Reb Nachman Horedenker - Longing For Eretz Yisroel

This Monday, 2 Tammuz, is the 246^th yahrzeit of Reb Nachman Horedenker, perhaps, best known as the grandfather of Reb Nachman of Breslov, who was named after him. Reb Nachman Horedenker was one of the great talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov (Besht), and is quoted many times in Degel Machane Ephraim, often next to his Rebbe, the Besht. (See 2 examples here - Parshas Bamidbar and Parshas Behaloscha.) Sefer Mili D'Avos contains his biography and Torah.

Reb Nachman Horedenker was the son of Reb Yitzchok of Zalkova who came from a very illustrious lineage. Reb Nachman was the seventh generation from the Maharal of Prague, who descended from Rav Hai Gaon, a descendant of Dovid Hamelech. He was also the seventh generation from Reb Avrohom Chaim of Apta, the Av Beis Din of Nikolsberg, who was descendant of the Maharshal, a descendent of Rashi, who was the 33^rd generation from Rebi Yochonan Hasandler, a descendant of Raban Gamliel Hazokein, whose lineage extends back to Dovid Hamelech. Some of his other ancestors include Maharam Padua, Reb Shaul Wahl and Reb Naftali Katz, the Smichas Chachomim.

The sister of Reb Yitzchok of Drohbitch (father of the Zlotchover Magid – R' Yitzchok and his father R' Yosef were talmidim of the Besht) asked the Besht to find her a good shidduch. The Besht suggested his talmid, Reb Nachman Horedenker, who agreed to the match, and the shidduch was finalized. The Besht asked Reb Nachman what he would give him as payment for putting together this shidduch. When Reb Nachmam didn't answer, the Besht said that when his own daughter, Udel, has a daughter, and Reb Nachman has a son, they should make a match between them and that would be the Besht's shadchonus payment. Reb Nachman mentioned that he has yichus going back to Dovid Hamelech. The Besht responded by pulling out his family tree and showing how his yichus also goes back to Dovid Hamelech. Of course we know the rest is history; Reb Nachman's son, Simcha, married Feiga, the daughter of Udel, and their son was Reb Nachman of Breslov.

Reb Nachman Horedenker traveled to Eretz Yisroel with his son, Reb Shimshon, but he returned to Europe, leaving his son in Eretz Yisroel. He wanted desperately to settle in Eretz Yisroel permanantely, but the Besht didn't accede to his desire. One time he had such a burning desire to go to Eretz Yisroel and asked his Rebbe for permission to go back to Eretz Yisroel. The Besht told him to first go to the Mikva and then come back to him. After immersing in the Mikva, the Besht asked him: "What did you see in your first immersion?" Reb Nachman answered: "I saw Eretz Yisroel".

The Besht asked: "What did you see in the second immersion?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw Yerushalayim."

The Besht asked: "And in the third?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw the place of the Baiss Hamikdash."

The Besht asked: "And in the fourth?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw the Kodesh Hakodoshim, but I didn't see the Aron."

The Besht replied: "the Aron is in Mezibuz".

Reb Nachman understood that the Besht didn't want him to go to Eretz Yisroel, son he stayed by his Rebbe until the Besht passed away.

Reb Nachman was one of the talmidim that was with the Besht, when he passed away. After the passing of the Besht, Reb Nachman would regularly go daven at the tzion of the Besht, and would speak to him as if he was still alive. He was able to do this because of his great kedusha and separation from the materialism of this world and because of his great attachment and devotion to his Rebbe. Every time he would ask about going to Eretz Yisroel the Besht would answer no. Finally, one day the Besht said he agrees to let him go, and Reb Nachman went away dancing and singing "I'm going to Eretz Yisroel - I'm going to Eretz Yisroel".

He traveled to Eretz Yisroel with Reb Menachem Mendel of Premishlan and other talmidim of the Besht, and arrived there on 12 Tishrei. (The year was probably 5521) He fulfilled his lifelong dream of settling in Eretz Yisroel, where he lived out his final days until his passing on Shabbos, 2 Tammuz 5521/1761. He is buried in Teveria, where, his grandson, Reb Nachman of Breslov went to daven, on his famous trip to Eretz Yisroel.

May the zechus of Reb Nachman ben Reb Yitzchok protect us and all of Klal Yisroel.

2 Tammuz is also the yahrzeit of:

R' Shmuel ben R' Yechiel of Cologne HY"D (1096) He was killed by the crusaders.

R' Avrohom Twersky, the Trisker Magid (1889) He wrote Magen Avrohom and was the son of R' Mordechai of Chernobyl. See Heichal HaNegina for more on the Trisker Magid.

