fell on Friday night and I had no money for Shabbos. And I was together with everyone — they were all opponents who mocked me. And especially on Purim — a time for laughter. I was there and wanted to drink — but the wine had run out; there was none. But I — my entire wealth was in my pocket: half a lirah. Half a lirah was great wealth. But that was all of Shabbos. Purim was on Thursday and on Friday one must buy for Shabbos. I had half a lirah in my pocket for Shabbos. I said: "I want wine." But there was no wine — it was finished. So I took out the half lirah. I stood up and gave it to them: "What — no wine? Take the half lirah and bring wine!"


## Segment 12

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נוּ, אִם רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אָכַל, אֲנִי גַּם-כֵּן לֹא אָכַלְתִּי...

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Everyone laughed at how I had taken out the money. There was laughter…


## Segment 13

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רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָקַח הַכֹּל בְּלִי כֶּסֶף - קֶמַח וּמַצּוֹת וְגַם-כֵּן יַיִן, אֲנִי לֹא זוֹכֵר הַכֹּל אֲבָל הוּא שִׁלֵּם הַכֹּל עַל הַפֶּסַח. וַאֲנִי רָאִיתִי נִפְלָאוֹת, הוּא לָקַח כַּמָּה כַּדִּים שֶׁל מַיִם וְשִׁלֵּם הַרְבֵּה כֶּסֶף בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהַמַּיִם יִהְיֶה מִלִּפְנֵי פֶּסַח עַד אַחֲרֵי פֶּסַח, כָּל הַחֻמְרוֹת. הַכֹּל מַה שֶּׁרָצָה - הָיָה לוֹ, הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הֵבִיא לוֹ הַכֹּל, הָיָה לוֹ הַרְחָבָה גְּדוֹלָה. הוּא עָשָׂה הַכֹּל בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּער, אוּלַי אֲנִי אַצְלִיחַ לְהִתְקָרֵב לְרַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ...

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So they took the half lirah from me. And I thought: "What have I done?! What will happen tomorrow — there will be nothing for Shabbos. Why did you give the money?"


## Segment 14

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אַבָּא שֶׁלִּי - הוּא רָצָה לָלֶכֶת לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁמְּבִיאִים אֶת הַתַּפּוּחֵי אֲדָמָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִכְבוֹד פֶּסַח, וְאָז לֹא הָיוּ הוֹלְכִים לַיְשִׁיבָה וְהוּא רָצָה שֶׁאֲנִי אָבוֹא לַעֲזֹר לוֹ, אֲבָל הוּא לֹא רוֹאֶה אוֹתִי, אֵין לִי זְמַן, אֲנִי הָיִיתִי כָּל הַזְּמַן עִם רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

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And they did not buy wine. They understood that I was drunk — and they knew I was poor. They feared that this was all of my Shabbos — that half lirah — so they did not buy wine. There was no wine, but I was already drunk…


## Segment 15

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נוּ, נוּ.. אֲנִי לֹא יָכוֹל לְסַפֵּר הַכֹּל, אֲבָל אַחַר-כָּךְ הָיָה 'שָׂמֵחַ', הַחֲסִידִים הַמִּתְנַגְּדִים הֵם יִשְׁכְּחוּ? הֵם הָלְכוּ עוֹד פַּעַם לָאַבָּא שֶׁלִּי וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ: "הַבֵּן שֶׁלְּךָ הוּא נַעֲשָׂה בְּרֶסְלֵב!"

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In the morning they returned to me the note — my half lirah: "Take your half lirah — do you remember giving a half lirah?" They were mocking. Just as our holy Rabbenu says: "My matter is in disgrace — but with great honor!"


## Segment 16

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הָאַבָּא שֶׁלִּי הָיָה עָנִי גָּדוֹל וְגַם עִוֵּר גָּדוֹל בִּשְׁתֵּי עֵינָיו, לֹא רָאָה כְּלוּם. וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: "אַבָּא, הַכֹּל אֲנִי אֶשְׁמַע לְךָ, רַק זֶה לֹא. אֲנִי רוֹצֶה רַק בְּרֶסְלֵב!"

