13. Rabbi Nachman's Stories of Ancient Times: Tale 13 of the Seven Beggars

Tale 13

of the

Seven Beggars

(Started on the night of the holy Sabbath of the Torah Portion of Shmeenee, 25 Adar II, 5570)

What do you know how to rejoice out of depression?

I will tell you how people once were happy.

A tale. Once there was a king who had an only son. The king wanted to transfer the kingdom to his son during his lifetime, so he threw a grand party (which is called a 'ball'). Now, when the king throws a ball, there is certainly great merriment, so especially now that he had transferred the kingdom to his son during his lifetime, there was certainly a very grand celebration. And there at the ball, were all the royal officers, and all the dukes, and gentry. And it was very merry at the ball. And the country also had enjoyment from this, that the king is transferring the kingdom to his son in his lifetime, since it a great honor for the king. So a very great celebration took place there, and there were all types of festivities there: music bands ('kappelliess'), and comedies, and so forth, as well as anything that is used just for merriment, it was all there at the ball.

And when they had already become very merry, the king got up and said to his son, "Being that I am a stargazer, I see that you will at some time descend from the kingship, therefore see to it that you have no sadness (i.e. no grief) when you descend from your reign, instead you should be happy; and if you will be happy, I will also be happy. Even if you will have sadness, I will still be happy that you are not king, since you are not fit to be king if you cannot keep yourself happy (in other words, if you are the kind of man that you cannot keep yourself happy even when you fall from your reign, then you aren't fit to be any sort of king); but when you will be happy, then I will be extraordinarily happy.

The king's son took up the reign very sharply and appointed his own royal ministers, and he had dukes, and ministers, and soldiers. Now, this son of the king was a wise man and loved wisdom very much, and there were very great intellectuals by him. And whoever came to him with some sort of wisdom, was very esteemed by him, and he would grant them honor and riches for their wisdom. Whatever each one wanted, he gave him: one wanted money – he gave him money; another wanted honor – he gave him honor; anything for wisdom. And because studying was so important to him, they all took to wisdom, and the entire country was occupied with wisdoms, because this one desired money – in order to get money for it, and that one desired status and honor. And because all of them were busy only with wisdoms, therefore they all forgot there, in that country, the strategies of war (in other words, how to wage war), for they were all busy exclusively with wisdoms, to such a degree that the smallest person in that country was (-would be) the greatest sage in another country, while their own wise men were utterly phenomenal scholars. And on account of their wisdoms, those wise men of the country fell into heresy, and drew the son of the king too into their heresy, albeit the simple folk were not harmed and did not become disbelievers. For there was great depth and subtlety in the sages' wisdom – so the common folk were not able to enter into their wisdoms; therefore it did not harm them – only the wise men, and the king's son became heretics.

And the king's son, because there was good in him, for he was born with goodness and had good character traits, would frequently remind himself, "Where in the world am I? What am I doing?" etc. and would make a very big groan, and sigh deeply over it. He would ponder, "How is it possible I should be carried away with such things?! What is going on with me? Where am I in this world?" as he kept sighing intensely. However, as soon as he began to use his intellect, again the heretical philosophy became strong by him. This happened numerous times, that he would still contemplate where in the world he is, what he is doing, etc. as above, with groaning and sighing, but as soon as he began to use his intellect, the heretical belief became strong by him again, as above.

And the day came to pass, there was a flight in a certain country – everyone fled, and as they were fleeing, they went through a forest, losing two children there, a male and a female; someone lost a male, and someone lost a female. And they were still little children of four or five years. The children had nothing to eat, they screamed and cried because they didn't have anything to eat. Meanwhile, there came up to them a beggar, going along with his sacks (which are called 'torbes'), carrying bread in them, and these children started to cling to him and bond with him. He gave them bread and they ate. He asked them, "From where have you come here?"

They answered him, "We don't know," for they were little children. And he started going away from them, and they asked him to take them with him.

He said to them, "This I do not want, that you should go with me." Meanwhile they took a look – the beggar is blind! It was a marvel to them: since he is blind, how does he know how to go? (And in truth, this itself is a novelty, that such a question occurred to them, for they were still young children. However, they were clever children; therefore it was a wonder to them.) He (this blind beggar) blessed them, "You should be as I am; you should be as old as I," and he left them more bread, and went away. And the children understood that Hashem Yisburach was watching over them, and had sent them here a blind beggar to give them food.

Afterwards the bread ran out (by them), and again they started screaming for food. Then it became night, and they passed the night there. In the morning they still had nothing to eat, so they screamed and cried. Meanwhile, again a beggar came, who was deaf; they started to talk to him, and he showed them with his hands, and said to them, "I hear nothing whatsoever." And this beggar also gave them bread to eat, and started to leave them. They also wanted him to take them with him, but he did not want. And he too blessed them, "That you should be as I am!" and also left them bread, and went his way.

Later on the bread also ran out by them, and again they screamed as above. Again a beggar came to them who was inarticulate (i.e. he stammered with his mouth). They began to speak with him, and he mumbled his words, so they didn't know what he was saying, and he did know what they were saying, only they did not know what he was saying, because he stammered. This beggar also gave them bread to eat, and also started to go away, and also blessed them that they should be like him, and went away, as above. Then there came again a beggar who had a crooked neck, and also the same transpired as before. Then there came again a beggar who was hunchbacked (who is called a 'hoykeyr'). Then there came again a beggar without hands. Then there came a beggar without feet. And each one of them gave them bread and blessed them that they should be like him, just as the other beggars as mentioned above.

Afterwards the bread yet again ran out by them, and they started walking toward a settlement, until they came to a road. They went with that road until they came to a village. They (these children) went into a house, and they had pity on them, and gave them bread. They continued into another house, and there they gave them bread as well, so they kept going around into houses, and saw it was good, to be given bread. The children decided between them that they should always be together, and they made for themselves large sacks (which are called 'torbes') and went around to the houses, and went to all happy occasions, to circumcisions, and to weddings. And they continued further along, going into cities, to the houses; and went to market fairs, and would sit among the beggars, in the same way they sit there on the banks of earth ['prizbes'] with a plate for collecting alms ['teller'], until these children became famous already among all the beggars, since they all recognized them and knew of them; that they were the children who had been lost in the forest as mentioned.

One time there was a big fair in a big city, and all the beggars went there, and the children also went there. It occurred to the beggars that they should match the children; that they should marry each other. And as soon as they started to discuss it, they were all very pleased with it, and they made the match. But how can they make them a wedding? They came to the decision, inasmuch as on such and such a day the king would have his birthday feast (which is called a 'myenines' [-Slavic myena – name, lit. 'name day']), all the beggars would go there, and from what they would request for themselves there, meat and bread, they would make a wedding. And so it was; all the beggars went to the myenines and begged meat and bread for themselves, and also collected what was left over from the banquet, meat, and bread which is called kolitch [big loaves special for celebrations]. And they went ahead and dug out a big trench which could hold a hundred people, and covered it with sticks, earth, and trash. And they all went inside and made a wedding there for the children. Setting up a chuppa (wedding canopy) for them, and they were very, very happy there; and the groom and bride were also extremely happy. The groom and bride began to recall the kindness Hashem Yisburach had done for them when they were in the forest, and started crying and yearning greatly, "How can the first beggar, the blind one, who brought us bread in the forest, be brought here?"

