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Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Breslov is a branch of Hasidic Judaism
founded by Rebbe
Nachman of Breslov
(1772–1810) a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism. Its adherents strive to develop an intense, joyous relationship with God
and receive guidance toward this goal from the teachings of Rebbe Nachman.
The movement has had no central, living leader for the past 200 years, as Rebbe Nachman did not designate a successor. As such, they are sometimes referred to as the טויטע חסידים (the "Dead Hasidim"), since they have never had another formal Rebbe since Nachman's death. However, certain groups and communities under the Breslov banner refer to their leaders as "Rebbe".
The movement weathered strong opposition from virtually all other Hasidic movements in Ukraine
throughout the nineteenth century, yet at the same time experienced tremendous growth in numbers of followers from Ukraine, White Russia
, Lithuania
and Poland
. By World War I, thousands of Breslov Hasidim were located in those places. After the Bolshevik Revolution, Communist
oppression forced the movement underground in Russia. Thousands of Hasidim were imprisoned or murdered during the Great Purge
of the 1930s, and killed by Nazis
who invaded Ukraine in 1941. The movement was regenerated in England
, America
, and Israel
by those who escaped.
, where Rebbe Nachman lived for the last eight years of his life. Bratslav is located on the Bug river
in Ukraine
(latitude 48.82 N longitude 28.95 E.), midway between Tulchin
to the south and Nemirov
to the north — 9 miles (15 kilometers) from each. Bratslav should not be confused with Wrocław, formerly known as Breslau (also pronounced "Breslov") which also was a renowned Jewish center.
Prior to his arrival in Breslov in 1802, Rebbe Nachman lived and taught in other towns in Ukraine such as Ossatin, Moheilov, Zlatopol
and Odessa
. But upon his arrival in Breslov he declared, "Today we have planted the name of the Breslover Hasidim. This name will never disappear, because my followers will always be called after the town of Breslov."
Later, followers said the name of the town dovetailed with the Rebbe's teachings: He encouraged Jews to remove the barriers that stood between themselves and a closer relationship with God. They noted that the Hebrew
letters of the word Breslov (ברסלב) can be rearranged to spell lev basar (לב בשר —the "ס" and "ש" sounds are interchangeable), "a heart of flesh"—echoing the prophecy in Ezekiel
(36:26): "I [God] will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (For this reason, some adherents spell the name of the Hasidut, "Breslev", stressing the lev (heart). Rabbi Shmuel Moshe Kramer also noted that the gematria
("numerical value") of the Hebrew letters
of Breslov (ברסלב) is 294, as is the Hebrew spelling of Nachman ben Faiga (נחמן בן פיגא) (Nachman son [of] Faiga) — the names of Rebbe Nachman and his mother.
The Breslov approach places great emphasis on serving God through the sincerity of the heart, with much joy and living life as intensely as possible. Breslov teachings particularly emphasize emunah (faith) as a means to teshuvah (repentance), and that every Jew on any level of Divine service is required to constantly yearn to return to God, no matter how high or low he or she is situated on the spiritual echelon.
Breslover Hasidim see the study and fulfillment of Torah life as the means to a joyful existence, and their approach to worship is very personalized and emotional, with much clapping, singing, and dancing. Rabbi Nachman said, "It is a great mitzvah
(commandment or good deed) to always be happy". In this same lesson, he notes that even leading intellectuals in the medical field will attest to depression and bitterness being the main cause of most mental and physical ailments.
Rebbe Nachman also placed great emphasis on Jewish prayer. Besides the regular daily services
in the synagogue
, Rebbe Nachman advised his followers to engage in hitbodedut
(literally, "self-seclusion"), on a daily basis. Rebbe Nachman claimed that every true tzaddik attained his lofty spiritual level almost uniquely because of hitbodedut. The Rebbe explained that hitbodedut is the loftiest form of Divine service, and that it is virtually impossible to be a good Jew without this practice. During hitbodedut, the individual pours out his thoughts and concerns to God in his mother tongue, as if talking to a close personal friend. The goal is to establish complete unification with God and a clearer understanding of one's personal motives and goals.
