English Edition — includes diagrams and timeline

Geedoolay HaNachal

The Growths of the Stream: Biographical Register of the Early Breslov Chassidim

Compiled and arranged by Noach HaLevi Sternfeld

Contents

Front Matter and Reader's Aids

• Transliteration and Terminology

• Panoramic Timeline

• Data at a Glance

• Charts and Diagrams

• Compiler's Introduction

• Source Abbreviations

• Rabbi Nachman of Breslov

Main Biographical Register

• Biographies by Hebrew Initial

Appendices

• Known Yahrzeits

• All Death Data

• Comprehensive Chronology of All Dated Material

• Surname Index

Hebrew Initials

Alef (א) • Beis (ב) • Gimel (ג) • Daled (ד) • Hei (ה) • Zayin (ז) • Ches (ח) • Tes (ט) • Yud (י) • Lamed (ל) • Mem (מ) • Nun (נ) • Samech (ס) • Ayin (ע) • Peh (פ) • Tzadi (צ) • Kuf (ק) • Reish (ר) • Shin (ש)

Transliteration and Terminology

Established Ashkenazic forms are used throughout: Shabbos, mitzvos, Chatzos, hisbodedus, Yisrael, and similar forms. Familiar names retain their established English spelling; less familiar terms are transliterated for accurate pronunciation and glossed on first use.

Term

Meaning

Anshei Shlomeinu

Literally, “our people”; the early Breslov chassidim and their circles.

avodas Hashem

Service of Hashem: prayer, Torah, mitzvos, character refinement, and devotion.

beis midrash / kloiz

A study and prayer house; “kloiz” is the traditional Breslov term used for the Uman prayer house.

Chatzos

The midnight devotional service and associated practices.

hisbodedus

Personal, secluded prayer and conversation with Hashem.

Moharanat / Rebbe Nosson

Rabbi Nosson Sternhartz of Breslov, Rabbeinu’s foremost disciple and principal transmitter.

Rabbeinu

“Our Rebbe”; throughout this volume, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.

Rosh Hashanah gathering

The annual Breslov kibbutz centered on Rabbeinu in Uman.

shochet and bodek

A ritual slaughterer and examiner.

Tikkun HaKlali

Rabbi Nachman’s General Rectification: ten specified chapters of Tehillim.

Panoramic Timeline

This panorama shows major milestones only; the appendix at the end includes every biography containing explicitly dated material.

Hebrew / Civil Year

Milestone

5532 / 1772

Rosh Chodesh Nissan: Rabbi Nachman is born in Medzhibuzh.

5545 / 1785

Approximate marriage of Rabbi Nachman to Mrs. Sashia; Reb Shimon draws close.

5550 / 1790

Beginning of the Medvedivka period.

5559 / 1799

Rabbi Nachman journeys to Eretz Yisrael.

5562 / 1802

Move to Breslov; Rebbe Nosson and Reb Naftali draw close.

5567 / 1807

Journeys to Novoritch, Ostroh, and Zaslav; death of Mrs. Sashia; second marriage.

5570 / 1810

Rabbi Nachman moves to Uman.

5571 / 1811

18 Tishrei: passing of Rabbi Nachman; the disciples carry the movement forward.

5582 / 1822

Rebbe Nosson travels to Eretz Yisrael.

5592 / 1832

Construction of the Breslov beis midrash in Uman.

5595 / 1835

The great controversy and persecutions erupt.

5605 / 1845

10 Teves: passing of Rebbe Nosson.

5625 / 1865

Reb Sender of Tirhovitz rebuilds the Uman beis midrash.

5628 / 1868

Reb Yitzchok, son of Rebbe Nosson, immigrates to Tzfas.

5634 / 1874

Likutay Moharan is printed in Yerushalayim.

5644 / 1884

Passing of Reb Nachman of Tulchin.

5654 / 1894

Passing of Rabbi Nachman of Tcherin.

5663 / 1903

Reb Isaac Eisenstein builds the Uman kloiz.

5669 / 1909

The “Rising at Chatzos” society is founded in Tzfas.

5671 / 1911

The first section of Likutay Halachos is printed in Berdichev.

5674 / 1914

World War I interrupts travel; Reb Avraham son of Reb Nachman remains in Uman.

5677 / 1917

Beginning of the wave of deaths and killings during the revolutionary years.

5684 / 1924

18 Teves: death of Reb Isaac Eisenstein; the latest dated death in this volume.

Data at a Glance

476 biographical entries

19 Hebrew initial sections containing entries

371 biographies containing explicit dated material

117 subjects with death or burial data

34 yahrzeit records in the source’s concluding calendar

4 summary charts and 4 diagrams

Charts and Diagrams

The charts summarize patterns found in the biographical entries and the concluding yahrzeit list.

Number of biographies under each Hebrew initial.

Distribution of the concluding yahrzeit calendar by Hebrew month.

Place mentions across all biographies; one person may be associated with several places.

Biographical subjects whose deaths can be assigned to a single civil decade; cross-decade ranges and undated cases are excluded.

Continuity Chain Listed at the End of the Source

The diagram preserves the order of names as listed in the source; it does not claim that every arrow represents formal ordination.

1. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov

→

2. Rabbi Aharon of Breslov

→

3. Rebbe Nosson

↓

6. Reb Ephraim son of Reb Naftali

←

5. Reb Yitzchok, son of Rebbe Nosson

←

4. Reb Naftali

↓

7. Reb Nachman of Tulchin

→

8. Rabbi Nachman of Tcherin

→

9. Reb David Tzvi Dashivsky

↓

12. Reb Yisrael of Kardon

←

11. Reb Alter of Teplik

←

10. Reb Avraham son of Reb Nachman

↓

13. Reb Avraham Sofer Sternhartz

→

14. Reb Shimshon Barsky

→

15. Anshei Shlomeinu of Poland

Selected Family Diagrams

These diagrams include only relationships stated in this volume and are not complete genealogies.

