Converts in the Breslov Community

(c) Rabbi Yakov Horowitz

Oral Traditions of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender
As found in his collected talks,"Siach Sarfei Kodesh" (eight volumes)
Excerpts translated for this website by Dovid Sears

During World War I, the inhabitants of an entire Ukrainian village near Uman (where Rebbe Nachman is buried) converted to Judaism, with the assistance of the Breslover Chassidim. The villagers previously had approached several rabbinic leaders who were reluctant to get involved, fearing reprisals from the ruling authorities. However, the Breslover Chassidim came to their aid and instructed them until they were sufficiently knowledgeable to convert.

Rabbi Leib, the Rav of Uman, of blessed memory, presided over the halachic procedures. He visited the new converts prior to Passover, and spent the entire holiday with them. Since many of the villagers were wealthy, they amply provided the Rav with his holiday needs. He asked the other Breslover Chassidim to share responsibility for their religious instruction, but cautioned them not to publicize the matter.

The villagers were educated, affluent, and physically robust people. They told the Chassidim that they were inspired to convert because of the contradictions they found in their own religious books, a phenomenon that Rebbe Nachman discusses in Likutei Moharan I, 17.

Another village similarly converted and became Breslover Chassidim, as did many other individuals, young and old. Their wives, too, became proper Jewish women. Because they did not know how to read the Hebrew prayers, they worshipped God simply in their own language, with fervor and profuse tears.

Rabbi Nachum Schuster, of blessed memory, encouraged them greatly, often visiting them, and eventually settling among them in their village. He taught them Torah. Emulating their Rav and mentor, they broke their sleep every night in order to recite the Tikkun Chatzos (Midnight Lament), and practiced hisbodedus (secluded meditation and prayer).

When Rabbi Nachum finally passed away, they buried him in the local cemetery. Upon hearing of their father's death, Rabbi Nachum's sons came to the village and expressed their desire to rebury him in Kharkov, where they lived. However, the righteous converts refused their request, saying: "How can we let you take this tzaddik away from us? Absolutely not!" (SSK IV, 314)


***

During World War I, at the time of the great famine, an elderly non-Jew came to Uman, a 65-year-old man from the neighboring village of Ladizin, wishing to convert. He brought with him a wagonload of assorted foodstuffs, for he was a man of means. The bris (ritual circumcision) was performed in the home of Rabbi Daniel the Ger, of blessed memory.

Prior to the act of removing the foreskin, the mohel (ritual circumciser) requested the presence of a medical doctor; however, the convert would not allow it. Therefore, themohel performed the bris without anesthesia, and was amazed that his subject endured both the removal of the outer skin (periah) and the incision (milah) without complaint. Afterward, the Chassidim formed a circle and began to dance, and the new covert arose from his bed to join them in great joy. Given the widespread poverty and famine at the time, many townspeople came to partake of the festive meal, and all were served a fine repast. (SSK IV, 315)


***

At the Breslov Rosh Hashana gathering in Uman during the 1920s until the Stalinist persecutions of the following decade, there was an entire table of converts who shared the festive meals together in the communal dining area. (SSK IV, 318)


***

During World War I in Uman, bloodthirsty mobs wantonly killed many Jews. Among their victims was the Jewish wife of the famous Breslover convert, Rabbi Daniel the Ger, whom they killed before her husband's eyes.

"Why don't you kill me, too?" he begged them.

However, the murderers refused, saying, "No! You're not a Jew, and we won't kill you!"

Reb Daniel eventually immigrated to Israel, where he was a respected elder in Jerusalem's Breslov community. (SSK IV, 316)


***

The authorities once ordered one of the converts who had become a Breslover Chassid to perform some clerical work for the government, however the convert would not accept the position because it entailed desecration of the Sabbath. Instead, they gave him the extremely difficult job cutting water-soaked lumber. As a result, the man became so sick that his appearance was almost unrecognizable.

"Do you have to risk your life for this?" he wife asked.

"Did I become a Jew in order to desecrate the Sabbath?" the man retorted. Within a short time, he died from cruel treatment, in sanctification of the Divine Name. (SSK V, 362)


***

During World War II, the Nazis destroyed the Old Cemetery in Uman, including the original Ohel (enclosed structure) over Rebbe Nachman's grave. After the war, the Soviet authorities decided to build a housing development on the site, but only a resident of Uman could acquire property. Therefore, Reb Zavel Lubarsky approached a righteous convert named Reb Michel, of blessed memory, who covertly purchased the tract of land. However, the exact location of the grave was uncertain, due to the debris. Reb Zavel prayed fervently that somehow he would be able to discover the grave. That night, he had a dream in which the Rebbe appeared to him and encouraged him to continue searching. The following morning, Reb Zavel went to the site and began to remove the earth and stones, until he uncovered the foundations of two wooden posts that had stood on either side of the grave. This removed all doubt as to the holy site's location. Reb Michel built his house so that Rebbe Nachman's grave was directly adjacent to the exterior wall facing the garden and, in the distance, the old Breslover Kloiz (synagogue). Thus, the Breslover Chassidim would visit Reb Michel and recite Tehillim and pray beside the Rebbe's grave indoors, where no one could observe them.

This house stood until 1999, when it was torn down and replaced by the present Beis HaMidrash (synagogue) and enclosed area surrounding the Tziun (grave site). This enclosed area is presently undergoing extensive reconstruction in order to accommodate the many thousands of visitors who come to Uman for "the Rebbe's Rosh Hashana." (based on "Uman: Ir HaGagu'im")

On Ratzon

HaRav Elazar Mordechai Kenig, shlita
Leader of the Breslov Community in Tsfat, Israel
Translated and adapted from a talk given in Tsfat, 5760/2000
Based on Likutei Halachot, Hil. Arev, Halachah 3

The Baal Shem Tov greatly praised the spiritual level of his daughter, Udel, since all day long, her heart was directed Above -her only yearning and desire was to please G-d. Every Jew should seek to attain this high level, that his or her heart be constantly directed toward G-d in order to please Him.

The foundation of our Divine service is ratzon - will or desire. Our ratzon to come close to G-d and to please Him always should be strong. Although in general we may desire to do what G-d asks of us in this world, not all desires are equal. In a matter of a few minutes, we may experience tremendous differences and distinctions in our ratzon. Nonetheless, the guiding principle is constantly to desire and yearn for G-d.

Reb Noson says that it is impossible to describe in writing the greatness of our ratzon and yearning to do the Will of G-d. He explains that the entire reason the soul is compelled to descend from the upper worlds into this physical world is only for the sake ofratzon. Only here can we merit to attain complete and perfect desire.

