Breslov facts for kids
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Breslov (also spelled Bratslav or Breslev) is a special group within Hasidic Judaism. It was started by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810). He was a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, who began the whole Hasidic movement. Breslov followers try to build a strong, happy connection with God. They find guidance for this in Rebbe Nachman's teachings.
This group has not had a main living leader for over 200 years. This is because Rebbe Nachman did not choose someone to follow him. Because of this, some people used to call them the "Dead Hasidim." However, some smaller Breslov groups today do have leaders they call "Rebbe."
The Breslov movement faced many challenges from other Hasidic groups in Ukraine during the 1800s. But it still grew, gaining followers in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland. By World War I, thousands of Breslov Hasidim lived in these areas. After the Bolshevik Revolution, the Communist government made it hard for them to practice openly in Russia. Many Hasidim faced tough times and dangers during the 1930s and were harmed by the Nazis in the 1940s. The movement found new life in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Israel. Many Yemenite Jews and other Mizrahi Jews joined the group there.
Contents
Where Did Breslov Begin?
The name "Breslov" comes from the town of Bratslav in Ukraine. Rebbe Nachman lived there for the last eight years of his life before moving to Uman, where he passed away. Bratslav is on the Bug river. It is about 9 miles (14 km) from Tulchin and Nemirov. It's important not to confuse Bratslav with Wrocław, a city in Poland.
Before arriving in Breslov in 1802, Rebbe Nachman lived and taught in other towns in the Russian Empire. These included Ossatin, Medvedevka, Zlatopol, and Odessa. But when he came to Breslov, he said, "Today, we have planted the name of the Breslover Hasidim. This name will never disappear."
Later, his followers felt that the town's name fit his teachings. Rebbe Nachman encouraged people to remove anything that kept them from a closer connection with God. They noticed that the Hebrew letters of Breslov (ברסלב) can be rearranged to spell lev basar (לב בשר). This means "a heart of flesh." It reminds them of a verse in Ezekiel (36:26) where God says, "I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Because of this, some followers spell the name "Breslev" to highlight the word lev (heart).
Also, the numerical value (called gematria) of the Hebrew letters for Breslov is 294. This is the same value as "Nachman ben Faiga," which means "Nachman son of Faiga" (Rebbe Nachman and his mother).
What Do Breslov Hasidim Believe?
The Breslov way of life focuses on serving God with a sincere heart and great joy. They believe in living life as fully as possible. Breslov teachings especially highlight emunah (faith) and teshuvah (repentance). They teach that every Jewish person, no matter their spiritual level, should always want to return to God.
Breslov Hasidim believe that studying and living by the Torah brings a joyful life. Their way of worship is very personal and emotional. It often includes clapping, singing, and dancing. Rabbi Nachman taught, "It is a great mitzvah [good deed] to always be happy." He also said that sadness and bitterness are often the cause of many health problems.
Breslov teachings also stress the importance of connecting people to the "true tzadik" (a righteous leader). They believe this helps fix the world, overcome evil, and bring people closer to God. For Breslov followers, the "true tzadik" is Rebbe Nachman himself.
Rebbe Nachman also greatly emphasized Jewish prayer. Besides the regular daily services in the synagogue, he told his followers to practice hitbodedut every day. This means "self-seclusion." Rebbe Nachman said that almost all true tzaddikim reached their high spiritual level mainly through hitbodedut. He explained that it is a very high form of serving God. During hitbodedut, a person talks to God in their own language, like talking to a close friend. The goal is to feel completely connected to God and understand one's own goals better.
A smaller group within Breslov, known as Na Nachs, use the Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman chant. This chant was not used by Rebbe Nachman himself. It was taught in the 1900s by Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser. The Na Nach movement is sometimes seen differently by other Breslov groups. This is because they focus less on traditional Jewish texts like the Talmud. They are also known for dancing in the streets. Many of them are "repentants," meaning they are new to this way of life.
Rabbi Nachman always said that his high spiritual level came from his own hard work. He did not believe it was because of his famous family or how he was born. He often said that all Jewish people could reach the same level as him.
The Rosh Hashana Gathering
A special Breslov practice is the annual Rosh Hashanah kibbutz. This is a large gathering at Rabbi Nachman's grave in Uman, Ukraine, for the Jewish New Year. Rabbi Nachman himself said:
My Rosh Hashana is greater than everything. I cannot understand how it is that if my followers really believe in me, they are not all careful about being with me for Rosh Hashana. No one should be missing! Rosh Hashana is my whole mission.
When he was alive, hundreds of followers spent the holiday with him. After his death, his closest student, Nathan of Breslov ("Reb Noson"), started an annual trip to his grave. This began in 1811, the year after Rebbe Nachman died. Before World War I, thousands of Hasidim from Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland joined this holiday prayer gathering.
During the time of Communism, when public prayer was not allowed, the Rosh Hashana kibbutz continued secretly and with fewer people. The pilgrimage officially started again after Communism fell in 1989. It still happens today, with over 70,000 men and boys coming from all over the world each Rosh Hashana.
Breslov followers also visit their Rebbe's grave at other times of the year. Visiting the grave at any time is considered helpful. Rebbe Nachman said:
Whoever comes to my gravesite and recites the Ten Psalms of the Tikkun HaKlali ("General Remedy"), and gives even as little as a penny to charity for my sake, then, no matter how serious his sins may be, I will do everything in my power—spanning the length and breadth of Creation—to cleanse and protect him. By his very payot ("sidecurls"), I will pull him out of Gehennom [purgatory]!
Important Books and Teachings
The main books studied by Breslov Hasidim are those written by Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson. All of Rebbe Nachman's teachings were written down by Reb Noson. Reb Noson also wrote some of his own books.
