Translation:Tales of Rabbi Nachman/Sichot

by Nachman of Breslov

These parables and anecdotes following the 13 Stories, were printed in the original 1815 printing only in Hebrew and not with a Yiddish translation below them like the 13 Stories have.

[The Chandelier Maker]

A parable. A man left his father and was in other countries for a long time among those foreigners. In time, he came to his father and boasted that he had learned there a great craft - how to make a chandelier, which is called a hang laykhter (hanging lamp). He told his father to assemble all the craftsmen of this art and he would show them his wisdom in this art. And so did his father do, gathering all the craftsmen of this art to see his son's greatness; what he had accomplished all this time he was in the hand of others.

The son brought out one chandelier that he had made - but it was super ugly in all their eyes! His father went to them and asked them to disclose (tell) him the truth, so they were obligated to tell (inform) him the truth, that it was ultra ugly. The son boasted, "Have I not revealed the wisdom of my craft?" His father told (informed) him that to all their eyes, it did not appear beautiful. The son replied, "Well, with this I have shown my greatness, for I have shown to all of them their lackings. Because in this chandelier are found the lackings of each one of the artisans found here. Do you not see that for this person this part is ugly while another part is very beautiful to him - but for another person it is reversed, just the opposite - that part that was ugly for his colleague is beautiful and wonderful in his eyes but just this piece is ugly; and likewise with all of them: whatever is bad in this one's eyes is beautiful in the eyes of his colleague, and vice-versa. And I have made this chandelier solely from lackings, to show all of them they are imperfect and they all have a lacking, for what is beautiful in one person's eyes is a lacking in the eyes of his colleague. But in truth I can make a perfect chandelier."

If [people] would know all the lackings that hinder a thing, they would know the essence of the thing, even if they had never seen it.

"Gedolim maasei Hashem/ great are the works of Hashem" [Ps. 111:2; Gedolim also means respected or well known Torah leaders]. No two human beings are alike; all the [human] forms are included in the first man, Adam. That is, the very word "ADaM/man" contains all these forms. The same is true of other things: all luminaries are contained in the word "OhR/light;" the same for every thing, that is, all works of creation. And even two leaves of a tree are not alike, and so forth. And the Rebbe spoke at very great length about this, and he stated at that time, that there are wisdoms in this world through which a person could survive on these wisdoms alone, without eating or drinking. And he spoke at length then on this wonderful and awesome talk.

[The Pump]

Regarding the discussion which [some of Rebbe Nachman's chassidim] were having about someone who was then in one of the large non-Jewish cities and tarried there a long time because each time he imagined that now he would succeed: and so it was each time, until he was delayed there a long time. And he [the Rebbe] said that that is the way it goes when one comes to such places, that each time it seems to him, "Now I will accomplish, now I will accomplish," etc., etc. And he told this story:

There was one man who did not believe what the world says, that there are leitzim/tricksters from the Sitra Achra/ Other Side that come sometimes to mislead people, as has happened several times; he did not believe this. One night, a leitz came to him and called him to go outside. He went out and the leitz showed him that he had a beautiful horse to sell. He looked and indeed it was a very beautiful horse, so he asked him, "How much do you want?" Answered the leitz, "Four adumim/rubles." He saw that it was easily worth eight rubles, for it was a choice, fine horse. So he bought the horse from him for four rubles and he considered it a great find. The next day, he took the horse out to sell, and people stepped up to purchase and wanted to give him some amount. He said, "Probably, if they are willing to give me so much, it must be worth double!" So he was not satisfied and he took the horse onward, and they wanted to give him twice his desire. He said, "It is probably worth more than double this amount." So he brought the horse onward, until the price of the horse reached into the thousands. However, he was not satisfied with any of them to sell it, for whatever they wanted to give him, he said, "It is probably worth twice as much." Eventually, there was no one who could buy it except the king.

So he brought it to the king, and the king wanted to give him an astounding amount, for the horse was exceedingly pleasing to everyone. However, he was not willing with the king either, for he said, "It is probably worth more." Thus, even the king was unable to buy the horse. So he went from the king with the horse to water it. There was a plomf/pump there from which people take water. The horse jumped into the pump, disappeared and was no more. (That is, it appeared to him as such, for the entire incident of the horse was made up by the leitz). He yelled out loud over this, and people gathered around in response to his screaming and asked him, "Why are you screaming?" He replied that his horse had jumped into the pump. And they beat him [with] injurious blows, for he appeared insane since the opening of the pump is very narrow, and how can a horse jump into it? He saw that they were beating him and that he appeared insane, and he wanted to go from there. As he wanted to leave, the horse began to stick its head out of the pump. So he began to scream again, "Aha, aha (look, look)!" since it appeared to him that his horse was there. The people gathered around and beat him again, since he was insane, as mentioned. Again he decided to leave; and as soon as he wanted to go, the horse again stuck its head out of the pump. He began shouting again as before and the people gathered upon him again and beat him.

Thus the Sitra Achra deceives a man each time with nothingness; complete lies having no substance. And he is incited by it, pursues it, and each time it appears to him that he will profit more and that he will fill his craving more. So he runs after it many times, and suddenly all his desires vanish, get away and go away from him — as has happened many times, that the cravings go away a little, and when the man wants to detach from them, then they come back and stick out their heads and he goes back to chasing them. And so it continues, that as soon as they stick out their heads, he goes back to chasing them. (And he explained the matter no further. Understand this well.)