G-d wants the Jewish people to be receive the true complete good. Since the ultimate good is to attain the level of perfect ratzon, the soul must be coerced to come here in order to attain a strong desire for G-d. The farther away from the object of love, the greater one's desire. For example, while a son is with his father, even though his love is very strong, we cannot say that he desires and yearns for his father, since he is right next to him. But when the son travels away from his father, then he begins to miss him. The farther away the son is from his father, the stronger his yearning and desire. This is why the soul must leave her elevated place to enter this material world. It is only here, in a world of free choice, that the soul may achieve completion and perfection of ratzon. When we overcome the spiritual distance and arouse our inner desire for serving G-d, then precisely through this, we perfect our souls.

The soul, the neshama, is "hewn from beneath the Heavenly Throne." She constantly yearns for her root, and longs to be connected to her source. Reb Noson discusses at length the concept of a "soul root." He explains that the souls of the Jewish people have a uniquely exalted origin. This is the place of the Upper Will and Desire that the Zohar calls "Desire of Desires." Every Jewish soul comes from there, and ultimately every soul returns there. It all depends upon ratzon.

Material Desires

There are, however, many other desires that a person confronts while living in the world. Reb Noson writes that this is all for the best, since a spark of G-dliness may be found within all profane desires, as well. When we find those Divine sparks, we elevate the profane desires in which they were hidden to the realm of the holy.

Moreover, without material desires, we would be overwhelmed by our innate desire for G-d - we wouldn't want to be here at all. The desire of the soul to return to her source is so all-consuming that existence within a body would be impossible even for a short time. Therefore, G-d created us with a need to sustain ourselves through eating and drinking. This allows the soul to exist in the body, despite its innate and intense desire for G-d. Food attracts a person: the taste, sight, and smell of food stimulate the desire to eat. If there were no pleasing smell, taste, and appearance, we would be disgusted by our food. Therefore, G-d created these characteristics.

The fallen "holy sparks" that the world contains originated in the Ratzon HaElyon, the Supernal Will of the Creator. If a person wants to use everything according to the Divine Will, then he or she will eat and drink according to the requirements of the Torah. This means eating only permitted food and making the proper blessings before and after eating. The "fallen" desire is then elevated to its holy root. Therefore, the fact that we have a desire or craving for material things is ultimately for the best, since it enables the world to exist and provides us with an opportunity to engage in acts of Divine service. This is all the Will of G-d, and a wondrous thing.

The Mitzvot and Desire

These are deep concepts that form the basis of Judaism. G-d created everything according to His Will and Desire, and there is nothing that obligates Him. The Arizal states that preceding Creation, there was only G-d's Infinite Light, called the Ohr Ein Sof. It then arose in the Divine "thought" to create the world. It is known that the souls of the Jewish people preceded the world: G-d first created their souls, and afterwards He created all the worlds for their sake (Likkutei Moharan I: 17 and I:52). The Ein Sof is the source of ratzon, G-d's Will and Desire, and this ratzon is clothed within all of the details of Creation.

Reb Noson explains that it was out of G-d's chesed, loving-kindness, that He gave us the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. Themitzvot purposefully involve material things. The essence of everymitzvah is that it is an articulation of the Creator's Will. For example, He desired that the seventh day be the Sabbath, and that we observe the Sabbath according to the laws written in the Torah. Since the 613 mitzvot are an expression of G-d's chesed, loving-kindness, through their observance we can experience G-d's love and desire for us, His people. In this light, we can understand that the Torah and mitzvot were not given in order to make our lives burdensome. Rather, the opposite is true. We should rejoice in them, since G-d gave them to the Jewish people in order to benefit us. When we believe in G-d and fulfill His mitzvot, we can experience G-d's ratzon, as it were; then our desire to come closer to G-d will be awakened. Thus, all physical desires can be repaired and elevated to their Source.

However, because desire is clothed in physical things as well, the Other Side, the realm of unholiness, has a hold upon them. Therefore, a person needs to be very careful not to fall into selfishness and physical desire. If he does, he creates a blemish in the Ratzon D'Kedushah, Holy Desire. This is why it is important to make do with a minimum of material things in this world, in order to prevent blemishing Holy Desire. Through simplicity and wholeheartedness, a person can fulfill G-d's Will even through physical things, by using them according to the laws of the Torah. If one acts against the Will of the Creator, G-d forbid, by utilizing the material world outside of a Torah framework, then the forces of unholiness can have a hold on the physical things. A person then can be distanced tremendously from G-d. One needs to be very careful about falling into physical desires and blemishing Holy Desire, Ratzon D'Kedushah, the spiritual place of origin for which the soul yearns.

Anger, too, flows from one's blemished desires. When we are worthy to elevate all our desires to G-d's ratzon, then we live in tranquility, without anger or jealousy. We know that if G-d wants to give us something, He will give it; if He gives it to someone else, this, too, is His Desire. With this awareness, we can experience all of the other person's pleasure and happiness without jealousy. Hate, anger, and jealousy all come from blemished desire.

Teshuvah and Desire

Even when one stumbles by not acting according to G-d's Desire, there is a spiritual remedy: teshuvah - repentance, or return. The first step of teshuvah is regret. One realizes that he would have been better off if he had not acted a certain way. He acknowledges that he really has no desire for what he did. Through teshuvah, a person can repair anything.

Ratzon is always the underlying factor. Our will and desire always should be for G-d, that we should act within the framework of Torah. Through this, we have the power to elevate all material desires to the Creator. We must greatly strengthen our fear and awe of G-d, and stay far away from anything forbidden. Every stumbling blemishes the soul tremendously and creates distance from G-d. We then may be drawn to unholy desires entirely, G-d forbid. However, again, with ratzon, everything can be restored to holiness - to such an extent, our sages tell us, that our sins actually become transformed to merits. Therefore, our master, Rebbe Nachman, tells us that it is forbidden to despair. Because the problem of our misdeeds originated with blemished desire, we now can come to an even stronger desire for G-d. The farther someone is from G-d, the more he needs to awaken his desire for Him.

This is why sometimes a person has no desire for G-d, Torah, or prayer. Since he blemished the quality of ratzon, he now must reawaken his ratzon for the right thing, and express it with a settled mind through what is permitted. When a person realizes that this world amounts to nothing, he will not be drawn after worldly materialism and cravings. Then within the distance itself, a person again begins to long and yearn for G-d. Through regret and teshuvah, a person has the power to repair all blemish by transforming his sins into merits, since the fundamental blemish was in his desire. Through the stumbling itself, he can arouse himself to an even greater level of yearning.

