מקום לדתו וישיבתו ונסיעותיו וטלטוליו

(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.) (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 G‑d, 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 G‑d in those aforementioned villages and labored and toiled in the service of G‑d 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 G‑d, 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 G‑d 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. (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 — G‑d 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 G‑d 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. (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. (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. 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. (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, for even of what I already heard, the greater part has been forgotten.

(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.

(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. (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. (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. (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. (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, immediat ely 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. (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.

(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.

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.

(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. 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. 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]. (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.) (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.) (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.

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."

(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. (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. 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.) §116) that in that year Rabbainu of blessed memory danced greatly — namely on the aforementioned Shemini Atzeret, and on Shabbos Chanuka at the Third Meal after he said the awesome Torah "I saw a golden Menorah" [Likutay Moharan vol. 1, Torah 8], and on Purim.

And afterwards on R osh Chodesh Nissan was the wedding of his daughter Sarah, and he danced greatly with his daughter the bride at the Third Meal of the Shabbos of the wedding, after he said the awesome Torah "And he is like a groom going forth from his canopy" [Likutay Moharan vol. 1, Torah 49]. For at the time of saying the Torah he began with a wondrous voice from the words "And he is like a groom going forth from his canopy" — only when he transmitted this Torah to us in his own holy handwriting he began from the verse "For the sun He has set a tent among them" as it is printed there. And after he said the aforementioned Torah he danced greatly with his daughter. Praiseworthy is the eye that saw this. And I heard from his holy mouth that he said himself: "This year I danced greatly because it was then heard that decrees are being issued (called punktn) against Israel — for through dancing and clapping of hands the judgments are sweetened and the decrees are annulled, as is explained in the Torah 'And these are the ordinances' [Likutay Moharan vol. 1, Torah 10], which was said regarding this matter, as is noted elsewhere (Sichos HaRan (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) (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.

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.)

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 (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' שֶׁבְּחוּ"ל 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 §12.) (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. (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.

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 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. (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. (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. (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) (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 accompanie d 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 hashm ata 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. (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. (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. (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. 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.

(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)

But the aforementioned elder did not listen to them and persisted in his groundless controversy. B "H — The hashmata הַזָּקָן belonging to this article will be added here. (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.

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."

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 several 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: "Tr ue." 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 i

nform 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) (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.

(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.

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 Ta le 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 several 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 hav e 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) (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 p salm "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.) (21.) On Shab

bat 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.) (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. (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. (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.

Afterwards Rabbainu z"l said several Torahs regarding the matter of the controversy of the aforementioned elder — see there and you will understand.

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.

(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."

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.

(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.

(וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' יג) (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) (Section sub-number 21) (21.) On Shabbat Chanuka of 5569 [1808/9] — wh ich 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." (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 Shab bat 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. (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 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 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. (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 (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 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 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 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.