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Megilat Setarim
https://qarov.org/%d7%9e%d7%92%d7%99%d7%9c%d7%aa-%d7%a1%d7%aa%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%99-%d7%a0%d7%97%d7%9e%d7%9f-%d7%9e%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%a1%d7%9c%d7%91 https://archive.is/wip/v5AzG
Megilat Setarim of Rabbi Nachman of Breslev
12 Sivan 5779
by Lior Alprovich
מגילת סתרים של רבי נחמן מברסלב
י"ב סיון תשע"ט ליאור אלפרוביץ'
ב
One Sunday in the month of Menachem-Av, probably 1806, a cart was tossed on the road leading from the town of Ladizin to the city of Breslev in the Ukraine. Several passengers were on the cart: Rabbi Nachman of Breslav, his son-in-law R. Yosef, his disciples from Rabbi Nathan of Nemyriv and Rabbi Naftali of Nemyriv, with two other passengers from the city of Teplik.
אחד מימי ראשון של חודש מנחם־אב, ככל הנראה של שנת תקס"ו (1806), היטלטלה עגלה בדרך המובילה מהעיירה לאדיזין אל העיר ברסלב שבאוקראינה. כמה נוסעים היו על העגלה: רבי נחמן מברסלב, חתנו ר' יוסף, תלמידיו רבי נתן שטרנהרץ מנמירוב ורבי נפתלי מנמירוב. לצדם עוד שני נוסעים מהעיר טפליק.
You can imagine the picture: the passengers seated on the benches, outside the summer heat is at its peak and the cart is driving lazily. Then, according to Rabbi Natan in his autobiography Yemei Moharnat, Rabbi Nachman opened and told "The whole order of the coming of the Righteous Redeemer." Except, a wonder happened, and from all the travelers on the cart only Rabbi Natan and Rabbi Naftali heard the things, while they were commanded "not to speak of it or write hints of it."
אפשר לדמיין את התמונה: הנוסעים ישובים על הדרגשים, חום הקיץ בשיאו והעגלה נוסעת בעצלתיים. ואז, כך מספר רבי נתן בספרו האוטוביוגרפי "ימי מוהרנ"ת" (מורנו הרב נתן), פתח רבי נחמן וסיפר "כל סדר ביאת הגואל צדק". אלא שאז נעשה פלא, ומכל נוסעי העגלה רק רבי נתן ורבי נפתלי שמעו את הדברים, תוך שהם מצווים "שלא לדבר מזה ולכתוב ברמז".
However, despite Rabbi Nachman's instruction, a document recounting his words about the coming and the likeness of the Messiah was actually indeed written.
It has since been known in Breslev under the name "Scroll of Secrets."
This is a secret document written in acrostics - and contains the content of Rabbi Nachman's words about the coming of the Messiah. The scroll was written in several copies and was handed over to some of the most important elders, who kept its very existence a secret.
אולם, על אף הוראתו של רבי נחמן, מסמך המגולל את דבריו על אודות ביאתו ודמותו של המשיח דווקא כן נכתב. ומאז הוא נודע בברסלב תחת השם "מגילת סתרים". זהו כתב סודי המנוסח בראשי תיבות - ומכיל בתוכו את תוכן דבריו של רבי נחמן על אודות ביאת המשיח. המגילה נכתבה בכמה העתקים ונמסרה לידי כמה מחשובי הזקנים, ששמרו את עצם קיומה בסוד.
From Breslev to Bar Ilan
מברסלב לבר אילן
From Breslav to Bar Ilan
The person who brought the manuscript to the readers' eye is Dr. Zvi Mark from the Department of Jewish Literature at Bar Ilan University, who has researched many of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav's writings. In his book "Megilat Setarim - Rabbi Nachman's Secret Messianic Vision" Mark published a manuscript by R' Moshe Yehoshua Bezilyansky, known as Rabbi Alter Tepliker. R' Alter himself grew up in the home of Breslav Chassidim. His father R' Zelig was student and friend of Rabbi Nathan, Rabbi Nachman's chief disciple. He was murdered in 1919 at 90 years of age, by Ukrainian pogrommers.
