Knishta Chada Newsletter - Rosh Hashanah 5777 Edition

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And the name of the one was Eliezer

News and Teachings from the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Yom Kippur 5777

"I brought you a gift—Machloket (Controversy)"

A Gift That Cannot Be Forgone

Rebbe Nachman said: "All the great Tzaddikim reached the level and degree that they reached, but they remained standing there. But I, Baruch Hashem, become a different person at every single moment. And he gave a reason for why people oppose him: for the Tzaddik is called a tree, and he has roots and branches, etc., and every Tzaddik, before he reaches his level, faces controversy. For our Sages of blessed memory said (Sanhedrin 7a), 'This strife is like a breach of water.' Thus, the controversy is an aspect of water, and the water—that is, the controversy—lifts him up. But I need there to be controversy against me constantly, for I go from level to level at every time and every moment. If I knew that I was standing now just as I was in the previous hour, I would not want myself at all in this world." (Chayei Moharan 401)

Fortunate are we that we merited to be close to the true Tzaddik and his true students. It is worth it for a person to go through his entire life, and all the suffering, across several incarnations, just to merit in the end to draw close to the Tzaddik who promised us countless promises that we will reach the true goal with Hashem's help. He said, "You have nothing to worry about since I am walking before you," and promised that anyone connected to him will not depart from the world without receiving his complete tikkun (rectification), etc. And even during his lifetime, the man who is close to the Tzaddik merits the supernal pleasantness of serving Hashem in truth: Hisbodedus, melodies, joy, deveikus (clinging to God), Chatzos, the sweetness of the Holy Torah, and all the other good virtues that one close to the Tzaddik merits.

But along with all these, Rebbe Nachman gave us great and precious gifts in which one does not quickly feel the "pleasantness" and sweetness; sometimes, on the contrary, it feels very bitter and painful. But one must know that this is a gift like all the other precious gifts of the Tzaddik. And one of the Rebbe's greatest gifts is Machloket (controversy). Rebbe Nachman said, "I brought you a gift—Machloket." It is impossible to be a Breslover Chassid or truly close to the Tzaddik without receiving this gift.

"Once, Anash (people of our community) were complaining before him that it was hard for them to endure the matter of the controversy and the persecution, etc. He answered and said to them: Believe me, I have the power to make peace with the whole world so that no one will oppose me. But what can I do? There are levels and chambers that are impossible to enter except through controversy." (Ibid 402)

Whoever is close to the Tzaddik and does not undergo persecution, humiliation, and controversy as befits every Breslov Chassid, needs to check himself if he is truly close. For Rebbe Nachman gives this gift to all those close to him. It is impossible for a person to receive all the other good things from the Tzaddik and skip over this 'good thing.' As with all matters of Rebbe Nachman, everything applies to all those close to him in all generations until the end of generations.

What the Baal Shem Tov Did Not Merit

Rebbe Nachman used this gift to reach Eretz Yisrael and save his life, as the whole story is brought in Shivchei HaRan regarding the time Rebbe Nachman was in Istanbul. He used stratagems so that everyone would humiliate him and cause him pain, and he said that in the merit of this, he arrived in Eretz Yisrael and did not die, Heaven forbid, in Istanbul. And he said, "Before coming to gadlut (greatness), one must first fall into katnut (smallness/constriction), and Eretz Yisrael is 'gadlut of gadlut'; therefore, one must first fall into 'katnut of katnut.' And therefore, the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory, could not come to Eretz Yisrael because he could not descend into such katnut." (Chayei Moharan 139)

The more the Tzaddik descends into katnut, the more he can ascend to gadlut. Therefore, Rebbe Nachman merited levels that even the Baal Shem Tov did not merit, and it was all in the merit of the humiliations and insults he took upon himself. "And one must roll oneself in all kinds of muck and mire in order to perform some will and gratification for Hashem Yisbarach; then one merits to attain even what Moses did not attain in his lifetime." (Likutey Moharan II, 5)

And Rebbe Nachman said: "For Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, certainly had the attractive power to draw all of Israel to him, as it is written (Exodus 35): 'And Moshe gathered all the congregation of the Children of Israel,' for he was the Da'at (knowledge/consciousness) of all of Israel, and it was in his power to gather and draw everyone to him. Yet, despite this, what is written (Ibid 33)? 'And they gazed after Moshe,' and our Sages of blessed memory interpreted what they interpreted [that they suspected him of adultery with a married woman] etc., and similar things. And all this is because there are such things that are impossible to arrive at except through controversy, that people oppose him, etc. And our Sages of blessed memory said (Sanhedrin 7a): 'This strife is like a breach of water,' as it is said: 'The beginning of strife is like letting out water' etc., and it is written (Deuteronomy 20): 'For man is a tree of the field.' And a tree of the field—the more water is poured around it, the more it grows."

