The Holy Kibbutz with Rebbe Nachman on Rosh Hashanah

THE ASCENT OF THE WORLDS THROUGH THE POWER OF GATHERING BY RABBEINU HAKADOSH

It is brought in Chayei Moharan (§95) an account that our holy Rebbe saw and told on the eve of Yom Kippur after the kapparot: that he once went into a certain forest, and the forest was vast, without end or limit, and he wished to return upon his steps. Then someone came to him and told him that in this forest it is impossible to reach its end or conclusion, for this forest is without end and limit.

The forest hints to Rabbeinu’s Rosh Hashanah, which is infinite, like the forest that has no end or limit. And every year Rosh Hashanah is higher than the year before. For every year, the Tzaddik ascends to ever higher and more exalted worlds, since there are infinite worlds, and our Rebbe ascends infinite levels, and elevates those who come to him to these worlds.

Rabbi Natan explains (Hilchot Tefilat HaMinchah 7:22) that the entire matter of the tzimtzumim (contractions) of the beginning of creation was for the sake of man, for everything was created for him. And Hashem, blessed be He, drew forth the revelation of His Godliness in wondrous wisdom for the creation of the worlds. For when it arose in His will, blessed be He, to bestow goodness, He was compelled, as it were, to contract Himself in order to make space for the existence of the worlds. At first, He drew down a certain light and then concealed it, for it was not yet possible to bear the light, and only a trace (reshimu) of the light remained. Afterwards, He drew it down again in a new and wondrous contraction, and once again concealed it so that there should not be an overabundance of light. And in this way, He drew the light again and again in a wondrous manner, many times. And this is the secret of the tehiru ila’ah and the tehiru stam, and there were created there all the twenty-two letters and the Olam HaMalbush (World of the Garment) that folded the light until it became the aspect of the chalal ha-panui (the vacant space). And these very tzimtzumim with which Hashem contracted Himself—all of them must necessarily pass through man, for they were only for man, that he may rectify everything. And this is through the Tzaddik, who rectifies the tzimtzum, so that the revelation of His Godliness and Kingship should shine to all inhabitants of the world gradually and in measure. To these exalted worlds Rabbeinu comes and raises us, and he repairs all the worlds that were destroyed because of sins, and renews for us the nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah, yechidah [the five levels of the soul]. And all who merit to come to him in Uman for the days of Rosh Hashanah ascend above the physicality of this world and are included in the hidden and concealed worlds.

THE WHOLE RECTIFICATION OF THE WORLD DEPENDS ON RABBEINU’S ROSH HASHANAH

All the rectification of the world depends on Rabbeinu’s Rosh Hashanah, as he said: “The entire world depends on my Rosh Hashanah” (Chayei Moharan §405). And through it come all influences, both physical and spiritual.

This is the explanation of the continuation of the above story: “And all the vessels in the world are all made from this forest.” This forest is the Rosh Hashanah of our holy Rebbe, through which he provides vessels for the entire world. Afterwards he came to a certain river and wished to reach the end of the river. Again, someone came to him and said likewise that it is impossible to reach the end of this river, for this river has no end or limit. And this river is the “flowing stream, source of wisdom” (Nachal Novea Mekor Chochmah). And all the people of the world drink from the waters of this river. For Rabbeinu is the one who bestows, in both spirituality and physicality, to the entire world. All the new teachings that the Tzaddikim will innovate—all of them are drawn from Rabbeinu’s Rosh Hashanah.

Afterwards he came to a certain mill that was standing upon that river. And again someone came to him and told him that this mill grinds flour for the entire world. For all influences to the world come from Rosh Hashanah, for the entire creation depends on Rabbeinu’s Rosh Hashanah.

Thus it emerges that every person who prays at the holy gathering (kibbutz) is a channel through which our holy Rebbe bestows abundance to the entire world. And whoever joins in the prayers at the kloiz becomes included in the rectifications of the batim (houses)—that is, the rectifications accomplished through the letters and words of prayer. For Rabbeinu revealed that the essence of the perfection of prayer is by praying with intention (kavana)—to understand the simple meaning of the words. Therefore, one should utilize every free moment to pour out his heart, whether with Likutei Tefillot, with Tehillim, or by innovating some idea in Torah learning. The main thing is to guard this exalted time upon which the entire world depends.