A few Breslovers also use a form of mantra
meditation by repeating a word or phrase over and over. Rebbe Nachman himself used the phrase, Ribono Shel Olam ("Master of the Universe" — i.e., God), which he pronounced with the Yiddish intonation as: Ree-boy-noy shell oy-lom. (Some say that the Yiddish pronunciation allows one to pour every possible emotion into the "oy" syllables). A sub-group of the Breslov sect, colloquially known as Na Nach
s, use the Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman mantra, which is based on the Hebrew letters of Rebbe Nachman's name. This mantra was not used by Rebbe Nachman himself, but was taught in the 20th century by Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
.
Rabbi Nachman always maintained that his high spiritual level was due to his own efforts and not to his famous lineage or any other circumstances of his birth. He repeatedly insisted that all Jews could reach the same level as he, and spoke out very strongly against those who thought that the main reason for a Rebbe's greatness was the superior level of his soul.
, a large gathering at the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman, Ukraine on the Jewish New Year. Rabbi Nachman himself said:
During his lifetime, hundreds of followers spent the holiday with him; after his death, his closest disciple, Nathan of Breslov
("Reb Noson") organized an annual pilgrimage to his grave starting with Rosh Hashana 1811, the year after Rebbe Nachman's death. Until World War I, thousands of Hasidim from Ukraine
, Belarus
, Lithuania
and Poland
joined the holiday prayer gathering. The Rosh Hashana kibbutz operated clandestinely and on a smaller scale under Communism
, when public prayer gatherings were forbidden. The pilgrimage was officially reinstituted after the fall of Communism in 1989, and continues to this day, with upwards of 20,000 men and boys arriving each Rosh Hashana from all over the world.
Breslovers also make individual pilgrimages to their Rebbe's grave at other times of the year. Visiting the grave at any time is deemed beneficial, because Rebbe Nachman said:
Rebbe Nachman's magnum opus
is the two-volume Likutei Moharan (Collected [Lessons] of Our Teacher and Rabbi, Nachman), a collection of 411 lessons displaying in-depth familiarity and understanding of the many overt and esoteric concepts embedded in Tanakh
, Talmud
, Midrash
, Zohar
and Kabbalah
. In the introductory section of certain editions of Likutei Moharan, the book is likened to the Zohar itself, and Rebbe Nachman is likened to the Zohar's author, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This is based on the citation of numerous parallels between the lives of the two sages, as well as the fact that the names "Nachman ben Simcha" (Simcha being Rebbe Nachman's father's name) and "Shimon ben Yochai" share the same gematria
(numerical value) of 501.
Upon the Rebbe's instructions, Reb Noson collected all the practical teachings and advice contained in the Likutei Moharan and published them in:
Rebbe Nachman's other works include:
After the Rebbe's death, Reb Noson wrote down all the conversations, fragments of lessons, and interactions that he and others had had with the Rebbe. He published these in the following collections:
Reb Noson also authored these commentaries and novellae:
Students of Reb Noson, their students, and their students' students added to Breslov literature with further commentaries on the Rebbe's teachings, as well as original works.
Beginning in the 1970s, Breslov works in English
began to appear, most notably Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
's Gems of Rabbi Nachman. The Breslov Research Institute
, founded in Jerusalem in 1979, publishes authoritative translations, commentaries and general works on Breslov Hasidut in the major languages spoken by modern-day Jewish communities: English, Hebrew, Spanish and Russian.