Therefore, Moharnat (Reb Nosson) boasted that he reached things that even the holy Rebbe Nachman did not merit. In Siach Sarfei Kodesh, it is told: "Once Rebbe Nachman said as if complaining: 'Although you are upright men, this is not what I intended. I intended that I would have such men who would roar to Hashem Yisbarach whole nights like beasts in the forest.'" And it is brought there that many years after Rebbe Nachman's passing, "Moharnat said: 'I have such students, servants of Hashem, that Rebbe Nachman did not have.' For he had such students who were servants of Hashem, who would stay whole nights outside the city and roar in their prayer like lions, as was Rebbe Nachman's will." And all this was in the merit of the humiliations and persecutions that Reb Nosson went through—an aspect of a double portion of his master's spirit, as Rebbe Nachman explains in Torah 66, that the student can reach a level double that of his master, all by the merit and power of his master. Therefore, the Baal Shem Tov reached katnut and gadlut; Rebbe Nachman reached 'katnut of katnut' and 'gadlut of gadlut'; and Moharnat reached 'katnut of katnut of katnut' and 'gadlut of gadlut of gadlut.' And so on, every student who received Rebbe Nachman's blessing of "Exactly like me" merited a "double portion of your spirit upon me," and reached greater gadlut through greater katnut, and this is all through Rebbe Nachman's power, and this is the gift he bequeathed to us.

Therefore, the Baal Shem Tov suffered persecution and humiliation from the Lithuanian Misnagdim (opponents), and although some of them were tremendous Torah scholars, they opposed the whole concept of Chassidus; therefore, it was possible then to shake them off and for each to continue on his path. The holy Rebbe Nachman suffered from both the Misnagdim and from great Chassidim and Admorim like the "Shpoler Zeide," who tried to incite the leaders of the generation against him and took vigorous actions to have him excommunicated. Moharnat merited not only the persecution of the great Lithuanians and Chassidim, but he also suffered terribly from the great leaders of Breslov themselves! The great students of Rebbe Nachman! Rabbi Aharon Farkash shlit"a arrived at the protest tent opposite Tzalmon Prison and related that he held a manuscript of the book *Yemei HaTela'ot* (Days of Tribulations), and described there were all the humiliations and persecutions Moharnat suffered at the hands of Rebbe Nachman's great students and everything they said about him—and these sections were omitted from all printed editions. What *is* told about Moharnat there is frightening enough: how his other opponents influenced important Rabbis like the Savraner to tell false stories that Moharnat committed serious transgressions regarding holiness and more, until the great leaders ruled that it is a mitzvah to persecute him and every Breslov Chassid, and that it is even permitted to kill him and hand him over with false testimony to the legal authorities. They lynched him, and several times almost killed him. When they didn't succeed, they made up false accusations and handed him over to the government, which imprisoned him in extremely harsh conditions. Even there, the prisoners almost killed him until the prison guard heard his screams and saved him. All this was caused by the great Rabbis and Torah scholars of the generation who justified their actions and claimed that Moharnat makes himself into a prophet and a false messiah and deceives the people, therefore he is a strayer and leads the many astray and is liable to death. And to stop him via the authorities, they ruled that it is permitted to bear false witness against him, and indeed they set up 12 false witnesses and false oaths and gave much money for bribes until they succeeded in their plot. All this by people with peyos and beards who learn Torah day and night.

After the wardens saw that Moharnat's life was in immediate danger, they moved him to a room in isolation from the other prisoners. There, it was possible to bring him some books, paper, and a pen, and there he wrote one of the most wonderful teachings in Likutey Halachot (Halachot Yayin Nesech 4). There he addresses his arrest and explains in a deep way how such a situation exists where people who keep Torah and Mitzvot, and even Chassidim, can err in such a severe matter that they permit the blood of another Jew and say there is a mitzvah to persecute him. And specifically regarding the true Tzaddik who brings the light of Moshiach to the world, they say such things and explain with all kinds of false reasoning that according to the way of the Torah there is a mitzvah to persecute him to the death. And Reb Nosson warns there that there is a danger to every person that he can, Heaven forbid, fall into their net if he does not guard the Holy Covenant (Bris Kodesh) sufficiently. For all the confusions come because of not guarding the Bris—even people who keep the entire Torah, but in this matter, they are lax, and on the contrary, say that Shmiras HaBris is not such an important thing and there is no need to maintain extra holiness, and they excuse it with all kinds of excuses of Shalom Bayit (domestic peace) and the like, that it is permitted to do forbidden things. From this comes the result that all the lights of the Torah are swapped for them, and they call the impure pure and the pure impure, and say there is a mitzvah to persecute the Tzaddikim, the unique ones of the generations, as we have seen throughout the generations. And this is the main reason for the length of the exile, for if they believed in the true Tzaddik, everything would be rectified. And then he continues and states the secret of the Tzaddik in prison: that this is considered as if one seizes and imprisons the Shechinah (Divine Presence) in jail and in an actual prison, as if He, may He be blessed, sits in prison, as it is said 'And he is bound in chains,' and as it is said in the Tikkunim many times regarding this matter that regarding Him it is said, 'A prisoner cannot free himself from prison,' etc. See there in Likutey Halachot at length.

