What was the opinion of Rabbi Ovadia regarding traveling to Uman for Rosh Hashanah?

An instructive testimony from the Rosh Yeshiva (head of the Torah academy) of 'Netzach Netzachim', Rabbi Yaakov Salama shlit"a (may he live long and good days), a veteran student of Maran Rabbi Ovadia zt"l (of blessed memory), regarding the journey to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

"At that time, my Rav (rabbi) was Maran Rabbi Ovadia zt"l, and I would direct my questions to him. If Rabbi Ovadia was busy, I would direct the questions to his student and successor; to the best of my understanding, this was Rabbi Ba'adani from Bnei Brak."

"I said to Rabbi Ba'adani: 'Honorable Rav, last year I was in Uman for Rosh Hashanah and I was greatly awakened by the prayers there. However, now it is being publicized that Rabbi Ovadia spoke against going, and as a rule, I do not deviate even a hair's breadth from the rulings of Rabbi Ovadia.'"

"Rabbi Ba'adani answered me: Go, he was not speaking to you."

"I continued to question: 'Forgive me, honorable Rav, but Rabbi Ovadia spoke via satellite to all of the People of Israel.'"

"Rabbi Ba'adani told me a first-hand testimony: 'Last week I was with Chacham Ovadia (that is how Rabbi Ba'adani referred to him) and I spoke with him about the journey to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. Chacham Ovadia told me that everything he spoke against was because of the things told to him by a certain rabbi from Safed who is against Chassidus (Chassidic movement) in general, and even against the holy Baal Shem Tov and his grandson Rebbe Nachman. That rabbi, who opposes Chassidus, told Rabbi Ovadia that people go there because of the cheap prices—so Rabbi Ovadia spoke sharply [against it].'"

"Rabbi Ba'adani continued and said: 'Chacham Ovadia further told me that a person who travels in order to recite the Tikkun HaKlali (the General Rectification) and to strengthen himself, he must travel. This is learned through a kal v'chomer (a logical inference from a minor to a major case) from a person who travels abroad for a kidney transplant; if so, for a soul transplant, is it not all the more so that one should travel?'"

"Understand, Rabbi Ovadia said that whoever goes to Uman in order to strengthen himself merits a soul transplant, and everything he spoke against was regarding people who go to escape the difficulties of home and to let loose."

"Rabbi Gideon Ben Moshe, who during the lifetime of Maran Rabbi Ovadia zt"l was the head of his Beis Hora'ah (House of Halachic Ruling), 'Yechaveh Da'at' in Har Nof. Following the words of Rabbi Ba'adani in the name of Rabbi Ovadia, I boarded the plane to Uman, and in the seat in front of me sat Rabbi Gideon Ben Moshe, a giant among giants, one of the great leaders of Israel. I asked him—'Honorable Rav, what is the Rav doing here? After all, Rabbi Ovadia spoke against it!' I already had Rabbi Ba'adani's answer, but I wanted to know his opinion."

"Rabbi Gideon Ben Moshe answered: 'No one understood Rabbi Ovadia. I spoke with Rabbi Ovadia, and he requested that I travel, and he even requested that the first thing I do is pray for him.'"

The Opinion of Other Great Leaders of Israel Regarding the Journey to Uman for Rosh Hashanah

"Rabbi Kanievsky encouraged young men who were spiritually strengthened by it to travel to Uman."

"Rabbi Steinman told students from his Yeshiva (Torah academy), 'Orchot Torah' in Bnei Brak, who were strengthened by the journey, he told them to travel to Uman."

"The great leaders of Israel say to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, and in general, the concealment surrounding the journey to the Tziyun (gravesite) of Rebbe Nachman is lifting. The concealment is shifting toward the Tzaddik (righteous leader) of the generation."

"When I was 18, a student in Porat Yosef twenty-five years ago, Breslov was something despised. Breslov was perceived as something terrible; it was like converting to another religion—it was thought that it's much better to be secular, just as it's better to be secular than a Christian. Today, Breslov is a consensus; the sharpness [of the opposition] has greatly diminished. However, the opposition has largely moved toward the Tzaddik (righteous leader) of the generation."