[Notes]

At one point in the story, the man takes his horse to a water pump to give it water to drink. When he does, the horse all of a sudden jumps into it and disappears. The man then starts yelling. Because he is very upset that he lost all that money he could have sold it for. People then come to him to ask him what is wrong. He tells them that his horse jumped into the water pump. The people then said he is a crazy man. Because it is impossible for a horse to jump into a water pump and fit inside of it. So they started beating him up. Then the horse stuck out its head out of the pump and he started chasing after it and yelling. The people then beat him up again. He realized then that the seller of the horse was just a magician that was playing tricks on his mind. The horse wasn’t there but it was just an illusion. The horse in this story represents the yetser harah of the man. The yetser Harah constantly gives the man a signal to run after the money and all his desires. But he keeps finding nothing. And then he keeps getting beat up each time because of his craziness yetser harah. It is really the yetser harah that is getting beat up. Because the yetser harah is something that is within the man. So the “animal” that is within the man gets beat up. This story is a hint to alarm pheromones.

[Flesh and Bones]

A story about a tzaddik, who was an extremely great tzaddik, who had totally, totally disengaged from that known desire, in the proper entirety, and he ascended to the upper worlds, and saw pieces of flesh and bones sitting in a cauldron. He asked, "What is this?" They answered him that this was a very, very beautiful woman, and on account that she used to heat up her body for transgression, therefore they're cooking her here. And he wanted to see her. And they gave him divine names, that she should be reassembled as before, and he saw that she was an extremely beautiful woman. And from this it is proper to see the negativity of this desire. If they would cut her into little pieces, would his desire still apply?!

[The Tzaddik Who Fell into Sadness]

It is known that sadness is a very despicable trait, and one needs to keep very far away from it. And it is proper to enliven and raise oneself, just knowing that every single movement and change that one makes upon starting to serve Hashem is very, very precious in Hashem's eyes, even if he moves himself only a hairsbreadth, because since a person exists in a body in the physical world, any movement or change is very hard for him; therefore it is very precious in Hashem's eyes.

And there was a story about a Tzaddik/righteous man uponwhom a great sadness and heaviness had fallen. And when sadness and heaviness grow worse on a Tzaddik it is very, very hard for him, for it attacks him more and more, until so much sadness and heaviness fell on him that he was really unable to move from his place at all due to the vastness of the heaviness and sadness that had become very strong upon him. And he wanted to make himself happy and pick himself up but he was unable to cheer himself up and lift himself with any thing, for with whatever thing he wanted to cheer himself with, the Accuser found sadness in it for him, until he was unable to make himself happy with any thing, because in any joy that he wanted to cheer and raise himself with, sadness found him in it. And he began to cheer himself with the joy of "shelo `asani goy/ ...that He has not made me a heathen."

And this is certainly a very great joy that has no bound, for one cannot estimate the separation and difference, the millions of thousands of separations that are between the holiness of the lowest of lowest Yisraelites and the filth of the impurity of the idolaters. And when a person recalls the kindness Hashem had upon him in not making him a heathen, it is certainly proper for his joy to grow very great, and it is a joy that has no sadness upon it. For when a person makes himself happy with a thing that he himself did, which is a perfect thing to do, in this it is possible to find sadness in any joy, for lackings will find him in any thing, not letting him raise and cheer himself. But in this, "that He has not made me a heathen," which is only from Hashem Yithbarakh, since Hashem Yithbarakh did so and had mercy on him and did not make him a heathen, how is it possible to find a lacking in this joy, which is the sole work of Hashem Yithbarakh? For, certainly, however it may be, in any case it is a huge difference between him and the idolaters which has no bound or limit.

And the Tzaddik mentioned above began to cheer himself with this and began to rejoice and raise himself little by little. And each time, he raised and cheered himself exceedingly, until he came to such a great joy that he reached the joy that Moshe Rabbeinu, of blessed memory, had when he went up to receive the Tablets. And while he was raising and cheering himself, he flew up in the worlds many many thousand parsahs, and during this he took a look at himself and behold, he was very far from the place where he was at first. And he was very afflicted, for he thought he would fall down to some other place, and there would be an astonishment over him that he had disappeared suddenly, and the Tzaddik had always desired to be going along discreetly. And the joy began to end, for joy has limits, for it begins and it ends. And when the joy began to end, it ceased a little bit. And when he returned, fell, and was cast down from the place where he flew up to during the joy, he did not return to his first place where he flew up from in the same manner that he flew up, but rather he went down immediately to that place where he flew up from. And therefore it was a great wonder that he found himself afterwards going down in the original place. (Understand this well). Eventually he returned to the place where he was at first, and he took a look at himself and saw that he was actually where he was first, and did not depart from his place at all, except for possibly a hairbreadth which was impossible for a man to measure, only Hashem Yithbarakh. And it was a great amazement in the eyes of the Tzaddik, that he had flown up so much in the worlds while here below he did not move at all. So they showed him that a small motion and movement that a man moves himself with in this world is so precious in the eyes of Hashem Yithbarakh — even one that is less than a hairsbreadth — that many, many thousands of worlds and parsahs are incomparable to it.

And to understand this, it is known that this material world is only the central point of the [heavenly] orbs, as is understood by the astronomers; and all the more so, against the higher worlds the entire Earth is not considered more than a point. And it is known that all the lines which you draw from a central point are evidently near each other near the point, and the more they extend from the point, they become more distant from each other. And so when the lines extend exceedingly far from the point, the lines also become extremely far from each other, even though down below by the point they are adjacent, like this:

Hence if a person measures in his mind, lines drawn from the core of the Earth, even only out to the celestial orbs, thus even if he moves only a hair's thickness, nonetheless in the space of the orbs he is distanced from the place that was the projection of his head previously, being now distanced many, many thousands of parsahs, in accord with the immensity of the outermost orb in compare to the lower Earth, as is known, for innumerable stars are fixed there, and each star is as huge as this world and more. And all the more and all the more so, when he measures in his mind the lines drawn out to the upper worlds, compared to which the celestial orbs are totally insignificant. Hence there is no bound to the distance he spans there in the upper worlds by means of any traversal whatever, even less than a hairsbreadth that he spans and goes from the place he was at initially — even though here on the lower Earth he did not span and go even so much as less than a hairbreadth, that in his eyes he did not span any distance at all — for this is but undetectable except by Hashem Yithbarakh. Despite all this, there, in the upper worlds, he spans many, many thousands of worlds and parsahs — and all the more, all the more, when the Man goes a parsah or many parsahs in service of Hashem; "Eye has not seen..." [Isa. 64:3]