For the benefit of the public, we brought in another newsletter a summary from the book "Yemei HaTela'ot" written by Reb Avraham ben Reb Nachman zt"l in the work *Kochavei Or* and *Biur HaLikutim*, which describes all the tribulations and terrible persecutions Moharnat went through, and how they incited all the leaders of the generation against him with libels that he transgressed severe sins for which the law is 'die rather than transgress,' until they permitted his blood and the blood of every Breslov Chassid. And from everything Moharnat built over all the years in Breslov, only 5 students were seen in his synagogue. What we call today students of Rebbe Nachman and Moharnat by the name "Breslov Chassid" after the city of Breslov—in Moharnat's time, a Breslov Chassid even in the city of Breslov was ashamed to say he was a Breslov Chassid, or feared they would kill him. And today, the fact that there are tens of thousands of Breslov Chassidim is only in the merit of Moharnat, and Rebbe Nachman said of him, "In his merit, not one conversation of mine will be lost."

Rolling a Debt Through a Debtor

When we arrived at the holy protest tent at Tzalmon Prison, we passed by a great and famous Tzaddik in the north of the country who prefers we not mention his name, and we told him where we came from. He answered and said, "We need to join in the sorrow of the Tzaddik. May the names be blotted out of those who put him [Rabbi Berland] there; they are Erev Rav, Amalek, and they are delaying this Moshiach." We asked, "Until when? We have no strength!" He said, "I also have no strength, I am going crazy from this. Let all the Amalekite Erev Rav die already, and then the Geulah will come" [as stated in the Zohar Part 1, page 25].

We went around to many other Tzaddikim and they all said the same thing, that they are afraid to express their opinion in public because all kinds of people come to them speaking Lashon Hara (slander) about the Tzaddik and try to incite them against the Tzaddik, and they don't have the strength for it. One great Tzaddik from the center of the country told us that he knows clearly that the Rav shlit"a took upon himself all these humiliations willingly, and even paid people to humiliate him, and whoever took the money and did it is a fool. And all those who continue the war against the Tzaddik, if they do not do teshuvah, will die strange deaths within a time (which is kept with us in the editorial office).

Therefore, we saw in the book *Yemei HaTela'ot* that after Moharnat received the terrible humiliations and persecutions, all the opponents began to fall, one by one. Some died sudden deaths, some strange and terrible deaths, and for some, their entire family passed away, until the remaining disputants came to him, kissed his feet, and with terrible weeping begged him to forgive them.

When Rebbe Nachman was in Istanbul and used stratagems so people would humiliate him and cause him pain, the head of the persecutors died a sudden death a short time later. So they asked Rebbe Nachman, "What did he do? After all, you invited the humiliations upon yourself and hid yourself so they wouldn't know you are a Tzaddik, so how is he so guilty that he deserves death?!" Rebbe Nachman answered with a parable:

"There was a certain king who loved one of the ministers' sons and cherished him, and drew him close with all kinds of love and affection. Afterwards, when he grew up, he acted brazenly against the king (meaning, he nullified the king's decree). The king said: Know, that even though I love you very much, nevertheless it is impossible for me to violate the law and justice of the kingdom, and your sentence is decided for death. Immediately, the king commanded to lock him in iron chains and put him in prison. This minister's son began to imagine in his mind the suffering he would have from the execution, and saw that his pain would not last a long time, only until he was killed. But when he began to imagine in his mind the king's pain, he saw that the king's pain would be very great, for the king's pain would be forever, because he knows the king loves him very much and will have great longing for him, and very great pain forever. He had compassion on the king's pain more than his own pain, and thought thoughts of how to save the king from his pain. He settled on this: Is not shame considered like death? (Gemara Bava Metzia 58b).

