{
  "bookId": "yisroel-saba",
  "part": "1",
  "torah": "6",
  "title": "Chapter Six: Rav Elfandri",
  "hebrewTitle": "הַצַּדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ הַכֹּל!",
  "sourceUrl": "/reader/yisroel-saba/1/6",
  "plainUrl": "/reader-plain/yisroel-saba/1/6/",
  "segments": [
    {
      "index": 1,
      "he": "אוֹי וֵוי, אוֹי וֵוי, מִי יָכוֹל לְשַׁעֵר, מִי יָכוֹל לְסַפֵּר. כַּמָּה שֶׁאֲנִי אֲסַפֵּר עוֹד לֹא, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַרְגִּישׁ מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עָלַי. אֲנִי לֹא הָיָה לִי כֶּסֶף וְהָיִיתִי צָרִיךְ לְחַתֵּן אֶת הַבַּת שֶׁלִּי. נוּ, יָכֹלְתִּי לְחַתֵּן אוֹתָהּ רַק עִם סַבָּל מִן הַשּׁוּק, אֲבָל אָדָם כָּזֶה כְּמוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל מִי יִתֵּן לִי לְחָתָן בִּשְׁבִיל הַבַּת שֶׁלִּי?",
      "en": "And I was the worst of all. I was a plain man — a simple, lowly person, the worst of all."
    },
    {
      "index": 2,
      "he": "הַהוֹרִים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל חִפְּשׂוּ שִׁדּוּכִים בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, וְהֵם הָיוּ רַבָּנִים גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲשִׁירִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם שֵׁם עוֹלָמִי, וְשְׁמוּאֵל בְּעַצְמוֹ הָיָה מֵהַחֲסִידִים הַלַּמְדָּנִים וְהָיָה לוֹ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל, הוּא הָיָה בַּעַל-מֹחַ גָּדוֹל, וְכָל הָרַבָּנִים וְכָל הָעֲשִׁירִים שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם רָצוּ אֶת שְׁמוּאֵל בִּשְׁבִיל הַבַּת שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְהוּא לֹא רָצָה לִשְׁמֹעַ. הוּא רָאָה זֶה זֶה, זֹאת זֹאת, אָז לֹא נִרְאֶה בְּעֵינָיו כָּל הַשִּׁדּוּכִים. כֻּלָּם רָצוּ אֶת שְׁמוּאֵל לֶחָתָן, עֲשִׁירִים עִם כֶּסֶף הַרְבֵּה, רַבָּנִים מְפֻרְסָמִים, הֵם רָצוּ לָתֵת לוֹ אֶת כָּל הַכֶּסֶף שֶׁלָּהֶם וְהוּא לֹא רָצָה.",
      "en": "In Tzfas there was a great elder who was called by the name Rav Elfandri. He was a genius of the world — a ga'on olami [a genius of universal stature], the genius of the generation. A holy tzadik and a man of great yiras shomayim. He was a man of truth, and such a warrior… He was very forceful against rabbis whom he understood were not conducting themselves properly — he paid no attention to the fact that they were rabbis; he spoke the truth. He said to great rabbis that they were worth nothing at all."
    },
    {
      "index": 3,
      "he": "שְׁמוּאֵל הוּא לָמַד אֵצֶל רַב אֶחָד וְאוֹתוֹ הָרַב רָאָה שֶׁשְּׁמוּאֵל הוּא גָּאוֹן, אָז הָרַב הָיָה לוֹ יַלְדָּה מְלֻמֶּדֶת וְהוּא רָצָה אֶת שְׁמוּאֵל בִּשְׁבִיל הַבַּת שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁשְּׁמוּאֵל יִהְיֶה רֹאשׁ-יְשִׁיבָה אֶצְלוֹ, אֲבָל שְׁמוּאֵל לֹא רָצָה שׁוּם שִׁדּוּךְ.",
      "en": "He would rise every night at midnight and weep before Hashem greatly, with tears, over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdosh [the Holy Temple]. Until this day his name is very great. He authored many books and was a man of great renown in Eretz Yisroel and throughout the world."
