Watch: An Unbelievable Yet True Story

"I truly request that you write that I did not add a single superfluous word to my story. Since this story sounds unbelievable, I am elaborating, but I am being very precise with the details. I am not a man who gets excited by every nonsense."

"My name is Yitzchak Richard, and I am a Litvish avreich (married Torah student) who grew up and flourished in the Yeshivas and the Litvish world. I have a friend who drew close to Breslov and asked me one day to study Likutey Moharan with him. I agreed, but not because the book interested me, but rather in the aspect of 'Know what to answer a heretic.' The intention was that if some Breslover came and entered into a debate with me, I would know what to answer him. Baruch Hashem, I have good proficiency in many Mussar books and also in Tanya, and now an opportunity fell into my hands to fill this gap as well."

"One day, while I was sitting and learning with him, one of the students in the Beis Midrash turned to me and suggested I come with them to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. Before he arranged the ticket for me, I asked my wife, who answered that as far as she was concerned, I certainly shouldn't go, but I should do what I saw fit. I went to arrange a passport for the trip and discovered that I wasn't actually Israeli; although I was born in Israel, I am considered a French citizen. After a story that was not simple at all, and with the help of a good friend, I managed to get an emergency passport from the French consulate."

"Baruch Hashem, I arrived in Uman, at the holy Tziyun (gravesite) of Rebbe Nachman. I gave a coin to charity and recited the Tikkun HaKlali. From that moment, I felt that everything was worth it, that I am a Jew."

[caption id="attachment_3344" align="alignright" width="376"] The holy Tziyun of Rebbe Nachman in Uman[/caption]

"On the Friday night before Rosh Hashanah, I entered the Kloyz (synagogue), and in my great 'wisdom,' I succeeded in seeing the bad in everyone. I prayed to Hashem Yitbarach to save me from the evil within me. Afterward, I went to the Tziyun and prayed that He would merit me to see the good in everyone. This was difficult for me because in my past I was also a Torah scholar and possessed confidence; for example, if our Rosh Yeshiva was absent, I would replace him. Yet, at the same time, I was a friendly guy whom people liked. Suddenly, I arrive at the Tziyun of Rebbe Nachman, and they show me that I cannot continue to burn up the world like this. I didn't know what to do until I went to a corner and let out a mighty roar for Hashem to save me."

"Before Tashlich, I felt that I wasn't a Breslover. Everyone was in unity, and I was such a huge 'wise man' who only managed to see the bad in everyone. I said to myself, 'You really stink; you simply cannot continue like this.'"

[caption id="attachment_3345" align="alignleft" width="320"] Tashlich in Uman with a multitude of people, in the glory of the King[/caption]

"I go down to Tashlich, and on the way, a small child approaches me and asks if I can accompany him. While walking, he asks if I am a Breslover. 'I don't know, I am debating exactly that question. What do you say?' 'No!' 'So what do I need to do to be a Breslover?' 'First, you can't be a Breslover in secret,' he throws at me. I felt a kind of elevation; suddenly a child arrives and speaks the feelings of my heart."

"On Rosh Hashanah, I tried to strengthen myself in Emunah (faith) and trust, to throw away the intellect and walk on the path Hashem leads me. This was expressed, among other things, by the fact that in the apartment next to us there were guys from Ashkelon who didn't go to pray. I clarified the reason with them, and they answered that even at home they don't pray, so now they are doing the same thing, just near Rebbe Nachman. I continued and asked, if I arrange a minyan here, would they come to pray? They confirmed. This was real mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) for me, to be in Uman and not pray at the Tziyun, and indeed the minyan grew larger. I felt inside that this self-sacrifice would merit me an illumination from Hashem Yitbarach. So I walked around the Tziyun waiting for this light, searching without knowing for what. While walking, I entered the Kloyz and saw an older Chassid praying, and I simply couldn't stop looking at him. I had never seen such a thing; he was shining, truly something tremendous. When the prayer ended, I asked for his name, and they told me it was Rav Shimshon from Mea Shearim."

