שיחות הר"ן

(Section sub-number 15) (15.) Pertaining to the Aleph-Beis [Sefer HaMidos — the Book of Attributes], regarding the matter of healing inscribed elsewhere: he said that he had in the Aleph-Beis under the letter Resh [for refu'ah — healing] all the remedies — there was written there the healing for every illness in the world, and not a single illness existed for which its healing was not written there. But he did not wish to copy it, and he burned it. (Section sub-number 16) (16.) Pertaining to the New Aleph-Beis [the New Book of Attributes], under the letter Dalet, Da'as [Knowledge], Torah §1 — which begins: "Know that in all the worlds and in every creature there is a unique form/stature" — for example, the species of the lion etc., and all the distinctions are hinted at in the forms of the letters in their combinations, and one who merits to understand the Torah etc.

— it appears to me that this is the matter of the conversation I heard from his holy mouth before the Sabbath of Chanuka 5565 [1804], about the creatures of the world: that all the forms and shapes of all human beings are included in the word Adam [man] that G-d said [Genesis 1:26] "na'aseh Adam" — "let us make man." For in this word Adam that Hashem Yisburach said "let us make man" — in this word are included all types of forms of all human beings in the world. And likewise in the word behemah [animal] and chayah [living creature] mentioned in the account of Creation — in this word too there are included all the forms of every animal and living creature. And so for the other creatures. And he elaborated at length in this conversation, and he said then that there exist wisdoms even in this world through which one can live on them alone, without any eating and drinking. And he elaborated a great deal in this conversation, and we did not merit to write it. (Section sub-number 17) (17.) Pertaining to the New Aleph-Beis, under the letter Da'as, Torah §1, at the end: "And he also knows their unity — namely their beginning and their end [tachlis] — for in the beginning and the end they are in unity without distinction." Perhaps this was the intention of Rabbainu o.b.m. in the Torah that begins "Lechu chazu mif'alos Hashem" [Come, see the works of G-d] (Likutay Moharan, vol. 2, Torah 39) — for everything has a beginning and an end etc., see there well.

And perhaps his intention was the aforementioned matter: that one must merit to know and to attain the aforementioned matter — that in the beginning and the end they are in unity without distinction. For I did not merit to understand this Torah well at the time I heard it from his holy mouth. And also when he saw the Torah in writing, he said that I had not captured his intent — and he said in these words: "I did not say it that way," and even "that was not even my intention." And perhaps his intention was the aforementioned matter, which I did not explain there in writing — and therefore he said that I did not capture his intent. And G-d knows secrets. (Section sub-number 18) (18.) Pertaining to the New Aleph-Beis that he composed in his youth: through diligence one can easily become the leader of the generation in material or spiritual [matters]. And the sign of the matter [is the verse Proverbs 6:6]: "Go to the ant, O sluggard" — about this it is written [Genesis 49:24]: "Mi'sham ro'eh even Yisrael" — "from there the shepherd, the stone of Israel" — namely, a leader [parnas] — that is, to merit to be appointed as the leader of the generation — this depends on diligence, which is learned from the ant. For "from there the shepherd, the stone of Israel." And this matter is already printed in the New Aleph-Beis in different language, but in this particular formulation I heard this matter from his holy mouth.

(Section sub-number 19) (19.) The Torah "You are standing" (Likutay Moharan, vol. 1, Torah 44) was said on the Sabbath before Rosh Hashana of the year 5563 [1802], the first Sabbath on which I was drawn close to him. And it speaks there about the matter of clapping hands in prayer. And know that at the time he said this Torah, it was close to his entering here in Breslov, and he then spoke a great deal about the matter of clapping hands in prayer. And he told me that at the very beginning of his entering here, he once stood at the entrance of the beis midrash [house of study] that is in his house, and he rebuked the congregation regarding prayer — that they were not praying properly.