Desire Has No Limits

We spoke in the beginning about how the Baal Shem Tov praised the spiritual level of his daughter Udel because her only desire was to please G-d. Likewise, it is vital to continually awaken and strengthen our own desire to do the will of the Creator. The truth is that everyone wants this, but in reality, one person cannot do everything. Sometimes one is prevented from doing a mitzvah or good deed because of various circumstances, even if he is actually capable of doing it. However, there is no limit to how much one's desire can be awakened. For example, with tzedakah, how much can one person give? We can only give according to our ability. However, even if we don't have what to give, we can use our strong desire to arouse others to give. Our Sages say, "Greater is the person who helps others to give than the one who gives," since this shows the strength of his desire to give. Who can prevent someone from desiring or thinking that if all the world's silver and gold were his, he would give it to the Creator? A person can desire without limitation. Of course, since we live in a world of boundaries, we need to be very careful about how intense desire is channeled. Nonetheless, it is crucial that every single person knows that desire for G-d is the ultimate perfection and completion of a human being.

There are people who waste their lives for the sake of physical desires, but the Jewish people know that there is a Creator. We need to ensure that our entire ratzon is only for G-d. King David says in the book of Psalms, "My soul yearns, indeed it pines, for the courtyards of G-d" (Psalms 84:3). He wants G-d without limit – he yearns to give up his soul to G-d. He also says, "My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You" (Psalms 63:2). A person's soul can yearn for G-d without limit. Coming to this level of desire for G-d is the completion of Man.

Practically, there are a number of ways a person can work to attain proper desire. Foremost is the observance of the Torah, since desire is articulated through the mitzvot we perform. There is also the idea of expressing desire through song, which is the essence of the Book of Psalms. Then there is prayer and hitbodedut as a vehicle to express one's desire and yearning to do G-d's Will. Hitbodedut is speaking to G-d in simple terms in our own native language, pouring out our hearts to Him.

May G-d grant us understanding to see the richness of life in this world. We can be genuinely happy, without pressure or anger. If anger surfaces with all its accompanying difficulties, again, the advice is to put ourselves aside and strengthen our faith in the fact that everything in the world comes from the Creator, Who governs every detail according to His will and desire. The root of this desire is contained in the 613 mitzvot. Our main task in the world is to perform the mitzvot that G-d gave in His desire for us.

Tzaddik Magazine © 2001 Nachal Novea Mekor Chochma
Revised for the Breslov Center website

Which Is Worse, Drunk Driving or Cell Phoning?

If you own a cell phone, please watch this important video. It could save your life.

Rabbi Lazer Brody Speaking in Flatbush - January 20

Rabbi Lazer Brody Speaking in Baltimore and Silver Spring

The entire community is invited to hear Rabbi Lazer Brody at the following shiurim. Admission free.

Planting a Garden of Riches in the City of Charm
Sunday, January 16, 2011 8:00 pm
Congregation Shomrei Emunah
6221 Greenspring Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21209
For more information, contact Rivka Malka Perlman (410) 358-3550

The Silver Spring of Emuna and the Golden Well of Bitachon
Monday, January 17, 2011 8:00 pm
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah
1132 Arcola Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20902
For more information and/or sponsorship, contact Zev Zalman Ludwick (301) 412-3758

New York Gets a Lucky Break!

Brooklyn expatriate Jerry Wicentowski of Milwaukee and his stellar bluegrass band Lucky Break will be performing in greater NY next month. The band will consist of Marc Eidelstein on bass, Marty Cutler on banjo, Ken Kosek on fiddle and Barry Mitterhof on mandolin. All are virtuoso roots musicians.

Schedule:

Thurs. 1/20: 7:00 PM

MoFiddles (violin shop), Livingston, NJ

Motza'ei Shabbat / Sat. night 1/22: 8:45 PM
Jewish Music Cafe, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Sun. night 1/23: 7:00 PM
Davar (synagogue), Teaneck, NJ

In the meantime, here are some interesting links:

Interview with Jerry:

http://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/21468/blessed-bluegrass/

Lucky Break's website:

http://www.luckybreak.us/uniquely.html

Father of Chassidus

The Baal Shem Tov's House in Medzhibozh

A number of years ago Miriam Shaw created a flash movie about the life and teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, based on the anthology "The Path of the Baal Shem Tov," compiled and translated by Dovid Sears and published by Jason Aronson (now an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield). The soundtrack is from a powerful rendition of a Chassidic melody by clarinet virtuoso Andy Statman. To view Miriam Shaw's audio-visual presentation of this great Jewish mystic's legacy, click here.

Hisbodedus: The Divine Conversation

Photo © Dovid Sears

Selections From “Rabbi Nachman's Advice” (Likutei Eitzot)
Translator: Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum
Breslov Research Institute

To taste the hidden light of Torah, the secrets which will be revealed in time to come, you should seclude yourself as much as you can to pray and speak to God. Take a good look at yourself and make a reckoning. What are you doing with your life? How is your time spent? Is this the right way to spend your life - to behave as you do before the Holy One, blessed be He, who bestows goodness upon you every moment of the day? Weigh all the different aspects of your life very carefully. If you make yourself the judge over everything you are doing, you will be able to rid yourself of all fears and worries. You will never be afraid of earthly powers - princes or rulers, wild beasts, robbers or the like. Nothing in the world will frighten you. Only before God will you stand in fear and reverence. This is the way to elevate the fear that is within you to its true root, which is in Da'at,understanding. You will attain perfect knowledge, because you will know before Whom to stand in awe: God alone, in His greatness and glory. Then you will be able to understand the revealed Torah and you will attain genuine humility. You will learn how to put your whole soul into your prayers. All sense of self and physical being will be totally nullified as you pray, and you will be able to pray without any thought of personal gain. When you reach the point where your sense of self and physicality totally disappear, as if you were simply not in the world at all, then you will discover the hidden secrets of the Torah. This is the concealed light that is destined to be revealed in time to come. All this you can achieve through hisbodedus, secluded prayer (15).

***

When a person meditates and speaks to God, the very words he speaks are ruach hakodesh, the holy spirit. As soon as a person makes this meditation a regular practice and prepares himself, indeed forces himself to speak to God, then God Himself sends the words to his mouth.

Make sure that the words you say are always new and fresh. Search out new ways to appeal to God. Always choose words that will find favor. Purify your heart by devoting your mind to thoughts of Torah and holiness, and then you will find the right way to meditate and speak to God (21, 156).

***

Letters of Torah are present throughout the Creation. By expressing your yearning and desire in words, you invest these letters with strength for good. You give new life and strength to everything, drawing goodness and blessing into all the worlds. Numberless souls are stirred to make their own return to God, all through the words of the prayer you utter before your Maker. How precious are the longing and yearning which you express before God. The main thing is actually to pronounce the words. Make a regular practice of this and spend a lot of time each day working on it. It will help the whole world (31:8,9).