[The Two Palaces]

Know that there are two kinds of palaces, and the two palaces are identical. In one lives the king, and in the second lives a servant. And certainly in truth there is a vast difference between the palace of the king and the palace of the servant, but nevertheless it is possible to mistake one for the other, for there is a connection formed by many souls that bind to each other so that they become a house and palace, for one binds to another, and one to another, until they become a foundation, and then a covering, until they constitute a house and an abode. And this abode is an abode for truth, and when we need to request truth we find [it] there at that abode, that is, amidst the connection of the souls that constitute the abode for truth. And therefore the Torah has commanded, "Acharei rabim lehatoth/ Turn [judgment] to the majority [opinion]" [Ex. 23:2], for since many have bound together as one, surely the truth is there, as mentioned.

And this is the aspect of, "Kol hanefesh haba'ah leveith Ya`akov/ All the souls that come to/ came to/ became the house of Ya`akov" [Gen. 46:26-27 and Rashi there]. That is, the souls are what constitute the "house of Jacob," that is, an abode for truth, which is the aspect of Ya`akov, as is written, "Titen emeth leYa`akov/ Grant truth to Ya`akov" [Mic. 7:20]. However, be aware that diametrically opposed to this is the bond of the wicked, that many souls of the wicked bind together and become a house and abode for falsehood. And this is what the prophet warned us of, "Lo-thomrun kesher, lekhol asher-yomar ha`am hazeh kesher/ You shall not call as a band everything that this people call a band" [Isa. 8:12], for a band of the wicked is not considered, and for this it is written, "Lo thihyeh acharei rabim lera`oth/ Do not follow a multitude to do evil" [Ex. 23:2]. But behold, it is possible to mistake one of these abodes for the other, that is, between the one of truth and the one of falsehood. For falsehood imitates truth, for there too there is the binding of many souls, and a man can be mistaken and not know where the truth is nor where to drawn himself to. And know, that by means of the mitzvah of redeeming captives, one can discern between the two houses, between truth and falsehood, between the king and the servant, for falsehood is the aspect of the servant, aspect of the cursed, as in, "Arur kena`an, `eved `avadim/ Cursed be Canaan — a servant of servants" [Genesis 9:25].

[The Two Intellects]

And there are two types of intellects, and they are the aspect of, "achor vakedem/ behind and before" [Ps. 119:5]. That is, there is an intellect that comes to a man with time, and the more time passes in days, the more he knows, as in, "Yamim yedaberu/ Days will speak" [Job 32:7]. This type of intellect is in the category of "achor," since it comes with the passing of time, for time is what this intellect needs. But there is an intellect that comes to a man in great abundance, very swiftly, in less than an instant, for it is above time; and no time at all is needed for this intellect, and this intellect is the category of "panim/face," which is the aspect of Ya`akov, who represents truth, as in, "...mevakshei paneikha, Ya`akov. Selah/ those that seek Your face, Ya`akov. Selah" [Ps. 24:6].

[A Remedy for Pox]

After Shabbath Parashath Vaychi he said, "At this Shalosh Se`udot I became aware of a segulah for pox. Take chalk and take soap [borith] three times the weight of the chalk, and from the two make a bath to bathe the baby. And it is necessary to do this as soon as the baby starts to have fever from this, and it will be effective if the decree is not severe, but if the decree is severe it will not help."

And he said: The disease of pox resulted from the Sin of the Calf. So, in this regard the question arises: does this disease not exist also among the nations of the world? But it is brought in the Midrash that the nations of the world ought not have any diseases (since their portion is given them in this world), but only in order that they not oppress and overpower Yisrael, all the illnesses that Yisrael have were given to them, as Rashi has explained regarding the verse, Cherpath naval al-tesimeni/ Do not make me the reproach of an ignoble man' [Ps. 39:9]: Bring plagues and pains upon him as well so that he will not be able to say to me, 'You are stricken but we are not stricken;' and this prayer caused the afflictions of sicknesses to be brought upon the nations. But there is another apparent question: This illness certainly existed before the Sin of the Calf. However, beforehand, the illness was not severe, and the pox was only a result of blood that the baby had drawn in its mother's womb, as the healing sages know, but it was not a grave illness with deathly danger as it is now; and this is on account of the Sin.

[The segulah] is also alluded to in Yiremiyahu, where everything is mentioned in one verse: "Even if you wash yourself with nether/ chalk and use a lot of borith/soap on yourself, the stain of your sin is before Me" [Jer. 2:22]. Rashi explains that this refers to the Sin of the Calf. (Thus, the secret of the segulah for this illness caused by the Sin of the Calf is alluded to here, that is, to wash with nether, which is chalk, and to use much borith, which is soap.) Understand the wonders.

[Sarah Esther]

[A story] from days of his youth. One time people came to him with a pidyon-redemption, to pray for a girl, Sarah Esther bath Yehudith. And he said that she would die, and that is what happened. And he said that he knew this from the holy Torah, since he had just seen the verse, "Vehadagah asher ba'yeor meithah wayyiv'ash/ And the fish which were in the river died and stank" [Ex. 7:21]. And in the words, "meithah wa'yiv'ash" this was revealed to him — "MeiThaH Way'YiV'ASh" is an acronym of "Sarah Aesther Vath Yehudith Wai [Vai!] MeiThaH [Woe! Sarah Esther daughter of Yehudith shall die]!" Hashem keep us.