    },
    {
      "index": 4,
      "he": "פַּעַם אַחַת קָרוֹב שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָיָה בַּבַּיִת שֶׁלִּי וְהוּא יָדַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בַּת לְחַתֵּן, אָז הוּא אָמַר לִי: \"אוּלַי שְׁמוּאֵל זֶה יִהְיֶה שִׁדּוּךְ טוֹב בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם?\"",
      "en": "And in the winter he would come to Teveriah to take the baths of the hot springs of Teveriah. The yeshiva gave him a room at the kever [tomb] of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes. I heard in the yeshiva about Rav Elfandri — that he was a man of great genius, great wisdom, and great yiras shomayim. And I heard that he was to be found among the Sefardim, so I went to him. This was already after I had become a Breslover, after the passing of Rabbi Yisroel Kardoner."
    },
    {
      "index": 5,
      "he": "אֲנִי מִסְתַּכֵּל עָלָיו, הוּא לֹא מַכִּיר אוֹתִי וְלֹא יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵין לִי אֵיךְ, \"מַה, שְׁמוּאֵל?\"",
      "en": "I entered to him and spoke with him about Rabbenu, and I saw that he held Rabbenu in the highest esteem without limit. So I descended from the yeshiva and said to Rav Elfandri: \"I have a request of you — I want to merit to attend upon you.\" He understood; he saw that this came from a whole heart. So he gave me permission to attend upon him. I took off his shoes, arranged his bed, and brought him tea — I attended upon him, yes."
    },
    {
      "index": 6,
      "he": "עֲשִׁירִים שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, רַבָּנִים שֶׁל כָּל הָאָרֶץ רוֹצִים לָתֵת לוֹ כֶּסֶף הַרְבֵּה וְהוּא דִּבֵּר עִם הַבַּחוּרָה, \"לֹא בִּשְׁבִילִי!\"",
      "en": "Fine — a few days passed. I prayed once among the Sefardim, and I prayed as I had seen by Rabbi Yisroel — what prayer is. I also recited Likutay Tfilos and Tehillim with tears, with arousal, with glorification. And he heard in his room that I had recited a prayer from Likutay Tfilos. So when I finished the prayer and came to attend upon him — I asked him what he needed, what he wanted: a cup of tea, a cup of coffee? Whatever he needed. He did not know that I was a Breslover — he had only heard the voice of the prayer. So he said to me: \"I do not need anything — it is not you who should attend upon me. I want to attend upon you — that is what I want!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 7,
      "he": "אָמְרוּ לוֹ: \"יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּער יֵשׁ לוֹ בַּת, אוּלַי זֶה?\"",
      "en": "He said to me: \"I have heard of Rebbe Nachman — great things, that he was a great genius. But what I am hearing from you… I knew nothing of this! Now I need to be your attendant. I do not want you to attend upon me — I need to attend upon you!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 8,
      "he": "פַּעַם אַחַת הוּא רָאָה אֶת הַבַּת שֶׁלִּי וְדִבֵּר אִתָּהּ, אָז בַּלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוּא בָּא הַבַּיְתָה לְהָאַבָּא וּלְהָאִמָּא וְאָמַר: \"אַבָּא, אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים שֶׁאֲנִי אֲבַשֵּׂר לָכֶם בְּשׂוֹרָה טוֹבָה. בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם אֲנִי מָצָאתִי כַּלָּה, הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נָתַן לִי כַּלָּה\".",
      "en": "He called me Rebbi — I was his Rebbi. He was a genius of the world and I was an ignoramus [am ha'aretz], and he said to me: \"I want nothing — I want to rise before you!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 9,
      "he": "אָז הָיָה שִׂמְחָה בַּבַּיִת, \"שְׁמוּאֵל יֵשׁ לוֹ כְּבָר כַּלָּה!\"",
      "en": "And I came down to him every day — but I did not merit to attend upon him because he absolutely refused to allow it. I was twenty-two, twenty-three years old, and he was an old man and such a genius… And I was simple — a plain young married man."
    },
    {
      "index": 10,
      "he": "אַחַר-כָּךְ שָׁאֲלוּ: \"מִי זֹאת הַכַּלָּה? אֵיזֶה עָשִׁיר?\"",
      "en": "There was a bond between us and I saw that he spoke with me about various matters. I would concentrate to understand his mind. And he had certain matters about which he needed to consult with someone, so he consulted with me, and I told him the truth. So he understood that I was a man of truth who speaks truth."