"On the way back from Uman, two people sat next to me who told me stories about Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a the entire way. I yearned to see him. To my joy, it turned out that one of them was in contact with the Rav shlit"a and also lived near my parents in Sha'arei Chesed (I myself live in the Katamon neighborhood). We arranged that I would come to him and together we would call the Rav shlit"a. I arrived at my parents' house tired from the journey, yet I couldn't hold back from telling them about the experiences I had gone through. Finally, as an aside, I started telling the stories of miracles I heard about the Rav. While I was speaking, my father, who feared for my future, said to me, 'This is a strange Rav, many accusations, stay away. I decree upon you that you do not get close to this Rav. Now you are deleting the phone number of the one who wanted to introduce you to him.' I said to myself, 'Probably another delusional Rav.' I deleted it, and I don't know what I lost."

"In the middle of the winter, I was in a period of mochin d'katnut (constricted consciousness), and suddenly two Breslovers knock on my door, Nachman Nissim and another one whose name I don't remember.

[caption id="attachment_3347" align="aligncenter" width="340"] A lesson by the Rav shlit"a in the Yeshiva[/caption]

My eyes lit up, because I want to do Hisbodedus, I want to draw close to Hashem Yitbarach, and nothing is working. I ask what they want, and they answer that they came to merit me with a standing order (donation) for Shuvu Banim. 'Hopa,' I say to myself, 'crazy people are surely sitting in my living room.' I tell them enthusiastically about Rav Shimshon whom I saw in Uman, and one of them tells me that he is the one who brought him back in teshuvah. 'I was completely secular when Rav Shimshon met me in the street and sat with me all night, establishing facts on the ground.' And then he dropped the bomb – 'Do you know? Rav Shimshon is a student of Rabbi Berland shlit"a.' I went into shock and tried to digest the meaning of these words. Finally, I said to myself that I don't believe my parents on this subject, nor anyone else. I know that I saw a man praying like I have never seen in my life, and if he is a student of Rabbi Berland, no one will confuse me. I signed a standing order for them, and in fact, the moment I started giving money to the Tzaddik, I became bound to him. The Tzaddik starts working with me."

"At that time, I used to go to the Breslov Chassidic shul in Mea Shearim and join a van that traveled from there at two in the morning to the field. For several nights I wandered around and searched the mailboxes for Rav Shimshon's name. My wife didn't understand what was happening to me; I would go out to the window at home and ask Hashem to merit me to find him. On Shavuot, after my soul yearned to reach Uman again, I traveled to the holy Tziyun. I merited holy service near Rebbe Nachman and also merited to meet Rav Shimshon. I felt like I was going to faint. I didn't dare speak a word to Rav Shimshon, I just followed him for two hours wherever he went. After Maariv of the festival, I saw Rav Shimshon again and was sure he had nowhere to make Kiddush—which in retrospect turned out to be a mistake, as he was staying with his family in Uman. However, when I invited him to come to us for Kiddush, he annulled himself to my offer and came immediately."

"On the way, I couldn't hold back anymore and asked him: 'Rav Shimshon, what is the story with Rabbi Berland? He is detained...' I see him overcome with holy trembling a moment before he shouted, 'The Rav is mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice); we have no grasp of the magnitude of the Rav shlit"a's stature and holiness.' Rav Shimshon started speaking such awesome words about the magnitude of the Rav shlit"a's holiness and stature; I felt that I was igniting and must see the Rav. After the Kiddush, I didn't see him until the day the Rav shlit"a asked to recite the entire Book of Psalms at 'Shuvu Banim.' From there I went to the 'Chut Shel Chessed' Yeshiva, and one of the Chassidim there took me to Rav Shimshon's house. I thought he would be surprised to see me, but as soon as he saw me, he said, 'You see, he who wants, finds in the end.' He strengthened me greatly to come to the gatherings held at midnight (Chatzos) for the Rav shlit"a, and in many matters of serving Hashem."

"I only had an emergency passport that I had taken out the previous year and which expired exactly on Rosh Hashanah. I tried to get a new passport but didn't succeed. I asked Rav Shimshon what to do, and he advised me to do six hours of Hisbodedus at the Western Wall. I did so and finished with the Shacharit prayer at the Atika (ancient synagogue), where I burst into tears. I said to Hashem: 'Where do You want me to be on Rosh Hashanah, in Sha'arei Chesed?!' Afterward, I went to Rav Shimshon, and when he saw me, he said, 'Well done,' as if he knew I had prayed. 'Have a good trip, we'll see you in Uman.' A week before Rosh Hashanah, I still hadn't managed to get a passport, but I cast my burden upon Hashem and bought four tickets for a thousand dollars each—for my father, my two brothers, and myself. On the way to the airport, I said several Tikkun HaKlalis for the success of the Rav shlit"a and entered security at Ben Gurion Airport. The guy asks me: 'Bro, what am I going to do with this passport?' 'Manage with it, that's what there is,' I answer him. 'I absolutely cannot pass you.' He goes to ask his supervisor and returns saying to me, 'Enter.' I continue to check-in and pass that too, continue to passport control, and there too they don't notice. I board the plane with a passport without validity."

