Dvar Torah for the Yortzeit of Rebbe Nachman

Based on Likutey Moharan II, Lesson 67

The 18th of Tishrei, the fourth day of Sukkot, is the yortzeit (anniversary of the passing) of Rebbe Nachman. He died in 5571 (1810), 186 years ago. This year (5757) the yortzeit is on Monday bight and Tuesday.

The Rebbe gave this lesson, whose predominant theme is the destruction of the Holy Temple and its restoration, as a veiled eulogy for himself.

"There is a tzaddik who is the beauty, splendor and grace of the entire world.... When that tzaddik becomes more famous, then people's spiritual awareness becomes heightened.... The [more] one is associated with that tzaddik, [the more he] can peceive the spiritual state of that which is around him. The most important thing is for him to take a good look at himself.... When this tzaaddik becomes famous, then God too becomes famous. And the more famous the tzaddik becomes, the more famous God becomes."

Rebbe Nachman left a rich legacy, a great number of works which are filled with insight into the human condition, encouragement for the spiritually weary and which are a treasury of yirat Shamayim (the fear of God). His desire was for each of us to grow steadily, step-by-step, opening up our minds and hearts to let God in. Our gains in spirituality are not to be used to look down our noses at others, but rather to look at ourselves: where am I holding? How is my honesty? sincerity? love of God and fellow Jew? etc.

The second point referred to needs to not be mis-understood. The Rebbe does not mean to imply that the tzaddik is God forbid a deity, or deserving of worship in any manner. God forbid. Both of these claims and acts are strictly forbidden by the second of the Ten Commandments. Rather Rebbe Nachman is pointing out a fact that we are all aware of , but may never have formulated in so many words.

When people talk about persons well known in a particular field their conversation turns automatically to that field. If people talk about Motzart, they will talk about music. If they talk about Bibi, they will talk about Israeli politics. Thus, if people talk about the tzaddik, or of any of the great tzaddikim, their coversation will turn to God. And this, to talk about God, to thank Him, to praise Him and to be aware of Him at every turn, is the purpose of Creation.

May each of us be worthy to make the Rebbe's name more favorably well-known and may the Rebbe's merit protect each of us and all the Jewish people. Amen.