branches-of-the-chassidic-menorah 2.doc

8/14/2019 branches-of-the-chassidic-menorah 2.doc

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Branches Of The Chassidic Menorah - Volume TwoBiographical Stories Based On The EssayFathers Of ChassidusBy The Previous u!avitcher "e!!e# Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn$irst pu!lished in the classical columns of %aTamim

Translated by Shimon NeubortPublished and copyright by Sichos &n English(718) 778-5!" # in$o%Sichos&n'nglishorg # *+ (718) 7!5-1!,

Translator's &ntroductionShortly a$ter the publication o$ ol 1 o$ this te.t/ an ac0uaintance ho $ollos one o$the 2alician chassidic 3ebbeim as4ed me 6& understand that all chassidim beliee theiron 3ebbeim and their paths to be superior to eeryone elses That is ho chassidimshould $eel9 they ould hardly be chassidim i$ they did not $eel this ay :ut $rom yourboo4/ it appears that not only do ;habad ;hassidim $eel this ay/ but that this as alsothe 3ebbe 3ayat6&n reply/ & called his attention to these e.cerpts $rom the Preious 3ebbes introductoryletter (Supplement :)

The chassidim o$ ohlynia-Poland-2alicia ere in the habit o$ comparing pedigrees'ach o$ these chassidim as alays prepared to state that his on 3ebbe assuperior to someone elses The practice o$ ;habad ;hassidim is di$$erent e do notdismiss hat others consider holy9 e simply hold our on to be dear and precious?e maintain $riendly relations/ een as e remain conscious o$ our on 0ualities

&t is not proper - nor do & hae any desire - to compare one society to the other ?edo not possess the proper yardstic4 ith hich to measure and compare the tolo$ty mountains/ the 2-dly princes/ my saintly ancestor the @itteler 3ebbe/ ith hisin-la/ my saintly ancestor the 3ebbe o$ ;hernobyl o$ blessed memory9 nor can ema4e such comparisons regarding succeeding generations

Aet us rather gie praise to the @aster o$ *ll/ and recogni


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The di$$ering approaches to Eiine serice o$ chassidim and are contrasted in theaccompanying stories o$ 3eb :aruch ben Fose$/ and 3eb 2ershon Eos uncle/ 3eb*bba/ and 3eb Fit


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store o$ preiously un4non $acts about the lies o$ the greatest chassidim ho areno in 2an 'den/ and (may they be spared in li$e) those ho are still alie and$amous today (may 2-d bless them) :ut only in the chassid 3eb 2ershon Eo did &discern a heart bro4en as a piece o$ pottery/ and a person ho held himsel$ ashumbly as the dust o$ the earth

* 3ebbe as mareling at a chassid= &ndeed/ this is the theme o$ the entire secondportion o$ the essay The $irst portion o$ the Preious 3ebbes manuscript highlightsprimarily the direction gien us by the 3ebbeim This portion relates ho chassidim too4these directies to heart/ becoming models o$ Eiine sericeBerein lies a lesson $or us The guidelines gien us by the 3ebbe - and the preious3ebbeim - are clear ?hat is necessary is $or us simply to ta4e them to heart *nd thenith @ashiachs coming/ the 3ebbe can point at us and proudly say 6See the crop &hae produced6@ay this ta4e place in the immediate $utureEli TougerPesa!h Sheni, 5759"erusalem

Misnagdim )nd Mas*ilimThe public serice o$ the holy Nesiim o$ ;habad $olloed the principles set $orth by themost holy *lter 3ebbe/ during the course o$ many years ($rom the time he as eightyears old/ until his last day in this orld)9 it coered seeral eras o$ history/ punctuatedby periods o$ battle and unrest - both ithin JIrthodo. DeryK/ ith the misnagdim9 andith those outside JIrthodo.yK/ the mas4ilim& there$ore deem it necessary to present (ith 2-ds help) a general outline o$ thatperiod o$ history/ including a general oerie o$ the status o$ Torah-obserance andmorals during that period Then/ & ill present some brie$ insights into the eras duringhich the Nesiim o$ ;habad lied&n the old days/ een be$ore the ;ouncil o$ the our AandsJ LK as established (and een

more so a$ter its establishment)/ the rabbis o$ &srael and the giants o$ Torah and pietyere the leaders o$ each generation They held the e.clusie poer to dictate allaspects o$ public li$e Together ith committees elected by each community/ theyrepresented the Deish people in all their a$$airs be$ore the 4ing and his goernment -both their religious and moral a$$airs/ and their economic a$$airsMn$ortunately/ a$ter the ;ouncil o$ the our Aands as disbanded in the year 55LJ17"K/ a large number o$ rabbis and giants o$ Torah and piety emerged in open con$lictagainst the teachings o$ our master the :aal Shem To/ and his successor the @aggid o$@e


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important decisions ould be made by himThe 2aon 3a 'liyahu as a great gaon o$ Torah study/ ith an incisie and e.haustie4noledge o$ scripture/ @ishnah/ 2emara :ali and Ferushalmi/ @idrash/ ohar and allother or4s o$ Habbalah/ philosophy/ and mussar :eyond all this/ he also had a passion$or the sciences/ claiming that the source o$ all natural science and philosophy as to

be $ound in the hidden aspects o$ the Torah&n $act/ he claimed that the sciences ere indispensable $or proper Torah study/ $or allbranches o$ science ere actually limbs o$ the Torah * $aorite saying o$ his as that/6*ll the sciences are necessary $or studying our holy Torah/ and they are integral partso$ it To hateer degree one is lac4ing in 4noledge o$ the sciences/ he lac4s in4noledge o$ the Torah nine$old/ $or science and Torah are bound together as one6The glory o$ the Deish people and their isdom $ormed the central theme o$ the 2aon3a 'liyahus ministry &t as his great desire to increase the leel o$ learning amongthe Des/ beyond the 4noledge o$ Torah Be himsel$ labored in the study o$mathematics/ medicine/ music/ etcThe 2aon 3a 'liyahu also ordered seeral or4s o$ non-Deish isdom to be translatedinto Bebre/ so that the Deish people could e.pand their 4noledge Be ished to

$orestall any claim by the gentile nations that our people possess no science o$ our on/$or that ould desecrate the name o$ Beaen:ecause o$ his great piety and innocence/ the 2aon 3a 'liyahu measured otherpeoples piety according to his on $rame o$ re$erence/ under the assumption that alltheir intellectual pursuits ere guided by $ear o$ 2-d :ecause o$ this innocence/ he$ailed to perceie Jthe peril thatK the study o$ science entailedThe sad $act is that this opened the gates o$ Bas4alah to the otherise outstandingTorah scholars o$ ilna The a$$air too4 place during the years 55!-!7 J177-77K/ duringthe 2aon 3a 'liyahus li$etime Bis brother/ the gaon 3eb Fissachar/ and his son/ thegaon 3eb *raham ere inoled The story is the $olloingor many years/ the 2aon 3a 'liyahu had e.pressed his distress to his disciples - hisbrother 3eb Fissachar and his son 3eb *raham - oer the $act that the $ie boo4s o$ the;humash had not been translated into the ernacular Fiddish ith an easy-to-understand commentary/ in an orderly manner that ould be accessible to allThe 2aon 3a 'liyahus brother and son possessed broad 4noledge in arious secular$ields/ and spo4e Polish/ 2erman/ and rench $luently This as besides their greatTorah erudition No it became 4non that there lied in :erlin an outstanding TorahscholarJ5K ho as scrupulous in his obserance o$ mit


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@endelssohns $ull approal :ut - as had been agreed beteen them - the commentaryremained the priate property o$ 3eb Shlomo Neertheless/ it as @endelssohns hopethat a$ter 3eb Shlomo remained in his home a hile longer/ they ould come to somene agreement/ and he ould trans$er to him the rights to the commentaryThis 3eb Shlomo o$ Eubna had been a disciple o$ the gaon and chassid - and $amous

miracle-or4er - the t


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hole noels/ ritten in clear language rom then on/ the :erlin style o$ Bas4alahbegan to steal its ay into Aithuania;oncerning this situation/ the disciples o$ the @aggid o$ @e


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;habad ;hassidim su$$ered $rom this to$old/ compared to other chassidic camps9 $orthey ere attac4ed by the mas4ilim on one side/ and by the misnagdim on the othersideThe literature o$ the mas4ilim Jabout the chassidimK is enough to ma4e ones hair standon end So too/ the literature o$ the misnagdim Jon this subGectK/ hich as obiously

ritten by mas4ilim ho despised the Deish religion and denied the sanctity o$ theTorah and o$ the ;reator (blessed be Be)This as also true o$ the historians ho rote about Deish history ?hen they came tothe history o$ the ;hassidic @oement - $rom the :aal Shem To until the lastgeneration - they ignored the rules o$ truth and propriety&t is said that een members o$ the underorld/ including thiees and murderers/ haetheir code o$ Gustice (according to their on creed) :ut not so the riters o$ history?ith their pen/ they turn blac4 into hite and hite into blac4/ according to their onhim and notion ?hats more/ they base eerything on irre$utable 6documentation6The $ather o$ Deish historians as @r 2raet


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ho ere $attened upon the $lesh o$ sine and rodents/ continue to rebel against thedictates o$ truth and $airness/ and attac4 their colleagues ho spea4 ell o$ theteachings o$ ;hassidus and the honor o$ its leaders

+otes,1. #Ba!k to te$t% &he material in this su''lement is taken (rom a !olle!tion o( the

Pre)ious *e++es notes &his material was !ir!ulated among !hassidim inty'ewritten (orm, as 'art o( a !olle!tion known as .Shimon Ha/o(er. 0.Shimonthe Hereti!. Portions o( these notes ha)e +een 'u+lished elsewhere +y )ariousauthors &he last 'art o( the !olle!tion a''eared in 2ol 1 o( this translation,Su''lement 34 .&he Alter *e++es ater ears.

