A Collection of Advice - Introduction

 

Introduction

Who is the man who desires life, who chooses eternal life [Psalms 34:13]? Who truly pities his soul, who is for the Lord [II Chronicles 15:12]? Let him set his heart to this small volume, small in quantity but great in quality. Look and see, and be astonished, utterly amazed [Habakkuk 1:5], for a work has been wrought in their days: paths and counsels, wondrous and awesome, new yet also ancient, founded upon bases of fine gold [Song of Songs 5:11], planted by streams of water [Psalms 1:3], flowing from the fountain that issues from the House of the Lord [Joel 4:18]. Deep waters are the counsel in a man’s heart, which a man of understanding draws forth [Proverbs 20:5]. Come, behold the works of the Lord [Psalms 46:9]; set your hearts to these words, for they are matters that stand at the height of the world. Words of the living G-d and eternal King: words that revive all souls, from the small to the great, from the highest of levels to the very lowest degree. No word of holy counsel is hidden from you that you will not find in this book, and all that your soul asks will not be withheld from you by this small volume. Incline your ear and hear, open your eyes and see [Isaiah 42:20]; understand and perceive the truth in its truth. Remove from yourself stubbornness of heart and the ways of mockery and falsehood. Keep far from you the wisdoms of vanity. Have pity on your soul and incline your mind and thoughts to the truth in its truth, for if, G-d forbid, you turn aside from the truth, whom will you deceive? Surely you will deceive only yourself. Bring this book and look into it: Is there injustice in its tongue, G-d forbid? Has its step turned aside from the straight and true path, the path our fathers trod from of old? In the Lord I have trusted; I shall not be ashamed by these words, neither in this world nor in the world to come [Psalms 25:2]. I will thank the Lord greatly with my mouth, and in the midst of the multitude I will praise Him [Psalms 109:30], for He stood at the right hand of a poor one like me [Psalms 109:31], and strengthened me and fortified me to gather these awesome roses, these precious treasures and eternal remedies, these lives of souls, from wells of living waters, from the fountains of salvation [Isaiah 12:3]. All that flows from them is founded upon the words of our fathers and our teachers, of blessed memory, in the Written Torah and the Oral Torah; in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings; in the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud; in the Midrashim and the holy books of the Zohar; and the books of the Ari, of blessed memory. Upon them are these words built and established, those brought in this awesome volume. To expound at length on their praiseworthy virtues, a multitude of pages would fall short. But one who gazes upon them with the eye of truth will see for himself the precious splendor of their greatness, and the truth will testify for itself. The Lord, G-d of truth [Jeremiah 10:10], will grant truth to Jacob [Micah 7:20], and send His light and His truth to guide us always in the path of truth [Psalms 43:3]. May He incline our shoulders to serve Him all the days of our lives in truth, to love peace and truth [Zechariah 8:19], until the throne of David is established in kindness, and he sits upon it in truth, speedily in our days, Amen [Isaiah 16:5].

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

The Praises of Rabbi Nachman - Introduction

HH

Introduction

I saw fit to explain and relate a little, a tiny bit of the holy conduct of Rabbainu (-Our Rebbe) Hakadosh (-the holy) vihanoaruh (-and the awesome) of blessed memory, from the day he took hold of his faculties until the day of his passing in peace; a little - what I heard from his own holy mouth, and the little - from other people who knew him from his inception, and a little - what we saw with our eyes.

And even though I know very well that there will be many who will not believe these things, because many rose against him; even still I could not hold back, from the utter force of the imploring and the desire of the many people and wholesome (in greatness or united conviction, see Rashi on Nahum 1:12), who implored to the furthest limit to print a little of it. Also my thoughts answer up to me (Job 20:2) and my kidneys advise me (Talmud Brachos 61a) that behold in any case the practices explained here are holy and very good practices, fortunate is he who holds to them, and it is befitting to inscribe in a book these practices, whomever it may be who performed them, in any case these practices are very good and holy, and how can I withhold the good from those who traverse in unfeigned wholeheartedness, whose souls desire to find in a book these upright ways(?). And also the truth is its own witness, and whoever looks with a true eye at the books of Rabbainu o.b.m. will understand for himself that these things are impossible to attain with human intellect, only by someone holy and pure with exceeding holiness and purity like him; and it is not possible to elongate on this, because it is superfluous, as the world says: either it won't help or it isn't necessary. Therefore my heart went one/once here and one/once there on this matter, and I said: be what may, I will present these words in order that the last generation know, they will rise and tell their children, and from it they will see and they will do, to go in these paths and to traverse in their tracks, because this doesn't need ratification/explanation that practices such as these are holy and precious practices, and each and everyone can draw close to Hashem Yisburach through such practices, because they are equally pertinent to every soul, small or big, and even the least of Israel, if he desires to have mercy on his life and to consider his ultimate eternal tachlis (purpose, end), and he accustoms himself to go in these path and ways which are explained here, certainly he will merit eternal life, and he can come to lofty and holy heights/virtues like one of the binay aleyuh (those who ascend - very saintly people who serve Gd on a very high paradigm), if he will have strong resolve to always hold to his good way like a stake that won't budge, as it is all explained here further on.

However, this should be known, that everything explained here, is not even a drop in the ocean from the utter magnitude of his holiness and his superlative virtue/level, which rises above in the place where the hands of human intellect has no reach. And also it is not our desire to explain a little of the awesome miracles that we saw from him, because we are not engaged in relating his holy praises just what is pertinent to the fear of Hashem. I said: let them see those things, they will take mussar (-ethics), because all the people that see these things in writing by us, all of them will thank, and praise, and glorify them, and their hearts will be touched with great arousal for Hashem Yisburach, and everyone is asking and imploring me to bring them to print. Their words have come upon me as a substantial plea, until I was forced to fulfill their desire. And Hashem Yisburach should have mercy upon us that we merit to go in the ways of our fathers, who did the will of their Creator with fright and fear, until the building of Zion and Jerusalem, and Israel returns like doves to their (window) roosts, speedily in our days, amen.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman