Friday, July 25, 2008

Breslov I - Praises Rebbe Nachman said of himself

In order to broaden the range of discussion I am presenting material from non-mainstream sources regarding the nature of Yiddishkeit. One of the most controversial figures was that of Rebbe Nachman. The following material is from a Breslov website - Yeshivat Tikun Ha'midot

(Rebbe Nachman said that no one merited receiving from him, except for Reb Nosson and Reb Naftali, who merited a small amount.)

"I am a great, beautiful, and awesome, tree with very awesome leaves and below I am well rooted in the earth."

" An innovation like myself - there was none and there will be no more."

"They will yet say in the days to come 'How wonderful was Rebbe Nachman!' because they will miss me very much"

"The whole world needs me...you yourselves know how much you need me. Even all the other Tzaddikim need me because they also need to be returned to the beneficiary."

Once he was pacing back and forth in his home, grabbed a staff in his hand and said: "the staff of G-d is in my hands", meaning he merited being in full control himself.

"I am a man of wonder and my soul is a great wonder."

He said that he alone reached the absolute highest level.

"I am the Greats of the Greats."

He said that he did not begin doing anything in the world until he first understood its secret.

He said: "What will be done with me, I don't know. But, what I do know is that Mashiach will come from me."

He said that he feels the pain and suffering of the nation before other Tzaddim because "I know baseness and know the great level of the holiness of Jews, how precious they are. They are exalted because they are pulled down and taken from the high and lofty place above...therefore I know all in advance".

One Rosh Hashana, he said: "I have a tune to sing in the future which will be the 'Olam Haba' of all the Tzaddikim."

He said: "I have already astonished the world that wherever there is true good in the world, it will come to us." And, he said that he knows the roots from which the Holy Torah comes from.

"I am a new vessel; not old." In his own handwriting, he wrote "I am the eldest (greatest of those) in the holiness who reveals things which were hidden from ancient times until now."

He said that if he wanted to reveal and show his fear of Heaven - people would not be able to stand within 3 feet of his house. Therefore he purposely hides his fear of Heaven. He said "I am the treasury of fear of Heaven."

"The Shabbats which are spent with me are higher and greater than fasting seven times a fast from Shabbat to Shabbat."

He said that the power King David had to raise up his son, Avshalom, from the seventh gate of Hell and place him in the Garden of Eden by saying "Avshalom, my son, my son" eight times is the same power he possesses. He can also raise a person from the fiery furance of Hell and put then in the Garden of Eden by his words.

"My fire will burn until the Mashiach."

"I personally have nothing to do in this world...I only came to this world in order to bring back the souls of Israel to Hashem."

"I am a river which cleanses of all stains...in the future, the whole world will be Breslov Chassidim."

I can now say that all the sages of Israel are like the outer layer of garlic on me. However, I have no outer layer. This is where I end it, there is nothing to continue."

He said: "How many people were in the dirt that I took them out of the dirt. By means of (me taking them out), they came closer to Hashem to (a point) that they don't have to be embarassed in front of great Tzaddikim."

"The world still hasn't tasted me. If they would hear even one lesson I teach with its corresponding song and dance, the world would give up and sacrifice greatly, even the animals and grasses, and all which is in the world would come listen to my lessons."

He said that he knew regarding all the Tzaddikim from Adam until his time: from where their souls were, from where they took their ideas and concepts, and where (level wise) their soul remained at their time of passing.

He said that if the Ba'al Shem Tov would hear his original lessons, he would agree that they were also original for his time.

"Even if the Ba'al Shem Tov and the Arizal would be in the world, they wouldn't be able to compare with me."

7 comments :

  1. Can't say I'm terribly surprised. It is one of the sad rules of politics that the more confident and certain a leader is of his own perfection and excellence, the more people will follow him blindly. Look at Obama right now, or the Lubavitcher before him.
    People don't get inspired by humility, unless the Shechinah happens to be glowing behind them (eg. Moshe). They want someone who's sure of the righteousness of their cause and it looks like the Bratzlovers certainly got that.

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  2. Outside of the Nach Nachers (who by the way, unlike the Moshichists in Chabad are not considered mainstream or taken seriously within the kehilla), I have not seen any extremism in Breslov. In fact they are not monolithic in their approach nor do they generally brag that there path is the only way. They also do not try to re-write history to the exclusion of other groups and tzaddikim that I know.

    They also respect talmidei chachamim and poskim who are not Breslovers. They are also not insular in so far as they learn in other Yeshivot. They do not hold that they have all of the chochma that they need in their own frameworks and institutions. They are also waiting for the same moshiach as the rest of klal Yisrael. In Israel many of their leaders are respected in both the Chassidic and Lithuanian circles and they also participate in joint issues with other rabbonim.

    Trying to tie Breslov in the cult of the week posting is a futile exorcise.

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  3. The Best story I ever heard was somone asked the Baal Hatanya Rebbe Wil Mosiach be A Chassid or a Misnaged He said (with real Chochma) Well I guess a Misnaged Because if he is A chossid the Litvashe Will reject him, But if he is a Misnaged the Chassidim will be So happy that the Shchinah is no longer Bttzar the Will be Mochel. VIDOK

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  4. אמר ליה רב יוסף לתנא לא תיתני ענוה דאיכא אנא אמר ליה רב נחמן לתנא לא תיתני יראת חטא דאיכא אנא:

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  5. Just by the way the is the last daf of Gemara Sotah Not a Breslover Sefer.Just remeber the advice of the Gemara in Baba Basra
    לאו אמינא לכו לא תיתלו ביה בוקי סריקי ברב נחמן

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  6. Sotah 49b
    WHEN RABBI DIED, HUMILITY AND FEAR OF SIN CEASED. R. Joseph said to the tanna, Do not include [when reciting this Mishnah] the word ‘humility’, because there is I. R. Nahman said to the teacher, Do not include ‘fear of sin’, because there is I.
    =====================

    Bava Basra 7a

    Said Rabbah to them: Have I not told you not to hang empty bottles [absurd opinions] on R. Nahman? What R. Nahman said was, ‘It must be fit for human habitation’. And how much is this? — R. Huna the son of R. Joshua said: Big enough for one to bring in a bundle [of reeds] of Mahuza6 and turn round with them.

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  7. It is in 2 Places in Baba Basra.The context confuses the statment but OK.
    "R. Nahman said to the teacher, Do not include ‘fear of sin’, because there is I".
    Baba Basra Twice:
    Have I not told you not to hang empty bottles [absurd opinions] on R. Nahman

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