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Rare booklet recounting R. Nahman of Bratslav’s journey to Erez Israel in 1798 and what occurred at that time. In that year R. Nahman set out for Erez Israel. He traveled anonymously, and only his friend R. Simeon accompanied him and knew his identity. On his way to Erez Israel he acted childishly, playing soldiers with youngsters and unnecessarily provoking other Hasidim traveling with him on the boat. These actions can be interpreted in various different ways. In Erez Israel he met the local hasidic leadership, who received him with great honor and respect, as befitting the great grandson of the Ba'al Shem Tov. He visited Acre, Safed, and Tiberias, as well as other places, but after a few months, when Napoleon's army began to arrive in the country, he fled back home. His return journey was also accompanied by various adventures, since he mistakenly boarded a Turkish warship and was only released after payment of a large ransom. After his journey to Erez Israel he returned to Medvedevka and to leadership of his hasidic community. During this period, the first disputes also began to take place with other hasidic leaders in the same area. At the same time, Nahman began to develop his view of disputation as a source of growth and development and as something with positive aspects, arising in places where new paths are broken in the worship of God. This booklet was printed in Velka Berezny, an obscure village, is one of only three publications issued there. It is not recorded in David Asaf’s Bratslav – an Annotated Bibliography.
The author, R. Nathan ben Naphtali Hertz Sternharz (1780–1845) was a disciple and companion of R. Nahman of Bratslav, organizer of Bratslav Hasidism, and its leader after R. Nahman's death. R.Nathan was born in Neirov and was known as a scholar and talented writer even in his youth. In 1793 he married the daughter of David Zevi, rabbi of Shargorod and a Mitnagged. Nathan was drawn to Hasidism and visited some of the great Hasidim. The decisive event of his life was a meeting with R. Nahman of Bratslav in 1802, when the two formed a deep and unique friendship that lasted until Nahman's death. R. Nathan soon became R.Nahman's most devoted disciple. He spread knowledge about his teacher and expounded his teaching. In fact, Nahman's personal charisma became integral to the thought and habits of his followers through Nathan's devotion and efforts. Although R. Nathan became the actual leader of Bratslav Hasidim on R. Nahman's death in 1810, he refused to assume the official title of hasidic rabbi, a gesture which established the special character of Bratslav Hasidim who acknowledged Nahman as their only rabbi. Nathan worked arduously to spread Nahman's teachings. He guided and extended the movement of Nahman's followers. He often visited the Bratslav Hasidim and sent them numerous letters, thus spreading the rabbi's teaching and encouraging the Hasidim who suffered persecutions that culminated in their excommunication in 1835 by Moses Zevi of Savran. With charm and moderation he refuted the calumnies against the movement and, at the same time, encouraged the Hasidim in their firm belief in the greatness of Nahman and in the truth of his teachings. Despite violent personal persecution (including denunciation to the authorities and arrest), R. Nathan not only succeeded in establishing the basic patterns and direction of the movement (e.g., visiting Nahman's tomb in Uman) but also succeeded in maintaining and even increasing the number of its followers. R. Nathan transcribed and edited R. Nahman's teachings, everyday talks, and stories.
He published, on his own initiative, R. Nahman's principal books, Likkutei Moharan (Ostrog, 1808), Sefer ha-Middot (Mogilev, 1811), and Sippurei Ma'asiyyot (Berdichev, 1895). His own literary activity was prolific and varied. He wrote, for example, Hayyei Moharan (1875), Sihot ha-Ran (1864), and Shivhei ha-Ran (1864), depicting his teacher's life and greatness. Fulfilling Nahman's request "to turn his teaching into prayers," he wrote also Likkutei Tefillah (Bratslav, 1824–27), a poetic work based on Likkutei Moharan. He continued to expound and develop R. Nahman's teaching in his great work, Likkutei Halakhot (1847–48). Nathan died in Bratslav and was buried in Uman beside his teacher.
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