מי שהביא את כתב היד לעיני הקוראים הוא ד"ר צבי מרק מהמחלקה לספרות עם ישראל באוניברסיטת בר אילן, שחקר רבות את כתביו של רבי נחמן מברסלב. בספרו "מגילת סתרים – חזונו המשיחי הסודי של ר' נחמן מברסלב" פרסם מרק את כתב היד של ר' משה יהושע בזשיליאנסקי שנודע בכינוי ר' אלטר טפליקר. ר' אלטר עצמו גדל בבית של חסידי ברסלב, אביו ר' זעליג היה תלמיד-חבר של רבי נתן, בכיר תלמידיו של רבי נחמן. הוא נרצח בשנת 1919, בהיותו בן שבעים, על ידי פורעים אוקראינים.
Physician and spiritual counselor
רופא ויועץ רוחני
The scroll itself is encoded in acronyms, and reading it is impossible without the impressive decoding added by Mark. However, reading it reveals a wonderful and surprising vision both for Messiah himself and for his actions.
המגילה עצמה מקודדת בראשי תיבות, והקריאה בה בלתי אפשרית בלעדי הפענוח המרשים שהוסיף מרק. עם זאת, הקריאה בה מגלה חזון מופלא ומפתיע הן לגבי המשיח עצמו והן לגבי פעולותיו.
So for example, one of the first things that appears at the beginning of the scroll is concern for the nations of the world: "Then he will travel to all the kings ... and make their mannerisms close to the Israelite religion. There will even be prayers for the peoples to pray." And not only that, but most of his action before the nations of the world will be done in a special palace that the Messiah will build, to which the kings will come to consult him and he will provide them with medicine (terufot, healings) and teach them new wisdom according to the Torah of Yisrael.
כך למשל, אחד הדברים הראשונים המופיעים בראשיתה של המגילה הוא הדאגה לאומות העולם: "אחר כך ייסע לכל המלכים... ויעשה להם נימוסים סמוך לדת ישראל. גם יהיו תפילות שיתפללו האומות". ולא רק זאת, אלא שעיקר פעולתו מול אומות העולם תיעשה בארמון מיוחד שיבנה המשיח, אליו יגיעו המלכים בכדי להיוועץ בו והוא יספק להם תרופות וילמדם חוכמה חדשה על פי תורת ישראל.
This matter of the Messiah being a physician receives much attention in the scroll: "He will make new compounds. And his daily routine (seder) will be ... an hour when he'll go among all the patients who will come and he'll quickly command each one what each will take, effective substances from that garden (pardes) from the new combinations (harkavot) ... For each person according to what he knows according to the powers of the appointed [angels, potentials] that descend every day on each and every herb." The Messiah will plant a special pardes containing special and innovative herbs, and he, with his unique wisdom, will bring out from them medicines that will help heal the sick. However, it is important to say that in the days of Messiah death will not be abolished from the world and even Messiah himself will die.
עניין זה של היות המשיח רופא זוכה במגילה להתייחסות רבה: "יעשה הרכבות חדשות. ויהיה סדר של היום... שעה שילך בין כל החולים שיבואו ויצווה במהירה לכל אחד מה שייקח כל אחד דברים מועלים מאותו הפרדס מההרכבות החדשות... לכל אחד כפי מה שידע כפי הכוחות של הממונים שיורדים בכל יום על כל עשב ועשב". המשיח ישתול פרדס מיוחד ובו צמחי מרפא מיוחדים וחדשניים, והוא, בעל החוכמה הייחודית, יפיק מהם תרופות שיסייעו לרפא את החולים. עם זאת, חשוב לומר כי בימות המשיח המוות לא יבטל מהעולם ואפילו המשיח עצמו עתיד למות.
Until the soul of the hearers is consumed
עד שתכלה נפש השומעים
Messiah will have a wondrous musical ability, and a unique charm will be cast on his face: "And he will make new musical instruments and melodies, because he'll be virtuoso in the science of music, and he'll reveal such innovations in this wisdom that the souls of the hearers will be overwhelmed." And elsewhere it is written, "And he shall have a throne and it shall be carried by men of valor, and he shall go a few steps in number, and they'll set the throne down and he'll sit and there'll be a "kapelle" (choir) with instruments and they'll sing for him each time." Messiah is therefore enveloped in music. They constantly play for him, and he himself composes new melodies and designs new musical instruments.