    },
    {
      "index": 11,
      "he": "\"הַבַּת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּער, מֵחֲסִידֵי בְּרֶסְלֵב\".",
      "en": "And I told him that I was a Breslov Chassid — I told him what I was suffering — and he said to me: \"Being a Breslov Chassid is a very precious thing, a very important thing!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 12,
      "he": "\"אוֹי וֵוי\"...",
      "en": "And he took an interest and asked me: \"How is the livelihood — do you have a livelihood?\""
    },
    {
      "index": 13,
      "he": "כֻּלָּם יָדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי עָנִי כָּזֶה מִכָּל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, וְשְׁמוּאֵל לֹא רוֹצֶה רַבָּנִים שֶׁל עֲשִׁירִים, הוּא רָצָה אֶת הַבַּת שֶׁלִּי, אָז הָאִמָּא אָמְרָה לוֹ: \"מָה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה, הַבַּת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּער מִמֵּאָה שְׁעָרִים, הוּא אֵין לוֹ כְּלוּם כֶּסֶף וַאֲנַחְנוּ גַּם-כֵּן עֲנִיִּים, אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא יְכוֹלִים, אֵיךְ תַּעֲשֶׂה חֲתוּנָה?\"",
      "en": "And he took an interest and asked me: \"How is the livelihood — do you have a livelihood?\""
    },
    {
      "index": 14,
      "he": "\"אוֹי, מַדּוּעַ שְׁמוּאֵל הוּא רוֹצֶה עָנִי, וְעוֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּער, הוּא מֵהָעֲנִיִּים הַקָּשִׁים מְאֹד, מֵהָעֲנִיִּים הַגְּדוֹלִים מְאֹד, אֵין לוֹ לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹל\".",
      "en": "So I told him: \"I am a yeshiva student — I studied in the yeshiva. And after I became a Breslov Chassid they did not want to keep me in the yeshiva.\" But even so they could not expel me, because I had been studying there since my bar mitzvah. So I told him that my life was like this — in great hardship — and I told him that they gave me less than all the other yeshiva students because I was a Breslov Chassid. And he knew that they were opponents."
    },
    {
      "index": 15,
      "he": "\"זֶה הַכַּלָּה שֶׁלִּי!\"",
      "en": "He was a strong man, a man of truth. He implored them to have mercy, to give me an increase — to give me bread for the children to eat. He said: \"I want you to give Yisroel Ber — so there will be bread for the small children, so they will have bread.\""
    },
    {
      "index": 16,
      "he": "לִפְנֵי הַחֻפָּה הַמִּנְהָג הוּא שֶׁלַּכַּלָּה נוֹתְנִים אֵיזֶה מַתָּנָה וְלֶחָתָן נוֹתְנִים טַלִּית גָּדוֹל. אֲנִי לֹא הָיָה לִי טַלִּית, אָז אָמַרְתִּי: \"אֲנִי אֵין לִי טַלִּית\". וְהֶחָתָן הָיָה בְּלִי טַלִּית...",
      "en": "I asked of him that he speak with them, that they should have mercy and give me an increase — to give me bread for the small children to eat. So he heard this, and after a few days the Ashkenazic rabbis came to visit him and wanted to take him to visit their yeshiva — at the yeshiva of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes of the Ashkenazim. And they came to him with honor and reverence — there were three of them: the rav, the gabai [warden] of the yeshiva, and another man. They spoke with him, and he asked them: \"Why are you giving this man a lesser livelihood?\""
    },
    {
      "index": 17,
      "he": "שְׁמוּאֵל הוּא הָיָה אֵצֶל רַבֵּנוּ, הוּא אָמַר: \"כְּמוֹ רַבֵּנוּ - אֵין בָּעוֹלָם!\" הוּא אָמַר שֶׁהָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה כְּמוֹ נַחְמָן מֵאוּמַן זֶה דָּבָר מְיֻחָד וְלֹא הָיָה עֲדַיִן בָּעוֹלָם, זֶה חָדָשׁ. כֵּן, כָּכָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל. שְׁמוּאֵל לֹא רָצָה שׁוּם שֵׁם, שׁוּם חֲשִׁיבוּת, שׁוּם פִּרְסוּם. הוּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת מְכֻבָּד, מְפֻרְסָם בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם, וְהוּא בָּרַח מִזֶּה, הוּא לֹא רָצָה.",
      "en": "He was a strong man, a man of truth. He implored them to have mercy, to give me an increase — to give me bread for the children to eat. He said: \"I want you to give Yisroel Ber — so there will be bread for the small children, so they will have bread.\""
    },
    {
      "index": 18,
      "he": "שְׁמוּאֵל הוּא שָׁאַל אוֹתִי: \"מָה אַתָּה אוֹמֵר עַל רַבִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל קָרְדוֹנֶר?\"",
      "en": "They said to him: \"He is a dear man, an upright man — a man who serves Hashem. But he always recites Tehillim and prayers — that is not a yeshiva student. A yeshiva is only for scholars. He does not keep the schedule of the yeshiva — he goes among the mountains. What we give him is only out of charity, because we have pity on him.\""
    },
    {
      "index": 19,
      "he": "אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: \"אֵין דִּבּוּרִים לְדַבֵּר!\"",
      "en": "He became angry at them and told them that my Tehillim is more precious before Hashem than your scholars!"