Zchusom Yogen Aleinu V'Al Kol Yisroel

More On Katnus & When Not To Use A Sick Person's Name

I wrote a post for Parshas Bamidbar, based on Degel Machane Ephraim, involving Reb Nachman Horedenker and katnus. I couldn't help but notice the Degel on Parshas Bahaloscha again involving Reb Nachman Horedenker and katnus. Below is also Torah from Reb Nachman Horedenker's grandson, Reb Nachman of Breslov, in connection with the Degel.

Reb Nachman Horedenker says that if someone is in a state of katnus, he can be lifted up by knowing that there are people in a state of gadlus. This is alluded to by the posuk (10:7) וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת הַקָּהָל תִּתְקְעוּ וְלֹא תָרִיעוּ And when the assembly is gathered, sound a tekia and not a teruah. When the congregation is in achdus, together with love, like a tekia (which is one long sound as opposed to a teruah, which is a broken up sound) then even if an individual at times is in a state of katnus he can pull himself out of it by including himself in the congregation, which is in a state of gadlus.

The Degel Machane Ephraim writes further that the Toldos Yaakov Yosef says in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that when one falls into a state of katnus, it is to raise up those that have fallen from their level. As the posuk above says: "And when the assembly is gathered" - meaning the am, and the "fallen ones" are called am, then "sound a tekia and not a teruah", meaning, through togetherness and not divisiveness, you can gather together the people, by lifting them up from their low levels.

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The Degel Machane Ephraim says that when Miriam was sick, Moshe Rabbeinu said קֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ. Usually when one prays for a sick person the sick person's name and mother's name is mentioned, but here Moshe Rabbeinu didn't mention the names. There is an allusion to the names in the posuk, as רְפָא נָא is exactly the same gematria as מרים יוכבד, the sick one and her mother.

Reb Nachman of Breslov explains the reason why Moshe Rabbeinu alluded to the names is because when there are dinim (harsh judgements) on a sick person, mentioning the name of the person strenghtens the dinim on the person. Therefore, since there were dinim on Miriam, Moshe Rabbeinu alluded to the names through gematria, without mentioning them explicitally. (Likutei Mohoran 174)

Update

I asked Rabbi Chaim Kramer of the Breslov Research Institute, Breslov.org how to apply this practically; do we mention the sick person's name or not? Rabbi Kramer responded: "The custom is not to mention the name when by the bedside of the person who is sick. Away from the ill person we do mention the name and the mother's name."

Degel Machane Ephraim on Bamidbar - When NOT To Emulate A Tzadik

The following is my understanding of the Degel Machane Ephraim on Parshas Bamidmar, writing in the name of his grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov. (Incidentally, this parsha contains the words “Degel Machane Ephraim”.)

The last posuk in Bamidbar (4:20) says:וְלֹא-יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כְּבַלַּע אֶת-הַקֹּדֶשׁ וָמֵתוּ And you should not go in to see as they cover the holy, or they will die.

At times, one will go to see a tzadik, in order to learn from his actions, however, the tzadik will be in a state of katnus (doing thing he normally wouldn’t, due of his lowered state), and this person will learn things improperly from him. This happened once, when someone saw Reb Nachman Horedenker drinking coffee, while wearing his talis and tefilin, and this individual proceeded to do the same thing, thinking this is a proper way to act.

This posuk alludes this important lesson to us, in the: And you should not go in to see – and learn improperly, as they cover the holy – meaning while the tzadik is in a state of katnus, or they will die - meaning you will fall from your current level.

I could just imagine the scene. A fellow comes into shul, sees some people drinking coffee before davening and thinks to himself that these guys don’t know what they are doing. He puts on his talis and tefilin, then makes himself a coffee and smugly tells his friends that an erlicher yid should really drink coffee like this – only while wearing talis and tefilin.

Similarly, there are those who daven Shachris after the zman and sometimes even after chatzos, because they saw a great tzadik davening late. Some of them actually think they are extra frum because of this and look askance at those who are particular to daven bizmanah. The difference is the tzadik didn’t roll out of bed at the crack of noon. (This is not the place for the discussion of tzadikim davening late, but they have reasons for this and don’t want the general public to copy them. One of the great tzadikim, who davened Shachris after the zman often, said that every day he intends to daven at 8:30AM, however, for reasons beyond his control he usually is not able to daven at his intended time. It says one sin causes another sin, so if this is the only sin one can find in a tzadik, it must not be a sin.)

