שיחות השיכים לשיחות הר"ן

§8.) He sent one of the aforementioned people to acquire the aforementioned [things] for us, and I was asking him whether the uproar had quieted — and he replied no, for the uproar was still very strong. In the midst of our sitting there, an old man came and called to me and said to him that there was something for him. And I walked with him and began to speak with him — and he said and told me: [The tikkun for a great sin is made — how could you not know this?!] And how are you not ashamed before your forebears — before Rabbi Nachman and the Baal Shem Tov z"l — and how are you not ashamed before Moshe and the holy Patriarchs — Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov etc.? What are you thinking about? Are you able to sit here always? And you — you are a sick man — what will you do and what will come of you? For you think that if they do not know who you are, you will not be able to be there. And if they do know who you are — you will also not be able to be there, for they will certainly not let you be there, since they know you there. I answered him in this manner: in the World to Come, presumably, it will be good for me — even in Gehinnom there will be no place for me to hide, since I did a [great] sin. He told me: lech lach [go for yourself] — and I believed that he was reasoning with me, and he was saying to me to go away, and I should have sufferings for it. And then the aforementioned old man left and walked away from the aforementioned elder. And in being there I said to myself that since so much time had passed and I was sitting there — we were sending for the person to complete the learning of the Talmud, in order that he send us some book to bring here for us, and he went to the city and did not bring a book. And he replied that it is impossible to bring — for I know for certain that it is forbidden to reveal who needs the book, and it is impossible to find a book — and there are great sufferings for me constantly and moving from place to place, and I have no book of any sort to complete the learning. Afterwards the old man returned and took a book from under his garments and said: I asked him to give me the book, and they gave me the book, and I took it and did not understand at all how to rest it, and I did not know how to hold it at all, and it seemed completely strange before me. And I was afraid that I would write in another language, as I did not know anything about the book. And I was also afraid even from those people who were with me who were afraid because of the words — since all of them argued in the words, but I did not argue at all. And I thought to myself: I will be afraid even from those people who saw this. And afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. said himself afterwards that they were singing to him so much — because in the dream it appeared to him that he had six synagogues — and there were names there, and those very names he knew and forgot. [Said the transcriber: I heard that the Rabbi Rabbi Nissan Kauler told — one of the great close followers of the holy tzaddik Rabbi Baruch etc. z"l — before the Maggid of Tiraovitze etc. z"l: that once he came to the holy Rabbi Baruch z"l and saw him very distressed. And he asked him what it was. And he replied that for some time he had not been able to see the Baal Shem Tov z"l, and every time he came to his grave he could not find him. And he found him and said to him: I found him at Rabbi Nachman's — and he said in these words: "Er hot zich paar kligen tzu R' Nachman" — "He chose to be close to Rabbi Nachman."] 87. (New Stories, sub-number 7) (7.) 5564 [1803/4], on Sabbath night after Kiddush: I saw in a dream — and I was within a city, and it seemed to me in the dream that the city was very large. And a great tzaddik came there from the earlier tzaddikim, who was established as a great tzaddik, and everyone went to him. And I also went to him, and I saw that they were all passing before him on his side without greeting him, and it appeared that they were doing this deliberately. And I was very astonished at their audacity — for I knew that he was a great tzaddik. And I asked about this — how they had such audacity as to deliberately not greet him.

And the answer was: In truth he is a great tzaddik, but he has a body assembled from various places that are the aspect of dirty places. But he himself is a great man, and he had accepted upon himself to rectify this body. And one does not greet a fellow in a dirty place [Shabbos 10b] — therefore they did not greet him. 88. (New Stories, sub-number 8) (8.) On a weekday — I saw in a dream — and there was a wedding, and there were many brides there. And one bride among them was more distinguished than all of them, and she appeared to the world as more distinguished than they. And there were kapelyes [musical ensembles] there — that is, musical instruments that were playing. And I saw that a doorway opened and people entered to a yeshivah [Torah academy], and a great multitude was assembling into the yeshivah. And when I saw that they were multiplying and coming more and more, I calculated how I would be able to enter among such a great multitude. And I hastened myself there and was standing on top of them. And there was a rosh yeshivah [head of the academy] there who was learning with them, and there was a very, very great honor of Torah there. And the brides were dancing. And the principal one was the distinguished bride mentioned above, who was dancing there. And whatever melody the ensemble played, she would sing that very melody afterwards herself. And there was a very great honor of Torah there, and I marveled greatly at the great honor of Torah that was there. And I spoke with the people I recognized there: Have you seen such honor of Torah? And it appeared that they were occupied with the straightforward study of the revealed Torah, for apparently there were rabbinical scholars there — and the books too indicated this, for the books were very large, in the manner of the aforementioned type of study. 89. (New Stories, sub-number 9) (9.) His holy conversation of Rabbainu o.b.m. on the night after the Sabbath of the Torah portion Toldos [Genesis 25:19–28:9], 5570 [1809], here in Breslov: The entire order of times of the year — that is, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Hoshana Rabba, Shemini Atzeret, Chanuka, Purim, and before [these] the fifteenth of [Shevat], Pesach, Shavuos etc. — in each and every one of these times, I am not as I was before. And he said in these words: "Az se kumt di tzeit bin ich nit dos vos frieyer" ["When the time comes, I am not what I was before."] (What was understood from his words was that in each of these times he arrives at a completely new attainment and knowledge, and does not serve Hashem Yisburach in these times with the service he had already served in those times in the years that had passed — rather, in each and every year he arrives at a completely new attainment, and he has new service in these times.) In last year's Chanuka I was lighting the candles and [performing] the other Chanuka customs with the kavanos [intentions] of the Torah that was said then. And so on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur etc. — his service in them was according to the kavanos of the Torah said on that Rosh Hashana — only it was more refined [that is, his service was more refined than what was stated in the aforementioned Torah]. 90. (New Stories, sub-number 10) (10.) On Purim, wonders became known to me. Rabbainu o.b.m. answered and said: The Torah [is called] the Name of the Holy One Blessed He — hidden and revealed. At first the Torah reveals its face to the man, and afterwards it hides itself. And one who has a true soul pursues and circles after it and sacrifices himself for it, and he has great longing and intense yearning with self-sacrifice, until he merits for the Torah to be revealed to him. For at first the matter of Purim was revealed to me in smallness and hiddenness [that is, the matter was not revealed to him in complete revelation, only in allusion and mere sparkling], and afterwards Hashem Yisburach helped me — for He Blessed He always helps me — and the matter was revealed to me. And the matter of Purim that was then revealed was concealed and hidden from all the worlds — only in the upper worlds that are very, very far away is this known. For my service on that aforementioned Purim was to rectify the blemish of Korach. And when this was revealed to me, it seemed very strange to me — what connection does Purim have with Korach? — until Hashem Yisburach helped me etc. For there are matters very concealed in the holy Torah, and it was revealed to me that the letters of Purim [pei-vav-resh-yud-mem] are the initial letters of [Leviticus 13:41]: "v'im mip'at panav yimaret rosho — kareach hu" — "and if from the front of his face his head is shaved bald — he is bald (kareach)" — the aspect of Korach (kareach). [And the rest he did not explain.] Afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. said that he was unable to sleep that entire night after he told this, because he was pained that he had revealed this. And he said that his consolation was that he had not really revealed anything at all. And in truth, it is not written thus in the Torah — rather it is written thus: "and if from the front of his face his head is shaved — he is bald (gibeach)" — only before this it is written: "And a man whose head hair falls out — he is bald (kareach)." And the matters are very concealed and hidden. Fortunate is he who waits for the coming of the Redeemer — then they will attain his holy conversation. 