    },
    {
      "index": 20,
      "he": "וְכֵן הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה עִם אֶחָד הָרַבָּנִים הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהָיָה הַדַּיָּן שֶׁל טְבֶרְיָה. הַדַּיָּן הָיָה בֶּאֱמֶת כִּשְׁרוֹנִי מְאֹד, בַּעַל-מֹחַ וְיָדַע הַפַּרְדֵּ\"ס. הוּא הָיָה חָכָם, מֵבִין, בַּעַל-רַחֲמִים, מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת.",
      "en": "They said: \"We give to all of Israel — only to Breslov: no!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 21,
      "he": "נוּ, אֲבָל הָיָה לוֹ חֲשִיבוּת יוֹתֵר כִּי הוּא יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, הוּא לַמְדָּן גָּדוֹל וְלַמְדָּן לֹא מְחַפֵּשׂ מִצְווֹת, הוּא חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁהָעִקָּר הַתַּכְלִית רַק לִלְמֹד וְלִלְמֹד וְלִלְמֹד. אֲבָל הַדַּיָּן הָיָה חָסִיד וִירֵא שָׁמַיִם וְהָיָה אוֹהֵב גַּם-כֵּן מִצְווֹת כְּמוֹ אֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים, צְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד, לֹא רַק גְּאוֹנוּת וְחָכְמָה. הַדַּיָּן הָיָה לוֹ שְׁנֵיהֶם.",
      "en": "\"What — Yisroel Ber? It is forbidden to give him help! He studies Breslov books within the yeshiva — he studies Likutay Halachos [Collected Halachic Discourses of Rav Noson of Breslov] all day. It is forbidden to have mercy on him! Do you not know that he studies Breslov books? We will give him nothing!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 22,
      "he": "טְבֶרְיָה זֶה עִיר קְטַנָּה, אָז הוּא הִכִּיר אוֹתִי וַאֲנִי נָשָׂאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינָיו, הוּא יָדַע שֶׁאֲנִי יֵשׁ לִי אַבָּא עָנִי וְעִוֵּר, אָז הוּא לָקַח אוֹתִי לְבֵיתוֹ וְלָמַד אִתִּי וְקֵרֵב אוֹתִי מְאֹד, וְהוּא הָיָה לִי כְּמוֹ אַבָּא. וְהוּא דִּבֵּר אִתִּי מֵעִנְיַן חֲסִידוּת וְאַדְמוֹרִי\"ם וַאֲנִי קִבַּלְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ הַרְבֵּה, וַאֲנִי חָשַׁבְתִּי עַל הַדַּיָּן שֶׁאֵין יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בָּעוֹלָם, הוּא מַמָּשׁ מַלְאָךְ. אֲנִי רָאִיתִי אֶת הַמִּדּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ, אֲנִי תָּמִיד הָיִיתִי אִתּוֹ בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה.",
      "en": "I was not included — I was not a yeshiva student. The head administrator said to Rav Elfandri: \"We will listen to you in everything — only this: no. We are ashamed of him. We do not want him — let him go from here!\""
    },
    {
      "index": 23,