[The Turkey Prince]

The parable about the turkey, that once a prince fell into a (hebephrenic) psychosis that he is a (bird called a) turkey, and it was a requisite for him to sit naked underneath the table and drag bits of bread and bones like a turkey. All the doctors despaired of helping him and healing him from this, and the king was extremely distressed by this. Until a sage came along and said, “I take upon myself to heal him!” He (the sage) too undressed himself naked, and sat underneath the table next to the aforementioned prince, and also dragged crumbs and bones. The prince asked him, “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” He answered (him), “And what are you doing here?” He said (to him), “I’m a turkey.” He said (to him), “I’m also a turkey.” The two of them sat together like that for some time, until they became familiar with each other. Then the sage signaled, and they threw them a shirt. The sage turkey said to the prince, “You think a turkey cannot go with a shirt? It is possible to wear a shirt and even still be a turkey!” So they both put on a shirt. After some time, he signaled, and they threw them pants. And he said to him again as before, "You think that with pants it is not possible to be a turkey etc.," ensuing with their donning pants. And so with the other clothing. Afterwards, he signaled, and they threw them human food from the table, and he said to him, "You think that if one eats good foods it is no longer possible to be a turkey? It is possible to eat and still be a turkey." And they ate. Afterwards, he said to him, "You think that a turkey must be specifically under the table? It is possible to be a turkey and be by the table." And so he dealt with him until he healed him completely. (There is a version with the following addition: And this is the aspect of what our Sages ob"m said on the verse (Kings I:5:11) "And he became more wise than all mankind," – even from the fools). The referent is understandable to those with understanding. (The transcriber says: It is possible to say, that a person who desires to draw close to the service of Hashem, behold he is a turkey dressed in materialism etc., and in this fashion it is possible, little by little, to draw himself close to the service of Hashem, until one enters completely. And so with the outreach to people in this fashion. And this is sufficient for the wise).

[Notes]

In this story, the sage signals to the king to throw him a human shirt, to throw him human pants, and to throw him human food. The prince made these signals with the intention of healing the prince who sat under the table. To slowly get him to understand he is a human being and not a turkey. And to go about walking again like a human being and not be under the table. The sage said that he is also a turkey and a turkey can do all these things and still be a turkey. This story is a hint to alarm pheromones. Alarm pheromones are signals that animals make with each other to move run away.

[The Tainted Grain]

The Tainted Grain

The parable about grain, that once a king said to his dear friend the second to the king, “Being that I am an astrologer, I see that all the grain that will grow this year, whoever eats from it will become crazy. Taking this into consideration, devise a plan.” And he replied (to him), that they should therefore prepare for themselves grain so that they wouldn't need to eat from the aforementioned grain. The king replied to him, “If so, when we alone will not be crazy, and the whole world will be crazy, then it will be the opposite (and to prepare for everyone is impossible) – we will be the crazy ones. Therefore certainly we will also have to eat from the grain, just this – that we will make a sign on our foreheads so that at least we will know that we are crazy. For if I will look at your forehead, and so, when you look at my forehead, we will know from the sign that we are crazy. There is another version to this story (Siach Sarfey Kodesh 2:271), that it was the second to the king who suggested that they would have to eat from the tainted grain, but the king vehemently rejected this, saying that just because the whole world was crazy, they do not, and should not be crazy. And if they would appear to be crazy to the rest of the world, so what. That is no reason to eat the grain that makes people crazy. So they would prepare grain for themselves. This version of the story is presented with the referent that so it is with the service of Hashem, that just because the world is crazy, caught up in the empty pursuits and vanities of this world, one must be strong to engage only in Torah, mitzvos, and good deeds, even if he will appear to be crazy to the rest of the world. A citation is also given to the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a) which based on the verse in Isaiah (59:15) says that a person who wants to distance himself from evil, will appear crazy. In Sefer Hamidos (The Aleph Bet Book; Truth item #31) Rabbi Nachman says: One who wants to turn away from evil, and sees that there is no truth in the world, makes himself as a fool. Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

[Notes]

In this story, the king warns his friend to not eat the grain that would be grown that year. Because he read a message from the stars that all the grain grown that year would become spoiled. And whoever eats from that grain would become a crazy person. Eating spoiled food would also give them food poisoning. Therfore, they shouldn’t eat the grain and instead eat grain they stored. However if they do this, everyone in the world will be crazy and they will be the normal ones. They can’t do this because even then they will still be crazy. Because everyone will view them as crazy because they are so different from everyone else. Therefore, they should eat the grain. And then they should put a sign message on their heads that they are crazy. It is really the message from the star and signs that makes them crazy. Because in this situation, being crazy becomes normal because everyone is crazy. There is no such thing as crazy but how people view it. When people read the sign, now they will be viewed as crazy. And are crazy.

[The Ten Tehillim]

[The Rebbe] urged his men, when an unclean mikreh/accident happens to them (i.e. nocturnal emission) to go immediately and right away to a mikveh [ritual bath] to immerse, because a mikreh can cause, God forbid, what it causes. Therefore it is very good that before some [bad] thing starts to be done as a result of it, God forbid, the man should preempt, and immerse and purify himself.

And he urged us very much that a man should not fear this at all, for fear, worry and melancholy in this matter are very, very harmful, especially since he has revealed to us the ten chapters of Tehillim/Psalms to remedy this error, namely: 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, 150, as explained in the books which have already been printed [Tikkun Haklali; Likutei Moharan #205 and II:92; Sichot Haran #141]. At that time he said, "Whoever manages to fulfill this, to say these the ten chapters of Tehillim on the same day he has a mikreh, God forbid, will surely have his error corrected, and should not [think] back and worry about it at all." He also made mockery of those chassidim and God-fearing people who, whenever some thought arises in their minds, have fear of having a mikreh, and due to this they are accustomed [to do the prohibited, God forbid] as if it were permitted — and he, of blessed memory, would make mockery of this. And his main intention was: that a man needs to not be scared or fear such things at all, without thinking any thoughts at all regarding this, but only be a valiant soldier standing against his craving and detach his mind from this completely and not be scared at all, and Hashem shall only let what is good in His eyes happen with him, whatever the Blessed One desires.

