#Breslover Hasidism

[teenageascetic]

“WHEN THOU GOEST FORTH TO BATTLE AGAINST THINE ENEMIES, AND SEEST HORSES, AND CHARIOTS etc. This is a new commandment which he now declared to them as they came into battles. The purport of the verse, For the Eternal your G-d is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you is to admonish them against becoming faint-hearted and that they should not fear their enemies. He states that they are not to rely in this matter on their own strength, thinking in their hearts. We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war, but instead they are to turn their hearts only to G-d and rely on His help, thinking that He delighteth not in the strength of the horse, and He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man, for The Eternal taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that wait for His mercy. He states to fight for you against your enemies meaning that He will make them fall before you by the sword. He states to save you meaning that they will be spared in battle and that not a man among them will be missing, for it would be possible that they vanquish their enemies and that many of them, too, would die, as is the way of battles. Therefore Joshua cried out when about thirty and six men fell in [the battle of] Ai, for in His commandatory war not one hair of their heads should have fallen to the ground, for the battle is the Eternal’s. Now the priest who serves G-d is to admonish [the warriors] to fear Him, and give them assurance [of His help]. The officers, however, speak in the customary way of the world, lest he die in the battle, for in the normal course of events even some people of the group of the victors die. He commanded that these three categories [of people] return because one’s heart is on his [new] house, vineyard, and wife and he will [be the first to] flee.”

-Maimonides on Deuteronomy 20:1.

[nebylitsa]

Set aside time each day to meditate and pray alone in a room or some meadow and express your innermost thoughts and feelings and personal prayers to God. [...] If at times you find yourself unable to speak to God or even open your mouth, the very fact that you are there before [It] wanting and yearning to speak is itself very good. You can even turn your very inability to speak into a prayer. Tell God that you feel so far away that you cannot even speak to [It]! Ask [It] to have mercy on you and open your mouth to tell [It] what you need. [...] If you cannot speak at all [...] even saying a single word is also very beneficial. If you can only say one word, keep strong and repeat that word over and over again, countless times. Even if you spend day after day meditating with that word, this in itself is very good. If you are persistent and repeat that word countless times, God will have mercy and open your mouth, and you will be able to express yourself. [...] You can shout and scream with a “still, small voice” without anybody hearing you. Everybody can do this. Imagine the sound of such a scream in your mind. Imagine the shout exactly as it would sound. Concentrate on hearing the scream in your mind until you are literally screaming with this soundless “still, small voice” - and nobody else will hear anything.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov on the Hasidic practice of hitbodedut

[sefaradweb]

Rosh Hashaná en Ucrania

🇪🇸 Unos 34.000 judíos jasídicos peregrinaron a la ciudad ucraniana de Uman para celebrar Rosh Hashaná, el año nuevo judío, a pesar de los bombardeos rusos y las dificultades para viajar, agravadas por el ataque iraní contra Israel en octubre de 2024. Esta ciudad, donde está enterrado el rabino Najman de Breslov, ha sido un lugar de peregrinación durante años. Aunque muchos peregrinos enfrentaron la cancelación de vuelos desde Israel, lograron llegar para rezar, cantar y bailar junto a la tumba del rabino. Uman, bajo toque de queda y estrictas medidas de seguridad, no fue atacada durante las festividades, y los peregrinos manifestaron su apoyo a Ucrania, mientras aportaban una ayuda económica crucial para la ciudad en guerra.

🇺🇸 Around 34,000 Hasidic Jews made a pilgrimage to the Ukrainian city of Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, despite Russian bombings and travel difficulties exacerbated by the Iranian attack on Israel in October 2024. Uman, where Rabbi Nachman of Breslov is buried, has long been a pilgrimage site. Although many pilgrims faced flight cancellations from Israel, they managed to arrive to pray, sing, and dance by the rabbi's tomb. Uman, under curfew and strict security, was not attacked during the festivities, and the pilgrims expressed their support for Ukraine while providing crucial economic aid to the war-torn city.

