Part II: Shivchai Moharan — Articles 230–443

(1.) Rabbi Naftali told that Rabbainu o.b.m. said it would be very good if a proper man had horses and would travel every so often with young men into some forest or the like, and there they would speak of awe of Heaven and engage in hisbodidus etc. For in the field and the forest it is very good for hisbodidus. (4.) He said: "Had it not been stated explicitly in the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory [Kiddushin 30]: 'It is forbidden to say: a shaft in the eye of the Adversary [Satan]' — I would say: a shaft in the eye of the Adversary. And I do not understand at all the incidents found in the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory — from the Tannaim and Amoraim — in which this desire was very hard and burdensome for them, as is brought in several incidents in the Gemara. For by me it is nothing at all — not at all, in the least — and it is not considered a trial by me at all. And certainly there is a secret in the fact that it is found in the Torah that this desire is a trial — for in truth it is not a trial at all. And whoever knows even a little of the greatness of the Creator, may He be blessed, as it is written [Psalms 135]: 'For I know that G-d is great'..."

And he told then of his conduct in the days of his youth — that he was accustomed to take a horse from his father-in-law's house and ride on the horse to some forest. And there he would dismount from the horse and tie it to some tree, and he would go inside the forest to do what he needed and engage in hisbodidus as was his custom. And many times the horse would untie itself and run away home to his father-in-law's house. And when they saw there that the horse had come back alone they were very worried and frightened — for they said he had certainly fallen from the horse, G-d forbid. And many times great rains fell upon him while he was in the forest, and afterwards he came home late at night or later. And I heard from his holy mouth many times that the main thing depends only on effort and exertion etc., and through this every person can come to great levels etc. And he said: "I can make a proper man — what they call a giter Yid — exactly like me." (5.) Regarding the complete breaking of desires and evil character traits in total nullification — he boasted about himself that he merited to this. Rabbainu o.b.m. said: there are tzaddikim who have broken the desires — but it is like hide that has been tanned — and even though the hide has been tanned, there still remains in it a somewhat unpleasant odor. Likewise the analogy: there are those who have broken their desires but there still remains in them a slight trace of them, and the desires still cleave to them to some extent.

(2.) I heard from one person who heard from Rabbainu o.b.m. who told him about the immensity of his holiness in childhood — that when he was a small child he wanted to be G-d-fearing and he desired to receive the Sabbath with great holiness as was fitting. And he went to the bathhouse and immersed immediately with alacrity just after midday. And he came out of the immersion and came home and dressed in Sabbath garments and entered the house of study and walked about here and there, wanting to draw upon himself the sanctity of the Sabbath and the additional Sabbath soul. And he desired greatly to see something but saw nothing at all. And he was very longing to see. And in the midst of this, people began to enter the house of study and some important man came and stood at his lectern and began to recite the Song of Songs. And he o.b.m. went and placed his head underneath the lectern. And since he was still a small child no one took issue with him. And he lay there and began to weep — and wept very greatly with abundant tears for several hours until the evening — until his eyes swelled up. And afterwards he opened his eyes and it seemed to him as if he saw some light because the candles had already been lit, and his eyes were so sealed from weeping. And then his mind was somewhat at ease. And it seems he said he was then about six years old. And he said previously that one must cleanse the body from desires just as one tans the hide and turns it over. Just so the body must be completely clean and tanned from all desires and evil character traits — to the point that they could literally turn it over and see that it is completely clean from all desires and evil traits. And all this he achieved in his youth before he began to walk in exalted attainments — and long before he traveled to the Land of Israel.

(3.) He said: "I would seek and pray very greatly that Hashem Yisburach bring me a trial — for I was firm in my conviction that unless He make me insane, if it is within his understanding [one with understanding] has no fear of any trial etc." (6.) He said: "From my revealed matters you do not need to learn — meaning, even though as you observe me it seems to you that I am mostly in sadness, you do not need to learn from this — only to always be in joy. For do you compare yourselves to me in all things to act as I do? In truth I too am in joy — only because I must always clear the path in a place that was chaos and wilderness, to make a road there — to cut away from there all the obstacles impeding the road — and one must cut down trees that have grown there for thousands of years, and go back and forth here and there cutting and returning to cut — in order that the road be well-trodden for the multitudes who will be able to walk on that road. And from this great exertion..."

(7.) We already heard — since his family descends from the royal house of David as is known to the world — that therefore for the most part they walk with a broken heart and are not accustomed to cheerful countenances. For King David, upon him be peace, founded the Book of Psalms — the majority of which is words of suppression coming from a broken heart. For all his words are only cries and supplications with a very broken heart. Therefore his offspring too have a broken heart for the most part. For also the Rabbi Rabbi Baruch is not accustomed to a cheerful countenance and a rejoicing heart — only with a broken heart. But we are admonished to always be in joy. (9.) Said the transcriber: I heard that once his righteous mother of blessed memory pressed him — since the world praises him and says such great things about him — that he should tell her also what his level is in the service of G-d. He replied to her: "What shall I tell you — I am truly one who turns away from evil" [in Yiddish: "ich bin ain emeter sar merah"].

(8.) He told that in the days of his childhood when he ate his meal, he would afterwards give praise and thanksgiving to Hashem Yisburach in Yiddish for each item of the entire order of his eating — and he was not satisfied with reciting the blessing after meals. Rather of his own accord he gave praise and thanksgiving to Hashem Yisburach in Yiddish for the entire order of the meal that had been given him that day. For example — if they had first given him a bit of whiskey and a piece of cake, and afterwards a radish before the meal etc., and so on throughout the order of the meal — he would organize praise and thanksgiving to Hashem Yisburach for each and every item individually. I also heard from the Rabbi Rabbi Naftali of blessed memory that once his mother asked him why he does not press himself to eat a little, for what will he live on? And he replied to her: "I am now living only with 'wisdom revives its possessors' [Ecclesiastes 7]." And he further said to her: "I have people like this who know such things that they can live on them without eating and drinking."

(10.) I heard from the mouth of the Rabbi Rabbi Nussun of blessed memory that after Rabbainu o.b.m. said the discourse "I have strayed like a lost sheep" etc. [Likutay Moharan, Torah 206] he said to him that this matter is his hisbodidus in these times. Stand and contemplate the immensity of his humility, simplicity, and the wholeheartedness of his holy service all the days of his life. For even though he merited to what he merited — even so, his prayer and hisbodidus before his Creator was with such lowly spirit and broken heart.

I also heard from him of blessed memory that once one of the younger, smaller members asked him how to engage in hisbodidus — and he taught him to say before Hashem Yisburach: "Master of the Universe, have mercy on me etc. — for is it possible that..."

(11.) I heard that once one of our people came before him complaining greatly about the deficiency of his livelihood. Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him: "I do not know how you have the heart to confuse me with the vanities of this world! Am I not like one who walks day and night in the wilderness, tunneling and seeking to make settlement from a wilderness — for in the heart of each of you there is a desolate wilderness with no inhabitant, and there is no dwelling-place there for the Divine Presence. And I am tunneling and seeking at every time to make some rectification and place in your hearts to be a dwelling-place for the Divine Presence! Have you any idea how much exertion is needed to make beautiful and fitting utensils from a thick coarse-grained oak tree, called an oak? How much exertion is needed for this — until one hews it..."

(1.) I heard in his name that he said: "When do I have hisbodidus?" And he said: "At the hour when the entire world is standing around me and I am sitting among them — that is when I have hisbodidus. For I can cry out with a still small voice and my voice is heard from one end of the world to the other." And I also heard from his holy mouth himself that he has a still small voice — that he can stand among the populace and the crowd of people and cry out with a still small voice from one end of the world to the other, and all the people around him will not hear at all. And similarly regarding dancing — he said that when he sits among the people he can perform a wondrous dance, and once I heard from him himself that he said: "When I sit among people I am like one before whom the entire world stands..." (2.) Regarding the matter of his ability to make an appeal [andasenye] and send the matter to the Emperor himself etc. [Likutay Moharan, Torah 175]. And he said then: "What you see — that sometimes I write something and burn it — I send the matter through the smoke. And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai alluded a little of this in the holy Zohar etc."

(3.) Regarding worldly matters and even frivolous matters — that great tzaddikim can elevate those words and make from stories of mundane matters a great service of G-d — as is somewhat understood from the ways and conduct told of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory and the other awesome tzaddikim of the near generations. And also in the holy Zohar there is some allusion to this matter, as is brought there regarding Rav Hamnuna Sava who would arrange three sections of frivolous talk. But the immensity of the greatness of Rabbainu's wisdom and the power of his holiness and attainment in this matter — in the matter of the stories of everyday conversations etc. — was exceedingly wondrous and sublime. And something of it was understood and alluded to for one who merited to stand before him... (4.) Once Rabbainu o.b.m. told me by way of complaint about the immensity of the sufferings he has — saying he is compelled to think of Balaam in his mind every day within his prayer. And he told no more. And what is understood from his words plainly: that every day during prayer he must subdue the wicked Balaam — to nullify his impurity from the world.

(5.) I heard from his holy mouth during the days of Chanuka 5563 — he answered and said: "I am a very beautiful and wondrous tree with very wondrous branches — and below I am lying literally in the earth."

(6.) Once his son-in-law Rabbi Leib of Dobrovne was with him and took his leave as is customary. He answered and said: "I have a daughter in Kremintchak — send her my regards. Tell her that she has a father such that this novelty has never been and will never be" [in Yiddish: "lozt zi grisn zogt ir az zi hot ain tatn vos azoi a chidush iz nit givven un vet nit zain"]. "If I wanted to reveal from myself, the entire world would run after me — but I do not want to." And so too once I myself heard from him o.b.m. that he said with trembling and shaking: "Do you not know the nature of the world now? Do you not know — if it were not for a world like this, I would be a great novelty in the world — meaning that if it were not for the grossness and coarseness of the deeds of the world of now..."

(7.) Once he sat together with the holy Rabbi the Maggid of Tiraovitze — it seems it was at the Third Meal of the Sabbath — and he took hold of the Maggid's beard in a way of affection and said to him: "A novelty like me has never yet been in the world." (Said the transcriber: Do not wonder — for were there not the Patriarchs and Moses our master etc.? For who can understand his holy intention in this? And in simple terms one may say that his intention is to say that such an awesome and sublime novelty, and in such a manner, and with such a revelation within such a concealment, and similarly all the like — certainly has never yet been in the world.) (9.) He said in Kremintchak: "In times to come they will say: 'Ai, was there a Rabbi Nachman like that!'" [in Yiddish: "men vet amohl zogn: ai, iz dos given a R' Nachman"] — "for they will long greatly after me." He also said that in times to come it will be a great wonder that people had opposed him, and they will say with astonishment: "They opposed this one?" He also said that when there is controversy about someone they will say: "But even about him there was controversy" — meaning therefore opposition is no proof.

(8.) Once he said: "The world should be interceding much for me — for the world needs me very, very greatly, for the world cannot exist without me at all." (10.) He said: "The entire world needs me — not to mention you, for you yourselves know how much you need me. But even all the tzaddikim need me — for they too need to be returned to the right path. And even the nations of the world need me. But 'it is enough for a servant to be as his master'" [Brachos 58b].

(11.) When he traveled to Navoritch — while sitting on the wagon — he said: "It is in my power to return the entire world to the right path — not only simple people but even tzaddikim and great people I can bring back to the right path. For the tzaddikim too need to be returned to the right path. Not to mention the holy people of Israel — but even all the nations of the world entirely I can return to Hashem Yisburach — and I could bring them close to the religion of Israel. But 'it is enough for a servant to be as his master.'"

(12.) He said that as for him, the ratzo [running, the surge of enthusiasm] is no service at all — the main service and exertion for him is the aspect of shov [the return]. That is, in the service of G-d there is the aspect of [Ezekiel 1]: "running and returning" — and this aspect exists by every person, even the lowest of the low. For every person is sometimes awakened to the service of G-d — particularly during prayer, when his heart is sometimes very inflamed and he says certain words with great enthusiasm, and this is the aspect of ratzo. And afterwards the awakening and enthusiasm ceases and only a residual impression remains — and this is the aspect of shov. And for most people the main service and exertion is to merit the aspect of ratzo — that his heart should run and be awakened to His service etc. But the...

(13.) He said: "Whatever one wants to do for my sake — there are many many obstacles for it. For many many lie in wait to disrupt whatever one wants to do for my sake. For in the opposite direction — when that thing is done — countless worlds receive and draw nourishment from it, and they stand and wait for the matter to be completed and done. And corresponding to this the sitra achra [Other Side] stands to prevent and obstruct so that it should not go from potential to actual etc." And this is said even for small things — whatever it may be — since it is for his sake there are many obstacles." (14.) I heard in his name that he said: "There will yet come a time when men will wonder to each other and one will say to his fellow: 'Did you know Rabbi Nachman? Were you in his house? Did you know one of his people — this one or that one?' And it will be a great wonder in the world that a person merited to know him. And even one who will know his people — that too will be a great wonder." (For so greatly will his true name and importance be recognized, and all will know the truth of the immensity of his great and boundless greatness — until it will be a wonder in their eyes for one who merited to know him.)

<I heard in his name that he said that he will learn Torah together with [all] the Seven Shepherds> (Said the transcriber: see the letter of the Baal Shem Tov printed at the end of the book Porat Yosef, where it is brought that Mashiach will learn Torah with the Seven Shepherds [and it is already cited in the words of Rabbainu z"l several times that he is in the aspect of Mashiach — but that the generation is not worthy of this].)