91. (New Stories, sub-number 11) (11.) Kislev 5570 [1809], here in Breslov. In a dream I was sitting in my house [that is, in the small house where he was residing], and no one at all was entering to me — and it was a wonder to my eyes. And I went out to the second room, and there too no one was there. And I went out to the large house and to the beis midrash [house of study], and there too there was no one. And I resolved in my mind to go outside. And I went outside and saw that people were standing in circles, whispering to one another — this one mocking me, this one laughing at me, this one acting brazen toward me, and the like. And even my own men were also against me — some acted brazenly toward me, some whispered secretly about me, and the like as stated. And I called one of my men and asked him: What is this? And he answered: How could you have done such a thing — is it conceivable that you would commit such a great sin? And I did not know at all what they were mocking me for. And I asked the aforementioned man to go and gather some of our men — and he went from me and I did not see him again. And I resolved in my mind what to do, and I resolved to sail to some other country. And I came there and there too it was the same — people standing there and discussing this as well, for they knew about it there too. And I resolved to sit in some forest, and five of my men gathered to me. And I went with them to the forest and we sat there, and when we needed any food or the like, we would send one of the aforementioned men and he would buy for us what we needed. And I would ask him: Has the tumult quieted? And he would answer: No — the tumult is still very strong. While we were sitting there, an old man came and called me — and said that he had something to speak with me about. And I walked with him and he began to speak with me. He answered and said: You have done such a thing — how are you not ashamed before your forefathers? And he began to rebuke me regarding this. And I answered him: If I am ashamed before my forefathers, all the more so before my Master, Hashem Yisburach. And this answer came from my heart. And I entered to a city and went to the rabbi of the city. And the rabbi was a very old man. And I asked him what this was about. And he showed me in a book. And I looked in the book and saw that it was indeed written there that this was a sin. And I said: But I did not know! And he answered: Nonetheless, it is a sin. And I thought to myself: Is it conceivable that I should fall because of this? And there I encountered several men, and among them was one who was very brazen, and who began to slap me. And I was greatly pained by this. And I began to weep bitterly, and said: Master of the Universe! And suddenly it seemed to me as if I received new power, and I answered back and pushed away those who were causing me trouble. And I went out and came to a city, and there I found one of our men. And he said: They are speaking here too. And I resolved to go further. And I came to a certain place, and it seemed to me that there the matter had quieted somewhat. And I resolved to build a kloyz [small synagogue/chapel] there and to settle there. And this city had some people of ours. And I began to build the kloyz. And when I began to build it, they immediately began to help me greatly — and the building was built very quickly. And there I found rest. And I thought to myself: If I had had a fault in one thing, I have merited to build this kloyz — and this is enough for my rectification. (This is a sealed and concealed vision. And now many years have passed since Rabbainu o.b.m. passed away, and we see with our eyes how the tumult and controversy against him continues in the world. And we hope to G-d that in the end the truth will be victorious and his greatness will be revealed in the world — amen, may it be G-d's will.) הַשְׁמָטָה — PARTIALLY FULFILLED · חֵטְא גָּדוֹל · חֲלוֹם מְשֻׁנֶּה (צא) שֶׁאֶחָד עָשָׂה חֵטְא גָּדוֹל... / חֲלוֹם מְשֻׁנֶּה שֶׁלֹּא חָלַם מִימָיו... Hashmata: A Great Sin — [There came before him one who had committed a great sin, and he told him the tikkun for this. And the matter of the sin and its tikkun are among the omitted passages of this article.] Hashmata: A Strange Dream — [He told of a strange dream, the like of which he had never dreamed in his life. The full text of this dream and its explanation are among the omitted passages of this article. See also the hashmata of article 86 regarding the garment-dream of Shabbos 5564.] These two hashmatos appear in the niqqud (vocalized) edition of Chayay Moharan. The complete text will be added B"H. 92. (New Stories, sub-number 12) (12.) He told that in his youth he was accustomed to eat a great deal, and he suffered from this. And he cast this [habit] aside. And he then saw that he had a craving also for that little which he ate — and he reconsidered and began to eat again, for what difference does it make to him whether he eats a little with craving or a great deal? And why should he ruin his body for nothing? And he would place all the [other] cravings within this one craving of eating. One time he was sitting at the table by his father-in-law's home at the third Sabbath meal, sitting in a corner, and the house was dark. And as was always his custom, he was doing what he was doing — and he began to beseech Hashem Yisburach that He show him the forefathers — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And he made a promise to Hashem Yisburach: When You show me this, I will also cast aside even this craving [that is, of eating]. And he did whatever he did in this, and entered deeply into this — and he fell asleep. And his grandfather the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory came to him in a dream and told him the verse [Deuteronomy 11:15]: "And I will give grass in your field for your cattle." And he awoke and it was a wonder to him — what connection does this verse have with what he had asked? And it occurred to his mind that in the Tikkunim [page 62b] it says: Eisev [grass] is the letters ayin-beis-shin — ayin-beis is the pupil of the eye, shin = three patriarchs. And this means: if you wish to see the patriarchs — it is impossible for you [unless] "b'sadcha livhemtecha" — "in your field for your cattle" — you must subdue the animal craving of eating. And he also cast aside even this craving. And he said that this story is connected to [the story of] the receiving of Torah mentioned above. In the manuscript of Chayay Moharan it is written above [before] this letter: "A story about the receiving of Torah [which is the story of the bread]." And through this you will understand the word "mentioned above" [ha-na"l]. And he commanded that this story also be retold. [The transcriber says: I heard that Rav Nissen Kavlier told — one of the greatest of those close to the holy tzaddik Rav Baruch of blessed memory — before the maggid [preacher] of Tiraovitze of blessed memory, a story similar to this. And the maggid said: If I had heard in my youth that it was possible to serve G-d and to attain holy matters as Rabbainu did in his youth — I would have done as he did. And this is similar to what is known from the statement of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory — that it is said a great tzaddik does not descend from his level, and he told the story of the Baal Shem Tov regarding this, which is known. And this story of Rabbainu's youth — how he served G-d in his youth — is very awesome and wondrous, and shows us something of his exalted greatness.] הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ · לֶאֱכֹל הַרְבֵּה · מַעֲשֶׂה הַזֹּאת · אֶחָד מֵהַבַּרְחָנִים (צב) הָיִיתִי רָגִיל לֶאֱכֹל הַרְבֵּה... "I was accustomed to eating a great deal, and I used to eat for three full-grown adults — a coin's worth of [the breakfast meal called] bikeh [boiled dumplings] in the morning — they were called keytsa [the main breakfast food] — and besides that, the morning meal and the evening meal — and therefore in the evening of this. Afterwards he saw that he had a craving even for the little that he ate — whether a little or a great deal — and he reconsidered and began to eat again, for what difference did it make to him — whether to eat a little with craving or a great deal. And he thought it was for nothing — and he would place all the desire within this very desire for eating." And once he was sitting at the table with his attendant at the Third Meal of the Sabbath — it was on a Sabbath evening — and he sat in the house. And it was his constant way to ask the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov to show him the way of G-d. And he trusted in G-d that he would show him. And he felt great in it — and fell inside it — and the Baal Shem Tov z"l also came. He sent his head backwards greatly, with great bitterness, and came to the verse [Deuteronomy 11:15]: "And I will give grass in your field for your animal" — and the question regarding this verse is that there is within it the aspect of the eye of the letter ayin, the aspect of shin ayin [two letters]. And the matter: whether you want to see your forebears — whether you want to see Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov — you need to care for your animal [body] to feed the desire of eating. And he also spoke much more there. And he said that this incident led him to receive the Torah of Rabbainu o.b.m. (for it is written in Chayay Moharan, vol. 2). And he commanded to return also this incident — "and this very incident is the incident". And he said: that this incident needs to be told — the incident that is related there, which we saw here today and which we did not see in the matter of the incident. And he warned that the incident should not be told to others — for the love would be a joy truly in its completeness (for all the listeners are afraid of the telling). Also he said that there are many evenings in this who do not want to tell it. And then the man who squabbles in the words rose up, and he said: In my opinion, I will be the one to tell it. Answered Rabbainu z"l: In my opinion I will be the one — and then after this, Rabbainu z"l began to investigate the man if he knows the incident at all, and told him: Be'adi [on my account] I will be the one — and Rabbainu told him that he should know the incident, so that he would know it well from all of the incident. And what the Baal Shem Tov said to Admor z"l — that he could not eat the desire of the Patriarchs because it was impossible for him to see the Patriarchs without food — and see in Likutay Moharan in the discourse "R' Yosei ben Kisma" (Torah 73 [of Likutay Tinyana]) — where it explains there that by means of eating in holiness one draws out the light of the Patriarchs. 93. (New Stories, sub-number 13) (13.) Monday, the 24th of Iyar, 5570 [1810], in Uman: He told me a dream he had dreamed that night.