First Day

And just as they were longing very much after the blind beggar, meanwhile he [Heb. only: immediately] called out, "I am here. I have come to you for the wedding, and I'm presenting you with a wedding-discourse present (which is called a 'drashah geshenk'), that you should be old as I. For previously I had blessed you with this, that you should be old as I; now I present it to you as an absolute gift, drashah geshenk, that you should live as long as I. You think that I am blind, I am not blind at all, except [Heb: all the time of] the whole world does not amount by me to the blink of an eye (thus he appears blind, for he doesn't peek into the world whatsoever, even as a blink of an eye, therefore no vision nor any glimpse of the world at all, is relevant to him), because I am very old, and I am yet entirely young and have not yet begun to live at all – but I am still very old. And it is not I alone that says this, rather, I have an approbation on this from the great eagle. I will tell you a story. (All this the blind beggar said).

"One time there were people traveling on many ships on the sea. A storm wind came and broke the ships, and the people were saved. The people came to a tower; they ascended the tower and they found there all kinds of food, drink, clothing, and whatever one needs, and everything good was there, and all the delights of the world. They spoke up and said that each one should tell an old story – what he remembers from his first memory, that is, what he remembers since his memory began. There were old and young people there, and they honored the oldest one among them to tell over first.

"He answered and said, 'What shall I tell you? I remember back when they cut the apple off the branch.' No one at all knew what he was saying, however there were wise men there, and they said, 'Oowa! – that is a totally old story.' Then they honored the second elder, who was younger than the first, that he should tell over. The second one replied, 'That there is an old story?! (expressing wonder) I remember that story, but I remember back even when the candle was burning.' Those who were there replied, 'That story there is older yet than the first,' and it was a marvel to them that the second is younger than the first, and remembers an older story than the first. Then they honored the third elder, that he should tell over. The third one, who was younger yet, spoke up saying, 'I remember back even when the construction of the fruit was just beginning; when the fruit was just starting to become a fruit.' They answered there, 'This is an even older story.' Then the fourth spoke up, who was even yet younger, 'I remember back even when they were bringing the seed (so as) to plant the fruit.'

"The fifth answered, who was yet younger, 'I recall even the sages who thought up, and brought out the seed.' The sixth, who was even yet younger, called out, 'I recall even the taste of the fruit before the taste entered into the fruit.' The seventh called out, 'I recall even the smell of the fruit before the smell entered the fruit.' The eighth answered and said, 'I remember even the appearance of the fruit before it went upon the fruit.'

"And I (i.e. the blind beggar who is telling all this) was at the time just a child, and I too was there, and I announced, 'I remember all these stories – and I remember absolutely nothing.'

"They replied, 'That is a story entirely older than all of them,' and it was a great marvel to them, that the child remembers more than all of them.

"In the midst of this came a great eagle, and knocked on the tower, and said to them, 'Cease being poor! Return to your treasures, and use your treasures,' and he said to them that they should go out from the tower by age; whoever is oldest should go out first. He took them all out from the tower, removing the child first, for truthfully he is older than all of them, and likewise whoever was younger, he brought out first, and the oldest elder he brought out at the very end, because the one who was younger was in fact older (because the younger he was, the older a story he told over), and the oldest elder was younger than all of them.

"The great eagle said to them, 'I will explain to you, all the stories that everyone told over. The one who told over that he remembers back when they cut the apple off the branch, means: he remembers back even when they severed his navel (i.e. even what happened to him immediately as soon as he was born – when they severed his umbilical cord – even this he remembers); and the second, who said that he remembers back even when the candle was burning, means: he remembers back even when he was in the uterus, when a candle burns over one's head (for it says in the Talmud, that when a child is in the mother's womb, a candle burns over his head etc.); and he who said that he remembers back even when the fruit began to form, this is: he remembers back even when his body began to take form, when the fetus was only beginning to take form. And the one who remembers back when they were bringing the seed to plant the fruit, this is: he remembers back even when the droplet was being drawn down [Heb. only: during relations]. And he who remembers the sages bringing out the seed, means, he remembers back even when the droplet was still in the brain (for the brain emits the droplet). And the one who remembers the taste – it is the nefesh (lowermost soul – vital lifeforce); and the smell – it is the ruach (middle soul - spirit); and the appearance – it is the neshamah (uppermost soul – intelligence). And the child said that he remembers absolutely nothing, because he is greater than all of them, and remembers even what he was prior to nefesh, ruach, and neshamah; thus he said he recalls absolute nothingness. (In other words, he recalls not existing at all; he remembers even what was happening there, which is highest of all).

"And the great eagle said to them, 'Return to your ships, which are your bodies which have been broken and will be rebuilt; now return to them,' and he blessed them. And to me (i.e. the blind beggar [who was a child then] who is telling all this) the great eagle said, 'You come with me, for you are like me, for you are very old and completely young, and haven't at all started to live, and are yet nonetheless very old. And I am like that too, for I am very old and still very young etc..' It comes out that I have a testimonial from the great eagle, that I am very old and completely young, etc.. Now I present it to you as an absolute gift, drasha geshenk, that you should be as old as I." There was a great celebration there with great jubilation, and they were extremely happy.

Second Day

On the following day, of the seven days of mishteh [celebration, lit. drinking], the groom-bride [-Heb: couple] again thought back about the other beggar, who was deaf, who had given them vitality and had given them bread. And they were crying and longing, "How can the deaf beggar, who kept us alive, be brought here?" Meanwhile, as they were longing after him, he came in and said, "I am here!" And he fell upon them, kissed them, and said to them, "Today I present to you as a gift, that you should be as I am, that you should live as good a life as I do. Because previously I had blessed you with this, today I give you my good life, as an absolute gift, drasha geshenk [wedding-discourse present]. You think that I am deaf. I am not deaf at all, except that the whole world does not matter to me whatsoever – that I should hear their lacking. For each and every voice in the world is only about needs, since everybody screams about his deficiency, that is, what he hasn't got; and even all the world's celebrations are all exclusively about deficiencies, the rejoicing over that which he did not have, whereas now he has what he didn't have. And by me the entire world does not amount to anything whatsoever, that I should hear their deficiency, for I live such a good life that has absolutely no lacking whatsoever. And I have an attestation of this, that I live a good life, from the land of wealth." And his good life was: he ate bread and drank water.

(He told them): "Inasmuch as there is a land where there is great wealth – they have enormous fortunes – one time the wealthy people gathered together and each one began to boast of his good life – how he lives such a good life – and each one described the routine of his good life.