(15.) After he said the Torah "Trust in G-d and do good" [Likutay Moharan, Torah 79] he was walking in his house here and there as was his custom — and he took a staff in his hand and said: "And the staff of G-d is in my hand" [Exodus 17] — meaning that he had merited to conquer his free will completely, as is explained in the Conversations above [#36]. (17.) I heard that he said: "I have such an attainment of Hashem Yisburach that through it I could have brought Messiah — but I set all of this aside and took myself to be with you to return you to the right path, for this is greater than all. For [Zohar Terumah 128b]: 'Praiseworthy is one who takes by the hand of a wicked person.'" And then he rebuked our people very strongly and said: "How much exertion did I invest for you! How many times was my throat hoarse and the moisture dried in my mouth from the multitude of words I multiplied speaking with each and every one of you individually! And now what have I accomplished? Even though you are proper men — but not as I wanted it." (For it was already explained [above #228] that he wanted to make us complete tzaddikim, exceedingly elevated in level.) "And how will I face the..."

(16.) I heard in Lipovitz that he said: "I am a wondrous person and my soul is a great wonder." (18.) Once he said: "I thought it was my evil inclination telling me that no one can lead young people like me — now I know clearly that I am the leader of the generation, singular in the world" [in Yiddish: "az ich bin ain manhig"] — "and there is no leader like me."

(19.) He said to one person that it comes into his mind that he would take his wife and travel to distant places and be there in great concealment from the world — and he would go out sometimes into the marketplace outside and look upon the world and laugh at the entire world. And he also said to me: "There will yet come a time when you will greatly miss the fact that there was in your hands such a wondrous novelty and you abandoned it and did not fulfill his words etc." (20.) He said a parable: Once a great merchant was traveling with fine Hungarian wine. Once the servant and the wagon driver said to the master of the house: "We are traveling on this road with this wine and bearing all this discomfort — let us taste a little." And he gave them a little of that fine wine to taste. Some days later it came about that this servant was gathered together with some wine drinkers in a small city and they were drinking wine and praising it greatly, saying it was Hungarian wine. The aforementioned servant said: "Let me taste it" — and they gave him some. And he said: "I know this is not good Hungarian wine at all" — and they scolded him and pushed him away. And he said: "I truly know this is not Hungarian wine at all — for I was with a great merchant..."

(21.) On the night before his son Shlomo Ephraim's holy circumcision he sat with us much and spoke with us much about his greatness and the truth of the immensity of his level — and we heard several things then. And he said then that it is difficult to enter into the heart the matter of his greatness, and it is impossible to speak of this — for others also say such kinds of words. And whatever the mouth can say — another also says the same way. But only each one according to what he estimates in his own heart can understand something of where the true points of absolute truth lie. And understand.

(22.) Many times he himself repeated the words of the world that they say about him: that there is no middle ground here — either he is, G-d forbid, as the opponents fabricate about him — those who speak arrogantly against the righteous, G-d save us — or, if it is the opposite, that he is a true tzaddik: then he is a wondrous, awesome, and sublime novelty beyond what any human mind can estimate at all. For so the majority of the world was accustomed to speak about him o.b.m. And he o.b.m. himself repeated these words many times and hinted to us that the truth is indeed so — that there is no middle ground here — and understand.

(23.) In the year 5563 — which was the first Rosh Hashana he was here in Breslov — I was with him for Rosh Hashana and all the Ten Days of Repentance until after Yom Kippur. And after Yom Kippur I traveled home and Rabbi Yudl and Rabbi Shmuel Aizik remained here for the Festival of Sukkos. And I heard several precious words from Rabbi Yudl about what he heard then — and I do not remember them well. Once on Hoshana Rabba he said before the world: "What shall I do — two murderers stand over me and say even so that I am a leader" (meaning those called a 'good Jew' [guter yid]) — and he indicated with his hand toward Rabbi Yudl and Rabbi Shmuel Aizik at the time he said "two murderers" — meaning that he was referring to them, since they were very closely attached to him. And who will merit to understand the interpretation of these words, for the aforementioned men were very precious in his eyes, among the greatest of his close ones.

And on Shemini Atzeret he spoke with them about the matter of dancing and clapping of hands, and turning oneself — which is the aspect of [Exodus 19]: "And Moshe went up to G-d, and Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai" (as explained elsewhere — Sichos HaRan §86) — and the matter of the pristakait [prostrating/leaping] that one does etc., and he spoke with them wondrous words. Afterwards a great multitude of townspeople began to enter who came to him with song and joy as is customary on Shemini Atzeret. And then he said to Rabbi Yudl and Rabbi Shmuel Aizik: "Go from here, for I need to engage with them — and this does not pertain to you" — and they left him.

And afterwards there was made there a very great joy with a great sound of song and joy. And Rabbainu of blessed memory himself danced very much from some time before nightfall until some hours into the night of Simchas Torah. And he commanded that they bring him <his daughter the bride Moras Sarah and his young daughter Moras Miriam> and he danced with them greatly. And the greatness of the wondrous pleasantness of the holiness of his dancing is already known — for whoever did not see this has never seen goodness in his days.

And it is already explained elsewhere (above §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 Rosh 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 §131).

(24.) He said: "Pray for me that I recover my health, and I will lead you on a new path that has never been in the world. Even though it is a very old path — even so, it is completely new."

(25.) Once he told that recently he had begun to study Choshen Mishpat with the Shach and the Sma — and in a short time studied up to paragraph 91 — approximately two hundred pages. And he said he knows and remembers from which small sub-paragraph each paragraph begins. And a rabbi was then before him and he began discussing with him questions and laws — and that rabbi did not know how to answer him. And afterwards there was a doctor before him and he spoke with him and he did not know either. And he said: "How does one take money for revealing <אוֹרִי [my light]>" — that in the revealed [exoteric knowledge] it is easier to innovate than in the hidden. And I do not remember all this.

(26.) He said: "All the goodnesses that Messiah will do for Israel — I can do. Only the distinction is that Messiah will decree a matter and it will arise — but I..." (and he stopped and spoke no more). Another version: "But I am unable yet to complete." There is also this version: "By me there is still free will — but by Messiah there will no longer be free will at all."

He said: "I will sing a song in the Future — and that will be the World to Come of all the tzaddikim and pious ones." (Said the transcriber: do not wonder for yourself at these words, for all of this is far beyond what can be explained...) (27.) I heard in his name that he said he had attained the yechidah [the highest level of the soul] at the utmost supreme degree. For it is known that the nefesh of the neshamah is higher than the yechidah of the ruach, and so on similarly with all of them. And he attained the yechidah at the utmost supreme degree. And he said: "Thus — I know 'a little,' and I stand at a very high level — even so I still want more, for who knows — perhaps there is still higher above higher without end etc." (28.) He said: "I am able to receive very much money without measure, and there will be no change in me at all. For it is the way of people that when money comes to hand — particularly much money — his face changes and changes come about in him. But by me, even if I receive an immense sum at once, there is no change in me at all." And I heard in his name that he said that his receiving of money is a novelty before Hashem Yisburach among the novelties that He has — for there are several novelties before Hashem Yisburach, and his receiving of money is a novelty before Hashem Yisburach.

(29.) Wednesday the 4th of Elul 5569 in Breslov. He said: "I am the most humble of all the famous ones — for each of them has his service and I am humble — meaning they are not considered anything by me at all. For the attribute of humility is to not regard oneself as anything — to be as nothing and nothingness in one's own eyes. And since they are not considered anything by me at all — it turns out I am humble toward them. Explanation: of all the famous ones I am the humble one — this one does this and that one does that — and I do not regard any of them. Thus in combination with all of them I have the attribute of humility in relation to them." "But whom do I regard as the greater nothing — the..."

(30.) He commanded that someone check his tefillin. He answered and said: "Since the Rabbi of Berdichev is now traveling and going around the country — because of this I am commanding to check my tefillin. For truly, even though I said that I do not regard them — meaning they are as nothing and nothingness to me as mentioned — even so, the Rabbi of Berdichev is in my eyes very great. And when such a great and famous person walks about, this is of the aspect of a blemish to the pride [of the Shechina], G-d forbid comparatively speaking. For Israel is the pride of Hashem Yisburach, and the great one among Israel is the main..."

(31.) The immensity of the level of those who drew close to him — it is impossible to estimate. For such words have already spread in the world — that others boast in similar kinds of words. But in truth those who are closely attached to me — the very drawing-close itself is a very great thing. For even though he himself — meaning the one who drew close — is nothing, and he does not conduct himself in the paths of righteousness as is fitting — even so, since he is among such people who are drawn close to a tzaddik — to such a holiness — this itself helps him very greatly. And in the course of time he will also be awakened and return in repentance...

<Perhaps this is the explanation: "The son of David comes only through inattention [heisach ha-da'as]" — meaning, it will not occur to them that he is already present. [Meaning, that he will already be in the world.] And in truth he comes etc. And he agreed, and said that this is indeed written [Jeremiah 30]: "And his mighty one shall be from him." Afterwards he was aroused and said: "This is Rav Nachman in tractate Sanhedrin — 'if from the living ones he is' — for it says 'Ana hu' [I am he], meaning that his mighty one shall be from him." And may he come speedily in our days, Amen. (Said the transcriber: From the aforementioned discourse our teacher Moharana"t z"l said to Admoo"r z"l — after he said the discourse cited in Likutay Moharan Tinyana §28: "Know that there are distinctions between the Torah discourses" etc. — and our teacher Moharana"t z"l, from the immensity of his feeling in the merit of stirring the depths of the awe of his holy words, until they burned within him like an actual flame — he could not hold himself back and raised his voice before all those standing over him saying the aforementioned discourse: "Perhaps this is indeed the explanation" etc.)>

<Perhaps this is the explanation: "The son of David comes only in distraction of the mind" — meaning that it will not occur to them that he [has already] come [meaning: that he already exists in the world]. And in truth he has come etc. And he acknowledged this and said that so is it written [Jeremiah 30]: "And his prince shall be from him." Afterwards he became aroused and said: "This is Rav Nachman in tractate Sanhedrin — 'if from the living ones [those alive today] — it is him, as it is said: Anah Hu [I am he]' — for 'his prince shall be from him' and 'his prince shall be' — speedily in our days, Amen.">

(33.) Rabbainu o.b.m. boasted that he never began to do any single thing in the world before he knew the secret that is in it. And even the matter of smoking tobacco through a pipe — he did not begin this until he knew the secret of this practice. And similarly with other practices — he did not begin any single thing until he knew the secret of the matter. And even though he o.b.m. knew the secret in the matter of smoking tobacco — even so, he greatly warned us to stay far from this, and once...

(34.) He said: "Whatever will happen to me I do not know — but this I accomplished before Hashem Yisburach: that the righteous redeemer will come from my descendants." And he said this publicly, and greatly warned to honor and hold in high esteem his children — for they are very precious trees, and from them will grow very good and wondrous fruits. He also said that from his descendants he took from the world of Atzilus [Emanation].

(35.) "The world think that when Messiah comes they will not die — this is not so. Even Messiah himself will also die." And he said this publicly. (36.) I heard in his name that he said he feels the troubles of Israel, G-d save us, before all the other tzaddikim — for he knows of the decree and the trouble, G-d forbid, when it is still in its root. And afterwards the matter reaches the other tzaddikim. And he said this is because he knows his lowliness in truth, and because of this he knows the immensity of the level of the holiness of Israel — how precious and very exalted they are, for they are drawn and taken from a very exalted, awesome, and sublime place. Therefore I know everything first as mentioned. May Hashem Yisburach have mercy on us through the merit of...

(37.) And it is already explained [above #6] that he was particular about the great ones who were unwilling to take to heart the decrees that were heard against Israel, G-d forbid, and who said that certainly G-d would not do this. And he o.b.m. said they err greatly in this — for have we not already seen that there were many troubles and decrees against Israel? May Hashem Yisburach guard us from now on. And he o.b.m. was very afraid of them, and spoke much about them and engaged very much with all his strength and with messeeras nefesh [self-sacrifice] to sweeten and nullify them. And his strong desire was that every...

(38.) He said that he accomplished before Hashem Yisburach that when they come before him to pray on behalf of a woman having difficulty in labor — that she should not have the difficulty of labor except until that very hour when they come before him. And immediately when they come before him she should give birth at once.

(39.) I heard in his name that he said: "From Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai — who was a well-known novelty — the world was quiet until the holy Ari of blessed memory — meaning from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai until the Ari of blessed memory no new things were revealed as were revealed through Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Until the Ari of blessed memory came — who was a novelty as is well known — and he revealed completely new things the like of which had never been revealed until the Ari of blessed memory. And from the Ari of blessed memory until the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory...

(40.) Sunday the 25th of Nisan 5570 — he was speaking with me about the novelties of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory who revealed new things in the world. For the narration of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory is a new thing — something that had never previously been revealed as such a narration. Only in the writings of the Ari of blessed memory is there also in some places something of this nature. And afterwards he praised very greatly the writings of the Ari z"l that revealed wondrous novelties as is known to the entire world — for he was then studying the book Likutay Torah of the Ari of blessed memory, and there...

