Passages From Yemay Moharna"s — Joy, Self-Compulsion, and the Journey to Eretz Yisrael

I will write to you some lines from Yemay Moharna"s [ימי מהרנ"ת — "The Days of Moharna"t": the personal diary / memoir of R' Noson Sternhartz of Breslov, recording the journey from the diaspora to Eretz Yisrael; Part Two], part two — and from this you will understand how to yearn for Rabbainu the Holy one — for this is the essence of all Jewishness, etc., etc. Study it there. And this is his holy language [R' Noson's words]: "And all these things were somewhat of a great obstacle for me, because I heard of the greatness of the upheaval and the danger. But afterward I was strengthened more through this — for I turned to one side and looked: are they not even so traveling from Eretz Yisrael to the diaspora and risking their lives for the sake of livelihood — from the great pressing need of their circumstances — and Hashem helped them that they arrived in peace. How much more am I obligated to risk myself for the rectification of my soul — to travel from the diaspora to Eretz Yisrael. And may G‑d help me through His kindness to arrive there — for to Eretz Yisrael one cannot come except through suffering. And also Rabbainu, of blessed memory, traveled during a great war. And if who am I to compare myself to our holy Rabbainu — whom no one resembles — certainly one as lowly as I — nonetheless in a matter of holiness, even the lightest of the light is obligated to seek great things, as I heard from his holy mouth himself, of blessed memory. On the contrary — I am obligated to give over my soul a thousand times more to come to Eretz Yisrael — for Rabbainu the Holy one, of blessed memory, even before he came to Eretz Yisrael — his holiness, his separation, his greatness, his righteousness were very, very high and elevated and exalted to the utmost degree. And he traveled to Eretz Yisrael only to accomplish and attain still higher attainments — for of His greatness, blessed be He, there is no limit — as is clarified from this in our discussion of his awesome stories of praise. Study it there. But we, orphans of orphans — we need to roll in mud and clay and crawl on the earth among serpents and scorpions until we merit to kiss the dust of Eretz Yisrael and roll in its holy dust and draw from its holy and awesome air. And even though we do not know at all what Eretz Yisrael is — well, we also do not know what tzitzis is, and what tefillin is, and what sukkah and lulav are — and what the other mitzvos are. For the reasons of the commandments are not known to any human being — certainly not to us — and certainly are 'the wonders of Your testimonies' — and certainly 'all Your commandments are faithfulness.' And would we, G‑d forbid, exempt ourselves from performing the commandments because we do not know their reasons? Likewise we are obligated to roll to Eretz Yisrael — even though we do not know what Eretz Yisrael is. Etc., etc. Through all of this and more — which cannot be explained here — I was strengthened through the mighty obstacles more and more, etc." End of quote. Study it there and you will find rest for your soul, on pages 12 and 13.

And see there further on page 15b and page 16 — and this is his holy language: "And afterward it occurred to me some reason, somewhat, why it is necessary to circle around the road to come to Eretz Yisrael — and it is clarified plainly according to the Torah of Rabbainu, of blessed memory. I said: incidentally I will also write this here. And it is: for it is clarified in the Torah Viyih'yeh Na Pi Shnayim B'Ruchecha [ויהי' נא פי שניים ברוחך — "May there be please a double portion of your spirit" — II Kings 2:9; Torah lesson 66 in Likutay Moharan] (section 66 in Likutay Moharan): 'All the obstacles in the world regarding anything holy — all of them are for the sake of the longing — in order that the longing intensify further. And the greater the desired thing — the greater the obstacle — in order that the longing intensify further. For the obstacle is only for the sake of the longing — for through the obstacle the longing intensifies greatly — like when one shows something to a child and snatches it from him — that intensifies his longing greatly, and he runs and chases the thing very much. Likewise through preventing a person from a holy thing — through this his longing intensifies more and more. And therefore — the greater the desired thing, the more obstacles are placed — in order that the longing intensify more and more, etc. Study all of this well — for these are things absolutely necessary in practice. And one who takes these things to heart truly — through this can break and pass through all the obstacles in the world, and attain and arrive at everything holy that he desires. Nothing can prevent him — for if his longing intensifies, he will break all obstacles. For all the obstacles came only for the sake of the longing — for through the obstacles one can understand how great is the greatness of the desired thing. And the more the obstacles intensify — through this one can understand how great is the greatness of the desired thing, etc. Study all of this well.' And now it is plainly clarified — because of this 'G‑d led the people around and did not lead them by the way of the Philistines, which was near' [Exodus 13:17 — the verse describing why G‑d led Israel the long way around to Eretz Yisrael] — as clarified in Parashas Beshalach — for He deliberately circled them by distant routes and distanced them from Eretz Yisrael — that they not come immediately to Eretz Yisrael — in order that their longing intensify more and more through the great obstacles of the distant road and the force of the battles they witnessed. So that through all of this — the longing of all those who truly want to come to Eretz Yisrael should intensify more and more. And one who is not able to withstand this test truly — will not come to Eretz Yisrael at all. For such is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He — that He tests a person through the great obstacles He arranges before each holy thing — especially before a holy thing upon which all of Jewishness depends, such as: to come to Eretz Yisrael, or to draw close to the true Tzadik. For then He arranges for him obstacles that appear to be very great and difficult. And all of this is for the longing — in order that his longing intensify more and more, as stated above. For through the great and mighty obstacles he is able to understand how great is the greatness of the desired thing — and then his longing and yearning will intensify according to the force of the obstacle. And then if he perseveres in longing and yearning — he will certainly break all the obstacles and come to the true Tzadik and to Eretz Yisrael. For the obstacles came only for the sake of the longing, as stated. And the reverse: one who cannot withstand the test — will distance himself through this, etc.' End of quote." [Yiddish:] "Be precise in those words — and you will be revived. And this will lead you to the service of Hashem — and you understand enough." My dear brother — G‑d, blessed be He, knows that it is difficult for me to write — but in order to give you life — love overturns the line [אהבה מקלקלת את השורה — Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 105b: love disrupts the normal order; used here: love for one's friend compels one to go beyond what one normally has strength to do].

From me — your mighty friend, who awaits good tidings: Shmuel Horowitz, the Breslover. Please, please greatly — be abundant in prayer for me. A joyful festival! A good Yom Kippur eve! A good Yom Kippur! A good sealed conclusion! A good Sukkos! A good year! [Yiddish:] "Hope! Joyfully! Onwards! Hope!" [Hebrew:] (With joy in joy — joyful, joyful, joyful.)