And he saw in the dream that there was a wedding, and he too went to the wedding. And he knew the name of the groom. And he looked and saw there a person from the World to Come — that is, a dead person. And he was very astonished and said to himself: If the world should see him, there will be a very great uproar! And he also knew the name of this dead person. And he said that these names — of the groom and of the dead man — are not actual names but true names that hint at what they hint at, like all the holy names. Afterwards the world also saw the aforementioned dead man, and I spoke with them: Is he not a dead man? And they said: Even still — and it was no novelty for them at all. Afterwards it seemed good in my eyes to go to some synagogue from where it would be easier to look at the wedding. And I circled there [he indicated with his finger how he circled] and came to the synagogue. And they were singing there [at the wedding canopy location] for the groom in these words: "Ayn bochor iz der — ayn chosson iz der" — "One youth is here, one groom is here." And I also knew the melody, and it was a pleasant, joyful melody. And I was looking from the aforementioned synagogue. Afterwards there too it did not seem good in my eyes, and I went home. And I came home and found that the groom was lying on the ground, and I shook him: Are they not singing for you so much etc., as stated — and you are lying here! (And the matters are very concealed. And afterwards Rabbainu o.b.m. said himself that it is a wonder that they were singing for him so much there, and here he is lying. And the matter is concealed and hidden very much.) And he said that in the dream it appeared to him that he had six synagogues — and there were names in each of those places — and those very names he had known and forgotten. And I am uncertain whether it was about the melody that he said he had known and forgotten, or about those places and their names. 94. (New Stories, sub-number 14) (14.) One time he said: Every Torah has a story, and he began to tell the story of the Torah "And Boaz said to Ruth" [Likutay Moharan, vol. 1, Torah 65] which he had said at that time. And he told: There was an audacious one who had a daughter, and he sent her to the waters to draw into the jug etc. — and he did not wish to tell more, because he had already stated the Torah. And in particular, from the story of the one who was lying on the ground [above, article 83], there is something within every Torah and Torah. And in particular the Torah "Nine Precious Tikunim" in Likutay Moharan, vol. 1, Torah 20 — it is in its entirety an explanation of that story. The story of the king's daughter that ends with "a golden mountain and a pearl tower" — printed in the Legendary Tales, story 1 — in our understanding pertains to the Torah that begins "Rabbi Shimon opened" in Likutay Moharan, vol. 1, Torah 60. The story of the chair [above, article 84] pertains to the Torah "Blow [the shofar] in the month [of Tishrei]" in Likutay Moharan, vol. 2, Torah 1 — which is the explanation of that story. 95. (New Stories, sub-number 15) (15.) I heard from one man of our men who told: Rabbainu o.b.m. told him on the eve of Yom Kippur, after the kapparos [the pre-fast atonement ritual], a story. He saw that he was walking in a certain forest, and the forest was endless and boundless. And he wanted to return in his tracks. And someone came to him and told him that in this forest it is impossible to reach its end and boundary — for this forest is without end and boundary, and all the vessels in the world were made from this forest. And he showed him a path how to exit the forest. Afterwards he came to a river, and he wanted to reach the end of the river. And someone came to him again and told him as well that in this river it is impossible to reach its end, for this river has no edge or end, and all the people of the world drink from these waters of this river. And he showed him a path as well etc. Afterwards he came to a certain mill standing on that river. And someone came to him as well and told him that this mill grinds for the entire world. And afterwards he returned and came to the aforementioned forest, and he saw there a blacksmith — called a kavil — who was sitting there in the forest and doing his craft. And they told him that this blacksmith makes vessels for the entire world. And the matters are very concealed. (And it was not recorded completely as it should have been, for much was forgotten since it was not written at the time.) And he said then: "The world tells stories, and I saw a story." May Hashem Yisburach cause us to understand his holy and awesome words. 96. (New Stories, sub-number 16) (16.) He told during the days of Elul that he had dreamed that he was walking into a house to hear the voice of the shofar, and he passed before a certain house and heard that they were singing and clapping hand upon hand and dancing greatly, and rejoicing with leaps and great dances in the manner of those who rejoice and laugh greatly. I answered and said: Certainly it is good to enter here to hear the voice of the shofar! [And the rest I do not remember.] And one answered that it is also hinted at in his book that the commandment of the shofar is the aspect of clapping of hands and dancing — as is cited in the Torah "These are the judgments" in Likutay Moharan, vol. 1, Torah 10, which speaks of clapping of hands and dancing, and which cites there the holy Zohar's statement [Tikkunei Zohar 48a]: "bitru'ah d'ihi rucha isa'var el acher — kefiras" etc. — that through this one merits to clapping of hands and dancing. Which is the aspect of: "and that spirit blows in the six joints of the arms and in the six joints of the legs" — see there the entire Torah. It emerges that it is explained there that teru'ah — the shofar-blast — is the aspect of clapping of hands and dancing. And Rabbainu o.b.m. nodded his head in agreement. Afterwards Hashem put it into my heart that it is hinted at in the verse that the shofar is the aspect of song and joy — for [Psalms 126:2]: "Az yimaleh se'chok piynu — ul'shoneinu rinah" ["Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with song"] — the initial letters spell shofar. And therefore after the verse [Psalms 89:16]: "Fortunate is the people that knows the teru'ah" etc., it is written: "In Your name they rejoice all day" — and see elsewhere (Likutay Moharan, Torah 175) that the essential

weeping must come from within joy, for weeping (bechiyah) is the initial letters of "beshimcha yageeloo kul hayom" — "In Your name they will rejoice all day" — see there. 97. (New Stories, sub-number 17) (17.) Once there was a man who was a great wealthy man, and was sitting in a shop with many kinds of merchandise, as the way of shopkeepers. And robbers came and stole from him his wealth and property, and he became very impoverished. And he went and gathered what remained of the remnant and established himself [a business] and returned and bought merchandise and became a shopkeeper again. And they returned and robbers came and stole even the remaining remnant and his wealth that was left. And he returned and gathered again from the small remnant that remained for him and from the jewelry of his wife, and returned and established himself some business in the shop to sustain his household. And they returned and robbers came and stole even the remaining remnant — until he became very impoverished and his house remained empty of everything. And he went and gathered a very small sum and bought small merchandise, and went to the villages in the manner of paupers who carry bundles with needles and pipes and similar small things. And he was going to the villages in order to give bread to his household. And he was exchanging with the gentiles — needles for fowl and eggs and the like, in the manner of such paupers. Once he was going from the villages, carrying with him a small amount of his merchandise and some kinds of food, and a robber encountered him, riding a horse and carrying two large bundles. And he wanted to rob him and [the man] began to weep and plead with him. And he paid no attention to this and robbed even this small amount he had, and he was left completely empty of everything. And he went weeping greatly, and his soul was very bitter — for it was not enough that he had become so impoverished from such great wealth, but now even his small livelihood was torn from him. Meanwhile he looked and saw that the aforementioned robber had fallen from the horse, and he wanted to get up — and the horse stood upon him and trampled him with his hooves on his head, and the robber fell and was killed. And the robbed man went there and saw that his robber was lying dead on the ground, and he opened the bundles and found much money there. And he took from the money. And then he gave much charity and became again a great wealthy man. And the man told this before several people and he was very joyful while telling it. And he said the story a few times with great joy. And he made a great impression of joy on the listeners, to the extent that everyone was aroused to joy as well. 98. (New Stories, sub-number 18) (18.) There was once a king who built himself a palace, and he called two men and commanded them to paint [and decorate] his palace. And he divided the palace between them into two portions — namely, that half the palace was assigned to the one to paint it, and the other half was assigned to the second to paint it. And he set a time by which they were obligated to complete it. And these two men went their way. And one of them went and exerted and labored very greatly, and he taught himself the craft of painting and decoration exceedingly well, until he painted his assigned portion with a beautiful and wondrous painting. And he painted there animals and birds and similar things in wondrous and beautiful paintings. And the second did not take to heart the king's decree and did not occupy himself with this at all. And when it came close to the fixed time when they were supposed to complete their work — behold, the first had already finished his work and his craft in his portion with a beautiful and wondrous painting. And this second began to see what he had done — that he had spent the time in vanity and emptiness and had not heeded the king's decree. And he began to think thoughts of what to do — for certainly in these few days remaining close to the fixed deadline, it was impossible to correct matters, to learn for himself the craft of painting