(41.) In the year 5569 at the close of the Sabbath he answered and said: "If a great soul were to come to us — even so, we would appear distinguished." And truly they only oppose him because they imagined for themselves some person, as is brought elsewhere [Sichos HaRan 182] etc., and he sits in his house. And there had already been a case where they were in controversy against one — and he built himself a high tower and sat inside it. And they were fighting against him and shooting arrows and fire at him. But they could accomplish nothing. But there are precious stones that grow from vapors and mists. And there was a precious stone that was growing in the air — but it still did not yet have all its perfection completely. And through their shooting arrows at him as mentioned — through this they threw the precious stone and it fell on the tower. And this precious stone was one of charm [chen]. <And immediately when it fell on the tower, immediately they all fell before him and said: "Long live the King! Long live the King!"> But the small souls like you — who fall through the battles — they are in the aspect of [Lamentations 4]: "The holy stones are poured out." And it is called a pouring-out because they still do not have all their perfection and they fall before they are completed. But the aforementioned great soul — the aforementioned precious stone — the aspect of charm was completely perfected in him. But the other perfections he still did not have — and through the sage they were completed. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' רפו)

(42.) After Pesach 5565 he conversed with us and said that it had just become known to him two things — but I cannot say them, for they appear to be simple. For even their simple meaning appears to be so, on the surface — but even so, these things became known to him just now. Namely, what our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Brachos 28b]: "A person who commits a sin says: let no human see me." And he said nothing more — only he stressed those words "let no human see me" — and did not explain what became known to him in this, for he had already prefaced that he cannot explain in words as they appear simple.

(43.) After much time — in the summer of 5570 — at the time he traveled to Uman, he returned and told a little of the aforementioned matter and said: "Nothing is known at all" — meaning they know absolutely nothing whatsoever. And he greatly elaborated on the greatness of the Creator, may He be blessed — which it is impossible to explain. And he said they know nothing as mentioned. And I asked him: "But have you not already said this — and told of it — about the matter of 'the ultimate of knowledge is that we do not know,' and you have already explained all this — that even though one merits to this 'knowing that we do not know,' even so one still knows nothing at all?" He answered: "Yes — but now it seems to me that you..."

(44.) Once I heard from his holy mouth that he said through him one can understand something of the greatness of the Creator. That is — by seeing the immensity of his attainment — to what extent, to what extent he merited to attain wonders of wonders that no creature has attained etc. — and even so: "What am I?" — for even so I am only a piece of a human being. From this one can understand and learn countless kal vachomers [all the more so arguments] about the greatness of the Creator. And truly, whoever merited to recognize the greatness of our holy and awesome Rabbi, may the memory of the holy and righteous be for a blessing — would be astonished and...

(45.) Once he spoke with me and said as if with longing: "How does one acquire a chevra [fellowship] as there was by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the like? And I would also have inserted my head among them etc." He answered and said: "Wherever there would be a chevra — I would certainly be their Rebbe!" [in Yiddish: "vi sigivalт givven a chevra volt ich givven zeyer Rebbe"]. <In any case [min ha-stam], wherever there would be a chevra — he would certainly be their Rebbe! [in Yiddish: "min ha-stam vey, sigivalт givven a chevra volt ich givven zeyer Rebbe"]>

(46.) He said: "I have already wondered at the world — wherever there is found some genuine goodness, it is fitting that it draw close to us" [in Yiddish: "vi se gefint zich eppes rechts iz mechuyev tsu mir mekurev tsu vern"]. (47.) I heard from him in the winter 5563 at the beginning of my drawing close — that he said he knows the roots of the Torah from the place where the holy Torah comes from. For there are roots of the Torah which are higher than the Torah — from which the entire Torah is drawn — and they cannot be clothed at all within the Torah. And there are things that are in the aspect of an asmachta [a textual support] — meaning the matter is only connected to the verse as an asmachta, because it is very exalted and elevated. And I also heard that asmachta means leaning — that the matter leans on the verse, as one leans on something. And when...

<He said: "[There is no need to say] which king will conquer — this I know for certain. And moreover I know what another tzaddik does not know [that all the heavenly beings do not know].>

(48.) He said: "Come, let us be grateful to the deceivers — for through the controversy they make against us we have come to great things, and they are doing us a great favor. For so it is that through controversy one comes and attains great things. As we find that our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Temurah 16a]: In the days of the mourning for Moses, three hundred laws were forgotten etc., and Joshua asked the Holy One Blessed be He, and He said: 'It is impossible to tell them to you — go and keep them busy with war.' And Osniel ben Kenaz restored them through his discernment. And Osniel...

(49.) I heard from his holy mouth that he said: "I am a new vessel full of old." And it is also found in his holy handwriting: "I am the elder of holiness etc. who reveals things that the Ancient of Days concealed etc." (50.) I heard from his holy mouth that he said: "I can now say: 'All the sages of Israel are as nothing before me as the peel of garlic'" [Brachos 58]. "Only I do not have the 'except' [chuts]" — and half a statement I do not want to say. Explanation: Ben Azzai said: "All the sages of Israel are as nothing before me as the peel of garlic — except for that bald one." And he o.b.m. said he has the power to say this — that they are as mentioned before him. Only he does not have the 'except' — meaning there is no one to say 'except for this one.' And understand. And it also appears from his intention that he has something in this — only he cannot complete the aforementioned saying entirely.

<that afterwards not one person said a Torah discourse from there> etc. <He said to Rabbi Leipa: (Look at me!) "Observe me." And what he does not say to them [and he indicated with his hand toward Rabbi Naftali and Rabbi Nussun] [in Yiddish: "dos zestu mich itster, zalst mich Rosh Hashana"] — "This you see of me now — you should also see at Rosh Hashana!">

<He said: "When someone comes before me — right away when I see him I recognize him from the back of his neck... and down to his feet.">

<I also heard what is cited in Sichos HaRan (§166), that he said: "With one matter I arrived, and through it I merited" — there it does not specify what the matter is — "that I ate from the Tree of Knowledge [me'ein ha-da'as]", that his holy soul had never at all tasted from the Tree of Knowledge.> (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' יט)

(1.) He said to Rabbi Yudl and Rabbi Shmuel Aizik of blessed memory when they were traveling to him from Dashiv to Medvedivkeh — and once they wanted to move to the surroundings of Medvedivkeh in order to always be close to him — and so they did. Then he said that he is very longing after the roads they traveled to him. And he said that with every step they took when they traveled to him, an angel was created from each and every step. And they said to him: "But we also have much exertion and many steps we walk before we hire the wagon to travel." He replied: "Certainly that too is included — for from those steps too an angel is created from every single step." (2.) He answered and said: "The world should wonder at the love between us."

(3.) I heard that once he said to his people: "Why do you need to think thoughts? You only need to give stones and mortar — and I build from them wondrous and awesome structures" [in Yiddish: "ir darft nor tsu trogn shteiner un vafne un ich baue der fun binyanim"]. (Meaning, we need only to engage in the service of G-d simply — in Torah and prayer and commandments — and he does with this what he does. And he drew out the word binyanim at great length, as if extolling the wonders of the splendor of the awesome structures he builds from this.) <About every single one of our people [and about every single one of my people He will say] — Hashem Yisburach says: "Israel in whom I am glorified" [Isaiah 49].> (5.) I heard in his name that he said: "If we saw a treasure we would certainly run to it and dig and dirty ourselves in mud and mire in order to dig after it and find it. And am I not a treasure of awe of Heaven — and why are they not eager and running after me to receive it?" And they asked him how it is possible to receive it — and he replied: "With the mouth and the heart one must dig and seek" [in Yiddish: "mitn pisk un mitn hartz"] — "with your mouth and with your heart to do it."

He said: "About every single one of our people Hashem Yisburach says: 'Israel in whom I am glorified'" [Isaiah 49]. (4.) I heard in his name that he said: "If I wanted to reveal and show my awe of G-d — no one would be able to stand within four cubits of my house. But he conceals his awe of G-d intentionally." And I also heard from his holy mouth himself that he said: "I am a treasure of awe of Heaven — whoever wants can receive from me." And truly it was seen with physical experience that whoever drew close to him was immediately filled with great and powerful awe, and was greatly inflamed for the service of Hashem Yisburach — the like of which was never seen. And even now his great awe is still stored within his holy books — and whoever engages in them truly and wholeheartedly, great awe comes upon him. (6.) I heard in his name that he said: "It is written in the Zohar [page 11b in the Introduction]: 'There is awe and there is awe' etc. I want to reveal and instill in my people an awe — a wondrous awe the like of which has never yet been in the world."

(7.) He said to someone: "The Sabbaths that one spends in my presence are greater and better than seven times fasting from Sabbath to Sabbath." (9.) Once he spoke with me about the matter that it is impossible to be a truly proper person except when one draws close to the true tzaddik of the generation. He answered and said: "Before the true tzaddik exists in the world — one can draw close to Hashem Yisburach on one's own. But after the true tzaddik already exists in the world — it is impossible to draw close to Hashem Yisburach in truth in any way whatsoever except when one merits to draw close to him." And he said in these words: "When there exists something like this — one can etc. When there is already something like this in existence — one cannot be a Jew otherwise unless he draws close to him" [in Yiddish: "az se iz shoyin for hanen ken men andersh nit zain ain yehud saydn men iz zich tsu im mekurev"]. And I have, with G-d's help, a full conversation about this...

(8.) He said to someone: "The power that King David, upon him be peace, had to say 'Absalom my son, my son' eight times — and through this he elevated him from the seven chambers of gehinom and brought him into Gan Eden, as our Rabbis of blessed memory said — this power he also has. That through his words alone he can also elevate a person from all the seven chambers of gehinom and bring him into Gan Eden." (10.) At the time he traveled from a certain city — when someone had passed away there who had been somewhat close to him, for he had not traveled to him in Breslov at all, only in Zlatipoleye he had drawn a little close to him — and this man who passed away there in the aforementioned city had left behind a very fine reputation. Rabbainu z"l then said: "Is it not so that even one who touches him with even a small finger — his level cannot be estimated? For this man was not so very close to me — only the slightest bit — as you know and understand, for he did not travel to me at all. Even so, have you seen the immensity of the fine reputation he left behind — and all praise and glorify him that he remembered Hashem Yisburach always..."

(11.) I heard from one of our people who told that once Rabbainu z"l said to him about the immense power of the evil inclination, G-d save us. He answered and said: "I knew your evil inclination — if they were to take your evil inclination from you, pipes full of blood would flow and the entire world would be filled with blood. Even when you become proper men, you will need a great merit to know the immensity of the evil inclination that you had. But I knew it."

(12.) I heard in his name that he said that every single one of his people will certainly merit in the end to come in this world to what he needs to reach. And he said: "The Holy One Blessed be He never does this to me, G-d forbid — at any time take from me any of my people in the middle." Meaning: each one will live long years and live certainly and exert himself and dig one digging after another — until he merits to come to his matter and to his holy level, that he needs to come to in this world — for which he was created.

<That once one of our people spoke of the greatness of the famous Rabbi Shalom of Porobisht with Rabbainu z"l, and said: "In the Future to Come they will see the difference between his greatness and the greatness of Rabbi Shmuel Aizik z"l." I heard this in connection with Rabbi Yudl and Rabbi Shmuel Aizik — that they spoke of the aforementioned — and afterwards he said: "In the Future to Come they will see the difference between him and them.">

(13.) He said regarding one who merited to be with him — that every single time a person merited to be in his house, and every single glance they merited to look upon him — none of it is ever lost forever. (14.) I heard in Lipovitz that he was speaking with our people there and said: "What repentance can you do? Are your days and all your strength sufficient to rectify even one single blemish from what you have damaged? Only I do repentance for you — and it is within my power to repair everything you have damaged until now. Only the main thing: from now on do not do it again." And even from this day onward I am not particular about the inadvertent sins you transgress, G-d forbid. Only the main thing — at the very least guard yourselves from intentional sins. And he spoke much more about this.

(15.) I heard that once he stood on Rosh Hashana eve after the Selichot prayers and said: "Other people would be satisfied if they had a Rosh Hashana like your Rosh Hashana eve was." And he said in these words: "Others would wish for themselves such a Rosh Hashana etc."

(16.) I heard from one person who heard from Rabbainu o.b.m. that he said in these words: "My little fire will burn until Messiah comes" [in Yiddish: "main faierl vet shoin tluen biz Mashiach vet kumen"]. (17.) I heard in his name that he said: "I have nothing whatsoever to do in this world — for for my own sake I need to do nothing at all. Only I came into the world to draw the souls of Israel close to Hashem Yisburach. But I can only draw close those who come to me and tell me their deficiency — those I can rectify with a rectification that no one else can make etc."

(18.) He spoke with someone who was a completely simple man, and Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him: "You have the power to awaken even a great person to the service of G-d — for a small piece of wood can kindle and ignite a very large piece of wood." And he said it in these words: [in Yiddish: "a shpendele ken a klots unter tzindn"]. And so our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Ta'anis 7a]: "Why are Torah words compared to a tree? To tell you — just as a small piece of wood can kindle the large one, so too Torah words etc."

(19.) He said: "The true tzaddik can do a great favor for a person even after his passing in the World to Come — for one who merits to come to him for rectification. And know that the main obstacle that prevents one who does not merit — in that he is not allowed to go to the true tzaddik to receive rectification — is only the fact that he is lured and incited away from this, and confused with heretical ideas and insinuations that there is nothing real in the tzaddik. For also there among the destructive angels and the klippos there are great opponents just like in this world. Therefore the main thing is to take this into one's mind — not to allow oneself to be enticed and incited there. Only one should stand firm on his mind there with streng..." (20.) He said: "How many images of G-d lay in the mire — and I extracted them from the mud and mire in which they were lying. And through me they drew close to Him, may He be blessed, with such drawing-close that they have no reason to be ashamed before great tzaddikim etc." For it was seen with physical experience that those who drew close to him had their faces changed — and the face of a Jew came upon them — the aspect of the image of G-d. "Have I not people with me of whom I do not know whether the deepest depths of gehinom would have been enough for them — for even the deepest depths of gehinom would have been too small for them — for if it were possible for them to tunnel beneath the deepest depths they would have tunneled. And through me they drew close etc."