"I spoke up and said to them (i.e. the deaf beggar who is telling all this), 'I live a better good life than you, and this is the proof – for if you live the good life, help out that country – for there is a country where they had a garden, and in the garden were fruits which had all kinds of tastes in the world, and all kinds of scents in the world; also there in the garden were all kinds of sights of every color, and all the pleasant flowers ('kweyatin') of the world – everything was there in the garden. And over the garden was a gardener ('agradnik'; i.e. someone who sees to the garden), and the people of the country would live a good life through the garden. The gardener there got lost, and naturally, whatever there is in the garden must surely cease to exist since the gardener in no longer there to see to the garden, and go about with what needs to be done around the garden. But despite this, they would have been able to live from the garden's untended growth (that is from the regrowth, that is, what grows in a garden by itself, from that which falls down). A cruel (in other words, merciless) king came (imposing himself) over the country and could do nothing against them, so he went and spoiled the country's good life that they had from the garden; it was not that he spoiled the garden, rather he left behind in the country three crews of slaves, and commanded them to do what he ordered them, and by doing there what the king ordered them, they ruined the taste, for through what they did there, they made it that whoever wanted to sense a taste, it would have the taste of rotten carcass, and similarly they ruined the smell, so that all the scents would have the scent of galbanum ('chelbinnu'), and similarly they destroyed the appearance, for they made it be dark in the eyes just like when it's cloudy. (All this the three crews of slaves accomplished in the country, by doing there what the king ordered them, as mentioned.) Now, if you live the good life, let me see if you can help out that country. (All of this the deaf beggar said to the land of wealth which had bragged that they live the good life, as mentioned.) And I say to you, if you won't help them out, it will harm you too (i.e. that which the appearance, taste, and smell in that country were ruined, this will also reach you).'

"The rich men mentioned above, got up to go to that country, and I went with them too, and on the way they lived their good life, each his own, for they had fortunes as mentioned. When they came near to the country, the taste and the other things began to spoil by them too, they felt [Heb: in themselves] that it had become spoiled by them. I spoke up to them, 'Just consider – if now, when you have not yet entered the country, the taste, appearance, and scent have already become spoiled for you, how will it be when you go in? And all the more so, how can you still help them?' I took my bread and water, and gave (them to) them. They felt in my bread and water all the tastes (and all the scents etc.) and it was set right by them that which had been ruined by them (i.e. the taste, appearance, and smell).

"And the other country, that is, the country where the garden was (where the taste etc. had been ruined, as mentioned), started to look around to repair the country's ruined taste and so forth. They came to a decision: inasmuch as there is a land of wealth (i.e. that very land mentioned above with whom the beggar had spoken, as mentioned), it seemed to them (i.e. the country where the garden was, found appealing) that their gardener who became lost (through whom they had lived the good life), is from the same root as [Heb: the people of] the land of riches who also live the good life; therefore they liked the idea that they should send off to the land of wealth – they will surely help them! They did so, and sent messengers to the land of wealth. The messengers went, and they encountered each other (i.e. the emissaries came up against the people of that very land of riches on the way, for the land of wealth themselves wanted to go to them, as mentioned). They asked the messengers, 'Where are you going?'

"They answered, 'We are going to the land of wealth, so that they will help us.'

"They spoke up, 'We ourselves are that rich country, and we are going to you.'

"I (i.e. the deaf beggar who is telling all this) spoke up to them, 'Don't you need me? For you cannot go there and help them,' as mentioned above (because when they only so much as came near the country they themselves were already affected; all the more so when etc., as mentioned). 'Therefore you stay here, and I will go with the emissaries to help them.'

"I went with the emissaries, arrived at the country, and entered a city. I saw people coming, and one of them said a vehrtil (wisecrack), and then more people came up, until a small crowd was formed, and they said vehrtlich (wisecracks), and they laughed. I listened up to what they were schmoozing, and heard them speaking obscene language. This one said a quip of foul speech (/dirty joke), and that one spoke a little more subtle, and this one laughed, and that one had enjoyment, and so forth, as is their way. Later, I went further to another city (of that country) and saw two people fighting with each other on account of some business deal. They went to the courthouse to bring suit, and the court decided for them: this one is entitled, and that one is obligated – and they went out from the court. Afterwards, they again bickered with each other, and said that they no longer want this courthouse – they only want another courthouse – and they chose for themselves another courthouse, and brought their case before the other courthouse. Afterwards, one of them again got into an argument with someone else, and again they selected a different courthouse, and so they fought on and on there, this one with that one, and that one with this one, always choosing a different court, until the entire city was filled with courthouses. I took a look and saw that this was due to their being no truth there; now, this one tilts the verdict and favors this one (in other words, he curries favor with him, and decides in his favor), and later the other favors him (in other words, later the other decides in his favor in return), for they take bribery, and they have no truth there.

"Afterwards, I saw that they are full of adultery, and there are so many illicit relations there, that it has already become like an altogether permissible thing for them. And I said to them that on account of this, the taste, the smell, and the vision were ruined for them, because the aforementioned cruel king had unleashed on them the three aforementioned groups of slaves so that they should go and ruin the country: since they went around and spoke obscene language among them, bringing foul speech into the country, and through obscene language the result was that the taste was ruined, so that all the tastes had the same flavor as rotten carcass; and likewise they brought bribery into the country, and through this their vision was ruined and their eyes became darkened, for so it states [Exodus 23:8, Deut. 16:19], 'because the bribery blinds the eyes of the wise,' in other words, bribery makes the eyes blind; and similarly the slaves brought lechery into the country, and through this the smell was ruined, for lechery results in ruined smell (and look in another place in our words [Likutay Moharan II 1:12] that lechery blemishes one's smell); therefore you should see that you repair the country from these three sins, and seek after these people (i.e. the slaves who brought the three sins into the country, as mentioned), and drive them out. And when you do so, and purge the country from the three sins, [Yid. only: I tell you that] not only will the taste, vision, and smell be repaired, but that moreover, even the gardener who was lost from you, you will also be able to find.

"They did so, and they began to cleanse the country from these three sins, and they sought out the people (i.e. the slaves mentioned above), and they would grab someone and ask him, 'From where did you come here?' – until they caught the slaves of the cruel king, and drove them out, and they cleaned out the country from the sins.

"Meanwhile there was a commotion: 'Maybe the insane one is the gardener after all?' For there is an insane man going about who keeps saying that he is the gardener, and everyone holds him to be insane, and stones are thrown at him, and he is driven away – but maybe he is in fact the true gardener?! They went out and brought him (i.e. before these that sat and rectified the country, and also he, namely the deaf beggar who is telling all this, was there).

"And I said, 'Of course he is the gardener!' (i.e. the one whom they had previously called insane).

"Hence, I have a testament from there, that I live the good life, for I myself repaired the country. Now I present you with my good life as a gift."

There was a very grand celebration and supreme bliss there, and they were extremely happy. The first one had given them chayim aruchim, that is, long life. And the other had given them chayim tovim, that is, good life. And so, all the beggars came afterwards to the wedding, and gave them for a wedding-discourse present the same thing that they had previously blessed them to be like themselves; now they gave this to them as an absolute gift, drasha geshenk (wedding-discourse present).

Third Day

On the third day, the groom and bride again thought back, crying and longing, "How can the third beggar be brought here, who was inarticulate (i.e. who stammered with his mouth)?"