Breslovers do not restrict themselves to Rabbi Nachman's commentaries on the Torah, but also study many of the classic texts, including the Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, and many others. They may also study the writings of Rebbes from other dynasties. In fact, Rebbe Nachman claimed that while even a complete simpleton can become a pure and righteous Jew, the ideal study schedule of an extremely scholarly Hasid should include the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) with its commentaries, the entire Talmud with its commentaries, the entire Shulchan Arukh, all the Midrashic works, the Zohar and Tikkunei Zohar, the teachings of the Arizal
and other kabbalistic
works, all over the course of a single year.
, New York
, Paris
, London
, Montreal
, and Lakewood Township, New Jersey
.
The original Jerusalem community, founded by emigrees from Ukraine
before World War II and built around the Breslov Yeshiva in Mea Shearim
founded by Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Rosen
in 1953, still exists. It is affiliated with the Edah HaChareidis and led by Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter
and Rabbi Moshe Kremer.
The first large-scale Breslov outreach
activities were conducted by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Bender, who attracted thousands of baal teshuva
followers to the Breslov movement in the 1970s and 1980s. Rabbi Eliezer Berland
, rosh yeshiva
of Yeshivas Shuvu Bonim
in the Muslim Quarter
of the Old City of Jerusalem, has also brought thousands of Jews from secular backgrounds closer to Orthodox Judaism
and Breslov. One of Berland's students, Rabbi Shalom Arush
, went on to found the Chut Shel Chessed Institutions in Jerusalem. Arush leads a group including Sephardic followers of Breslov Hasidut, who mainly originated in the baal teshuva movement
.
Other Breslov rabbis engaged in outreach include Israel Isaac Bezançon, rabbi of the Shir Chadash community in Tel Aviv, and Shalom Sabag. The Na Nach
group, which follows the teachings of Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
, conducts on-the-street outreach with its roving musical vans and dancers, and sidewalk distribution of Breslov texts.
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
founded by Rebbe
Rebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
Nachman of Breslov
Nachman of Breslov
Nachman of Breslov , also known as Reb Nachman of Bratslav, Reb Nachman Breslover , Nachman from Uman , was the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement....
(1772–1810) a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism. Its adherents strive to develop an intense, joyous relationship with God
Names of God in Judaism
In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title; it represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relationship of God to the Jewish people and to the world. To demonstrate the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for...
and receive guidance toward this goal from the teachings of Rebbe Nachman.
The movement has had no central, living leader for the past 200 years, as Rebbe Nachman did not designate a successor. As such, they are sometimes referred to as the טויטע חסידים (the "Dead Hasidim"), since they have never had another formal Rebbe since Nachman's death. However, certain groups and communities under the Breslov banner refer to their leaders as "Rebbe".
The movement weathered strong opposition from virtually all other Hasidic movements in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
throughout the nineteenth century, yet at the same time experienced tremendous growth in numbers of followers from Ukraine, White Russia
History of the Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union
The vast territories of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest populations of Jews in the diaspora. Within these territories the Jewish community flourished and developed many of modern Judaism's most distinctive theological and cultural traditions, while also facing periods of...
, Lithuania
History of the Jews in Lithuania
The history of the Jews in Lithuania spans the period from the eighth century to the present day. There is still a small community in that country, as well as an extensive Lithuanian Jewish diaspora in Israel, the United States and other countries. For more detail, see Lithuanian Jews.-Early...
and Poland
History of the Jews in Poland
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance and social autonomy. This ended with the...
. By World War I, thousands of Breslov Hasidim were located in those places. After the Bolshevik Revolution, Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
oppression forced the movement underground in Russia. Thousands of Hasidim were imprisoned or murdered during the Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
of the 1930s, and killed by Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
who invaded Ukraine in 1941. The movement was regenerated in England
History of the Jews in England
The history of the Jews in England goes back to the reign of William I. The first written record of Jewish settlement in England dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times...
, America
History of the Jews in the United States
The history of the Jews in the United States , has been part of the American national fabric since colonial times.Until the 1830s the Jewish community of Charleston, South Carolina was the most numerous in North America. With the large scale immigration of Jews from Germany in the 19th century,...
