10 Teves - Reb Nosson of Breslov zy"a

Reb Nosson of Breslov’s Life-Changing Torah

“Reb Nosson, Heilege Reb Nosson, you mamash changed my life!”

Three years ago on Reb Nosson’s yahrzeit, these words echoed within my heart and mind. Thinking about them today, it is clear that this statement is truer than ever. While I write about many great tzadikim, for the past sixteen years I have merited to connect to Reb Nosson every single day through his various works such as Likutei Tefilos, Likutei Halachos, Shemos Hatzadikim, as well as the seforim of Rebbe Nachman whose publication can be solely credited to Reb Nosson’s mesiras nefesh.

In addion to the many works he published throughout his remarkable life, Reb Nosson’s own magnum opus is a unique multi-volume set of seforim entitled Likutei Halachos. In these seforim, Reb Nosson uses the teachings of his master, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, to explain the deeper meanings behind the halachos in Shulchan Aruch. Weaving a beautiful tapestry of sources from Tanach, Gemara, Medrash, Zohar, Arizal and many other tzaddikim, Reb Nosson reveals a brand new dimension of these laws. Although the obligation to keep halacha is binding irrespective of whether or not we understand it, learning a little about the inner meanings makes the observance of halacha more meaningful. I can honestly say that for me, these teachings have been life changing.

For example, a little over five years ago, I was learning Likutei Halachos, Hilchos Krias Shema, Halacha 2. There, Reb Nosson explains how davening is an aspect of simcha, and one should always daven with simcha. In a short discourse that takes no more than a few minutes to learn, the tzaddik takes you through the text of Shacharis and demonstrates how this concept appears throughout the words of the tefillah. From that day on, Shacharis became something that I actually looked forward to.

(Parenthetically, Reb Nosson writes in this piece that tefillah is associated with simcha, as the pasuk says, עבדו את יקוק בשמחה. It occurred to me that the last word of this pasuk, ברננה, contains the opening letters of רבי נתן בן נפתלי הירץ.)

Reb Nachman’s “Yehoshua”

Reb Nosson left this world on Asarah B’Teves. This tzaddik was the most important disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who said of Reb Nosson that he was his “Yehoshua”, and without him, not one page of his teachings would have remained. Reb Nosson was to Rebbe Nachman what Rav Chaim Vital was to the Arizal. Reb Levi Yitzchok Bender would quote Reb Ber, a talmid of Rebbe Nachman, who said: “I believe we know more of Rebbe Nachman’s Torah through Reb Nosson than we know from Rebbe Nachman himself.”

The bond between this exalted master and his closest student is demonstrated in this that in a non-leap year, Reb Nosson’s yahrtzeit always falls out on the same day of the week upon which Rebbe Nachman’s upcoming yahrtzeit will fall out.

Reb Nosson’s Birthday

Reb Nosson of Breslov was born on Tu B’Shvat/Shabbos Beshalach. As is known, the B’nei Yissaschar says one should daven for a nice esrog on Tu B’Shvat. In Likutei Mohoran II, 67, Rebbe Nachman discusses the passing of the Rosh of Klal Yisroel. This lesson was taught soon after the passing of Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov. In this lesson, he compares the tzadik to the esrog.

How interesting that Reb Nosson, who was born on the day upon which we daven for an esrog, eventually went on to become a talmid of the Berditchover who is compared to an esrog.

I heard from the Bostoner Rebbe shlita of Flatbush that large parts of the Berditchover’s sefer, Kedushas Levi, were in fact compiled by Reb Nosson during the time he spent in the Berditchover’s court. After leaving the Kedushas Levi to continue on his spiritual search, Reb Nosson eventually became a disciple of Rebbe Nachman, who passed away on chol hamoed Succos – another connection to esrog.

The first time Yehoshua’s name is mentioned in the Torah is parshas Beshalach. As we have mentioned, Rebbe Nachman referred to Reb Nosson as “My Yehoshua.” At the end of the parsha, the pasuk says, ויאמר יקוק אל משה כתב זאת זכרון בספר ושים באזני יהושע. The Kav HaYasher teaches that this pasuk hints to the important of writing down one’s Torah thoughts. In Likutei Mohoran 120, Rebbe Nachman uses this verse as a source for the idea that it is not enough to learn mussar from a sefer – one must also go to the tzaddik to hear the words directly from his mouth, as it says ושים באזני יהושע.

Reb Nosson was a prolific writer and transcriber of Torah thoughts. In addition, few figures in history were as completely attached to their rabbeim as he was. Fascinatingly, his name is alluded to here, as the words זאת זכרון בספר ושים באזני יהושע are gematriya רבי נתן בן רבי נפתלי הירץ (with one added for the kolel).

