Rabbi Nachman Overview II: Likutey Moharan

From the Title Page of the first (1808) printing of Likutey Moharan:

From the pure discourses of the famous pious sage, the holy lamp,
Our master, Rabbi Nachman
great grandson of the holy sage, the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory,
We have gathered teaching upon teaching, the pure words of God,
revealing the hidden, uncovering mysteries,
to awaken the sleeping and free those bound in fetters
through open rebuke that stems from hidden love
to clear the pathways and open blind eyes,
gems hewn from a quarry of precious stones.
For all who wish to support themselves on them,
they are great edifices built upon firm foundations,
the immutable words of the Sages.
In them you will find tranquility for your soul and sound advice
and merit to see the coming of the righteous Teacher
to gather in the scattered exiles and establish
the Holy of Holies, the Sanctuary, the Vestibule and courtyards
in their proper order.

Likutey Moharan

All Rabbi Nachman's major Torah discourses are collected in Likutey Moharan, "Collected Teachings of our Master Rabbi Nachman". Likutey literally means "gleanings" i.e. collected teachings. MoHaRaN is an acronym of Morenu HaRav Nachman, our master, Rabbi Nachman.

In the words of Rabbi (or "Reb") Noson, Rabbi Nachman's closest student, who transcribed most of the discourses and edited and printed Likutey Moharan:

"There is not a single mitzvah or piece of good advice needed by all the different people in the world on their different levels that is not mentioned in this awesome, holy work. The Rebbe speaks of all existence both in general and in particular, including all the worlds and levels that exist in each person, great or small, from the starting point of creation -- the initial point of Atzilut -- to the innermost point of Asiyah, the physical world in which man resides…" (Introduction to Likutey Moharan).

Likutey Moharan consists of two parts. Part One contains Rabbi Nachman's major discourses and teachings from 1802, the start of Rabbi Noson's association with him, until 1808, when the Rebbe gave instructions to print his teachings to date. Part Two, known as Likutey Tinyona ("The Second Collection") consists of the Rebbe's teachings from 1808 until his death in 1810. These were printed by Rabbi Noson in 1811. Most contemporary Hebrew editions of Likutey Moharan contain the two parts in a single volume.

The two parts of Likutey Moharan contain respectively 287 and 126 separate teachings, a total of 413. About a quarter of these are elaborately structured discourses, which in some cases took several hours to deliver. The remainder are shorter teachings and insights. In some cases, as specified in the text, the teachings were copied directly from Rabbi Nachman's own manuscript. However, the majority were transcribed by Rabbi Noson after hearing the Rebbe's live teaching. In many cases Rabbi Noson was able to check his transcript with the Rebbe.

Rabbi Nachman's Fire

Breslover literature includes graphic accounts of the occasions when Rabbi Nachman originally gave quite a number of the discourses in Likutey Moharan , conveying the attendant drama and intensity. There were moments of artless lyric grace, others of deepest awe and fervor.

The student of Likutey Moharan can experience the fire and spirit of Rabbi Nachman in proportion to the student's own efforts to grasp and apply the teachings. The Tzaddik's teachings are drawn from his sechel (mind or intellect), which is "fire" and "spirit". This sechel is condensed in the words of the teachings in his books, and is there to be found through persistent effort.

In the words of Rabbi Yekusiel, Magid of Terhovitza, a senior elder of the chassidic movement and a Rebbe of eighty towns and villages, who submitted himself to Rebbe Nachman when the latter was in his early twenties:

"I asked him something I've already asked many Tzaddikim and they never gave me the right answer. But our Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, gave me the answer clearly and correctly. He revealed a most wonderful teaching about this [Likutey Moharan II,32].

"As he was speaking I saw flames of fire coming from his mouth. I thought it would be quite impossible to put what he said in writing. Then the next morning that young Reb Noson brought along the lesson written in ink on paper" (Tzaddik #607).

Rabbi Noson's transcripts of the Rebbe's teachings, as printed in Likutey Moharan, contain the very fire of Rabbi Nachman.

Two centuries have passed since these teachings came live from Rabbi Nachman's mouth directly to the ears of his listeners. Today his teachings can only be studied out of books. The physicality of the book itself acts as a veil concealing the light of the living Torah shebe-al Peh in the discourses. As Rabbi Nachman says: "As soon as exalted and amazing teachings are turned into a book, their pure brilliant light is covered and hidden by the cover of the book" (Likutey Moharan II:36).