למשיח תהיה יכולת ניגון מופלאה וחן ייחודי יהיה נסוך על פניו: "ויעשה כלי זמר וניגונים חדשים כי חכמת הניגון יהיה בקי בו מאד ויגלה חדשות בחכמה זו עד שתכלה נפשם של השומעים". ובמקום אחר כתוב, "ויהיה לו כסא וישאו אותה אנשי חיל, וילך איזה פסיעות במספר, ויעמידו לו הכסא וישב, ויהיו קאפעליע (מקהלה) בכלי שיר וישוררו בכל פעם". המשיח אם כן אפוף במוזיקה. לו עצמו מנגנים בכל עת, והוא עצמו מלחין מנגינות חדשות ומעצב כלי נגינה חדשים.
Regarding grace (ha-chen), the scroll says: "First he'll be king of Yisrael, and then emperor over all until in the end everyone will be nullify themselves to him on account of his charm and splendor and the love and yearning that they'll all aspire to and be attracted to him, until they're completely annulled before him ... and they'll all nullify themselves to him without uproar or strife just because of his charm and their strong attraction for him.
לגבי החן מספרת המגילה כי: "בתחילה יהיה מלך ישראל ואחר כך קיסר על כולם עד אשר בסוף יתבטלו כולם אליו מחמת החן וההדר והאהבה והשתוקקות שיכספו וישתוקקו כולם אליו עד שיתבטלו לפניו לגמרי... וכולם יתבטלו אצלו בלי רעש ומלחמה רק מחמת החן וההשתוקקות אליו".
The scroll of his life
מגילת חייו
Apart from the actions of Messiah, the scroll deals extensively with his chronology. First, his young age. "Twelve years old and one day ... then he will become emperor over the whole world and on that day he will enter the (wedding) canopy." This description of this boy Messiah resembles the description of the Messiah according to the prophet Isaiah (9:5): 'For a unto us a child is born, a son to us is given, and the rule he'll take on his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, exalted Mighty, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.' His rule and peace will be infinitely great on the throne of David and on his kingdom, to establish it and take care of it in justice and righteousness from now until forever."
לבד מפעולותיו של המשיח, המגילה מתייחסת בהרחבה אל תולדותיו. ראשית, גילו הצעיר. "בן י"ב שנים ויום אחד... אז יהיה נעשה קיסר על כל העולם ובאותו היום יכנס לחופה". תיאור הילד המשיח דומה לתיאור המשיח בפי הנביא ישעיהו: "כי ילד יולד בן ניתן לנו ותהי המשרה על שכמו ויקרא שמו פלא יועץ אל גיבור אביעד שר שלום. למרבה המשרה ולשלום אין קץ על כסא דוד ועל ממלכתו להכין אותה ולסעדה במשפט ובצדקה מעתה ועד עולם".
Also in the sources of Chazal we can find such allusions. The most prominent example is the one given in the Jerusalem Talmud (Brachot 2:4), about the baby Menachem ben Chezkiyahu who was born on the day the Temple was destroyed and is is said he is none other than the King Messiah. Except, Menachem ben Chezkiyahu did not survive and evil spirits snatched him away to a future that was left wrapped in uncertainty.Even the statement made by Rabbi Nachman according to which the Messiah will be his descendants is not surprising, or in his words (Chayey Moharan #274): "I have accomplished with H' Yithbarakh that the Righteous Redeemer will be from my offspring."
In any case it is hard not to see a parallel between the snatching of the Messianic child and the personal tragedy that befell Rabbi Nachman with the death of his infant son R. Shlomo Ephraim, form whom, as Mark concludes in his book, the Megilah should have been the scroll of his life.
גם במקורות חז"ל אפשר למצוא לכך רמזים. הדוגמה הבולטת ביותר היא זו המובאת בתלמוד הירושלמי (ברכות ב, ד), על התינוק מנחם בן חזקיהו שנולד ביום שנחרב בית המקדש ועליו נאמר כי הוא מלך המשיח. אלא שמנחם בן חזקיהו לא שרד ורוחות רעות חטפו אותו לעתיד שנותר לוט בערפל. גם האמירה שנאמרה מפי רבי נחמן לפיה המשיח יהיה מצאצאיו אינה מפתיעה, או בלשונו: "פעלתי אצל ה' יתברך שהגואל צדק יהיה מיוצאי חלצי".