Segulas For Good Children

This Thursday is Yom Kippur Koton, Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan. There is a well known minhag to say a tefila for one’s children that they should go in the proper derech, on that day. The source for this is the Shlah HaKodosh (Mesechta Tamid, Ner Mitzva), where he says:

“There is an obligation to daven and ask from Hashem every need we have, at any time, because it all comes from Him. People should be especially careful to daven for their children to be “kosher” forever. My heart tells me that an auspicious time for this is Erev Rosh Chodesh of Sivan, because that is the month we received the Torah and we are called “children of Hashem our G-d. It is worthy for man and wife to fast and do teshuva.” (It is actually Yom Kippur Koton. Some daven a special Mincha with slichos, and some also fast a whole or half day and read Vayichal from a Sefer Torah, like on a Taanis Tzibur.)

The tefila the Shlah lists was written by Reb Shabsei Sofer of Premishla, a talmid of the Levush, and can be found here.

The Shlah says one should also have in mind their children by Birchas HaTorah (v’nihiye anachnu v’tzetzoeinu), Ahava Rabbah (v’sein bilibeinu) and Uva Litzion (l’maan lo nega lorik v’lo neled l’beholo)

Tanna Devei Eliyahu says one should constantly ask for mercy from Hashem that his children shouldn’t sin.

Sefer Chasidim says one should daven for their children and grandchildren.

Rabbeinu Yonah in Iggeres HaTeshuva says a woman should daven for her children, night, morning and afternoon, that they should fear Hashem and be successful in Torah. He says she should also do this while giving tzedaka and light Shabbos candles.

Many of the great tzadikim (from all segments, Sephardim, Ashkenazim, Litvish, Chassidish) said that all of the success of their children came about because they constantly davened and cried to Hashem for that their children should go in the proper derech.

Other Segulas For Good Children

There are many segulas for good children; I will list a few here.

It is brought down in many places that tznius is a great segula for good children. The Mishna Berura quotes the Gemara in Yoma that says a very modest woman name Kimchis, merited having many sons who became Kohanim Gedolim because of her great modesty.

Making sure that people who serve Hashem have parnasa is a segula that one’s children won’t be swayed to bad influences. (Sefer Hamidos)

R’ Yissachor Dov of Belz told someone whose son was straying a bit from the ways of his father, to bring guests into his house.

Serving meat at a Bris is a segula for the child to grow up properly. (Divrei Yechezkel)

See here for a segula to do after a child is born.

Learning Sefer Degel Machane Ephraim is a segula for good children. See A Simple Jew for the source. You can get a PDF of the sefer here.

Reb Nachman of Breslov says that if a boy comes to him before the age of 7, he will be saved from sin. (Chaye Mohoran/Tzadik) Reb Avrohom B'Reb Nachman Chazan says that this also applies these days, after Reb Nachman's passing. (Kochvey Ohr) Many people, even ones that aren't "Breslovers", take their sons to Uman at various times during the year, before they turn 7.

I've heard in the name of tzadikim that washing a childs hands, negel vaser, before the age of 3, even though not halachically required, is a segula for the child's yiras shomayim.

17 Iyar - Yahrzeits

R' Yechezkel ben Yehuda HaLevi Landau of Prague, the Nodah BeYehudah (1793) See Noda BeYehudah - The Most Important Tzadik In The History Of Chassidus ?

R' Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudlikov - Author of Degel Machaneh Ephraim. He was the son of Reb Yechiel Michel Ashkenazi, known as Der Deitshel, and Udel (the Hebrew letters spell "Aish Dos Lomo") the holy daughter of the Baal Shem Tov. His brother was R' Boruch of Mezibuzh. For more see A Simple Jew and Heichal HaNegina.

R' Mordechai ben Yochonon Twersky of Rachmastrivka (1921) and his son R' Pinchas of Ostila HY"D (exact death date is unknown, sometime in 1943, so it is observed with his fathers)

King of the Months - Nisan

הַחדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם ראשׁ חֳדָשִׁים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחָדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה.

The word לָכֶם has the same letters as מלך, king. This, the Kav Hayashar says, alludes to Nisan being the first and “king” of all the months.

The Degel Machane Ephraim quotes the first mishna in Rosh Hashona: the first of Nisan is Rosh Hashona of Malochim, and it is know that only Klal Yisroel is called Bnei Malochim. Therefore, it says הַחדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם – לָכֶם has the same letters as מלך. This month, which is Rosh Hashona of Malochim is given specifically to Klal Yisroel.

Here is more from Degel Machane Ephraim on Nisan from A Simple Jew.