Why Has the Path to Uman Closed for Jews? Rebbe Nachman Asks Us to Open Our Eyes and Reflect

Rebbe Nachman Awaits Those Who Opened the Path to Uman

Every year there are debates regarding the number of people arriving at the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman, Ukraine. There are opinions that lean one way and others that are slightly more lenient, but the consensus is that tens of thousands make the journey each year to the holy site, and no one disputes this. Over the years, even before the Iron Curtain fell, hundreds of thousands, if not more, have visited the holy site of Rebbe Nachman. To understand the magnitude of the self-sacrifice surrounding this matter, we can compare it to what happens with the pilgrimage to the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron.

Hundreds of thousands visit Rabbi Shimon each year for the holy celebration on Lag BaOmer. The arrival is from all sectors of society, and from time immemorial, even those not from the mainstream charedi community have visited the holy site. But let us not forget that despite all the difficulties of reaching Rabbi Shimon in Meron and all the bottlenecks and transportation pressures, Meron is still located in Israel. In contrast, reaching the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman requires real self-sacrifice, necessitating travel to Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe, for a few days while dealing with all the logistics involved, which requires great effort.

As mentioned, despite all the difficulties involved, since the path to Uman was opened, hundreds of thousands have already arrived there. But unfortunately, and as it seems, to the sorrow of all of Israel, the one who opened the path to Uman and sacrificed himself to establish this so important mitzvah, is precisely the one who is prevented from reaching there.

Tears and Prayers Brought Down the Walls - Only One Broke Through the Path

Many of the great Breslov chassidim labored in prayers to open the path to Uman. To the younger among us, let us remind that this was during the Cold War period between the USA and the Soviet Union, which began after World War II and the Holocaust of our people. The gates to the entire eastern part of Europe were closed to Western residents, and most importantly for us - no one succeeded in reaching the holy site of Rebbe Nachman in Uman.

This is not the place to recount the history of the formation of Breslov Chassidut in Eretz Yisrael, but in general, it consists of fragments, embers saved from the fire, who arrived after the Holocaust to Israel. Many of the Breslov chassidim, mostly those in Poland, went on Kiddush Hashem in Auschwitz and other extermination camps. Many of those who were in Ukraine were exiled to Siberia after not heeding Rabbi Avraham ben Rebbe Nachman's call to travel to Israel, and their place of death is unknown. May Hashem avenge their blood. A few from the generation of knowledge, the holy giants who served Hashem in Uman, managed to survive the inferno and ascend to Israel, the Holy Land, but their situation here was not promising.

Breslov Chassidut in Eretz Yisrael then appeared as something with no future, a distant dream of chassidim without a Rebbe who barely managed to gather a minyan for prayer. But, a few of the greats of the previous generation who grew up in the shadow of the continuers of the holy chain, succeeded with their great power to pass the torch to the next generation.

On one of the holy Purim days, a young man arrived "by mistake" at the Breslov Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, full of kedushah (holiness) and Torah, named Lazer, and turned everything upside down. Eliezer, who soon became known as Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, served all the greats of the generation in Breslov Chassidut at that time, and quickly began bringing masses closer to the holy path of Rebbe Nachman. He brought many back from sin, Breslov Chassidut grew and developed, and those who were previously ignorant of Torah and mitzvot became Torah scholars who themselves began bringing others closer. However, one thing was still missing - the path to the holy site in Uman was blocked by an Iron Curtain.

Every Heartfelt Person Acknowledges that Rav Berland Opened the Path to Uman

Breslov chassidim, since the path to Uman was blocked, never stopped hoping, praying, and yearning to reach the holy site. Prayer after prayer, tear after plea, they brought down the blocking curtain. But, the path was still closed to all outsiders. Our teacher, the esteemed Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, could not stand by. As soon as he heard about the great merit of the holy journey and staying near the site in Uman, he acted with all his might to open the path. There are countless stories surrounding that magical period, through unorthodox ways and with effort and self-sacrifice beyond understanding, Rav Berland succeeded in breaking through the path. The Rav repeatedly traveled to Uman in Ukraine, evading the clutches of the KGB, and always brought more and more people with him on the holy journey.

As Rabbi Shalom Arush shlit"a said:

"Anyone who has traveled or will ever travel to Uman, it will be thanks to Rav Berland. I am a witness to this unequivocally, he opened the path to Uman clearly, truly with self-sacrifice. One day I will tell, these are things I truly saw with my own eyes, self-sacrifice. This is a great tzaddik who took upon himself suffering for us, and there is also gratitude for reaching Uman thanks to him, he opened the path. And not only that, but he opened all matters of Rebbe Nachman with self-sacrifice."

There are those who try to rewrite history, but every heartfelt person who acknowledges even a little of the truth knows how great Rav Berland's role was in opening the path to Uman and restoring the holy gathering on Rosh Hashanah. However, some who consider themselves "the original Breslovers" were very upset to see how Rav Berland shlit"a brings tens of thousands (without any exaggeration) closer to the path of Judaism in general and Breslov Chassidut in particular. These people did not leave Rav Berland alone all those decades, and in recent years the persecution has intensified.

The Whole World Went into Lockdown Along with Rav Berland's Arrest

The measure was filled even more recently after a small number of "great tzaddikim" went to the authorities and provided false information about Rav Berland and even led to his arrest. Rav Berland was indeed placed behind bars, but unfortunately, the whole world went into great turmoil. The coronavirus began to spread in the country, claiming many victims, all of Israel was placed in isolation imprisonment and the sorrow grew. Many rabbis cried out and declared that everything is happening because a holy tzaddik is sitting in distress for no fault of his own and is being persecuted in a shocking manner, but unfortunately, those who need to understand the clear hints - their hearts have been sealed.

The days of the gathering on Rosh Hashanah arrived. Every year towards the end of the month of Elul, tens of thousands gather and fulfill Rebbe Nachman's great will - "No man shall be missing." And this year? Despite tens of thousands gathering in Balfour for protests, and other ridiculous gatherings being approved by the government in various restaurants and cafes - for some reason, the path to Uman is blocked. The matter has reached the highest political levels, thousands are trying to act in prayer, while activists are working on the frontlines or behind the scenes to open the gates to Uman - but in the meantime, the gate only continues to close.

Rabbi Aharon Stern from Bnei Brak said about the closing of synagogues and study halls during the coronavirus, that we do not know the calculations of Hashem. One thing is certain, added Rabbi Stern, that the judgment was sealed on the distress and imprisonment of the genius and holy tzaddik Rav Berland.

The truth is, it is difficult to see how people are banging their heads against the wall, trying to talk to everyone and exerting all efforts to open the path to Uman, yet the real reason continues to be ignored - teshuvah (repentance) for the disgrace and slander against Rav Berland shlit"a, and a decisive action that will lead to his quick release.

Words of the esteemed chassid Aba Tretzky - And perhaps we are all guilty, the entire public that allowed and continues to allow a group of ruthless criminals to imprison an important Jew and leader of a large community behind bars for over 150 days amidst suffering!

And perhaps from Heaven they are hinting that Rebbe Nachman is telling us: the person who fought for my site and came to me with self-sacrifice - you allowed him to be abused without mercy and to be imprisoned - so you too will understand the hard way why this has come upon you.

[caption id="attachment_47079" align="alignnone" width="482"] Aba Tretzky on the reason for the closing of the path to Uman[/caption]