[doublism]

recently came across the blog of an honest to god ultra orthodox jew on here like a breslov hasidic jew and i scrolled through their blog just absolutely astounded and like in awe trying to make sense of it. like there were these posts about shomer negiah and shit? and i was like this has got to be a joke but i couldn't figure out a reason why anyone on earth would breslovfake for clout?? but like how are you on the internet then because from what i know most of those folks aren't allowed to be lest they see a photo of a woman and god forbid experience arousal or whatever. like if you're shomer negiah and all that strict stuff surely you wouldn't be online? weird

[lennart11412]

1. “It is a tree of life to those who grasp her, and whoever holds on to her is happy.” (

Proverbs 3:18

)

For Jews, this is arguably the most well-known line in the Book of Proverbs, especially because it may be the origin of the idea that wisdom, or more specifically Torah (in the classical Jewish interpretation), is a “tree of life” (etz hayim in Hebrew).

Etz hayim serves as a source of inspiration for everything from Jewish jewelry to the names of synagogues and prayer books. It is also a focal point of the Torah service on Shabbat mornings, in which the line and similar ones from Proverbs are sung as the Torah is taken out.

2. “Happy are those who find wisdom…for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her.” (

Proverbs 3:13-15

)

While Proverbs is an ancient text, these lines prove that some wisdom is timeless. In our modern consumerist culture, it’s tempting to spend our energy chasing more money, a flashy car or the newest phone. Centuries and centuries later, Proverbs is here to remind us that knowledge is worth more than anything.

3. “A righteous man falls down seven times and gets up.” (

Proverbs 24:16

)

There are plenty of instances throughout the Tanakh where even the greatest leaders made mistakes and faced hardships and challenges, such as Moses killing the Egyptian or Joseph taunting his brothers. Jewish texts also extensively talk about what it means to be a righteous person, or a tzadik. According to Proverbs 24:16, resilience and determination are central attributes to living a righteous life. But no one gets everything right on the first try.

4. “Just like iron sharpens iron, a man sharpens the wit of his friend.” (

Proverbs 27:17

)

The creation story outlined in Genesis includes a powerful statement from God: “It is not good for mankind to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) In the Torah, this leads to the creation of Eve whose existence relieves Adam from the burden of being the only human in existence. In Proverbs, we can understand this line to be an extension of that idea, especially since it led to a creation of its own: the ancient Jewish tradition of studying in pairs (havruta in Hebrew). In the Talmud (Taanit 7a), Rabbi Hanina cites this exact line from Proverbs to explain why Torah is best learned in pairs. Having a partner or havruta allows the learner to pose questions, consider other interpretations and master the subject at hand.        

5. “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but lawlessness covers the mouth of the wicked.” (

Proverbs 10:11

)

This line further explains what makes someone righteous: not only their actions, but also their speech. It’s also one of many examples from the Book of Proverbs that condemn lashon hara (Hebrew for “evil speech”). Gossip, slander and rumors all fall under the umbrella of lashon hara, which is forbidden in Judaism.

6. “If there is anxiety in a man’s mind, let him quash and transform it into joy with encouragement.” (

Proverbs 12:25

)

This sentiment is echoed again in Proverbs 17:22: “A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency dries up the bones.”

Pursuing a life of joy and happiness, even in the face of hardship, is encouraged by various Jewish leaders, most notably by Rav Nachman, the founder of the Hasidic Breslov sect. Rav Nachman is widely known for declaring that “It is a great mitzvah to be happy” and “It is forbidden to be sad.” Rav Nachman’s teachings also acknowledged that struggle and sadness are inevitable and that these emotions should not be ignored, but faced and treated.

Happiness is difficult to achieve in isolation. So much of Judaism is about embracing community — some of the most important mitzvot involve what we can do for others, such as bikkur cholim, or visiting the sick — so it makes sense that this verse would not only encourage us to help our fellow humans, but to specifically bring them back to joy Proverbs 12:25 similarly reminds us of our power to make a change in someone else’s life. If you know someone is struggling, you have the ability (in many situations) to offer encouragement and support. Making someone joyful is of immeasurable value.

