The Holy Kibbutz (gathering) with Rebbe Nachman on Rosh Hashanah

The Elevation of the Worlds Accomplished Through the Power of Gathering with our Holy Rebbe

It is brought in the book Chayei Moharan (95) a vision that our Holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman) saw and recounted on the eve of Yom Kippur after the Kapparos (atonement ritual): That he was walking in a certain forest, and the forest was vast without end or limit. He wanted to turn back, but someone came to him and said that in this forest it is impossible to reach its end or limit, for this forest is without end or limit. The forest hints at the Rosh Hashanah of our Rebbe, which is infinite, like the forest that has no end or limit. Every year, Rosh Hashanah is higher than the previous year. For every year the Tzaddik (holy righteous person) ascends to higher and more sublime worlds, as there are infinite worlds, and our Rebbe ascends infinite levels and raises those who come to him to these worlds. Reb Nosson explains (in Hilchos Tefillas HaMincha 7:22) that the entire matter of the Tzimtzumim (Divine constrictions) at the beginning of creation was for the sake of man, for everything was created for him. Hashem extended the revelation of His Godliness with wondrous wisdom for the sake of the creation of the worlds. [For when it arose in His blessed Will to do good, He had to, as it were, constrict Himself to clear a space for the existence of the worlds]. At first, He extended a certain light, then concealed the light because it was not yet possible to endure it, and only a Reshimu (impression/remnant) of the light remained. Afterward, He returned and extended it again with a new and wondrous constriction, and again concealed it so there would not be an excess of light. Thus, He repeatedly extended the light in a wondrous way several times. This is the secret of the Tehiru Ila’ah (the higher primordial purity) and the Tehiru Stam (the general primordial purity), and there all the 22 letters were created, as well as the Olam HaMalbush (the World of the Garment) which folded the light until it became the aspect of the Chalal HaPanui (the Vacant Space). [And these very constrictions that Hashem constricted Himself must necessarily pass over man. For they all existed only for the sake of man, that he should rectify everything, and this is through the Tzaddik who rectifies the constriction so that the revelation of His Godliness and Kingship will shine to all inhabitants of the world gradually and in measure]. Our Rebbe reaches these sublime worlds and elevates us, rectifying all the worlds that were destroyed due to sins, and renewing for us the Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chaya, and Yechida (the five levels of the soul). All those who merit to come to him in Uman for the days of Rosh Hashanah are elevated above the physicality of this world and are included in the hidden and concealed worlds.

The Entire Rectification of the World Depends on Rebbe Nachman's Rosh Hashanah

The entire rectification of the world depends on our Rebbe's Rosh Hashanah, as he said: "My entire Rosh Hashanah is a great novelty, and Hashem knows that this thing is not an inheritance from my fathers, but Hashem gave it to me as a gift, that I know what Rosh Hashanah is... the whole world depends on my Rosh Hashanah" (Chayei Moharan 405). Through him, all influences in both physicality and spirituality flow. This explains the continuation of the aforementioned vision: "And all the vessels in the world were all made from this forest." This forest is the Rosh Hashanah of our Holy Rebbe, with which he provides vessels (channels) for the entire world. Afterward, he came to a river and wanted to reach the end of the river, and again someone came to him and said that in this river it is impossible to reach its end, for this river has no edge or end. This river is the "Flowing Stream, Source of Wisdom" (Nachal Novea Mekor Chochma). And all the people of the world drink from the waters of this river. For our Rebbe is the one who influences spirituality and physicality for the entire world, and all the innovations that the Tzaddikim will innovate are all drawn from our Rebbe's Rosh Hashanah. Afterward, he came to a mill that stood on that river. Someone also came to him and said that this mill grinds for the entire world. For all the influences for the world arrive from Rosh Hashanah, as the entire creation depends on our Rebbe's Rosh Hashanah. It follows that everyone who prays in the Holy Kibbutz (gathering) is a pipe through which our Holy Rebbe influences abundance to the entire world. One who participates in the prayers in the Kloiz (the main synagogue in Uman) is included in the "rectifications of the houses," meaning the rectifications made through the letters and words of the prayer. For our Rebbe revealed that the main perfection of prayer is achieved through prayer with Kavanah (intention)—to understand the simple meaning of the words. Therefore, it is worthwhile to utilize every free moment to pour out one's heart, whether through Likutey Tefilot (Collected Prayers), Tehillim (Psalms), or by innovating some logic in Torah study. The main thing is to guard this sublime time upon which the whole world depends. Such was the custom of Reb Shmuel Isaac, a student of our Holy Rebbe, who throughout the days of Rosh Hashanah would not move from his place in the Kloiz. Immediately after finishing the Ma'ariv (evening) prayer, he would stay in his place, perform Kiddush (sanctification over wine), eat a Kazayit (olive-sized portion of bread), and continue his service, saying Psalms until daybreak. Likewise, during the daytime prayer, he would pray with such Deveikus (cleaving to God) and enthusiasm that people could not stand near him. A short time before the Mincha (afternoon) prayer, he would perform Kiddush, eat a Kazayit, and continue his prayer. He did the same on the second night and continued his wondrous service until the conclusion of Rosh Hashanah. It turns out he stood in his place for two full 24-hour periods. At the conclusion of Rosh Hashanah, after he opened his belt, his clothes disintegrated from the great heat and enthusiasm he had during his prayer (brought in Siach Sarfei Kodesh, Vol. 3, 204).

