THE ALEPH-BET BOOK
Rabbi Nachman's Aphorisms on Jewish Living

Eli and Ruth Assoulin
who have generously supported this publication
and dedicated it
in honor of the birth
of their daughter

Rachel

May God grant them all
a joyous, healthy and successful life

Publisher's Preface

He then came to Hillel with the same request and was accepted. On the first day of his studies, Hillel taught him: aleph, bet, gimel, dalet etc. The following day, he reversed the order: tav, shin, resh, koof etc. The convert exclaimed, "But yesterday you taught me the other way?!" Hillel replied, "Do you not have to rely on me to teach you the correct order for the Aleph-Bet? Then rely on me that the Oral Law is an integral part of Torah too!" (Shabbat 31a).

The Talmud (Bekhorot 30b) states: "If one wishes to convert, but refuses to accept one mitzvah, or even one rabbinical edict, then the conversion is not valid." Rashi (Shabbat 31a) suggests this as the reason for Shammai's refusal to convert the non-Jew. But, he asks, how could Hillel have accepted him if he refused to accept the Oral Law? Rashi answers that the non-Jew did not refuse the Oral Law - at that point he was simply incapable of believing in its Divine origin. Hillel knew that, given proper time and guidance, this convert would ultimately accept Oral Law.

Shammai always maintained the straight, dogmatic approach: one who is serious about entering the realm of Judaism must, from the very beginning, totally accept all that there is to accept. Hillel, on the other hand, always maintained an open approach: accept the newcomer - whether a convert or returnee - with an open heart and mind, and let him discover, at his own pace, the inner workings and beauty of Torah. Thus we are taught, "Since both schools [Shammai and Hillel] are the word of God, why then are we to follow the teachings of Hillel? Because the students of Hillel were very easy-going and modest, and always showed the highest respect for the school of Shammai" (Eruvin 13b).

Throughout Jewish history we find these two opposing schools of thought. Who does one accept? Whose standards shall be the norm? Which approach is needed to face the modern challenge?

It was the Baal Shem Tov who first revealed that actually these views are compatible. There need not be either absolute dogmatism or total openness. One must judge each case on its merits and respond with the appropriate reply. Where direct law applies, one must be unrelenting in the pursuance of Torah Law. Where this is not possible, then one must use a pliable approach so that the uninitiated can also partake of Torah. Thus, numbering among the Baal Shem Tov's disciples were world renowned Torah scholars, and simple folk who could barely read. All were accepted. He was able to reach out to everyone.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, developed this approach to perfection. He taught (Likutey Moharan II, #7) that the true leader must be able to show even the most learned and serious student that he hasn't even begun proper study of Torah. He must put aside all his knowledge and begin serving God from anew, in order to receive the full benefits of Torah. But, for one who is first entering the realm of Judaism, that person must be shown God is with him, constantly. The true leader must reach out to him at his level, revealing the wonders of God and Creation while, at the same time, understanding that this person is presently incapable of anything more.

Not only did Rabbi Nachman teach this lesson, he lived it! He embodied the lofty, dogmatic approach that there is only religion: the study of Torah, prayer and performance of mitzvof, that man should engage in. Yet, at the same time, we find Rabbi Nachman involved in mundane conversations, playing chess with prominent atheists, and otherwise engaged in reaching out with the basics, the Aleph-Bet, to those who were distant from God. He was able to show them, by his own example, that there exists a much greater meaning to life, than what they were experiencing to date.

When Rabbi Nachman revealed The Aleph-Bet Book, he did not reveal the sources. Like Hillel, he only revealed the Aleph-Bet, the very beginning of what man needs to propel himself forward in Judaism. Yet, just like Hillel, Rabbi Nachman was saying: "Trust me! Rely on me to teach you the correct Aleph-Bet - the way to correct your each and every trait."

The Breslov Research Institute extends its heartfelt thanks to Moshe Mykoff for this most exacting work. In a world where the translation of classical books is of great importance, this tome presented an exceptionally difficult challenge. How does one explain the unexplainable? Where does one find the right words to form the simple sentence from the complex combination of poetic thought and style that Rabbi Nachman used? Only with Rabbi Nachman's advice of beginning with Aleph and continuing on to Bet etc. is one able to start. Only by re ying on Rabbi Nachman, that there is a source and reason for everything, can one complete his mission.

May it be the will of the Almighty that, in the merit of the Tzaddikim upon whom we rely, that we merit, in this month of Menachem Av, to see the coming of Mashiach, the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the ingathering of the exiles, Amen.