***

Everyone must strive to be totally merged with the Source of his being. To achieve this requires bittul, self nullification. The only way to attain bittul is through secluded prayer with God. When a person goes aside to converse with God, he nullifies everything else and attaches himself only to God. In this way he becomes merged with his Source (52).

***

The best time to seclude yourself to pray is at night, when everyone is asleep. Ideally you should go to a place outside the city and follow a solitary path, somewhere that people don't go even in the day time. Empty your heart and your whole consciousness of all your involvements in the everyday world. Then work to nullify all of your character traits, one after the other, until in the end you nullify all sense of self completely. First work on one character trait, then another and another, until you reach the point where you are free of any self-centeredness and any sense of independent existence. You must be as nothing in your own eyes. Then you will be worthy of attaining true bittul, and your soul will be merged with its root. The whole universe will be merged with you in your Source. You and everything with you will be merged in the Unity of God (Ibid.).

***

The ideal time for hisbodedus is at night: seclude yourself and express yourself before God. Speak with all your heart and search out the goodness of your soul. Find the good points which are within you and cleanse them of all the evil in the soul until you pour out your heart like water before God. This is the way to attain true joy and to subdue the power of fantasy, which is the source of all lust and desire. Through this you can acquire a good memory - which means always to remember the World to Come and never to lose sight of the end purpose of this life and its ultimate destiny. This is how you can return to God (54).

***

A person may be praying with great intensity or at the height of meditation, when suddenly he falls from his level. This is because somewhere there is a flaw in his faith. He should feel heartbroken and ashamed. How could he fall from heaven to earth? He should arouse tender pity for himself because of his plight. He should literally sigh! This sigh will bring him back to his level (108).

***

When a person speaks to God and uses every kind of argument and appeal to "conquer" God, then God Himself has great joy and pleasure. He Himself sends words to this person's mouth so that he will be able to "conquer" Him. How else could flesh and blood win a victory against God? It is only because God Himself helps him (124).

***

When a person speaks to God and pours out his pain and anguish, confessing his sins and grieving at the enormity of what he has done, the Shechinah (i.e., the immanent Divine Presence) herself rises before God and pours out her pain and sorrow. Because every flaw in the soul of man is also a "flaw" in the Shechinah. And the Shechinah will seek to bring him comfort and devise ways and means of repairing the damage (259).

***

How good it is to pray to God and meditate in the meadows amidst the grass and the trees. When a man goes out to the meadows to pray, every blade of grass, every plant and flower enter his prayers and help him, putting strength and force into his words (Ibid. II, 11).

***

It has already been explained how important it is to seclude yourself and pray, and how powerful a method this is. It is the path by which we can come close to God. Everybody should set aside fixed periods every day and express himself before God in his own native language. It is much easier to say what you need to say when you are using your own language. You should set forth whatever is in your heart. Use every kind of appeal and argument. Use words that will endear you to God and win His favor. Plead with Him to draw you closer. Every individual knows his own personal pain and sorrow and the distance that separates him from God. It is impossible to convey the true greatness of this method. It is superior to all others. It is the way of serving God, and through following it everyone can attain the ultimate good in this world and in the World to Come. There is nothing that cannot be accomplished by prayer and entreaty. The greatest of the Tzaddikim achieved what they did only through this practice. Think about it carefully, and you will see the greatness of this path. Set aside one hour every day for this, and the rest of the day, be happy. Then you will be truly blessed (25).

***

It is good to turn the Torah that you learn into prayers (Ibid.).

***

It is true that weeping and crying are good when you plead and entreat before God. But don't fall into the trap of saying psalms and prayers with the constant thought and expectation that you are going to burst into tears and cry. It will only confuse you and prevent you from concentrating. The most important thing is to say what you are saying honestly and with all your heart. Let your ears hear and your heart attend to the words which your lips are uttering. If you are moved to cry, good. If not, don't be distracted because of this (95).

***

All the tzaddikim and all of the truly righteous attained what they did only through secluded prayer and meditation. This practice has never been more necessary than in our age, situated as we are at the end of the period of the exile, subject to the full force of the evil inclination and the forces of the Sitra Achra, the Other Side. People are weak, spiritually and physically. The only way to escape from the power of the evil inclination and all the other obstacles holding us back from God is to follow this practice determinedly and make a fixed time every day to talk to God in our own native language. Be totally honest and open your heart before God, whether to beg for forgiveness for what happened in the past or to appeal to God to help you in the future by releasing you from the traps you are caught in and drawing you closer to Him. Even if you find you are unable to express yourself before God, even if you can say no more than a single word, this is still good. Even if you can say nothing except "Master of the Universe" it is also good. The mere fact that you make an effort, that you prepare yourself to speak, that you feel a longing to speak - even if you find you can say nothing – all this is very precious in God's eyes. If you are determined and persistent and you make yourself speak before God, in time God will help you and then you will be able to express yourself with words filled with vitality, freshness and grace. Your words will bring blessings down from the Heavens and you will attain' true and enduring good. This is the path to serving God, because all the different ways of serving God require prayers and appeals to God if we are to accomplish them well. If you remain firm in 'following this path you will be blessed indeed. Small or great, no one can serve God honestly and truthfully except through hisbodedus, secluded prayer (25, 100).

***

Even when you feel your heart is not in what you are saying, don't let this discourage you. Persevere, and you will usually find that in the end your heart will be aroused and the words will flow from you with genuine fervor. Speech has tremendous power to arouse a person's heart. And even if the days and years pass by and you think that all your words and meditation have accomplished 'nothing, don't let yourself be thrown off course. "Me words have left their mark. There is no doubt about it. It is the same as when water is dripping on to a stone. It may seem as though mere water is incapable of having any effect at all on the hard stone. Certainly the effects of the water are not visible. But if the water continues dripping for a long time without interruption you can see for yourself that it will wear a hollow in the stone. The same is true of the heart, even when the heart is as hard as stone. The words and the prayers may all appear to have no effect. But with the passing of many days and years the heart will be worn away by the words.

When a person is meditating, it is a good thing to say: "Today I am justbeginning to attach myself to You." You should always make a fresh start, because every activity is greatly influenced by the way you start it. In the words of the popular saying: "Starting is half the battle" and this way you can never lose. If things were going well before, now they will go even better. And if God forbid they were not going well before, then in any case you would have had to make a new start! (Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom 234).

***

When you speak to God you should arouse your heart to the point where your soul all but flies out of you. This is true prayer (Likutey Moharan 11, 99).

