Fires of Israel - Part 23

The Story of The Rabbi and the Only Son

We spoke about the story of the Rav and the Only Son (Legendary Tales, Story 8). I heard from our men that this story of the Rav and the Only Son is a story which actually took place, not just a story of Ancient Times. The holy Rebbe told over stories from Ancient Times (*See Likutay Moharan 60:6), however this story – which is from Ancient Times – this story actually took place! (*See Siach Sarfay Kodesh, vol.2 article 319, that asserts that Rabbi Nussun met the grieving father).

And from this story this is much to learn, we see that the only son sat in the attic, and was always engaged in Torah, and prayer, and avoadas (serving) Hashem – always. Nu, he felt that something was missing, which was happening to him, and he didn't know what, he didn't know how to fill it. Two young men (youngerman -a term used for those that study Torah all day) gave him advice that he should travel to such and such a tzadik!

One sees from this – that it is possible to be a lamdan (-skilled scholar), the father was a Rav, and he was an only son by the Rav, and he sat regularly on (-applying himself to) the Torah and avoada (-devotions). This is something of a hint – that one can be a lamdan (-skilled scholar) and be of eminent lineage, and regularly engage in Torah and avoada (devotions), and feel a deficiency – that deficiency is the essential! When there is this deficiency, one feels no taste in the Torah and in the avoada (devotions) – in Torah and in prayer.

He didn't feel any taste in the Torah, in prayer, he didn't see the deficiency! Afterwards we see what the deficiency was – the young men gave him advice that he should travel to the tzaddik!….

A Factory of Judaism

And further – I saw many people, they see that I speak always about R' Yisroel'n, I tell over of his deeds, of his prayers, and of his avoada (devotions). They ask me, “Did you learn anything – Talmud? When did you learn? Was R' Yisroel a lamdan (-skilled scholar)?”….

(*See Likutay Halachos, Laws of Rosh Chodesh 5:29, brought down in the final part of Outpouring of the Soul, article 12, explaining how Rachel represents the Torah, and this everyone appreciates and finds valuable, whereas Leah represents the prayer, which people fail to realize its prominence, and on the contrary they belittle it. See there at length.)

Nu, the holy Rebbe said (The Days of Rabbi Nussun, article 38), “By me it is a factory of Judaism!” There has yet to be heard such a thing!

We see from the beginning, from Rabbi Nussun'en. Rabbi Nussun was a gaon (genius) oalum (-of universal standing). And he was a son-in-law of a gaon oalum. And he merited to draw close to many tzaddikim – true ones! The Berdichiver Rav (-R' Levi Yitzchok) would delight (“mishtashaya”) with him, he called him “my Nussun'ileh!” And so too by many tzaddikim. By the Berdichiver Rav it is written, and he was by other tzaddikim – I think by Rabbi Mordechai Neshchizer, and he was by many other tzaddikim. (*See Ullim Litrufa, letter of Rabbi Nussun from Thursday, Torah Portion of Va-yishlach 5595).

And afterwards when the holy Rebbe settled in Breslov, and Breslov is not far from Nemerov, and HY brought about circumstances that there lived ('sat') in Nemerov a Breslover chusid – R' Lipa, he was drawn close before Rabbi Nussun'en. In short, (and) Rabbi Nussun heard his Shalom Alaichem (-song for greeting the accompanying angels on the night of Shabbos. See the story in Avunehu Barzel, article 6, at length). His prayer! It doesn't say his 'speaking in learning' (-discussion in Torah study)… He heard a Sholom Alaichem! And his prayer pleased him!

In short, he traveled from Nemerov to Rebbe'n, and the holy Rebbe told him over three stories (*See Koachvay Ohr, Men of Rabbi Nachman, article 3, and at length in Avunehu Barzel, the Drawing close of Rabbi Nussun, article 6). Nu, and Rabbi Nussun, when he came close to Rebbe'n, immediately he was – just the Rebbe!!

And he merited that he was - - all the disciples abnegated themselves before Rebbe'n, however, he was entirely something else!

Nu, and his work was – in the life of Rabbainu and afterwards – his main work was talking with people about avoadas (serving) Hashem! That one must regularly only serve HY in truth! And he drew many souls close to Rebbe'n. When he drew souls close to Hashem Yisburach, there went missing from the settlement – from the settled world! (*based on the Story of the Prayer Leader). And they were such holy tzaddikim, such temimim (-wholehearted, sincere, unfeigned), what is not to be seen in the world!

Because so it actually is. Because the holy Rebbe said that, “by me it is a factory of Judaism!” And the fundamental which one must know is that one must search out Rebbe'n, every word, every Torah – one must search.

One mustn't think that he's already a Breslover chusid, “I learn Likutay Moharan” - that he can say, “I already know Likutay Moharan by heart...” It is not contingent on any pilpulim (-elaborate sequences of questions, answers, associations, and other logical devices, developing an idea or concept, often considered specious not dealing with the real simple crux of the issue), it is not contingent on any honor of this world – this is something 'entirely' different!

R' Yisroel – when he found a poor boy, a plain (-simple, coarse) boy – one can't speak with him at all in learning… and in him he gave his entire – his mind, with his strength, with his avoada (devotions) – everything.

Nu, we see from here that this is something completely different from the world. The holy Rebbe is entirely something different from the world – the opposite of the world. Either the world – or the Rebbe!…

I knew (“recognized”) lamdanim (-skilled scholars) in Tiberius, in Tiberius there were big lamdanim, Torah greats, great ones of the generation (“Gedolay Hador”). Nu, so he saw the Likutay Tefilos, he did a favor – he looked in it. However, that he should take it to learn, to learn from it how to be a Jew?! He (himself) certainly not – but even if he sees someone else that says a lot of prayers and Psalms, he considers him to be an idler, for an am hu'uretz (-ignorant person); he sees only such a type of am hu'uretz (ignorant person)!…

His Psalms - - like the Rav Alpandri (the eldest and most venerable sage in the Middle East before the World War, known as the Chacham Bashi) said, “His Psalms surpass your learning...”