comment I contributed to the wiki encyclopedia

The article states that R' Yisroel was born in a year and later recieved the Petek in years that most accounts differ. This requires extensive research. Bear in mind that the Saba (R' Yisroel) said frequently that he was older than one hundred years. Unfortunately I can't write at great length right now.\ The article refers to Na Nach as a mantra, this is a fallacy which I put most of the blame on the late Rabbi Arye Kaplan ZT"L who not withstanding his saintliness and mesirat nefesh for Israel and the amazing things he did, was not 100% Bresluv, to say the least (if your not Bresluv i.e. Na Nach you'll say, so what, but even you can understand that this will prevent him from fully capturing, portraying, and correctly and accurately giving over the ways, ideology, and wel. of Rabbi Nachman). If I remember correctly, Rabbi A. Kaplan himself writes that possibly his biggest chidush (novelty) was his breakthrough in transalating the hebrew word Kavana, which previously had been concentration, to medidation. This led the RAK z"l to the path he chose of teaching the ways of Jewish meditation and Kabala. The RAK z"l is the one that brands hisbodidus as meditation. At first I felt that writing this was okay for those that get excited by this, and are strengthened and motivated to actually carry out what Rabbi Nachman says. However in truth, this is not a correct interpretation of Hisbodidus, and Na Nach is not a mantra. A mantra is a word or phrase meant to be repeated over and over. Na Nach Nachmu Nachmun MayUman, we should be blessed to say it over and over, but even to say it one time in a lifetime is a mind boggling accomplishment! (It has been said that it is worth coming down to this world for 80 years just to say one time Na Nach Nachmu Nachmun MayUman! There is some discussion whether hearing it one time would also be sufficient). Just as it is obvious that Shma Yisroel is not a mantra, even though it is recomended (by unknowledgable people and or Brikers, as opposed to Halacha and Kabala which forbids the recital of Shma repeatedly) to be used as a mantra. In the same way hisbodidus should not be branded as meditation, which is an excercise to achieve different states of mind. Hisbodidus is nothing more and nothing less than what it's definition conatates, being alone i.e. with G-d. Hisbodidus is also often used to mean personal conversation, musing, and accounting a peson conducts alone, i.e. with G-d. Certainly this can be extended to meditation, but the whole message of Rabbi Nachman is complete simplicity (even though the advocates for meditation may claim that the goal of meditation is to achieve a state of simplicity etc.. Rabbi Nachman's message is of complete simplicity from beginning to end, not having to resort to any methods, systems, and practices). Rabbi Nachman taught everyone how to act on simple truth that they knew in their own hearts. Regarding the authenticity or better yet the importance of the approbation given by R. Moshe F.. It is very important to point out that even though it is known that R. Moshe went out of his way to help people, never in his whole life did he write anything remotely similar to what he wrote for R. Yisroel. R. Moshe, as the Saba points out, was a Litvak, i.e. someone who puts the study of Gemura on the forfront and will never engage (at least openly) in the study of Kabala. In all the written books of R. Moshe the closest discussion related to Kabala is a response about the proper time to say the prayer Brich Shmay. There is great differences of opinion among the followers of R. Moshe as to whether or not R. Moshe did or did not study Kabala secretly. So it is amazing that apx. 2 years before his passing R. Moshe meets the Saba and writes an approbation stating that the Saba has great knowledge of Kabala! R. Moshe's meeting with the Saba obviously had a tremendous effect on R. Moshe, leading him to pubicly acclaim Kabala. There is much more to write about this but presently I am unable. Also R. Moshe wrote explicitly that he saw the Petek and it very wonderous! Also there are people living today who were in the room together with R. Moshe and the Saba (R. Moshe also approached the Saba and asked him for his blessing, and R. Moshe called his wife to recieve a blessing from the Saba!), and there are people that can tell over the turn of events that led R. Moshe to ask to be introduced to the Saba (after R. Moshe was shown the Petek he said, this, don't laugh at this, it is very wonderous, and then he asked to meet the person that recieved the Petek, and the meeting was arranged). Even though Rabbi Nachman never explicitly revealed that his name is the song of simple, double, triple, quadruple, there