, and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by those who escaped.
History
"Breslov" is the name used nowadays by Breslover followers for the town of BratslavBratslav
Bratslav |Breslov]] as the name of a Hasidic group, which originated from this town) is a townlet in Ukraine, located in the Nemyriv Raion of Vinnytsia Oblast, by the Southern Bug river. It is a medieval European city having dramatically lost its importance during 19th-20th centuries...
, where Rebbe Nachman lived for the last eight years of his life. Bratslav is located on the Bug river
Southern Bug
The Southern Bug, also called Southern Buh), is a river located in Ukraine. The source of the river is in the west of Ukraine, in the Volyn-Podillia Upland, about 145 km from the Polish border, and flows southeasterly into the Bug Estuary through the southern steppes...
in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
(latitude 48.82 N longitude 28.95 E.), midway between Tulchin
Tulchyn
Tulchin , Latin Tulcinum, ) is a small city in the Vinnytsya Oblast of western Ukraine, former Podolia. It is the administrative center of the Tulchynsky Raion , and was the chief centre of the Southern Society of the Decembrists, Pavel Pestel was located there during planning of the rebellion...
to the south and Nemirov
Nemyriv
Nemyriv is a historic city in the Vinnytsia Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Nemyriv Raion . Nemyriv is one of the eldest cities in Vinnytska oblast, Ukraine...
to the north — 9 miles (15 kilometers) from each. Bratslav should not be confused with Wrocław, formerly known as Breslau (also pronounced "Breslov") which also was a renowned Jewish center.
Prior to his arrival in Breslov in 1802, Rebbe Nachman lived and taught in other towns in Ukraine such as Ossatin, Moheilov, Zlatopol
Zlatopol
Zlatopol is a small city in Ukraine, located about 80 km northwest to Kirovohrad, near Kiev.- History :Before the Holocaust, Zlatopol was a prosperous very rich Jewish Shtetl. There was also a gymnasium for rich people in Zlatopol...
and Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
. But upon his arrival in Breslov he declared, "Today we have planted the name of the Breslover Hasidim. This name will never disappear, because my followers will always be called after the town of Breslov."
Later, followers said the name of the town dovetailed with the Rebbe's teachings: He encouraged Jews to remove the barriers that stood between themselves and a closer relationship with God. They noted that the Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
letters of the word Breslov (ברסלב) can be rearranged to spell lev basar (לב בשר —the "ס" and "ש" sounds are interchangeable), "a heart of flesh"—echoing the prophecy in Ezekiel
Book of Ezekiel
The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah and preceding the Book of the Twelve....
(36:26): "I [God] will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (For this reason, some adherents spell the name of the Hasidut, "Breslev", stressing the lev (heart). Rabbi Shmuel Moshe Kramer also noted that the gematria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
("numerical value") of the Hebrew letters
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
of Breslov (ברסלב) is 294, as is the Hebrew spelling of Nachman ben Faiga (נחמן בן פיגא) (Nachman son [of] Faiga) — the names of Rebbe Nachman and his mother.
Religious approach
Breslover Hasidim see the study and fulfillment of Torah life as the means to a joyful existence, and their approach to worship is very personalized and emotional, with much clapping, singing, and dancing. Rabbi Nachman said, "It is a great mitzvah
Mitzvah
The primary meaning of the Hebrew word refers to precepts and commandments as commanded by God...
(commandment or good deed) to always be happy". In this same lesson, he notes that even leading intellectuals in the medical field will attest to depression and bitterness being the main cause of most mental and physical ailments.
Rebbe Nachman also placed great emphasis on Jewish prayer. Besides the regular daily services
Jewish services
Jewish prayer are the prayer recitations that form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book....
in the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, Rebbe Nachman advised his followers to engage in hitbodedut
Hitbodedut
Hitbodedut refers to an unstructured, spontaneous and individualized form of prayer and meditation taught by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov...
