סח

And behold — throughout those three years he spoke much of his passing. And when he came from Lemberg he spoke with us several times — how he had been ready and prepared to pass away in Lemberg. And he was ready and standing for it — for he had no fear whatsoever. And he greatly gloried in how he was strong in this matter — that he had been prepared to pass away without any dread or fear. But what was not pleasing to him was to lie buried there — even though there are buried there great men of the world, very famous Tzadikim. Even so, it was not pleasing to him to lie there — because it was far from the men of our circle. And no one would come to his grave, and the world would have no engagement or activity with his grave, as explained elsewhere [Chayay Moharan §162]. And he spoke with us many times about the place of his burial — and it was apparent from his words that he was seeking and investigating in his mind to choose for himself a place where he would lie. But he still could not find a place of burial to his liking. And he spoke with us about several places. And he said that Lemberg was good for lying there — because great Tzadikim are buried there — but it was not pleasing to him for the reason mentioned. And Breslov was also not good in his eyes to lie there. And things along these lines he spoke many times — until he came to Uman. Then he said that in Uman it was good in his eyes to pass away — for many holy martyrs are buried there, as explained elsewhere [Chayay Moharan §191].

And before he went out to Uman — while he was still here in Breslov — he spoke many times about Uman. And he said he wished to travel there and to lodge in the home of Rabbi Nachman-Nussun who had passed away recently — in the beginning of the summer of 5569. And no one knew his intention. And he also did not reveal his intention that he wished to remain there. But he spoke many, many times about Uman — that he wished to travel there and lodge in that house. And the men of our circle from Teplik were frequently accustomed to travel to Uman. And they were here in that winter of 5570 several times. And they asked him several times whether they should travel to Uman to establish a lodging for him there as mentioned — for they knew he would be received there with great honor. And he answered: No. And so it was several times. For every time the men of Teplik were here they asked him about this — because they had heard that his desire was very strong to be there. But even so he did not agree that they travel to establish a lodging for him there. Until he agreed — close to [the time he actually went] — that they travel there for this. Until they accomplished the lodging there for him. And in the meantime his house had burned down — and we were very greatly uprooted and his belongings were scattered and displaced as is the common way after a fire. And he had no proper place of rest — for much of the city had burned — in particular all the streets adjacent to the beis midrash and the synagogue. And in the midst of this scattering and displacement — the man mentioned above came from Teplik and invited him to Uman at the proper time and moment — at the time when it had already been decreed from Heaven for his house to burn beforehand. And he had no proper place to sit. And Hashem Blessed be He had already prepared the remedy — for precisely then, close to the fire, he had commanded that they prepare the lodging in Uman. And the emissary came at the proper time and moment — when it had already been decreed. And Hashem Blessed be He arranged everything beautifully in its proper time. And it is impossible to explain all that is in my heart concerning this in writing. For in the matter of his journey to Uman and in the matter of what He granted me to travel with him there — in all of this hung many worlds without end, and the merit of Israel for generations. For he rectified there thousands of thousands and tens of thousands of tens of thousands of damaged and corrupted souls that had no way of being rectified except through his passing — as was heard from his holy mouth explicitly and by allusion. And also many good things for eternity grew from this for Israel for generations. For he had already revealed that whoever comes to his grave and says those Ten Psalms that are now well known — he will certainly help them for eternity, whoever they may be — as is well known and famous. And the journey to Uman was the beginning and preparation for all these rectifications for eternity. For the place of his burial had already been chosen in Uman — and there he needed to engage in all the rectifications mentioned above. And yet more and more than this — that is hidden from us — as we understood from his holy mouth. Therefore in every movement and every circumstance that Hashem Blessed be He arranged in this journey — how great were His works therein — His thoughts were immeasurably deep. For all of it bore on that place that touches eternity and forever. Close to Pesach [5570] he told the awesome story of the Seven Beggars as mentioned. And the telling lasted approximately two weeks. For the beginning of the telling was on Leil Shabbas Kodesh the 25th of Adar of the year 5570. And I was not then with him. He then told the beginning of the story — from the King who had an only son to whom he wished to hand over the kingdom while still alive — and so on — through the end of what is told of the first day: the story of the Blind One who gloried in his memory — and so on. Study there. And no further.

And afterward in the week following that Shabbas — Rabbi Naftali came to his home in the holy community of Nemirov and told me the entire great and awesome matter. And I stood trembling and astounded — for even though I had already merited to hear from his holy mouth things that no ear had heard in the world — Torah teachings and awesome stories — yet such a story I had never heard.