      "he": "הוּא רָאָה שֶׁאֲנִי לֹא כִּשְׁרוֹנִי, אֲבָל הָאֱמֶת שֶׁלִּי וְהַלֵּב שֶׁלִּי - הוּא אָהַב אוֹתִי מְאֹד, וְהוּא כִּבֵּד אוֹתִי וְלָמַד אִתִּי וְקֵרֵב אוֹתִי אַף-עַל-פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי לֹא כִּשְׁרוֹנִי וְהוּא הָיָה לַמְדָּן גָּדוֹל. הָיָה אַהֲבָה גְּדוֹלָה בֵּינֵינוּ, הוּא אָהַב אוֹתִי כְּמוֹ בֵּן שֶׁלּוֹ. אֲנִי הָיִיתִי בְּבֵיתוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵהַבַּיִת שֶׁלִּי. אֲנִי בָּאתִי אִתּוֹ, הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי אִתּוֹ וְיָשַׁנְתִּי אֶצְלוֹ וְלָמַדְתִּי אִתּוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה, הָיָה בֵּינֵינוּ קֶשֶׁר כָּזֶה.. אֲבָל אֲנִי הָיִיתִי יֶלֶד פָּשׁוּט, וְהַדַּיָּן הָיָה גָּאוֹן וְגָדוֹל וְחָכָם, וַאֲנִי כְּמוֹ יַתּוּשׁ נֶגְדּוֹ.",
      "en": "They said they would not give — but they feared him. He was a strong man and was not ashamed even before the great holy ones. He had a great name and was a genius in Torah and a Chassid — so they gave half a lirah a month."
    },
    {
      "index": 24,
      "he": "הַדַּיָּן הָיָה לוֹ שְׁתֵּי בָּנוֹת, אַחַת הָיְתָה שָׂרָה וְאַחַת פֵיגָה. שָׂרָה הָיְתָה הַקְּטַנָּה וּפֵיגָה הָיְתָה הַיּוֹתֵר גְּדוֹלָה. הֵם הָיוּ כְּמוֹ אֲחָיוֹת שֶׁלִּי, שָׂרָה וּפֵיגָה. וַאֲנִי בָּאתִי לַדַּיָּן, הֵם נָתְנוּ אֹכֶל בַּבֹּקֶר, בַּצָּהֳרַיִם, אָז הֵם הֵבִיאוּ גַּם-כֵּן בִּשְׁבִילִי לֶאֱכֹל. אֲנִי הָיִיתִי כְּמוֹ בֵּן, בֵּן יָחִיד. אַחַר-כָּךְ שֶׁזָּכִיתִי לְהִתְקָרֵב לְרַבֵּנוּ...",
      "en": "Oy yoy yoy yoy…"
    },
    {
      "index": 25,
      "he": "וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי בַּעֲנִיּוּת גָּדוֹל וְהָאִשָּׁה שֶׁלִּי הָיְתָה אֵצֶל הַהוֹרִים שֶׁלָּהּ וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי אֵצֶל הַהוֹרִים שֶׁלִּי וְלֹא הָיָה לִי פַּרְנָסָה. נוּ, אֲנִי הָיִיתִי בֶּן-בַּיִת אֶצְלוֹ, וְהוּא רָאָה שֶׁאֲנִי נִתְקָרַבְתִּי לְרַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ, לִבְרֶסְלֶב, וְהוּא רָאָה שֶׁאֲנִי לֹא גָּר עִם הָאִשָּׁה, אֵין לִי דִּירָה, אֵין לִי פַּרְנָסָה, אֵין לִי בֶּגֶד שֶׁל שַׁבָּת וְאֵין לִי כְּלוּם. לֹא כֶּסֶף וְלֹא גַּאֲוָה וְלֹא תּוֹרָה.. וַאֲנִי שָׂמֵחַ!",
      "en": "Once, the head of the Mizrachi [a religious Zionist organization] came to the yeshiva and saw Yisroel Ber with Likutay Moharan. So he asked the gabba'im: \"Is this a Breslov yeshiva here?\"\n\n\"G-d forbid — what are you talking about?!\"\n\nSo he said to them: \"Would that the whole world were Breslov!\""
    }
  ]
}