He commanded the prison warden to bring him before the king and said to the king: I know the truth that your pain is greater than my pain, but it is impossible for you to violate the statute and law of the kingdom. Therefore, this is the advised counsel: that you bring about stratagems so that someone will shame me in public, and shame is considered like death. Therefore, see to take out from the captives a certain robber whose sentence is death, and I will provoke him until he gets angry at me and humiliates me and beats me in public, and great shame will come to me from this, and it will be considered like death. Afterwards, they will take the robber who is liable to death regardless and execute him according to his sentence. The world will think that because he humiliated the king's beloved servant he was killed, and the honor of the kingdom and his servant will not be desecrated. So too, sometimes someone humiliates the Tzaddik, and in truth, he does a great favor for the Tzaddik, for he atones for him regarding that for which he was liable to pass away, and it is exchanged for this shame. But nevertheless, it is not the honor of Heaven not to take revenge on the one who humiliated the King's servant who is very dear to Him, and to punish the one who humiliated the Tzaddik. For this also is not pleasing before Him, for punishing the Tzaddik is also not good. Therefore, He, may He be blessed, turns events around, and sets up against the Tzaddik such a man who is already liable to death and punishment from before, and arranges for both of them to be at one inn. This one humiliates the Tzaddik, and the Tzaddik is exempted by this from his judgment as mentioned above, and this man is punished afterward, and the Name of Heaven is sanctified that for the honor of the Tzaddik he was punished. But in truth, 'he killed a dead man,' for he was already liable to his punishment from before. 'And the ways of Hashem are upright' (Hosea 14:10), 'and there is no injustice in Him' (Psalms 92:16)." (Shivchei HaRan, Order of his Journey to Eretz Yisrael).

Controversy is Necessary Against One Who Returns People to Good

Rebbe Nachman says there is no other way! Whoever engages in bringing those who are far close (Kiruv) must have controversy against him! Know that when the Holy One, Blessed be He, looks at a soul that can return people in teshuvah (repentance) and make converts, then He, may He be blessed, Himself, as it were, requests and sees to it that there will be controversy against him. For 'converts are not accepted in the days of the Messiah nor in the days of Solomon (Yevamot 24) because of the King's table,' for then they do not convert out of love, but only because they see the greatness of Israel. The main aspect of converts is when they convert at a time when Israel is swept down in poverty and distress, as it is written (Isaiah 54): 'Who dwells with you? [He who surrenders to you] in your poverty' etc. (Ibid in the Gemara). And therefore, necessarily, there must be controversy against the one who returns people to the good and makes converts, so that he will have no tranquility. For then, whoever draws close to him does so in truth, and then he can make converts in truth, not because of peace and comfort as mentioned above.

And this is: 'And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings (megurei).' And it is brought in the Midrash (Genesis, Parsha 84): 'Megurei of his father'—that he made converts (megayer gerim) like his fathers. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said (Ibid): 'And Jacob dwelt'—'Jacob sought to dwell in tranquility, immediately the agitation of Joseph sprang upon him.' That is, because Jacob was making converts, the aspect of 'megurei of his father,' therefore he could not dwell in tranquility, so that the converts would be sincere. And if he had tranquility, he could not make converts, for converts are not accepted in the days of the Messiah as mentioned above." (Likutey Moharan Torah 228)

And see Likutey Moharan Torah 114, "He who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth," that through the controversy against the Tzaddik, all the abundance comes to the world without accusation. "And this is (Psalms 37): 'The wicked watches/anticipates the righteous' etc., that the wicked person who opposes the Tzaddik is only a 'Tzofeh' (watcher), meaning a coating (tzipui) and covering over the Tzaddik, so that he can draw down abundance as mentioned above. But 'and seeks to slay him'—that the wicked seeks to uproot and kill, Heaven forbid, the Tzaddik—'Hashem will not leave him in his hand,'" see there everything, and also in Torah 208.

And the Komarna Rebbe in *Netiv Mitzvotecha* (Path of Torah, Path 1, Letter 13-14) said that the soul of the Baal Shem Tov did not want to descend to this world because of the multitude of disputants that would stand against him. But in his lifetime, he saw that the disputants are the kelipot (husks) that guard the fruit, and when the fruit is finished, the husk is given to burning fire, consumed and lost. So the Baal Shem Tov would seek and chase after someone to humiliate and revile him, and he would love them. And the Komarna said, "Most of the controversies that were against the Tzaddikim from the time of the Rivash Tov until today are of such matters, to guard them," see there.

