Letter to the State Department of the United States

HH

To whom it may concern:

The media has publicized that the U.S. State Department has issued a tender for one million dollars to combat antisemitism in Europe. Searching the website of the State Department, I wasn't able to find a directive of how to apply, so I am writing to you directly.

King Solomon the wisest of all men wrote in the Book of Ecclesiastes (7:9), that anger inhibits fools, and all the traditional books of ethics resound this principle that knowledge dispels anger and hatred. This is uncontested. The only question is how is it possible to educate and bring true knowledge, life lessons, to the masses.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov grappled with this very problems in the later years of his short life. For years he had been teaching his followers the most profound insights and yet he was not satisfied with their inculcation, and he felt that even with all that he had revealed and taught to them he had not made real progress in properly educating them in a way that the knowledge would actually transform them and elevate them. To this end Rabbi Nachman told them that he would now resort to telling them stories, and thus in the last few years of his life, as he ascended to attain the highest spiritual conceptions possible, he revealed a series of legendary tales called Stories of Ancient Times. These stories are enjoyed by young and old, they are entertaining and fascinating, even as they exude the most profound life lessons. The stories have been translated by the foremost scholars into many languages, and they are studied in universities around the world. Doctorates have been written on them around the world. Some academics who were privileged to learn directly from Rabbi Nachman were so awed and enthralled that they praised him to the Czar of Russia, and the Czar sent an invitation to Rabbi Nachman, but before it arrived, Rabbi Nachman had already passed away.  

Rabbi Nachman and his teachings are very well known throughout the world. The white house has been gifted with some of his books on more than one occasion. Recently a certain Rabbi Ephraim Stein related (https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/581688.shtml) how President Jimmy Carter had received some books of Rabbi Nachman translated into English and had spent the entire night studying them with fascination. President Carter then called on Stein asking him to tell him more about Rabbi Nachman, and they discussed Rabbi Nachman for an hour. In the records of the Journal of the Senate, I found at least two instances where the senate was opened with a teaching and prayer from Rabbi Nachman (Tuesday, May 11, 2010: “While praying, listen to the words very carefully. When your heart is attentive, your entire being enters your prayer without your having to force it.” – with a prayer to this end; and, Tuesday, July 13, 2010: “Life makes warriors of us all. To emerge the victors, we must arm ourselves with the most potent of weapons. That weapon is prayer.” – with a prayer to this end.).

Teachings can be hard to give over, and maybe even subjective, the Stories however are universal and are readily disseminated. Recently some of the stories have even been made into movies (Here is the link to one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MfGvOlLq1s&t=2s, there are many more).

For one million dollars we can probably print at least 1,200,000 copies of Rabbi Nachman’s Stories, we can make 400,000 copies in three different languages, and disseminate them to public institutions throughout Europe. There is no doubt that this will bring great healing and mending. The stories of Rabbi Nachman build character and give people depth and understanding. The stories of Rabbi Nachman restore faith in humanity, belief in goodness, and instill positive ambition and inspiration. The stories leave the reader with an awakened morality – not dictated or forced, but kindled from deep within. Let us hope and pray to get these stories out there, they will make the difference.

It would be amazing to get these stories out into the public schools in the United States as well. They would unquestionably put an end to a lot of the evils we are seeing perpetuated there.

Ultimately the good will prevail and all the bad will dissipate, the question is only who will merit to be a part of the conquest.

Please contact me for any further information or clarification, even if only for personal curiosity, it will be my pleasure to oblige.

Always with,

              Simcha Nanach