Even so, today we cannot hear from Rabbi Nachman directly. We have only his books, and also, thank God, many scholars who know how to expound them. Thousands and thousands of students of Rabbi Nachman's works -- outstanding Tzadikim, scholars and many other seekers of truth in all walks of life -- testify that diligent study of his teachings is be repaid with gifts of abundant light, vitality and inspiration.

Rabbi Nachman said that even just possessing a copy of Likutey Moharan is beneficial. "Even if they are just lying in a chest or in a bookcase they have great protective power in a house." ... Someone who cannot afford the book "should sell the very pillow under his head to buy it" (Tzaddik #349 & 355).

Finding your way around the book

The entire Hebrew text of Likutey Moharan can be seen on-line at www.breslov.com. Several volumes covering major parts of Likutey Moharan are now available in English translation with full commentary from the Breslov Research Institute. Yet true lovers of Rebbe Nachman will not forgo the joy of personally exploring the full Hebrew text of his greatest work, which he called "the start of the redemption"..

Main features of present-day Hebrew editions of Likutey Moharan.

The Title Page	See above for the text of the original title page of Likutey Moharan, reprinted in many modern editions.
Haskamot	Letters of approval of the book were received from leading rabbis of the time, including Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margulies of Brody, Rabbi Meir ben Zvi Hirsh of Brody, Rabbi Avraham Chaim of Zlotchov, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok, the "Chozeh" of Lublin and Rabbi Yisroel, the Koznitzer Magid.
Rabbi Noson's Introduction	Rabbi Noson, who printed Likutey Moharan many times after Rabbi Nachman's passing, included a lengthy Introduction in the 1821 printing explaining how he edited the work, praising the greatness of Rabbi Nachman and his teachings, and explaining the Rebbe's methods:
From the Introduction	"The source of these teachings is most exalted, yet they focus on counsel and practical advice in the service of God. The outer garb is revealed, the inner essence deeply hidden, yet condensed in the form of practical advice." "Each discourse is an awesome, mighty structure of many chambers containing rooms within rooms within rooms. Windows and openings lead from one to another. Each and every chamber, each explanation, every subject and element that appears in a teaching possesses profound depth. The more we explore these topics and explanations, the deeper they become "as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). "Each time a person passes from one chamber to another, from room to room and subject to subject within any given topic, he must constantly look back in order to understand the true sweetness and depth of the Rebbe's words. The end is attached to the beginning and the beginning to the end. Everything is interconnected and intertwined: the opening with the conclusion, and the conclusion with the opening, as well as with the body of the text and the marginal points…" "All the writings of the holy Ari, the holy Zohar and the Tikuney Zohar and all the ways of the Kabbalah are included in this holy work. Every lesson refers in amazing ways to the deeper intentions of some mitzvah and of a particular aspect of the Etz Chaim… Each lesson contains the four levels of Pshat (explanation of the simple meaning of text), Remez (explanation of allusions in text), Drush (teachings derived through hermeneutic principles), and Sod - the mystical level. Each approach contains great depth, yet the Rebbe's primary intention is the simple meaning of each lesson, for "The main thing is not study by practice" (Avot 1:17).
Shir Yedidus	Shir Na'im ("A Pleasant Song"), also called Shir Yedidut ("A Song of Love") by Rabbi Nachman, is a poem in 60 lines built as a series of successive acrostics on the letters of his name Nachman ben Simchah, speaking to the oppressed soul of the Jew about the greatness of the Torah and the wonders of creation, from the highest angels to the rivers and seas and all the creatures in them, the different nations, the demons and spirits.... Let us sing a new song and turn our hearts to God....
Eighteen principles of interpretation	Some full editions of Likutey Moharan include eighteen principles relating to Rabbi Nachman's methods and how to interpret his teachings. These principles are taken from the Introduction to one of the most important commentaries on the work, Biur HaLikutim ("Explanation of the Gleanings") by Rabbi Avraham b'Reb Nachman (see below).
Index of references to the weekly Torah portions	Some editions include a list of all the weekly Torah portions referencing the discourses in Likutey Moharan in which Rabbi Nachman discusses verses from any given potion.
Index of Corresponding Prayers in Likutey Tefilos	As an integral part of the process of studying and fulfilling the teachings in Likutey Moharan, Rabbi Nachman advised his students to "turn the teachings into prayers", asking God to help one fulfill every aspect of the pathway explained in each teaching. Rabbi Noson followed this practice and collected his own prayers based on Rabbi Nachman's teachings in a volume called Likutey Tefilos ("Collected Prayers"). Most editions of Likutey Moharan include an index of Rabbi Nachman's discourses referencing the corresponding prayers in Likutey Tefilos.
Index of related discourses in Likutey Halochos	Another of Rabbi Noson's main works is his eight-volume Likutey Halochos ("Collected Laws") containing lengthy discourses using the teachings in Likutey Moharan to elucidate the deeper meaning of Jewish law in all areas of the Shulchan Aruch. Rabbi Noson's inspiring discourses are filled with practical guidance. They clarify the meaning of Rabbi Nachman's teachings. They also shine light on countless passages and concepts in the Bible, Talmud, Midrash and Kabbalah. Most editions of Likutey Moharan include an index of Rabbi Nachman's discourses referencing all the related discourses in Likutey Halochos.
Index of references to verses in the weekly Torah portions	Some editions of Likutey Moharan include a list of the fifty-three weekly Torah portions referencing all the discourses in which Rabbi Nachman refers to a verse in one of the weekly potions.
Index of subjects	Some editions of Likutey Moharan include one or more subject indices.