and to paint his portion in that short remaining time, for the appointed time was very close. And he resolved and went and coated his entire portion with a black coating substance [called a pakist — a kind of paint], and the pakist was like a mirror, so that one could see one's reflection in it just as in an actual mirror. And he went and hung a curtain before his portion to separate between his portion and his colleague's portion. And when the appointed time the king had fixed for them arrived, the king went to see the product of their work — what they had done in those days. And he saw the first portion with its beautiful painted forms. And then the curtain was removed from before the second portion — and behold, the second portion was a mirror, and all the paintings and forms of the first portion were reflected and mirrored there. And all the living beings there [the painted animals and birds] were mirrored there, and were moving in the mirror, and everything was mirrored there with its like. And the king was very pleased by this. And it was more beautiful in his eyes than the actual paintings. And the second one also had his share of reward — for what does the king care, whether the beautiful forms are real or reflected? The purpose of the palace is fulfilled either way. And one who does not know how to paint, and even still conducts himself cleverly — he too merits his share of reward. And the king was very pleased by this. 99. (New Stories, sub-number 19) (19.) There was once a small king, and a great king conquered him and he became subservient to him. And the great king conquered yet more kings and countries. After some time the small king strengthened himself and roused himself with other kings against the great king who had conquered them, and they returned and conquered their land from his hand, and also conquered provinces from him. And the aforementioned small king settled the matter in his mind: seeing that the wheel turns — sometimes this one conquers, and sometimes his colleague turns around and conquers from him — and who knows what the day may bring? Perhaps the matter will reverse itself again. So he went and built a wall beside the sea, and stored within that fortress all the wealth and money he had gathered from all his province. And he made rooms upon rooms, and in each and every room he stored a particular currency. And he hung a placard [tablicheh — a sign] on the entrance, and written on it was the name of the currency stored within that room. And the entrance to the overall fortress was made with craftsmanship — called a mashin [machine] — such that it was impossible to enter there. For whoever did not know the path and the route and the direction to turn in every direction upon entry — the machine would cut off his head. And there was hung there a placard written in several languages, [explaining] the path and the wisdom of how to enter there and how to turn in every direction, so that one could enter and the aforementioned machine would not harm him. After some time the sea flooded the island with the aforementioned fortress, and the matter was forgotten. After several hundreds of years, another king came and conquered that region, and the aforementioned island was revealed. And this king was small [in stature] and wanted to establish a settlement there. And he went and settled there from the Jews and from the other nations. And as is natural, paupers and impoverished people settled there, as is the way with new places. And there was there a poor man who built himself a small house beside the sea. And it happened on a Friday that he went to dig clay and found the aforementioned placard. And he examined it and saw that it was written on it in many languages. And since he was a learned man, he understood one of the languages, and he understood from the placard how to enter the fortress. And he concealed this for himself, and after the Sabbath he went and entered there. And he found there all the rooms and all the currencies stored there. And he took from there and became very wealthy. And he gave much charity and became a very great and prominent man. 100. (New Stories, sub-number 20) (20.) I heard in his name regarding the famous wonder-workers: he told a story that a certain king had two sons — one was wise and one was a fool. And he appointed the fool as treasurer over the storehouses, while the wise one had no appointment whatsoever — he just sat beside the king always. And it was very difficult for the world — that this one who is not wise has all the appointments, and everyone comes and enters to him to deposit into or withdraw from the storehouses. While this wise one has no appointment at all. And the king answered them: Is it a virtue that he takes ready-made treasuries and distributes them to the world? For this wise one sits beside me and thinks thoughts and arrives at new strategies that I would not have been able to arrive at [myself]. And through these strategies I conquer provinces that I knew nothing at all of — from which provinces all my treasuries flow and come. But this appointee takes ready-made treasuries and distributes them to the world. Therefore certainly the greatness and elevation of the wise one is far above the appointee — even though it appears that he has no appointment at all. For from him flow all the aforementioned treasuries. 101. (New Stories, sub-number 21) (21.) Thursday, Vayeylech [between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur], 5570 [1809], here in Breslov. He told us that he had dreamed and he does not know the interpretation. That one man who was of our men had passed away to his world, and he was truly dead — but he [Rabbainu o.b.m.] had not known [of this] until that day. And it seemed to him in the dream that the entire world was standing around him [Rabbainu] and taking leave of him to travel on their way, as is customary after Rosh Hashana. And the aforementioned departed man was also standing there. And he asked him: Why were you not at Rosh Hashana? He answered him: Have I not already passed away to my world? I said to him: For this reason — and is it because a man has passed away that he is not permitted to come for Rosh Hashana? And he was silent. And since several people had spoken with me about faith, I spoke with him about this as well. [And it appears that Rabbainu o.b.m. understood that he had fallen away from faith.] And I said to him: Is there no one in the world but me? If you do not believe in me — draw close to other tzaddikim. Since you still have faith remaining in others — draw close to them. And he said: To whom shall I draw close? And it seemed to me that I showed him: draw close to this one — as if pointing to some well-known person. He answered me: I am far from him. I said to him: Draw close to another one. And I was recounting in his mind all the famous ones — and for all of them he said that he was far from them. I said to him: Since you are far from all of them and have no one to draw close to — it is best for you to remain as you were at the beginning, and return and draw close to me. He answered me: To you? [in a tone of astonishment] — I am very far. And it seemed to me that it was the middle of the day and the sun was standing opposite the head. And he raised himself upward in the air until he rose to the sun. And he went with the sun as it descended downward, lower and lower to the earth, according to the sun's movement — until he descended literally to the ground at the setting of the sun. And he continued further with the sun, until at midnight he came with the sun directly opposite me, from below — for at midnight the sun is opposite the feet of a person, and that which is in the west at daytime is in the east at midnight. And I ran after him and arrived at his level. And since he was going with the sun, and the sun naturally journeys very quickly, he was also running with it very quickly. And I was running after him until I arrived at his level. And I walked with him a bit. And he said: What do you want from me? I said: I want to be with you. He said: You cannot keep up with me. And truly I could not keep up with him and I stopped. And he went further. And then I saw, as it were, that the sun paused and stood still briefly. And then he was standing there beside the sun which had paused. And I said: Since you are standing — wait for me! And I ran after him and arrived where he was. And I said: Since I have reached you — let us go together. But he was not willing, and went on further with the sun, and I could not keep up with him and I stopped again. And we went on further — and then the sun again paused briefly, and again I arrived there. And this was three times. And at the third time, the sun stood still for somewhat longer. And I arrived there and said to him: Let me hold onto you — and I grabbed him. And he shook me off forcefully from him. And I was very pained by this. And I said to him: How can you treat me so badly? It is known what I am, and even still you are shaking me off? He was silent. And from the grief it seemed to me that I fell into the ground until the ground up to my neck. And I began to cry out in the dream in a loud voice. And I awoke from this. And I thought that this was a dream. And I looked and saw that it was still night. And I reasoned: Since I know that I said something in my sleep — perhaps others heard. And I called to my servant and asked him. And he said he had not heard anything. And I returned and lay down, and I dreamed again. And I was in a certain place and there were several of our men there. And I began to speak with them about faith [emunah]. And I elaborated greatly in that conversation, and it entered very deeply into their hearts — for they were in great repentance because of it. And I also wept there from the matter of faith. And the content of this speech on faith that I said there I have forgotten. This is the dream that he told us. And after this he stayed here [in Breslov] with us more than two weeks — for this was close to Rosh Hashana 5570, and he traveled to Uman only after Sukkos. הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ · אַחַר הִסְתַּלְּקוּתוֹ (קא) שַׁיָּךְ לְמַה שֶׁמּוּבָא בְּחַיֵּי מוֹהֲרַנַּ"ת, שֶׁאָמַר עֵצָה שֶׁהָאָדָם יָבֹא אֵלָיו אַחַר הִסְתַּלְּקוּתוֹ לְהִשָּׁבַע עַל זֶה בִּנְקִיטַת חֵפֶץ... This pertains to what is cited in Chayay Moharan of Rabbi Nussun — that he gave the counsel that a person should come to him after his passing, by taking an oath on this while holding an object.