<that one can come after his passing and swear on this while holding an object. And I did not hear this from him directly — only from the mouth of our people I heard it in his holy name.> (21.) He said: "I can make very wondrous vessels — only the deficiency is that I myself am compelled to make myself the craftsman's tools that are called gitsaig."

(22.) "With the smallest of our people — something will be done with him in the world that has not been done with [anyone] of today's..."

<what has not been done with the greatest of today's famous ones.>

(23.) The incident of the tzaddik our teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok Aizik, may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing: that Rabbainu o.b.m. saw — in the place where he saw — that there were groups upon groups pressing together to hear Torah. And they said to one person: "Say a Torah for us" — and he said it to them. And he o.b.m. heard and it was very good in his eyes — and he understood the Torah — and it seems he said he had never heard the like. And he asked whether that soul was in this world and they showed him. And he sent for him — and what happened, happened. And before Pesach the aforementioned Rabbi Yitzchok Aizik dreamed the entire Torah that Rabbainu had heard, and he came and told it to him with great awe and trembling and great shaking. And he went from there...

(24.) I heard in his name that he said: "The lowest of my people — I am leading him on a path of a very great tzaddik as of today." <He said: "The famous ones will also draw close to him — and will be accepted by him — and they will need much money for it. And they are in the aspect of gerim gerurim [dragged converts] who were dragged over because of a decree of persecution."> And how much more so should one who is close to him be envied — and certainly one who merits to [have Rabbainu] extend a hand to him and draw him close. <He said: "Imagine for yourself a great one of the generation of today — in the end he will certainly stand at the doorway and greatly envy those who are close to him. All the more so one who merits to extend to him a flame for the pipe — meaning for a lulke [pipe]. When I will be old like Rabbi Baruch, I will sit in a house [my house] of gold, of silver — certainly!">

(25.) He rebuked one person (Rabbi Lipa) who had drawn close and then drifted away — and afterwards returned and came back to him on Chol HaMoed Pesach 5569. He answered and said: "Even if several years pass and one has not moved and ascended from his level to a higher level of awe of Heaven — only he stands at his original first level as at the beginning — and even if he is worse than at the beginning: if he is close to the true tzaddik, the drawing-close itself is very good beyond all measure and worth." (And had he not been close to the tzaddik he would have been worse and worse still.)

The roads seek their function — as is stated in the Midrash [Lamentations] on the verse "the roads of Zion are in mourning" — for they...

(26.) He rebuked someone who had not been with him for several years, and answered and said to him: "Is it not so that the entire world was created only to accompany this" [Shabbos 30]. And therefore every single person must give some strength and assistance to this tzaddik — to be tzavta [companionship] for him etc. And there are those who become tzavta for him through their prayer, or through their awe of Heaven — through which they give strength and assistance to this tzaddik. And there are those who give him money or the like. Whatever each person does — some holy thing through which he becomes tzavta for this one. "But from what I see, you are not needed by the world at all — for there is no..."

(27.) I heard in his name that he said that messengers go from one to the next — from the second to further beyond — until the matter reaches the tzaddik. That is: from all the trees and plants and all things in the world — from all of them messengers go from one to the other, from one companion to the other — until the matter reaches the ear of the true tzaddik. And he receives from them and understands from them counsels for his service of G-d. And this is the aspect of "the entire world was created only to accompany this" — meaning the aspect of counsels — to give him counsels as mentioned. For the 613 commandments are called "613 advices of Torah" — and "accompany" is an expression of counsel as mentioned. And he said that all of this... (28.) He said: "To enter to me and draw close to me is very difficult — even my own children. And is there anyone closer than children? Even they — whenever they want to enter to me, there are many confusions and disturbing thoughts and the like. And the main thing is at the time of the beginning. And as long as it is called a beginning — then it is very difficult to draw close. And afterwards too, what happens happens. But at the beginning — as long as it is called a beginning — it is an impossible, very hard and very heavy matter to enter and draw close."

(29.) He said to someone: "I will make of you groups upon groups."

(30.) He said: "Whoever obeys me and fulfills everything I command — will certainly be a great tzaddik, whatever the situation. And the main thing is to completely abandon one's own mind — only whatever he says, one should fulfill entirely according to his word." And he then said the matter of "a foolish and unwise people" — as is explained in the book Likutay vol. 1, Torah 123. Presumably — whoever is more able to learn is more suited for this.

(31.) He said: "I am fortunate that they obey me in what I command to do. And several of our people asked me to give them individual guidelines etc."

(32.) He said to one of his people who was talking with him about the service of G-d: "Have my eyes not already been spent all day — and I stand and await and hope and long and wait at every time that Hashem Yisburach grant me that I merit to see in you what I desire — that you be truly G-d-fearing servants as I wish. And I hope with G-d's help that it will certainly be so. And not only my people who are closely attached to me — but even one who draws close to my people, and even one who merely touches them — will certainly be a truly proper man. And not only a proper man — but even a very great tzaddik will be, whoever merits to..."

(33.) Once he spoke with us and was himself astonished — how do we merit and deserve to hear from his holy mouth such lofty, awesome, and holy Torah discourses? But he said: "For in every gathering of ten the Divine Presence dwells."

I heard that when he drew me close — he said: "It is very hard etc." — because of the one who thinks evil thoughts, who is one of the twenty-four things that hinder repentance [see Rambam, Laws of Repentance, ch. 4]. But even so: "I will try."

(34.) He said before the Rabbi Yitzchok of Tiraovitze about himself — that regarding the saying of Torah he is the unique one of the generation. And he asked him: "But is there not such and such..." And Rabbainu z"l replied: "But where does he have our introductory foundations?"

<I heard when he drew me close [when I drew close to him], that it is very difficult etc. because of the master of thought [the evil inclination in thought], which is one of the twenty-four things that impede repentance (see Rambam, Laws of Repentance, chapter 4) — but even so, I will try myself.>

(35.) He said to me when I asked him whether I should talk with people: He answered me "Yes, talk. I asked him: But I do not know what goes on with the other person. He replied: You do not need to know. I asked him: What do I help him? He replied: What does that have to do with you?" [in Yiddish: "shmus ya. ich vais ober nit vos yenem geit op. du darfst nit visn. vos helf ich im. vos hot dos tsu dir"]. And I understood his intention — that he meant to say: "You certainly do accomplish." (36.) He said to me [in Yiddish]: "A piece of the yoke of government and the yoke of proper conduct I have already taken from you." And he also said to me: "You I have already taken out of this world."

(37.) He said that they should tell several stories from our people — and from each and every one there will be several stories.

(38.) When I was in Nemrov and it was my custom to travel to him z"l in Breslov — once they told me in his name that he said and was particular about the fact that people travel to him in wagons and do not go to him on foot. And this entered my heart greatly — for I knew that certainly it is proper and fitting for us to go to him on foot specifically. And I longed for this. And Hashem Yisburach arranged it and I merited to go to him on foot three times. And those three times I profited from walking on foot — as I know from my own experience. For in those three times, had I not exerted myself to go on foot, I would not have been at his side at...

(39.) I heard in his name that he said regarding one who came to him on foot: "And how much more so — if the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, because he walked three steps on his feet, merited such exceedingly great kingship and dominion: when one of Israel walks to the tzaddik a parsah and more — how very much will he merit through this — 'an eye has not seen it.'"

It seems he said this about one man from Tiraovitze whose custom was at every time to come to him on foot from Tiraovitze to Breslov — which is fourteen of our large parsaos. And once I stood before him o.b.m. at the time when the aforementioned man from Tiraovitze came to him on foot. And he told me then...

(40.) He said: "I can make all of you complete, awesome tzaddikim. But what will be — then Hashem Yisburach will serve Himself." (Meaning: his desire is that we ourselves exert ourselves through his strength and his holy counsels to attain the service of G-d. But not that he give everything completely.) And I also heard this in several other formulations when he said: "I can give a person so much awe of G-d that he would depart from his life and be completely nullified in his existence."

And once one of our people beseeched him greatly in this matter — that he give him awe [it seems this was Rabbi Shimon his servant] — and Rabbainu z"l spoke with him — [it seems this was Rabbi Shimon his servant] — and Rabbainu z"l spoke with him words of this nature, that certainly he could give him very great awe — only that this is not the purpose, for then he would be nullified in his existence. And the aforementioned man was longing nonetheless that great awe should shine upon him. And afterwards the man went out from before him, and very great and extraordinary awe fell upon him, and he began to cry out to Hashem Yisburach in strange voices in a manner to which he had not been accustomed — until he almost departed from his life force. And this continued until the next day. And the next day he came back to him, and Rabbainu z"l asked him if the awe had come to him. The aforementioned man replied: "I no longer want this" — and he beseeched him to take it back from him. And he took it back from him and he returned to his original state. And likewise he said to one: "If I were to pass my hand over your eyes you would see great and wondrous things — but I do not want this. Only you yourself should labor in the service of G-d until you merit what you merit." And likewise he said to me once in this matter: "If Hashem Yisburach Himself desired that He Himself serve Himself — then He would not need you." (Meaning: that the tzaddik can draw forth the will of Hashem Yisburach to help him in his service even though he has done what he has done and deserves to be distanced — even so the tzaddik can arouse the mercy of Hashem Yisburach upon him to draw him close to His service. But not that Hashem Yisburach should do everything Himself.)

And he also said to me: "You without me cannot do [anything]" (meaning: I cannot do and occupy myself in the service of G-d without his strength and counsels) — <but I without you also cannot do anything at all> (meaning: to do good for me as long as I do not myself strive to receive it — for what I need to do is something he himself cannot do entirely without me — even though in truth everything is from him).

Hashmatos incorporated inline above: [it seems this was Rabbi Shimon his servant] and <but I without you also cannot do anything at all>.

(41.) Words of the transcriber: He said about the special quorum that our people in Nemrov had established to pray together — which afterwards was disbanded. He said: "Who knows what would have been had your quorum remained. Your quorum would have pierced through the heavens." And once Rabbi Naftali z"l was singing some psalm in the house of study at night with other people of our fellowship. And Rabbainu z"l was already lying in his bed — and he arose from his bed and entered to hear their melody. And afterwards he said to them: "Know that your melody was piercing through the heavens etc. — you can estimate for yourselves, since already..."

(42.) He said: "I am a river that purifies from all stains."

<Said the transcriber: Once he praised himself and said it in a manner of pleasantry in these words: [in Yiddish: "Vert zich on ein mir mit a finger, vet zich shoin mit zibn vassern"] — "Touch yourself with one finger from me and you will already [be purified] with seven rivers.">

(43.) He said about Rabbi Nussun and Rabbi Naftali: "They are truly diamonds" [in Yiddish: "zei zenen zich gor dimiten"]. And once he said to someone who was saying before him o.b.m. about the Rabbi Rabbi Nussun of blessed memory — that he knows clearly that he will certainly be a complete tzaddik [guter Yid]. And Rabbainu o.b.m. took issue with him and said to him: "I am telling you that he is already a tzaddik" [in Yiddish: "er iz shoin a guter Yid"]. He also said to the Rabbi Rabbi Nussun and the Rabbi Rabbi Naftali of blessed memory when they drew close to him: "I have already had an acquaintance with you from long ago — only for a long time we have not seen each other face to face. And now we see each other again..."

(44.) I heard that once Rabbainu z"l told of the virtue of those who draw close to him o.b.m. — that even when someone's mind becomes somewhat confused and distorted, G-d save us — even so, they are firm in complete faith in him o.b.m. And he told of one of his people who was a great tzaddik — and Rabbainu o.b.m. said about him that this man had the repentance of the Book of the Kaneh. And it is explained in the books [Teshuvas HaKaneh, 12b] that whoever does this repentance is assured he will not sin again. "And on his behalf — meaning on behalf of this man — I am a guarantor that he certainly will not sin." And it came to pass that this man's mind became somewhat confused <that is, this one who fell into black melancholy — it seemed to him that he was going to die>. And he will bring him to merit.

(45.) Once Rabbainu o.b.m. was speaking with our people and said to them: "Is not all my satisfaction and pleasure only when I see some Jewish matter and service of G-d in one of my people? Have I not abandoned myself and my wife and my dear children — and only for this! Could I not have been a famous leader, what they call a giter Yid, like all the leaders to whom Chassidim travel and do not know why they travel — and come back and return and come again and do not know what they came for? But I did not want all that — only I took myself to engage in this — to return you to the right path. When I see some..."

(46.) He was talking with our people and said that for three days he had been working on one matter — meaning some attainment — and could not attain it until he made use of some deed from one of our people. And through this he arrived at the matter and attained the attainment. "And is it a wonder again about the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory that he attained such attainments — since he had great and righteous disciples like these who did such great deeds?" (47.) Before the aforementioned Shavuos, people of Zaslav stood before him and told him of a wealthy man who had given much money to the holy Rabbi Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory. And there also stood before him one person from Nemrov who was very poor. Rabbainu o.b.m. answered and said to them: "This poor man gave me more than that — according to his level and his standing. For he supported himself from teaching — and when he heard during the holy days of Pesach [which is the time for hiring teachers] that Rabbainu o.b.m. is in Zaslav, and who knows — perhaps he will remain there until after Shavuos — and if he hired himself out as a teacher he could not be with him...