Family of Rabbi Nachman

Reb Simcha of Horodenka

+

Mrs. Feiga

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov

Mrs. Sashia - first wife

+

Daughter of Reb Yechezkel Trachtenberg - second wife

Children named in the volume: Shlomo Ephraim, Yaakov, Feiga, Adel, Sarah, Miriam, Chaya

Family of Rebbe Nosson

Reb Naftali Hertz

+

Mrs. Chaya Laneh

Rebbe Nosson

Mrs. Esther Shaindel - first wife

+

Mrs. Dishel - second wife

Children: Shechna, Yitzchok, David Tzvi, Nachman, Yosef Yonah, Meir, Chana Tziril; stepchildren: Shmuel Shmelke and Chaya

Source and Transmission Map

Teachings and conversations of Rabbi Nachman

Writing, editing, and expansion by Rebbe Nosson

Books and letters of Rebbe Nosson

Letters of disciples and later disciples

Later compilations, gravestones, and traditions of the elders

Collection, comparison, and arrangement by Noach HaLevi Sternfeld

The present volume

Timelines, tables, charts, and indexes

Compiler's Introduction

It is well known that Rabbeinu said that his desire was to leave disciples, so that those disciples would make other disciples, and the disciples of those disciples would shine onward ever more, throughout the generations. It is likewise known that our holy Rebbe greatly extolled the immense virtue of those who draw close to him and fulfill his holy counsel. Rebbe Nosson and the other great figures of Anshei Shlomeinu in every generation also spoke abundantly in praise of those who merited to shelter in the shade of his holiness and of his holy disciples and to walk in his ways. I therefore resolved to go and gather, from books and from their authors, the names of all the disciples of Rabbeinu and the known disciples of his disciples, so that they might be remembered forever, and to record briefly whatever is known to us of their lives. I hereby make known that I have not come to relate their praises, to describe the magnitude of their toil in Torah and avodas Hashem, or the intensity of the obstacles that rose against them, and so forth - matters that no pen could fully recount. My purpose is only to place markers concerning their periods, their places, their family histories, and their ancestral homes, for I saw that great confusion surrounds these matters and that the information is scattered throughout the writings and letters of Anshei Shlomeinu. Heaven forbid that a reader judge their greatness or righteousness according to how much or how little is written here about them. Many of them - including great figures of the world and mighty men of Torah and yirah - are known to us only by name. Let it also be known that despite much labor, effort, searching, and examination over a long period, to the extent that my weak hand could reach, many matters remain without absolute clarification. Surely names and details are missing that escaped me or for which I found no source in the writings of Anshei Shlomeinu. In order that the reader may know and may examine the original material more broadly, I have given at the end of every entry its written and epistolary sources, from everything printed to date by Anshei Shlomeinu. Only in isolated places where I was unable to clarify the matter have I presented my own view as a possibility or reasonable inference.

This first part includes members of Anshei Shlomeinu who passed from the world through the early 5680s, and almost all of them are members of Anshei Shlomeinu from Russia or among the first to establish their homes in Eretz Yisrael. In the second part, which with Hashem's help I hope to collect, arrange, and publish, will be included members of Anshei Shlomeinu who passed away from 5680 until the present. Most will be from Poland and Eretz Yisrael, including those who were killed al kiddush Hashem during the years of wrath, 5700-5705, may Hashem avenge their blood. It will also contain supplements and corrections to this part.

This is also the place to express thanks to all the members of Anshei Shlomeinu who assisted me, helped clarify various details, and offered counsel - especially the Meshech HaNachal association, which graciously placed at my disposal the manuscript of HaSichos VeHaSippurim, a work it intended to publish and which illuminated my eyes, and which also undertook the labor and burden of bringing this book to print. May it be Hashem's will that the merit of our holy Rabbeinu and his holy disciples stand for them, for us, and for all their descendants, that we may engage, according to Rabbeinu's path, in Torah and avodah all our days, with serenity and abundance.

Thus writes Noach HaLevi Sternfeld

The holy city of Meron, may it be rebuilt and established

19 Menachem Av 5744 - August 17, 1984

Yahrzeit of our teacher Reb Naftali, of blessed memory, disciple of Rabbeinu

Source Abbreviations

Only sources that recur frequently are included here; therefore they are cited in abbreviated form.

Abbreviation

Source and citation method

א״א

Emunas Uman - letter number.

אבב״ר

Avaneha Barzel - page number.

אי״ש

Der Otzar fun Yiras Shamayim (Yiddish) - volume and page.

חיי״מ

Chayei Moharan - section number in the vocalized edition.

טו״ז

Tovos Zichronos - page number.

ימה״ת

Yemei HaTlaos - page number.

יממ״א

Yemei Moharanat, Part I - section number in the vocalized edition.

יממ״ב

Yemei Moharanat, Part II - section number.

כו״א

Kochvei Or - page number.

כו״פ

Kaftor VaFerach - page number in the edition bound with Sippurei Maasiyos.

מבה״נ

Mabuei HaNachal - issue and page.

מכתבים

Letters of Rebbe Nosson at the end of Alim LiTerufah and in Emunas Uman - letter number.

מרי״ש

Letters of Reb Yitzchok Sternhartz, son of Rebbe Nosson, at the end of Alim LiTerufah - date of letter.

נ״א

Nachalei Emunah - letter number.

נ״צ

Naveh Tzaddikim - page number.

נת״צ

Nesiv Tzaddik - letter number.

סינ״פ