I heard this (from the Rabbi Alter Bentsionski) from our distinguished friend, Rabbi Dovid Hirsh of Dmitrivkeh — who heard it directly from Rabbi Shlomo of Agarinitzer, the grandson of the holy tzaddik Rabbi Shlomo of Lutsk, a disciple of the holy Maggid of Mezeritch z"l — who served Rabbainu z"l, since his mother had left him by Rabbainu z"l to serve him, and Rabbainu z"l was to marry him off to a wife. And the aforementioned Rabbi Shlomo heard the following matter from Rabbainu z"l himself. And the incident that occurred was as follows: In Medvedivkeh there was a very distinguished man among Admor's people, his name was Rabbi Hirsh. And he had one only son and one daughter. And there came upon his only son the illness of the hoost [cough/consumption]. But Rabbi Hirsh did not understand so much about his illness — and his illness seemed minor in his eyes. And at that time Rabbainu z"l came to Medvedivkeh. And Rabbi Hirsh, since his son's illness seemed minor to him, it did not at all occur to him to tell Rabbainu about his son's illness. But the son-in-law of Rabbi Hirsh did understand about the illness. And he entered to Rabbainu and beseeched Rabbainu z"l to pray for him that he should be healed. And Rabbainu z"l replied to him in these words: "In this world I cannot do anything good for him — but in the higher world I will be able to do good for him after his passing." And he told him to say to his brother-in-law that he should come to him himself to speak with him about what was necessary. But upon hearing this he was greatly alarmed and aroused compassion before Rabbainu z"l — that he should strive greatly to sweeten the judgment so that he might live longer — for the compassion upon his father-in-law was very great, since his only son would be departing, G-d forbid, in his old age. And Rabbainu z"l was as if silent. And he multiplied words before Rabbainu z"l that he should intercede for him that he be healed. And after all his words Rabbainu z"l said to him: "Why are you pressing upon me? Do you not know that if I strive for him for his good — that he be healed — Hashem Yisburach is compelled to take from this world in his place thirteen other people?" (Said the transcriber: See the Zohar, parshas Balak, page 195, in the story of the youth — where he accomplished that his father Rabbi Yosei of Pekiin should have his soul returned to him, and it is cited there that the Holy One Blessed Be He gave the angel of death twelve souls in his stead.) "And before our Father in Heaven all His children are equal — and as people say about this: even if a person knocks his own finger, the pain too is very great. And perhaps you yourself are one of those thirteen." When he heard this he stopped speaking with Rabbainu z"l — and went to his brother-in-law and advised him to go to Rabbainu z"l himself. And so the sick man did — he came to Rabbainu z"l and spoke with him about what was necessary. And afterwards Rabbainu z"l traveled home. And after two months the sick man died. And his father Rabbi Hirsh grieved deeply over his only son. And during the seven days of mourning, the son-in-law of Rabbi Hirsh told his father-in-law everything he had heard from Rabbainu z"l at the time he was in Medvedivkeh. And Rabbi Hirsh was very embittered over this and wept a great deal. And immediately after the seven days of mourning, Rabbi Hirsh traveled to Breslov to Rabbainu z"l. And he arrived there at night and went immediately to Rabbainu z"l — and it was already some hours into the night, and Rabbainu z"l had already begun to undress to go to sleep in bed. And when he came he knocked on the door to have it opened for him — and he said to Rabbainu's attendant, who was the aforementioned Rabbi Shlomo of Garnister, to open the door. And he told Rabbainu z"l that Rabbi Hirsh of Medvedivkeh had come to him. And Rabbainu z"l commanded, and he entered his house. And immediately upon seeing Rabbainu z"l, he began to weep greatly before him — with very great and powerful weeping — to the point that he could not speak with him. And Rabbainu z"l comforted him with consolations and said to him: "Is it not so that the main legacy of the righteous are good deeds?" — and similar words. But he refused to be consoled. And he said to Rabbainu z"l: "What does one do about Kaddish after my death? Was he not my only Kaddish?" Rabbainu said to him: "I will be your Kaddish — and I will teach you how to die." And he hinted to the attendant to leave the room. And the aforementioned attendant, though his longing to hear what Rabbainu z"l would speak with him was very strong, was nevertheless compelled to leave the house. And he closed the doors — but he did not do it fully, only left a crack [shparineh — a crevice] so that he could hear some words through the gap. And of all the words he [Rabbainu] spoke with him, he heard only this: that Rabbainu z"l told the aforementioned Rabbi Hirsh that he should take an oath while holding an object — that he would come to him after his [Rabbainu's] passing, immediately after the sealing of the grave. And this incident occurred in winter. And Rabbi Hirsh traveled home. And afterwards the aforementioned attendant traveled to Medvedivkeh. And at that time there was an epidemic of children there, G-d save us. And the townspeople wanted to send a man with a pidyon to Rabbainu z"l — but they could not collect enough money to cover the travel expenses from Medvedivkeh to Breslov, which is a long distance, nor for the pidyon itself. In the meanwhile Rabbi Hirsh died there. And then after the passing of the aforementioned Rabbi Hirsh, the attendant who was then in Medvedivkeh told what he had heard behind the door at the time Rabbi Hirsh was by Rabbainu z"l — how Rabbainu z"l told him the counsel of the oath while holding an object. But Admor's people did not know whether the aforementioned Rabbi Hirsh had actually fulfilled this counsel. And it was agreed among Admor's people — and among them was the Rabbi Rabbi Yudil z"l — that when they made the circuits around him as is customary, they would take a Sefer Torah and adjure the departed that he go immediately at the time they made the circuits around him as is customary. And they would also tell him of the epidemic of children that was in the city. And by force of the oath he would be compelled to go immediately to Rabbainu z"l — even if perhaps he had not himself fulfilled the counsel Rabbainu z"l had told him. And so they did. And afterwards, within three months, the aforementioned attendant returned to Breslov to Rabbainu z"l. And when he came to Rabbainu z"l, Rabbainu z"l asked him whether he remembered when Rabbi Hirsh had died. And he replied to Rabbainu z"l with the month in which he had died — but the exact day he did not remember. And Rabbainu z"l said: "Was his death not on such and such a day — on so and so many days of the month?" And the aforementioned attendant immediately recalled that indeed the aforementioned Rabbi Hirsh had died on the day Rabbainu z"l named. And he replied to Rabbainu z"l: "Yes, yes." Rabbainu z"l said to him: "You see — immediately after the sealing of the grave he came to me!" (Meaning: I had expected that he would delay some time — but he came immediately.) And this entire incident the aforementioned Rabbi Dovid Hirsh heard from the mouth of the aforementioned attendant himself. 102. (New Stories, sub-number 22) (22.) I heard in his name that he told: In Jerusalem there is a synagogue to which all the dead of the world are brought — and as soon as someone dies anywhere in the world, that dead person is immediately brought there. And there they adjudicate him — where his place will be — for there are dead people in the Land of Israel who are carried outside the Land, and vice versa, as is cited [Zohar, Terumah 141a]. And there in that synagogue the court sits that adjudicates each and every one, and assigns him his appropriate place. And there is one who is adjudicated to have no place at all — who will be lost and cast into the hollow of the sling [kaf hakela]. And when they bring the dead person there, they bring him clothed. And there is one who is missing something from his garments — some deficiency. For instance, one is missing one sleeve from his garment [called an arbil], and there is one missing one portion of a wing of his garment [called a paleh], and the like — all according to the deeds of the person [for so one merits to garments after death], as is known. And according to the garments with which they bring him there, so they adjudicate him and assign him his place as stated. Once they brought there a dead man completely naked — without any garment at all — may the Merciful One save us! And they adjudicated him that he would be cast and lost in the hollow of the sling, may the Merciful One save us — for he was completely naked. And a certain tzaddik came and took one of his own garments and threw it over him. And the court there asked him: Why are you giving him your garment? And they were displeased by this — for why should this dead man be clothed and be saved through a garment not his own? The aforementioned tzaddik answered them: I need to send this man to my desired destination — and for this I have the right to clothe him in my garment. And have you not seen that sometimes a great officer sends his servant to some other officer, and the servant was delayed a bit in going on his mission? And the officer asked him: Why have you not yet gone on my mission? He answered him that he had no clothing suitable for traveling in. The officer immediately gave him some of his own garments so that he could go on the mission. So too in our case — I am sending this dead man on a mission for me, and therefore I have the right to give him garments. And they accepted this argument. And the dead man was clothed in the garment and received his place. And the tzaddik accomplished through this what he wished to accomplish. 