Rebbe Natan – My Hero
The 10th of Tevet is the "yahrtzeit" (date of passing) of Rebbe Natan of Breslev, Rebbe Nachman's prime disciple and torchbearer. We owe him an eternal gratitude...
One of my favorite anecdotes from the Gemara (see Yevamot 96b) tells about Rebbe Elazar delivering a halachic discourse in one of the halls of study. His teacher and spiritual guide Rebbe Yochanan became extremely angry when he heard that Rebbe Elazar was repeating intricate elaborations on fine points of religious law without citing that he learned them all from Rebbe Yochanan. Two other of Rebbe Yochanan’s greatest pupils, Rebbe Ami and Rebbe Asi, tried to mollify their teacher; instead, they further incensed him.
Finally, Rebbe Yaacov Bar Idi, another of Rebbe Yochanan’s leading pupils, approached Rebbe Yochanan and quoted a passage from Chapter 11 in the Book of Joshua that says, “As Hashem has commanded His servant Moses, thus Moses has commanded Joshua; Joshua has thus done, and has not neglected a single thing that Hashem commanded Moses.” Rebbe Yaacov Bar Idi then asked Rebbe Yochanan, “Does Joshua say everything in the name of Moses? No! Joshua speaks and everyone knows that he speaks the teaching of Moses. Likewise, your pupil Rebbe Elazar speaks, and everyone knows that he speaks your teachings!” Rebbe Yochanan nodded, for Rebbe Yaacov Bar Idi’s words truly mollified him.
* * *
Rebbe Natan was not only a genius, he was the epitome of diligence. At age twenty two, he was offered a position to be the head rabbi of twenty two towns and villages in the Podolia area of the Ukraine. Undoubtedly, Rebbe Natan could have built himself a fantastic rabbinical career. He could have been a leading businessman as well. Had he opted for a career in commerce, he likely would have been fabulously successful, combining his own abilities and razor-sharp mind with all the assets that his well-to-do father offered to hand over to him, including an entire dry goods wholesale with three major warehouses. He refused both offers – the rabbinate and the business – and consolidated all his efforts into becoming a true chassid and disciple of Rebbe Nachman. He more than succeeded, joining the ranks of our history’s greatest talmidim, drinking from his master’s fountain of knowledge just as Joshua had done from Moses, Rebbe Abba from Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai, and Rebbe Chaim Vital from the holy Ariza’l. In fact, Kabbalists say that while Rebbe Nachman was a reincarnation of Moses and the Ariza’l, Rebbe Natan was a reincarnation of Joshua and Rebbe Chaim Vital, all of sacred and blessed memory.
Rebbe Natan is not only my hero, but my role model as well. He never wasted a second. He utilized his fantastic aptitude and qualities to the hilt; not for his own personal gain, but to serve Hashem and to spread Rebbe Nachman’s teachings, all of which are designed to bring people closer to Hashem. His personal courage knew no bounds. Literally the entire world was against him, not only ideologically, but often with threats and outright violence. Numerous hooligans attempted to harm him and his family, yet Rebbe Natan never wavered.
The Dark Side declared such a war on Breslev that at one point in time, Rebbe Natan could barely scrape together a minyan of ten people – including himself – to pray together on the high holidays. Ah, but he who laughs last laughs the best! Many of his persecutors – themselves Chassidic rebbes with followings of thousands – have passed into oblivion. Barely anyone remembers them or their courts. Yet, thanks to Rebbe Natan who continued the Breslever Chassidic movement after Rebbe Nachman’s passing and kept it alive during the dark and stormy years, over 60,000 people gathered in Uman to pray together this past Rosh Hashana. In addition, tens of thousands of additional people that didn’t travel to Uman nonetheless consider themselves Breslever Chassidim.
Read about Rebbe Natan’s fascinating life in Through Fire and Water.
Watch a video about Rebbe Natan’s legacy and how he became Rebbe Nachman’s prime pupil:
Watch a video about Rebbe Natan’s Letters (41 minutes).
1/06/2009
Rav Natan’s yartzeit I am so glad to findout that today is the yartzeit of R’Natan, so I can light a yartzeit candle & daven he should be a melitz yosher for each soldeir & yid that is in danger &for klall Israel!
1/06/2009
I am so glad to findout that today is the yartzeit of R’Natan, so I can light a yartzeit candle & daven he should be a melitz yosher for each soldeir & yid that is in danger &for klall Israel!