My First Rosh Hashana in Uman

I have to admit, it was somewhat unsettling to go to the Ukraine for the first time traveling alone. I looked around in the Philadelphia airport for anyone else whose mode of dress indicated that he might be going to Uman but came up empty. When I arrived in London and made it to the gate for the flight to Kiev, I was happy to see a number of people including several men from Toronto (two of whom would turn out to be my roommates)
 
One of the veteran Uman attendees gave us great advice about how to get the most from the Uman experience: Sway with the wind; no preconceptions – In other words, don’t try to plan all the details – put yourself in Hashem’s hands. He will send the people and experiences that you personally need. Very sound advice and tough for a guy like me who likes the illusion of being in control – I tried to follow his advice and it proved to be a great prescription for Uman.  Come to think of it, this is also a great advice for life in general. To relax and acknowledge Hashem’s control of your life both requires emuna and generates emuna. I think it’s not a coincidence that the word “Uman” sounds a heck of a lot like “Emuna.”
 
Throughout the week I met so many amazing people – sweet, sincere seekers of emuna and spirituality. I made a number of new deep friendships in just a few days and we helped each other by sharing words of Torah, encouragement and blessings, each of us drawing on our own background and personal experiences.
 
As soon as we unloaded our stuff we made our way to the Tzion, Rebbe Nachman’s resting place. It is located within a synagogue built at that location.  There were hundreds of people packed in there with two vastly different scenes.  There was festive music, dancing, and singing in one part of the synagogue.  At the same time, in the area directly adjacent to Rabbeinu’s kever there was a large gathering of people in fervent prayer, many of them weeping with joy at having made it to the Tzaddik.

My roommates and I moved up close to this group and began saying Tikkun Klali – 10 psalms that the Rebbe told his followers to recite upon visiting here. Afterwards we gave money to charity and began our personal prayers as we got closer to the actual stone marker.
 
I prayed at length to Hashem for a long list of personal requests, requests for others including recovery from illness, shidduchim, children, and a host of other items for people I know as well as a number of requests for Klal Yisrael. I asked Hashem to grant these requests in the merit of the holy Tzaddik.   I subsequently repeated this process after a few days of basking in the Uman experience and found the experience to be even more emotional and moving. May Hashem in His loving mercy answer our prayers!!
 
On Erev Rosh Hashanah tens of thousands of people gathered near the Tzion (Rebbe Nachman’s kever) to pray together. We said Tikkun Klali, Avinu Malkeinu, Kaddish, a number of other prayers responsively as a leader first uttered each phrase that was broadcast over a sound system. This was followed by a moving prayer for the sick. Standing among so many people from all over the world and doing this together was an awesome experience. This must have made a powerful impression in Heaven.
 
Uman is a great unifying experience. People who come include not only Breslever Chassidim. In fact it appeared that a majority were from other camps of Judaism who nevertheless hold Rebbe Nachman in high regard and want to come close to the Tzaddik. There were many types of minyanim (prayer services) including Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Yemenite, Chabad, and many other Chasidic groups.
 
Frequently the crowds would overflow out onto the street and I was greatly inspired to see young men standing outside, sometimes in the rain, singing prayers to beautiful Sephardi melodies and praying with love, joy, devotion and intent
 
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah we went to do tashlich. In years past this was done near a lake. However, someone had put up a large crucifix in their backyard, in an obvious effort to send us a disheartening message. We didn’t let this bother us – we walked a half mile or so to a river. This was actually nicer and I enjoyed the walk along the tranquil and lovely green area with hundreds of other men.
 
After reciting the tashlich prayers we walked back and up the hill. Hundreds of people were walking behind us and hundreds more were coming down the hill in the other direction. Behind me a man was pushing his toddler in a stroller. The little boy was singing “la, la, la, la, la, UMAN!”. 
 
Being in this massive sea of people doing the mitzvah together made me feel a tremendous surge of Ahavat Yisrael. I began to think of each person as my father, brother or son. I started giving New Year’s blessings to as many individuals as I could. Then I remembered a teaching of Rabbi Avigdor Miller of blessed memory who said that it’s a wonderful practice to bless others even if they can’t hear it. I looked at groups of people as they passed by me and began to pray for them, asking Hashem to bless them and their families. Later I continued this practice – I would stand on the street corner and bless groups of people as they passed by. I know that as a father I would love it if my children blessed each other.  No doubt our Father in Heaven feels the same way in an infinitely more intense manner.
 
I frequently received warm responses from others when I wished them blessings for the New Year. A few examples:

• I approached one elderly black man who upon seeing me – flashed a beautiful warm smile and with open arms said Kol Tuv! (Everything good). He then gave me a beautiful blessing.
• I walked up to a burly young Israeli fellow who was making a barbecue. When I wished him a Happy New Year he flashed a big grin and gave me a wonderful blessing in Hebrew.
• Another Israeli young man in a sweat suit responded with a heartfelt beautiful blessing and offered me to come in and have a cup of coffee.
• I gave a dollar to a bearded young Chassid in front of the Tzion along with a blessing. He responded with an unforgettable smile and lavished a series of beautiful blessings on me. I tried my best to reciprocate in my broken Hebrew.
   
  Whenever I start to feel a little blue, I’ll try to think about these four guys who may have been strangers but in fact are family – I’ll never forget them.
   
  I was particularly moved by the sight of elderly and disabled people who came to Uman despite the great hardship involved. What an inspiration!
   
  Immediately after Shabbat we had a Malave Malka celebration at the wonderful Uman Inn where I stayed with joyous music, singing and dancing. One elderly gentleman who was part of the group had been walking with the aid of a cane attached with a metal wrap to one of his arms. He was hunched over and moved with difficulty. At the celebration, suddenly he cast his cane to the ground and began dancing for an extended period with great joy and ecstasy. Amazing!
   
  Rabbi Lazer Brody told us that the Yetzer tries everything to stop us from coming to Uman. Our arrival there is a great victory. Each additional individual dramatically increases the overall spiritual impact along with the scope of blessings that Hashem provides to our people.
   
  It took me quite some time to work up the motivation and nerve to make the journey – You can do it too! No doubt this will be one of the most inspiring and uplifting experiences of your life.
   
  In the merit of each person going to Uman and in the merit of the holy Tzaddik, Rebbe Nachman, may Hashem help each of us attain our personal best. May this accelerate the time when Hashem sends us our King Mashiach and with it the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash and the redemption of our people and the entire world.