Meanwhile, he came and said, "I am here!" And he fell on them, and kissed them, and he too said to them as before, "Previously I had blessed you to be like me. Now I give you for a wedding-discourse present that you be like me. You think I am speech-impaired. I am not speech-impaired at all, except, the utterances of the world which are not praises to the Supernal One have no completion (in others words – therefore he appears to be like someone who is speech impaired who cannot speak, for he wishes not to speak any word whatsoever of this world, which is not praise to Hashem Yisburach, since talk that is not praise to Hashem Yisburach has no perfection; consequently he stammers in his speech). But in truth I am not speech-impaired at all. On the contrary I am an advocate and a speaker, that is, an orator extraordinaire, something that is a wild novelty. And I can say such wildly innovative riddles, poems, and songs, that when I begin to speak my riddles, poems, and songs, there does not exist a creature in the world that will not want to hear me (in other words, there is not a creature in the world that will not want to hear his poems etc.). And contained in them (i.e. in the riddles and poems he says) are all the wisdoms. And I have an approbation to this from that great man who is called 'The Truly Benevolent Man' (Der Grosser Man – Der Emmesser Eesh Chessed – this is the term Rabbainu of blessed memory related). And there is a whole story to this.

"For once upon a time, all the wise men sat, and each one boasted of his wisdom. One boasted that with his wisdom he had brought out the production of iron (i.e. the ability to make iron from earth, is what he brought out to the world), and this one boasted that he had brought out another type of metal (i.e. another type of metal alloy: zinc or lead etc.), and this one boasted that with his wisdom he had brought out the production of silver – this is already more momentous (i.e. the ability to make silver - this is what he brought out), and this one boasted that he had brought out the ability to make gold, and this one boasted that he had brought out weapons of war (i.e. the instruments with which war is conducted, namely guns, cannons, and so forth – the technology of making these instruments is what he brought out); and this one boasted he can produce metal wares without those things that they produce these metals from, and this one boasted of other wisdoms, for there are numerous things in the world that have been brought out through wisdoms, namely saltpeter, gunpowder, and the like. So each one boasted of his wisdom.

"Someone there called out, 'I am cleverer than (all of) you, for I am wise as the day.'

"No one there understood what he was saying, that he is 'wise as the day.'

"He replied to them, 'Because all your wisdoms can be put together and they will constitute no more than one hour, even though each wisdom is obtained from a different day, according to the creation that came into being on that day. For all of those wisdoms are compounds (i.e. several things are mixed together and from them the thing is produced; therefore each wisdom is taken from the day in which G-d created the things from which the materials are taken, and combined with wisdom to make the thing they want to make: silver, copper, and so forth); in spite of this, all of these wisdoms of yours can be put together by wisdom, constituting no more than one hour. But I am wise like an entire day.' (So boasted the final wise man mentioned above).

"I (i.e. the inarticulate who is telling all this) called out to him, 'Like which day?' (In other words, 'Like which day are you wise?').

"He (the wise one mentioned) responded, 'This one here (i.e. the inarticulate) is wiser than me, since he asks, "like which day?" But like whatever day you wish – that's how wise I am.'

"However, why after all is he smarter for having asked, 'like which day?' if the wise man himself is also as clever as any day he wishes? But there is a whole story.

"For the Truly Kind Man is in truth a very great man. And I (i.e. the inarticulate who is telling all this) go about gathering up all true kindness, and bring them to the Truly Benevolent Man. And the root of time's genesis (i.e. that there should exist time, for time itself, that is, the very existence of years and days in the world, was itself also created by Hashem Yisburach) is solely through true kindness. And I go about and gather up all true kindnesses and bring them to the Truly Benevolent Man, resulting in time coming into being.

"And there is a mountain, and on the mountain stands a stone, and from the stone emerges a spring. Now, everything has a heart, and the entire world also has a heart, and the heart of the world is a complete structure, with face, hands, feet, etc. – but the nail of the foot of the world's heart is heartier ['hartzikker'] than the heart of anything else. And the mountain with the stone and the spring, stands at one end of the world, while this heart of the world stands at another end of the world, and the heart stands facing the spring, desiring and hoping continuously, exceedingly, that it should come to the spring, and the longing and desire of the heart to come to the spring is very wild. And the heart is constantly screaming to come to the source, and the source longs for the heart too.

"And the heart has two weaknesses (i.e. two drowsinesses). One, because the sun hunts it exceedingly, and scorches it (because it always yearns and desires to come to the source), and the second sleepiness the heart has, is due to yearning and desiring, that the heart constantly yearns and wishes to go right to the source. And it screams with everything it has [Heb: with the expiration of the soul] to come to the source, for the heart is always standing facing the source, and screams, 'Na! Gevald!' (Please! Woe!), and keeps on yearning most exceedingly for the source, as mentioned.

"However, when the heart needs to rest a bit, so as to catch its breath ('up suffen'), (then) a big bird comes and spreads its wings above it, shielding it from the sun; then the heart gets a little rest. But even then, while resting, it also looks facing the spring, and still longs for it. But since it longs so much for the source, why does it not go to the source? Only, as soon as the heart wants to go close to the mountain upon which the source is, then it no longer sees the peak; it cannot look at the spring – and as soon as it would not look at the spring, it would expire, for the heart's entire vitality is only from the source, so when it stands facing the mountain, then it sees the mountain peak where the spring is, but immediately as soon as it wants to go to the mountain – the peak no longer is visible (for such indeed is the way with a tall mountain; standing from afar the peak is visible, but upon going nearer, the peak is no longer visible), then it can no longer look at the source, and could, Heaven forbid, expire, and if this heart, Heaven forbid, would expire, the whole world would be destroyed, for the heart is the very vitality of everything, and how can the world endure without the heart? Therefore the heart cannot go to the spring; it only stands facing the spring, longing and screaming ceaselessly to be able to come to it, as mentioned.

"And the spring is completely timeless, for the spring is not within time at all (in other words, the spring has no time at all, that is, because it is completely above worldly time). So how can the spring exist in the world? (For in the world, nothing can exist without a time.) Only, all the spring's time, is simply the heart giving the spring a day as a gift. And when it comes time for the day to be let out already [Heb: finished and stopped] – and should the day go away, the source would no longer have any time, and would depart from the world; then when the source is no longer, the heart itself would also expire, Heaven forbid, then the whole world would become nil, Heaven forbid, as mentioned. Thus, when it gets right close to the end of the day, then they begin to take leave of each other, which is called 'gizzegginin' [wishes and blessings upon departing] – the heart with the source – and begin saying wonderful riddles, poems, and songs, one to the other – very fine riddles and songs – with great love and tremendous yearning (one for the other, the heart for the source, and the source for the heart). Now, the Truly Benevolent Man supervises and keeps watch over this, and when the day reaches its very end, and needs only to give out (at which very instant when the day lets out, and the source shall no longer have any day, as mentioned, it will pass away, and thus, Heaven forbid, the heart will expire too; the whole world will be destroyed) – at that moment the Truly Benevolent Man arrives and gives the heart a day, and the Heart gives the day to the source; thus the spring once again has time (i.e. that day the source can again maintain its existence, and consequently the heart too can maintain its existence etc.). And when this day comes from the place whence it comes, it comes along with riddles too, and with fine poetry which contain all the wisdoms. And there are distinctions between the day, for there is a Sunday, a Monday etc., and similarly there is a first of the month, and holidays (in other words, according to what sort of day comes along, with such poetry it arrives).