***

When God helps you to pray you will be able to express yourself before Him in the same way that a person speaks to a friend. You should get into the habit of talking to God like this - as if you were speaking to your teacher or your friend. For God is close by. He can be found everywhere. The whole earth is full of His glory (Ibid.).

***

How good it is if you can pour out your prayer before God like a child complaining and pestering his father. And it is good if you can stir your heart so much with your words that the tears literally pour down your cheeks, like a child crying to his father (Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom 7).

***

It is possible for you to scream in a "still small voice" (Kings 19:12) without anyone in the world hearing you. Not a sound emerges from your lips. You just imagine in detail exactly how you would scream (Ibid. 16).

***

A broken heart is precious indeed. You should understand that a broken heart has nothing to do with depression. When a person is depressed it is a form of anger and irritation. But someone with a broken heart is like a child nagging his father or a baby crying and screaming because his father is far away. A broken heart is precious in God's eyes. It would be good if one could go through the whole day with a broken heart. But this would easily lead the majority of people to fall into depression, and depression is very destructive. Therefore, the best thing is to set aside a certain period each day to pray with a broken heart and then spend the rest of the day in joy.

© Breslov Research Institute

Guest Speaker in Borough Park

Men's shiur in Yiddish tonight, Thursday Dec. 23, parshas Shemos

Speaker will be a special guest from Eretz Yisrael

HaRav HaChossid R' Shiya Ber Rubenstein, shlit"a

Subject: "Sippurim Nifla'im Mi-Zikney ANA"SH"

(Stories and Oral Traditions Heard From Breslov Elders)

Time: 8:00 PM

Place: Breslov Shtibel, 5504 Sixteenth Ave.

Canfei Nesharim Annual Appeal

We recently received this message from Evonne Marzouk of Cafnei Nesharim.

As we come to the end of 2010, I am filled with gratitude for your continued support and friendship. It’s been a busy and challenging year, and for Canfei Nesharim, a truly amazing year. Many of you remember the earliest stages of Canfei Nesharim: camping trips in Frederick, MD; late-night international conference calls; our first organizing meeting in Passaic, NJ. So much has changed since that time, both locally and globally. As for Canfei Nesharim, we’ve been called “the little engine that could” – and in the last eight years we’ve grown from a simple idea into an international organization.

This year, with the support of the ROI Innovation Fund, we’ve been able to offer unique and important contributions to the Jewish-environmental field. We’ve launched Jewcology.com, the new social media website for Jewish environmentalists, and we’ll be organizing new leadership trainings in three cities in the first half of 2011. We’re entering the third year of our Communities Program, with synagogues participating from all across the United States. And we continue to create deep Torah learning resources about the environment, which are used across the Jewish community and around the world.

As we come to the end of the year, I am writing to request your financial support for Canfei Nesharim. Environmental challenges are among the most important concerns we must face as we consider the future for our children. Canfei Nesharim helps Jews apply the wisdom of our tradition to these challenges, in a way that is inspiring, practical, and hopeful for the future. Please invest in that future by making a tax-deductible donation to Canfei Nesharim today. Your support will keep the “little engine” running strong.

You can donate directly on our partner site, Razoo, at http://www.razoo.com/story/Canfei-Nesharim/.

With best wishes for a bright 2011,

Evonne Marzouk

Among Breslover Chassidim: From a Visit to Berditchev, 1910

By Hillel Zeitlin
Translated by Dovid Zeitlin and Dovid Sears

If a visitor to Berditchev wishes to hear a typical Jewish melody, let him listen to Reb Nisson Belzer's protégé. If it is Berditchever Chassidic song he desires, he should go to the Karliner shteibel (small synagogue).

When the holy Shabbos departs, and the Berditchever week arrives with its barrenness, darkness and destitution, the Karliner Chassidim are still aflame. Their ecstasy has just begun, and they don't even dream of bidding farewell to the Shabbos Queen. I heard their singing from afar one Motza'ei Shabbos and couldn't detect even a hint of sorrow. Now they are sitting in the palace of the Divine Presence -- how can they bother themselves with hunger and pain, poverty and gloom? To be sure, each one of them has his own bundle of suffering at home. To be sure these burdens are difficult to bear. To be sure, many have aging daughters to marry off, bills and rent and tuition to pay, and an empty money-box to cover all expenses. If G-d so decrees, he must attempt to heal wife and children -- and one is himself a bit sick. Old age encroaches, one's strength begins to fade, the world is stricken, there is no sustenance. Tear yourself apart, but what will you accomplish? One sits at the King's table, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, is present, there is no room for worry. We Jews have a God who lives forever. The merit of Shabbos will stand by us. The old Karliner Rebbe is surely a good advocate over there. Besides, why worry when we know that everything our Father does is for the good? " Even when I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me ..."

However, if he would like to hear an altogether different sort of melody, if he would like to hear a melody born of the deepest and most difficult sorrow, if one would like to see ecstasy which is not the result of emotionalism or fervor but only of the most profound, lucid knowledge, if one would like to to see how men can actually walk upon the earth and yet not be here, let him forbear to traverse the muddy Berditchever streets, let him cling to the crooked alleyways, let him pass by the ancient cemetery, the broad desolate field where the night-shadows fall on orphaned hills, and where one lonely, leafless tree at the edge of the meadow can bring one to tears. Afterwards, let him also pass the so-called "Lebedige (Lively) Shul" -- the shul nearest the old graveyard. Let him pass by many other such shuls, let him absorb the Jewish dejection and the special melancholy which can be felt in Jewish settlements. When the divinity of Shabbos is about to depart from her children, and dark reality peers out with her lackluster eyes, let him then betake himself to the shtibel of the Breslover Chassidim.

Let him bring along his own broken spirit. Let him prop himself up in a dark comer and hear sigh after sigh from the Breslover Chassidim. who sit around the table, listening to their Rebbe's teachings. Let him feel in their sighs an expression of the speaker's words, "Such a yearning for God that it is unbearable." Let him listen well to what is being said. Let him not trouble himself that this or that interpretation of Scripture is not so smooth or tidy or may be open to various objections.

Let him hear the main point. Let him hear the tenor of the words, the greatest of simplicity that emerges with the greatest wisdom, the most profound insights mentioned in passing without any indication that here whole worlds have been laid bare, gradually touching upon everything that exists on earth and raising it up to the heavens.

Let him feel here the cosmic pathos which after the moment of inner liberation must be transformed to cosmic joy. Let him feel that here hovers the spirit of the great rebbe, Reb Nachman of Breslov, who lifts men up from the darkest depths of hell to the highest everlasting light. Let him later observe how silently, one by one, the Chassidim leave the table, join hands, form a circle and begin to dance. In this dance not one awkward move can be detected, for every turn, every gesture, every inclination has been refined, ennobled, sanctified to the loftiest level.