And the holy Rebbe Nachman explains (Sichot HaRan 96): "For the Tzaddik inclines toward kindness and judges all those who oppose him favorably, that their intention is for the sake of Heaven. For the world could not endure the light of the Tzaddik, for his light is very great for the world to endure. And also because there are many judgments and great accusations against the great true Tzaddik, therefore they oppose him, and by this, they silence the judgments and accusations. Just as we see when there is a harsh judgment against a person, and one person dons zealotry and says: I will go and take revenge on him and execute judgment on him. By this, he silences the other litigants who are accusing him, whose judgments it would have been impossible for him to endure. It turns out that this one who goes to take revenge on him does him a very great favor, for certainly, it is better and easier for him to endure the judgment of this one, which is possible for him to endure, than to endure their judgments, Heaven forbid, which would be impossible to endure."

Every Word is a Stone in the Building!

We all know what Rebbe Nachman said (Chayei Moharan 43) about those who merit to reach him for the holy Kibbutz on Rosh Hashanah, that each one is a stone in the building. And it is brought in Sefer Yetzirah: "Two stones build two houses. Four build twenty-four houses. Five build one hundred and twenty, etc." It turns out that every soul multiplies the building of the houses. Likewise, Rebbe Nachman says (Sichot HaRan 96) that regarding the Tzaddik, every word with which they humiliate him, speak about him, or oppose him, is a stone in the building. For it is written, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, is destined to bequeath to every single Tzaddik 310 worlds." Imagine for yourselves how many houses are in one city, how many houses are in one country, how many houses are in a whole world—so the Holy One, Blessed be He, builds for the Tzaddik 310 (Shai) worlds through the multiplicity of stones, which are the words reviling the Tzaddik in this world! So the Tzaddik looks at and loves every word spoken about him. "How precious is his greatness, his delights, and his pleasures, beyond estimation and measure," see there.

And Rebbe Nachman reveals a secret to us, that not only is every word spoken about the Tzaddik very good for him, but also what is spoken about his people are very great favors. "All the words spoken against the true Tzaddik and against his people are very great favors materially and spiritually. As it is brought in the Midrash (Tanchuma Parshat Nitzavim) on the verse: 'You are standing (Nitzavim)' which is juxtaposed to the section of curses, to say that all the curses are the very things that stand you up (matzivin)" (Likutey Moharan 181). Fortunate are we that we merited!

When he returned from Eretz Yisrael, Rebbe Nachman z"l said, "I brought you a gift—the Machloket." When the Rav shlit"a returned from abroad, he said, "I brought you a gift—the Machloket." And immediately we merited letters from "Breslov leaders," articles, and strong words—310 worlds! What a merit! What gifts! We merited!

Once the Rav shlit"a said: The time will come when everyone will be against us, that anyone who remains my student will be ashamed to go out to the street, as it was in the time of Moharnat. After the persecutions of the Shpoler Zeide, Rebbe Nachman said, "No, my children! That was not my intention! My intention was that they would not let me sit on a Jewish bench ('a Yiddisher prizbeh')!" (Letters of Reb Avraham Rechtman). When the Rav shlit"a was transferred from Ella Prison in the south to Tzalmon Prison in the north, the Rav said in a class: We merited what Rebbe Nachman said, "A prizbeh, a prizbeh"—at every step and pace, there needs to be controversy against us (Siach Sarfei Kodesh).

International Persecution

But such persecution as today has never happened before.

Rebbe Nachman said, "There are people who do not know me at all and oppose me. And he said that it is brought in the holy Zohar (Exodus 17) on the verse 'Come, let us deal wisely with him': Do you think that Pharaoh went to each and every person and said to him 'Come let us deal wisely'? Rather, he put it into their hearts, etc. (Chayei Moharan 394)." We have reached such a situation where in the entire world there are people who oppose the Tzaddik even though they do not know him at all.

And why is all this?

Rebbe Nachman explains in Likutey Moharan Torah 170 that the more people there are who oppose the Tzaddik, the more people there are whom the Tzaddik elevates to their root. "For everyone, according to his soul and according to his service, so he has suffering. There is one who has suffering from his children and his father and a neighbor. And there is one who is at a greater level than him, and he has suffering from distant neighbors. And there is one greater than him, and he has suffering from the whole city. And there is one very great, and he has suffering from the whole world. And each one, through the suffering, carries upon himself the people from whom he has suffering, for when he has suffering from them, he carries them upon himself. But how is it possible for matter to carry upon itself so many people? However, through the suffering, his body is humbled etc. It turns out that through having suffering and troubles, the form—that is, the soul—shines, and the soul can carry upon itself many, many people. And this is: 'Hashem, how many are my tormentors.' The more my tormentors increase, 'Many rise up against me,' for through this I carry and establish and lift many to their root."