"And all the time the Truly Benevolent Man has, is entirely through me (i.e. through the inarticulate one who is telling all this). For I go along and gather up all true kindness, from which all the time comes to exist, as mentioned. (And therefore the inarticulate is even cleverer than the sage who boasted he is wise like any day one wishes, for time itself and its days altogether come to exist entirely through him, the days coming along with poetry and riddles containing all wisdoms etc., as mentioned). Hence I have an approbation from the Truly Benevolent Man that I can say riddles and poetry containing all the sciences (because all the days, with the riddles and their poetry, come to exist entirely through him, as mentioned); today I present you as an absolute gift, drasha geshenk, that you should be like me. There was a grand celebration and great gladness there. And they had a blast ('heelu gittun').

Fourth Day

When they had completed that day's celebration, and passed the night afterwards, in the morning, they again thought back and yearned, and so forth, for the beggar who had a crooked neck. Meanwhile he came and said, "I am here! (and so forth…) Previously I had blessed you to be like me, today I present it to you, drasha geshenk, that you should be like me. You think that I have a crooked neck, I have no crooked neck whatsoever. On the contrary, I have a very even neck, a very beautiful neck, except, there are vapors [havalim] of the world (i.e. worldly nonsense), and I wish to release no breath or spirit [duch] whatsoever into the vanities of the world (and therefore it appears his neck is crooked, since he twists his neck from the vanities of the world, and wants to release no breath or spirit whatsoever into the world's vanities). But in truth I have a very beautiful neck, an extremely fine neck. For I have a superb voice, and all kinds of sounds (koaloas) in the world, which are only sound without speech – I can mimic all of them with my voice, for I have a very superb neck and voice. And I have testament to this from that country.

"For there is a country where they are all expert in the science of music making, and they are all involved there in this wisdom, even little children. There is not a child there who cannot play on some musical instrument. And the most minor person that is in that country is (-would be) the greatest expert in another country in musical knowledge. And the sages and king of that country, and the cappellas [music band], are extraordinary great masters of that wisdom.

"One time the country's sages were sitting, and each one boasted of his musical prowess (chuchmah). This one boasted he could play on this musical instrument, that one boasted he could play that musical instrument, and another boasted: on another musical instrument. This one boasted he could play several musical instruments, and this one boasted he could play on all kinds of musical instruments. This one boasted he could perform with his voice like this musical instrument, that one boasted he could perform with his voice like that musical instrument, and this one boasted he could perform with his voice like several musical instruments. And this one boasted he could perform with his voice exactly like a drum (which is called a poik) when it is struck, and this one boasted he could produce with his voice just as the firing of a cannon (which is called urmatis). And I too was there (i.e. the one with the crooked neck who is telling all this). I spoke up and said to them: My voice is better than your voices, and this is the proof: because if you are indeed such experts in musical sound, help the two lands.

"For there are two lands a thousand miles apart from each other. And there, in these two countries, when night comes no one can sleep, for when it becomes night they all begin crying out with wailing voices – men, women, and children. For at night there is heard an exceedingly wailing sound (i.e. a whining call of lamentation), and because of it, all who are there must start wailing; men, and women, and little children. If a stone were to rest there, it would melt down. And that is what takes place in the two countries. Because in this country the wailing call is heard and everyone must lament as mentioned, and likewise in the other country it is also so. And from one country to the other, there is a distance of a thousand miles. So if you are such expert musicians (i.e. you can play and sing) [Heb: let me see if you can] help the two countries, or at least reproduce the calling (i.e. mimic the wailing sound that is heard there).

"They said to him, 'Will you take us there?'

"He said, 'Yes, I will take you there,' and they all began [Heb. aroused] to go there.

"They went and arrived there (i.e. at one of the two aforementioned countries). When night came, it was as always – they all began wailing, and the experts also wailed as well. (So they saw already that they could not help.) He said to them (i.e. the one whose neck was crooked, said to the aforementioned sages), 'In any event, tell me from where is the wailing call which is heard here – from where is this calling?'

"They said to him, 'And you know?'

"He replied, 'I know indeed.'

"For, there are two birds, one male and one female, and they are just one pair in the world. The female got lost. He seeks her, and she seeks him. They had sought each other very long, until they lost their ways, and they saw they can no longer find each other, so they stayed stationary and made themselves nests. He made a nest near one of the two countries – and not actually near it, except that in consideration of the bird's call, it is called near, since from the place where he stopped and made himself a nest, his call can already be heard there in that country. And likewise, she also made herself a nest near the second country (i.e. also like that, not right adjacent, except from there her call can already be heard over there). And when night comes, in this way this pair of birds begin to wail, for he bemoans over her, and she bemoans over him, they lament very much with a great howling call. And this is the wailing sound heard in these two countries, which on account of this call, they must all begin wailing there, and cannot sleep. (So the crooked-neck told over, all of this).

"But they would not believe this, and said to him, 'Will you lead us there (i.e. to the birds)?'

"He said, 'Yes, I can lead you there. Except, how can you come there? For if even here you cannot bear the wailing sound and must all wail – when you will come there, you will surely be unable to stand it at all! And by day, one cannot stand the joy there, for by day the birds come there to the bird, to each one of them separately, that is, to him and to her, and console them, and make them happy with extremely great rejoicing. And they pour out words (of sympathy), and console them, 'You will yet find each other,' making them very happy, so much so, that by day, it is impossible to bear the joy there. And the sound of the birds making them happy is not heard from afar, just when one comes there. But the sound of the pair wailing at night, this is heard far away. You cannot, therefore, come there.

"They said to him, 'Can you correct this?'

"He replied, 'Yes, I can correct it. For I can mimic all the sounds of the world (i.e. all kinds of sounds in the world, he can produce them with his voice, making it exactly like any sound that may be); furthermore, I can throw voices, that is, I can throw a sound, which here – in the place I release the sound, the sound will not be heard at all, only somewhere far away will the sound be heard there. And therefore I can throw her voice to him, that is, the sound which I will let out will arrive close to the place where he is, and likewise I can throw his voice so that it arrives close to her, and through this I will draw them (until he brings them together).' (

"But who would believe this?

"He went and led them into a forest. They heard as if someone opens a door, shuts it again, and slams the bolt (klaimke) shut; and firing from a gun (biks), sending the dog to fetch (the thing that he was shooting), and the dog thrashing in the snow ('gigraznit in shney'). The sages heard all this, and they looked around – they saw nothing at all, and also from him they heard nothing at all. (It could only be, that he, the crooked neck, was throwing those sounds. So they saw for certain, that he can replicate all kinds of sounds exactly, and also throw sounds.) (And he did not tell more about this, but continued on, <Heb:>and it is understood that he skipped over here.) Hence I have testament from that country, that I have a wonderfully fine voice, and I can replicate all the sounds of the world. Today I present this to you as an absolute gift, drashah geshenk, to be like me." There was a grand celebration there, and extremely high spirits.

Fifth Day

On the fifth day they were also very happy. They remembered the beggar who was a hunchback [hoiker], and they yearned very much, "How is it possible to procure that hunchback beggar here? For if he were here, the joy would be immense."