And he hinted with his words that this is the aspect of the blemish of King Dawidh, obm, with Batsheva, etc., but he did not explain the thing thoroughly. But a person very, very much needs to make himself strong in joy continuously, and not be cast down in his mind at all due to any thing in the world, no matter what happens to him. And if he is strong in his mind and does not get frightened at all, and does not contrive thoughts at all (which they call iber trachten/ over-thinking), but goes wholesomely in joy, he will merit to ultimately pass through everything in peace. And these things are impossible to explain in writing, "but a prudent one will discern the straight way he should go" [Prov. 14:15].

[The Poor Man and the Astrologer]

A story of a pauper who would sit in the Beis Medrash (House of Torah Study) and learn (Torah). Once an astrologer (who is called rosh bit. Lit. a stargazer) came to the city, and the whole city ran to him. But the pauper sat in the Beis Medrash and didn't go to him. His wife came to him, inside the Beis Medrash, and she didn't find anyone there except for her husband, because all of them went to the seer. And she screamed at him, "You are a destitute lazy mishap! Why don't you go to the astrologer? But he didn't want to go, and she badgered him more, until he was forced to go to him. He came to the astrologer, and he (the astrologer) said to him that his mazal (fate, fortune, aptitude) is that he should be a thief. He returned to the Beis Medrash to his learning, and his wife came and she said to him, "What did he tell you?" He said to her, "He said to me, a beggar, remain a beggar." In the evening he came to his house, and ate his main (lit. large) meal, namely a piece of bread. While he was eating he began to chuckle, and his wife asked him, "What are you laughing (about)? Certainly you know something, and you don't want to tell me." He said to her, "No, he didn't tell me anything, I am simply laughing (for no special reason)." He ate some more, and again, a second time, he began to laugh, and she asked him as before, and he answered her as before. In the middle of all this he burst out laughing, and he laughed so heartily he emitted an odor from his mouth. She said to him again, "See! Certainly you know something." He told her that the astrologer told him that his mazal was that he should be a thief. She replied that she doesn't want him to be a thief, "and it is good for us to be poor, however it may be, as Hashem provides, and you should not be a thief." Afterwards Shabbat arrived, presumably they had everything nice for Shabbat in order, that is, challah (loaves) of grain bread, and the rest of courses properly. And they sat to eat, and he had presumably four-five daughters and they grabbed from each other a piece of bread, for also the aforementioned bread he did not have adequately sufficient. His wife spoke up and said, "Master of the World! I am very fed up already with this poverty to the extent that I want you to be a thief, so that we don't suffer this scrimping." He was forced to fulfill her desire. [Yid: Ya givalt oon nit givalt, in fort gegahngen – He did want and/or he didn't want, nevertheless he went – and so each time Rabbainu used this expression]. He went to steal, and he settled himself to go to the wealthiest man of the city to steal. So he went to steal, and he found the guards sleeping, and no one challenged him whatsoever. So he went to the store, and the lock was open, because that was his mazal, and so he went to the register, and he found its lock open as well. So he took four-five rubles (adumim) just enough for his livelihood, and he brought (it) to his wife, and said to her, "See, I have fulfilled your desire, and draw your expenditures from this, for I will not continue to steal again." She answered him, that certainly she also does not desire this, just that it was incumbent because of the duress. Afterwards, one time she began screaming at him, "beggar mishap, you were in the store, why didn't you take (enough) to get me a yoopu (a long unlined silk robe worn for formal occasions), and he was forced to go steal again. He went to the store and he found a thief standing there, and he asked him, "Who are you?" And he replied, "I am a thief." And so he (the other guy) asked him, and he answered likewise, that he is a thief. The aforementioned pauper said to him, "Let us become partners in robberies, I have the mazal for this," and he agreed to this. The pauper said in his mind, "if we steal here, we will make the owner of the house into a pauper, for I, by myself, would steal just what I need for a yoopa, but now he will steal a lot and the owner of the house will be left with nothing." So he said to the thief, "Why should we bring loss to a Jew, better that we go steal by a gentile." And he agreed to this, and they settled to go steal by the king (who lived in this city), for certainly he can steal there, for that is his mazal as mentioned. The thief said, "It would be good for us to steal the king's set (-pair) of clothing that he wears when they coronate him, and certainly it will be enough for us for generations upon generations, for I know where they are placed. The pauper agreed, for certainly he could steal them, for that was his mazal. And they went there, and they went to a room more interior than a (outer) room, and they found the clothing, and the pockets (/the encasing) of the clothing were very valuable, and they took them. Afterwards they start to quarrel between them, because one garment was large, and one garment was small. The thief said that he is entitled to the large one, because he had the intel on them, and the pauper said that he was entitled to the large one, because he was the one with the mazal, and with his mazal they stole them. The pauper said that he will go ask the king. The thief said, "How is that possible?" He said to