And not only does the Tzaddik lift and rectify all those who oppose him, but he even rectifies through this the flaw itself, meaning the flaw of Emunat Chachamim (faith in the sages) of those who oppose Tzaddikim.

Does this sound delusional?

These are Rebbe Nachman's words:

"And there are Tzaddikim of the generation whose faith is certainly complete, and nevertheless there is controversy against them. This is in the aspect of (Isaiah 53): 'And he bore the sin of many' etc., (Ibid): 'And their iniquities he shall bear,' meaning that he has controversy for the sake of the world. And through the controversy that is against him, through this, he rectifies the Emunat Chachamim among the masses." (Likutey Moharan 61)

And as the prophet Hosea said, "And I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against me" (Hosea 7:13), that the Tzaddik redeems even those who speak lies against him.

"In Uman, he spoke about the matter of the controversy against him, that they speak lies against him. He answered and said by way of complaint: 'And I would redeem them'—this is the verse said in Hosea 7, where the prophet complains about Israel, that he wants to do favors for them, and they speak lies against him, as it is said: 'And I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against me.' But he, of blessed memory, mentioned then only these two words 'Ve'anochi efdem' (And I would redeem them). And he said them with a melody, in the tune belonging to that verse, as is understood by one versed in Scripture and its interpretation." (Chayei Moharan 396)

It turns out that by the Tzaddik accepting upon himself humiliations from the entire world, he can thus rectify the entire world. And the more people oppose him, the greater the rectification will be. If Rebbe Nachman merited to reach Eretz Yisrael against all odds by accepting upon himself humiliations and 'katnut of katnut,' and Moharnat merited through 'katnut of katnut of katnut' that through him we have Rebbe Nachman today—meaning Rebbe Nachman's teachings, the connection to Rebbe Nachman, the Tziyun (grave), etc.—and our teacher the Rav shlit"a who merited 'katnut of katnut of katnut,' through which we have Breslov today, as Rabbi Arush shlit"a testified about him and said in these words: "All of Breslov was nothing without the Rav, nothing. Without the Rav, there was nothing in Breslov. I know that he did it all, I know well what he did." As is known, all the tens and hundreds of thousands of Jews who arrived in Uman in the last decades are all in his merit, that he opened the way. And with Hashem's help, in the merit of the humiliations, he will open for us the way to the complete Geulah (Redemption).

Rebbe Nachman says (Likutey Moharan 30) that the more the patient is ill, the greater the doctor he needs; the further a person is from holiness, the greater the Tzaddik he needs to elevate him. Because as the generations descend more, the patient is greater (sicker), and therefore needs a greater doctor, a greater Tzaddik. It emerges that the whole matter of the decline of the generations applies only to the masses, but regarding the true Tzaddik, on the contrary—the more the generations descend, he must only ascend, for there is no orphaned generation, and in every generation, according to the decline of the generation, so there is a greater Tzaddik who can rectify them. So it is understood why Rebbe Nachman descended into 'katnut of katnut' to reach 'gadlut of gadlut,' and Moharnat into 'katnut of katnut of katnut' to reach 'gadlut of gadlut of gadlut,' and so on until this generation where the Tzaddik had to descend into infinite katnut to reach infinite gadlut, until he rectifies the whole world according to the magnitude of the humiliations.

And our teacher the Rav shlit"a said recently in a recorded conversation regarding the falsehood spreading in the world due to our many sins, and specifically among Breslov Chassidim. The Rav read from Likutey Halachot (Simanei Chaya Behemah Tehorah 4:34) and said: "They haven't told all the lies yet, this is only the beginning. Falsehood needs to win; these are not enough lies yet. For if there are still Tzaddikim, it is a sign that falsehood has not yet taken over so much. Until falsehood wins over everyone completely, completely, completely, the Geulah cannot come. For specifically through the spread of falsehood, that falsehood will win completely, completely, completely, and there will no longer be any point of truth, only a numbered few will hold onto the truth, and falsehood will seize everyone, and everyone will err in its lies—only then will the truth be revealed and then Moshiach will come. We need to encourage the liars, and not be strict with them, let them invent more lies and more lies, let them do more articles in Germany, in Holland; in the whole world there need to be articles. Only in Germany and Holland and America are there articles?! [That's not enough], that's worth nothing! Reb Nosson asks what is the meaning of 'A lying tongue is but for a moment (argi'a)'? And he says: Even if I calm (argi'a) the lying tongue, in the end, the truth will win. Just let there be 'argi'a lashon sheker' (let the lying tongue run wild/calmly spread), just let the lies multiply and multiply without end, without measure, without limit, which has not happened since the creation of the world. Whoever holds onto the truth will merit to see King Moshiach. Moshiach will come when he sees that there are a few people who are not seduced, who know these are lies, that nothing can confuse them."

