A collection from Breslov Chassidic sefarim on the greatness of the days of Purim—customs practiced by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and his disciple Rabbi Nosson of Breslov, which they also established for their students. Stories and new insights from the great Breslov Chassidim throughout the generations: about the prayers of Purim and their times, about the reading of Megillas Esther, about Hisbodedus on Purim night, and about dancing and joy.

The Greatness of Purim

The full spelling of “Purim”—“Pei, Vav, Reish, Yud, Mem”—together with the letters and the kolel, equals the number of “Nun, Ches, Mem, Nun,” the name of our holy and awe-inspiring Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. (Kochvei Or, Chochmah u’Binah, by Rabbi Avraham son of Rabbi Nachman Chazan)

Now, all beginnings will be from Purim, which corresponds to the wiping out of Amalek, as is understood from his words [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov], zt”l (Likkutei Halachos, siman 74). And the main power is through the awakening from below (itarusa d’letata) of the unique leaders of the generations—namely the Rebbe [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov], zt”l, and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, zt”l, who receives from him as explained there—especially through the very rectifications that were established on the day of their passing (as is understood from their holy words). For the two days of their passing are aligned to fall on the same weekday as Purim (as brought in a manuscript of Rabbi Nachman of Tcherin, zt”l). And in both of them there is an intensification of the hillula: Lag BaOmer—the hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, zt”l—and “the time of our rejoicing,” the day of the passing of the Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, on the fourth day of Sukkos, which is “the time of our rejoicing”—just like Purim, which is a day of joy. Also, the Purim that has passed is likewise on the weekday on which Lag BaOmer falls, as the early authorities gave the sign “Pei-Lamed-Gimmel” (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, siman 428). And it is explained in the writings (Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar 19) that the days of Chanukah correspond to Hod, and the days of Purim correspond to Netzach. Likewise, Lag BaOmer is always on the 18th of Iyar, and the second day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos is also on the 18th of Tishrei. And when the 25th day of the Omer falls on Shabbos, it becomes the central point of the days of the Omer—three Shabbosos before it and three Shabbosos after it—because it includes all the Sefiros, and within them also the sefirah of Hod. (Kochvei Or)

Now the beginning of the Geulah and the repair of all the worlds is from Purim, as can be understood from hints in the holy words of Rebbeinu [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov], zt”l (in Likkutei Moharan, Part II, siman 74), at the time he taught the Torah on the verse: “From Egypt… and they shall not see My face empty,” whose initial letters form “P-u-r-i-m.” For he said then that at first all beginnings were from Pesach, which is the Exodus from Egypt, and now… etc. And he stopped in the middle and did not finish his words. Yet from his words I understood that now the beginning is from Purim. (ibid., 25). (Sichos HaRan, I, 27)

Once on Purim, they told Rabbi Nosson (Moharnat), zt”l, that Rabbi Nachman, son of Mrs. Chayah—the daughter of Rebbeinu—was staying in the home of Rabbi Mordechai, the wealthy Rabbi Mordechai Rotenzayt, zt”l: “Nachman is staying in Mordechai’s house” (“Nachman shteit ayn bay Mordech’n”). He answered and said: “Yes, this is how it is: on Purim, ‘Nachman’—meaning the soul of the Tzaddik—dwells with Mordechai the Tzaddik; and on Pesach the Tzaddik dwells with Pesach; and so it is on every Yom Tov.” (“Azoy iz: Purim shteit ayn Nachman bay Mordech’n; Pesach shteit ayn Nachman bay Pesach.”) (ibid., 175)

“Save Me”

Rabbi Nosson of Breslov (Moharnat) related: Once, on the eve of Purim, I cried out to Hashem, “Save me from the klipah of Haman-Amalek,” and it felt to me as if Haman-Amalek were standing over me to strike me with an iron rod… (Avnei Barzel)

The Fast of Esther

Once, before Minchah on the Fast of Esther, when Rabbi Nachman of Toltshin entered the synagogue, he was very joyful—because he was rejoicing in the joy of Purim that was drawing near. When Moharnat saw him, he said: “Look—now the entire congregation is going to say, ‘For we are in great distress’ (in the Aneinu prayer at Minchah). Purim still hasn’t arrived, and with this joy—what is he doing?” (Sichos HaRan)

Psalm 22 in Tehillim

On Purim, Breslov Chassidim had the custom to say Tehillim, chapter 22—“For the conductor, on Ayeles HaShachar.”