In the midst of this, he arrived and said, "I am here! I have come to you for the wedding." And he fell on them, hugged them, and kissed them, and he said to them, "Previously I had blessed you that you be like me, today I present you as a wedding-discourse gift, that you should be like me. And I am not a hunchback [hoiker] whatsoever. On the contrary, I have the sort of shoulders [plaitzes] that are the little that hold the much. And I have a testament to this.

"For, there was once a conversation in which people boasted about this matter, each one boasting that he has this feature of the little holding the much (in other words, a small space containing very much). They laughed and scoffed at one of them. And the rest who boasted about this feature of the little holding the much were accepted. But my little holds the much is greater than all of them.

"For, one of them boasted that his brain is a little that holds the much, for he carries in his brain thousands and myriads of people with all their needs, all their customs, and all their discussions and movements; he carries all this entirely in his brain – so he is a little that holds the much, since a bit of his brain bears on it so many people with their needs and so forth. (Therefore he is called a little that holds the much, that is, a bit of space containing and bearing so much, namely the bit of brain bearing so many people with all their affairs etc.).

"They laughed him off, and those present there replied, 'You are nothing, and your people are nothing.'

"One of them spoke up and said, 'I have seen such a little that holds the much. For, once I was passing by before a mountain, and I saw a huge amount of garbage and filth on it. It was novelty for me – from where does so much garbage and filth come upon the mountain? There was a man there, by that mountain. The man said, "It's all mine." For he was dwelling there beside the mountain, and kept throwing on the mountain his garbage and secretions from his eating and drinking, and defecated there – it was from him that there was so much garbage and feces on the mountain. So this man is a little that holds the much, insofar as so much garbage comes about from one man. That's what this is too.' (That is, so is the little that holds the much of the one who boasted that his brain bears so many people etc.).

"One of them boasted he has the feature of the little that holds the much, 'since he has a bit of countryside that produces a great quantity of fruits. Afterwards they reckon the fruit that the country has produced, and they see that the country does not in any way hold as much space as the fruits need to take up; there is not at all in the country so much space as the fruits need to occupy. Thus this is a little that holds the much (namely, a little space that holds so much).' His words pleased them, for in truth, this is certainly a little that holds the much.

"One of them said, 'inasmuch as he has an orchard [pardes] – a very fine one – where there are fruits and so forth, a great many people and noblemen travel there, for it is quite a nice orchard. And when summer comes, very many people and noblemen travel there to promenade there, and in reality, there in the garden there is not sufficient area capable of holding so many people. This, then, is a little that holds the much.' His words too pleased them.

"One of them said that his speech is a little that holds the much, for he is a private secretary for a great king, 'and many people come to the king. One comes with praises to the king (i.e. each one says a praise to the king), another comes with petitions to the king, and so forth; and the king certainly cannot hear out all of this. I gather up all their words into just a few words, and tell the king just these few words which contain all their praises and requests. And all their very words are implanted in my few words which I tell the king. Therefore my speech is a little holding the much.'

"One of them said that his keeping silent is a little that hold the much, for he has against him very many accusers and slanderers who besmirch him very much, for they fight him and talk against him very much. And to whatever they slander him, quarrel with him, and what they say against him, he performs one silence, and that is the solution to all the questions and all the utterances spoken against him. Hence his silence is a little holding the much.

"One of them said that he is a little that holds the much, for there is a person who is 'well-visioned' [i.e. blind] and very large, whereas he (i.e. the one who is boasting and telling this) is very small, and leads about the large poor one who is blind. Hence he is a little holding the much, for the blind one could slip and fall, but he holds him up with his guidance, and due to this, he is a little that holds the much, since he is a small person and holds the big blind one.

"And I (i.e. the hunchback who was telling all this) was also there. I declared, 'It is true that you have the feature of the little that holds the much. And I know what all of you meant (i.e. all those who boasted one by one of their little that holds the much – he knows what each of them meant); even the final one, who boasted that he leads around the big blind one. He is greater than all of you. But I am still greater and higher than all of you. Because he who boasted that he walks the big blind one, he means that he conducts the lunar cycle (i.e. the heavenly sphere where the moon is), for the moon is called blind, for she does not shine in-and-of herself, and she has nothing of her own whatsoever, and he (i.e. he who boasted of this) conducts the moon, even though he is small and the moon is very great; and this gives the entire world sustenance (in other words, by means of this, the entire world has existence), for the world is in need of the moon. Hence he is certainly a true little that holds the much. However, all the same, my little that holds the much is completely higher than all of them. And here is the proof:

"For, once there was a group that investigated: Inasmuch as every beast has its shade in which it specifically wants to be [Heb: rest], and so every beast has their own unique shade, for each beast chooses for itself a shade, and it desires to rest only in that specific shade. And similarly, each bird has its branch, on which this specific branch this bird desires to perch, and not on any other branch. And another bird has a different branch which only there it perches, and not on any other branch. And so each and every bird has their specific branch. Therefore the group investigated if there could be found such a tree in whose shade all the beasts could rest – which all the beasts would desire to rest there in the shade of this tree. And upon the branches of this tree, all the birds would perch. They investigated if such a tree was to be found. And they discovered that there is such a tree. They wanted to go there to that tree, for the delight that there is there by that tree is absolutely limitless, since all the birds and all the beasts are found there, and there no harm is extant from any beast whatsoever (i.e. to say, no beast injures anyone there), and all the beasts there mix freely. They all play there, and it is certainly a very wonderful pleasure to be there at that tree. They began to investigate which direction ('side') one needs to go to come to that tree. It became a dispute between them regarding this, and there was no one (/decisive factor) to decide. For, this one said that it was necessary to go here in this direction, to the east, and another said it was necessary to go west; one said here, and another said there, and so on, until they could not discern the right way, where they had to go.

"A sage came along as said to them, 'Why are you investigating which direction is necessary to go to that tree? Investigate first who are the people who can come to that tree! Because to that tree not every man can come, since no one can come to the tree except one who has the tree's attributes. For, this tree has three roots: One root is faith (that one should believe in G-d, blessed is He), the other is awe, and the third is humility (i.e. not to have special regard for oneself), and truth is the body (-trunk) of the tree, that is, the tree itself is truth, and from there go out branches. Therefore no one can come to the tree, only one who has these traits of the tree.' (i.e. faith – he should believe in G-d; fear – he should have fear of G-d, and humility – he should not have any special regard for himself; and truth.) (So the Sage said to the group).

"The group however, did not all have these attributes; only some of them had in themselves these traits. But they had between them very great unity (i.e. the group all loved each other and held themselves tightly together). They did not want to separate from each other in order that some of them should go to the tree (i.e. those who already had these traits of the tree) and the rest would stay behind – they did not want this, for they held themselves very much together. Instead they had to wait until the rest of them would exert themselves in attaining these attributes so that they could all come to the tree. And so they did, toiling until they all came to those traits mentioned above. (i.e. they all waited for each other until each had toiled, and they all came to those virtues mentioned above, that is, by now they all have faith, fear, and so on, as mentioned). As soon as they all came to the attributes, then they all came to one mindset, and everyone agreed on one way by which to go to the tree. They all went. They went along for a while until they could see the tree from afar. Meanwhile, they took a look – and the tree is standing on no place at all, for the tree has no space whatsoever. And since it has no place whatsoever, how can anyone come to it?

