אות - קנה

When he was in Uman he heard in his home the voices of those crying over the cemetery (323) — over the graves of their forebears, as was their custom to cry out and pray there with a bitter voice as is customary. And once he heard a woman who was crying out there over her father's grave: "Father! Father!" in a very bitter voice. And his daughter, may she live, was standing next to him then. He answered and said to her: This woman cries out with full intent — "Father! Father!" — but her father is not here at all. And he said then that it is good when coming to the graves of forebears to say to the deceased who dwell around and around the grave of their father and mother and the like who come to him — to ask of them that they inform him that his son or daughter has come to him. For certainly not all the deceased depart from the place of their burial to a place where they are disturbed — for many rest upon their graves. Therefore it is good to inform them so that they will inform the father etc. (324).

And he said then: But by a Tzadik one does not need to worry about this — that perhaps he is not there. For the passing of a Tzadik is only like one who goes out from one room to another room. And he illustrated this to his daughter about himself: just as I am now in this room and afterward I go out from this room and enter the second room and close the door after me — if you come to the door and cry out "Father! Father!" etc., would I not hear your words?! Such words were heard from his holy mouth several times — that he hinted to each and every one how great is the virtue of one who merits to come to his holy and awesome grave. For certainly he will hear his words and help and save him in all that is possible.

And things such as these have already been recorded earlier, for such was his way in holiness — to speak and converse with his wondrous wisdom and during the discourse not to understand his intent, and afterward to understand retroactively his holy intent. In particular regarding this matter of coming to his grave — about which he spoke much explicitly and in hint many times — as is already explained [in what was said about his designating two witnesses as mentioned above] (325). 323. RAK: See Chayai Moharan, His Sojourn in Uman, 33.

324. RAK: See Shivchay HaBaal Shem Tov 161.

325. RAK: See above 141. Yemei Moharnat 45.