The Words of Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit”a for the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Nachman zy”a

107 years have passed since the sun set with the passing to the hidden heights of the great man among giants, Moreinu Rabbi Avraham zt”l, the son and main disciple of the disciple and faithful attendant of Gaon Uzeinu Rabbi Natan – Rabbi Nachman Chazan of Tulchin zt”l.

Presented here is an excerpt from a discussion which Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit”a held last year about Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Nachman zy”a (may his merit protect us) for the Kislev issue of Hitchadshut Magazine.

• His greatness

• Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender’s connection to him as the disciple who continues his path

• The controversy surrounding him

• The Kibbutz in Uman and the Land of Israel

• His passing

*** In our limited world, Rabbi Avraham walked several handbreadths above the ground.  He walked here, but his head reached the heavens.  His great spirit was attached and engaged far above.  His soul was intertwined with the Tzaddik of the world, Rabbeinu HaKadosh.  However, in the physical world, he had no attachment at all, just like the physical world had no grasp of him. In order to hear a bit about this tremendous figure, there is no one more fitting than Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, who searched for and heard many firsthand accounts about this wondrous figure from the great Breslov Chasidim of the previous generation, primarily from his Rabbi, who was also the main disciple of Rabbi Avraham – Moreinu, the Tzaddik Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zt”l. Indeed, our Sages teach us: The Torah seeks out its lodging place, and with Heaven’s kindness, in preparation for the Hilulah day which begins on the fifth night of Chanukah, there was a gathering in the Rav’s home to hear accounts, stories, and about Avodat Hashem (Divine service), and about the awesome spiritual achievements of the Tzaddik, Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman zy”a.

(A note to the reader: For the sake of understanding a portion of the words, we have added complementary words or explanations in brackets for the sake of smoother reading.  These are not from the Rav shlit”a.  Therefore, it may be that we didn’t understand his holy words sufficiently, and so, any error should be attributed to the writer, and not, God forbid, to Moreinu HaRav shlit”a.)

A Holy Man of God

“Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman was not a human at all!” – Moreinu HaRav shlit”a said in his measured words.  “This was not a mortal creature.  He was born in [the year] 5609 (1849), and from the age of thirteen, he was only in fields.  His father said to him, ‘You do not belong in the diaspora.’ “His father, Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin said to him: ‘Your place is in the Land of Israel,’ and Rabbi Avraham said: “If I had listened to my father’s voice, I would not have been ill so much, people would not have disputed me so much.’  Everyone disputed him.  He would hold a Havdalah candle and say, ‘For the Jews, there was light and joy,’ and he would repeat this, and the Havdalah candle would burn his hand.  We move the hand a bit, but the fire would burn his hand, and he didn’t even feel it.  Rabbi Feivel Lebel told me this, which Rabbi Avraham Sternhartz told him.”

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s Becoming a Follower of Rabbi Avraham

“At the beginning, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender did not know who was greater, whether Rabbi Shimshon Barski or Rabbi Avraham bar Nachmanas.  Because Rabbi Shimshon Barski would give shiurim with chidushim (novel insights), pilpulim (casuistry), and stories -- not so dry.  However, Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman would say a shiur while divested of physicality.  When he would say the lesson, ‘And may there be a double portion [of your spirit],’ it was while divested of physicality.  All the Torah that he would say was while divested of physicality.  This wasn’t some story with chidushim from Rabbeinu or the disciples of Rabbeinu.  Every one of his shiurim was hewn from flaming fire.”

So how did Rabbi Levi Yitzchak merit to know Rabbi Avraham?

“He had the dream.  At the beginning, he was more by Rabbi Shimshon Barski, because there they had an interesting Melaveh Malkah.  By Rabbi Avraham Bar Nachman, they wasn’t a Melaveh Malkah.  He would go to sleep after Havdalah and rise at Chatzot (halachic midnight).  In Russia, this is at 11 PM – this is already Chatzot, even at 10:30 PM.  They would sleep until Chatzot, and after this, he would walk to the forest, in minus 30 degrees – it made no difference. “We make the Melaveh Malkah for the youth.  Rabbi Shmuel Hurwitz related that … didn’t allow [his children] to make Melaveh Malkah; then, all his children became corrupted.  Because what will a child do?  Now, Shabbat comes out so early; we have to grab them.  Rabbi Shmuel Hurwitz said that he wanted to make Melaveh Malkah and … didn’t allow him to: ‘This isn’t Breslov.  In Breslov, we rise at Chatzot,’ he said to him.  ‘But this doesn’t help the child.  A child cannot sleep so early.  Put him to bed, and he will get up like a coil…’”

The Controversy

Like every Tzaddik, also Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman went through disparagement and controversy.  At the beginning of the conversation, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a mentioned that “everyone disputed him…”  We asked to hear about the part of the disparagement and controversy which Rabbi Avraham went through which is less known about in Breslov.