עם זאת קשה שלא לראות קשר בין התפיסה של הילד המשיח לבין הטרגדיה האישית שפקדה את רבי נחמן עם מותו של בנו התינוק ר' שלמה אפרים, שכפי שמסיק מרק בספרו, המגילה הייתה צריכה להיות מגילת חייו.
Midrash Rabbah
http://www.aspaklaria.info/040_MEM/%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%97.htm
...דבר אחר, אמר לו, עד עכשיו יש לי להעמיד מלך המשיח, שכתוב בו כי ילד יולד לנו... אמרו ישראל לפני הקב"ה, רבונו של עולם, עד מתי משועבדים אנו בידו, אמר להם עד שיבא אותו היום שכתוב בו (במדבר כ"ד) דרך כוכב מיעקב
וקם שבט מישראל, כשיצא כוכב מיעקב וישרוף קשו של עשו... (דברים א יז)
Targum and Rashi
Targum Yonatan applies only the last two names, Sar Shalom, Prince of Peace, to Mashiach.
https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%9E%22%D7%92_%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95_%D7%98_%D7%94 עם טעמים: כִּי־יֶ֣לֶד יֻלַּד־לָ֗נוּ בֵּ֚ן נִתַּן־לָ֔נוּ וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה עַל־שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ פֶּ֠לֶא יוֹעֵץ֙ אֵ֣ל גִּבּ֔וֹר אֲבִיעַ֖ד שַׂר־שָׁלֽוֹם׃
תרגום יונתן
אמר נביא לבית דוד ארי רבי איתילד לנא בר אתיהב לנא וקבל אוריתא עלוהי למטרה ואתקרי שמיה מן קדם מפליא עצה אלהא גברא קים לעלמיא משיחא דשלמא יסגי עלנא ביומוהי:
The prophet said to the house of David, For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and He has received the Torah upon Himself to keep (guard) it.
His name shall be called by the authority of [min-qadam lit. from before] the Wondrous the Counselor the Mighty God who is Everlasting: the Mashiach in whose days peace shall be great upon us.
Rashi agrees
https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Isaiah.9.5.1?vhe=On_Your_Way&lang=bi ויקרא שמו. הקב"ה שהוא מפליא עצה ואל גבור ואבי עד, קרא שמו של חזקיהו שר שלום כי שלום ואמת יהיה בימיו: and...called his name The Holy One, blessed be He, Who gives wondrous counsel, is a mighty God and an everlasting Father, called Hezekiah’s name, “the prince of peace,” since peace and truth will be in his days.
Igeret Teiman (Rambam)
Rambam seems to apply all six names of Isa. 9:5 to the Messiah:
Boaz Cohen translation https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Epistle_to_Yemen/XVII Epistle to Yemen, pg. xvi-xvii
...How odd is your remark about this man, that he is renowned for his meekness and a little wisdom, as if these were indeed the attributes of the Messiah. Do these characteristics make him a Messiah? You were beguiled by him because you have not considered the pre-eminence of the Messiah, the manner and place of his appearance, and the marks whereby he is to be identified.
The Messiah, indeed, ranks after Moses in eminence and distinction, and God has bestowed some gifts upon him which he did not bestow upon Moses, as may be gathered from the following verses: "His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:3). "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him." (11:2). "And Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins." (11:5). Six appellations were divinely conferred upon him as the following passage indicates: "For a child is born unto us, and a son is given unto us, and the government is upon his shoulder, and he is called Pele, Yoetz, el, Gibbor, Abiad, Sar-Shalom." (Isaiah 9:5). [And another verse alluding to the Messiah culminates in the following manner "Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee." (Psalms 2:7). All these statements demonstrate the pre-eminence of the Messiah.] ...
Thus according to Rambam this list of six names apply to the Messiah-man:
(1) Wonderful (2) Counselor (3) el- Supreme (4) Gibbor- Strong, (5) Everlasting (Father), (6) Prince of Peace.