Rav Avrohom Moshe Wasilski shlita added that this first mention of Yehoshua is in the context of his battling Amalek. As is known, עמלק is gematriya ספק – “doubt,” a spiritual malady embodied in the works of heresy about which Reb Nosson speaks so often and against which he waged a mighty battle, writing that that one page of the Rebbe’s Torah is rectification for all of these works. (Alim Litrufah, Michtav Hahistalkus)

According to some, 10 Teves is the yahrtzeit of Ezra HaSofer. (Kaf Hachaim, Orach Chaim, 580:20). עזרא הסופר is gematria נחל נבע מקור חכמה, a reference to Rebbe Nachman, for whom Reb Nosson served as a scribe.

Finding Reb Nachman

Parshas Vayeitzei is the parsha where Yaakov Avinu, who was completely pure in Kedushas Habris, marries and fathers eleven out of the twelve Shevatim, including Yosef Hatzadik.

The last word of Vayeitzei is מחנים, whose gematriya is used as a hint to Vayeitzei’s 148 pesukim in Vayeitzei. 148 is equal to נחמן. The name of the parsha, ויצא, is equal to נבנה, which contains the opening letters of נתן בן נפתלי הירץ. The Arizal revealed that the spiritual source of Lag Baomer is rooted in the treaty of גלעד (equal to ויצא) at the end of the parsha. As is well-known, שמעון בן יוחאי is exactly equal to נחמן בן שמחה.

Breslover Chassidim say that סלם may be seen as the opening letters of ספר לקוטי מוהר”ן, as, much like the ladder seen by Yaakov Avinu in his dream, this work takes a Jew who is sunk into the ארצה of earthliness and elevates him to the most heavenly spiritual levels, שמים.

I would like to suggest a connection between these ideas and a famous anecdote in the life of Reb Nosson.

During the period of his drawing close to Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov zy”a, Reb Nosson was once sitting with some chassidim at Melava Malka. Lots were drawn to determine who would be the one to go and purchase bagels for the meal, and Reb Nosson was chosen. As he went to get the bagels, Reb Nosson contemplated this that despite becoming a chassid, he experienced so many ups and downs. In a flash of frustration, he thought to himself: “Is this what I was created for? To buy bagels?”

Shortly after this, Reb Nosson went to a secluded part of the shul to recite chapters of Tehilim. Amidst his great crying and heartfelt tefillos, he fell asleep. As he slept, he dreamed that he was climbing a ladder that extended all the way to heaven. At a certain point in his climb, he kept slipping down the ladder. This happened numerous times. The higher he climbed, the lower down he would fall. About to despair, he saw a face appear at the top of the ladder. In Yiddish, the man told him, “Climb, but hold yourself!”

When Reb Nosson met Reb Nachman a few months later, he realized that it was he who had appeared at the top of the ladder.

This whole story is connected to parshas Vayeitzei. Reb Yisroel of Rizhin taught that סלם is rashei teivos סעודת לוית מלכה. Bagels are alluded to at the end of the parsha in the episode of גלעד, as the Maor Veshemesh (Lag Baomer) writes that this episode hints to achdus, and the Hebrew transliteration of bagel, ביגל, may be seen as the letters of י”ב גל – alluding to the unity of the 12 shevatim.

The Midrash Rabbah (74) in parshas Vayeitzei says that Yaakov Avinu would recite Tehilim.

The word סולם is gematriya מעט טוב, alluding to the lesson of אזמרה, one of the most important teachings of ספר לקוטי מוהר”ן.

Finally, Reb Meir of Dzikov brings the Megaleh Amukos who teaches that ויצא is rashei teivos וירא יעקב צורת א׳ (Imrei Noam, Vayishlach). Commenting on the words וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְראשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה, the Zohar HaKadosh comments – “This is Aleph.” In Likutei Mohoran 6, Rebbe Nachman discusses the letter Aleph, teaching that the top represents Moshe Rabbeinu, the middle represents Yaakov Avinu, and the bottom represents Yehoshua Bin Nun. This is yet another allusion to this that Reb Nachman said Reb Nosson was his “Yehoshua.”

His Persecution

The year of Reb Nosson’s passing, 10 Teves fell out on Erev Shabbos Vayigash. The previous Shabbos, parshas Mikeitz had been read.

In Likutei Halachos, Reb Nosson writes that while the Shevatim were all great tzaddikim, Yosef was an aspect of the tzaddik emes – an exceedingly great and unique tzaddik – and the Satan had caused the Shevatim to err in their treatment of him. (Likutei Halachos, Taanis 4:5). While in Mikeitz we read about how Yosef was thrown into prison, in parshas Vayigash it is revealed that he is really a great tzadik.