The Power to Annul Decrees in Uman

In Uman, one can accomplish everything—to annul all the decrees that exist against the Jewish people. There are decrees that are before the final judgment. In the year 1803 (5563), when the decree of the "Punktin"—the "Cantonists" (forced conscription of Jewish children)—was heard, our Rebbe said on Rosh Hashanah the lesson of Torah 5, "With trumpets and the sound of the Shofar," and our Rebbe opened his Torah there: "For every person must say, the whole world was created only for my sake. It follows that since the world was created for my sake, I must see and look into the rectification of the world... and pray for them... and the matter of prayer is in two ways: one before the final judgment and one after the final judgment..." And indeed, our Rebbe said that he postponed the decree for twenty-some years, and it happened exactly so (from the time he said the Torah in 1803 until the decree went into effect in 1827). In Uman, there is the power to annul all decrees. Therefore, the duty falls upon us to sweeten and annul the decrees from the Jewish people. Our Rebbe said that if all the Tzaddikim had joined him then, he could have annulled it completely. It is told that once there was a woman whose son was taken; she ran to the synagogue and cried before the Holy Ark, roaring with loud voices and terrible weeping, and from her great pain, she fainted and her soul departed. When this became known to Reb Nosson zt"l, he said: "If she had turned to me, I would have advised her to strengthen herself and set a fixed time every day to pray before Him, may He be blessed, that she should succeed. She would have been effective in her prayer not only to bring him back, but several other children would have returned as well." We do not know the greatness of the power of one hour of Hisbodedus (secluded prayer), through which one can sweeten many decrees and draw down infinite salvations. These decrees lasted until World War I (though in 1848, three years after the passing of Reb Nosson, the decree was somewhat sweetened in his merit, and they no longer snatched children by force, and there were ways to evade it through bribery and various means; until then, there was a fixed quota of children, and they would take even children at the age of three). Drawing the light of Rosh Hashanah to the entire year through joy and dancing: One must extend the light of Rosh Hashanah to the whole year, and this is through joy and dancing. This explains the vision that our Rebbe saw (brought in Chayei Moharan, Lesson 96): "He told during the days of Elul (the month preceding Rosh Hashanah) that he dreamed he wanted to enter a house to hear the sound of the Shofar. He passed by one house and heard that there they were singing, clapping hands, and dancing very much, rejoicing with great leaps and dances in the manner of those who are very happy and laughing. I answered and said, 'Surely it is good to enter here to hear the sound of the Shofar.'" Seemingly, what is the connection between blowing the Shofar and dancing? After all, the commandment of the Shofar is only on Rosh Hashanah, so what is the matter with this? It is like a person taking the Four Species (Lulav and Esrog) in the middle of the year and shaking them with enthusiasm. Rather, through dancing, we extend the light of the Shofar to the entire year.

(Adapted from the holy talk delivered in the Great Kloiz in Uman on Rosh Hashanah 2008 - taken from the Nitzotzos pamphlet 2012)