Rectification of the World (Tikkun Olam)

Why? Why must Moshiach be revealed in such a form? Why must the whole world descend to such low levels before the Geulah comes? Why does the Tzaddik need to be humiliated in such a way and for there to be such a great Chilul Hashem (desecration of God's name) in the world? Why do holy and God-fearing people need to sin in such a great sin of humiliating a Torah scholar, for which there is no atonement eternally—neither Yom Kippur nor death nor Gehennom atones? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Rebbe Nachman explains (Likutey Moharan 71): "There are Tzaddikim who accept suffering upon themselves willingly for the sake of Israel, and by this, they exchange the flow (shefa)." And he said (Torah 63): "And the Tzaddik sometimes accepts suffering upon himself for the sake of the world, and it is like an exchange, that he exchanges the influence and providence with Hashem Yisbarach. For He does not want this influence and providence, and He covers the face of this providence, and accepts upon Himself suffering. For He chooses spiritual influence and providence, and that influence which departed is scattered among the world. And this is the aspect of 'revealing a handbreadth and covering,' etc., that sometimes He reveals a face of favor and providence, and covers a face of anger; and sometimes He covers a face of favor and providence, etc." Out of the infinite compassion of these Tzaddikim, they accept upon themselves to be humiliated and receive the most terrible suffering in the world to influence good for the whole world, including those people who cause them pain.

And this is how willful sins are transformed into merits.

"And when the Holy One, Blessed be He, wants to taste from the positive commandments of a Jewish man who is a Tzaddik, then it is an aspect of a limb from a living creature, which is forbidden to eat, and needs slaughtering (shechitah) to permit it. Therefore, shame must come upon him, which is bloodshed, an aspect of slaughtering, which purifies the limb from the living, and then Hashem Yisbarach can taste from his positive commandments, whether one positive commandment or many commandments... And in the matter of spilling the blood of Israel, there are many supernal and hidden things, whether spilling blood through shame or other actual bloodshed. For there are many, many fallen souls that have no ascent except through the spilling of the blood of Israel of a great man, and sometimes they have no ascent except through actual bloodshed. And this is the aspect of (Yoma 86b) 'Willful sins become like merits.' For through the shame and bloodshed, the Shechinah covers their blood with the aforementioned love. And this is the aspect of: 'Love covers all transgressions,' as mentioned above. And the willful sins are transformed into merits, and the fallen souls, which are the aspect of transgressions, are elevated, for they are elevated and transformed into merits through the covering of blood in love as mentioned above." (Likutey Moharan Part 2, 83)

And this is how the Tzaddik saves the world from a terrible holocaust.

"The name is the soul (nefesh), in the aspect of 'A living soul is his name,' and there is in this aspect Mesirat Nefesh (self-sacrifice): For there are Ten Martyrs of the Kingdom who sacrificed their souls for the sanctification of Hashem for the sake of the unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shechinah, as is known. For the main unification is through Mesirat Nefesh. And they saw in those generations that it was impossible to rectify and make unifications above except through their souls; therefore, they sacrificed their souls for the sanctification of the Name. For when the souls ascend above through Mesirat Nefesh, then they return to the Shechinah, for from there they went out, for Israel is literally a portion of God from above, for they are literally parts of the Shechinah, in the aspect of 'Those borne from the belly' (Isaiah 46). And when they return to the Shechinah, then the Shechinah boasts: 'See what a son I have come to you' (Zohar Vayikra 13). And then a supernal longing is awakened and a unification is made as is known. And sometimes killing comes for this need, Heaven forbid, that many, many souls from Israel are killed, Heaven forbid, so that there will be a unification through their souls ascending above, for sometimes very many souls are needed for the unification, Heaven forbid; therefore killing comes, Heaven forbid.