is an almost explicit reference to this in the beggining of his holy book Likutay Moharan. {It is also interesting to note that the acronym for Rabbi Nachman is RuN, which is the hebrew word for sing, and the title of his holy book Likutay Moharan, the Saba told the kamarner rebbe, is to be pronounce Likutay Meron i.e. a reference to the master of the Zohar (Book Of Splendor, the sourcebook of Kabala) Rabbi Shimon, who is buried in Meron, and as related by the Saba (Israel Saba, hebrew, somewhere around page Run), when Rabbi Nachman visited Rabbi Shimon in Meron, Rabbi Shimon asked him, Meron, Me Rone?, i.e. who's singing, and Rabbi Nachman answered Me Rone? Ani (I) Rabbi Nachman, Na Nach Nachmu Nachmun MayUman! (although it is not for certain that Rabbi Nachman revealed Na Nach to Rabbi Shimon then, perhaps the Saba added it)}. There is a poem composed by Rabbi Nachman published there, in the poem Rabbi Nachman spells out his name in the first letters of every line, then proceeds to double them and triple them and then includes the name of his father Simcha (which has a numerical value of Na Nach Nachmu Nachmun). In the introduction to the poem it says that the poem will discuss the song that will arise (an allusion to the song that is simple, double etc., as it is refered to in the Zohar and in Likutay Moharan), and finishes by stating that Rabbi Nachman's name is signed in the poem, double triple quadruple. This is basicly a clear cut exclamation that Rabbi Nachman's name is this holy song which is simple, double, etc.. Also anyone of proper belief and knowledgable in Rabbi Nachman's writings knows that the name of the Tzadik is united in the name of G-d, and know that Rabbi Nachman is THE tzadik, and therefore knows that the song that is alluded to in the Zohar as simple, double, ect. Y, YH, YHV, YHVH, is going to apply to the name of Rabbi Nachman. These two paragraphs are objective proofs and substantation for Na Nach Nachmu Nachmun MayUman, irrigardless of whether or not one believes in the Petek. Now to say that some prankster, even one with good intentions, merited to chance upon signing Rabbi Nachman's name in such a way is almost as big as a miracle as the actuality that it was in fact written by Rabbi Nachman. There is a general rool that G-d doesn't use unworthy people to be agents of miracles (c.f. the Brisker rav, beginning of Parshas Toldos, that the scoffers wanted to say that Sara became pregnant from King Avimelech, the commentators ask that even still the main miracle was that Sara, who was her whole life barren and now 90 years old, gave birth. The Brisker Rav say that this is the way of scoffers, they'll admit that a great miracle took place, but they will take the credit away from the Tzadik and give it to the Rusha). There are countless other proofs, not to mention that the Saba vouched for it testifying to its authenticity and amazing powers. Also Rabbi Nachman says in Sichot HuRan, it is better to be a foolish person who believes everything, and therefor believe in what he is supposed to, rather than being a wiseman who due to all his analyzation refuses to believe in most things, thus missing out on important beliefs. Na Nach is in no way similar to the Lubavitch falsehood proclaiming their dead rabbi as moshiach, which is a belief borderlying on rejection of basic tenets of Jewish belief and logic which even non Jews are required to heed. Someone opposed to Na Nach at worst can call it dubious or meaningless, or possibly G-d forbid a somewhat disrespectful name calling of a Holy Tzadik, but there is no way to associate it G-d forbid with Kfira, therefore certainly one should heed Rabbi Nachman's words in the Sichot, and believe in Na Nach. There are presently a few books written about the Petek and Na Nach. First and foremost a composition of the Saba's conversations titled: Yisroel Saba, this is available in Hebrew, English, and French (possibly other languages). Seventy Rectifications of the Petek (this is not a completely accurate book as the author himself states while he records his own 'dimyonot' and upholds certain things which I don't consider to be completely pure to Na Nach). Matzpon Hapetek, a booklet which anlyzed all of history in the light of the Petek. In addition there are various little booklets floating around. The author of these comments, myself, has the makings for a book apx. 90 large pages about Na Nach. The book is meant primarily for someone already very familiar with the common knowledge of Rabbi Nachman his disciples in particularly the Saba. There is a blogspot recently started, and presently containing only one thought, visit it: NaaNaach.blogspot.com. Or email me at NaaNaach@gmail.com. There is much more to be written