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They mocked — but it was great honor. They saw that I took the half lirah for Shabbos and gave it for wine for Purim. This was a wonder to them: "Who does such a thing? A poor man whose entire wealth is half a lirah for Shabbos — and he gives it for wine?!" And already many years have passed and I remember it as if now — how I took from my pocket the half lirah and gave it to them with a whole heart: "Go — bring wine!"


## Segment 17

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אוֹי וֵוי, הָאִמָּא שָׁמְעָה דִּבּוּרִים כָּאֵלֶּה, וְאֵיךְ שֶׁהָאַבָּא שֶׁלִּי בּוֹכֶה וּמְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹתִי, אָז הִיא אָמְרָה: "עַצְלָן כָּזֶה שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה רַק בְּרֶסְלֵב", הָאַבָּא וְהָאִמָּא הָיָה לָהֶם צַעַר גָּדוֹל כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי הָיִיתִי שׁוֹכֵב וּמֵת, כֵּן.

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Master of the Universe — may Hashem have mercy on us. The Ba'al Davar always wants to cast us down and make us forget and cause everything to be forgotten. He wants us to think of ourselves: "Who are you, what are you, what are you saying?" — He wants no such words to remain in the world. For him — for the Ba'al Davar — this is the poison of death. He does not allow it, yes. But blessed be Hashem, our holy Rabbenu said: "Have I not finished? I have finished and I will finish!"


## Segment 18

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אֲנִי הָיִיתִי חָתָן בִּצְפָת, אָז הָאַבָּא אָמַר לִי: "הַמְחֻתָּן יִשְׁמַע שֶׁאַתָּה נַעֲשֵׂיתָ בְּרֶסְלֵב, אָז הוּא יִקַּח אֶת הַבַּת שֶׁלּוֹ וְלֹא יִתֵּן לְךָ אוֹתָהּ", וְכָכָה הָיָה. הַחוֹתֵן שֶׁלִּי הָיָה מִתְנַגֵּד גָּדוֹל עַל בְּרֶסְלֵב וְאָמַר לִי: "אֲנִי לֹא רוֹצֶה בְּרֶסְלֵב בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן!"

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He began to help us, to bring us out from the darkness of this world, from the desires. The Ba'al Davar did not want this — but our holy Rabbenu does not ask him. He said: "I have finished and I will finish!"


## Segment 19

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וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לְאִשְׁתִּי: "מַה זֶּה, הוּא לָקַח אוֹתִי לְחָתָן, לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל חֲסִידוּת. מַה זֶּה, אֲנִי רוֹצֶה בְּרֶסְלֵב".

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Blessed be Hashem — we do not know the kindnesses of Hashem. It is hidden. We do not know what we do not know. What we have merited in these generations — what we have merited… Singular in the world!


## Segment 20

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רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה כַּמָּה שָׁנִים בִּטְבֶרְיָה, וְכֻלָּם, כָּל הַחֲסִידִים הָיוּ מִתְנַגְּדִים. אֲנִי הָיִיתִי יָחִיד וַאֲנִי הָלַכְתִּי עִם רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּמִיד בְּיַחַד לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר, וְהֵם רָאוּ וְאָמְרוּ: "יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּער הוֹלֵךְ עִם רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוּא לוֹמֵד סִפְרֵי בְּרֶסְלֵב. מַה, שָׁמַעְתָּ דָּבָר כָּזֶה? הוּא לֹא שׁוֹמֵעַ לָאַבָּא וְלָנוּ, וְהוּא עַקְשָׁן גָּדוֹל, הוּא רוֹצֶה רַק בְּרֶסְלֵב".

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The whole world does not know. There is in the world and they know nothing. We are singular in the world — we merit to speak and to hear such words that the whole world does not know — even Breslov Chassidim. We are unique in the world…