Reading the Megillah

The awakening and fiery enthusiasm among our people, Breslov Chassidim, on Purim—especially during the reading of the Megillah—was greater than the awakening during Kol Nidrei. They truly felt and saw tangibly that Yom Kippur is indeed a day like Purim, as the Tikkunei Zohar says.

Hisbodedus on Purim Night

Our people, Breslov Chassidim, had the custom on Purim nights—at midnight, which is an especially auspicious time—to go out to the fields and forests and increase Hisbodedus and prayers, to merit the light of this great and awe-inspiring day.

Rabbi Pinchas Kibilitcher, zt”l, once said and explained the verse in the Megillah, “And the king loved Esther more than all the women,” based on what is explained in the words of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in Torah 49 (Part I) and Torah 1 (Part II): that a woman who fears Hashem corresponds to prayer. He explained that the most precious and most accepted prayer is the prayer of Hisbodedus—because it is a hidden prayer. This is: “And the king loved”—meaning the King of the world—“Esther,” meaning the aspect of prayer that is in concealment, which is Hisbodedus—“more than all the women,” more than all other prayers—“and she found favor and kindness before him more than all the maidens.” After he said this to his Breslov Chassidic students on Purim night, they ran to the field and remained there the entire night, from the intensity of their excitement and awakening. (Sichos HaRan)

Vasikin Prayer

Our people, Breslov Chassidim, had the custom to pray on Purim at sunrise (vasikin), in line with the Baal Shem Tov’s insistence that on five days of the year one should pray at sunrise—and one of them is Purim.

The Avodah of Yom Kippur

Moharnat said: “The order of serving Hashem on Purim is much harder for me than the order of serving on Yom Kippur.” For on Yom Kippur we are in the synagogue all day and engage only in prayers and supplications. But on Purim one must increase drinking, joy, and eating, etc.—and to serve Hashem in that way is far more difficult and challenging. [“Di avodah fun Purim iz mir asach sheverer vi di avodah fun Yom Kippur.”] (Sichos HaRan, vol. 3, 139)

Dancing and Joy

The mitzvah of the day is to greatly increase dancing and niggunim—to rejoice in the joy of the miracle and the light of this day. Through these dances, all decrees and judgments are sweetened and nullified.

Rabbi Yitzchak Aizik Yosef, zt”l—the father of Rabbi Pinchas Yehoshua, zt”l, of Tcherin—was among the earliest close students of Moharnat. He was exceptionally elevated in spiritual stature. Once on Purim, during the drinking, he boasted before Moharnat that he was no longer afraid of the yetzer hara. After Purim, the next day, he entered Moharnat again, zt”l, and Moharnat asked him whether he remembered what he had boasted yesterday during the drinking. He replied: “Even today I say so.” And I heard from Rabbi Pinchas Yehoshua, zt”l, that Moharnat once told him: “Your father was a tzaddik.” [“Dayn tatte iz geven a tzaddik.”]

Before he drew close (Rabbi Yitzchak Aizik) to Breslov, once on the night of Yom Kippur, Moharnat, zt”l, was walking past the beis midrash and saw through the window Rabbi Yitzchak Aizik Yosef the sofer standing and finishing Tehillim aloud with tremendous fervor. It also became known that he was now completing Tehillim a second time, corresponding to the number of “kofer,” and even as he finished the second time he was still in powerful awakening and fiery enthusiasm—just as at the beginning of the first time. Moharnat, zt”l, then saw that this precious soul was fitting for our people, and he began to work with him to draw him close—though not so openly—until Purim of that year. Then, when he was slightly mellowed, he came on his own to Moharnat, zt”l, stood at his doorway, and cried out: “Rebbe! Rebbe! His greatness!” [“Der rebbi, der rebbi, zayn groyskayt!”] Before Purim he had needed to be in Toltshin, and because he was poor—as scribes often were—he went on foot. On his return to Breslov, a great test came upon him, and he withstood the test. (Sichos HaRan)

Shushan Purim

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said to Moharnat: “Isn’t Shushan Purim also Purim?” It is a mitzvah to be joyful on Shushan Purim as well, and on Shushan Purim you can also repair the joy that you should have had on Purim… (Notes of the copyist in Chayei Moharan)