1. #Ba!k to te$t% 0An assem+ly o( the leading ra++is in the 'ro)in!es o( what wasthen the Polish 3m'ire, and some neigh+oring territories &his !oun!il wasre!ogni6ed +y the !i)il authorities, and e$er!ised +road 'ower and authority o)er+oth the religious and the worldly as'e!ts o( "ewish li(e

1. #Ba!k to te$t% 0oses endelssohn #1789-17:%, ;erman "ewish Philoso'her and(ounder o( the Haskalah o)ement

1. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Na(tali Hert6


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to the *lter 3ebbes possession/ to use as he sa $it/ ith no inter$erence by 3eb FASegel Euring the $irst year o$ their marriage - ith the permission o$ his i$e/ 3ebbet


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out o$ the country JThey could ta4e paper money only/ andK the ban4 notes ere orthonly a third o$ the alue o$ the corresponding siler coins a siler ruble as orth threepaper rubles=:eginning in 55CL J17LK/ the 3ussian goernment set the time $or the $airs tice ayear - to months during the inter/ and to months during the summer *$ter these

seasons e.pired/ the border as securely closed againThe 3ussian counts and du4es ere totally ignorant o$ any scholarly or scienti$ic4noledge Some o$ them could not een read or rite/ and ould sign contracts anddeeds ith an 6+6 Nonetheless/ they ere beneolent and good-spirited people They4ne nothing o$ the relations beteen their o$$icials and the peasants ho or4ed $orthem/ $or the noblemen lied in the large cities/ here they spent all their time in thepursuit o$ pleasure In the rare occasions that they did isit their estates / they came$or a short time only/ and spent all their time hunting - one o$ their $aorite pastimes&n general/ the noblemen didnt bother to pay attention to the manner in hich theiro$$icials managed their business :ut/ hen they did learn o$ the ic4ed ays in hichtheir o$$icials treated the ser$s and the peasants/ they ould punish the o$$icialsseerely/ or else dismiss them $rom their positions

The noblemen ould patroni


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and *ggadah or the children/ they established chadorim

)s an eample# & insert here an ecerpt from my diary# as & recorded it at thetime.

The 3ussian-Polish border ran by the illage o$ Ailia4ona/ about $i$teen miles $rom the

illage o$ 3udnia &$ one dras a straight line beteen this illage and the ton o$Smolens4/ 3ussia/ then eerything est o$ this line as in Poland/ and eerything easto$ this line as in 3ussia &n those days/ most Des delt in Poland/ ith only a smallminority liing in Aita :ut in the 3ussian interior - Smolens4 ;ounty - there ere only a$e scattered Deish $amilies @ost o$ them ere ignorant o$ Torah/ liing in the countryand engaged in agricultural pursuits 'en those ho lied in the cities/ lied a ruralli$estyle in that country in those daysIne o$ the *lter 3ebbes chassidim/ 3eb Fochanan e o$ Borodo4/ as a man o$ statureand an outstanding Torah scholar Be 4ne seeral olumes o$ the Talmud thoroughlyby heart/ ith the commentaries o$ 3ashi and Tosa$os Be also possessed broad4noledge o$ ;hassidus :ut most signi$icantly/ he as a master o$ aodah/ andpossessed the $inest character traits Be made a good liing selling per$umes in theillages/ and to the courts o$ the nobility ho oned the local estates Be donatedconsiderable sums to charityInce/ the *lter 3ebbe re0uested that - in the course o$ his business traels - he shouldma4e his ay through the 3ussian side o$ the border near Smolens4 ;ounty No all theDes o$ Poland 4ne that 3ussia as an uncouth country in general/ and especiallySmolens4 ;ounty/ here the maGority ere gentiles Inly a $e Des lied there/ andthey ere so materially-oriented that they ere unrecogni


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territories o$ Polish Aithuania J?hite 3ussiaK/ ohlynia/ and Podolia ere anne.ed to3ussia 3ussia then o$$icially opened the interior o$ the country to traelers/ andhundreds o$ $amilies (including some great Torah scholars) moed to the cities o$ 3ussiaproper They ere ama


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t


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The *lter 3ebbe understood the local language/ and could spea4 it $luentlyNeertheless/ hen he arried at the goernors estate ith his $ather-in-la/ he re$usedto spea4 Polish/ insisting instead on spea4ing Fiddish only Bis $ather-in-la there$oresered as interpreter The *lter 3ebbe inspected the sundial three or $our times/ duringthe hours hen it as or4ing/ and also hen it as not or4ing *$ter completing his

inestigation/ he said6The Talmud states that at midday the sun is directly oerhead9 thus/ nothing e.ceptthe clouds can obscure it :ut in the a$ternoon/ hen the sun begins to moe estard/it is possible $or certain obGects to bloc4 the suns rays6Be estimated that there had to be a tall hill about tele to $i$teen miles to the south/ith tall trees groing on the hilltop Euring the three hours $rom to to $ie in thea$ternoon/ the trees ere bloc4ing the suns rays $rom reaching the sundial Aater/ asthe suns angle changed/ its rays could reach the sundial once moreThe goernor as highly impressed/ and ordered a special agent to be sent to inspectall areas beteen tele and $i$teen miles south o$ his estate/ to see hether there asindeed a tall hill ith trees at its topBoeer/ Pro$essor @arseille - Eean o$ ;ount Te4c


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Sorbonne Mniersity - he had heard a mathematical pu


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arose against the Des in the cities o$ Aithuania/ Aittle Poland/ and M4raine Thecomplaints/ hich inoled Deish business and commercial a$$airs/ ere the result o$the eil in$luence o$ the rench pro$essors They taught the children o$ the nobility andthe estate oners to hate the Des and to spread $alse accusations against themThe secret Public *$$airs ;ommittee o$ the chassidim learned o$ the complaints against

the Des 3eb Shmuel @oshe - the group leader - then arranged ith each member o$the group to approach the du4e or count ith hom he had in$luence/ and spea4 ell o$the Des Be should also hold tal4s ith the o$$icials o$ the local o$$ice o$ the @inistry o$the &nterior/ to suppress the letters that ere arriing $rom the o$$icials o$ the proincialgoernments/ containing complaints against the Des - and to delay the transmission o$these letters to the &nterior @inister3eb Shmuel @oshe as ell ac0uainted ith ;ount Aubamirs4i/ ho ielded greatin$luence at the court o$ 'mpress ;atherine && Be spo4e ith this count at great length/but un$ortunately/ he perceied that his e$$orts ere o$ no aail *nother member o$ thecommittee/ the chassid 3eb undel Fit


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6& ill $ul$ill this mission ith a Goy$ul heart/6 said Eer


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remoes it/6 and 6Eelierance is the A-rds6 &t as clear to them that the *lter 3ebbesprediction as no being $ul$illed through the more congenial atmosphere thatpreailed in goernment circlesThe *lter 3ebbe summoned the chassidim 3eb @oshe ilen4erJLK and 3eb @oshe@eisels/JL5K and he turned oer to them the material brought by 3eb Shmaryahu

alman and 3eb Nasan Be instructed them to arrange the material in proper order/ andthen ta4e it to Petersburg There/ they ere to meet ith the committee and determinethe best use to ma4e o$ the collected material They should then present it to the countsand noblemen ho ere in a position to e.ert their in$luence in $aor o$ the DeishpeopleThe chassidim 3eb @oshe @eisels and 3eb @oshe ilen4er e.ecuted all theseinstructions ?hen they arried in Petersburg/ they $ound that the riter Eer


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Boeer/ the party o$ the misnagdim opposed this idea The chassidim ere aare thatthe leaders o$ the misnagdim ere plotting against them 'en the more reasonablemembers o$ the misnagdim Gudged that such an underta4ing might cause the eil plansto be put into action/ and so they sided ith the rest o$ their $ello misnagdimBoeer/ the ;habad chassidic $action set a date $or $easting and reGoicing/ completely

disregarding the $act that it as already seeral days into the month o$ Nissan Inly a$e days remained be$ore Pesach/ and most o$ them ere busy ith preparations $orthe $estial They sent notices to all chassidim o$ the district/ and a $e young chassidicolunteers set out to in$orm the districts o$ @ins4 and Polot


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3ebbe The *lter 3ebbes ne te.t o$ the Siddur as also ell publici> Shmuel 748= Siddur, ' 8:2. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See Haom om, entry (or 87 3lul3. #Ba!k to te$t% y saintly great-grand(ather the &6ema!h &6edek told his son, my

saintly grand(ather the *e++e aharash, that the Alter *e++e highly 'raised theBohemian re(ugees who settled on his (athers estates during his !hildhoodyears &hey were +oth ;-d-(earing and learned= among them there were e)enoutstanding s!holars ne o( them, *e+ aako) &6)i o( /Dnigstein, +esides +einga gaon, was also an outstanding mathemati!ian and s!ientist, and he 'ossesseda wonder(ul ear (or musi!

n

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http://www.sichosinenglish.org/http://www.sichosinenglish.org/


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3nglish, Brooklyn, 199%, he set aside time to study 'hiloso'hy with *e+ aako)&6)i At a+out that time, *e+ aako) &6)is +rother #his name was *e+ ena!hem3liyahu, and he too was a re(ugee (rom /Dnigstein in Bohemia% settled on anestate adEoining his (ather *e+ Baru!hs estate His knowledge o( ;emara-*ashi-&osa(os was no more than a)erage, +ut he had a )ast knowledge o( /a++alah He