7. “Every clever man acts knowledgeably, but a foolish man exposes his stupidity.” (

Proverbs 13:16

)

This verse reminds us that we should always consider our actions carefully, and sometimes, it’s better to let people reveal themselves for who they really are, rather than working to expose someone as foolish. Proverbs 13:16 is referenced repeatedly in foundational Mussar texts, such as Orchot Tzaddikim (Hebrew for “The Ways of the Righteous”).

8. “He who guards his mouth and tongue protects himself from trouble.” (

Proverbs 21:23

)

This line can be likened to a common colloquial phrase: Think before you speak. Proverbs 10:11 already reminded us that righteousness means not participating in lashon hara. Proverbs 21:23 goes farther by showing us that by being mindful of our words, we are protecting ourselves from the many consequences that can come with gossiping or spreading rumors. Not only can we hurt others that way — we can also hurt ourselves.

9. “Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, and the glory of children is their parents.” (

Proverbs 17:6

)

Judaism encourages not only procreation, but also passing the Jewish tradition from generation to generation. This verse alludes to something deeper. Children will follow the example of those closest to them, so being a good role model and demonstrating what living a righteous life looks like for the next generation is just as important as imparting your own wisdom. However, it is also important to reflect on who was a mentor and role model to you. Through intergenerational reciprocity, we can understand that older generations are valuable to younger generations, just as youth are to their grandparents.

10. “More than any observance, protect your heart, for it is the source of life.” (

Proverbs 4:23

)

In a midrash, Rav Abba was cited as saying that “There are 248 commandments in the Torah corresponding to the organs that are in a human being; for each and every organ cries out at the person and says, ‘Perform a commandment with me so that we may live through its merit and you may lengthen your life.’” (Tanchuma, Ki Teitzei 2:1) While modern science disagrees regarding our organ count, the underlying message stands on its own. What is a human without a heart? Without our hearts, how could we connect to Jewish tradition and the mitzvot?    

[businesspr]

In Ukraine, Celebrating Rosh Hashana at Rebbe Nachman’s Tomb

Every year, thousands of followers of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov descend on the town of Uman to worship, dance and pay homage at the tomb of their spiritual leader. source https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/17/world/asia/ukraine-rosh-hashana-uman-hasidic-jews.html

[wouldnt-it-be-hilarious-if-i]

Hasidic Judaism

Currently listening to: Bring it On Home to Me by Sam Cooke

The Hasidic movement began in the 18th century and was founded by Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov. The movement began during a time of religious persecution and spiritual decline, and it sparked a religious renaissance due to its teachings that valued love, joy, and humility. The movement essentially supplemented religious study with a joyful experience of prayer, D'vekut. While I watched the documentary, D'vekut: Hasidism & Jewish Mysticism, I learned a few other things about Hasidism.

Hasidic values follow four basic ideas:

The all-inclusive and unconditional love for every Jewish soul and every part of creation.

The spiritual importance of always retaining a psychological state of joy as a way to serve G-d.

All of the Mitzvot (this word refers to the 613 commandments) given to Jews are there in order for them to experience and understand the state of clinging to the G-d that gave them those commandments.

I honestly for the life of me cannot remember or find in the transcript what the last one was.

I also learned about two important religious figures to the Hasidic movement aside from the founder:

Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai established a school of mysticism and wrote the Zohar, or the book of splendor. This is the essential book of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism.

Rabbi Isaac Luria, or the Ari, was a renowned scholar of Kabbalah. In the 16th century, he made the Kabbalah practice and accessible.

The documentary talks a lot about what is considered "Hasid" and what is not. One of the main points of it is seeing the good part of everything that happens, including suffering, and being able to thank G-d for what one learns from those things. Another is to rebuild the Jewish nation up again, like when Rabbi Yechezkel Boruch Halberstam built a hospital in a less religious area of Israel, where anyone seeking treatment could find it. The documentary talked about how at the time of its filming (it came out in 2000, so probably around like 1998-1999 because it took two years to film), 50,000 babies had already been born in the hospital and how this was helping rebuild the Jewish nation after the Holocaust.