And so too through the loss of the name, meaning the famous one (mefursam)—that is, there is one who is famous and not famous; that is, he is famous in everyone's mouth and everyone speaks of him, and nevertheless he is not famous, for he is not considered important at all. And there is one who does not desire this, only that he lost the fame—that is, the loss of the name which is the soul—that is, even though it is not his will that he not be famous, nevertheless he lost it, just as a person loses something against his will; that is, he lost the name, which is the aspect of a famous person who has a name in the world. But there I"S ON"E WH"O DOE"S THI"S willingly and knowingly, who sacrifices his soul for the sanctification of the Name—that is, his fame, which is the aspect of the name as mentioned above, which is the aspect of the soul as mentioned above. And because of this, even though he is famous, nevertheless he is not famous at all, for on the contrary, it is the opposite, for everyone speaks against him, and they invent lies against him that never entered his mind, and he has actual bloodshed from this. And he does this with intent, for it is an aspect of actual Mesirat Nefesh, for the name is the soul as mentioned above, and he also has bloodshed from this as mentioned above. And he saves Israel with this from what was fitting to come upon them, Heaven forbid, for the sake of the unification as mentioned above. And through the sacrifice of his name, which is his soul as mentioned above, he saves them as mentioned above." (Likutey Moharan 260)

Rebbe Nachman says "There is one who does this willingly and knowingly." Who is this one? There is a hint: Yesh Echad Sheoseh Zot (There is one who does this) - the acronym is Y"Sh E"chad Sh"eoseh Z"ot = 318 = Eliezer. Who is the one? Eliezer, "And the name of the one was Eliezer, for the God of my father was my help."

When it reached a situation where it was clear to everyone that the Rav shlit"a was accepting upon himself the humiliations and persecutions with love, and on the contrary, the more they persecuted and humiliated him, the more people drew close to him who did not belong to Breslov at all, as they said on the information line—then the Rav hired the services of expensive media consultants and went on a PR campaign. Then everyone saw: Behold, the Rav does not want the humiliations; one cannot claim otherwise, for the Rav himself pays media consultants to defend himself. So through this—the opposite occurred! The Tzaddik caused the humiliations to continue with greater strength and vigor because many think the Rav does not want the humiliations, and on the contrary, the humiliations only increase, and the Rav fulfilled "But I need there to be controversy against me constantly, for I go from level to level at every time and every moment."

In all the 45 years that the Rav's Yeshiva has existed, the Rav constantly said, "There will be a stormy wind here so that 5 students will remain at the end, as it was with Reb Nosson." When the Rav opened the Yeshiva, the Rav said to the Rebbetzin tlit"a, "On condition that only 5 students remain like the students of Rabbi Akiva." But the Yeshiva only grew and grew, with tens of families, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, up to a hundred thousand people around the world receiving strengthening from our teacher the Rav shlit"a. And the Yeshiva received support from all the Rabbis and leaders of the generation, until it was almost impossible for anything to stop it. Yet the Rav continued to say "Only five will remain at the end." They laughed. Only those who explained the Rav with all kinds of explanations [understood]. But when the Rav took upon himself the humiliations 3 and a half years ago and went into exile from the Holy Land, one of the Rav's veteran and righteous students wrote a letter of strengthening to one of the bochurim (young men), and within the letter mentioned the words of Moharnat in Likutey Halachot (Yoreh Deah 1, page 56), and this is a bit of his language: "And even though the Sitra Achra (Other Side) and falsehood overpower him more and more, more than all the Tzaddikim, and cover and invent lies against him that never entered his heart. And as we find in several generations that specifically regarding the 'Tzaddik Chad Bedara' (Unique One of the Generation), the greatest in degree, they said lies and falsehoods and libels against him that never entered his mind. And the first was Abraham our Father, about whom they said he was a heretic, as brought in the Midrash, that they said: Because of this heretic the famine came. And so too Moshe Rabbeinu whom they suspected of adultery with a married woman, and each one was jealous of his wife regarding Moshe, as our Sages of blessed memory explained. And so too Jeremiah, they suspected him of adultery with a married woman. And similarly regarding the greatest of Tzaddikim specifically, the unique ones of the generations, they said such things... etc."

So that student wrote in these words: "Behold, the movie repeats itself in every generation as Moharnat wrote: 'And so too Jeremiah, they suspected him of adultery with a married woman. And similarly regarding the greatest of Tzaddikim specifically, the unique ones of the generations, they said such things.' As written in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (Chapter 33) regarding Elijah the Prophet, and as written in Sippurei Ma'asiot (The Tale of a Rav and an Only Son) regarding the Holy Rebbe, and so too in Yemei HaTela'ot, and so too many more.

And continued in the letter: "And the truth is, as long as they did not say such things about the Rav, it was as if something was missing to complete the picture of his greatness. After all, if he is truly one of the great unique ones of the generations, then why don't they say such things about him as they did about the other Tzaddikim Moharnat mentioned? Where is 'our friend' the Sitra Achra? Did he fall asleep on the job? And behold, Baruch Hashem, this 'question' has also been solved!"