Once, before Shavuos 5567, when it became known to him of the passing of one person who was somewhat among his close ones — he answered and said: "Who knows what was made..." (48.) When the Rabbi Rabbi Nussun of blessed memory drew close to him, Rabbainu o.b.m. conversed with his daughter Adl about the matter and greatly extolled his praise. And he said to her: "What shall I tell you about his wisdom? If he were to look at this synagogue with just a glance he would tell you how many cubits it holds in its height." And at that time he also conversed with the Rabbi Rabbi Yitzchok of blessed memory — son-in-law of the Rabbi the Maggid of blessed memory from Tiraovitze — and greatly extolled the virtue of the Rabbi Rabbi Nussun of blessed memory. (And the aforementioned Rabbi Yitzchok had not yet seen him and did not yet know him.) And then he said to him: "If you look at him you will see in him that he is so very humble..."

(49.) (Omitted.) He said that in the Future all the world will be Breslov Chassidim. And in Yiddish he said in these words: "In the Future to come the entire world will be Breslov Chassidim." For it is stated in the Midrash on the verse "I will give you a heart of flesh" — do not read basar [flesh] but boeser [one who is filled with longing for the other]. Lev boeser — the letters of Breslov. And also when he left Zlatipoleye to go to Breslov — the Maggid of Tiraovitze had a dream in the sukkah about the matter of Rabbainu's departure from Zlatipoleye to Breslov — alluded to in the verse "And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh" — the heart of stone being the aspect of "And Solomon gave..." And this can be understood — for one who knows melody and dance: from the nature of a melody, the soul of the listener is drawn after the melody and is nullified with the expiration of the soul according to each and every movement of the melody, according to the power of each and every movement of the melody in terms of what power that movement has to break and arouse the soul to draw it after it. All the more so one who can dance — that the dance be exactly aligned with the movement of the melody. For there are movements in each and every limb that pertain to the movements of the melody — that for this movement one needs to nod one's head or to bend oneself, and likewise with other limbs and legs — that one needs to make a movement with one's body and feet exactly aligned with the movements of the melody. And in particular one who plays a melody with words and song — who arranges song and words with the movement of the melody — so that the song and words are aligned with great precision to the melody, and the meter of the song is exactly aligned with the pleasantness of the melody, and also the dance is exactly aligned with the pleasantness of the melody and the meter of the song — for it is all one — when one merits to hear such a melody with song and words and with such a dance, all of which pertain to one another with great precision, for the words — meaning the song, and the melody, and the dance — are literally all one: when one merits to hear this, then one becomes literally annulled in the expiration of the soul from the immensity of the extraordinary pleasure.

(1.) He said: "The world has not yet tasted me at all. If they were to hear even one Torah discourse that I say — with its melody and its dance — all would be completely nullified in total nullification. Meaning — all the world entirely, even animals and plants and all that exists in the world — all would be annulled with the expiration of the soul from the immensity of the extraordinary and exceedingly wondrous pleasure." And this is the greatest pleasure of all pleasures, and there is no greater pleasure than this. And one who has not tasted this does not know pleasure at all. Praiseworthy is the eye that saw this — for even in the World to Come not all merit to hear and see this, only one who labored on the eve of Shabbat etc. And those standing around him cannot and do not know what to do — only they have an expiration of the soul and wondrous longing from the immensity of the pleasure, and he stands in the middle and does as mentioned. (And understand this matter well, for it is impossible to explain it in writing. And one who knows melody and dance can hear a little in his heart of the immense pleasantness of the pleasure and longing mentioned above, literally the expiration of the soul until one becomes completely nullified — and understand.)

(3.) He said: "In the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory we find that each one begins from his own verse — as we find that one sage derives it from this verse and another from a different verse. For each one has a place from which his learning and Torah begins. And according to that beginning from that verse — so goes the entire Torah in his ordering. And the second one who begins from a different verse has a different ordering according to his beginning. For each one according to his starting point — from whichever place it is — so changes and goes the entire ordering of all his Torah. But <I can begin from any place I wish — and understand the matter.> And also everyone who is closer and more attached to him — all the movements happen to him automatically, as is seen tangibly in the aforementioned parable: whoever is closer to the melody and dance and understands more — all the movements of the melody and dance happen to him automatically because of the greatness of the pleasure. As is seen tangibly — that when a person hears a melody and dance, because of the pleasure that is drawn after the melody, he also makes those movements after it and he also plays and dances a little — for the movements of the melody and dance happen to him automatically. So too when one is more attached to holiness — the more one is close to the Torah and melody and dance, the movements of all the aforementioned holiness also happen to him automatically. All this I heard myself. (5.) Wednesday, parshas Terumah 5570 — I entered to him and he told me this account: "These days I had absolutely no peace of mind — how to be. For these several months — I do not know how many — I have been awaiting and longing to know a certain thing. For one matter became known to me, but I did not know this matter within the Torah. And I was longing to know this for several months as mentioned. For truly, certainly — how is it possible that there should be something that is not alluded to in the Torah? And now I found it explained in the Torah, and at first it had been very sealed from me."

And in Yiddish I heard that he said in these words: "Zei zoln mich hern ain Torah mit dem nigun in mit ain tants volt di gantze velt ois gegangen" [If they were to hear just one Torah that I say with its melody and dance, all the world entirely would go out in the expiration of the soul]. And he asked again: "Vos hob ich gezagt?" [What did I say?] And the Rabbi Rabbi Nussun of blessed memory answered him as all the aforementioned. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him: [Vos maynstu] [What do you think?] — even animals and plants etc., as all mentioned above. And truly...

<Afterwards I heard in his name that he said on Rosh Hashana: "I have a melody to sing in the Future to Come — this will be the World to Come of all the tzaddikim and the chassidim." And this has a connection to the aforementioned conversation I heard myself. And see the Torah "Tiku Tochecha" [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 8] which he said near his passing — there it speaks of the melody of seventy-two strings etc. And see the Tale of the Seven Beggars in the Legendary Tales.> (9.) He said: "In my Torah there is depth." And see what is recorded elsewhere [below, #362] — that what is written in his language one must be meticulous about as in Scripture. For he repeatedly returns to his words that on the surface appear to be superfluous language — but it is with great intention. And one must be very meticulous about it etc. And whoever has eyes and applies his mind and heart well to Rabbainu's words o.b.m. will understand something, however small, of the immense wondrous depth in his books — the like of which is not to be found in any book...

(2.) He said: "The fact that I cannot say Torah discourses at every time — that itself is a greater novelty. For already there are several great novelties prepared and ready by me — and in the midst of things, all of it is forgotten from me and I remember nothing. And I know nothing whatsoever from any book in the world — and even a melody I do not know — only everything, as if for everyone, is forgotten and concealed from me. And this is truly a great wonder." And many times I heard this matter from his holy mouth — for it was his regular experience that many times he would say: "Now I know absolutely nothing at all" — even though in the prior hour he had revealed wondrous novelties... (10.) Once he was praising his book greatly, and said one can become a complete master of repentance through the study of his book. And he very much desired and longed that his book be printed several more times and spread throughout the world. And he said there will be people who will learn and pray through this book. And he said that whoever sits and engages in his books — only without contention and desire to win arguments — and looks into it in truth: certainly all the sinews of the hardness of his heart will be split open. And he said in these words: "It will burn away all his [evil inclination] etc. And it is very good for the Tikun HaKlali to be recited at night, for the Tikun HaKlali is a rectification for the covenant — and one needs to be careful to buy his book. <And whoever does not have the means to buy — let him sell all the books he has and buy this book of his. And whoever has no books to sell — let him sell the pillow from under his head and buy his book.>"

(4.) He said: "If this book had not come out into the world — meaning the book Likutay Moharan — something else would have happened. For he had desired several times to compose rulings on the Shulchan Aruch — to explain every single law in a definitive ruling, or to state the ruling according to which of the decisors for each law. But now that this book has come out into the world — the aforementioned matter will not be. And truly the novelties of Gemara — meaning the commentary of the Tosefos — they are easier by far. And not one of them knows at all the way of those novelties. And whoever knows them — they are easy..." Hashmata incorporated inline above.

(6.) He answered and said: "We are not at all from this world of today. And because of this the world cannot tolerate us — and leadership [meaning a head and guide] is not relevant to me at all — for no leadership is due to me in today's world. And even the little leadership I truly have — that is not leadership at all. On the contrary, it is literally a mockery and jest [chuka v'itlula]. And even that little bit that I have is only against nature — because I compelled my nature to this. And because of that it is possible for some word to come from me into the world. And all the conversations and narration... (11.) I heard from his holy mouth that he said: "My Torah is entirely in the aspect of levels."

(7.) It was heard from his holy mouth that he said: "His holy book Likutay Moharan that came out into the world is the beginning of the Redemption." And he said: "Since it has come out into the world I very much desire that they study it — for one must study it much until it is fluent by heart. For it is full of moral instruction and very great awakening toward Hashem Yisburach <which has no equal. And whoever engages in this book does not need another book of ethical instruction [other]. Afterwards he said explicitly: and he said that the study of his holy compositions is the beginning of the Redemption, speedily in our days, Amen.> And he said that... [I heard from the mouth of our holy Rabbainu who said and praised himself a little: "If I were to begin to speak wisdoms — all the listeners would depart from their souls from the hearing. But because of this I am unable — for when I begin to speak, I would be nullified, because I want someone else to speak. Even though he does not know what he is speaking — even so, I am able to extract from his words great wisdoms. Therefore I am unable to speak."] (12.) At the hour when the first Likutay Moharan was bound — at the time when the booklets were still in manuscript — he said: "It seems to you that this is a simple thing. But how many worlds are dependent upon this! And one must elaborate the matter at length — everything that transpired at that hour. And if G-d wills, it will be explained elsewhere with G-d's help [above, #184]."

(8.) Once he was urging someone to study his book. And he said it is a great mitzvah to study his book much. And he told him that one can become a great intellect through his book — for there is in it great intellect and wondrous depth according to the plain meaning of the words. And also if one is diligent in his books one can merit to become a truly proper man. And then one will merit to see the inner dimension that is in his holy books — for there is in them much inner dimension that is not visible at all according to the plain meaning. Praiseworthy is one who merits to study and be diligent in them! (14.) He said that he knows all the tzaddikim who existed from Adam the First until now — from which place they were, and from which place they say Torah, and in which place they remained at the time of their passing. And he began to enumerate: the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory from Binah; the Maggid of blessed memory from Chochmah — though Binah is below Chochmah, even so he said Torah from that Binah that is above Chochmah. Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory from the Binah that is below that Chochmah. But I say Torah from a place that is above all of these...

(13.) He said: "The Baal Davar [the Evil One] can greatly cover and blind eyes — but were it not for this, the book would have caused very great awakening in the world." And he said in these words: "The Baal Davar can very much obstruct it — but otherwise, this book would have been obligated to accomplish a great thing in the world." He answered and said: "There are two kinds of people about whom I have great compassion — those who could draw close to me and do not draw close, and those who draw close to me but..."

(15.) He said: "My 'turning away from evil' is a wondrous novelty, and also my 'doing good' is very wondrous — for I truly do much good. And my Torah accomplishes very much in the world. For through my Torah all the outpourings of blessing in the world are drawn down." And he said to someone: "What is your trade?" — "You deal in wheat?" — "That too is drawn through my Torah." (17.) After he delivered the Torah discourse Rabbi Shimon in Likutay vol. 1, Torah 60 — he said it was a beautiful wedding [in Yiddish: "se given a shain chasunkele"]. And it was fitting to invite Hashem Yisburach together with the Heavenly retinue to the wedding. I said to him: "Certainly He was here." He replied: "Presumably so."

(16.) Someone told me that he was greatly praising his Torah before him — and greatly extolling the immensity of the wonders of his Torah. And he said that one must make great efforts to acquire his books. For even when they stand in a cabinet or closet, they are a great benefit — for his books are a great protection in the house to protect even the wealth and money of a person from all damage. And he mentioned at that time a wealthy man who knew him and was his acquaintance. And he said that it is also a great benefit for him that my book should be in his house — for it will be a great protection for everything — and his wealth will be maintained... (Said the transcriber: I heard that he then said to our people that he could have held them with the delivery of the aforementioned Torah discourse for three days and three nights — and they would not have known the difference between day and night — as is brought in the holy Zohar etc. [Shemos 15].)

(18.) He said that all the Torah discourses he revealed before he was in the Land of Israel — he does not want them written in his books at all. Only what he innovated after being in the Land of Israel — everything must be written, even every single conversation — everything must be written. And many times he admonished to write every single conversation heard from his holy mouth. And he said: "Granted — things written in a book: if one does not remember them now, one can look at them and study them another time. But all the words you hear from my mouth — you will not hear them again another time..."

(19.) And Rabbainu o.b.m. said explicitly: "In each and every conversation he held and spoke with us — one can through it become a proper man, and even a complete tzaddik all the days of one's life as I want" [in Yiddish: "azoi viya ich main ain guter Yehud"] — if one is willing to go with it, to fulfill according to his holy conversation. And whoever merited to hear his holy conversation from his holy mouth knows this in truth and clarity. And even now when one studies his holy words, they also have great power to awaken toward Hashem Yisburach — to merit to... (20.) Once he said as if in astonishment: "For the world — the book of the Zohar and the Tikkunim are equal." And what was understood from his words: that in truth there is a very great and vast distinction between the holy book of the Zohar and the book of the Tikkunim — even though the book of the Zohar is very holy and awesome, it has no comparison at all to the holiness and secrets of the book of the Tikkunim.