Such was the practice of R’ Shmuel Isaac, the disciple of our holy Rebbe, that all the days of Rosh Hashanah he would not move from his place in the kloiz. Immediately after completing Ma’ariv he remained at his place, made Kiddush, ate an olive’s measure, and continued in his avodah, reciting Tehillim until daybreak. And during the daytime prayers he prayed with such deveikut (attachment) and fervor that no one could stand near him. A short while before Minchah he made Kiddush again, ate an olive’s measure, and continued in prayer. So he conducted himself on the second night as well, continuing his wondrous avodah until the close of Rosh Hashanah. In the end, he remained at his place for forty-eight hours straight. And on Motzaei Rosh Hashanah, after unfastening his belt, his clothing fell apart from the heat and fervor of his prayer (brought in Siach Sarfei Kodesh -  vol. 3: §204).

THE POWER TO ANNUL HARSH DECREES IN UMAN

In Uman, one can accomplish everything—to annul all decrees upon the Jewish people. There are decrees that are before the verdict is sealed. In the year 5563 (1802), when the decree of the p’unktin—the “Cantonists”—was heard, Rabbeinu said on Rosh Hashanah Lesson 5 (Likutey Moharan) – “BeChatzotzrot V’Kol Shofar,” and Rabbeinu opened his lesson there: “For a person must say, ‘The whole world was created only for me.’ Since the world was created for me, I must see and look into the rectification of the world… and to pray on their behalf… And the matter of prayer is in two aspects: one before the verdict and one after the verdict…”

And really, Rabbeinu said that he pushed off that decree for twenty-odd years. And so it was, exactly: from the year he said that lesson in 5563 (1802) until the decree was enacted in 5587 (1827). And in Uman there is the power to annul all decrees. Therefore, it is our duty to sweeten and annul the decrees from upon the Jewish people. And Rabbeinu said that had all the Tzaddikim joined him then, he would have been able to nullify 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 aloud and weeping bitterly, until from her great anguish she fainted and her soul departed. When the matter became known to Rabbi Natan, he said: If she had come to me, I would have advised her to strengthen herself and establish a fixed time every day to pray before Hashem to succeed, and through her prayer she would not only have brought him back but also several other children would have returned. We do not know the greatness of the power of one hour of hitbodedut, through which many decrees can be sweetened and endless salvations drawn down.

These decrees lasted until the First World War. However, in the year 5608 (1848), three years after the passing of Rabbi Natan, the decree was somewhat sweetened through his merit, and no longer did they seize the children by force. There were already ways to avoid it, through bribes and other means. Until then there was a fixed quota of children, and they would even take children as young as three.

Drawing down the light of Rosh Hashanah to the entire year is through joy and dancing. We must draw the light of Rosh Hashanah into the entire year, and this is accomplished through joy and dancing. This is the explanation of the vision that Rabbeinu saw (Chayei Moharan §96):

“He related in the days of Elul that he dreamt that he wanted to enter a house to hear the sound of the shofar, and he passed before a certain house and heard that they were singing there, clapping hands together, and dancing very much, rejoicing with great leaps and dances, in the manner of those who rejoice and make merry exceedingly. I answered and said, ‘Surely here it is good to enter to hear the sound of the shofar.’”

At first glance, what connection is there between the blowing of the shofar and dancing? For the shofar is a mitzvah only on Rosh Hashanah—what relevance is there here? It is like a person who would take the Four Species in the middle of the year and shake them with fervor! Rather, through the dancing one draws the light of the shofar into the entire year.

 (ADAPTED FROM A SHIUR DELIVERED IN THE GREAT KLOIZ IN UMAN ON ROSH HASHANAH 5769 [2008] – TAKEN FROM NITZOTZOT MAGAZINE 5772)