(literally, "self-seclusion"), on a daily basis. Rebbe Nachman claimed that every true tzaddik attained his lofty spiritual level almost uniquely because of hitbodedut. The Rebbe explained that hitbodedut is the loftiest form of Divine service, and that it is virtually impossible to be a good Jew without this practice. During hitbodedut, the individual pours out his thoughts and concerns to God in his mother tongue, as if talking to a close personal friend. The goal is to establish complete unification with God and a clearer understanding of one's personal motives and goals.
A few Breslovers also use a form of mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
meditation by repeating a word or phrase over and over. Rebbe Nachman himself used the phrase, Ribono Shel Olam ("Master of the Universe" — i.e., God), which he pronounced with the Yiddish intonation as: Ree-boy-noy shell oy-lom. (Some say that the Yiddish pronunciation allows one to pour every possible emotion into the "oy" syllables). A sub-group of the Breslov sect, colloquially known as Na Nach
Na Nach
Na Nach is the name of a subgroup of Breslover Hasidim that follows the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov according to the tradition of Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser . The Saba is believed to have received an inspirational note, called the Petek , from the long-deceased Rebbe Nachman...
s, use the Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman mantra, which is based on the Hebrew letters of Rebbe Nachman's name. This mantra was not used by Rebbe Nachman himself, but was taught in the 20th century by Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
Yisroel Ber Odesser
Rabbi Yisroel Dov Ber Odesser , also known as Reb Odesser or Sabba , was a Breslover Hasid and rabbi who claimed to have received a "Letter From Heaven" sent directly to him by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who had died 112 years earlier, revealing to him a new remedy for relieving the world's...
.
Rabbi Nachman always maintained that his high spiritual level was due to his own efforts and not to his famous lineage or any other circumstances of his birth. He repeatedly insisted that all Jews could reach the same level as he, and spoke out very strongly against those who thought that the main reason for a Rebbe's greatness was the superior level of his soul.
The Rosh Hashana kibbutz
Another specifically Breslov practice is the annual Rosh Hashanah kibbutzRosh Hashana kibbutz (Breslov)
The Rosh Hashana kibbutz is a large prayer assemblage of Breslover Hasidim held on the Jewish New Year. It specifically refers to the pilgrimage of tens of thousands of Hasidim to the city of Uman, Ukraine, but also refers to sizable Rosh Hashana gatherings of Breslover Hasidim in other locales...
, a large gathering at the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman, Ukraine on the Jewish New Year. Rabbi Nachman himself said:
"My Rosh Hashana is greater than everything. I cannot understand how it is that if my followers really believe in me, they are not all scrupulous about being with me for Rosh Hashana. No one should be missing! Rosh Hashana is my whole mission."
During his lifetime, hundreds of followers spent the holiday with him; after his death, his closest disciple, Nathan of Breslov
Nathan of Breslov
Nathan of Breslov , also known as Reb Noson, born Nathan Sternhartz, was the chief disciple and scribe of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov Hasidic dynasty. Reb Noson is credited with preserving, promoting and expanding the Breslov movement after the Rebbe's death...
("Reb Noson") organized an annual pilgrimage to his grave starting with Rosh Hashana 1811, the year after Rebbe Nachman's death. Until World War I, thousands of Hasidim from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
joined the holiday prayer gathering. The Rosh Hashana kibbutz operated clandestinely and on a smaller scale under Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, when public prayer gatherings were forbidden. The pilgrimage was officially reinstituted after the fall of Communism in 1989, and continues to this day, with upwards of 20,000 men and boys arriving each Rosh Hashana from all over the world.
Breslovers also make individual pilgrimages to their Rebbe's grave at other times of the year. Visiting the grave at any time is deemed beneficial, because Rebbe Nachman said:
"Whoever comes to my gravesite and recites the Ten Psalms of the Tikkun HaKlaliTikkun HaKlaliTikkun HaKlali Rectification"), also known as The General Remedy, is a set of ten Psalms whose recital serves as teshuvah for all sins — in particular the sin of wasted seed through involuntary nocturnal emission or masturbation...