The Leipzig text, Hebrew version by Nachum Ma'aravi z"l, has this instead of the Ps. 2:9 reference:
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/mahshevt/mekorot/teyman1-2.htm ... The appelation el ([Al]mighty, also "God") is in a sense of exceptionalism, to inform you his greatness will be more exalted than the level of any other man.
ויש תימה בדבריך, שאמרת שידוע בשלוה ויש אתו מקצת חכמה. התעלה על דעתך שבמדות האלו יהיה משיח. אבל חייבך לומר כל זה מפני שלא השגחת למעלת המשיח מה הוא ואיך תהיה עמידתו ובאיזה מקום יהיה ואיזה אות תהיה מיוחדת לו. אבל מעלתו תהיה יותר מעולה ממעלת הנביאים, ויותר נכבדת זולת משה רבנו ע"ה. וייחד אותו הבורא יתברך בדברים שלא ייחד משה רבנו ע"ה. שנאמר בו ישעיה י"א ג' "והריחו ביראת ה' ולא למראה עיניו ישפוט ולא למשמע אזניו יוכיח. ונחה עליו רוח ה' רוח חכמה ובינה רוח עצה וגבורה רוח דעת ויראת ה'. והיה צדק אזור מתניו והאמונה אזור חלציו". וקרא לו הקב"ה שש שמות, באמרו שם ט' ה' "כי ילד יולד לנו בן נתן לנו ותהי המשרה על שכמו ויקרא שמו פלא יועץ אל גבור אבי עד שר שלום". וזה שקראו אל, על דרך ההפלגה, להודיע שגדולתו מעולה ממעלת כל אדם
In the continuation, Rambam explains these six names/traits of the Messiah and how they will manifest in him, and mentions how the false Teiman messiah has not these traits, nor did Jesus even according to descriptions of him in the Christians' own literature.
Megilat Setarim
Pele Yoetz - Wondrous Counselor/Advisor
- Wondrous healing herb compounds/combinations that he prescribes (Advice)
- Wondrous new melody and new instruments (and melody is rooted in Advice, Netzach-Hod, as explained in LM, as the player needs to select and choose the good notes from the bad notes)
- Wondrous wisdom and Advising Yisrael and gentiles at his court.
El Gibbor - Exalted (Merciful) and Mighty
- "Far from being a vengeful religious leader with a destructive apocalypse he would instead take lead the world without any violence whatsoever." 2 Kotzk blog
- "Regarding grace (ha-chen), the scroll says: "First he'll be king of Yisrael, and then emperor over all until in the end everyone will be nullify themselves to him on account of his charm and splendor and the love and yearning that they'll all aspire to and be attracted to him, until they're completely annulled before him ... and they'll all nullify themselves to him without uproar or strife just because of his charm and their strong attraction for him.... "Twelve years old and one day ... then he will become emperor over the whole world and on that day he will enter the (wedding) canopy." 1 qarov
Eternal Father
Caring (Avi) for the seventy (Ayin) nations in (the four, Dalet) corners of the world.
- So for example, one of the first things that appears at the beginning of the scroll is concern for the nations of the world: "Then he will travel to all the kings ... and make their mannerisms close to the Israelite religion. There will even be prayers for the peoples to pray." And not only that, but most of his action before the nations of the world will be done in a special palace that the Messiah will build, to which the kings will come to consult him and he will provide them with medicine (terufot, healings) and teach them new wisdom according to the Torah of Yisrael. 1 qarov
Prince of Peace
- His rule and peace will be infinitely great on the throne of David and on his kingdom, to establish it and take care of it in justice and righteousness from now until forever." 1 qarov
- Far from being a vengeful religious leader with a destructive apocalypse he would instead take lead the world without any violence whatsoever. On the contrary, he would use music and healing of illness through innovative new medicines, to unite all humanity, Jew and non-Jew, in peace and goodwill. There is also a reference to a ‘general redemption’ as well as a ‘personal redemption’ that will occur in messianic times. The latter is when Mashiach will reveal to every individual their personal spiritual status as well pointing out which spiritual aspects and traits need to be improved upon. 2 Kotzk
CM Shir Yedidut
דְּבַר אִישׁ וַעֲצָתוֹ יָבִין וְיִרְחַשׁ. כִּי פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ הוּא וּנְבוֹן לַחַשׁ.