Previously the Rav mentioned that in Uman, they disputed Rabbi Avraham?

Moreinu HaRav shlit”a: “Yes, because no one understood Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman.  Everyone disputed him, because [his opposition in Breslov] were all merchants.  It is written in the book on the Rebbe of Peshischa, who was a disciple of the Apter-Rav, that he said: ‘If you don’t bring gold, don’t come to me.’ “People would seclude themselves in forests.  One would say Likutey Tefilot with such devotion.  Rabbi Levi Yitzchak said: ‘I stood next to him.  He didn’t sense me at all.’  They would say Likutey Tefilot for twelve hours with such devotion, but they didn’t know how to learn.  They only knew Likutey Tefilot.  [Not everyone] even knew Likutey Moharan.  Only Rabbi Avraham Sternhartz knew Likutey Moharan.”

He wrote such a profound book, Biur HaLikutim?

“But they thought that he was crazy…”

So for whom did Rabbi Avraham write Biur HaLikutim?

“He wrote it for himself [editor: perhaps the intention is that he wrote it for someone who knew to learn like he did].  This is the deepest commentary on Likutey Moharan.  There are all types of commentaries, there is ‘Mei HaNachal.’”

The Kibbutz and the Land of Israel

Is it true that Rabbi Avraham started the Rosh Hashanah Kibbutz (gathering) in Jerusalem?

“Rabbi Avraham didn’t start any Kibbutz [in Jerusalem]!  There were Breslov Chasidim here already beforehand and they started the minyan.  When Rabbi Shlomo Wechsler reached Jerusalem, he asked Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld who to pray with.  He answered him: ‘Pray with the Breslovers [they pray with fervor].’  There were exactly ten here.  Also there was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rottenberg here.  I was by him on the East Side, which was the Jewish quarter of New York. “The first ten who reached Israel established the minyan.  The first Breslov minyan was in Jerusalem.  [Rabbi Naftali Cohen would stand in the marketplace in Mea Shearim and sell herring.]  In order to immigrate to Israel, one needed a certificate.  In order to receive it, you had to pay a thousand liras sterling, which was a substantial sum.  The wanted to limit Aliyah, but they couldn’t limit it completely, so they demanded a thousand liras for every certificate. “Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman said to the Breslovers [in Uman]: ‘Your children won’t know at all what Judaism is!  May the enemies of Zion live … [?] if your children know what Tefillin is.’  It is written in Seder HaDorot that all the pogroms and all the destructions were because people forgot the Land of Israel.  Precisely in 5678 (1917), on 17 Cheshvan, was the Balfour declaration [editor: perhaps Moreinu HaRav’s intention is that Rabbi Avraham made this happen].  There were already many communities here in the year 5670 (1910).”

But was he never here in Israel on Rosh Hashanah?

“Because of this was all the confusion about the Kibbutz in Israel, because Rabbi Avraham had doubts, and Rabbi Shlomo Wechsler regretted his entire life that he asked Rabbi Avraham about Uman, and so he didn’t travel to Uman.  [Because Rabbi Avraham said to him that this wasn’t clear halachically, because he was afraid that he would die on the way, since Rabbi Shlomo was very frail.  However, Rabbi Shlomo Wechsler regretted having asked Rabbi Avraham all his days.]  Rabbi Shmuel Chechik told me this, which he heard from him [from Rabbi Shlomo Wechsler].  Rabbi Shmuel Chechik was a flaming fire who would ignite everyone…”

His Passing:

In Breslov, there is a difference of opinion about the date of Rabbi Avraham bar Nachman’s passing, whether it was the 29^th or 30^th of Kislev.  Moreinu HaRav shlit”a determines the true date of his passing according what he received from his rebbe, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zy”a: “Rabbi Avraham passed away in 5678 (1917), on the 29^th of Kislev.  In 5778, it was already a hundred years.  He arrived in Uman with the last ship that left the Land of Israel for Odessa, and Rabbi Yisrael Karduner returned [to Israel] with the same ship.” As we were about to leave his home, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a concluded with a sentence which encapsulates and illustrates, above all, just a tiny bit of who was Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Nachman zy”a:

“It’s impossible to imitate Rabbi Avraham -- this isn’t a human being at all.  Just go in simplicity and sincerity!”

*** This article is courtesy of “Hitchadshut” Magazine. Have you still not fulfilled the directive of Moreinu HaRav shlit”a to subscribe to the magazine? You can subscribe now securely by clicking here to receive every month a magazine filled with Jewish and Breslov content according to the path and teachings of Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit”a, delivered directly to your home. [caption id="attachment_53712" align="aligncenter" width="530"] Hitchadshut for the month of Kislev 5785[/caption]