Chaim Kramer
Menachem Av 5746

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION

This fundamental distinction was not only vital to this translation of Rabbi Nachman's Aleph-Bet Book, it is also an essential concept for the reader to bear in mind when relating to the ideas being presented. A review of the material reveals three general categories into which the aphorisms can be divided. The first type can be recognized as those selections which are straightforward and most consistent with present day patterns of thinking and personal experience: e.g., the need for teaching children to behave properly right from the start (Children 64). Anyone with experience raising children knows this to be true. The second category consists of aphorisms which can neither' be verified nor negated by everyday experience and common logic: e.g., confessing one's sins earns a person a share in the World to Come (Repentance 8). In most cases, the reader, though not understanding why it should be so and therefore unable to come to this realization on his own, will nevertheless have no reason to raise objection to what he is being taught.

The third type of aphorism, which comprises the major part of the work, are those teachings which at best are not absolutely consistent with our experience and reasoning and often even openly contradictory to them. We are being asked to accept ideas which neither conform to current perceptions nor fit into the modern framework. Indeed, were it not that the attributes are based upon a value system which remains true for all ages and in every situation, it would have been only too convenient - through a less exacting and more "scholarly critical" interpretation - to have translated the aphorisms in this third category in a more palatable way. The reader too must keep in mind the Divine nature of this value system. Even when his personal experience seems to refute the principle, it is only because he has yet to acquire a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught. By doing so, it will become evident that, in fact, this type of aphorism is no less valid than those which everyone knows to be true.

Take for example the following aphorism on slander: a person guilty of slander will be afflicted with leprosy (51ander 19). An obvious problem presents itself. How is it then that we see people slandering others daily and yet they suffer no leprosy?

No doubt, the reader with a background in the Bible could readily point to Miriam, who was stricken with %leprosy when she spoke badly of her brother Moses (Numbers 12) or even Moses himself who, when he slandered the Jewish People (Exodus 4), found his hand covered with leprosy. But, if this fundamental principle is to be valid, namely, the Jewish teachings on character traits are timeless and are as applicable today as they were in Rabbi Nachman's time 200 years ago and as when the Torah was given more than 2,000 years ago, then it must be that our own experience also verifies that slander produces leprosy. The question, of course, is how?

To explain this point, it is first necessary to introduce what we shall call the spiritual dimension.

Judaism has always seen the world and its components as both spiritual and physical entities. These two aspects not only compliment one another, they also parallel each other in form and construct. This is perhaps nowhere more prominent than in man, whose physical body with its 248 organs and 365 veins has a transcendental counterpart in his soul with its own, albeit spiritual, 248 members and 365 veins. And, just as there are rules governing our physical reality: stick your hand in fire and it will be burnt, there are rules which govern our spiritual reality. In fact, the set of 613 spiritual rules - the Torah - is the blueprint of all Creation and also comprises 248 organs and 365 veins, namely, the positive and prohibitive commandments respectively. Hence, only by practicing the mitzvot and perfecting the character traits, which are the very foundation upon which the commandments depend, can a person hope to properly function within the spiritual reality and not be burnt beca use of a transgression of its rules.

Yet, without going much further into what is basically a major principle of the Kabbalistic doctrine on transcendental reality, which would take us far beyond the scope of a translator's introduction, it is necessary to add one more point. Jewish lore has always recognized that the relationship between the physical and its spiritual counterpart cannot be limited to a mere abstract parallel in form and construct. Rather, there exists a very concrete causal relationship between the two. Accordingly, material objects, such as the hide of an animal upon which tefillin are written, can be used to produce spiritual effects; and spiritual deeds, such as repentance, give rise to material benefits. Unfortunately, most people today are no longer in tune with the way this interrelationship operates.- There are nevertheless certain individuals who, after having worked many years to purify their own corporeality, have mastered the rules of spirituality and its relationship to the physical (see Appendix 11). They are not only aware of how the spiritual dimension operates and how it effects our everyday reality, they are also capable of determining the way in which the spiritual world is affected, positively or negatively, by our own physical deeds.