(21.) He said: "I only tell you the refuse of my Torah — and it is lower by thousands of thousands and tens of millions of levels than what I actually attain of it. And I cannot say it any lower. And this has already been recorded elsewhere."

(22.) I heard in his name that he said he already has Torah discourses without garments — meaning he cannot clothe them in any garment. And he said: "The verse is merely an asmachta [textual support] — he leans the Torah discourse on the verse as one leans on something. Certainly the one leaning is greater than the one leaned upon. So too his Torah is very exalted — to the point where it cannot be clothed except by way of mere asmachta."

And he said that the reason he labors so greatly before the Torah discourse is because it is very difficult for him to bring down the attainments of his Torah into garments...

(23.) "The Torah discourses and teachings in his holy books are general principles — and whatever you probe in them, you find in them a wonderful, novel, and sweet taste that is pleasant to the palate and very illuminating to the eyes. And there is in them great depth in the way of plain meaning and in the way of mystery and hidden. For every Torah discourse has within it hidden, wondrous, and very awesome secrets. And it is impossible to explain this."

"Also in every teaching there are kavannos [mystical intentions] of commandments — each teaching pertaining to certain kavannos explained in the writings in Etz Chaim and Pri Etz Chaim. For example the Torah 'Who is the man who desires life'..."

(39.) I heard in his name that he said regarding one who came to him on foot: "And how much more so — if the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, because he walked three steps on his feet, merited such exceedingly great kingship and dominion: when one of Israel walks to the tzaddik a parsah and more — how very much will he merit through this — 'an eye has not seen it.'"

(24.) I heard in his name that he said — in the earlier days before I drew close to him — that he was longing for a learned man and master of wondrous language to draw close to him. Then he could have explained the writings of the Ari of blessed memory to the point where even young scholars would be able to study and understand all the writings of the Ari of blessed memory.

(25.) Once I spoke with him about the Kabbalah of the Ari z"l, and he said that the Kabbalah of the Ari z"l is completely one with the Kabbalah composed by our teacher the Rabbi Moshe Cordovero of blessed memory. Some years later it came about again that I spoke with him about the Kabbalah that the Ari z"l revealed. And he said that his Kabbalah is far and very sublime beyond the Kabbalah of the author of the Pardes z"l. And I stood trembling and asked him in awe: "But I heard from your mouth once that truly all is one." He replied: "Presumably, if I said so..."

(27.) He said: "Those who study his books who have some intellect think that the ways of the Kabbalah of the Ari of blessed memory and the like are also alluded to in his books. And they consider this a virtue of his books — that they touch up to there. And they do not know that it is the opposite. On the contrary — even the ways of the Kabbalah of the early masters of blessed memory is included also in his words." And he did not finish explicitly — but his intention was clear on its own. Meaning: but his intention in the very substance of his Torah is exalted higher and higher — only their holy words are also included within it, like one who leans on something — <for certainly the one who leans is greater than that which is leaned upon>: (28.) He asked and said on Chol HaMoed Sukkos 5569: "And where do we stand in the prayer?" And he explained afterwards that the entire ordering of the Torah discourses is according to the ordering of the prayer. And this Torah discourse pertains to this place in the prayer — and so with all the Torah discourses. "And we are still standing before Boruch She'amar and after Hodu which is before Boruch She'amar as in the Sefardic rite." And he said there would presumably be one person who would be able to pray in such a way that his prayer encompasses all the Torah discourses as mentioned. And he would need to live many long years to be able to complete the entire prayer — meaning to say a Torah discourse according to the ordering...

<And he said that he receives Torah from a place from which no person in the world has yet received Torah.> (29.) They told me that when I drew close to him, he said in the presence of other people — not in my presence: "Blessed is G-d who has sent me a young man such that not even one word of my words will be lost anymore." And his intention was about me — that I should merit to write all his words that go forth from his holy mouth: whether Torah discourses, whether conversations — for they too are Torah. And even a single word should no longer be lost.

(30.) Once he entered his house and asked about me — and it grieved him that I was not there then. And he said: "There is no one before whom to say what he needs to reveal." And he said: "I can hold back from myself very much — and I only say it when the waters already rise above all their banks until they go out of their own accord." And he said in Yiddish: "Only when it overflows the floodgates." "And now I have no one before whom to say even this." And he had already told me — at the time I drew close to him: "If you will be a proper man you will be able to hear much from me, for..."

(31.) He answered and said to me [in astonishment]: "And with this you are not permitted to sustain yourself — that you have a great portion in the book!" Meaning — in his book Likutay Moharan that was printed at that time. And he extended this conversation somewhat. And he said that the entire book is mine — for if not for me the book would not have been in the world. And he explained to me the matter — that the entire book was made through me etc. And he said to me: "Little do you know of the immensity of the virtue, greatness, and holiness of this book! And more than this you should believe in the immense greatness of this book etc."

(32.) He said: "Every one of you has a portion in my Torah. But Nussun has a greater portion than all of you." He answered and said: "You know this — that if not for him, you would not have even one page of the book." And he said in Yiddish: "Were it not for him, you would not have had even a leaf of names."

(33.) He said to me: "You will be in melancholy! You are obligated to always be in joy!" [He said this to me explicitly in Yiddish: "du zolst noch zain in der marah shchorah, du bist mechuyav meshune frailich tzu zain"]. He also said to me: "Will you allow yourself to be cast down?" [in astonishment]. He also said to me: "It will yet pass — brother, hold on!" [in Yiddish: "se vet zich noch ton bruder halt zich"]. He also said to me: "G-d is with you etc." [in Yiddish: "shreck zich nit" — "do not be afraid"]. (What he said to Rabbi Nussun: "already it is so good for him that he is permitted to be in melancholy...").

(34.) He said: "There is no single limb of a person about which I have not said a Torah discourse." For he had already said a Torah discourse about every single limb a person has — for it is known that the human form alludes to what it alludes etc.

(44.) I heard that once Rabbainu z"l told of the virtue of those who draw close to him o.b.m. — that even when someone's mind becomes somewhat confused and distorted, G-d save us — even so, they are firm in complete faith in him o.b.m. And he told of one of his people who was a great tzaddik — and Rabbainu o.b.m. said about him that this man had the repentance of the Book of the Kaneh. And it is explained in the books [Teshuvas HaKaneh, 12b] that whoever does this repentance is assured he will not sin again. "And on his behalf — meaning on behalf of this man — I am a guarantor that he certainly will not sin." And it came to pass that this man's mind became somewhat confused <that is, this one who fell into black melancholy — it seemed to him that he was going to die>. And he will bring him to merit.

(35.) He said: "The Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory and several tzaddikim did and repaired in the world what they repaired — and afterwards when they passed away and departed — the matter was cut off. That is: the illumination they shone into their disciples and returned them to Hashem Yisburach — did not continue from generation to generation but was cut off. Therefore one must do something that will have permanence forever." And so he also said once more — that one must leave disciples — and those disciples will make other disciples — and so the disciples of disciples will shine further and further on, generation after generation. (36.) I heard in his name that he said: "All the lofty attainments that he attains are not so highly regarded by him. Rather the main thing is when he merits to insert some word into the world. For in each and every word that he speaks before the world — all the upper and lower worlds are dependent upon it."

(37.) Once we stood before him at night and spoke with him much about the many Torah discourses he had revealed to us [which now have all been printed — but then his books had not yet been printed]. And I was mentioning before him some Torah discourses and greatly extolling the immensity of the praise of the vastness of his novelties. And likewise many Torah discourses — for every single Torah discourse is an exceedingly wondrous and vast novelty — with which the soul is consumed from the immensity of the sweetness and vastness of the novelty, for one who truly gazes into them. And we were speaking much about this. Afterwards the next morning...

(38.) He told me and said: "He has very lofty and very concealed matters in the topic of his conversations that he holds with people — but it is impossible for him to reveal this. For he needs to talk with me too — and if he reveals the ways of his holy conversation — he will no longer be able to speak and accomplish what he wants." He also said to the local Rabbi of Breslov, our teacher Rabbi Aharon: "I love you very, very much — and I bless you — may you merit in the World to Come to understand my everyday conversations. For this was before he was in the Land of Israel."

(39.) I heard in the name of our teacher the Rabbi Yechiel of blessed memory — the brother of our holy Rabbi o.b.m. — who told in the name of our holy Rabbi: that once he asked him about the matter — in that he o.b.m. had admonished his brother our teacher the Rabbi Yechiel o.b.m. to be accustomed to speaking with people in order to draw them thereby close to Hashem Yisburach. And he asked: "Since many times one is compelled to talk with people about idle matters and everyday conversation." Rabbainu z"l replied to him: "Since at all events one enters into conversation..."

(40.) Regarding the writing of his holy books — many Torah discourses he himself wrote o.b.m., and some the friends wrote, and the rest I wrote. He said: "My language is close to the intended meaning." And my language was pleasing in his eyes. And he said I am next after him — meaning regarding the elegance of language of the Torah discourses: my language is much superior to all the others. Except that his own language is certainly better and superior beyond all — but after his language it is my language that is immediately of the next rank compared to the language of the other friends...

(41.) Once the Aleph-Beis book [Sefer HaMidos] was in manuscript with our friend Rabbi Naftali. And Rabbi Naftali sat with him on the wagon — for he was accompanying him when he traveled to Navoritch. He answered and said about the Aleph-Beis book that he saw in the hand of the aforementioned Rabbi Naftali: "My dear, heartfelt friend — my dear, faithful friend. This — this made me into a Jew!" [in Yiddish: "hot dos hot mich gimacht far ain Yehud"]. Meaning: through those matters stated in the Aleph-Beis book about every single character trait — through this he was strengthened...

(42.) He said that in his Aleph-Beis book, under the letter reish for refu'ah [healing], all the cures were written there — and there was no illness in the world whose cure was not written there. But he did not want to copy it out, and he burned it.

(43.) He said: "If the Baal Shem Tov were to hear my Torah — it would also be a novelty to him. If Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai were to hear my Torah — it would also be a novelty even then."

(44.) "When I desired to be in the Land of Israel — I said one kind of Torah. Afterwards, when I began to travel, the Torah also changed above. When I was in the Land of Israel — I also said a different Torah. When I returned — I also said a different Torah. And the main source of his attainment — the very wonderful and very awesome Torah — began after he was in the Land of Israel. To the point that he is now ashamed of the Torah he said before the Land of Israel. And almost the entire book — the vast majority — is from Torah said after the Land of Israel, with only very little from before..."

(45.) I heard from his holy mouth that once he was speaking about his book that had been printed. He answered and said — and he was laughing a little then — and said they should print his books and write on each and every one of his books "author of such and such book" etc. — in the manner that they write about authors who have composed many books. And he hinted to us that many books would remain from him — and so it came to pass somewhat, with G-d's help.

(46.) <הָיִיתִי סְבוּר שֶׁתָּבִיא לִי סוּס בְּעַד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלִּי. וְסִפֵּר מִזֶּה בְּלֵיל שַׁבָּת, שֶׁחָפֵץ בְּסוּס מִבְחָר עִם זִינְטִיל (אֻכָּף) טוֹב וּמִבְחָר, אַף-עַל-פִּי שֶׁכָּתוּב "שֶׁקֶר הַסוּס לִתְשׁוּעָה", אַף-עַל-פִּי-כֵן "מוּכָן לְמִלְחָמָה, וְלַה' הַתְּשׁוּעָה"> He said: "Not to mention a word — not a single word goes out from my mouth without a novelty. But even a breath does not go out from my mouth without a novelty." (47.) Once I spoke with him o.b.m. and said before him that his conversation is literally Torah. And he agreed with my words. And he said: "Just as a Torah scholar cannot speak without Torah words coming into his speech — some Gemara expression and the like, as is the way of scholars — so too in all his words it is compelled that Torah matters come into them as his way. As we have seen with our eyes many times that several Torah discourses were made from his conversation — from that very conversation itself a wondrous Torah discourse was afterwards made. And this is what we saw with our own eyes..."

(48.) He told that his practice was to speak very many supplications and entreaties before Hashem Yisburach while sitting at the table at the Third Meal of the Sabbath, alone in his room. And he would speak much before Hashem Yisburach — to the point where Torah began to speak forth from him on its own, without any intention at all. And he inclined his ear to the words of Torah that had gone forth from his mouth then — and saw they were beautiful words fitting to say. And those are the very words that I said periodically at the close of the Sabbath after Havdalah — meaning those words come from the Torah he said at the Third Meal of the Sabbath...

(49.) This pertains to the matter where he said that in the discourse Bikrov Sham [Likutay Moharan, Torah 362] there is the intention of Kiddush. Afterwards I heard that the intentions of Kiddush are truly in the discourse Bikrov Alai HaSheni [Likutay Moharan Tinyana, Torah 101]. (50.) He said: "Even people who hear the Torah of the true tzaddik and do not understand it — in the Future World to Come they will understand. For the main point of his Torah is for our souls. When we come to the World to Come our souls will be expert in those very exalted Torah discourses. And also in this world one must observe them in simplicity — at all events go with them. As we heard from his holy mouth many times that one must go with those Torah discourses — meaning go for some time with that Torah discourse. And all his service from morning until..."