("General Remedy"), and gives even as little as a penny to charity for my sake, then, no matter how serious his sins may be, I will do everything in my power — spanning the length and breadth of Creation — to cleanse and protect him. By his very payotPayotPayot is the Hebrew word for sidelocks or sidecurls. Payot are worn by some men and boys in the Orthodox Jewish community based on an interpretation of the Biblical injunction against shaving the "corners" of one's head...
("sidecurls"), I will pull him out of Gehenna (purgatory)!"
Important books of Breslover Hasidism
The main Hasidic texts revered and studied by Breslover Hasidim are those written by Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson. All of Rebbe Nachman's teachings were transcribed by Reb Noson. Additionally, Reb Noson wrote some of his own works.Rebbe Nachman's magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
is the two-volume Likutei Moharan (Collected [Lessons] of Our Teacher and Rabbi, Nachman), a collection of 411 lessons displaying in-depth familiarity and understanding of the many overt and esoteric concepts embedded in Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
, Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
, Zohar
Zohar
The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
and Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
. In the introductory section of certain editions of Likutei Moharan, the book is likened to the Zohar itself, and Rebbe Nachman is likened to the Zohar's author, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This is based on the citation of numerous parallels between the lives of the two sages, as well as the fact that the names "Nachman ben Simcha" (Simcha being Rebbe Nachman's father's name) and "Shimon ben Yochai" share the same gematria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
(numerical value) of 501.
Upon the Rebbe's instructions, Reb Noson collected all the practical teachings and advice contained in the Likutei Moharan and published them in:
- Likutei Eitzot (Collected Advices)
- Kitzur Likutei Moharan (Abridged Likutei Moharan)
Rebbe Nachman's other works include:
- Sefer HaMiddot (Book of Traits) — a collection of aphorisms on various character traits; also published in English as The Aleph-Bet Book
- Sipurei Ma`asiyot (Story Tales) — 13 mystical parables, also published in English as Rabbi Nachman's Stories, Tales of Rabbi Nachman, Tales of Ancient Times.
- Tikkun HaKlaliTikkun HaKlaliTikkun HaKlali Rectification"), also known as The General Remedy, is a set of ten Psalms whose recital serves as teshuvah for all sins — in particular the sin of wasted seed through involuntary nocturnal emission or masturbation...
(The General Remedy) — a specific order of 10 PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
which remedies p'gam habrit kodesh (blemish to the sign of the holy Covenant, i.e., the organ of procreation), and all sins in general.
After the Rebbe's death, Reb Noson wrote down all the conversations, fragments of lessons, and interactions that he and others had had with the Rebbe. He published these in the following collections:
- Shevachei HaRan (Praises of the Rebbe) and Sichot HaRan (Conversations of the Rebbe) — published in English as Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom
- Chayei Moharan (Life of the Rebbe) — published in English as Tzaddik
Reb Noson also authored these commentaries and novellae:
- Likutei Halachot (Collected Laws) — an 8-volume Hasidic commentary on Shulchan Aruch which shows the interrelationship between every halakhaHalakhaHalakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
and Rebbe Nachman's lessons in Likutei Moharan. - Likutei Tefillot (Collected Prayers) — 210 direct and heartfelt prayers based on the concepts in Likutei Moharan.
- Yemei Moharanat (The Days of Our Teacher and Rabbi Noson)— an autobiography
- Alim LeTerufah (Leaves of Healing) — Reb Noson's collected letters
- Shemot HaTzaddikim (Names of Tzaddikim) — a list of the tzaddikimTzadikTzadik/Zadik/Sadiq is a title given to personalities in Jewish tradition considered righteous, such as Biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ṣadiq, is ṣ-d-q , which means "justice" or "righteousness", also the root of Tzedakah...
of Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidut, and Geonim of Torah in general.