With this in mind, let's now return to the attribute of slander and how it produces leprosy. Webster's Dictionary defines leprosy as a chronic disease ... accompanied by a loss of sensation. For an alternative usage the dictionary offers the following: a morally or spiritually harmful influence. In point of fact, Judaism would see these two definitions as one and the same: the first being no more than an outcome of the latter. This can be understood from the spiritual definition of leprosy. Rabbi Nachman defines leprosy as the blocking out of spiritual light and the leper as one who is unable to perceive the light of the Infinite which permeates all of Creation (Likutey Moharan I:2i). Thus, we are being taught that when a person slanders and is derisive of others, he cannot hope to receive the Divine Countenance which, through his actions, he's rejected. His falsely accusing any of God's creations makes him incapable of experiencing Godliness and turns his entire world bitter. He has indeed lost all sensation of holiness. The 248 organs and 365 veins of his soul have truly become leperous.*

*) The Mishnah (Avot 5:1) teaches that the world was created through ten Divine Utterances spoken in the Holy Tongue, Hebrew. The letters of the Holy Tongue are themselves physical embodiments of spiritual forces. Accordingly, the combination of letters which form the Hebrew name of any given object or concept has within it the spiritual dimension - the essence of that thing. It is therefore in no waycoincidental that the Hebrew word for slander METZORAH can be transposed to read MOTZE RAH he finds bad in others. A further rearranging yields the words ETZ, a tree, and MOHR, which means bitter. When the first man, Adam, ate from the tree in the Garden of Eden, he essentially cut himself off from God; his expulsion from the Garden making his life and the life of all mankind bitter. Furthermore, our Sages (Bereishit Rabbah, 20:12) teach that when Adam was created, his body covering was a Heavenly light and only after he sinned - the punishment for which was the need to labor for his sustenance by separating the wheat from the chaff - was he given a covering of skin which concealed his essence in true corporeality. This too can be learnt from the word METZORAH which can be read OHR, skin, and MOTZ, which means chaff. It is not surprising then that the Talmud teaches (Nedarim 64b) that a person with leprosy is considered dead; foradam was supposedtoliveeternallyand it was only the slander of the snake, itself punished with leprosy, which brought death into the world (Tanchuma, Bereishit 8).

Therefore, at least in the spiritual dimension,** slander does produce leprosy much as it has since the time of Creation. Being a truth of Divine origin, this teaching on slander - as well as the other aphorisms which are also not always verified by our physical senses and perceptions - remains universally applicable and eternally valid; in no way less so than those teachings which "everyone knows" to be true. As mentioned, in most cases it takes the eyes of the spiritually attuned to see this clearly, with all its ramifications. It does seem certain, however, that by following Rabbi Nachman's prescription The Aleph-Bet Book - we too can acquire an understanding of the interrelationship between spiritual and physical, itself a vital step on the road to self-perfection.

**) Exactly why the spiritual rules which govern the world are not always manifested in the physical, as with the outbreak of leprosy on the body of a slanderer, is a question which has been pondered by a number of Jewish scholars throughout the ages (See Shmirat HaLashon, 1:6; Rabbi M.C. Luzatto, Daat Tevunot p. 104). Perhaps this is what Rabbi Nachman had in mind when he said, "Everything that you see in this world - everything that exists - is all a test to give man a freedom of choice" (Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom #300). Given that the purpose of all Creation is for man to earn his place in the World to Come (Etz Chaim, Shaar HaK'Iaiim 1), what would be the point if, instead of following God's will because of faith alone, a person could always immediately have his reward (and punishment) for the things he does.

***

It is my hope that this translation - despite its deficiencies, of which I am only too well aware - will assist the English speaking reader seeking to immerse himself into the Torah in general and Rabbi Nachman's teachings in particular. The Rebbe's Sefer HaMiddotIThe Aleph-Bet Book, like the Likutey EtzotlAdvice, is a compendium of practical guidance and hence a hand oo tothelifeofajew.However,whereasAdviceisbased upon Rabbi Nachman's own Torah discourses, this work is a collection of distilled wisdom drawn from the Bible, Talmud, Midrash and other Rabbinical writings. As much of the material in The Aleph-Bet Book actually preceded both the Likutey Moharan and the Likutey Etzot, it can be seen as a forerunner to these and all other Breslov literature. Clearly, the Sefer HaMiddot serves as our earliest introduction to the very original way in which Rabbi Nachman interpreted both verse and Aggadic teachings (examples of which can be seen from such pieces as Eating B5, Sweetening judgement 33 and Prayer 84 within the text, as well as the sampling of sources provided in Appendix 111). As with any Torah work of this nature, a casual once over will not suffice for the more than 2,500 aphorisms presented here. Indeed, in the Breslov communities in Russia, it was not unusual to find chassidim who had memorized the entire Aleph-Bet Book: no doubt the best way to fulfill Rabbi Nachman's desire that we carry it with us at all times. Realizing that this is something most of us will never achieve, it is my hope that this translation will at least inspire a deep involvement with the material so that we too might repeat the Rebbe's own description of the Aleph-Bet Book: "My dear beloved friend, my dear loyal friend. This [book] is what made me into a Jew."