Hasidic Jews are not just one block of people, but a community with different groups. Here are the most popular:

Gur (Poland, today, mostly in Israel).

Chabad Lubavitch (Lithuania and Belarus, today concentrated in Crown Heights, Brooklyn; and Kfar Chabad, Israel, but spread throughout the world).

Satmar (originating in Satu Mara, Romania, today concentrated in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as well as Kiryas Yoel, Monsey and elsewhere).

Bobov (Galicia, today very prominent in Borough Park, Brooklyn).

Belz (Galicia, today mostly in Israel with significant communities in New York and Montreal).

Vishnitz (Ukraine, today, mostly in Israel and Monsey, N.Y.).

Breslov (Ukraine, today spread throughout the world).

Chernobyl (Ukraine, today in New Square, N.Y., and around the world).

Sanz-Klausenburg (Galicia, today concentrated in Netanya, Israel).

I decided to read a bit more after I finished the documentary, which was about an hour long. Chabad.org has a really interesting page on things about Hasidic Judaism that I really liked reading.

One thing I learned was that Hasidic Jews receive guidance from a Rebbe, which is the Yiddish pronunciation of Rabbi. There is no formal application process required to become a Rebbe, they are simply people who have devoted their lives and put a lot of energy into cultivating a relationship with G-d and who immerse themselves in study, contemplation and prayer. They are meant to help guide and inspire their community.

I also learned a few things that I saw in the documentary: They value songs and stories. Though they use technology, some use it with limits to how much and which ones they use. Television is considered off-limits, and in virtually every Hasidic community, internet usage for minors is limited to very little or zero usage. This definitely surprised me a little, but as someone who had way too much access to the internet as a child and...saw some things...I'd say that's a pretty solid rule.

Another thing I learned was that some people call these communities "ultra-orthodox." I noticed there were a few documentaries that had this title, and I thought it seemed a bit sensational (especially since most documentaries that Vice produces are a bit sensational in nature and tend to document different groups a tiny bit like zoo animals? They just always have a weird tone, even if it is pretty informative) so I'm glad I scrolled past them because I was right. Apparently, many view this term to be pejorative. It's better to just call them Hasidic (Chasidic) Jews. Or just Jews.

Notes:

Even though this is a bit off topic, I'll never get over being named Brooklyn and never having even seen the Brooklyn bridge or set foot within the borough. I wish I had though, because then I think I would have had a chance to be exposed to a different style of religious dress than I had been. Now that I know more about how some Hasidic Jews look and dress, I realize that I do have extremely vague memories from when I was a child of seeing very tall men (or maybe I was just very tiny) in black hats with the Pe'ot and staring extremely hard at them by trying (and most likely failing) not to.

I remember doing the same thing the first time I saw Mennonites in Missouri when I was younger. I was just so intrigued but shy as hell. Sorry to the people I might have made uncomfy with that. Also notable is the fact that I do feel like I have vague memories of my dad saying Jews made the best bagels or something like that, and yes, he said it exactly the way you'd expect someone rude to say it. I don't know if anyone has caught on yet, but my family had a very strange mindset where they thought if they basically were hateful to everyone it cancelled out the bigotry because they were equally bigoted toward everyone and not just one group?

Y'all see why I work so hard to educate myself? Good lord. I actually think my first introduction to most minority groups was through some form of racism or something. I also wanted to add that I chose to do the G-d spelling because that's what I kept seeing in my research, and I wanted to be respectful of the topic. Typically, I would just use the O, but I am a big fan of trying my best to be respectful. Anyway, I really enjoyed learning about this topic and will definitely continue to learn more about the different rules that they live by.