You look, but you cannot believe your eyes. They seem to be ordinary people, simple Jews, not great scholars, perhaps not scholars at all. They look like common laborers and porters, yet such inwardness, depth of feeling, and clarity of insight, such spirituality in every gesture, every footstep, and every note of song is impossible to find elsewhere.

All the days of my childhood were spent among Chassidim, and in my life I have had occasion to hear and to see various kinds of Chassidic singing and dancing, including some exceptional melodies from the old Chabad Chassidim. But I never heard or saw anything equal to what I experienced in that poorly lit, forlorn shteibel of the Breslover Chassidim in Berditchev. Their joy is a true joy, and their song is a song of redemption. They are free men. Say what you will, these people, particularly when among themselves, are no longer in exile. They are always at home -- in Godliness. Outwardly, they may seem less impressive than other Chassidim. But one who has an eye to glimpse what is going on within the next fellow to G-d- must be astounded by the honest, wholesome rejoicing of these people when through their dance, they talk. As we approach the Breslover shul, my companion, whose sympathies do not lie with the Chassidim, whispers, "Here we must walk more quietly." His observation is appropriate. A certain quiet holiness rests upon this shteibel. Quiet is the sigh, yet is splits the heavens. Quiet is the discourse, yet it penetrates to the depths. Quiet is the dance, but through it you seem to be carried away, in spite of yourself, to other worlds. Quiet is the melody which suffuses your very being. Everything is quiet, everywhere.

Aside from the Chassidim, a number of Jews come here from off the street. They come by chance or out of curiosity, not always innocent of a penchant for laughter or scorn -- yet all remains quiet here. Everyone must listen. By his own choice or otherwise, the scoffer will be a scoffer no more. He must become sincere. This in itself testifies to the power of the spirit: that which is noble and strong must overcome that which is base and inferior.

During his exposition the speaker remarks, "The Jewish people must teach all the nations that there is a G-d in the world."

One of the scoffers comes over to me and murmurs, "He means that gentiles should attend his sermons..."

A little later, I see that very same scoffer watching everything with an expression of utter seriousness. He doesn't care to laugh anymore.

As the dance becomes especially beautiful and joyous, I observe a fourteen year old boy, one of the curious, tell his friend, "It would be so good if all Jews could be this happy with their faith!"

Indeed, it would be so good, my child, so good...

The Good Point - Part I

Chapter 9 from "In All Your Ways"
Translated and Adapted by Rabbi Eliezer Shore
From “Leket Amarim,” a collection of talks by contemporary Breslov teacher, Rabbi Yaakov Meir Schechter, shlita, of Jerusalem

"I rule over the entire world," says God, "yet who rules over Me? The tzaddik!" For a tzaddik decrees, and God fulfills.'[1] As the verse says: "Israel, His dominion" (Psalms 114:2).[2] Likutey Moharan 1:34

"Every single Jew has within him an aspect of this tzaddik," taught Rabbi Nachman, "as the verse says, 'Your people are all tzaddikim' (Isaiah 60:21). Everyone has some good point that his friend does not share, and it is precisely with that attribute that he can inspire his friend's heart."[3]

The Talmud tells the story of Abba Umanah. Every day a heavenly voice would greet Abba Umanah, a doctor, with "Shalom aleichem." However, his contemporary, the great Amora, Abaye, only received such a greeting once a week, on the eve of Shabbos. "This is because you don't do what Abba Umanah does," Abaye was told. Abba Umanah had several noteworthy traits. He would separate the men and the women before treating them, and give the women a special robe that allowed them to remain modest during the procedure. If a person couldn't afford the treatment, he wouldn't charge them, and he never took money from a Torah scholar.[4] These were virtues unique to Abba Umanah that even Abaye did not share.

In Sefer HaMidos it states that every tzaddik has a particular form of worship that another tzaddik, even greater than him, cannot achieve on his own.[5] So, even though Abaye's greatness was incomparable, as was the greatness of all the Tannaim and Amoraim, when the special point of Abba Umanah shone with all its might, there was none like him in the whole world. For this reason, he merited a heavenly greeting each day. When a person's good point is revealed, he can reach levels of greatness unattainable to anyone else.

This same truth applies to each of us. If a person could realize his special potential, no other being in the entire universe could equal him in that area; it is here that he is considered a tzaddik in relation to his friend.[6] Furthermore, embedded in this point is his pure love of God.

The Arizal writes that from the beginning of creation to its end, no two days, or even two hours, ever will be alike. One minute is different from the next! A person, born one minute will be completely different from someone born a moment later, and each one enters the world for his own special purpose. This idea in hinted at in the incense offering of the Beis HaMikdash. The chelb'na (galbanum), which gave off a repugnant smell, brought about supernal rectifications that even the levonah (frankincense), with its sweet smell, could not. Each one served its one unique function.

How can a person discover his own special point? If one's heart is drawn to a certain mitzvah more than to another. If a certain style of Torah study is more appealing. If one recognizes within oneself some special ability or sensitivity that others do not share. These signs are not accidental; they are clear indications as to where that special point might lie, and to the area in which one can best serve the Almighty.

However, one cannot simply depend upon Heaven to make this point shine; one must also work on it from below. Through prayer and Torah study a person comes to recognize his own unique potential. Then one must work hard on it, giving it time and attention, developing and guarding it.

A Lamb From the Flock

The Torah relates King David's words when, as a young man, he rose to challenge Goliath, the Philistine: "And David said to Saul, 'Your servant was a shepherd to his father, and a lion and a bear came and carried away a lamb from the flock. And I went out after them, and beat them, and delivered it from their mouths, and they rose against me, and I grabbed them by the beard and struck them until they died. Your servant struck both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he cursed the hosts of the Living God'" (I Samuel 17:34-36).[7]

The Vilna Gaon points out that in this verse, the word "lamb" is written differently than it is read. We read it as seh - a lamb, but tradition tells us to write it as zeh - this. The Gaon cites a Midrash to explain this difference. After David delivered the lamb from the lion and the bear, he slaughtered it and made a garment from its fleece, so that he should always remember the occasion when God saved him from the beasts. When he said to Saul, "And they took a lamb from the flock," he showed him the garment that he was then wearing. "The lion and bear took this from the flock" (I Samuel 17:34). There is no such a thing as coincidence. King David's greatness lay in his total faith in God, and in his conviction that God directed his every move.[8] When David saw the attack on the flock, which Chazal tell us actually consisted of four lions and three bears, and how he miraculously managed to kill them all, he reflected on this wondrous achievement[9] God was obviously showing him something. "Am I so important that I could kill all these wild animals?" David asked himself. "Perhaps one day something will happen to Israel, and I will deliver them, as well."[10]

David meditated upon this incident and realized that it had not occurred simply by chance. God was revealing to him his great strength and the extent of his courage. He also realized that this potential must be used for the sake of God and for the benefit of His holy nation, Israel. So he made a sheepskin garment from that very lamb, and wore it constantly in order to remember God's message. Instead of allowing the incident to remain a mere testimony to his skill as a shepherd, he waited for the moment when he could use his strength for the sake of God's honor. God brought him Goliath, the Philistine, who cursed the troops of Israel. And David, with his pure faith, avenged God's desecrated honor with a courage and holy glory such as never had been seen before.