103. (New Stories, sub-number 23) (23.) Once there was a certain king, and the king traveled to a certain country and saw there very beautiful buildings called palatsin [palaces]. And the buildings were very pleasing to his eyes. And he traveled home and immediately hired craftsmen to build him palaces as he had seen in the aforementioned country. And they built him those palaces and painted them with very wondrous paintings. And afterwards, when they had built them and painted them, he made a very great feast and sent invitations [gizettin] throughout his country: whoever wishes to see those palaces, let him go and see. And from all the provinces they traveled to see. And from one city two men joined together — one was a Jew and one was a gentile called a shlachtzitz [nobleman] — and they traveled together to see the palaces the king had built. And when they came to the gate of the palaces, they saw that there was painted on the gate of the palace a wondrous path. And on both sides of the path stood springs with water, and over each spring and its waters was appointed one angel. And along the side of the path walked a beggar [bettler], and the beggar was extremely, extremely thirsty for water. And the aforementioned appointees did not want to give him even a little water to drink. And in the middle of the path there drove a nobleman in a slow carriage, and he told the appointee to give him a little water for his hands. And one appointee went and gave it to him. And the other appointee went and gave the aforementioned beggar water to drink. And the appointee who had given water to the nobleman went and poured ash upon the appointee who had given water to the beggar. All of this was seen by the two aforementioned men — that is, the Jew and the nobleman. And the nobleman said about this: "Kepestve!" [an injustice — unfair]. And the Jew gave him a slap on the cheek [called a patch], and there was a gishlayg [brawl] there. Until the king heard of this, and the king sent for them. And at first the king asked the Jew: Why did you strike him? He answered: Because the matter is not kepestve at all. The king asked: How is it not kepestve? And the Jew explained: The appointed angel who was commanded to guard the spring and give water only to worthy people — he gave water to the nobleman because the nobleman is more prominent. And the other appointee transgressed the king's commandment by giving water to the unworthy beggar — and because of this [the first] poured ash on him, so that he should know he has transgressed the king's commandment. That is why I struck the nobleman — because he said it was kepestve, when in truth it was not kepestve at all, but rather absolute justice. And the king greatly praised the Jew and honored him greatly. And this story — those who understand will understand. ✦ ✦ ✦ Continued in the next file — Section V: His Birthplace, Residence, and Journeys (Articles 104 onward) Chayay Moharan — Articles 104–166 " Chayay Moharan The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman of Breslov Part Four: Articles 104 166 | His Birthplace, Residence and Journeys His Journey to the Land of Israel His Journey to Navaritsh, Zaslav, Dubna and Brody His Birthplace, Residence, Journeys and Wanderings General articles 104 128 | Section sub-articles 1 25 104. (Section 1) (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.) 105. (Section 2) (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 Gd, 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 Gd in those aforementioned villages and labored and toiled in the service of Gd 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 Gd, 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 Gd 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. 106. (Section 3) (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 Gd 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 Gd 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. 107. (Section 4) (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. 108. (Section 5) (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. 109. (Section sub-number 6) (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, f or even of what I already heard, the greater part has been forgotten. 110. (Section sub-number 7) (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. 111. (Section sub-number 8) (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. 112. (Section sub-number 9) (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. 113. (Section sub-number 10) (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. 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]. הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ רַבִּי יוֹסֵף (קיג) The hashmata reveals that Adil married Rabbi Yoske the son of the Gaon Rabbi Avraham Dov of Chmelnik — not the Gaon himself. The name "Rabbi Yoske the son of" was omitted from some printings and is restored inline above. 114. (Section sub-number 11) (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.) 115. (Section sub-number 12) (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. 116. (Section sub-number 13) (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) 117. (Section sub-number 14) (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. הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ · 'פַּאנְצֶ'ערְלֶע' (קיז) וְדִבֵּר אֶחָד עִמּוֹ מִמִּרְיָם [וְאָמַר כַּמָּה הִיא גְּדוֹלָה וְכוּ שֶׁבְּחוּל יָבוֹאוּ לְכָאן. וְאָמַר: מִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה יִּהְיֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עִם מִרְיָם.] 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 And afterwards he began to speak and to cast forth from his holy mouth words, and he revealed a little outline of the Torah Kartulleesuh (A Chest), and he did not reveal to us the entire Torah then explicitly, only its outline with great joy. And also afterwards he spoke with us at other times, several times, about the aforementioned matter of life, that everything is called life. And also regarding a life of suffering, there are many distinctions — and his intention is understood, that the essential life is when one merits to know Him Blessed He and to attain true apprehension of the Torah, for they are the essential life in truth, as it is written [Deuteronomy 30:20]: "for He is your life." But not all life is equal, and even in his own experience o.b.m. there was a distinction between the life of the former time and the life of now, to the point that he boasted that he had lived today life the likes of which he had never yet lived. See and behold and understand the depth of this holy expression. Fortunate are we that we merited to see a man alive such as this. (9.) "The nine precious tikunim" (Likutay Moharan, Torah 20) — this Torah was said on Rosh Hashana 5565 [1804], which fell on Thursday and Friday. And in the preceding summer, between Pesach and Shavuos, we were by him at the time that his son-in-law the rav from Khmelnik was here. And then he told us the wondrous vision which begins: "There was one person lying on the ground." And he said that this Torah, "nine precious tikunim," is the explanation of the aforementioned vision. And he said that in all the Torahs he says there are allusions from this vision, but this Torah, "nine precious tikunim," is entirely an explanation of the aforementioned vision, and a little of this is explained in its place (below #83), see there. Addendum — Translator's Note See below article 83 for the explanation of the aforementioned vision, and there it is explained at length. Addendum — Translator's Note See below article 83 for the explanation of the aforementioned vision, and there it is explained at length. (10.) Afterwards, on Shavuos which fell then on Wednesday and Thursday, he said the Torah "A Prayer of Habakkuk" (Likutay Moharan, Torah 19). And afterwards in that same summer he began to say the Torah "Atteeka, hidden and concealed" (Likutay Moharan, Torah 21), and at first I heard from him o.b.m. some matters of the aforementioned Torah, section by section, and afterwards he said it in its entirety on the road on Shabbat Nachamu [the Sabbath of Consolation]. And before that, I stood before him on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av [the first of the month of Av], on the first day of the week in the Sabbath at the time of evening, at the time when one ceases from eating meat, and he was then extremely awesome, and he lay on his bed and was very silent and was thinking whatever he was thinking, and I stood before him trembling and astonished, and I stood before him then for several hours. And then he told me this matter — he answered and said: This Sabbath I cried greatly before Hashem Yisburach — why is it that every thing that I wish to do I am forced to do it with messeeras nefesh (self-sacrifice), that is, every thing that needs to be done in the service of Hashem

is extremely difficult and burdensome to him, and he cannot do it except with literal messeeras nefesh. And he told that every day when he rises in the morning and wishes to pray, he cannot open his mouth at all, and there is nothing with which to enliven himself, and then he wishes to at least recall to himself some melody to enliven himself with some melody, and this too is withheld from him, for he cannot recall to himself any melody at all, to the extent that he does not know at all how to stand and pray. And even still, he stands to pray. Afterwards, when he comes within the prayer, he then recalls some melody which comes to mind by itself. The general principle is that every thing he wishes to do is extremely difficult for him, and he is forced to do it with messeeras nefesh. And from this my heart was roused and I understood a great moral lesson for ourselves: to learn kal v'chomer [a fortiori] from him, how much do we need to strengthen ourselves and force ourselves with all our strength in all the matters that pertain to Hashem, especially regarding prayer. Is it not so, that if a holy and awesome tzaddik such as he needed to sacrifice himself so much for prayer and for each and every matter in holiness, and he had impediments and heaviness like this before doing something holy as mentioned above — all the more so and the son of all the more so how much we need to toil and exert ourselves and sacrifice our souls every day, particularly at the time of prayer which at first is extremely burdensome upon a person, and one needs much exertion and to force oneself in many ways and with many counsels — perhaps one will merit to speak even a single word in prayer. For for the sake of a single word of prayer it is worthwhile to sacrifice one's soul, because [Brachos 6b] prayer is among the matters that stand at the very summit of the world. And afterwards in that same summer he began to say the Torah "Atteeka, hidden and concealed" (Likutay Moharan, Torah 21), and at first I heard from him o.b.m. some matters of the aforementioned Torah, section by section, and afterwards he said it in its entirety on the road on Shabbat Nachamu [the Sabbath of Consolation]. And before that, I stood before him on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av [the first of the month of Av], on the first day of the week in the Sabbath at the time of evening, at the time when one ceases from eating meat, and he was then extremely awesome, and he lay on his bed and was very silent and was thinking whatever he was thinking, and I stood before him trembling and astonished, and I stood before him then for several hours. And then he told me this matter — he answered and said: This Sabbath I cried greatly before Hashem Yisburach — why is it that every thing that I wish to do I am forced to do it with messeeras nefesh (self-sacrifice), that is, every thing that needs to be done in the service of Hashem is extremely difficult and burdensome to him, and he cannot do it except with literal messeeras nefesh. (11.) And then he told me and said: This Sabbath a question was posed on high, and I gave an answer to it. And the question is: there are makifim (encompassing lights) by the intellect, and there are makifim with respect to the Torah — and what is to be done so that the makifim enter within etc., as all this is printed in the Torah "Atteeka" (Torah 21) mentioned above. Afterwards I stood before him further until after sunset. In the meanwhile his servant entered to him and said in these words: "Rebbi git gelt oyf lecht" — in the Holy Tongue: "Give money for candles." He answered and said to me: Did you hear what he is saying? This too remember, for he too is an answer to the question — that is, on the aforementioned question regarding the makifim that were posed on high. If you will be a worthy man you will merit to understand this. And thank G‑d, I have already understood a little of this. §12.) 118. (Section sub-number 15) (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. 119. (Section sub-number 16) (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. 120. (Section sub-number 17) (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) 121. (Section sub-number 18) (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 — <for if the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory was, it would also search more.>" 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. 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." הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ הַבַּעַל-שֵׁם-טוֹב (קכא) Incorporated inline above. The hashmata adds Rabbainu's words to his traveling companions: "The world longs for when there will be [one] like the Baal Shem Tov z"l — for if he had been more gemakhn [agreeable/accessible]." The hashmata adds the words "שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה ז"ל הָיָה גַּם כֵּן מְחַפֵּשׂ יוֹתֵר" — "for if he [the Baal Shem Tov] of blessed memory had also been searching more." These words were omitted from some printings. The implication: even the Baal Shem Tov himself would have needed to search further — a hint to the depth of Rabbainu's own path which goes beyond what was revealed. 122. (Section sub-number 19) (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. הַשְׁמָטָה — OMISSION הַזָּקָן (קכב) B"H — The hashmata הַזָּקָן belonging to this article will be added here. 123. (Section sub-number 20) (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. הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ · הַזָּקָן (קכב) · חִדּוּשׁ כָּזֶה (קמ) · תַּנָּאִים וַאֲמוֹרָאִים (קמא) 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. 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. (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 seve ral 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." (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.) 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. When the aforementioned elder began to oppose him he said: "I knew the evil inclination — the S"M <and his forces> — 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 afterwards he said that this is the explanation of "And I shall see my enemies" [v'ani er'eh v'son'ai]. For at first glance it is puzzling — did not King David, upon him be peace, know that Saul was his enemy? And how could he want to see his punishment? For did not Hashem Yisburach say to him [Mo'ed Katan 16b]: "Were you Saul and he David, I would have destroyed many Davids before him etc."? But this is what David said: "Master of the World — give me eyes so that I can see my enemy — how he stands now, at what level he stands now — and through this I will know clearly my own level." And he then said as a witticism:> 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"]. Afterwards Rabbainu z"l said several Torahs regarding the matter of the controversy of the aforementioned elder — see there and you will understand. 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) 124. (Section sub-number 21) (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." (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.) 125. (Section sub-number 22) (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. 126. (Section sub-number 23) (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. 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"]. 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. 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. 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. 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) 127. (Section sub-number 24) (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. 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. 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. 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. 128. (Section sub-number 25) (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. נְסִיעָתוֹ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל His Journey to the Land of Israel 129. (Section sub-number 1) (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. 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. 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. 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. 130. (Section sub-number 2) (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. 131. (Section sub-number 3) (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!" 132. (Section sub-number 4) (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 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." הַשְׁמָטָה — OMISSION הָרַב (קלב) B"H — The hashmata הָרַב belonging to this article will be added here. 133. (Section sub-number 5) (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]. 134. (Section sub-number 6) (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. 135. (Section sub-number 7) (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. 136. (Section sub-number 8) (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. (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.) 137. (Section sub-number 9) (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. 138. (Section sub-number 10) (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. 139. (Section sub-number 11) (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... 140. (Section sub-number 12) (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. הַשְׁמָטָה — OMISSION חִדּוּשׁ כָּזֶה (קמ) B"H — The hashmata חִדּוּשׁ כָּזֶה belonging to this article will be added here. 141. (Section sub-number 13) (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 — <it seems that he said then that he merited what the Tanna'im and Amora'im did not merit, and one thing he revealed to the man of his household, and they need to ask him yet several more matters that he heard from his holy mouth.> הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ תַּנָּאִים וַאֲמוֹרָאִים (קמא) Incorporated inline above. 142. (Section sub-number 14) (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]. 143. (Section sub-number 15) (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. 144. (Section sub-number 16) (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." 145. (Section sub-number 17) (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. 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. 146. (Section sub-number 18) (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. 