'ossessed hand-written manus!ri'ts o( the AriFals writings, whi!h he studiedwith the Alter *e++e (or a (ull years timey grand(ather the *e++e aharash told my (ather the *e++e 0*asha+ thatamong the sa!red written manus!ri'ts that the &6ema!h &6edek re!ei)ed (romhis grand(ather the Alter *e++e, there was a (i(teen-year !alendar - (or the years5515-55: 01755-177: - in!luding the e$a!t times o( the eGuino$es, solsti!es,and lunar !onEun!tions, and the days o( Sha++os, the (esti)als, and the days o(*osh Chodesh ?or the (irst three or (i)e years, the dates o( the (airs in io6nawere also indi!ated &his !alendar was drawn u' in the Alter *e++eshandwriting, and he had !om'osed and arranged it when he was only ten yearsold >t !ontained a+out thirty 'ages o( thi!k green 'a'er #in the (olio si6e wellknown to those who !o'y !hassidi! manus!ri'ts%, and it was +ound in yellow

leather >t 'erished in the (ire that +roke out on 5 3lul 57 0August 1, 19:74. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Also known as Stanislaw >>, the last king o( Poland >n 17, At the

+eginning o( his rule, the Polish 3m'ire was )ery large, and in!luded almost all o(


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&orah reading on three !onse!uti)e Sha++asos, and on ondays and &hursdays&he 'ro!lamations stated that on a !ertain date, a !heirem would +e issuedagainst the !hassidim and their leader &hey also announ!ed in the name o( &he;aon *a) 3liyahu and the Chie( *a++i that all students in the senior yeshi)os,intermediate &orah s!hools, and elementary !hadorim must assem+le at the

designated 'la!e 3)en those who ne)er took 'art in any worldly a((airs wereordered to 'ut aside their &orah study to attend to this mit6)ah, (or it in)ol)edsan!ti(ying ;-ds Name, and the dignity o( the &orah s!holars, whi!h were +eing'ro(aned +y the .!ult.&he !hassidim o( 2ilna already !onstituted a (ull !ongregation, with (our shulsand a large yeshi)ah &here were also (i(teen !hadorim (or !hildren - (rom young!hildren Eust learning to read, to older ones who were studying ;emara in de'th&hey were Guite non!halant when they heard o( the 'ro!lamation, and 'aid littleattention to itHowe)er, when the !hassidim o( S6)ent6ian heard o( the 'ro!lamation, they0+e!ame alarmed and !on)ened an assem+ly &hey de!ided to send emissariesthroughout the distri!t, reGuesting that ea!h !olony send a re'resentati)e to

2ilna, where they would meet together on the day the !heirem was to +e issued&hey also in(ormed e)eryone that the !ommunity o( S6)ent6ian would send a+out(i(ty men to 2ilna on the designated date&he S6)ent6ian !hassidim arranged a 'rogram (or that day, in!luding a Eoint!oun!il o( the 2ilna !hassidim, the S6)ent6ian !hassidim, and the !hassidim who!ame (rom other distri!ts #they had sent emissaries to the !hassidi! !enters o(Polot6k, insk, and Shklo), reGuesting them to !ome on the designated date%&hen, all o( them together would mar!h throughout the !ity in a grand 'arade,!om'lete with musi!al instruments and dan!ingn the designated day a+out three hundred men arri)ed


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+e!ause o( the !old, women might hurry the immersion and not do it 'ro'erly&he Alter *e++e a''ro)ed a system (or heating the mik)ah whi!h would not!om'romise the )alidity o( the mik)ah &here were other authorities whoGuestioned this, +ut the Alter *e++es system is de(ended in the &6ema!h&6edeks *es'onsa, oreh Ieah 17448 and

14. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>n his days, the kingdom o( Poland !eased to e$ist, andmono'olies granted +y its go)ernment +e!ame worthless

15. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>e, a)oid dealings with go)ernment o((i!ials= A)os 141:= Siddur,' 818

16. #Ba!k to te$t% ela!him 8:411

20. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&ehillim 4921. #Ba!k to te$t% &he grand(ather o( the !hassid *e+ Shlomo Falman o( ano)it!h22. #Ba!k to te$t% &he (ather o( the !hassid *e+ Shlomo onnessohn23. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See inks in the Chassidi! ega!y, Si!hos >n 3nglish, Brooklyn,

1997, ' 185((24. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See 2ol 1 o( this translation, Su''lement 34 .&he Alter *e++es

ater ears.25. #Ba!k to te$t% He was +orn in the year 55:5 017526. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&hese s!holars were sent to in)estigate oses endelssohn and

his translation o( the Chumash, as des!ri+ed in the 're)ious !ha'ter?or the rest o( his days, *e+ oshe would Guote the +lessing they had re!ei)ed(rom &he ;aon *a) 3liyahu +e(ore de'arting (or Berlin He had said, .y sons, >am well aware that the road you are a+out to tra)el is a 'erilous one >t is (ortyyears sin!e > last tra)eled in ;ermany >n those days there were stil l great &orahs!holars to +e (ound there= e)en so, the atmos'here there (a)ored theattra!tions o( the 'leasures o( the material world And this is es'e!ially truetodayK ay ;-d +less you and wat!h o)er you.

27. #Ba!k to te$t% He had a nati)e talent (or learning (oreign languages28. #Ba!k to te$t% He used to say that while he li)ed in Berlin, the twenty-(our hours

o( the day were not su((i!ient (or him29. #Ba!k to te$t% He was re(erring to the time o( *a) ehudah the notary and

magistrate, who would set the !alendar (or hearing lawsuits and other dis'utes30. #Ba!k to te$t% &he ;aon *a) 3liyahu was unaware that *e+ oshe was already a

Cha+ad Chassid 0He !ame to +e one when the (amous gaon *e+ ose( /al+o)isited 2ilna in 551 01771 *e+ ose( was already a (er)ent !hassid, and was

one o( those who urged &he ;aon *a) 3liyahu to grant an audien!e to the holy*e+ ena!hem endel o( Horodok and the Alter *e++e Se)eral o( theoutstanding s!holars, in!luding *e+ oshe, were drawn to *e+ ose(


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33. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, the .?inal A''endi$.34. #Ba!k to te$t% >t was with great Eoy that he 'aid the !ost o( the 'rinting All

re)enues (rom the sale o( the +ook were donated +y him to the !ommunitytreasury

35. #Ba!k to te$t% A''arently, this was the edition 'rinted in 555 0179

36. #Ba!k to te$t% A+out (i(teen thousand37. #Ba!k to te$t% Booklets on Hil!hos &6it6is, Hil!hos Bir!hos HaNehenin 0+lessings

re!ited when 'artaking o( )arious (oods, and on !ertain other o!!asions, Hil!hosShe!hitah, Hil!hos &rei(os 0de(e!ts that render an animal or (owl non-kosher,Hil!hos &aaru)os 0mi$tures o( kosher and non-kosher (oods 0&he latter!olle!tion was ne)er 'u+lished and a''ears to ha)e +een lost to 'osterity

38. #Ba!k to te$t%


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reisions into Jthe margins o$K the Siddur Shaar BaShamayimJ!K o$ the Shaloh/JK $orthis te.t as closer to the *lter 3ebbes te.t :ut most o$ them rote the *lter 3ebbesreisions into the margins o$ the ordinary Siddurim o$ the *sh4ena


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catching him red-handed/ they ere to e.pose him $or hat he asThe success o$ the ilna chassidim in electing to additional community o$$icers hoere chassidim li$ted their spirits - not only in ilna itsel$/ but in the entire districtThrough the e$$orts o$ these chassidic o$$icers/ the income o$ the community treasuryincreased *$ter only one month/ impressie sums ere coming into the treasury -

substantially more than be$ore :ut this only sered to upset the more $anaticmisnagdim/ and their hatred gre ery strong Ee$amation and slander added $uel tothe $ire/ so that the $eud (hich had been dormant $or the past three years) as noresurrectedThe chassidim decided to post spies in the council o$ those ho $ought against them'specially/ they ished to spy on @r Fose$ Peseles/ $or the leaders o$ the dispute usedto meet in his homeThis decision proed ery use$ul to the chassidim * particularly success$ul spy as:et


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places/ to $ind all o$ Shimons letters and bring them to them or this mission/ theychose the chassid 3eb alman Aeib o$ S


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(@oreinu Ba3a Eo :er)9 the second as called 6@aharchaa6 (@oreinu Ba3a ;hayim*raham)9 the third as called 6@aharam6 (@oreinu Ba3a @oshe) 'en the Nasisgrandson/J11K ho as then a child o$ si. or seen/ as called 63amam6 (3a@enachem @endel)/ and they ould spea4 highly o$ him as a young genius ithoutstanding abilities

Euring the three ee4s he spent in itebs4/ he isited many shuls and study housesThere/ he discoered groups o$ people sitting and studying unbound printed boo4lets Jo$;hassidusK They argued among themseles in scholarly debate/ ith the e.citementthat Torah study generates The elders sat/ hile the younger ones stood crodedtogether/ all occupied ith their studyBe discoered that these unbound boo4lets ere sections o$ their Nasis te.t/ hich hadonly recently gone to press in Slauta So great as the chassidims desire and thirst $ortheir 3ebbes teachings/ that they contracted ith the printer to send them indiidualsignatures/ as soon as they came o$$ the press *bout $ie thousand such unboundboo4lets had already arried in the city and the surrounding area &n $act/ he hadalready seen such boo4lets in ilna/ be$ore his departureBe entered one o$ the shuls at about $ie in the a$ternoon/ and $ound a group o$

chassidim ho had Gust $inished @inchah and ere no preparing a $east in honor o$ amit


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coachman/ 6?hip the horses until they cease to be horses/6 opened up $or him anentirely ne approach to sering 2-d

?hen 3eb Nachman $inished spea4ing/ all present continued loo4ing at him Bis $aceshone as he began to sing Those present Goined their oices ith his $or 0uite sometime *pparently/ they ere all $amiliar ith this niggun ?hen they $inished singing/3eb Nachman said that he ould no e.plain this ne path that the *lter 3ebbe hadlearned $rom the @alachs ords to the coachman/ thirty-$ie years earlier/ in @e


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or a moment/ my impulse as to stand up and do battle ith them & ould shoerthem ith sayings that are the opposite o$ their teachings/ and ith statements o$ thephilosophers that totally disproe their $antasies o$ a 2-d in Beaen ho creates andrules the orld & assumed that they ere intellectually ea4/ and ould be unable todebate me rationally & imagined that een religious philosophy such as @oreh