________________________________________
[1] Moed Katan l6b.
[2] The words “Yisroel mamshilosav” can either be read, "Israel, His dominion," or "Israel, who rules over Him."
[3] Likutey Moharan 1:34A.
[4] Ta'aanis 21b.
[5] Sefer HaMidos: “Tzaddik” 127.
[6] See Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar 1, chapter 5, and Sha'ar 4, chapter 2.
[7] Toldos Adam, Chapter 9.
[8] Chazal say, "Israel was not exiled until they denied the kingship of the House of David," Zohar II, 175b; III, 69b. See Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Lech Lecha, 31.
[9] Midrash Shmuel, Chapter 20.
[10] Mechilta, B'shalach, 5:2.

The Good Point - Part II

The Fruit is Beneath the Shell

Another way to discover one's special potential is by means of its very opposite. Sometimes a person recognizes in himself an unusually bad quality: exceeding pride or anger, excessive jealousy, a begrudging attitude towards others, powerful illicit desires. If his parents, his teachers, his wife, friends or neighbors, annoy him, this is also not accidental.[11] In this very flaw lies his unique point; only he must work on it, cleanse it, purify it, and divorce himself from its negative aspects. Then he will redeem it and raise it up, until it shines with its true value. The bad character trait is like a shell that conceals the good. Beneath it lies a beautiful fruit of exceptional taste and color, unique in its potential to reveal new aspects of Torah.[12]

Holy Stubbornness

It is known that the tzaddik, Reb Zusia of Anipoli, was an extremely stubborn child, so much so that if his mother refused to do something for him, or give him something he wanted, he wouldn't eat for days. Once he overheard some Chassidim discussing the concept that every bad character trait actually reflects its roots in holiness, were it not for the side of evil that has latched onto it. Precisely there, they concluded, a person can exalt God and come wondrously close to Him. When young Zusia heard this, he made an accounting of his behavior. "Why do I have to hurt my mother and cause others such pain because of my stubbornness?" he thought. "How much better if I could use this trait to serve God and overcome my own evil inclination." And he did!

According to Rabbi Nachman, Reb Zusia served God with the fiery passion of a beginner for twenty-one years![13] (As the saying goes, "There is nothing so powerful as one's start in the ways of Chassidus.") This reflected his tremendous drive for holiness. Nothing so much as a hair's breadth distracted him or interfered with his desire. According to Reb Chaim of Slonim, Reb Zusia's face burned with a fire for God even while he was asleep.

The Righteous, the Wicked, and the Intermediate: All Have the Same Potential

That seed, the good point hidden in one's soul, can raise a person to extraordinary heights. However, on the other hand, if it is improperly used, precisely the opposite can occur. All that amazing potential will become an impediment. Those same strengths will fall into the service of the Other Side, and a person will stumble in the area of his greatest ability. Instead of using his strengths to serve God, he offers them as a sacrifice to idols.

Thus the Talmud says: "A person born under the constellation of Mars will be inclined to bloodshed: either he will be a murderer, a butcher or amohel (an expert in performing ritual circumcision)."[14] The Talmud is alluding to three groups: the righteous, the wicked, and the intermediate. If, G-d forbid, this person's good point falls into the hands of the Other Side, the person will become a murderer. If he actualizes his potential in a mundane way (neither holy nor profane), he will become a butcher (because in general, eating meat is neither a mitzvah nor a sin). However, if he can completely purify himself and turn his desire for bloodshed against his own evil inclination, he will become a mohel and sanctify his potential by using it for the performance of a mitzvah.[15]

Success is Hidden Where the Evil is Strongest

This is true of all our negative traits. The greatest potential for good lies hidden within the most overwhelming proclivity for evil. If a person can defeat his evil inclination, he becomes a tzaddik; if not, he may lose everything. The desires that attack a person on the path to God are the negative aspects of the very strengths he is working to refine.

"Before any Jew can attain a new level in Torah and avodah (Divine service)," Rabbi Nachman wrote, "he is first tried and refined in the exile of one of the 'Seventy Languages.' That is, in their evil desires... because the shell always precedes the fruit. Whoever wants to eat the fruit must first break the shell."[16] By breaking the shell, one raises oneself to God; if not, the potential remains in exile. Although in many ways, the shell resembles the fruit, it is its complete opposite.

The same is true of the path to self-perfection. Pride is an impure character trait. However, on the side of holiness, it can be transformed into a sublime appreciation of God's greatness. Immoral desires are impure but, in the realm of holiness, one can uplift them into a consuming love and longing for the Almighty. Cruelty is impure yet, at times, one must be cruel towards one's own evil inclination. There are many similar examples.

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye commented: "If a person is uncertain as to how he can best serve God, let him examine his basest desires and make use of them. Thus, we can explain the verse: 'You shall take My offering from every man whose heart moves him' (Exodus 25:2). That is, from the longings of the heart - the desires of this world - take God's offering. It is precisely this that elevates a person in the service of God."[17]

The Seed Hidden in the Ground

We must never become upset if negative desires at times overwhelm us, because the moment they attack is the moment they can be repaired. The verse says: "What does the Lord, your God, ask from you…" (Deuteronomy 10:12). From you - not from someone else. None of life's trials are arbitrary. God arranges them all to purify our souls and to bring us to our ultimate good: the revelation of our own unique point. This is like planting a seed. Before it can draw upon the power of the earth, it first must decay. Only then is its inner potential revealed, to sprout forth, with God's help, and reveal its inner beauty. The same holds true for each of us. Only when we have been chafed and worn away by the trials of this world do our unique strengths become revealed. Ultimately, the difficulties are for our eternal benefit.

These ideas are all hinted in Rabbi Nachman's amazing story about the prince made from precious gems.[18] In this story, a certain righteous man predicts that the king will have a son made up entirely of precious stones. The king does have a son, who proves to be an exceptional child, but nevertheless, only flesh and blood. At the end of the story, because of the schemes of his enemies, the young prince contracts leprosy. Yet when his skin dries up and falls away, the precious stones beneath the surface are revealed.

