Rebbe Nachman: The Secret of the Hungarian Wine and the Immense Greatness of the True Tzaddik

Lesson No. 378 | Part 2, continuation of Wednesday, Parashas Vayeitzei, the eve of the 9th of Kislev 5763, Shadarim Kollel in the Old City at the home of the Rav shlit"a

An in-depth discourse on the immense privilege of serving the true tzaddik (righteous one) and tasting the original "Hungarian wine," which prevents us from being misled by imitations. Through parables and stories, the incomprehensible greatness of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov is explained—a greatness that leaves no room for compromise—along with the immense joy that must fill anyone who merits to hear his melody.

Rebbe Nachman told a parable: Once, a great merchant was traveling with fine Hungarian wine ("Ungarisher"). Along the way, his servant and the wagon driver said to him, "Are we not traveling on this road, suffering pain and hardship? Let us taste a little of the wine." The merchant gave them a taste of that good wine.

Days later, it happened that this same servant was sitting with wine drinkers in a small town. They were drinking wine, praising it highly, and claiming that it was fine Hungarian wine. The servant said to them, "Let me taste it." They gave him some, and he immediately declared, "I know that this is not Hungarian wine at all!" They scolded and shoved him, saying, "Who are you anyway? What do you understand about wine?" He replied, "I may be a simple man, but I was once with a great merchant, I helped him on the road, and he gave me a taste of the real wine. Therefore, I know that your wine is fake."

Rebbe Nachman says: So it is with you. We may be simple people, and there are greater, more learned, and more righteous people in the world than us, but we have merited to serve the true tzaddik. In the future, when Mashiach comes and they serve the preserved wine, others might be misled by simple wines, being told that it is the good wine. But our followers cannot be misled, because we have already tasted the truly good wine.

Serving the Tzaddik in Practice

The main thing is to serve the tzaddik, to do something for him involving the thirty-nine categories of labor. Rabbi Nathan writes that serving the tzaddik is expressed through all types of work—whether it is in the yeshiva, printing books, or bringing people closer to Rebbe Nachman. When a person does something and serves the tzaddik, the tzaddik opens up for him such a light, such a mind, and such a heart, the likes of which no other tzaddik in the world possesses.

They tell a story about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak: immediately after Simchas Torah, after the opponents had broken all the windows of the study hall with stones, they grabbed him—being the most innocent young man—and asked him to fix them. They gave him a giant ladder, and he stood at a great height, gluing in small glass panes. Everyone below was happy, dancing, and singing, while he stood on the ladder, poor thing, gluing windows. They told him, "This is the merit that will stand by you; this is worth more than all their dancing here." And in the merit of this, he survived the Holocaust, while the others were tragically murdered, may we be spared.

A person might think, "I will learn more than everyone else; I will be wiser than everyone else." But it does not work that way. It goes according to who truly serves the tzaddik, who does a favor so that rain will not enter the study hall—doing things that others do not want to do, but he specifically wants to do. As it is written regarding Elisha:

"Who poured water on the hands of Elijah" (Kings II, 3:11)

It does not say that he learned Torah from Elijah, but rather that he washed his hands. That is what determines everything.

Beyond All Concept and Idea

On the night before the bris milah (circumcision) of his son Shlomo Ephraim zt"l (about whom Rebbe Nachman said he was meant to be Mashiach), Rebbe Nachman sat with us and spoke extensively about his own greatness and the truth of his extraordinary spiritual level. Rabbi Nathan writes that it is very difficult to instill the concept of his greatness into one's heart.

It is a great privilege for a person who merits to have his thoughts wandering through the words of Rebbe Nachman. Rebbe Nachman said that whoever remembers him will become like a newborn child and will immediately receive a thought of teshuvah (repentance). Yet, despite this, it is impossible to recount his praises at all. Any praise spoken about Rebbe Nachman is considered a disgrace to him, because he was beyond all concept and idea. Everything that is said is considered as nothing, not even a drop in the great ocean.

Even great tzaddikim cannot comprehend a fraction of his greatness. We have no comprehension or grasp of him, except through the few wondrous Torah teachings he revealed in his holy books and in his awesome tales. From this, everyone can, according to what they can fathom in their heart, understand a tiny bit of the infinite heights of the power and holiness of the holy Rebbe Nachman.

There Is No Middle Ground Here

Rebbe Nachman himself repeated several times what the world says about him: that there is no middle ground here. There were neutral people who heard things from both sides and looked for a "golden mean" or a compromise in the middle. But Rebbe Nachman hinted that the truth is there is no middle ground at all.

Either he is, Heaven forbid, as the opponents fabricate about him, or the exact opposite—that he is a true tzaddik, a wondrous, awesome, and exalted novelty that cannot be fathomed by the human mind at all. Let the one who chooses choose the truth, for there is only one truth.

We merited these holy words because of the controversy. Through the intensity of the opposition, a person can understand the truth by looking at the exact opposite, and marvel at his immeasurable greatness. Rebbe Nachman's power is an infinite, unlimited power, and everyone can rely on him without any questions.

Hearing the Melody of Rebbe Nachman

When we understand what we have merited, we should go out dancing in the streets every second out of sheer desire. Instead of walking around broken and sad, or worrying about what people say about us, we must rejoice.

They tell a story about the Saba of Kelm, that once on Simchas Torah, the homeowner entered and saw the yeshiva students going wild, jumping on the tables and dancing. He asked in astonishment, "Is this the education you give your students?" The Saba of Kelm answered him, "Believe me, we want to do this all year round! The Torah is worthy of having people dance and jump for it all year round."

Rebbe Nachman said: "I will play a niggun (melody) for you, and you will start to dance." Whoever does not hear the niggun does not grasp what people are dancing about here and thinks it is madness. But whoever's soul hears the niggun of Rebbe Nachman – it is impossible for him not to dance.

Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 378

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