NeuchimJ1,K and Hu


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counted them tice 3eb Nachman then declared to 3eb ;hayim/ 6;hayim undel ben:eila bas 3eb Fochanan donates seenty-to gold $lorins6 This 3eb ;hayim undel asdressed in plain clothes that ere obiously ery old/ and ore torn shoes & loo4ed inonder at this person ho as so poor/ and yet contributed so large a sum?hen the entire collection as $inished/ they emptied the coins $rom the yarmul4e and

put them into a cloth sac4 This as gien to one o$ the assembly/ 3eb Shlomo 'lie


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sons They sat in the beis hamedrash/ each studying by himsel$ :ut occasionally/ one o$the elders or the young scholars ould approach them at their seatsThe middle son/ @aharchaa/ seemed to pre$er being alone ?hile studying/ he ouldthin4 in depth more than he spo4e In the other hand/ his younger brother @aharam/ alad o$ $ourteen or $i$teen/ is a liely and handsome youth Bis $ace radiates isdom and

sel$-aareness/ and he loes to spea4 and to debate They say o$ him that he 4nos theentire Talmud thoroughly/ has an e.cellent 4noledge o$ philosophy Be already 4nos@oreh Neuchim/ Hu ?ithout it/ one does not4no the meaning o$ the ords o$ Tanach/ nor can one hae the proper intention duringthe prayersThe chassidim hae numerous ceremonies and a special le.icon o$ their on ore.ample anyone ho comes $or an audience ith their 3ebbe must undergo anadance preparation lasting no less than three days Some o$ them een preparethemseles $or a ee4 or longer This preparation consists chie$ly o$ ta4ing stoc4 o$ones spiritual status/ and puri$ying ones thoughts Euring the day o$ their audience/ a

$e hours in adance/ they gather in one o$ the rooms o$ the beis hamedrash and studyTorah *nother principal $eature o$ their preparation is reciting Ti44un ;hat


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o$ the subGect/ concerning both the perimeter and the ratioJL7K Boeer/ concerningthe diagonal o$ a s0uare being e0ual to one and to-$i$ths the length o$ each side/J L8KTosa$os disagrees ith 3ashis e.planation in the $irst chapter o$ Su44os/ dealing iththe subGect o$ a circular su44ah 3ashi states that the diagonal e.ceeds the side o$ as0uare by e.actly to-$i$ths/ hile Tosa$os maintains that this ratio is not e.actJL,K The

young lad e.plained6@y holy grand$ather the 3ebbe taught me this subGect/ and he rescued 3ashi $romTosa$os criticism Tosa$os calculates according to the rules o$ mathematics andgeometry/ as they demonstrate by means o$ the $igure dran there :ut 3ashi maintainsthat since the Sages rounded it o$$ to seen-$i$ths/ the commandment that $orbids us todepart $rom the ords o$ the SagesJ!CK obligates us to regard this number as i$ it ase.act6J!1K?hen his pilpul as $inished/ & $inally caught sight o$ him/ and sa a young boy/ o$aerage height $or his age Be as 3amam Jthe $uture T


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6&n the Beaenly Feshiah/ there are separate halls $or each 4ind o$ study *nd rightbeteen the hall o$ grammar study and the hall o$ linguistics study stands the hall o$those ho deliberately misinterpret Scripture6No hen ones soul ascends to Beaen each night to rene its li$e spirit/ the soulrises to the study hall that corresponds to the subGect he studied during the day :ut

occasionally/ one may enter the rong hall by mista4e &nstead o$ entering the hall o$grammar or the hall o$ linguistics/ he may enter the hall o$ those ho deliberatelymisinterpret Scripture There$ore/ one must be ery cautious about studying thesubGects o$ grammar and linguistics6?hen he $inished spea4ing/ he again leaned on his $orearms/ as be$ore Then/ he raisedhis head/ opened his eyes/ and as4ed me ho & e.plain to my pupils the erse/J!5K 6*ndFit6 heas4ed $urther& remained silent/ ma4ing no reply Ibiously/ & had no anser &ndeed/ is this the $irstgross e.aggeration $ound in the @idrash and Talmud>?hen he sa that & remained silent/ the 3ebbe said/ 6?hen 'isa entered Fit


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?hen the dance ended/ & returned to my lodgings/ almost craling on all $ours ?ith$ear and trembling/ & aaited the dan & placed a $e coins on the table as a tip $or thelandlord (& had already paid the bill)/ too4 my belongings/ and departed $or the ne.tillage/ about a 4ilometer aay There/ & hired a carriage/ grate$ul to hae escaped inone piece

& spent about si. ee4s traeling through the counties o$ @ohile/ @ins4/ and ;hernigo*$ter that/ & hurried to Ao/ here & met ith our comrades and gae them a detailedreport & in$ormed them that the chassidic community already stands on a ery $irm$oundation *nd/ they are using their brilliant strategy and methodical agenda to addthe remaining illages to their con0uest @asses o$ Des are Goining them in hugenumbersIur comrades decided that the $irst thing e must do is to reinstate the cheirem/ and toma4e it stronger than be$ore The main thrust o$ this cheirem should be against thoseho Goin them or hae anything to do ith them Such a cheirem ill stri4e $ear in themasses/ and they ill thus re$rain $rom een associating ith the chassidim&t as also decided to send representaties to the &mperial ;apital/ to denounce thechassidim to the goernment The charges ould be that their leader is collecting huge

sums o$ money and sending it abroad/ to the @oslem countriesJ!"K Bis plan as thathen he amassed a su$$icient sum/ he ould be proclaimed Hing o$ the Des/ Gust as the$olloers o$ Shabbatai T


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assembly :y order o$ the communal o$$icials/ attendance at this meeting asmandatory $or all men/ omen/ and children oer the age o$ bar mit


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a member o$ the :erlin mas4ilim/ ho had become an abomination in &srael@eanhile/ the 2aon 3a 'liyahus health had steadily deteriorated Euring Su44os5557 he had been unable to sit in his su44ah Bis closest disciples/ led by the mightygaon 3eb ;hayim o$ olo


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$actions among the Des rom this/ the chassidim understood that there as someun4non $orce inoled/ or4ing against them :ut a$ter a $ull year had passed/ theystill had no idea ho it as and e.actly hat he as doingIn Sunday/ the second day o$ ;hol Ba@oed Su44os/ a group o$ chassidim sat in thesu44ah o$ the president o$ the congregation/ 3eb @eir 3aphaels/ reGoicing in the Su44os

celebration Since the 2aon 3a 'liyahu as no mortally ill/ they had recited the @iShe:eirachJ!7K prayer in publicDust then/ seeral members o$ the ;ommittee to ;ombat the ;hassidim burst inscreaming They announced that the 2aon 3a 'liyahu as breathing his last/ andaccused the chassidim o$ reGoicing in this $act (2-d $orbid) They spread this rumoridely/ and later - during the $uneral - they spread shoc4ing stories about thechassidim/ and sore reenge &t too4 a $ull year $or the $ury to 0uiet don9 meanhile/Fose$ Peseles and company enGoyed themseles immenselyJ!8K

+otes,v. #Ba!k to te$t% A !ontinuation o( the !olle!tion o( notes (rom whi!h the 're)ioustwo !ha'ters were taken

1. #Ba!k to te$t% 0A)os 41= Siddur, ' 882. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .;ate o( Hea)en.3. #Ba!k to te$t% 0.SheoH., a!ronym (or Shenei u!hos HaBris #.&wo &a+lets o( the

Co)enant%, /a++alisti! work +y * eshayah Horowit6, ! 15:-1:, who is o(ten!alled +y the name o( his (amous se(er

4. #Ba!k to te$t% >n Ponie)it!h they had esta+lished a !heder (or studying ;emara inde'th ne o( the melamdim had !ome (rom Falk)e, and he taught them &ana!hwith )arious !ommentaries A(ter some time, he told the 'u'ils to reGuest their'arents 'ermission to study in a lo!al non-"ewish s!hool, where the +isho' wasthe dean o( the (a!ulty


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learned C( A)os 849= Siddur, ' 81522. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .2erses o( Song.= a !olle!tion o( S!ri'tural 'assages, mostly

(rom &ehillim, re!ited during the early 'art o( the Sha!haris ser)i!e #Siddur, '87((%

23. #Ba!k to te$t% 0.*ash+a., a!ronym (or * Shlomo +en Aderes #185-11:%, author

o( an im'ortant !ommentary on the &almud and many *eso'onsa24. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Se(er Ha>kkarim= lit, .Book o( Prin!i'les,. work on "ewish

Philoso'hy !riti!al o( *am+ams (ormulation o( the 'rin!i'les o( "ewish +elie(, +y* ose( Al+o #d ! 18:

25. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&he ;emara #3iru)in 1+= 7a, += Sukkah 7a, +% dis!usses asGuare drawn around the outside o( a !ir!le, with the !ir!le Eust tou!hing thesides o( the sGuare >( the diameter o( the !ir!le is L, then the length o( ea!h sideo( the sGuare is also L >( the ratio # is rounded to , then the !ir!um(eren!e o(the !ir!le is L, while the 'erimeter o( the sGuare is L &hus, one (ourth o( the'erimeter o( the sGuare is in e$!ess o( the !ir!um(eren!e o( the !ir!le*egarding the res'e!ti)e areas, the same ratios a''ly as to the 'erimeters &hearea o( the !ir!le is # multi'lied +y the sGuare o( the radius4 # #LM8%8 ML8 &he

Area o( the sGuare is L8 &hus, one (ourth o( the area o( the sGuare is in e$!esso( the area o( the !ir!le

26. #Ba!k to te$t% 0All agree that - e)en though the ratio # is slightly more than - itmay legitimately +e rounded to e$a!tly , +e!ause this )alue is su''orted +yS!ri'ture, > ela!him 748= >> Ii)rei Haamim 48

27. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>( a sGuare has sides eGual to L, then a!!ording to the &heorem o(Pythagorus, the diagonal o( the sGuare is L times the sGuare root o( two

28. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&he ;emara uses 1 as the )alue o( the sGuare root o( 8 *ashimaintains that this is e$a!t, while &osa(os 'resents a diagram 'ro)ing that it isa!tually slightly more than 1

29. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Ie)arim 1741130. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>e, Eust as the )alue o( (or # is regarded as e$a!t +e!ause o(

S!ri'tural su''ort (or it, *ashi maintains that the )alue 1 (or the sGuare root o(8 is to +e regarded as e$a!t, +e!ause the Sages instru!ted us to regard it assu!h, and S!ri'ture (or+ids us to de'art (rom the words o( the Sages

31. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .How is the 3iru) adeO. 3iru)in, Ch 732. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .'ala!e.= the main San!tuary o( the Beis Haikdash33. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See 2ol 1 o( this translation, ' 18:34. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Bereishis 87435. #Ba!k to te$t% 03ret6 israel was then under &urkish rule, and the Alter *e++e

su'er)ised the !olle!tion o( !harity (unds to +e sent to the *e++eim o( the!hassidim in the Holy and #see 2ol 1 o( this translation, .the Alter *e++esAdherents, and His ''onents.%

36. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .ay He


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4non as a simple person/ incapable o$ understanding a learned discussion&n the end/ it as discoered that he as in $act a great scholar in both the reealedand the mystic aspects o$ the Torah/ and that he as a disciple o$ the :aal Shem ToThe to brothers - 3eb :aruch ben Fose$s sons - $ul$illed the re0uest and the last ill o$their $ather the chassid/ and traeled to the :aal Shem To Ince/ they brought the :aal

Shem To ith them/ to attend the dedication o$ a mansion they had built in Slut


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Be diided this tithe into three portions one third he deposited in the charity bo. hereanonymous donations ere collected9 one third ent to the $und that supported theyeshiah students9 and one third as gien to the $und o$ the communal 4itchen Jherethe poor ere $edKBe as 0uite pleased ith himsel$ - he managed to study Torah ery diligently/ he

supported himsel$ more than ade0uately by the labor o$ his on hands/ and (than4 2-d)he donated a tithe to charity anonymously/ as this mit


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'liyah Shlomo ould load the agon/ and gie me lists o$ people ho ere to receiethe merchandise he sent/ and the things he needed me to bring bac4 $rom the city &ould return that a$ternoonInce/ hen & spent the night at 3eb 'liyah Shlomos home/ & ao4e during the night anddiscoered him studying in depth/ but & could not hear e.actly hat subGect he as

studying 3eb 'liyah Shlomos conduct aroused my suspicions that he as hidingsomethingJ"K & began to obsere his behaior closely/ but as unable to discoeranything - all his oert actions ere those o$ a simple person& spent three months or4ing $or 3eb 'liyah Shlomo & separated a tenth o$ my income$or charity/ and still managed to sae a substantial amount@y diligent Torah study $ailed to satis$y my soul rom day to day/ my longing toorship 2-d (blessed be Be) gre stronger Ine day/ & obtained a copy o$ the se$er*odas BaHodesh by 3 @eir &bn 2abbai Though & as still 0uite young/ this boo4opened my eyes@y heart as inspired to underta4e a regular and diligent study o$ this subGect matter &told my companions about the changes that had oercome me since & began studyingthis boo4 *odas BaHodesh They enied me/ and so they too began to study it :ut

a$ter a hile/ they reneed their earlier interest in 2emara/ and gre indi$$erent to thestudy o$ *odas BaHodesh*s $or me/ my thirst $or this study gre $rom day to day Since the subGect matter ase.tremely complicated/ & ould study no more than a $e lines each day/ and reiethem many times There ere een times hen & as stuc4 in one place $or seeraldays/ until & had reieed it su$$iciently and 4ne it ell&t as then that & decided to search $or a mentor and guide ho ould impart to me the4noledge/ understanding/ and isdom needed $or studying this subGect/ hich as stillery di$$icult $or me to grasp Ine day/ & learned that in the $amous city o$ :rys4 thereas a rosh yeshiah and gaon named 63eb Shlomo the ;hassid and Porush6 There$ore/& le$t ia :e$ore coming to the chassid and gaon 3eb Shlomo in :rys4/ & hadneer seen a person ho had loe o$ 2-d and $ear o$ 2-d Inly then/ did & discoer hatloe and $ear o$ 2-d means Eay by day & gre more attached to the chassid 3ebShlomo/ $or hom & bore great loe :ut out o$ respect and ae $or his glorious andeleated stature/ & did not dare to reeal my desires to him*t the yeshiah o$ the gaon 3eb Shaul in ia


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ne orld $or merom the Se$er Ba@e$ouar/ & learned to be ery precise hen reciting the erses o$ theprayers/ in ie o$ the $act that each indiidual ord has some special signi$icancehich re0uires that it be recited ith per$ect pronunciation and ith a pure mouth/ sothat it may ascend and reach the A-rd o$ the ?hole ?orld (may Be be blessed and

e.alted) rom 3eishis ;hochmah/ & learned ho to puri$y my heart/ and to ac0uire goodcharacter traitsTo ee4s passed/ and & - as ell as three other ne bochurim ho had come to theyeshiah - had not yet ta4en the entrance e.amination gien by the 3osh Feshiah 3eb;hayim Mri ?e simply listened to the lectures and reieed them & spent most o$ mytime in the small room here the boo4case stood/ constantly studying the to beloedse$orim & mentioned aboeThe library as a small room ith to indos Ine oerloo4ed the courtyard/ and theother opened to the garden behind the house &t as my habit to sit by the indooerloo4ing the garden/ perusing the se$orimIne day/ as & studied 3eishis ;hochmah/ my master and 3ebbe/ the gaon and chassid3eb Shlomo/ entered the library to study some se$er *t the time/ & as studying

;hapter 1 in 6Shaar BaFirah/6J8K dealing ith the subGect o$ the ae one should aspireto hae This as based on the elucidation o$ a passage in the @echiltaJ,K hichcomments on the erse/J1CK 6*nd @oshe said/ This is the thing that 2-d hascommanded you to do/ so that the glory o$ 2-d may appear be$ore you6 JThe @echiltacommentsK

@oshe said to the &sraelites Purge the eil inclination $rom your hearts/ so that youmay all stand together in ae/ ith a single goal/ to sere the Imnipresent 2-d Dustas Be is uni0ue in the orld/ so should your aodah be uni0ue be$ore Bim/ as it says/J11K 6Fou ill cut aay the $ores4in Jthat has sealed upK your hearts 6 Ince youhae done this/ the glory o$ 2-d ill appear be$ore you

The 3eishis ;hochmah comments on this passage/ emphasi6or a moment/ & as struc4 dumb and as unable to anser Seeing my master and3ebbe/ the gaon and chassid 3eb Shlomo/ $ace to $ace/ paraly


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dThat night/ & as still $asting (& had ta4en upon mysel$ to $ast $or to days and tonights/ ith a brea4 in beteen) *$ter reciting Ti44un ;hat


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36. #Ba!k to te$t% 0C( A)os 41= Siddur, ' 8837. #Ba!k to te$t% 0;ittin 8a38. #Ba!k to te$t% 0/esu)os 11:+1. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>e, the in!ident with the widows daughter, to +e des!ri+ed later

in the story

2. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>e, the (a!t that he was a t6addik and s!holar3. #Ba!k to te$t% 0A !olle!tion o( legal de!isions (rom the &almud, !om'iled +y *

it6!hak Al(asi #also known as *i(= 1:1-1:9%4. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .the ;ate o( Awe,. one o( the maEor su+di)isions o( *eishis

Cho!hmah5. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&oras /ohannim on 2ayikra 946. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>+id7. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Ie)arim 1:418. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>t was the !ustom (or yeshi)ah students (rom out o( town to eat

their meals at the homes o( lo!al (amilies Jsually, a +o!hur was assigned to adi((erent (amily (or ea!h day o( the week &his arrangement was known as essenteg #.eating days.%

9. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&ehillim 141= introdu!tion to the aari) ser)i!e, Siddur, ' 1:10. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Shemos 48:11. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Bereishis 141L #Ba!k to te$t% 0A)odah Farah 19+

)t The 6eshivahEuring the entire time that & as relating my story to my master and 3ebbe/ his Geel-li4e eyes ga Four sole desire is to

orship the ;reator (blessed be Be)9 hy do you eep>6& could hae told him many reasons hy & ept/ $or Gust then & recalled eery ic4eddeed & had eer done (o$ hich & no repented) since the day & as $irst able to reason &desired to recite my con$ession be$ore my master and 3ebbe/ but because o$ mypro$use eeping and my bro4en heart/ & as unable to spea4 'en the $e shortphrases that & did manage to utter/ ere cho4ed by tears@y master and 3ebbe meditated deeply/ and then commanded me to come and appearbe$ore him again on the $olloing day a$ter the @aari prayer & emerged $rom mymaster and 3ebbes o$$ice ery cautiously/ so that no one ould notice me/ as theshammes 3eb *raham Shaul had instructed me *$ter & emerged/ & $ound mysel$completely disoriented/ and & hurried to the beis hamedrash in the street here & lied*t the @inchah prayer prior to entering my master and 3ebbes o$$ice/ & had ta4en upon

mysel$ to $ast $or to nights and to days/ ith a brea4 in beteen No/ a$ter leaingmy master and 3ebbes presence/ & decided that - besides $asting - & ould also re$rain$rom sleeping een $or a short hile during the entire period o$ the $ast & also resolednot to spea4 een one ord on any subGect e.cept Torah and mit


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that no other person as aare o$ thisThe period o$ intermittent $asting ould last seenty-to hours/ the same as thenumeric alue o$ the ord ;hesedJLK Thus/ & hoped that 2-d (blessed be Be) ould acttoard me ith 4indness/ prompting my master and 3ebbe to agree to teach me theproper path $or orshiping the ;reator