(51.) "The connection and linkage of his Torah discourses is like a structure and weaving literally — first connecting and joining these two things together. And then connecting and joining a third thing to the second with several strong connections. And so from the third to the fourth and so forth. But mostly he returns each time to reconnect and link those four things all together."

"For at first the connection among them is not all together — only from one to the next — from the first to the second and from the second to the third and from the third to the fourth. But still there is no connection to the fourth all at once..."

(52.) In Likutay Tinyana, Torah 4 — regarding what is explained there about the cure for the wound — which on the surface has no explanation for those words and what their relevance is in that teaching. Said the transcriber: I heard from our people that before this Shavuos on which the aforementioned teaching was said — an important person of our people in Ladizhin took ill — meaning he had a very severe wound, G-d save us, and was very ill. And the doctors had given up on him — saying he could not survive. For even if the wound were to open and burst — one would still need...

I heard in his name o.b.m. that he told a beautiful parable regarding the matter of why he reveals so many wondrous Torah discourses, stories, and wondrous and awesome conversations — even though it is not yet apparent that they accomplish their effect completely in our people as would have been fitting for them.

And he told, regarding this matter, of a king whose only son became very ill — to the point that all the doctors had given up on him and despaired of his recovery. In the midst of this came a very wise physician — and the king beseeched him with great entreaties to engage with his son's...

(8.) Once he was urging someone to study his book. And he said it is a great mitzvah to study his book much. And he told him that one can become a great intellect through his book — for there is in it great intellect and wondrous depth according to the plain meaning of the words. And also if one is diligent in his books one can merit to become a truly proper man. And then one will merit to see the inner dimension that is in his holy books — for there is in them much inner dimension that is not visible at all according to the plain meaning. Praiseworthy is one who merits to study and be diligent in them!

(1.) He said: "How is it possible that they should not oppose me — since I am going on a new path that no person has ever walked since the giving of the Torah etc. Even though it is a very ancient path — even so it is completely new." (<that no person has ever yet walked this path, and also not the Baal Shem Tov, and no creature from the time of the giving of the Torah>)

(2.) He said: "Even if the Baal Shem Tov and the Ari z"l etc. were in the world — they would not have been able to compare themselves to me" [in Yiddish: "volt er zich oych nit gikant oys gleichen mit mir. Mit mir gleich oys kumen"].

(3.) He said: "There are people who do not know me at all and yet oppose me." And he said it is written in the holy Zohar [Shemos 17] on the verse "Come, let us deal cleverly with them" — do you think Pharaoh went to each and every one and said "come, let us deal cleverly"? Rather he placed it within their hearts etc. — see there. (5.) In Uman he was speaking about the opposition against him — that people speak falsehoods about him. He answered and said by way of complaint: "And I — I will redeem them" — meaning the verse stated in Hoshea 7, where the prophet complains about Israel — that he wants to do good things for them and yet they speak falsehoods about him — as it says "And I will redeem them, and they spoke falsehoods against me." But he o.b.m. mentioned at that time only those two words: "And I will redeem them." And he said them with a sweet melody of song...

(4.) I heard from Rabbi Yudl a report of matters he heard from Rabbainu o.b.m. He answered and said: "Our father Abraham also had great sufferings from incidents like these" — meaning like the incidents and sufferings that pass upon him. For our father Abraham also drew close young people to Hashem Yisburach — for he was converting converts as is known [Bereishis Rabbah 39]. And his practice was to enter into the city and run through... (6.) Once he told of the truth of his exceedingly vast and awesome greatness. In the midst of his words he answered and said: "After these things and this truth — Sancheriv came." It is a verse in Chronicles II:32 that tells there about the immensity of the righteousness of King Chizkiyahu — and afterwards the verse begins: "After these things and this truth — Sancheriv came." And understand the matter — how it is well explained in this verse that specifically after the immensity of the true righteousness of King Chizkiyahu, came upon him Sancheriv, and he had great anguish from him. And from now one need not wonder at the greatness of the controversy that falls upon true tzaddikim.

(7.) Regarding the decrees that were heard in his time — that they wanted to issue decrees against Israel [which, because of our many sins, have already come to pass in our times — may G-d have mercy]. I heard that once he spoke about this and said that it would have been possible to give himself some counsel to engage in this to nullify them — but what can one do when they do not agree with him and oppose him? And he brought proof from the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory in Ta'anis [14b] — that because there was no agreement etc.

(8.) Once we spoke with him about rhymes — called gram — and he said there is something in this — for the entire world <is conducted according to this> etc. And I do not remember well the exact language — whether he said the entire world conducts itself with this, or some other expression on this matter. And he brought proof from the verse as it is written in Isaiah 5: "He hoped for justice but behold there was injustice; for righteousness but behold a cry" — a play of words upon words. <אָמַר הַמַּעְתִּיק: מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּסוֹף סִימָן רכא (לִקּוּטֵי מוֹהַרַ"ן ח"א): "שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִי תָמִיד" בְּחִינַת מִתְנַגֵּד — שָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁכָּךְ אָמַר רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל אָז: אֲבָל לְמִתְנַגְדִי שֶׁלִּי אֵין שׁוּם עֵצָה רַק הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי לְהִנָּצֵל מִמֶּנּוּ, "שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִי תָמִיד", בְּחִינַת מִתְנַגֵּד>

(9.) The holy conversation of Rabbainu o.b.m. about the conduct of the world today: "It has already been many times throughout history that the world has been conducted in this way — that those of low standing were considered great and important in the world, and the world was not truly conducted properly. Yet even so there was one who was placed in a lowly place — and he laughed at all the entire world. And he was the one who sustained and supported the entire world through his merit..."

(10.) He said: "All the great tzaddikim reached the level and standing they reached — but stopped there. And I, thank G-d, every single moment become a different person." And he gave the reason why they oppose him: for the tzaddik is called a tree — and has roots and branches etc. And every tzaddik before he reaches his level — there is opposition against him. For our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Sanhedrin 7a]: "This quarrel is like a breach in a dam" — so it turns out that the opposition... I heard from our people too — something similar, with somewhat different wording. Once our people were complaining before him that it was difficult for them to endure the matter of the opposition and the persecutions etc. He answered and said to them: "Believe me — I have the power to make peace with the entire world such that there would be no one opposing me. But what can I do? There are levels and heavenly chambers that it is impossible to reach except through opposition. And the proof — for Moshe Rabbainu, upon him be peace...

He answered and said: "There are two kinds of people about whom I have great compassion — those who could draw close to me and do not draw close, and those who draw close to me but..."

(1.) He said: "My Rosh Hashana surpasses everything." And he marveled: "Since those close to me believe me — why do all the people close to me not take care to all be at Rosh Hashana — not one missing? For my entire matter is only Rosh Hashana." And he admonished to make a proclamation that all who follow him and are close to him be at Rosh Hashana with him — not one absent. And whoever merits to be at Rosh Hashana should be careful to pray to G-d that he merit to come to Rosh Hashana again the following year — and so from year to year. And whoever merits to be at all Rosh Hashanas with him — it is certain that he will... (2.) One said before him that he would prefer to be with him on Shabbos Teshuva and not on Rosh Hashana — for he has no place to stand there in the house of study, and also has no good lodging to eat and sleep. And because of this his mind is very confused and he cannot pray with concentration. Therefore it would be better for him to be with him at another time, not on Rosh Hashana. Rabbainu o.b.m. replied to him in these words: "Whether to eat or not to eat..."

(3.) He answered and said: "My Rosh Hashana is a great novelty — and Hashem Yisburach knows this matter is not an inheritance from my forebears. Rather Hashem Yisburach gave this to me as a gift — that I know what Rosh Hashana is. Not to mention all of you — you are certainly dependent on my Rosh Hashana. But even the entire world entirely is dependent on my Rosh Hashana." (4.) On the eve of the last Rosh Hashana in Uman — we stood before him at the time when we gave him our kvitlech [notes] and money for redemption. Then he asked about one person from Nemrov who had not come for Rosh Hashana. And Rabbi Naftali began to justify him — and he did not accept the words. And he was very particular about him. (2.) And he greatly mocked what is written there about those who say — regarding the giving of the Torah — that G-d forbid Moses our teacher, upon him be peace, used his wisdom to devise schemes etc. And it is forbidden to repeat such words even in jest, G-d save us. May G-d save us from such corrupt alien ideas! Woe to whoever has even one such thought enter him. And one need not refute such foolishness.

And afterwards he spoke also about another person who had not come to Rosh Hashana due to many obstacles. And because of this the person traveled to Rabbainu o.b.m. before Rosh Hashana and told... And it is already explained in several books...

(3.) And he said one can recognize in a person's face whether he has studied the Moreh Nevuchim — meaning the face of this one who studies this book has changed for the worse. For he certainly loses the divine image — the holy countenance — through this. As one sees in physical experience that the vast majority of those who engaged in these books in these generations became complete heretics — and they are suspect regarding all transgressions in the Torah. For this book and similarly the other books of the philosophers uproot... (1.) About books of philosophical inquiry <such as the book Moreh Nevuchim> etc. — he told much about this many times and forbade us very, very strictly from looking into them and paying attention to them at all, G-d forbid. And he greatly exaggerated the severity of the prohibition — for they confuse a person's mind greatly with alien ideas that do not agree at all with the view of our holy Torah. They also do not believe in demons — whereas in all the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory the opposite is clearly stated. Particularly given what we have merited — the books of the holy Zohar... (4.) And once on Rosh Hashana Rabbainu o.b.m. also spoke about this — about the immensity of the prohibition to study these books that explain the Torah according to the ways of the philosophers — such as the books of Ibn Ezra, and particularly the bad commentary on him called Margalis Ra'ah; and the books of the Ralbag, which are well known to all for what is written there against the holy Torah — for which a person is obligated to tear his garments when hearing G-d forbid even one such word. And so on and so forth...

<וְאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁמּוּבָא בְּסֵפֶר הַגִּלְגּוּלִים שֶׁהָרַמְבַּ"ם הָיָה פְּאַת שְׂמֹאל שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אִם יָצְאוּ דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ מִפִּי הָאֲרִ"י זַ"ל, וּלְדַעְתּוֹ אֵינוֹ מִפִּי הָאֲרִ"י זַ"ל. וּפַעַם אַחַת סִפֵּר שֶׁחָלַם לוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מִתְקוֹטֵט עִם הָרַמְבַּ"ם עַל שֶׁכָּתַב דְּבָרִים כָּאֵלּוּ. וְאָמַר שֶׁלְּפִי דִּבְרֵיהֶם הַמֻּטְעִים אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ-בָּרוּךְ-הוּא יָכוֹל לְשַׁנּוֹת בְּרִיָּה קַלָּה... וְאָסוּר לְהִכָּנֵס בַּחֲקִירוֹת כְּלָל, רַק לְהַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה> (5.) And he greatly mocked the reasons for the commandments given in the Moreh Nevuchim. And he said: "How could one think of saying such empty reasons for sacrifices and incense? Are there not awesome, immense rectifications accomplished in all the worlds above above without end through the mere recitation of the incense liturgy alone? [Meaning: if, G-d forbid, their erroneous words were correct — what would be the use of reciting the incense and sacrifices?] And how could one come to say such foolishness about the reason for incense, which..."

<לִגְדוֹלִים מְפֻרְסָמִים, וּבִפְרָט סֵפֶר מוֹרֶה נְבוּכִים> (9.) Regarding the classic difficulty of divine foreknowledge and free will: it is already explained [in Likutay Moharan, in the Torah Beha'aloscho, Torah 21] that this is the aspect of the encompassing intellect that does not enter within this mind until the Future. See there. And Rabbainu o.b.m. told that he already had a proper answer to this difficulty. And the answer was in complete clarity — as was his way always, not to say something that would leave any doubt in it — only clear and definite matters...

(6.) "And the fact that he o.b.m. himself would sometimes look into these books — that is the aspect of the secret of Israel's going through the wilderness — which is the place of the sitra achra. And it is written in the holy Zohar [Shemos 157a] that for this reason Israel went through the wilderness — for they were treading upon the sitra achra through their walking there. And with this intention he looks into these books — which are the aspect of the wilderness. And understand. But for us there is a very great prohibition to look into these books..." (11.) Once it was heard that our Tsar wanted to issue, G-d forbid, several decrees against Israel — called punktn. And it was heard then that one of them was that Israel, G-d forbid, would be compelled to teach their children secular sciences and languages. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said that for this decree one must declare a fast and cry and scream to Hashem Yisburach more than over any of the other decrees. For this decree is a greater trouble than all troubles and evils...

(7.) Once he told of a jester who was in Lemberg — who in the midst of his jesting with rhymes and melodies as is the way of jesters, answered and said: "The old, old, old G-d" [in Yiddish, meaning: Hashem Yisburach — the Ancient of Ancients]. And Rabbainu o.b.m. repeated the word "old" many times — like the jester who was accustomed to mention the word "old" many many times. And Rabbainu o.b.m. told this in his name and also mentioned the word... (12.) I heard that Rabbainu o.b.m. said in these words: "I am the 'Know what to answer the heretic'" [Avos 2:14 — in Yiddish: "ain 'da mah shetoschiv l'apikores' bin ich'"]. And I also heard that he said on this matter: "I and my people."