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]: <And afterwards he said: this is the explanation of "And I shall see my enemies" [v'ani er'eh v'son'ai]. For at first glance it is puzzling — did not King David, upon him be peace, know that Saul was his enemy? And how could he want to see his punishment? For did not Hashem Yisburach say to him [Mo'ed Katan 16b]: "Were you Saul and he David, I would have destroyed many Davids before him etc."? But this is what David said: "Master of the World — give me eyes so that I can see my enemy — how he stands now, at what level he stands now — and through this I will know clearly my own level."> הַשְׁמָטָה — OMISSION אֶרְאֶה מִשּׁוֹנְאַי (קמו) B"H — The hashmata אֶרְאֶה מִשּׁוֹנְאַי belonging to this article will be added here. 147. (Section sub-number 19) (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. 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." 148. (Section sub-number 20) (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. 149. (Section sub-number 21) (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. 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. 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. 150. (Section sub-number 22) (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: 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. 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 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. 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... [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. נְסִיעָתוֹ לְנָאוְורִיטְשׁ. לְזַאסְלַאב. לְדוּבְנָא וְלִבְּרָאד His Journey to Navoritch, Zaslav, Dubna, and Brod 151. (Section sub-number 1) (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. 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 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 — <that is, he desired that Hashem Yisburach return and say to him the Torah as He did before Moshe Rabbainu upon him be peace> — 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. 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]. 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. 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. 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 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 And afterwards, in the days of Elul, I was with him in person (for when he came in [to town], I myself was not present; rather, all the above that was at the time of his entry to his home, I heard from my colleagues who were with him then), and immediately when I entered to him, and he o.b.m. was sitting in sobriety of mind in sorrow, he immediately began to speak about the matter of life and death. He answered and said to me: Between life and death there is no difference except for one cubit — that now a person is here, and afterwards he is residing there. And he gestured with his hand toward the cemetery — meaning to say: one who is a tzaddik and even in his death is alive, what difference is there for him between life and death? Only before, he was residing here, and now he has fixed his dwelling there in the grave, and he is alive there. And then he began to speak of eternal life: eternal life exists only with Hashem Yisburach, and one who is included in Him Blessed He is also alive with eternal life etc., as all this is explained in connection with the aforementioned Torah "Atteeka." (13.) Afterwards he entered to us to his large house and spoke with us as his custom. And then he asked one person if he had wept on Rosh Hashana, and he said then that the essential weeping is when it comes from joy. And he then revealed the wondrous matter in [the words] "Beshimcha yageeloo kul hayom" ("In Your Name they will rejoice all day"), whose initial letters spell bechiyah (weeping), as is explained in Torah 175. And he said then that he had what is called in the language of Chassidism a great haarah (illumination) [lit. shining], to say Torah — but on account of this he became confused. And he told that his young daughter who had passed away came to him with a great complaint, because the members of his household had been occupying themselves with her healing through a certain gentile who dealt in incantations and segulahs (propitious remedies). And Rabbainu o.b.m. said that even though nowadays sorcerers are not common, this particular gentile was a complete sorcerer, and this was a great blemish for such a holy and precious soul. Therefore she came to him with a great complaint regarding this, and then he was forced to ask until they informed him as above, and through this he rectified her — and on account of this the matter became confused and he did not say the great Torah which he was prepared to say as mentioned above. But through the mercy of Hashem His kindness prevailed over us, and Hashem Yisburach arranged that even still we did not lose this Torah — for we merited afterwards on the second day, when he revealed to us a high, long, broad, and very deep Torah, and it is the Torah "Seal within seal" (Likutay Moharan, Torah 22). And this Torah was said suddenly, for at first he sat and spoke with us as his custom. And previously he had commanded one person to bring him oil and a wick to prepare for him a candle of olive oil, and afterwards he lit the candle himself. For such was his way several times, that he would suddenly light an olive-oil candle, and the matter was understood that he was thereby sweetening judgments. And then, near the lighting, with the candle burning nearby at his table, he spoke with us in great awe. And in the meanwhile he commanded that a selichah [penitential prayer] be brought before him, and they brought it before him, and he opened it and said a little from some selichah of Yom Kippur. And all of this was in the presence of all of us who were standing around him, and he sat on his chair near his table in his room. In the meanwhile he began to speak of Gan Eden and Gehinom, that Gan Eden and Gehinom are in this world etc., and he entered from one topic to the next until he completed the entire Torah "Seal within seal" mentioned above, and the recital lasted approximately four hours. And what transpired then it is impossible to tell over in writing. Fortunate is the hour, fortunate are the moments, that we merited to stand before him. And afterwards, on the Sabbath after Sukkos, he said that for this Torah he gave a thousand adomim [coins] to the guardian of the gate above, in the place where he was then etc., as is explained in its place (below #117). (14.) At the time he gave us the Torah "nine precious tikunim" mentioned above in his holy handwriting, we were standing before him, and he cut the pages of the aforementioned Torah from his book in order to give them to us to copy. And the beginning of the Torah was situated in the middle of the page, upon which there was written another Torah which he did not wish to give us to copy. And he was compelled to tell me these words orally, word by word, and I sat by him and was writing from his holy mouth. And in the meanwhile he became very inflamed, and his face was reddening and shining, and he paused in the middle for a bit, and it was a great wonder to us. And afterwards he told us that this night was the yartzait [death-anniversary] of his mother, for it was then the 19th of Adar, and he had forgotten and had not lit a candle and had not said Kaddish, and it was then a leap year, so the yartzait falls in both months of Adar, as is known [see Shulchan Aruch, siman 402:14]. And in the midst of writing this Torah his mother came to him and reminded him of the yartzait. And immediately he called a quorum and learned Mishnayos and said Kaddish and lit a candle for her sake. And in the morning he also called a quorum to his room where he sat, and he himself led the Borchu and said Borchu and Kedushah, and afterwards all the Kaddishim of Uva Letzion and Tefillah l'David and Pitum Haktores and Aleinu. And he said them all himself, not one was omitted. And afterwards he learned Mishnayos and said another Kaddish d'Rabbanan. And he said afterwards that in all his days he had never led the Borchu, and this was the first time for him that he had said Borchu and Kedushah before the pulpit — and there are further matters within this. And it appears to me, according to our grasp at the time, that the young daughter mentioned above was named Faiga after his mother, whose name was Faiga, of blessed memory — and the aforementioned Torah pertains to the matter of the departure of the soul, from which the explanations of the Torah were drawn, for there is a soul that suffers bitterness as is explained there, see there. And because of this it seems, according to my humble understanding, that there was a particular connection: that specifically at the time that we occupied ourselves with the aforementioned Torah, the soul of his holy mother of blessed memory came — for his mother was a great righteous woman, and I heard once from his holy mouth explicitly that his mother had holy spirit. And the matters are deep. For all the words of Rabbainu o.b.m., and the stories that we tell of him, there is not in them a single thing that does not contain very high and awesome and exceedingly mighty secrets. "Deep, deep — who can find it" [Ecclesiastes 7:24]. Especially the stories that transpired with his holy offspring, for his children are on the level of above the six hundred thousand souls of Israel, as is understood from Likutay Moharan vol. 1, siman 273, on the verse [Chronicles I 23:17]: "And the sons of Rehabiah were very many" — see there. And therefore what transpired upon them was in every matter great battles, for it touches upon things from very far. May Hashem have mercy upon the remnant that remains, and draw down upon those who survive — life and length of days and years — upon them and upon their progeny until the end of all generations. Amen and Amen.