& no reali


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@y master and 3ebbe then said

&$ you studied a $e chapters in *odas BaHodesh and a $e chapters in 3eishis;hochmah/ you must also hae engaged in $asting and sel$-torment ?ho gae youpermission to do such a thing> The Sages o$ blessed memory said/J"K 6*ppoint amaster oer yoursel$/6 so that you ould not act on your on initiatie Sometimes/een these things are done at the instigation o$ the eil inclination/ in order todistract a person $rom Torah study/ and to deceie him into considering himsel$ at


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BaHodesh to my attention?hen my master and 3ebbe spo4e to me/ he said

&n reard $or that ordeal - and een more/ in reard $or your correct decision to 0uityour employment in that home here temptation as prealent - the Beaenly ;ourtdecided to arouse your heart and instill in you a longing to ascend the ladder o$orshiping the ;reator (blessed be Be)

* great priilege as bestoed upon you hen Beaen brought the se$er *odasBaHodesh to your attention/ and hen Beaen gae you the idea to go aay insearch o$ the proper path $or orshiping the ;reator

No/ & ma4e the $olloing stipulations all your practices/ studying/ and daeningmust be done ith truth *dopt the attribute o$ humility to the ultimate degree &$ youagree to these stipulations/ then ith the help o$ the ounder o$ the Mnierse(blessed be Be and blessed be Bis Name) & ill sho you the proper path $ororshiping the ;reator The most important condition that & ma4e is that not onlymust no one 4no about this/ but it must be done in such a ay that it is not isibleto others in any ay

6& hereby accept the stipulations you hae mentioned/6 & said/ 6especially/ thestipulation that & ill not reeal this to any person/ and that & ill do eerything in mypoer to aoid anyones noticing anything *ny other stipulations that my master and3ebbe sets $or me/ and any commands that he issues to me/ & hereby accept ith loeand adoration $or all that is holy @y only ish is that my master and 3ebbe teach methe proper ays $or orshiping the ;reator (blessed be Be)6?hen & le$t my master and 3ebbes presence/ & as met by seeral students o$ theyeshiah They surrounded me and demanded that & tell them hat our master and3ebbe had discussed ith me This as the custom o$ the yeshiah students/ ho ereery $riendly ith one another heneer one o$ them had the priilege o$ going in tosee our master and 3ebbe/ all the students (een the senior students o$ the $irst table)ould greet him ith the blessing o$ ma


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The shuls here e gather to pray to our ;reator/ and the holy batei hamedrashhere scholars gather to study our holy Torah/ to discuss pilpul ith one another/and to deelop noel Torah insights/ constitute the 6delling places o$ Faa4o/6 tohich Scripture re$ers/ saying/J1K 6Bo goodly are your tents/ Faa4o/ and yourdelling places/ Fisrael6 The term 6tents6 is in the plural $orm/ $or it re$ers to to

4inds o$ tents the shuls/ hich are the tents $or prayer/ and the batei hamedrash/hich are the tents o$ Torah :ut the 62ates o$ ion6 are the $our cubits o$ Balachah

Be then spo4e at length/ deliering an intricate pilpul on the di$$erence beteen simpleBalachah and a de$initie legal ruling * de$initie legal ruling results $rom achieing anunderstanding o$ a Talmudic passage according to the Aa This inoles studying agien subGect in the @ishnah/ the 2emara/ and the important 3ishonim and *charonimInly then/ does one arrie at a de$initie ruling o$ Aa Thus/ Balachah inoles anorderly study in depth/ as taught by our system o$ 4noledge/ understanding/ andisdom/ hich stipulates ho e must study a subGect and discoer in it some noelinsightsThe senior student then ent on as $ollos

@y brethren and comrades/ $ello students o$ our holy yeshiah it is our holyyeshiah that embodies the 6delling places o$ Faa4o/6 $or it $eatures a shul inhich e pour out our hearts in prayer be$ore our ather in Beaen/ and a beishamedrash here e study our holy Torah/ e deelop its pilpulim/ and (than4 2-d)e discoer noel insights

Boeer/ all this is but the 6delling places o$ Faa4o/6 the tent o$ prayer and thetent o$ Torah/ hich are so beloed by the Boly Ine that Be lights up our eyes ithBis holy Torah/ enabling us to deelop pilpulim and discoer noel insights :ut the$act is that 62-d loes the 2ates o$ ion aboe all the delling places o$ Faa4o6 Thismeans that 62-d loes learned discussion that produces straight$orard rulings o$Balachah/6 $or Be 6possesses nothing o$ conse0uence in this orld beyond $or the$our cubits o$ Balachah/6 namely/ our master and 3ebbes chamber

rom there/ the light o$ Torah shines out to all o$ &srael/ enabling us to 4no and tostudy our holy Torah/ and to discoer its true noel insights ?ere & not so timid/ &ould go so $ar as to state that hoeer has the priilege o$ entering our master and3ebbes holy chamber must recite the blessing o$ Shehechiyanu/ including 2-dsName and @aGesty

Be then proceeded to delier an incisie pilpul/ e.plaining hy a blessing is not recitedbe$ore entering the Boly TempleJ15K in general/ and speci$ically be$ore the Hohen 2adolenters the @ost Boly ;hamber on Fom Hippur Euring his speech/ he compared theentry o$ a student into our master and 3ebbes chamber to the entry o$ the Hohen 2adolinto the @ost Boly ;hamberJ1"K*$ter he $inished deliering his pilpul/ he repeated the noel Torah insights he had heard$rom our master and 3ebbe on the topic o$ bereirah/J 17K based on the @ishnah/ @asneh

*dam al 'iruoJ18K in the ;hapter :a4ol @earinJ1,K Be e.plained the noel insightsdiscoered by our master and 3ebbe/ including a study o$ the hole topic ith thecommentaries o$ 3ashi and Tosa$osThe students pilpul made a great impression upon us/ especially his comparison o$ theentry o$ a student into our master and 3ebbes priate o$$ice to the entry into the @ostBoly ;hamber &n particular/ the student illuy Shmuel 2edaliah gae his approal to thepilpul deeloped by the student illuy Fechiel 2ershon Be also added somea$terthoughts o$ his on/ as be$its such a great geniusThe $olloing day/ the 3osh Feshiah/ our master 3eb ;hayim Mri/ deliered a speciallecture on Jthe subGect mentioned by the senior student/ Fechiel 2ershon/K the @ishnah/:a4ol @earin Then/ in three lectures/ deliered oer three days/ he e.plained to usintermediate students the details o$ the logical deelopment o$ our master and 3ebbes

noel insights Be continued to e.plain it at length/ until each o$ us had succeeded inunderstanding itNo/ hen my $ello students o$ the yeshiah discoered that & had been summoned toour master and 3ebbes priate o$$ice/ they thought it 0uite remar4able/ $or a ne

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student as neer summoned to his chamber :ut seeral students ho ere older than& told me that - though it as e.ceedingly rare - in $act this did sometimes occur *s $aras they 4ne/ such a thing had happened only a $e times be$ore/ under e.ceptionalcircumstancesIne such occasion occurred hen a ne student arried ho as ery bash$ul/ and

aoided the company o$ other people 'en be$ore this student could ta4e his placeamong his $ello yeshiah students/ he as summoned to our masters priate o$$ice?hen he emerged/ he had become a completely di$$erent person9 this caused muchonder&t as later discoered that he as an orphan/ hose $ather and mother ere no longerliing Boeer/ his $ather had been a great t


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3eb Fisrael 'liyah (o$ blessed memory) related to me that hen he as still a youngman/ 3eb alman ;hayim Shraga Porush as already sitting in the large beishamedrash/ and all the residents o$ the ton already assumed him to be a holy man Beould not spea4 to a soul/ nor ould he loo4 at anything outside his immediate icinityThis 3eb alman ;hayim Shraga Porush as e.ceedingly old/ but his $ace had the glo

o$ a man o$ only si.ty People said that it as his holy custom to eep pro$usely/ andthen to ash his $ace ith the tears Be did this $olloing Ti44un ;hatn most !ases, a +lessing must +e re!ited +e(ore 'er(orming any

mit6)ah28. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&he senior student was e!hoing the (eelings ty'i!ally held +y

misnagdim regarding &orah s!holars Chassidim ha)e a di((erent )iew o( thesame theme, regarding entry into the *e++es 'ri)ate !ham+er (or ye!hidus ?ora dis!ussion o( the !hassidi! )iew o( this !on!e't, see inks in the Chassidi!ega!y, ' 5((

29. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&his su+Ee!t deals with one who makes two se'arate eiru)in on?riday, intending to use only one o( them on Sha++os &hen, on Sha++os, he willde!ide whi!h eiru) he wishes to use, there+y rendering the se!ond eiru) null and)oid a+ initio &he su+Ee!t has a''li!ation in many other areas o( Hala!hah aswell

30. #Ba!k to te$t% 0QSour!eR= lit, .a 'erson may sti'ulate !on!erning his eiru) .31.