(8.) One asked him about the matter stated in the Shulchan Aruch [Orach Chaim 5] — to have intention when saying the Name of G-d etc. He replied: "And what is lacking to you as it is plain — 'Adonai, G-d'? For through saying this with simple, plain intention — one is compelled to have one's hands and feet and all 248 limbs and 365 sinews trembling." (14.) I heard in his name that he said: "It is very good for one who merits to enter and stroll within faith. And there are palaces and chambers there — and one enters and strolls from chamber to chamber and from palace to palace. And there are wondrously beautiful trodden paths there — and from there one enters and strolls with confidence etc. And afterwards one enters more and more. Praiseworthy is one who enters and strolls there!"

I also heard this from him myself — in the house of Rabbi N.N. in Uman, after the evening meal. And I remained alone with him after Birchas Hamazon. And he was sitting in... (15.) He said: "Tzaddikim — even these tzaddikim of today — are also very precious in the eyes of Hashem Yisburach. And even if there were nothing more to say of them than that they distance themselves from the ways of the frivolous ones who conduct themselves precisely in the ways of the nations — and walk in the ways of philosophical inquiry and secular wisdom — whose intention is specifically to make themselves resemble in their manner, clothing, and customs the customs of the nations — as has spread now, due to our many sins..."

(10.) Once we spoke with him and he revealed to us that there is a proof for the creation of the world. For if not so, G-d forbid — where would there be room to contain all those who come into the world? For this one sees in physical experience: people keep increasing in number. For from one person generations upon generations of thousands and myriads of souls emerge. And so from each and every one. And if so — meaning: if the world were ancient and without limit and time, G-d forbid, as the position of the heretics, may their names be blotted out — it would already have been fitting that the world be... (17.) Regarding the philosophical inquiry against which he greatly warned to distance oneself in every possible way — he said that the philosophers investigated the greatness of Hashem Yisburach and His loftiness as He truly is. For they investigated and found that He is exceedingly elevated and exalted beyond all manner of thought — as He truly is. But they are unable to understand and attain in their philosophical investigation any single commandment from the commandments of the Torah — for the commandments they cannot attain and understand through their investigation in any manner...

(13.) He said to me: "There are several matters that are at first secret — and afterwards are no longer secret. For example: some secrets of Kabbalah that before Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the Ari z"l — these matters were in great secret, and they would not speak of this except in very great secrecy. And afterwards, in the days of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the Ari z"l, it was no longer secret — and they permitted revealing the secret somewhat. And similarly there are many matters that are now secret — and in the future in the days of..." (18.) Regarding the matter of the Shemittos [cosmic cycles] — that there are Kabbalistic books that hold this opinion as is explained in the books — Rabbainu o.b.m. said that this is not so etc. And also the view of the Ari of blessed memory does not agree at all with the matter of the Shemittos etc.

(16.) He answered and said: "Do you not know that in Germany the books of the holy Zohar are not to be found? And even though the holy Zohar books were printed there — even so they are not available there. They were sold to our land. And because the books of the holy Zohar are not there — they therefore go dressed in German garments. For garments are the aspect of the encompassing lights. And because of this one must be very careful to maintain the garments in cleanliness and to press them..." <וְכָל פַּעַם שֶׁסִּפֵּר מֵעִנְיָן זֶה, לֹא הָיָה מַסְכִּים כְּלָל. וְהַסֵּפֶר שַׁעֲרֵי גַן עֵדֶן שֶׁיָּצָא מֵחָדָשׁ בְּיָמֵינוּ, הָיָה לְמַרְאֵה עֵינֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל וְלֹא הוּטַב בְּעֵינָיו מֵחֲמַת זֶה... עַל כֵּן טוֹב אִם אֵינָם מַתְחִילִים לְהִכָּנֵס כְּלָל בַּחֲקִירָה... וְגַם דַּעַת הָאֲרִ"י זַ"ל אֵינוֹ מַסְכִּים כְּלָל לְעִנְיַן הַשְּׁמִטּוֹת>

(19.) Once Rabbainu o.b.m. said in these words: "Through faith one can come to such a will — that one does not know what one wants — that one cries: 'Help! Bind me! I will be torn to pieces! I want to be included in You!'" [in Yiddish: "durch Emunah ken men kumen tsu azoi a ratzon az men zol nit visn vos me vil, me zol shrayen: Givald! Bint mich! Vorn ich ver tsu risen oyf shtiker! Ich vil niklol vern in dir!"]. (2.) I heard in his name that he said he dreamed a witticism — and it is this one [Shabbos 34a]: "Harlots adorn each other — Torah scholars kal vachomer [all the more so]." The difficulty is: harlots adorn each other — Torah scholars "not?" Meaning: since harlots adorn each other, why do Torah scholars not honor each other? And the answer is kal vachomer — meaning for the sake of kal vachomer — for the sake of money, which is called kal vachomer, for kal vachomer is wealth...

(3.) I heard a witticism in the name of Rabbainu o.b.m.: "From the day the Tsar of Russia conquered the land — money and silver became dross, and drink became pansh [adulterated]." [A reference to the verse in Isaiah 1]: "Your silver has become dross — your wine is diluted with water." And understand. <פַּעַם אַחַת סִפֵּר רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל שֶׁהַמְחַקְרִים חוֹלְקִים זֶה עִם זֶה: כַּת אַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁהַגַּלְגַּלִּים חוֹזְרִים וְסוֹבְבִים... וְאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל שֶׁאֵינוֹ כֵּן בֶּאֱמֶת, רַק הָאֱמֶת הוּא כַּדֵּעָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה — "וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמָדֶת"> (2.) One who wants to sleep and cannot sleep — the advice for this is not to force oneself so much to sleep. For the more one forces oneself to sleep — the more the obstacles to sleep overpower him. And this matter applies also to all things in the world — not to force oneself too much. For the more one forces oneself for something — the more the opposite overwhelms him specifically.

<עַל שִׁדּוּךְ יָדוּעַ אָמַר: קָשֶׁה לְזַוֵּוג כִּקְרִיעַת יַם-סוּף, כִּי שָׁם הָיָה קָשֶׁה לְפָנָיו, כִּי הָיָה הַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה> <יֵשׁ עוֹף אֶחָד בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִבְרָא בָּעוֹלָם אֶלָּא אֶחָד. וּכְשֶׁהוּא מַזְקִין אֲזַי הוּא נֶחֱלָשׁ מִכֹּחוֹ, וּכְשֶׁרוֹאֶה שֶׁהוּא חָלוּשׁ אֲזַי הוּא פּוֹרֵחַ עַל הַר אֶחָד וְלוֹקֵט לוֹ עֲשָׂבִים שֶׁל כָּל מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים... וְנִבְרָא מִיָּד אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו> And even in the service of G-d one sometimes needs this — not to force oneself...

<עַל אֶחָד שֶׁחָלָה וְהָיָה נֶעְצָר, אָמַר: "אַל תִּהְיֶה רָשָׁע בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָךְ"> <יֵשׁ תּוֹלַעַת אַחַת שֶׁנִּבְרָא עַל אִילָן וְיוֹשֵׁב תָּמִיד עַל הָאִילָן. וְיֵשׁ לָזֶה הַתּוֹלַעַת כְּמוֹ בַּיִת שֶׁל רֶפֶשׁ וְטִיט... וְאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל שֶׁאֵינוֹ כֵּן, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַתּוֹלַעַת יֵשׁ לוֹ בְּטֶבַע קְרִירוּת... נַעֲשֶׂה עָלָיו כְּמוֹ בַּיִת> (4.) Regarding his cough — he wanted to bring up phlegm during the cough, and could not. And he did not force himself greatly on this. Afterwards after a little while the phlegm came up by itself easily — and I was standing before him. He answered and said to me: "Even from this one can see that it is impossible to force oneself greatly on any matter. For at first I could not bring up the phlegm — but I was quiet and at rest and did not force myself to bring it up specifically. And afterwards..."

(1.) He said: "Seek peace in your own place — and pursue it from another place." Meaning: sometimes one must specifically be at peace with those who hate G-d — and specifically through this, pursue it from another place. And understand. (5.) When I was writing before him the first Aleph-Beis book — and from his mouth he would read to me from his manuscripts and I would write in the book in ink. And the matter extended over a long time. For at first I wrote before him a little — about half a page. And afterwards it did not come about that there was opportunity to write before him — and this extended approximately three or four months. And then I wrote before him a little more. Afterwards the matter was interrupted for about two years. And once before Chanuka...

A quip about the cantor of Breslov (from manuscript) who traveled to Tomashpil for Shabbos Shira [the Sabbath of Song] and did not arrive there and spent Shabbos in a certain village. And since the Torah portion was Beshalach he said: "And G-d did not lead them by way of the land of Tomashpil." (6.) When he set me to diligent study — and commanded me and fixed for me large study quotas each day. And he admonished me that each day I should make sure to speak with people some conversations and stories in order to refresh my mind. And even though the day was not sufficient for me to complete the quotas he commanded me — even so he said this was necessary to refresh my mind each day through conversation with people for some hours each day. And it is already explained elsewhere [Likutay...].

(1.) It was not his way to advise a person and absolutely decree upon him that he must do specifically as he commands. Rather he advises him as a good counsel — if he does it, he does it; if not, not. Even though his desire is that he do so — even so it was not his way to press on any matter that it should be specifically so. Rather: if it will be, it will be; if not, not. "And I have several reasons for this." (1.) From a letter of the friends: He said it is good for a person to say during hisbodidus — when engaging in private conversation with his Creator — to say: "Today I begin to cleave to You." And he should make a new beginning each and every time — for all continuations follow from the beginnings. And even the philosophers say that the beginning is like half the entire action. It turns out from whichever way you look at it — one should make a new beginning each time and say as mentioned above. For from whichever way you look at it: if it was good before — now it will be...

"I also know that all the goods of this world — none of their good is complete. And every good thing from the goods..." (2.) Once he was speaking with us and was speaking much at that time about the virtue of hisbodidus — and greatly extolled the virtue and greatness of this practice. And he said it is impossible to command people to practice this practice for more than one hour a day — for it is impossible to burden them more. But in truth they should have all-day hisbodidus. And he then spoke much about this matter — and several beautiful and lovely conversations were heard from his holy mouth...

(3.) He said: "The fact that teachers press a child too much — through this the child does not learn at all. Rather one must be a great expert in teaching the child gradually — without much threatening and without too much pressure. And through this the child will absorb more easily." For he said: "The teacher goes over it with the child saying 'remember, remember'" [in Yiddish: "gedenk zhe, gedenk zhe"]. If he had gone over it with the child a little gently — he would certainly have absorbed the matter well... (4.) He said: "Even when one cannot speak in hisbodidus — only the two words 'Master of the Universe' [Ribono Shel Olam] — that too is very good." He said that one can recognize in another person whether he has hisbodidus.

When Rabbainu o.b.m. made known to me the matter of hisbodidus — the private conversation between a person and his Creator — I spoke with him: "But a person has free will." And he did not reply to me explicitly — only in an offhanded way, as if to say "even so." Meaning: even though it is impossible to explain the matter to you completely — even so, one must practice it this way. And I could not ask more — for I knew that this same difficulty could be raised also against all the prayers that were arranged... (5.) Rabbainu o.b.m. commanded one person that he should have hisbodidus once during the day and once at night.

(3.) On the last Rosh Hashana in Uman — his wise grandson, the young Israel, son of his son-in-law the notable our teacher the Rabbi Yitzchak Aizik of Kremintchak, was with him. And his grandson was still a small boy of three or four years old. And Rabbainu o.b.m. was heavily burdened by his illness — for it was close to his passing. He answered and said to his grandson: "Israel — pray to Hashem Yisburach for me that I recover." He replied: "Give me the little watch [zeigirl]..." Once Rabbainu o.b.m. asked one of his people whether he is accustomed to groaning and sighing — called krechtzn — during hisbodidus. And he replied: "Yes." And he asked him further whether he groans and sighs from the depths of the heart. He answered and said to him: "When I make a groan and a sigh — then if I..."

(6.) To one of the greatest of his close followers [Rabbi Shmuel Aizik] of blessed memory — he commanded him in the years of the close follower's youth — that during hisbodidus he should speak at great length specifically with each and every limb of his body — and explain to them that all bodily desires are vanity. For after all, every person's end is to die — and the body will be brought to the grave and all the limbs will decay and rot etc. — and similar kinds of words. And he conducted himself this way for some time. And afterwards he spoke with Rabbainu z"l and justified himself...

(7.) And I heard in the name of Rabbainu o.b.m. that he said this also to several other people: "Since your body is very thick, fierce, and strong etc. — therefore you must stuff it much" [in Yiddish: "darft ihr ihm asach on dulen"] — with holy words regarding the ultimate purpose — as mentioned above. And it is thereby understood that one must also speak with oneself many words regarding strengthening — to strengthen one's soul — so that one's hands should not fall completely slack, G-d forbid. And as it is cited in the songs and rhymes of Rabbainu z"l, and in many places in his words. And as we say every day in the morning prayer: "What are we, what is our life" etc. — "except for the soul" etc. — "but we are Your people" etc. — "Praiseworthy are we" etc. — as cited in his words in Likutay Tinyana, Torah 125, see there. End of Part II Sections: His Toil · His Attainments · Those Who Drew Close · His Torah and Books · The Opposition · Rosh Hashana · Faith and Against Inquiry · Witticisms · Not Being Stubborn · The Virtue of Hisbodidus Continued in File 6: Avodas Hashem (Articles 444–610) and the Closeness of Rabbi Yudil (Articles 611–615)