him, "Nevertheless, I will go and ask him." The thief said, "If you could do this, that you go and ask the king, then I myself will give you the large garment." He went with him to the king, and lying near the king was one who told over stories to the king so that he would sleep. So they came, and they both grasped the king's bed, that he was sleeping there, and they carried the bed with the king to a room. In the interim the king woke up, and he thought that he was in his place. And the thief began to tell him the story as is written above, from two thieves mentioned above, and he asked the king, "Who is entitled to the large garment?" The king was outraged at him, "What are you asking me?Certainly the pauper is entitled, because they were stolen with his mazal! It would be good for you to tell me a story," and he told him a story, and the king slept. They stood and carried the bed, and they returned it to the first room. In the morning it became known that the king's clothing mentioned above, were stolen. The king remembered that the one who lies by him had told him the aforementioned story, and had asked him who was entitled to the large garment, and he said that certainly he knows from the robbery. So they beat him, and he said he doesn't know, and they beat him profusely and tortured him very much, but he claimed, "I do not know." The king sent for the archbishop (who is called archiriga) to ask him about the aforementioned story, if it is possible that even still that aforementioned man did not steal them. The priest said that it was possible that he did not know. And the priest said that is was foolish of the king for ruling that the pauper was entitled to the large garment. The king was very outraged at the priest for considering him to be a fool, and he wanted to do something to him, but was unable. And they were searching very much for the theft, but they did not find (anything). The king commanded to announce that whoever had stolen (the clothing), should come and acknowledge, for certainly they will not do anything to him, for the king desires to know how it is possible to steal these clothing. And crowds and crowds of people congregated discussing this. The pauper came and asked them, "What is it that you are discussing?" And they informed him. He spoke up and said, "What is the commotion? He who stole will return." And they screamed at him. And so he came again and asked, and they screamed at him, "Beggar, behold you are liable for your life, for they will say of you, that you know about the theft." He said, "Yes, I know of the theft." They said to him, "If you know, go and tell." He said, "I will tell." So the pauper came to the king, and said, "I know of the theft." The king said that he desires strongly to see the thief. He replied, "I am he." And the king kissed him, and asked him, "How did you steal (them)?" And he told him over the whole story as above, and they sought the thief, and they returned also the second garment which was by him. The king said to the pauper, "Make contrivances to ensnare the aforementioned archbishop, because I am upset with him." He said, "So I will do." The pauper commanded to make for him clothing like the archbishop wears when he performs their prayers, and that they should catch many fish-reptile (that are called ruckees), and that they should give him many candles. And he went and dressed himself in the clothing mentioned, and he stuck a candle to each and every reptile, and he lit the candles mentioned, and he let the reptiles mentioned run and fly inside his prayer house, and he stood on the place from which thing are conducted. And he began to shout, and they all came and gathered there, and the aforementioned priest also came, and he was very frightened because he saw a flame, and a voice was calling, but he didn't know what it was. He said to the priest, that he revealed himself to him because he wants to bring him into paradise immediately. The priest fell on his face, and the pauper said to him that before he can enter paradise he must first go a bit to hell, and afterwards he will bring him into paradise. And he ordered the priest to get into a sack, and he got in. He went and tied him and carried him to the king, and hung him before the king's courtyard, and informed him. Everyone went out and saw someone hanging in a sack, and they didn't know what it is, and they began to throw stones at it, and they threw so many stones at it until they hit him, beaten and bruised, and broke all his teeth. And the priest didn't know what this was, if this was the hell that was told to him, that he needs to go to first, or if this is a trick. Afterwards, when they had beaten him, the king said to throw him out, and they threw him out, and untied the sack, and he left there in great disgrace. [In an alternate version I heard, the end was that they took him to be hung, because the end of a thief is to be hung, and when they were bringing him, someone (the Accuser) went with a sack of shoes, and said to him, "so much effort I toiled, and so many shoes I tore, until I brought you to this etc..] (The copier says: For this is the way of the Accuser, to entice and afterwards incite [Yid: raytz her zich] as is brought down in the Story Tale (#8) about the Rabbi and his only son etc..): In Siach Sarfey Kodesh (3:99) this alternative version is what is presented; when the pauper is told that the king desires to see the thief: 'He does want and/or he doesn't want' and yet he goes and tells the king the whole story, from beginning to end. The royal ministers and the judges tell the king, that even though you don't hold it against him and pardon him, however we demand justice from him, and they sat and judged how to punish him, and they decreed that his punishment was that he must be hung. When they were taking him to be hung he saw from a far the astrologer carrying a sack full of torn shoes etc..