#Ba!k to te$t% 03iru)in, += lit, .&he 3iru) may +e made with all kinds .32. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&ranslators note4 > am una+le to re!on!ile this with the earlierstatement that the 78-hour (ast was to last two nights and two days, with onedays +reak in +etween

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#Ba!k to te$t% 0&he 'arshah o( Be!ukosai !ontains ;-ds +lessings (or those whokee' His mit6)os, and a detailed des!ri'tion o( terri+le 'unishments (or thosewho transgress them

"e! Baruch's Secret Studies

&t as my master and 3ebbes regular custom to choose one o$ the ne students to aiton him at his home/ and to sleep in the room adGoining his on bedroom That Sunday/ &as in$ormed that my master and 3ebbe had chosen me to attend him/ and that & asto begin my serice on Tuesday a$ter ShacharisThe established rule as that the student ho sered ould eat his meals at our masterand 3ebbes home This $act disturbed me greatly/ and & had no idea hat the eentualoutcome ould be Since the day that & had come to maturity/ & had supported mysel$e.clusiely by the toil o$ my on hands/ and the prospect Jo$ haing to eat at my

3ebbes homeK had caused me deep distressIn Tuesday a$ter Shacharis/ & presented mysel$ to my master and 3ebbe *$ter he$inished his personal study session in @ishnah and 2emara/ & $olloed him to his home/and attended to all his needs@y master and 3ebbe didnt order me to eat/ and & as oerGoyed by this $act rom thatday $orard/ my master and 3ebbe began to study arious se$orim ith me tice aee4/ and he trained me in orshiping the ;reator according to the standard or4s onmussar

0The narrative is resumed !y "e! Baruch's son1,

'en hile on the road traeling $rom ia


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course his master and 3ebbe Gourneyed to attend the edding celebration o$ his nieceand his senior student Be too4 seeral o$ his students along ith him/ including 3eb:aruchEuring the ten days that he spent there/ 3eb :aruch as able to seclude himsel$ to hishearts content Be spent many consecutie hours in the $ields and the $orest Ine day/

he tarried in the $ield until the sun as about to setBe as sitting on a hilltop/ beneath hich lay a broad plain/ spread out li4e a blue-greencarpet Bere and there/ patches o$ multicolored plants and herbs appeared * narro/ribbon-li4e stream $loed through the middle o$ this plain &ts aters bubbled ith aturbulence that could be heard at a distance Trees gre on this hilltop3eb :aruch sat on a roc4/ ga


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Be had also come to understand that eerything e.isting in this orld belongs to one o$$our classes

!6inanimate6 beings Jthe mineral orldK9!56groing6 beings Jthe plant orldK9!"6liing6 beings Jthe animal orldK9

!76spea4ing6 beings Jthe human orldK'ach o$ these $our classes possesses a soul uni0ue to that class the inanimate soul/ thegroing soul/ the liing soul/ and the spea4ing soulThe $our classes are on di$$erent leels/ one superior to the other The class o$ groingbeings is superior to the class o$ inanimate beings9 the class o$ liing beings is superiorto the class o$ groing beings9 the class o$ spea4ing beings is superior to all the rest* superior class is also called the 6higher6 class/ in comparison ith an in$erior class/hich is called the 6loer6 class * loer class ministers to the higher class/ and thehigher class is sustained and nourished by the loer class &n $act/ this is the hole$unction o$ the loer class - to bene$it the class that is aboe it Thus/ the sole $unctiono$ inanimate beings is to sere groing beings9 the sole $unction o$ groing beings is tosere liing beings9 the sole $unction o$ liing beings is to sere spea4ing beings

'ach o$ these $our classes occupies its ran4 not only because o$ its natural physicalproperties/ but also because o$ its spirit and soul No the $act is that all souls aremerely emanations o$ the glory and splendor o$ the ;reator/ ho is absolute onenessand unity/ ho possesses neither a beginning nor an end/ and to hom the terms6aboe6 and 6belo6 do not apply J7K&n spite o$ the $orgoing/ the arious souls are $undamentally di$$erent inanimate beingspossess only an inanimate soul9 groing beings possess/ in addition/ a groing soul9liing things possess/ in addition/ a liing soul9 and spea4ing beings possess/ in addition/an intellectual soulBis discoery o$ these subGects/ in all their details/ opened up a ne orld $or him?hereer he turned/ he obsered created things designed in anti0uity/ hose erye.istence/ perception/ and natural properties glori$y/ sancti$y/ and e.alt 2-d/ the @astero$ allrom time to time he ould dele ery deeply into his studies &t sometimes happenedthat he ould contemplate a single subGect in depth $or seeral hours on end Beinspected eery being - hether inanimate/ groing/ or liing - ith intensecontemplation This intensity sered as a lin4/ connecting him to all liing beings thatal4 the earth or $ly in the s4iesBe obsered the creeping o$ orms and the industrious moements o$ the ants ith thesame intensity that he contemplated the rising and setting o$ the sun and stars &n allthese things he perceied 2-ds ondrous handior4 *nything that happened to catchhis eye became the subGect o$ deep studyBis intense diligence also prompted him to dele deeply into anything he came upon &nhis imagination he ould hold a conersation ith that things soul This became hissecond nature/ so that heneer he loo4ed at some obGect he sa only its soul and

spirit *ll this taught him to loe 2-d and to $ear BimIne day/ 3eb :aruch ent out into the country/ to a $ield that had already beenharested Bere and there/ a $e bundles o$ grain still lay scattered *t the edge o$ the$ield stood a $e apple trees/ hose $ruits had already been pic4ed Inly a $e rottingapples lay about/ amidst piles o$ $allen leaesThe sight o$ this barren $ield/ ith its $e abandoned sheaes/ the $rogs hopping about/the $orsa4en trees ith their bare branches/ and the caing sound o$ the raensperched in the treetops/ all had a pro$ound e$$ect upon him constricting his heart andaa4ening dreadThe day itsel$ - and the eather - matched the appearance o$ the $ield The s4y asheay ith dar4 clouds Bere and there/ patches o$ sunlight managed to brea4 throughthe thinner clouds/ but heaier clouds 0uic4ly moed in to obscure the glo

Be stood there deep in thought/ musing that all o$ ;reation then stood upon thethreshold o$ its annual reneal Inly a $e days remained be$ore the tenty-$i$th day o$'lul/ the anniersary o$ the orlds creation This creation is reneed annually on thesi.th day therea$ter/ hich is 3osh BaShanah/ the day that @an as created @an is/

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a$ter all/ the $ocus o$ all ;reation/ and the entire orld as created e.clusiely $or hisbene$it*s he re$lected on this theme/ the thic4 clouds suddenly split asunder The heaensere rent ith lightning and thunder/ sending shiers through his heart :ut a$ter therains stopped/ the clouds parted and the sun shone $orth in all its might/ re$reshing his

spirits Then/ turning his ga


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his $uture studies In the third day/ ith his master and 3ebbes consent and blessing/he departed $rom :rys4

+otes,3. #Ba!k to te$t% ?rom the Pre)ious *e++es essay, .?athers o( Chassidus,.

Ha&amim, 2ol , '' 57-514. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&wo 'rominent &annaim, whose disagreements are o(ten re!orded

in the ishnah5. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&wo 'rominent Amoraim, whose disagreements are o(ten

re!orded in the ;emara6. #Ba!k to te$t% &ehillim, 1477. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Siddur, ' 1:8. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>e, the sun, moon, 'lanets, stars, and all the angeli! +eings

e$isting today are the same ones that were originally !reated, and ha)e!ontinuously e$isted e)er sin!e n the other hand, 'eo'le, animals, 'lants, et!e$isting today are not the same indi)idual ones originally !reated= they aremerely mem+ers o( the same s'e!ies, des!endants o( those originally !reated

9. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&hus, one would e$'e!t that all souls - +eing mere emanations o(this Creator - would +e (undamentally all the same But, in (a!t, that is not the!ase

10. #Ba!k to te$t% 0C( Ie)arim 8:41911. #Ba!k to te$t% 0*am+an, * oshe Ben Na!hman #.Na!hmanides., ! 119-187:%,

a sage whose !ommentaries on the Chumash and &almud are !lassi!s12. #Ba!k to te$t% 0* Be!haye +en Asher >+n Chala)a #! 18:-1:%, author o( a

!lassi! !ommentary on the Chumash, +ased on 'hiloso'hy and /a++alah13. #Ba!k to te$t% 0A+out 11 L 17 in!hes, and 1-1M8 in!h thi!k

Prologue

78.

*s & mentioned preiously/JLK these notes merely $orm the ra material $rom hich Ja$ull essayK may be constructed There$ore/ the stories to be presented belo do notappear in chronological order & no ish to transcribe a $e entries $rom my diary/ inhich & describe eents related to our subGect

Thursday# 9: Tishrei :;:< 0Octo!er 99# =?1# u!avitch# 9,@@ ).M.

or the past $ie hours & hae been riting and compiling a chronicle o$ the recentShemini *t


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that need to +e attended to immediately &hat is 'ro+a+ly why he has sent (or me atthis hour%

?hen & entered athers room/ he in0uired hat & as doing no & sa many openedletters lying on the table in $ront o$ him This rein$orced my preious assumption that heas going to gie me the mail dealing ith matters o$ public concern/ and ouldinstruct me to put it in order and decide hich letters are the most urgentThis caused an inner con$l ict in my mind In one hand/ & had ery much hoped that &ould be $ree $rom my duties as athers priate secretary $or public a$$airs/ until a$ter &$inished recording the discourses/ tal4s/ and stories In the other hand/ & as 0uiteaare o$ the spiritual obligations incumbent upon me/ and my responsibility to attend toall matters o$ public concern in a timely $ashionor a moment/ & stood there con$used by the thoughts that raced through my headBoeer/ the Eiine grace that hoered oer my $athers holy presence/ and the patiente.pression on his $ace/ restored my composure & replied that & as busy recording thestories and tal4s that & had been priileged to hear in recent daysather as interested to 4no e.actly hat & as recording Gust then & had Gust $inishedriting don the story about my uncle - athers brother - the saintly illuy 3eb *raham

Sender (hose soul is in 2an 'den)/ ho passed aay at the age o$ eight @y saintlygreat-grand$ather the T


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years - since the end o$ 5"5! - he as ery $riendly to me heneer he isitedAubaitch/ and he told me many stories o$ my ancestors/ the holy 3ebbeimThe stories told by 3eb 2ershon Eo deal ith eents that he himsel$ itnessed/ orthose that he heard o$ directly $rom their holy mouths/ as ell as $rom the holy mouthso$ the t


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0$rom the Previous "e!!e's iary1,