Similarly, Reb Nosson endured terrible persecution – by one Rebbe in particular – which led to Reb Nosson being incarcerated and put under house arrest under false charges. It was only after the opposing Rebbe died that the opposition stopped.

His Humility

The last verse in parshas Mikeitz states: ויאמר חלילה לי מעשות זאת האיש אשר נמצא הגביע בידו הוא יהיה לי עבד ואתם עלו לשלום אל אביכם. I heard from Rav Avrohom Moshe Wasilski shlita that the Tiferes Shlomo (Kabalas Hatorah) brings in the name of Reb Moshe Leib Sassover that this pasuk teaches us an important lesson: In order to be mekabel from a Rebbe, one needs humility. Just as one cannot pour from a bottle into a cup if the cup is not lower than the bottle, so too, one is unable to receive from a Rebbe if he doesn’t consider himself lower than the Rebbe.

I would like to add an unbelievable remez. Reb Nosson’s anivus was legendary. Although he was a tremendous talmid chacham before he came to Rebbe Nachman and had been offered a prestigious position to become a Rav of alarge city, he refused in order to be able to be with his Rebbe. Therefore, it is no surprise that his name is also alluded to in this posuk, as the words נמצא הגביע בידו הוא יהיה לי עבד ואתם עלו לשלום אל אביכם are equal to נתן בן נפתלי הירץ זי״ע. The words נמצא הגביע בידו are equal to נחמן בן פיגא – the Rebbe from whom Reb Nosson was mekabel. The first letters of זאת האיש אשר נמצא הגביע בידו הוא יהיה לי עבד ואתם עלו לשלום אל אביכם are also equal to נחמן בן פיגא. Finally, גביע spelled with its letters expanded – גימל בית יוד עין – is equal to צדיק אמת.

Uman Rosh HaShana

Reb Nosson was responsible for seeing to it that Rebbe Nachman’s dying wish for his Chassidim to come to him for Rosh HaShana was fulfilled. He encouraged Rebbe Nachman’s Chassidim to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashona the first year after his passing and for all subsequent generations.

I would like to suggest that this is alluded to in the chapter of Tehillim equal to the gematria of נחמן – 148. This chapter is also part of the Tehilim Yomi for day 30, which would be said Erev Rosh Hashanah. This chapter contains the verse, חק נתן ולא יעבור, which may be seen as hinting to Reb Nosson (נתן) and his effort to encourage people to travel to Rebbe Nachman for Rosh HaShana. The words make reference to a חק because Rebbe Nachman’s insistence on his chassidim coming to Uman for Rosh HaShana is not immediately understood. The words ולא יעבור hint to this that no one should be missing from the gathering. Fascinatingly, חק נתן ולא יעבור is gemtriya שנה טובה ומתוקה.

Asara B’Teves

As we mentioned above, Reb Nosson passed away on Asarah B’Teves. The middle letters of עשרה equal נתן. The outside letters are ע״ה, spelling נתן ע״ה, “Nosson alav hashalom”.

The verse describing Asar B’Teves reads: בן אדם כתב לך את שם היום את עצם היום הזה סמך מלך בבל אל ירושלם בעצם היום הזה. (Yechezkel 24:2) בן is rashei teivos נתן ברסלבער.

אדם may allude to one of the first lessons he heard from Rebbe Nachman, Likutei Mohoran 6, which discusses the connection between Moshe and Yehoshua. This lesson was especially intended for his newest talmid, Reb Nosson, whom, as mentioned, the Rebbe referred to as “Yehoshua.”

כתב לך may allude to Rebbe Nachman’s constant encouraging of Reb Nosson to write down his lessons and to be mechadesh his own thoughts.

Additionally, בן אדם is equal to אומן, and the word יהושע is equal to אומן ברסלב.

Nechemya Hanavi’s yahrtzeit is 9 Teves. In Nechemya (2:17), the pasuk states לכו ונבנה את חומת ירושלם – “Let us go and build the walls of Yerushalyim” – a very appropriate message for the following day, Asara B’Teves.

The word נבנה is the first letters of נתן בן נפתלי הירץ. This same word is also found near the end of Shir Hashirim (8:9), which is customarily read at the time of Reb Nosson’s passing, right before the onset of Shabbos. There the pasuk states: נבנה עליה טירת כסף, which Rashi explains as referring to the building of the Bais Hamikdash.

עליה contains the first letters of several of his sefarim, לקוטי הלכות, לקוטי עצות, עלים לתרופה.

Encouraging the recital of Tikun Chatzos is another constant theme in the teachings of Reb Nosson.

Today, on this great tzaddik’s yahrtzeit, may we merit to see the building of the Third Bais Hamikdash!

Zechuso Yogen Aleinu!