[Notes]

In the beginning of the story, the poor man goes to an astrologer that tells him that his mazal destiny in life is to be a thief. Because of this, the stars mazalot had a negative influence on him that made him become a thief. He stole rubles from a shop keeper and the garments of the king because his mazal made him do that. The type of personality someone has is determined by the mazal stars. This is all a hint to radioactive elements. Many stars contain radioactive uranium. Radiation has a negative effect on people that are exposed to it. It damages DNA. Things like personality and appearance are determined by DNA. The stars uranium here had a negative effect on the poor man’s personality here. Also, the time he decided to become a thief was during his Shabbat rest. Where he sat with his wife and daughters at the dinner table eating bread. In the middle of the story, the thief tells the King a bedtime story about the mazalot and his clothing that makes him fall asleep. The 12 star mazalot are made up of animals. So the animal makes the King fall asleep. At the end of the story, the poor man dressed up in the clothing of the bishop. He also catches allot of reptile fish and lights them up with candles. He then hides and yells out a voice from the fish in order to trick the priest. He tricked the priest to make him think that an angel from the fish was talking to him. He tells the priest that he has been entered into heaven. This causes the priest to fall down to the floor in prostration. The fish makes the priest fall down.

[A Man Stronger Than a Diamond]

2. A story that Rabbainu ob"m told over. A story of a pauper who supported himself from digging clay to sell. Once he was digging clay and he found in the place that he dug a gem which was worth an absolute fortune, but he didn't know its value. So he went to a craftsman to appraise its worth, and he answered that there was no one in this country that could pay its value, and he would need to travel to London, to the imperial city. But he was poor, and he did not have money to travel. So he went and sold everything he had, and he went from house to house for donations, until he had enough to travel until the sea. And he wanted to board the ship but he didn't have money. So he went to the captain and showed him the gem, and immediately the captain took him aboard the ship with great honor, and said to him, you are high certainty. And he gave him a special first class cabin, with all the amenities like a prized magnate. And his cabin had a window into the sea. And he was always delighting and rejoicing his soul with the diamond. And especially at mealtimes, for through joy and an expanded heart, it is beneficial and healing, to facilitate the digestion of the food. One time he sat to eat, and the diamond was resting on the table, to be delighted with, and he slept. In the interim the servant came and took the tablecloth and the crumbs, and didn't know from the diamond, and he threw everything into the sea. And when he awoke from his sleep, and he understood all this, he had great anguish, and he almost went out of his mind, and what could he do, the captain is a marauder who would kill him for the price of the trip on the ship. Therefore he made himself happy as if he didn't know. And the custom of the captain was to speak with him every day for a few hours, and so he came on this day, and he made himself happy to the extent that he did not recognize in him any change. And the captain said to him, "Behold I know that you are wise and of straight heart, and I want to buy a lot of grain to sell in London, and I can profit handsomely, but I am worried that they should not say of me that I steal from the king's warehouse (/treasury), therefore the purchase will be in your name, and I will pay you well. This was appealing in his eyes, and they did so. Immediately upon their arrival in London the captain died, and everything was left by this man, and it was double, quadruple the value of the diamond. And Rabbainu ob"m concluded that the diamond was not his, and the proof is that it was lost from him. And the grain was his, and the proof is that it remained by him. [Yid: un vus her iz gekuemen tzu zany zach iz nur viel her hut Zich dehr halten-] And everything that came to his cause, was only due to his holding himself up etc.. Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

[Notes]

In the beginning of the story, the pauper dug up a diamond gemstone from the clay in the ground that was worth a fortune. He wanted to sell the diamond to become rich. In the middle of the story, he takes the diamond gemstone on a boat ride to London to sell the gemstone there. The captain was excited he had such a rare stone so he gave him a first class room and food. The poor man ate food on the table and left the diamond gemstone there with all the crumbs. While the poor man falls asleep on the boat, the cleaning man came into his room and threw all the crumbs and diamond from the table into the sea. When the poor man woke up and found out what happened, he was very upset. He was ready to scream out loud and have a temper. But he knew he couldn’t. Because he knew if he did, the captain would find out what happened and kill him. Because he gave him first class everything and thought he would pay it back with the diamond gemstone. So he was forced to hold in his anger constantly and stop himself from screaming. And handle the situation calmly. And behave more like a simple person. Even though he was more like an angry type of person that was ready to scream. So the gemstone falling in the water forced him to not to express his angry personality. At the end of the story, the captain bought a bunch of grain made under the name of the poor man. That he planned to sell in London for a profit. And when they arrived in London, the captain died. Because the entire grain was made under the poor man’s name, all the grain went to him. And he became rich again. The poor man’s state wasn’t different from before. Because the poor man forced himself to be calm and happy, he already was. However, there was still anger inside of him even though he was forcing himself to not let it out. The grain made his anger disappear completely from within him.

[Trust]

Trust Rabbainu Hakadosh told over this story on the night of the 4th of Elul 5566, and it was publicized by Rabbi Yisroel Karduner ob"m. [Rabbi Nachman] spoke up and said, furthermore I have told over a story about trust (in Hashem), and this is it: A king said in his heart, “Can anyone be found with nothing to worry about, more than I? For I have everything good, and I am king and ruler.” And he went to investigate this. He would go at night, and he would stand behind the houses to heed and listen to the talk of the populace. He would hear the worries of each one, that for this one it isn't working out properly in his store, and afterwards he went to another house, and heard that he is worried for he has concern from the government, and so all the other worries of each and everyone. Afterwards he went and saw a low house standing submerged in the ground, the windows low down hugging the earth, and the roof fallen in and broken. He saw there, someone sitting playing the violin so that it was necessary to listen attentively in order to hear the sound, and he was extremely happy, and there was a pot with beverage set before him, and the beverage was wine, and foods were set before him, and he was extremely happy, full of happiness without any worries whatsoever. He went and entered the house and asked his wellbeing, and he answered him. And he saw the pot with the beverage before him, and the variety of foods and how he was just full of joy. And he honored (-offered refreshment to) the king to drink, and he drank with the king, and the king also drank for the sake of comradery. Afterwards he lay down to sleep, and (the king) saw that he is just happy without any worry. In the morning the king got up, and he also got up and escorted the king out. The king asked him, "From where do you (have the wherewithal) to buy all this?" He answered (him), "I am able to fix all necessary repairs of broken objects. For I am not capable of a complete craft, just the repair of broken items. I go out in the morning, and I mend some things, and when I have earned from this a sum of five or six golden, I buy for myself all these items of food and drink." When the king heard this, he said in his heart, "I will ruin this for him." The king went and made a proclamation, that whoever has something to be fixed, should not give it to anyone for repair, rather he should fix it himself or buy a new one. In the morning he went asking for things that need fixing, and they told him that the king had decreed not to give anything to anyone for repair. This was bad in his eyes, but he trusted in Hashem. So he went and saw a rich man chopping wood, and he asked him, "Why are you chopping wood? Is this befitting of you?" He said to him, "I searched for someone to chop the wood and couldn't find anyone, so I was forced to chop it myself." He said to him, "Allow me, and I will chop with you." And he chopped the wood, and the rich man gave him a golden. He saw that this is good, and he went to chop more wood, until he had earned six golden, and he once again bought the whole feast (Rabbainu used this language: 'in dey si-ooda iz given a si-ooda' – and the feast was a feast), and he was happy. And the king went again behind the window of his house to see, and he saw that this one sits and the drink and foods are before him, and he is extremely happy. The king went and entered inside the house, and he saw as before, and he lay down there also like the first night, and in the morning the man got up and escorted the king out. And he asked him, "From where do you (have the wherewithal) to buy this, for this costs money?" He answered him, "My practice was to fix all the things that were broken, and afterwards the king decreed to no longer give anyone to fix, so I chopped wood until I put together money for this as before." The king went from him and decreed not to give anyone to chop wood. And when the man came to chop wood, he was told that the king had decreed an edict not to give anyone to chop wood. And it was bad in his eyes, for there was no money (to be made), but he trusted in Hashem. So he went, and he saw someone cleaning a shed, and he asked him, "Who are you, that you clean a shed?" He answered him, "I searched but couldn't find anyone to clean for me, so I was forced to clean it myself." He said to him, "Allow me and I will clean." He stood and cleaned it, and he gave him two golden. He went and cleaned more sheds and put together six golden, and he purchased again the whole feast as before, and he went home (and the feast was a feast), and he was extremely happy. The king went again to see, and he saw again everything as before, and he entered the house as before. Afterwards in the morning he again escorted the king out, and the king asked him again as before, and he answered him everything recounted above. The king went and decreed not to give anyone to clean a shed. In the morning the man went searching for sheds to clean, and they told him that the king decreed against this as mentioned. The man went and hired himself out as a soldier by the minister who acquires soldiers for the king. For there are soldiers who are conscripted as determined by the country, and there are soldiers which are hired. So he went and hired himself out as a soldier, and he stipulated with the minister that he is not hiring himself out interminably, just temporarily, and that he would be given his wages each and every day in the morning. And the minister immediately dressed him in army uniform, and girded him with a sword on his side, and sent him to the necessary place. Afterwards, in the evening, when he had done all his tasks, he threw off the uniform and purchased for himself the whole feast mentioned above, and he went home (and the feast was a feast), and he was extremely happy. The king went again to see, and he saw that everything was set before him, and he is extremely happy as before, and he entered his house and lay down as before, and he asked him as before, and he told him everything recounted above. The king went and called the minister and commanded him not to lift his hand to pay anyone that day. In the morning he went to the minister to get his pay for the day, and he did not acquiesce. And he asked him, "Did I not stipulate with you, that you would pay me every day?" He answered him, that the king had decreed not to pay anyone that day. And all his arguments with him were to no avail, and he told him, "Better I pay you tomorrow for two days, but today it is impossible to pay you." What did he do? He went and broke off a piece of the sword and fixed a piece of wood in its place, and it was not visible or evident at all from the outside. And he went and pawned the piece and purchased again the whole feast mentioned above (and the feast was a feast). The king went again and saw that the joy was complete as before, and he again entered his house and lay down there as before, and he asked his as before, and he told him everything recounted above, that he was forced to break the blade of the sword from the handle, and he pawned it in order to buy for himself the necessities of the feast, "and after, when I receive the money for that day, I will redeem and fix the sword and it won't be at all discernible, for I am able to fix anything broken (and there will be no harm to the king). The king went to his home, and he called the minister and commanded him; being that there was someone sentenced to death, therefore call that soldier that you hired to be a soldier, and command him specifically, that he should cut off the head of the one sentenced to death. The minister went and did so, and he called him, and he came before the king. And the king commanded for all the ministers to gather in order to see the comedy, that there was found a man who stuck a piece of wood in place of the sword. And he came before the king, and he fell at his feet, and asked him, "My master the king, why was I summoned?" He said to him, "In order to severe the head of the (man) sentenced to death." He replied to him, and entreated before him, being that he never shed blood, therefore he should call someone else to do it. And the king replied (to him), that he specifically must kill him now. He said to the king, "Is the verdict for this clear, perhaps the judgment isn't clear that he is liable of death, and I have never shed blood, certainly I shouldn't shed blood which isn't clear that he is liable of death." The king replied to him, "Certainly the judgment is clear that he is liable of death, for there is certainly a verdict on this (which is called 'decreed'), and now you specifically are obligated to execute him." He saw that it was impossible to influence the king. He turned himself to Hashem Yisburach and said, "Almighty G-d (Ei"l Shada"i – a Divine Name not to be pronounced in vain outside of prayer), I have never spilled blood, and if this man isn't liable of death, let the iron be made into wood." And he grabbed the sword, and drew it from its sheath, and everyone saw that it was wood, and there was an uproar of laughter there. The king saw that he is such a pleasing man, so he let him off in peace. Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

[Notes]

At many times in the story, the king visits the man in his home. They both drink wine and enjoy good foods. Both of them are knocked out and they fall asleep at night. At one point in the story, the man breaks a piece of the king’s sword and pawns it at a pawn shop. The pawn dealer gives him gold for this. The point of pawning an item is so that it can be sold and someone can buy it. And to make even more gold from someone buying it. The man has in mind the money he is going to make the next day from the service of the sword from the previous day. Because he said I will fix the broken sword and get paid money tomorrow. When someone pawns something, he has in mind the money he will make from it in the future. So someone buying this broken sword for gold is part of the man’s job of earning gold. Just like the man then buys wine and food from a food shop. Both items are bought from shops. So both the sword and the wine are connected to each other. The man used to make money off the repair of broken objects.

[A King's Hand]

In addition is what he told on Shabbath Chanukkah, of a king's son who was far away from his father, etc., and he missed him so very much, etc. A letter from his father reached him and he was extremely cheered by it - but still he yearned that he extend him his hand and if he'd just extend him his hand he'd hug it and kiss it. Afterwards he decided, "Is this letter not the writing of the hand of the king himself? So therefore it is the king's hand!" etc. etc. (This is not written all properly since some of it has been forgotten due to not being written down at the time.)

Tam venishlam, shevach la'El, Borei `Olam
Done and complete, praise to God, Creator of the World!

Barukh hanoten laya`ef koach, ul'ein onim `atzmah yarbeh
Blessed is He Who strengthens the weary and increases the might of the weak.