Students of Reb Noson, their students, and their students' students added to Breslov literature with further commentaries on the Rebbe's teachings, as well as original works.
Beginning in the 1970s, Breslov works in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
began to appear, most notably Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
Aryeh Kaplan
Aryeh Moshe Eliyahu Kaplan was a noted American Orthodox rabbi and author known for his "intimate knowledge of both physics and kabbalah." He was lauded as an original thinker and prolific writer, from studies of the Torah, Talmud and mysticism to introductory pamphlets on Jewish beliefs and...
's Gems of Rabbi Nachman. The Breslov Research Institute
Breslov Research Institute
Breslov Research Institute is a pioneering publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and selected works of Reb Noson , the Rebbe's closest disciple; studies of the...
, founded in Jerusalem in 1979, publishes authoritative translations, commentaries and general works on Breslov Hasidut in the major languages spoken by modern-day Jewish communities: English, Hebrew, Spanish and Russian.
Breslovers do not restrict themselves to Rabbi Nachman's commentaries on the Torah, but also study many of the classic texts, including the Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, and many others. They may also study the writings of Rebbes from other dynasties. In fact, Rebbe Nachman claimed that while even a complete simpleton can become a pure and righteous Jew, the ideal study schedule of an extremely scholarly Hasid should include the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) with its commentaries, the entire Talmud with its commentaries, the entire Shulchan Arukh, all the Midrashic works, the Zohar and Tikkunei Zohar, the teachings of the Arizal
Isaac Luria
Isaac Luria , also called Yitzhak Ben Shlomo Ashkenazi acronym "The Ari" "Ari-Hakadosh", or "Arizal", meaning "The Lion", was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Palestine...
and other kabbalistic
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
works, all over the course of a single year.
Breslov today
Today Breslover communities exist in several locations in Israel, as well as in major cities around the world with large Jewish populations, including Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and Lakewood Township, New Jersey
Lakewood Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 60,352 people, 19,876 households, and 13,356 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,431.8 people per square mile . There were 21,214 housing units at an average density of 854.8 per square mile...
.
The original Jerusalem community, founded by emigrees from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
before World War II and built around the Breslov Yeshiva in Mea Shearim
Mea Shearim
Mea Shearim is one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Israel. It is populated mainly by Haredi Jews and was built by the original settlers of the Yishuv haYashan.-Name:...
founded by Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Rosen
Eliyahu Chaim Rosen
Eliyahu Chaim Rosen was a respected rabbi and leader of the Breslov Hasidim in Uman, Ukraine before World War II. After immigrating to Israel in 1936, he founded the Breslover Yeshiva in Jerusalem and served as its rosh yeshiva for decades....
in 1953, still exists. It is affiliated with the Edah HaChareidis and led by Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter
Yaakov Meir Shechter
Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter is a leading figure in the Breslov Hasidic movement in Israel. He is a well-known kabbalist and a rosh yeshiva of both the main Breslov Yeshiva in Meah Shearim, Jerusalem, and the Non-Breslov Shaar Hashamayim Yeshiva in Mekor Baruch.-Early life:Shechter was born in the...
and Rabbi Moshe Kremer.
Baal teshuva followers of Breslov
Breslov teachings emphasize the importance of drawing people to the "true tzadik" as the key to rectifying the world, overcoming evil and bringing people closer to God, according to Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson. In Breslov thought, the "true tzadik" is Rebbe Nachman himself.The first large-scale Breslov outreach
Orthodox Judaism outreach
Orthodox Jewish outreach commonly referred to as Kiruv or Keruv , is the collective work or movement of Orthodox Judaism that reaches out to non-Orthodox Jews to believe in God, engage in Torah study, and practice the Mitzvot in the hope that they will live according to Orthodox Jewish law...
activities were conducted by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Bender, who attracted thousands of baal teshuva
Baal teshuva
Baal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
followers to the Breslov movement in the 1970s and 1980s. Rabbi Eliezer Berland
Eliezer Berland
Eliezer Berland is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and rosh yeshiva affiliated with the Breslov Hasidic movement in Israel. As rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Shuvu Bonim in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, he has counseled and guided tens of thousands of Jews from secular backgrounds to draw...
, rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
of Yeshivas Shuvu Bonim
Shuvu Bonim
Shuvu Bonim is a yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. -History:The yeshiva was founded in 1978 in Bnei Brak by Rabbi Eliezer Berland, who is still the rosh yeshiva . It is a Breslov yeshiva based on the teachings of Nachman of Breslov. About 30% of the student body is affiliated with the...
in the Muslim Quarter
Muslim Quarter
The Muslim Quarter is one of the four quarters of the ancient, walled Old City of Jerusalem. It covers 31 hectares of the northeastern sector of the Old City. The quarter is the largest and most populous and extends from the Lions' Gate in the east, along the northern wall of the Temple Mount in...
of the Old City of Jerusalem, has also brought thousands of Jews from secular backgrounds closer to Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
and Breslov. One of Berland's students, Rabbi Shalom Arush
Shalom Arush
Shalom Arush is an Israeli Breslov rabbi and founder of the Chut Shel Chessed Institutions. He spreads the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov among Sephardic and Ashkenazic baalei teshuva around the world through his books and speaking appearances...
, went on to found the Chut Shel Chessed Institutions in Jerusalem. Arush leads a group including Sephardic followers of Breslov Hasidut, who mainly originated in the baal teshuva movement
Baal teshuva movement
The Baal Teshuva movement is description of the return of secular Jews to religious Judaism. The term "baal teshuva" is a term from the Talmud literally meaning "master of repentance". The term is used to refer to a worldwide phenomenon among the Jewish people...
.
Na Nach
Na Nach is the name of a subgroup of Breslover Hasidim that follows the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov according to the tradition of Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser . The Saba is believed to have received an inspirational note, called the Petek , from the long-deceased Rebbe Nachman...
group, which follows the teachings of Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
Yisroel Ber Odesser
Rabbi Yisroel Dov Ber Odesser , also known as Reb Odesser or Sabba , was a Breslover Hasid and rabbi who claimed to have received a "Letter From Heaven" sent directly to him by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who had died 112 years earlier, revealing to him a new remedy for relieving the world's...
, conducts on-the-street outreach with its roving musical vans and dancers, and sidewalk distribution of Breslov texts.
Sources
- Greenbaum, Avraham (1987). Tzaddik. Jerusalem/New York: Breslov Research InstituteBreslov Research InstituteBreslov Research Institute is a pioneering publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and selected works of Reb Noson , the Rebbe's closest disciple; studies of the...
. ISBN 0-930213-17-3. - Kramer, Chaim (1989). Crossing the Narrow Bridge. Appendix B: Breslov Books. Jerusalem/New York: Breslov Research Institute. ISBN 0-930213-40-8.
External links
- Breslov—Judaism with Heart The website of Breslov Research InstituteBreslov Research InstituteBreslov Research Institute is a pioneering publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and selected works of Reb Noson , the Rebbe's closest disciple; studies of the...
, publisher of many Breslov works in English - Questions and Answers about Breslov FAQ about the movement
- Virtual library of core Breslov literature in Hebrew and English (the texts are in Hebrew)
- BreslovWorld.com (official English site)
- Virtual library of core Breslov literature in Hebrew
- Will the Real Breslov Please Stand Up? Article explaining the wide diversity of groups within the Breslov movement today
- Information about Uman and Breslov
- Yeshivat Tikun Hamidot English/Hebrew Breslov website featuring historical facts, information, pictures, videos, and lectures
- Na Nach Breslov Chasidim
- Kiruv website for Jews interested in Breslov Judaism
- Website of Breslov International