"Ukraine, passport control, and I fall upon the most senior and tough officer. He shoots a quick glance at the passport: 'This is not good!' he states. 'It is excellent,' I answer. All the guys around me say, 'It seems you are going to spend Rosh Hashanah in the airport,' because we arrived on Erev Rosh Hashanah. But my friend intervenes and says, 'Look, it has two days of validity, and he is returning tomorrow.' The clerk signed."

"I merited Rosh Hashanah with Rebbe Nachman, but on the return, they won't let me leave. Everyone passed, and I remained in Ukraine, without a dollar, without clothes, and without a phone. The clerk tears my ticket in front of my eyes and tells me, 'Mister, go.' Vans of those returning from Uman start arriving, and having no choice, I start collecting donations (schnorring). Miraculously, I had four instant noodle soups with me, with which I survived the following days, as well as the phone number of a well-known activist. I called him, and he gave me the address of the synagogue in Kiev. I was sure there would be people there who would receive me; in retrospect, it turned out the place was locked, dark, and empty. After a tense time, someone opened a window for me, which I climbed into with my remaining strength. I was exhausted after several days without sleep, to the point that I vomited there. The next day, on the Fast of Gedaliah, I went to the French consulate. After an exhausting day of arrangements, I returned to the synagogue without food, without clothes, and without a shower. Having no choice, I took a room in a hotel, but even though they gave me a significant discount, I still didn't have money to pay. Thursday arrived, and they tell me there is still no approval from the Israeli consulate."

"The situation is difficult; even a call from the head of the association of all Jewish communities in France to the consul did not advance the matter. This is because issuing a permanent passport and receiving it in Kiev takes a month and a half. My spirit fell, so I called Rav Shimshon and told him about the decree. 'What are you talking about? It's all gifts from Hashem. Say three or four Tikkun HaKlalis for the Rav shlit"a and you will see miracles!' he answered."

"I say four Tikkunim for the merit of Rabbi Eliezer ben Etya shlit"a and go down to drink coffee in the lobby. Suddenly my mobile rings. A woman I don't know turns to me and says that maybe she can help. 'Great people have tried,' I answered her, half in despair. The woman calls me back after an hour and says, 'At exactly three o'clock be at the consulate, your passport is ready!' I bought a ticket for Sunday and returned to Israel.

"On Sukkot, I followed Rav Shimshon's advice and went to Rebbe Nachman's Yahrtzeit at Shuvu Banim. It was hard for me, yet I stayed until morning. Afterward, during the Second Hakafot, I had a yearning to buy the Hakafah of Yitzchak Avinu, but I hesitated, so I asked the Rav shlit"a in my heart what to do. At that moment, someone came out of the circle, looked at me, and shouted, 'Yitzchak, Yitzchak, why aren't you buying?' It turns out he was addressing his friend who was next to me, but at that moment I didn't realize that. I bought the Aliyah and the carrying of the Torah scroll, and in retrospect, it turned out that the money for the Rav shlit"a's Yeshiva acted as a pidyon (redemption) and protected me from all the disputants who came against me the moment they heard that I had drawn close to the Rav shlit"a."

"At that time, my wife was expecting, and to our sorrow, they discovered a heart problem with the fetus. I called Rav Shimshon, and he told me to speak with Natan Salomon, the Gabbai, so he could pass a question to the Rav shlit"a. I was sure the Rav would tell me to give a pidyon, but the Rav shlit"a said, 'If he wants to give a pidyon, he doesn't have to.' I entered a war with the Evil Inclination until finally, I threw away my intellect and gave a respectable sum for a pidyon. The next day my wife calls me and informs me of good news regarding the fetus. Mazel Tov to the Richard family on the birth of their son."