Main commentaries and translations

Kitzur Likutey Moharan	At Rabbi Nachman's request, Rabbi Noson prepared an abbreviated ("Kitzur") version of Likutey Moharan condensing each of Rabbi Nachman's complex teachings into a clear practical spiritual pathway. Rabbi Noson's abbreviated versions often make it easier to grasp the structure and direction of the original teaching, and frequently elucidate the meaning of difficult passages. Rabbi Noson later rearranged all the practical advice in Kitzur Likutey Moharan by subject and printed it under the title of Likutey Etzot ("Collected Advice", translated as Rabbi Nachman's Advice).
Likutey Tefilos	Recital of Rabbi Noson's inspiring prayers based on the teachings of Likutey Moharan can greatly help the student internalize and fulfill Rabbi Nachman's teachings. The prayers also shed light on the meaning and intent of the teachings.
Likutey Halochos	In the course of Rabbi Noson's discourses in his multi-volume Likutey Halochos, he provide commentary on almost all of the major teachings in Likutey Moharan as well as showing their relevance to every area of Torah and every area of life.
Toras Noson	All the passages in Likutey Halochos that specifically elucidate a discourse or part of one in Likutey Moharan were extracted, condensed and arranged in order by Rabbi Noson Tzvi Koenig (d. 1997), outstanding scholar of Breslov and kabbalistic literature in this generation.
Parpero'os LeChochmah	The first major commentary on Likutey Moharan, by Rabbi Nachman Goldstein, Rav of Tcherin (?-1894), grandson of Rabbi Aharon, who was Rav of the town of Breslov in Rabbi Nachman's time.
Bi'ur HaLikutim	Major commentary on Likutey Moharan by Rabbi Avraham (b'[en] Reb Nachman Chazan (1849-1917). R. Avraham's father, Reb Nachman of Tulchin, was Rabbi Noson's leading disciple. R. Avraham would often leave home directly after Shabbos with only a bag of bread and a stack of books, disappearing into the forest for an entire week of study and devotion. His commentaries dissect Rebbe Nachman's lessons point by point, delving into their profound kabbalistic and other ramifications.
Breslov Research Institute English Translation	Authoritative on-going multi-volume English translation of Likutey Moharan with comprehensive commentary by Rabbi Chaim Kramer published by Breslov Research Institute.
Other translations and commentaries	A variety of editions of selected teachings in Likutey Moharan on specific themes have been published by the Breslov Research Institute and by others in the Breslov movement. Likutey Moharan is studied by individual devotees and in pairs, groups, learning circles, yeshivos and other study programs throughout the world. Many kinds of study materials and recordings of classes are available on-line from organizations in Israel, North America and elsewhere.