"And I (i.e. the hunchback) was also there with them. I announced to them, 'I can bring you to the tree. For the tree has no place whatsoever, for the tree is completely above space (in other words, it transcends worldly space; it has no place whatsoever), and the aspect of the little that holds the much still takes place in space, for although it is a little that holds the much, that is, a little space holding much more than can be put in the space, nevertheless it still takes place in space, since in any case it still occupies some bit of space. But I (i.e. the hunchback) have such a little that holds the much, that it is the absolute edge of the place beyond which there is no space whatsoever. Therefore I can carry all of you to the tree, which is above space completely.' (For, this hunchback is something like an intermediary, that is, a midpoint, between space and transcending space, for he is the ultimate degree of the little holding the much, which is the actual end of space, above which there is no unit of space whatsoever, since from there and above is the aspect of completely beyond space. Therefore he can take them out of space, and bring them above space. Understand this.) I took them and carried them to the tree. Hence I have a testament that I have such an ultimate degree of the little holding the much. (And that is why he had the appearance of a hunchback, for he carries on himself so much.) Today I give you this very thing as a gift, that you should be like me." A very great joy took place there and a very great gladness.

Sixth Day

On the sixth day they also rejoiced, but they also yearned, "How can the one without hands be brought here?"

Meanwhile he came in and said, "I am here! I have come to you for the wedding." And he too spoke to them as the others, and he fell upon them, and kissed them, and said to them, "You think I am crippled in the hand. I am not at all crippled in the hands. I do [Heb: truly] have power in the hands, only I do not use the power in my hands in this world, for I need the power for something else – and regarding this I have a testament from the Castle of Water [foon dem vasseriken schloss].

"For, once I was sitting together with some men, and each one was boasting of his power that he had in his hands. One boasted that he had such a strength in his hands, another boasted that he had another strength in his hands, and so each one boasted of the strength that he had in his hands.

"Namely, one was boasting that he has such power and strength in his hands, that when he shoots an arrow, he can pull it back to him again, for he has such a power in his hands, that although he has already shot the arrow, he can still turn it around and tow it back to him again.

"I asked him, 'What kind of arrow can you pull back?' Because there are ten kinds of arrows, since there are ten kinds of poison. For when one wants to shoot an arrow, one smears it with a poison. There are ten kinds of poison, and when the arrow is smeared with this poison, the arrow injures like this, and when the arrow is smeared with a different poison, it does more damage, and so there are ten kinds of poison, each one worse than the other, that is, more harmful. (Heb: And this in itself is ten kinds of arrows, for the arrows are one sort; it is only because of the variety of the poisons that the arrows are smeared with, which are ten kinds as mentioned above, that they are called ten kinds of arrows.) So he asked him, "What kind of arrow can you pull back?' In addition he asked him, whether [only] before the arrow has struck someone he can pull it back, or whether even after the arrow has already struck someone, he could also pull it back.

"Thereupon that person answered, 'Even after the arrow has already struck someone, I can still pull it back.'

"'But still, which sort of arrow can you pull back?'

"He answered, 'This-and-this kind I can pull back.'

"I (i.e. the one [without hands] who is telling all this) called out to him, 'You cannot heal the queen's daughter. If you can pull back no more than one kind of arrow, you cannot heal the queen's daughter.'

"One was boasting that he has such power in his hands, that whoever he receives from, he gives to (i.e. by his very getting something from someone, he gives to that person), and hence, he is a master of charity.

"And I asked him, 'Which kind of charity do you give?' (For there are ten kinds of charity).

"He replied, he gives a tithe.

"I called out to him, 'If so, you cannot heal the queen's daughter, for you cannot at all come to her place (because you give only a tithe), for you can enter in no more than one wall (in the place where she is dwelling); therefore you cannot come to her place.'

"One boasted that he has the following power in his hands, 'Inasmuch as there are officials in the world (i.e. senior men who are given command over a city, a country etc.), each one needing wisdom – I have such a power in my hands, that with my hands I can give him wisdom, by laying my hands on him.'

"I asked him, 'What kind of wisdom can you give with your hands?' For there are ten measures (kabin) of wisdom (i.e. ten fields of knowledge).

"He replied, 'Such-and-such a wisdom I can give.'

"I called out to him, 'If so, you cannot heal the queen's daughter, for you cannot even know her pulse, because there are ten varieties of pulses, and you cannot know but one pulse, since you can only give one wisdom with your hands.'

"One boasted that he has such a power in his hands: when there is a storm wind, he can restrain it with his hands; he can grasp the storm wind with his hands to hold it back. And further, with his hands he could make the wind tempered, that it should be the sort needed: measured.

"I asked him, 'Which kind of wind can you grasp with your hands – there are ten types of winds?'

"He replied, 'Such-and-such a wind.'

"I called out, 'You cannot heal the queen's daughter, for you cannot at all play the melody for her. For there are ten varieties of melody, and the queen's daughter's healing is through melody, and you cannot play more than but one melody for her.'

"They called out, 'What can you do?'

"He replied, 'I can do what you all cannot do, namely, all the nine parts of each thing that each one boasted of, which you cannot do, I can do. For there is a story:'

"'[He tells the story:] For, one time a king desired [lit. cooked himself up, about) a queen's daughter, involving himself with executing schemes to capture her, until the thing was attained, and he caught her; then she was with him. One time the king dreamed that the queen's daughter stood over him and killed him. He awoke sharply (lit. caught himself up), and the dream entered deep in his heart. He called all the dream-interpreters, and they interpreted for him according to its simple meaning, that the dream would be fulfilled according to its simple meaning, that she would kill him. The king could not give himself any counsel, what to do with her. To kill her – would pain him; to send her away from him – this vexed him severely, for another man would take her, and this vexed him very much, for he had made so much effort for her, and now she would come to another man's hand, and moreover, if he let her go and she came to another man's hand, then certainly the dream could be fulfilled that she would kill him, since she was by another. To hold her fast by him – he feared because of the dream, lest she kill him. So the king did not know what to do to her. Meanwhile, his love for her perished little by little because of the dream (i.e. he no longer loved her so much as before) and at each moment the love perished more and more, and likewise by her, the love perished more each moment, until it became by her a hatred of him. So she fled from him.

"The king sent after her to seek her, and they came and told him that she was circling around the Castle of Water. For there is a castle of water, and there are ten walls there, one inside the other, and all ten walls are completely of water, and also the ground in the castle, on which to walk, is also of water. And likewise the garden, with its trees and their fruits, are entirely of water. As for the beauty of the castle, and the novelty of this castle, there is no need to discuss, for it is certainly a very wonderful novelty, for the whole castle is of water. Entering the castle is certainly impossible, for one would drown, for the whole castle is entirely of water. Now, the queen's daughter, upon fleeing, reached the castle and was circling there around the castle. They told the king that she was circling there around the castle.