Moshe Mykoff
23 Tammuz 5746

INTRODUCTION

The first part was written by Rabbi Nachman in his youth. He selected from numerous holy books those pieces relating to ethical behavior and righteous qualities. He did this in order to facilitate his recollection of these traits: to have before his eyes the benefits of each and every good quality as well as the harm brought on by its absence and by the possession of bad traits. Whether it was the Sages' explanation of these qualities or the implied understanding of a Biblical verse or Rabbinical teaching which he was able to discern through his keen ability to understand one thing from the next - everything was recorded concisely and according to subject. This, so that he could then follow these good paths and keep to the ways of the righteous. Indeed, many years later upon seeing a copy of the completed work in the hands of one of his followers, Rabbi Nachman remarked, "My dear beloved friend, my dear loyal friend. This [book] is what made me into a Jew."

The second part is similar to the first in form and structure, and the aphorisms are, in the main, on the same subjects as in the first part. However, this second part, which also came to be known as the New Aleph-Bet, was written later on in his life and Rabbi Nachman revealed that it was based on deeper understanding of the sources than the Old Aleph-Bet. Accordingly, there are a good many pieces in this part whose sources and reasoning can only be somewhat understood when studied within a broader context as they appear in Rabbi Nachman's Likutey Moharan (translated in part by The Breslov Research Institute, 1986). Their inclusion in this work on attributes, albeit in concise form, was evidently due to the very practical advice they offer on the character traits which a person should strive to acquire or work to avoid.

Rabbi Nachman kept the existence of his Aleph-Bet Book a guarded secret until after his arrival in Breslov in 1802. Thereafter, he began dictating the first part of the book to Rabbi Nathan. As he read from his manuscript, Rabbi Nachman carefuly selected only those pieces which he wished to reveal to the world. This would explain why he never gave over his original notes to be copied in their entirety and why, although Rabbi Nachman's own manuscript contained references to the sources he used in collecting these aphorisms, they were never recorded. Only after the first printing in 1811 were there any sources included; initially by Rabbi Nathan in 1821 and then in the 1873-74 edition, which for the first time incorporated the references researched by the Tcheriner Rav, and still later in 1909-10 in an edition which was published containing further sources researched by Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin (see Appendix III).

Rabbi Nathan began transcribing the first part of the text in the summer of 1803. But he was only able to complete about half a folio and then only a bit more at a second session three or four months later, after which no further work was attempted for another two years. Finally, before Chanukah 180,5, Rabbi Nathan had the opportunity to be in Breslov for an extended period of time. For three consecutive weeks, Rabbi Nathan spent a good part of his day with the Rebbe until the transcribing of the first part of the Aleph-Bet Book was completed. In Rabbi Nathan's own words, "It was very difficult for the Rebbe [who carefully dictated each piece, considering and weighing his every word] - But, because of the great benefit which he knew people would have from it and because of his love of Israel, he dedicated himself to its completion." Rabbi Nathan also writes that Rabbi Nachman had in his notes about an equal amount of material which he never gave over. This included as many as two-hundred folios on the subject of Healing alone (see Appendix II).

As for the second part of the book, prior to Rosh HaShanah 1808 Rabbi Nachman gave over several sheets of material to his followers. As Rabbi Nathan was not present in Breslov at the time, he asked these other chassidim to alphabetize this new material. Unlike the first part, these aphorisms were recorded by Rabbi Nachman consecutively, each at the particular time he perceived it. After Rabbi Nathan arrived, he was given these sheets and later on received some additional material from the Rebbe. All this he organized and integrated with the Old Aleph-Bet, thus arranging the entire work in order. At the Rebbe's insistence, Rabbi Nathan took those pieces which were applicable to more than one character trait and incorporated them into each of the appropriate subject headings; hence the many repetitions within the second part of the book. It was Rabbi Nachman's intention to make it easier for the reader - for the student wishing to put into practice these holy words of advice - to use the Aleph-Bet Book as a handy manual and guide for spiritual advancement. In Rabbi Nathan's words, "May God lead us on the true path. And,'just as we have merited organizing them, so may we merit performing them' (Passover Haggadah) - until Israel returns to her place of dwelling like the dove to its nest. May it be speedily, in our time. Amen."

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