Kotzk Blog - MS
http://www.kotzkblog.com/2016/11/100the-secret-manuscript-from-r-nachman.html
https://archive.is/EZqpY Kotzk Blog
by Rabbi Gavin Michal
I have always been drawn to the teaching of the Rebbe of Kotzk. His approach was predicated upon uncompromising truth and intellectual independence.This allowed him to be fearless and never to succumb to societal pressures. He knew that Judaism was so much deeper and more profound than the way it was perceived by the masses and bent by religious populism. These essays, although not necessarily Kotzker in essence, are certainly Kotzk inspired. ▼ ▼ Sunday, 6 November 2016 100)THE 'SECRET MANUSCRIPT' FROM R. NACHMAN OF BRESLOV: INTRODUCTION: The Breslov Movement was originally very small in terms of numbers and followers. Rabbi Nachman (1772-1810) never had more than a few hundred followers his lifetime. The movements was persecuted by both Chassidim and Mitnagdim and was at one stage was almost on the verge of ‘extinction’. However, over the past twenty years or so it grown so large and popular with many sub-sects and nuances that it has arguably become unrecognizable. (I maintain strong personal connections with one of the core teachers of the mainstream Breslov community, but now sadly feel that the movement has been hijacked, distorted and has lost much of its truth and wholesomeness.) Incidentally, the name Breslov is an adaption of the original name Bratzlav. The Chassidim preferred the name Breslov as it is a play on the Hebrew words Lev Basar (‘heart of flesh’ – as opposed to ‘heart of stone’) which will dominate during the messianic era. R. Nachman only arrived in the town in 1802, eight years before he passed away.[1]
MEGILAT SETARIM:
There is one startling chapter in the Breslov tradition which offers a fascinating narrative about a ‘secret scroll’.
This is the story: Just over 200 years ago Rabbi Nachman was riding in a carriage between Ladizin and Breslov with some of his closest disciples including R. Natan and R. Naftali.[2] During this trip, Rabbi Nachman spoke in great detail about his view concerning the advent of the Mashiach (or Messiah). After the ride, none of those present could remember the details of the talk except for R. Naftali and R. Natan (his closest disciple) who wrote down what he had heard in coded form or ‘hints, acronyms and abbreviations’. This was because Rabbi Nachman told his travelers not to reveal the contents to anyone. Thus the text would be in existence but its content would not be decipherable except to those who knew how to crack the code. Sometime later, in 1809, Rabbi Nachman repeated his messianic discourse and again it was recorded by R. Natan. The second talk took place in the study hall which was next to Rabbi Nachman’s house and it was so secretive that they waited for the Rav of the city to depart from the building before they began the discussion. Both these recorded versions were put together in a single coded manuscript which became known as Megilat Setarim (or Secret Scroll).[3] This scroll became a closely guarded secret and was handed down to only one Breslover follower in each generation. In what may have been an attempt at distracting anyone from trying to find the secret scroll, an editor of R. Natan’s memoirs added in his own words that “the holy manuscript of Megilat Setarim was stolen or lost and we still do not know where it is.” That should have put paid to the quest of ever discovering the manuscript. - But it didn’t. According to a relatively recently published work on the oral traditions of Breslover Chassidut known as Siach Sarfei Kodesh[4], it appears as if the coded scroll was passed on to R. Aaron Lipvetzker[5], who in turn passed it on to R. Avraham Chazan. Then, in what may or may not have been another attempt to throw people off the scent, the story took another twist: While R. Chazan lay on his deathbed, the daughter of R. Lipvetzker, Tzirel, accosted and rebuked him (R. Chazan) for not transmitting the code and interpretation of the secret scroll to the next generation. But R. Chazan had already lost his faculty of speech and, while the coded scroll survived, he died taking the secrets of its interpretation to his grave. Then amazingly, in 1963 the Megilat Setarim surfaced again when it was smuggled out from behind the Iron Curtain by R. Gedaliah Fleer.[6] The scroll was given to him R. Michel Dorfman, a leading Breslover personality living in Moscow at the time (who had spent almost 7 years in Siberia and was only released on Stalin’s death). He was afraid the manuscript would be confiscated by the Russian authorities so he asked R. Fleer to take it to Israel.[7]
Back in Jerusalem R. Fleer showed the manuscript to R. Lippel[8] (a student of R. Avraham Sternhartz[9], another major exponent of Breslov, who had escaped from the Soviet Union in 1940). R. Lippel claimed R. Sternhatz taught him how to break the code of the script while the two of them were still in the Ukraine.