The Personal Messiah

In realizing our potential, we come to experience a revelation of the Messiah on a personal level, for this holy point is a source of light for our entire soul. It can redeem us from the enslavement of the evil inclination and deliver us from our personal exile. To find this point is the very reason why we come into this world.

Practically speaking, when God helps us discover our own unique strengths, whether in "turning away from evil," or in "doing good," we must respond with our own efforts, realizing that we are being offered an opening for personal redemption. We must beseech God to completely reveal to us our essential point, which is unmatched in the entire universe. Then, nothing in the world will be able to distract us, for we will know the exact source of our deliverance. This will bring us close to God, and to eternal goodness.

Yesod Publications © 1994 Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter

"In All Your Ways" is distributed by Moznaim Books
4309 12th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11219.
Tel.: 718-853-0525 or 718-4380

________________________________________
[11] See Yismach Lev by R. Nachum of Chernobyl, printed together with Me'or Eynaim pp. 321-322. See also Oros HaGra, p. 78.
[12] See Likutey Moharan 1:36.
[13] Chayei Moharan 518 (English edition: “Tzaddik,” Breslov Research Institute).
[14] Shabbos 156 a.
[15] Removing the foreskin corresponds to the removal of evil from the heart See the commentary of the Vilna Gaon on Proverbs 22:6. See also the Maharsha on this aggada.
[16] Likutey Moharan I:36.
[17] Be'er Moshe, Bereishis, 1:4, 4.
[18] Rabbi Nachman's Stories, the fifth story.

Yahrtzeit Se'udah Update

Announcement from the Breslov kehillah in Borough Park:

IY"H, tonight there will be a se'udah in honor of the Hilulah of Reb Noson, zal.

Maariv will be at 7:30 PM, followed by the meal and words of Torah and Chizuk by various prominent Breslover rabbis and mashpiyim. The public is invited.

Location:

Breslover Shtiebel of Boro park
5504 16th Ave
Borough Park (Brooklyn)

Tribute to Reb Noson

Rabbi Lazer Brody of "Lazer Beams" and author of "Garden of Emunah" and other widely-acclaimed Breslov books has written a tribute to Reb Noson in honor of his yahrtzeit. His insightful words come straight from the heart. To read this "short and sweet" personal statement about the man who galvanized and preserved Breslov as a living spiritual path, accessible to all even today, please click here.

The First Two Rubles

© 1990 Mesorah Publications

Posted in honor of Reb Nosons yahrtzeit, Asarah beTeves (this year, Thursday night and Friday)

The First Two Rubles
From "A Chassid's Journey and Other Breslover Tales"
Retold For Children and Illustrated by Dovid Sears

In 1830, Reb Noson began to collect funds to build a large synagogue - later known as the Breslover kloyz - in Uman. He first revealed his plan at a gathering of his students and fellow Chassidim in the village of Ladizin. Their response was highly enthusiastic, and in the manner of Chassidim, they soon joined together in a joyous dance.

One Chassid was particularly excited - Reb Menachem Mendel, a poor laborer. Unable to hold back his feelings, he ran home during the singing, soon to return with his entire savings: two rubles.

Upon being offered this first donation, Reb Noson sought to dissuade Reb Menachem Mendel. "How can I take your last few coins? With what will you buy your next meal?"

But the ardent Chassid would not be refused. "How can you deny me such a precious mitzvah?" he pleaded.

Reb Noson paused to consider the matter. What was the greater cause for pity? To deprive Reb Menachem Mendel of this act of tzedakah, done whole-heartedly and in joy, or to allow the poor man to cause himself physical hardship?

"Because of your mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice), " Reb Noson concluded, "you deserve the first portion in building our shul. And with such a noble beginning, Hashem will surely help us to complete our task."

At the building's dedication in 1834, Reb Noson said, "We have to ask ourselves, how was this synagogue built? Was it primarily through the money of the wealthy, or was it through the holy desires of simple, poor Jews? I think that our shul was built by the latter!"

Tenth of Teves

This Thursday night and Friday will be the Tenth of Teves, a minor fast day (day only) that mourns the beginning of the siege of Yerushalayim by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, which culminated in the destruction of the First Holy Temple on the 9th of Av the following summer.

It is also the yartzeit of Reb Noson, the leading disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

This Thursday night there will be no shiur at the Flatbush Breslov shul because Rabbi Wasilski has not been feeling well (may he have a refu'ah sheleimah). However, there will be a public yahrtzeit se'udah at the Borough Park shtibel on 16th Ave. and probably at other local Breslov shuls. Please inquire through contacts listed here.

Atara Grenadir's Current Art Exhibit

"Conscious Community": a new series of paintings by Atara Grenadir

You are invited to the Opening Reception: Thursday, December 9, 6-8 PM

NEW ART CENTER

580 8th Avenue @ 38th Street 5th floor
New York, NY 10018
212.354.2999

Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 1-6 PM

Atara's website: www.ataragrenadir.com

Rabbi Shmuel Chechik Sings Breslover Melodies and Chants

Reb Shmuel Chechik, a"h, was a legendary Breslover Chassid, ba'al tefillah and ba'al menagen in Jerusalem, who passed away several years ago. Click here for a series of links of some of his versions of old Breslover niggunim (melodies) and nus'chos (chants). We are fortunate that these performances have been preserved. They're the "real thing"!

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/shabat.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/im.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/eso.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/ovar.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/hanerot.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/maoz_T1.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/maoz_T2.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/maoz_T3.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/yevonimT.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/mizmorT.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/onoT.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/binginotT.mp3

mms://207.56.112.231/bress1/music/ziknei/ranenuT.mp3

Chanukah Party in Kensington Tuesday Night

Rabbi Aharon and Atara Grenadir will be hosting a Chanukah party this Tuesday evening, Dec. 7th (seventh night), beginning at 8:30 PM. Rabbi Eliezer Trenk, who has been giving a series of Breslov shiurim there, will give a Dvar Torah. Atara's famous latkes will be served. Men and women invited.

Location:

721 East 7th St. (corner 18th Ave)
For more information, call 718-437-2172

PS: In case you don't have a copy (or need some more), Atara Genadir's cookbook "Naturally Breslov: The Fine Art of Cooking With Simplicity and Joy" will be for sale.

"Naturally Breslov is a feast for the eyes and soul. Created by a gifted fine artist and gourmet natural chef, this unique cookbook combines more than one hundred fifty recipes of healthful and delicious foods with original paintings and drawings, interspersed with quotes from the mystical teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov."