Breslov Chassidim at Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin

By Rabbi D. HaLachmi

Breslov Hasidim at the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva

Rabbi Meir Shapira Hosts the Breslov Hasidim in His Yeshiva

Rabbi Nahman of Breslov said: It is good for a person to accustom himself to reviving his soul with a melody, for melody is a great and exceedingly lofty thing, and it has the power to awaken and draw a person to His blessed Name. Come and see how great the power of a melody is. Even our forefather Jacob, who sent his tribes to Joseph, sent with them a melody of the Land of Israel. This is the secret of "Take of the song of the land in your vessels," and as Rashi explained: zemeret—an expression of song. A melody is beautiful, and it is seven times more beautiful when sung together by Breslov Hasidim, for every melody from their treasury of melodies has a distinctive flavor and is pleasant to its listeners—especially when it issues from the communal prayer leaders of the Breslovers, who learned the secrets of prayer there in Uman, the burial place of this tzaddik, the place of song and prayer, the source of attachment to the tzaddik and the source of righteous deeds. And if tears open gates, then according to Rabbi Nahman's words, song brings down walls. Indeed, whoever merited to imbibe the fragrance of the Breslov prayers personally felt the walls fall and felt his tangible closeness to the King of the world, without a partition. Breslov Hasidim were scattered throughout all the cities of Poland. Most were desperately poor and filled with joy and gladness of spirit. Sabbath by Sabbath they sat together in their Hasidic houses and thirstily drank in their master's teaching, which was presented to them in a popular and understandable form by veteran Breslov Hasidim, to whom their master's books were clear and who excelled in easy, readily accepted explanation.

In their prayers the Breslovers entreated their Maker like a son who entreats his father. Their souls stormed in prayer, and the yearning heavenward stood out most of all on Rosh Hashanah, when their master commanded them to strive as far as possible to pray amid a great multitude and in the fellowship of friends. For Rabbi Nahman said this: all those close to the true tzaddik must gather together in one place on Rosh Hashanah and pray in attachment to the tzaddik; through this they receive a wondrous illumination, rectification, and great closeness, which they cannot merit throughout the entire year. Every Breslov Hasid had one sole aim in his life: to merit at least once to ascend to the city of Uman and prostrate himself at his grave, in order to pray and truly bind himself to the tzaddik. With self-sacrifice they strove to fulfill this aim. They crossed borders and bribed border guards—the essential thing was to reach the longed-for goal. And if the yearnings for fellowship were great throughout the year, they rose and grew sevenfold at the advent of Rosh Hashanah, for thus said the Rebbe: therefore one must break through every sort of obstacle and come to the Rosh Hashanah gathering with tremendous self-sacrifice, unless it is a matter of danger to life