[jewishvirtuallibrary-blog]

Jewish people praying at the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav in Uman, Ukraine; 2006. x

Rabbi Nachman, the great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, was an important figure in the Hasidic movement and attracted thousands of followers during his lifetime by combining Kabbalah with in-depth Torah study. His influence continues even until today through many Hasidic movements such as Breslov Hasidism.  Rebbe Nachman's Jewish philosophy revolved around closeness to G-d and speaking to G-d in normal conversation "as you would with a best friend."  His grave, located in Uman, Ukraine, remains an important pilgrimage site for many Hasidism.

[judaic-myth-n-mysticism]

An amulet of herbal mixtures + a simple written segulah against the Quilpoth from the Sefer HaMidot I assembled for my brother.

[everymanpdf]

could you recommend some of ur fave books on judaism/jewish spirituality/that sort of thing? i love the quotes and concepts you share!

of course! here are just a few that i enjoyed/am enjoying now:

The Essential Kabbalah, Daniel C. Matt

Honey from the Rock, Lawrence Kushner

Messengers of God: Biblical Portraits and Legends, Elie Wiesel

Your Word is Fire: the Hasidic Masters on Contemplative Prayer, Arthur Green & Barry W. Holtz

The Healer of Shattered Hearts: A Jewish View of God, David J. Wolpe

The Gentle Weapon: Prayers for Everyday and Not-So-Everyday Moments and The Empty Chair: Finding Hope and Joy, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, adapted by Moshe Mykoff

[2spoonsofsugar]

If it isn't too big and/or intrusive of a question... what was it that brought you back/inspired you to become a ba'al teshuvah? Was there one defining moment when you made the decision, or more of a gradual process? And does anything stand out that you'd like to share when you think about your experience of making the lifestyle transition into more observance?

No question is too big!!!

So, my transition from secular to orthodox was fairly linear. I started out as Reform because it was the most accessible, but then I learned more about the Haskalah and traditional Judaism, so I identified as more "conservadox". This inspired me to research Halakha, and after a hyperfocus on it, I realized I was in line with orthodox schools of thought. My introduction to Chassidut was actually Breslov and not Chabad like most people lol. I saw these funky lil guys dancing to Hasidic edm music and was just in awe, they seemed so happy. So my study of Breslov Chassidut brought me to other channels of Chassidut, namely Chabad! I have always been interested in tradition, and the orthopraxic nature of Judaism intrigued me, then through the practice of mitzvos, my connection to G-d grew, and my emunah grew along with it. This part of my journey is the one I am in the midst of :).

So, in Chassidus especially, every single part of your day is filled with Torah. How you wash your hands, how you get dressed, the clothes you wear, how you greet others, how you eat, how you sleep. Everything is Torah. There isn't any "waiting" till Shabbos or Yom Tov to feel spiritual, it's always there. Being secular it was always just, "why should i get up?", "why should i make food instead of picking it up" etc. (boring answer? kashrus was a really big change)

[naanaach]

#nnnnm #nanach #na_nach #na_nach_nachma_nachman_mayuman #nanachnachmanachmanmeuman #rabbinachman #nachman #nachmanism #judaism #breslov #torah #derecheretz #hafatza #israel #breslover #bird #madbird #beak #hasid #chick #attitude #progressive https://www.instagram.com/p/BuPCTVsnkKz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xu1y6lkwpwwg

[yidquotes]

I have a class in Jewish history and was wondering if you know of any cool figures in Jewish history from 1500 onward? I’m having trouble finding someone to write about and I’m looking for a good story

Ooh! Glückel of Hameln. Or Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. The Baal Shem Tov. Any of the Hasidic masters really. Bella Abzug. Gracia Mendes Nasi.

[bobemajses]

"An event that is widely known to everyone in Ukraine is the arrival of Breslov (Bratslav) Hasidim in Uman to visit the grave of Tsadik Nachman, which our media and society perceive as the influx of an absolutely foreign culture to the Ukrainian lands, but this is quite a mistaken belief. This tradition belongs to our territories, our history, just like Christian pilgrimages to monasteries."

- Marharyta Yehorchenko