At first R. Lippel refused to divulge the code to R. Fleer but eventually did, on the condition it remain a secret[10]. R. Fleer made copies of the text which he distributed to some members of the Breslover community in Israel but withheld the ‘code’ and interpretation as to its meaning. Sometime later with the emergence of the popularity of the once tiny and close knit group of Breslovers, word leaked out of the existence of the elusive Megilat Setarim, and the secret was no longer a secret. Researchers, such as Dr. Zvi Mark[11] from Bar-Ilan University have tied to crack the code and the following picture - which paints a young, very gentle and universal Messiah - emerges: The Messiah, according to text, would begin his work already as a young child. He would then marry while in his teens and assume a leadership role. Far from being a vengeful religious leader with a destructive apocalypse he would instead take lead the world without any violence whatsoever. On the contrary, he would use music and healing of illness through innovative new medicines, to unite all humanity, Jew and non-Jew, in peace and goodwill. There is also a reference to a ‘general redemption’ as well as a ‘personal redemption’ that will occur in messianic times. The latter is when Mashiach will reveal to every individual their personal spiritual status as well pointing out which spiritual aspects and traits need to be improved upon. Allegedly, the exact date of the Messiah’s arrival is missing from the current text and it seems that was lost with the passing of R. Chazan.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Rabbi Nachman had much to say, in his published writings, about the Messiah: SHLOMO EFRAIM: Apparently Rabbi Nachman believed the Messiah would come soon after the birth of his son, Shlomo Efraim. Accordingly, his son would play a part in, if not actually be, the Messiah himself. But when his young son passed away one year and two months later, he said that Mashiach would be delayed by more than a hundred years.
“THERE IS ONE TZADIK”:
Although extremely controversial, subject to much interpretation and admitted censorship, the work describing the life of Rabbi Nachman, Chayey Moharan, contains the following passage:
“He (Rabbi Nachman) presented the teaching at the morning meal...he said there are seventy nations divided between the domains of Esau (Christianity) and Ishmael (Islam). Each of these domains is composed of 35 kingdoms, and they will be conquered in the future by the two messiahs Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David.
And there is one tzadik in whom these two messiahs are combined. He said several other things, more than have been printed. At that point the table broke because so many people were pressing around him.”[12] The inference being that whenever the expression ‘there is one tzadik’ was used, his disciples knew exactly to whom he was referring – possibly to himself as Mashiach ben Yosef – the precursor to Mashiach ben David.