This past 3osh BaShanah mar4ed si.ty years since 3eb 2ershon Eos uncle/ 3eb *


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remembering something $rom the distant past3aising my eyes/ & sa that another group stood not $ar $rom the $irst one Burrying oerto them/ & discoered that there too/ seeral minyonim o$ people ere pressed togetherin a circle * group o$ elders danced in the middle/ li4e the $irst ones &t appeared/hoeer/ that these ere younger than those in the $irst group/ and so & returned to the

$irst groupNeer in my li$e had & seen such a sight Standing there in ama


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$or three months Tishrei/ @ar;heshan/ and HisleEuring that year/ Ai44utei Torah as printed 'en be$ore the printing as $inished/seeral unbound $olios ere already in the possession o$ the chassidim ?hen & ent in$or yechidus/ the saintly 3ebbe the T


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master and 3ebbe 3eb Billel (o$ blessed memory)*s you 4no/ & as brought up by my uncle/ 3eb *


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:atlanJ15K began to study the Tanya ith me/ my ability $or pro$ound thin4ing greeen stronger 'entually/ & as $orced to $ind ays o$ interrupting my thoughts Thus/more than a year passedInce/ hoeer/ something happened that embittered my li$e ?heneer & remember it/my hole body 0uiers & mentioned it to or three times to the 3ebbe the T


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or 6hereer e $ind Bis greatness/ there too/ e $ind Bis humility/J L8K as it ere/the reelation o$ Bis essence in an inard mannerJL,K

3eb :aruch Shimon related to me 6& $irst traeled $rom Halis4 to Aio


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trip to Aubaitch In ?ednesday/ 1 'lul 5"C7 J*ugust L"/ 187K/J!LK & arried inAubaitch/ and on the @onday o$ Selichos & as priileged to enter $or yechidusJ !!KStanding in his holy chamber/ & unburdened mysel$ to the 3ebbe/ reealing to himeerything that had happened to me since my earliest memories

The Previous "e!!e's diary continues,

3eb 2ershon Eo as about seenty-to years old Be as o$ aerage height/ and erythin Bis chee4s ere hollo/ and his $ace and bro ere ery rin4led Bis eyes ereblac4/ but his hair and beard ere mil4y hite Be ore dar4 clothes/ ith a elet haton his head and inter boots on his $eet Bis gartel as o$ sil4Ince he told me o$ his $irst yechidus ith my great-grand$ather/ the T


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64. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&anna I)ei 3liyahu *a++ah, +eginning o( Ch 165. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&ehillim 119417866. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .idle 'erson.= a s!holar who sits in the lo!al +eis hamedrash

studying &orah all day, and has no other o!!u'ation= he is #usually% 'aid asti'end +y the !ommunity

67. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .the ast ;ate.= &almudi! tra!tate dealing !hie(ly withownershi' and trans(er o( real 'ro'erty, and with legal do!uments

68. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&ehillim 174569. #Ba!k to te$t% 0C( Pardes 41= 3t6 Chayim 84870. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&his im'lies that there is a (inite measurement71. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&his im'lies that they are, in (a!t, in(inite72. #Ba!k to te$t% 0eshayah :4873. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Bereishis 14174. #Ba!k to te$t% 0*ashi, lo! !it75. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .the lion o( +lessed memory.4 *a++i >saa! uria #15-1578%,

one o( the leading luminaries o( the /a++alah &his tea!hing a''ears innumerous sour!es in the name o( the AriFal ?or re(eren!es, see the *e++es

(ootnotes on Se(er Haaamarim 57::, ' 76. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Siddur, ' 977. #Ba!k to te$t% &hus, we (ind that the &orah 'rogresses downward as it is re!ei)ed

in su!!essi)ely lower worlds78. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&hus, the &orah, e)en a(ter its des!ent, remains the essen!e o( ;-

dliness &he lower worlds, howe)er, are in essen!e in(erior to the higher worlds79. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Para'hrased (rom egilah 1a80. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See also &anya Part 1, Cha'ter 81. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See 2ol 1 o( this translation, .&hird ;eneration4 the Alter *e++e.82. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>n the same )ein, the emotions are s'iritual when !om'ared to

the a!ts o( lo)e and (ear whi!h deri)e (rom the emotions83. #Ba!k to te$t% 0&ranslators note4 there a''ears to +e a mis'rint here= 1 3lul

5:7 (ell on &hursday, not


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nes arried that ;hmielnic4is hordes ere carrying out pogroms against the Des/ 3eb@eir alman declared that the Des ho lied on the estates o$ his master the countshould moe to the counts ne estates The Deish re$ugees o$ the ;hmielnic4imassacres ho ere no settled on the ne estates gradually began to sell the produceo$ the land *$ter a hile/ their economic conditions began to stabili


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*$ter moing to Hlimoitch/ he built a beis hamedrash in his courtyard/ ith a guesthouse here isiting Torah scholars could stay Be selected ten o$ the elderly perushimho ere Torah scholars liing in the beis hamedrash/ and proided $or all their needsIccasionally/ he himsel$ ould teach a 2emara lesson in great depthBe remembered his days as a student at the Smorgon Feshiah ith great nostalgia

:ut he especially missed his mentor/ the gaon 3eb 'lya4im eiish Porush/ ho hadbeen the $oremost member o$ the yeshiahs post-graduate school* $e years later/ this gaon 3eb 'lya4im eiish ent into e.ile/ and happened to passthrough Hlimoitch Be stayed at the guest house o$ the ealthy Torah patron/ 3eb @eiralman/ ho recogni


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as 3eb Fisrael o$ @e


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mysterious and obscure/ though the older students ould e.plain the teachings to theyounger onesThe t


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Be then began to study Torah constantly/ day and night *bout to years later/ his olderson-in-la passed aay The ido then sold her share o$ the business/ and latermarried the idoer 3eb *


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25. #Ba!k to te$t% 0* onah +en A)raham ;erundi #d 18%, author o( !lassi! workson mussar, and a !ommentary on the &almud

26. #Ba!k to te$t% 0it, .Book o( the &rem+lers. #or .Pious.%= !lassi!al 1th !entmussar work +y * 3la6ar A6kari

27. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See 2ol 1 o( this translation, ' 15((

28. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See &he aking o( Chassidim, Ch 129. #Ba!k to te$t% 0A story a+out him a''ears later in this !ha'ter30. #Ba!k to te$t% 0


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@uch to my surprise/ & discoered that people ould listen to 3eb Shlomo thecoachmans stories ith the same attention that they paid to 3eb Feshayah themelamed or 3eb Fe4usiel the shochet hen they told a story or repeated a chassidicteaching they had heardThe chassidim loed and cherished each indiidual member o$ their society They ere

een more care$ul hen it came to the younger $ol4 - they ould be sure to train themin the ays o$ ;hassidus/ and dra them close ith abounding loe& ill no describe the reception & receied $rom the chassidim hen & returned $romAubaitch &n $act/ they had already held a reception $or others ho returned $romAubaitch ith me :ut they held another reception especially $or me/ and the elderchassidim too4 a leading role in itThe aged 3eb Fit


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@ichael consists o$ 18" thousand legions/ but they are all con$ined to the realm o$loe *nd the *ngel 2ariels legions are all con$ined to the realm o$ $ear

In the other hand/ the state o$ 6moing6 re$ers to Jthe Eiine Aight thatK transcendsall orlds/ hich is in$inite This is the supremacy o$ human souls Joer angelsK9 it

may be achieed through the aodah o$ Torah and mit


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#Here, *e+ it6!hak Shaul struggled to stand u', +ut was una+le to do so Heremained seated in his 'la!e, and red +lot!hes a''eared in his snow-white(a!e=%

JThe 2emara says/KJ7K 6* man must alays be scrupulous about the @inchah

prayer6 No the supremacy o$ the @inchah prayer oer the Shacharis and @aariprayers stems $rom the $act that it is recited in the middle o$ the day/ hen peopleare busy and occupied ith their priate a$$airs :ut they interrupt eerything todaen @inchah

The perpetual aodah o$ a person in this orld is to strie to be 6a man/6 ie/ hisintellect must illuminate and control his emotions The JBebreK ord $or6scrupulous6 Jabout @inchahK also means 6to illuminate6J8K This means thatJspiritualK $orm must goern material substance This can be discerned through the@inchah prayerJ,K

?hen 3eb Fit


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95. #Ba!k to te$t% 0>e, angels remain !on(ined to the realm in whi!h they were!reated, and ha)e no means o( ele)ating themsel)es to a higher realm Humansouls, howe)er, !an ele)ate themsel)es through a)odah, without limit

96. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Bera!hos +97. #Ba!k to te$t% 0Both words share similar root letters, Fayin-Heh-*eish

98. #Ba!k to te$t% 0See Haom om, entry (or 88 Adar >99. #Ba!k to te$t% &he Alter *e++e 'assed away on 8 &e)es 557 0Ie!em+er 87,

1181CC #Ba!k to te$t% 0See Iarkei Chesed, +y * >saa! B Jsh'ol, Brooklyn, 1975,

' 88((

Epilogue

0$rom the Previous "e!!e's iary1,

&t as no to ocloc4 in the morning/ and a pouring rain $ell outside & begged 3eb2ershon Eo to remain in my room and rest until daybrea4 Be acceded to my ishes/and & ent to my room There/ & reieed in my mind eerything & had heard that night

& hae neither the tools nor the riting s4ills to describe the great impression that 3eb2ershon Eos story made upon me his description o$ the conduct o$ the elderchassidim amongst themseles/ and beteen themseles and the simple $ol4 ho$olloed the ays o$ ;hassidus ith pure $aith& pictured the scene in my imagination a group o$ chassidim - masters o$ 4noledgeand isdom - sitting at a $arbrengen/ listening to someone repeat a Torah teaching thathe heard $rom the @itteler 3ebbe or the T


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eening and night/ nor the $eelings that oercame me during those hours

+otes,101. #Ba!k to te$t% ?rom the Pre)ious *e++es essay, .?athers o( Chassidus,.

Ha&amim, 2ol , '' 795-79

1:8 # Ba!k to te$t% 0Siddur, ' 11

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