Breslov followers do not only study Rabbi Nachman's writings. They also learn from many classic Jewish texts. These include the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Talmud, Midrash, and others. They may also study the writings of Rebbes from other groups.
Rebbe Nachman believed that even a simple person could become a pure and righteous Jew. He also said that a very scholarly Hasid should study many texts in a single year. These include the Tanakh with its explanations, the entire Talmud, the Shulchan Aruch (a code of Jewish law), Midrashic works, the Zohar, and other kabbalistic books. Today, many Breslov Hasidim review the Shulchan Aruch daily.
Rebbe Nachman's most important work is the two-volume Likutei Moharan. This book has 411 lessons. It shows a deep understanding of many open and hidden ideas from the Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, and Kabbalah. Some editions of Likutei Moharan compare the book to the Zohar itself. They also compare Rebbe Nachman to the Zohar's author, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This is because their lives had many similarities. Also, the names "Nachman ben Simcha" (Rebbe Nachman and his father) and "Shimon ben Yochai" have the same numerical value (501).
Following Rebbe Nachman's instructions, Reb Noson gathered all the practical advice from Likutei Moharan and published them in:
- Likutei Eitzot (Collected Advices)
- Kitzur Likutei Moharan (Abridged Likutei Moharan)
Other books by Rebbe Nachman include:
- Sefer HaMiddot (Book of Traits) – a collection of sayings about different character traits. It's also known as The Aleph-Bet Book.
- Sipurei Ma`asiyot (Story Tales) – 13 mystical stories. Also published as Rabbi Nachman's Stories or 13 Tales of Rabbi Nachman.
- Tikkun HaKlali (The General Remedy) – a special order of 10 Psalms that helps fix mistakes and sins.
After Rebbe Nachman's death, Reb Noson wrote down all the conversations and lessons he and others had with the Rebbe. He published these in:
- Shevachei HaRan (Praises of the Rav Nachman) and Sichot HaRan (Conversations of the Rav Nachman) – published in English as Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom.
- Chayei Moharan (Life of the Rebbe) – published in English as The Life of Rabbi Nachman.
Reb Noson also wrote these books:
- Likutei Halachot (Collected Laws) – an 8-volume book that explains how Jewish law connects to Rebbe Nachman's lessons.
- Likutei Tefillot (Collected Prayers) – 210 heartfelt prayers based on ideas from Likutei Moharan.
- Yemei Moharanat (The Days of Our Teacher and Rabbi Noson) – Reb Noson's life story.
- Alim LeTerufah (Leaves of Healing) – Reb Noson's collected letters.
- Shemot HaTzaddikim (Names of Tzaddikim) – a list of righteous leaders from Jewish history. Rabbi Nachman said that saying the names of righteous people can bring good things.
Students of Reb Noson and their students have also added to Breslov literature. They wrote more explanations of the Rebbe's teachings and new books.
Starting in the 1970s, Breslov books began to appear in English. A notable one was Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's Gems of Rabbi Nachman. The Breslov Research Institute, started in Jerusalem in 1979, publishes trusted translations and books about Breslov Hasidism in English, Hebrew, Spanish, and Russian.
The Breslov Siddur, published in 2014, is one of the few Hasidic prayer books available in English. It was translated by Avraham Sutton and Chaim Kramer.
Breslov Today
Today, Breslov communities are found in several places in Israel. They are also in major cities around the world with many Jewish people. These include New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Montreal, and Lakewood Township, New Jersey. While there are no exact numbers, the Breslov Research Institute estimates that thousands of families are core followers in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak.
The first Breslov community in Jerusalem was started by people who moved from Ukraine in the late 1800s. It grew with descendants of the old Jewish community in Jerusalem. This community is centered around the Breslov Yeshiva in Mea Shearim. It was founded by Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Rosen in 1953. This community is connected to the Edah HaChareidis and led by Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter and Rabbi Shmuel Moshe Kramer.
How Breslov Has Grown
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Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Bender
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Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo Schick.jpg
Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo Schick
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Rabbi Eliezer Berland and Rabbi Ofer Erez
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Rabbi Shalom Arush, a leader of Sephardic followers of Breslov Hasidism in Israel
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Bender led the first large-scale efforts to share Breslov teachings. He attracted thousands of new followers in the 1970s and 1980s.
At the same time, Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo Schick began publishing nearly 1,000 small books. These books explained Rebbe Nachman's teachings and were shared worldwide. Schick started the Heichal HaKodesh Breslov community in Yavne'el, Israel, in 1985. This community mostly consists of people who are new to religious life. By 2015, this community had almost 400 families.
Rabbi Eliezer Berland, who leads Yeshivas Shuvu Bonim in the Old City of Jerusalem, has also helped thousands of Jewish people from non-religious backgrounds connect with Orthodox Judaism and Breslov. One of Berland's students, Rabbi Shalom Arush, later founded the Chut Shel Chessed Institutions in Jerusalem. Arush leads a group of Sephardic followers of Breslov Hasidism.
Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld brought Breslov Hasidism to the United States starting in the 1960s. He also arranged for the first English translations of two important Breslov books, Shivchei HaRan and Sichot HaRan. Heichal haKodesh, a Breslov yeshiva in Williamsburg, was founded there by Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo Schick. In 1979, Rabbi Rosenfeld's son-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Kramer, started the Breslov Research Institute. This institute continues to publish Breslov teachings in English.
Other Breslov rabbis who share their teachings include Israel Isaac Besançon and Shalom Sabag. The Na Nach group, which follows Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser's teachings, does outreach on the street. They use musical vans, dancers, and give out Breslov books.
See also
- History of the Jews in Ukraine
- List of Hasidic dynasties
- Breslov Research Institute
- Hasidic philosophy
- Elazar Mordechai Koenig
- Adi Ran
- Happiness in Judaism