And he answered and said that one does not hear from any of the worshippers any clapping of hands at all. And from this we immediately understood that he wished to restore the crown to its former glory — that they should return to awakening themselves to pray with intention and fervor and great strength, as the early Chassidim who were in the days of the Baal Shem Tov o.b.m. and his holy disciples in the generations before us. For in the early days of Rabbainu o.b.m., the Chassidim had already begun to cool etc., and he o.b.m. toiled and labored greatly to rectify all this and to restore the crown to its former glory. Also at that time — before the Sabbath preceding the aforementioned Rosh Hashana — there were with him two Chassidim of some distinction, and they dined with him o.b.m. And in the course of their conversation with him, they were mocking one man from Nemerov whose custom was to multiply the clapping of hands during prayer. And Rabbainu za"l was very displeased by this and spoke harshly with them, and said to them: Do you know what the clapping of hands in prayer is, and all the matters contained in it — that you mock this man who did not find favor in your eyes for his clapping of hands? And afterwards, on the Sabbath that followed — which was the Sabbath before Rosh Hashana — I myself came for the Sabbath. And then he said the Torah "You are standing" on the matter of clapping of hands. And it was the first Torah I merited to hear from his holy mouth, and immediately I wrote it, with G-d's great help — praise to G-d my life's vitality. Also afterwards, close after Sukkos, one man came to him from Nemerov — and he was the man who had been with him before Rosh Hashana and had been mocking the clapping of hands of the aforementioned man. And this man came on account of his son who had fallen ill with him, may the Merciful One save us.

And Rabbainu o.b.m. showed him a passage in the Pri Etz Chaim regarding the matter of "v'yasem l'cha shalom" ["and He will set peace for you"] — which is an acrostic for shalev [tranquil] — which is the aspect of [Job 16:12]: "shalev hayiti vay'farpar'eni" ["I was at peace and He shattered me"]. And he commanded him to read this matter aloud before him, and he was compelled to read it before him. And afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him the Torah about the clapping of the hand in Torah 46 — about the three hands etc.

— see there. But this man refused to bow his shoulder to bear the yoke of Torah and to draw close to him o.b.m. And he returned home, and the child became more ill. And the man told me all the aforementioned matter — all that Rabbainu o.b.m. had engaged with him, and all this Torah he had said to him then. And he also told me that Rabbainu o.b.m. had told him a certain story about a certain officer who was extremely brazen and harsh, called a banit — and he does not remember the story well. And the man asked me that when I next travel to him, I should mention the child before him and ask him to save him. And I traveled to him shortly thereafter and spoke with him about this. He answered and said with astonishment: Is the child still alive? And I stood trembling and astonished, for I understood from his words that the decree had already been sealed upon the child for death. Rabbainu o.b.m. answered and said: If the aforementioned man had accepted my words, the child would already have returned to his health.

[As if to say: but now that he did not accept my words, it is impossible for the child to live.] And so it was — shortly afterwards the child passed away. And when Rabbainu o.b.m. spoke with me about the aforementioned man who had not accepted his words, I began to intercede on his behalf and said: How is it possible for him to draw close — is he not already affiliated [with one of the opposing groups]? He replied o.b.m.: If so, he has a great trial.

As if to say: And so what if he is affiliated? Is it on account of this that he cannot draw close? Only his trial is great. And certainly he needs to withstand the trial and break all the impediments and draw close. (Section sub-number 20) (20.) The Torah "The days of Chanuka are days of thanksgiving — the aspect of the thanksgiving offering" etc. (Likutay Moharan, vol. 2, Torah 2) was said on the Sabbath of Chanuka, and that same year he came from Lemberg. And it is my humble understanding that through this he drew down the aspect of the rectification of the thanksgiving offering [korban todah] — which he needed to bring for having returned safely to his home from there.

For this was a great and wondrous salvation for us and for all Israel — for if he had remained there in Lemberg, it is possible that the light would have entirely departed, G-d forbid, and we would not have heard all the awesome things he later revealed to us in his Torahs and conversations that he said afterwards. Particularly the Legendary Tales — for the main great Tales he revealed to us afterwards, particularly the story of the Seven Beggars.

And certainly it was fitting to bring a thanksgiving offering for such a salvation.