THE STORY OF THE BREAD:
Not all of Rabbi Nachman’s famous stories have been published. One of them is the ‘Story of the Bread’, which describes among other things how Rabbi Nachman allegedly ‘received the Torah into his own body’. This material has also been recently published by one of the new populist Breslov groups that have emerged who believe that now is the time to ‘reveal all’. OTHER REFERENCES TO ‘MEGILAT SETARIM’:
I counted 10 references to Megilat Setarim in Siach Sarfei Kodesh. Here are six of them (my loose translation follows): “R. Natan said; ‘The (apocalyptic) war of Gog and Magog is not mentioned in Megilat Setarim. The implication being that the (battle will instead an ideological one) directed against the spirit of atheism that will be prevalent at that time.’”[13] “In Megilat Setarim, R. Natan and R. Naftali reveal the order of the arrival of the Redeemer. It is known that our master (Rabbi Nachman) said; ‘In the future nothing will remain of the great Russia except for a small mound and a small tree’. “[14] “...It is written in Megilat Setarim that during the lead up to the Messianic age there will be (world) leaders and kings who will not want to partake in warfare and will rather desire to dwell in quiet and tranquility...but they will be forced to do battle against their will.”[15] “R. Lipvetzker once asked R. Naftali; ‘You heard Megilat Setarim from our master (Rabbi Nachman). What is its status now?’ R. Naftali responded firmly; ‘Have you not studied our master’s other books? We have a tradition from him that that when his books are widespread throughout the world then Mashiach will come.’ (R. Naftali was reluctant to reveal any more to his questioner, but) after some time he eventually handed the text (of Megilat Setarim) over to him.”[16] “R. Hazan said; ‘Beware of the year TRZ”V, which have the same letters as tzarot (travail).’ –This turned out to be the year Nazis rose to power. It was also the year the Communists closed down the shul in Uman. The Chassidim understood that he knew all this from the Megilat Setarim.”[17] “When the Radziner Rebbe published his book which dealt with the blue (tzitzit) thread, R. Chazan said he had no need for his arguments (in favor of the blue thread) because he had older (and more authoritative) proof, which appears to have come from Megilat Setarim.”[18]
[1] After accidentally spilling wine from Kiddush one Shabbat shortly after his arrival in the town, Rabbi Nachman said; ‘Today we have planted Bratzlaver chassidim!’ [2]This event took place on the 5th of Av 1806. [3] This was a combination of Megilat Setarim haRishon and Megilat Setarim haSheni. [4] This work was first published in the 1980’s. (Incidentally my Breslover teacher did not entirely trust the authenticity of the publication. He mentioned this to me when I was in the process of translating parts of Siach Sarfei Kodesh into English. I subsequently discovered that the compiler issued a prohibition against translating the book into any other language.) [5] R. Natan did not pass the coded scroll on to anyone because he was outlived by R. Naftali. It was R. Naftali who passed it on to R. Lipvetzker. R. Lipvetzker was a considered a holy man who was apparently born as a result of a blessing his parents received from R Nachman. See Siach Sarfei Kodesh vol. 2, i-258, p. 82. [6] R. Gedaliah Fleer was originally from Brooklyn, and was the first ‘westerner’ to visit Uman, the burial place of Rabbi Nachman in the Ukraine, after the Second World War. He also was one of the early writers to introduce Breslover teachings to the English speaking world. (I obtained a copy of one of his books about thirty years ago and it left a profound impression upon me at the time.) [7] According to Arthur Green in his Tormented Master p. 20, note 5. (a book not much admired by those within Breslover circles): “A most important work...Megilat Setarim, which was long thought to have been destroyed, is quoted by N. Z. Koenig, Niweh Zaddikim . pp. 87ff., and apparently still exists.” According to R. Gedalia Fleer, in his book Against all Odds, the manuscript he personally received from R. Michel Dorfman in Moscow was copied by R. Alter Tepliker directly from the original copy written by R. Natan himself. The actual copy was known as Megillat Setarim Katzar (abbreviated Megilat Setarim). See Against all Odds, p. 216 for a comprehensive reading of more details of the story. [8] R. Lippel claimed the copy originally belonged to him when he was still living in the Soviet Union. He even said that he had bought it from R. Alter Tepliker’s son for 50 rubles. When he was about to leave the Iron Curtain he gave it to R. Avraham Sternhartz who then gave it to R. Michel Dorfman (who gave to R. Gedalia Fleer who brought it to Israel). [9] D. 1955 [10] The cracking of the code also took place in the presence of R. Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld (R. Gegalia Fleers’s teacher). [11] See The Revealed and Hidden Writings of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, by Zvi Mark. [12] Apparently an uncensored version of Chayey Moharan is in the possession of some within the Breslov community. [13] S.S. K. vol 1, TRZ, p. 299 [14] S.S.K. vol. 3, KC, p 49 [15] S.S.K. vol. 3, 3-KYG, p. 51 (The last sentence appears to contradict the peaceful tenor of our understanding that Megilat Setarim refers to a non-apocalyptic messianic age.) [16] S.S.K. vol. 3, 3-KPZ, p. 83 [17] S.S.K. vol. 3, 3-TKYD, p. 192 [18] S.S.K. vol. 3, 3-TKNT, p. 201 Kotzk Blog at 12:04