"The king and his soldiers went to catch her. When the queen's daughter saw this, she decided she would run into the castle, for she preferred to drown in water than the king catching her and she would be by him; and perhaps even still she would be saved, and she could gain entry into the Castle of Water. When the king saw this, that she was running into the water, he said, 'If that is the case, well then…' He ordered to shoot her; if she dies, she dies. They shot her, and all the ten types of arrows that are smeared with the ten types of poisons struck her. And she, the queen's daughter, ran into the Castle of Water, and entered into its interior, passing through all the doors of all the ten walls of the Castle of Water, until she entered into the castle's interior, fell down, and remained faint.

"And I (i.e. the handless one who is telling all this) heal her. For whoever does not have in his hands all the ten types of charities cannot enter past all the ten walls of the Castle of Water, for he would be drowned in water. So the king and his soldiers pursued after the queen's daughter and were drowned in water. But I can enter past all the ten walls of the Castle of Water. Now, the walls of water are ocean waves standing like a wall. The winds are what erect the waves of the ocean, and hold the waves up. And these waves, which are what the ten walls are, stand there constantly, but it is the winds that hold the waves, and erect the waves. And I can enter past all the ten walls of the Castle of Water, and I can pull out from her (i.e. from the queen's daughter) all the ten varieties of arrows. And I know all the ten varieties of pulsebeats through the ten fingers, for through each finger of the ten fingers once can know a particular pulsebeat from the ten varieties of pulsebeats. And I can heal the queen's daughter through all the ten varieties of melodies (for her healing is through melodies, as mentioned). Therefore I [Yid: do (in fact)] heal the queen's daughter. Hence, I have such a power in the hands.' Today I give you this very thing as a present." Thereupon, tremendous happiness prevailed there, and they were extremely joyous.

[Notes Following the Story]

[Rabbi Nachman said:] This story is very hard for me to tell, but because I have already begun telling it, I must already finish it. In this story there does not exist one word bereft of intention, and whoever is proficient and versed in Judaic books (sfurim) can at least understand some of the hints. And the arrows – of which that [character] boasted he could pull back arrows – this is written in the verse (Deut. 32:41), [Heb: "My hand will yet have hold on the justice…" and as Rashi explains, "Flesh and blood shoot an arrow and cannot retrieve it, but the Holy One, blessed is He, (can) shoot an arrow and retrieve it."]. And the charity which correlates the walls of water, [Heb: which are ocean waves] – this is also written in a verse (Isaiah 48:18), "And your charity as the waves of the ocean." [Heb: And the wind mentioned above, that he could grasp in his hands, this is the aspect of (Proverbs 30:4), "Who has grasped the wind in his fists?" (Which is an aspect of producing melody, as explained elsewhere [Likutay Moharan 54].)] And the ten types of pulses and ten kinds of melody, this is already explained in the Zohar (and see Likutay Moharan II, Torah 24). [Rabbi Nussun: All this we heard explicitly]. But who, when, and what? (Beyond this he said nothing more).

[Rabbi Nussun:] This is deep, deep. That is the actual story, who they all are, what this is, and when this all took place – this cannot be known (Heb: to deep to conceive).

The conclusion of the story – that is, what happened on the Seventh Day with the footless beggar, and the conclusion of the king's son with whom the story began – he did not tell over; and he said that he will no longer tell it over, and it will not be heard until the Messiah comes – speedily in our days, amen!

He also said, "If I did not know any other thing besides this story, I would still be an extremely wild novelty." [Heb: he said so explicitly]. For this story is an extremely wild novelty. There is in it a great deal of mussar, and a lot of Torah, for it contains many teachings, and it speaks of many ancient tzaddikim; of King David, peace on him, for King David stood at the edge of the world, and cried out to the Spring that flows from the Rock that is on the Mountain, as mentioned above (Third Day) as written in Psalms (61:3), "from the end of the earth I cry to You, when my heart is faint, lead me to the rock which is higher than I."

Heb: All this we heard from his mouth explicitly. And what is understood from his words, is that King David, peace on him, is the aspect of the Heart, as has been transmitted (Zohar, Exodus 108), and he is hinted to in the story regarding the Heart of the world, which stands at the end of the earth, facing the Spring, crying and longing for it constantly etc.. But still the words are closed up; fortunate is whoever will merit to attain perception of the secrets of this story.]

The matter of King David and the aforementioned scripture, "From the end of the earth," that is hinted to in the story, pertains to the third day, because there it speaks about the Heart and the Spring; [Heb: look there and you will see wonders, how in each matter, wonderful things are hinted]. 

[Yid:] In this story are found very, very great secrets of the Torah, from beginning to end. All the stories of this book are thoroughly great secrets of the Torah; each word and each thing means something completely different – but this story is greater than all.

[Heb:] And of the greatness of the awesomeness of this story it is not at all possible to tell, for it is above all of them. Fortunate, fortunate is whoever will merit, even in the future world, to know of it just a little bit. And whoever has a brain in his skull, the hairs of his flesh shall stand on end; and he will understand a little of the greatness of the Creator, Blessed is He, and the greatness of the true tzaddikim, when he looks well into this awesome story, the likes of which will not be heard.

The matter of the verse, "From the end of the earth," mentioned above, pertaining to the story of the third day – this I heard explicitly from his holy awesome mouth, of blessed memory. Furthermore, look at this which I found afterwards – that the majority of the words of the chapter of Psalms where this verse is written, which is Chapter 61 – virtually all of it is explained there [in] hints of the lofty secrets of the story of the third day mentioned above: "You will add days onto the days of the king etc. (verse 7)" – for he always needs that they should add days to his days etc. as mentioned. "Summon kindness and truth to preserve him (the king) (verse 8)," – this is the True Man of Kindness etc., "Der Groser man; Der Emmesser Eesh Chessed" – because all the time and the days are made via the great man, who is the True man of Kindness, as mentioned there in the story, and he gives and adds each time, days to the days of the king, who is the Heart, which is the concept of King David, peace on him, as mentioned. And this is, "they will preserve him" – because he guards and protects, for as soon as the day comes very close to ending – and then the Spring and the Heart and the entire world would end, G-d forbid – then the True Man of Kindness protects and guards this, and comes and gives a day to the Heart etc. as mentioned. And this is, "So I will sing Your name forever, as I fulfill my vows day by day (final - verse 9)" – because each and every day which he gives him, it comes with song and poems etc. as mentioned. "I will take refuge in the covert of Your wings, selah (verse 5)" – for when the Heart needs to rest, a great bird comes and spreads its wings over it etc., and this is, "I will take refuge in the covert of Your wings" etc..

Pertaining to the First Day: The matter of the elders, that each one boasted of his memory, that this one remembered even when they cut his umbilical cord etc. and this (other) one was the elder who was younger than all of them etc.. Rabbainu of blessed memory said, that in the Talmud (Jerusalem, Tractate Kesuvos 5:6) something similar is recorded, that Shmuel boasted that he remembers the pain of his circumcision etc., see there.

Who can glorify? Who can tell over? Who can evaluate? Who can fathom even the tip of a minuscule one thousandth of thousands and myriads of myriads, of the sparkling of a bit of the hints of the utterly wondrous, from the very, very awesome and supreme secrets of this awesome story, which is full of secrets of secrets from beginning to end? One who commits his heart to understand the matter will find good (Proverbs 16:20), a sparking buzz of some allusions, according to his capacity.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov's Legendary Tales


Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman