"If I am not for Myself" - Another Great Song I Picked up in Uman - Music Video

Here's another great song I picked up in Uman, "Im Ein Ani Li" by Yuval Tayeb. I heard that the last song I posted, Hashem Melech, was subsequently played at a full school assembly at a school in Brooklyn! Thank you Rabbi for letting me know! Hopefully he and everyone will appreciate this fun song as well. :-)

 

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Awesome "Hashem Melech" Song - From Uman this Year - Gad Elbaz Video

 

This is my favorite song from my trip to Uman this year. So happy to see that it's online. Hashem Melech Hashem Malach Hashem Yimloch l'olam va'ed! My wife helped me understand the French parts. :-)

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Stories, Pictures, Video, & Reflections from my Trip to Uman 5774 - 2013

Below, please find some stories and reflections on my trip to Uman for Rosh Hashana 5774/2013 (see here for my itinerary and musical video from my last trip 3 years ago):

Uman 2013 Reflections 

Pre-Rosh Hashana

My Righteous Wife. I left New York about 11 p.m. Sunday night (erev Labor Day) and had very nice flights to Amsterdam and from Amsterdam to Kiev. The goodbye with my wife and kids was difficult as I was going away for about a week. I was dropped off at the airport about 8:30 Sunday night and was scheduled to arrive the following Sunday night at 8 p.m., so it was a long trip. My wife is definitely the most spiritually connected person I know and she was very supportive of me going to Uman to daven for myself and the whole family. IY"H, based on Rebbe Nachman's promise to intercede on behalf of anyone who comes to Uman to be with him for Rosh Hashana (this includes their families according to Rabbi Chaim Kramer), we have the right to feel very happy about this coming year. So, tzadekes, that she is, my wife has been very supportive and happy about the benefits of this trip. 

 

Judging People Favorably when they Behave Boorishly. One of the most important inyanim on Rosh Hashana is saying and thinking only good things about other Jews in order not to strengthen the side of strict judgment on the Day of Judgment. So one of the biggest challenges on the way to Uman was fulfilling this concept while observing the behavior of a number of my brothers on the plane in terms of how they behaved toward the flight attendants, the plane itself, and the other passengers. Unfortunately, I was not entirely successful in this regard, but I asked Rav Baruch Garnter (picture of the two of us on the right) about this and he tried to be mechazek me about this, pointing out that it is a tactic of the yetzer hara to get one to become discouraged about his failures to judge others favorably. So while nothing changes the objective truth regarding the inappropriateness and opposite-of-Kiddush-Hashem-nes of behavior like that, where there's nothing for me to do about it, I attempted to focus on how even very ostensibly religious people are sometimes not brought up with basic forms of derech eretz and actually do not know better. While this is very sad for klal Yisroel, the truth is that many otherwise very religious Jews probably have the status of tinokos shenishbu when it comes to matters of derech eretz, and so our "judgments" of them should be mitigated on this basis.

Travel to Uman. From the airport in Kiev I was fortunate to join a bus full of chevra from Brooklyn, Miami, Montreal and other places. We arrived in Uman about 9 p.m. Monday night. I checked into the Uman Inn (same place I stayed three years ago when I came last time - see video embedded here). It is a luxury hotel by Uman standards with clean, new sheets, blankets, a towel, a private mikva, and delicious meals. After checking in, I made my way to Rebbe Nachman's kever ("the tziyun"), gave at least a pruta to tzedka, said Tikun Klali in order to merit the fulfillment of Rebbe Nachman's vow.
 

Pre-Rosh Hashana. On Tuesday and Wednesday (erev Rosh Hashana), I attended a number of shiurim given by big mashpi'im in Breslov, including Reb Ozer Bergman, Rav Baruch Gartner, Rav Nosson Maimon,  Rabbi Chaim Kramer, and met others including Rabbi Dovid Sears (pictures of all on the right in the surrounding paragraphs) at Rabbi Kramer's place in Uman, known jokingly as the "Ritz Carton." I discuss what I took away from these shiurim, and this trip to Uman generally, at the end of this piece.

Hachnasas Orchim in Uman. The chesed in Uman is unbelievable. There is a big gvir who has made it his mission to ensure that everyone in Uman has enough to eat. He arranges for several football field sized tents to serve people. The whole "Shayner" operation is a marvel in logistical planning, especially considering the dearth of kosher food in the Ukraine. They serve individually packed hot meals for 22,000-25,000 per day.  A couple of pictures are one the side here. One shows just two of the tents from the outside at night and also displays the sign offering "Free Wifi" so people can be in touch with their families. Meals before Yuntif were free and I had a couple of them. The whole operation is totally remarkable. They direct people to tables in an orderly fashion, just like the parking attendants at the Disney World parks and Universal Studios. 

Another example of the unbelievable hachnasas orchim here are rows of faucets set up at a few locations, one example being the "Starbucks" shown in the picture on the right. One normally expects to find water coming out of a faucet but these faucets are completely different. Signs alert the beneficiaries of this service that, for no charge, various faucets dispense coffee with sugar, coffee without sugar, tea with sugar, tea without sugar, milk, and petel (fruit punch). Amazing! 

 

I also attended Slichos at the main Kloyz in Uman with 5,000 or so other Yidden starting at about 2:50 in the morning. See on the right for a picture of the Chazan who I was right behind as I stood in the aisle. I'm also embedding a video I took just below this paragraph which shows the size of the Kloyz as expanded with the second level. Very big!

 

Uman Rosh Hashana/Shabbos/Trip Home 

Gerim from Dixie. I spoke with a very interesting fellow at length after the seuda on the first night of Yuntif and met other members of his family as well. The background is fascinating. This is a family from Byron, GA, twenty minutes drive from Macon, GA. All of them (18 people including three families, their children, and two friends) converted at about the same time in Atlanta, GA. A picture of me with one of the brothers, Gavi, is on the right. The elder of the now-Jewish part of this family converted, along with his wife and adult son and daughter and their spouses and children. It has been a long time since I spoke with frum people with a real southern accent. And it was a pleasure!

They were originally Southern Baptists (and I think some other denominations at various points) and were on a search for truth that caused them to be dissatisfied with their environment, so they explored a messianic "Jewish" church, a conservative synagogue, and finally orthodoxy, and their primary mentors have been Rabbi Lazer Brody and his rebbe, Rav Shalom Arush. They have recently been profiled by Ami Magazine and will soon be featured in Zman Magazine and the Azamra quarterly. They are in the process of making aliya now. Suffice it to say, it is not easy raising one's children as Breslover chassidim in Byron, GA! 

Rabbi Chaim Kramer and the Reading of the Akeida. The driving force and main author behind the Breslov Research Institute books is Rabbi Chaim Kramer. He is also a very down-to-earth person when one meets him in-person, a true expert in all sifrei Breslov, and a very emotional person as well. He cried at a number of points during the Rosh Hashana davening and told the following story during the reading of the Akeidas Yitzchak: One of the Nazis' cruel methods was to go into shul and take a boy to kill. It was known that if one boy was released for some reason that they would pick another boy in his place. One Shabbos, a man watched in horror as his son was taken away by the Nazis. He immediately walked over to the Rav of the shul, told him that he had money, and asked if he was permitted to bribe the Nazis to release his son, knowing that they would pick another boy in his place. The Rav told him, "I simply cannot answer this question." The man understood from the Rav's refusal to answer that he was not permitted to secure his son's release because the Nazis would just kill another person's son instead, but that he could not bring himself to tell a father that he could not save his own son's life. He therefore told the Rav, "I understand what the Rav is saying. I will not redeem my son. But whenever you go to the upper world, tell Avraham Avinu that he almost gave up his son's life for Hashem but that I actually am giving up my son's life for Hashem and that he must intercede to send us the redemption right now..." 

Rav Shlomo Bussu. On the afternoon of the second day of Yuntif, I went to meet a friend at the Ritz Carton and found Rav Shlomo Bussu there, having just left the mikva. [Picture of Rav Bussu courtesy of the Sephardic Kehilla of San Diego.] I only knew of Rav Bussu because he was meeting with people in Rav Moshe Weinberger's home a few months ago, despite the fact that Rav Weinberger has not hosted a visiting tzadik or rebbe in virtually any other instance. He explained that he consults with Rav Bussu (Moshe Shapoff, a chosid of the Stoliner Rebbe, who was with him as gabai in Uman, introduced him to Rav Weinberger) and that other tzadikim consult with Rav Bussu as well, so that it was very worthwhile for us to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with him.  

One of the grandsons of the Baba Sali, Rav Bussu is a very remarkable person. Just a couple of points in that regard: Although he is not a Breslover chosid, he apparently came to Uman last Rosh Hashana for the first time at the suggestion of some of his talmidim I think. He said that he felt a lot of kedusha in Uman so he wanted to return and asked Moshe Shapoff to come with him. Another amazing point is his anivus. Although Rav Busso sleeps very little at night, rather than having a private room, he stayed in a bunk bed in a room with about 8 regular guys, many of them only marginally frum. I have never heard of this level of humility. He apparently spent time talking with his "roommates" (who I saw walking around in shorts, flip-flops, and "wifebeater" tee-shirts!) and had a very positive effect on them. I was zoche to get a bracha from him. He asked if there was anything I wanted to ask for and I asked for a particular thing in ruchnius for myself and my whole family and he gave me a detailed bracha for many good things in both ruchnius and gashmius.

Kabbalas Shabbos at the Kloyz. The most beautiful part of davening was in the main Kloyz for Mincha on the 2nd day of Yuntif and Kabbalas Shabbos. I davened elsewhere during Yuntif but hearing 5,000 clapping (as is the Breslov custom) when they said "Hamelech Hakadosh," "The Holy King," at mincha was amazing. The singing at Kabbalas Shabbos was also very beautiful and I was able to really get into it.  

They sang a number of songs after Kabbalas Shabbos which was nice, but one of them was new to me. There were three parts, all based on quotes from Rebbe Nachman: (i) "HaRosh Hashana sheli oleh al hakol," "My Rosh Hashana is above everything;" (ii) "V'amar lachem, ein yoser gadol mezeh lihiyos etzli al Rosh Hashoneh," "And he said to you, there is nothing greater than this, to be by me on Rosh Hashana;" and (iii) "Kol she'haya etzi al Rosh Hashana, haya lismoach kol hashana," "Anyone who was by me on Rosh Hashana has the right to rejoice the entire year." 

During the song, I saw a unusually Litvish looking fellow dancing enthusiastically near me so I commented to him jokingly, "What's a guy like you doing here?!" He answered, "Rebbe Nachman kidnapped me!" He also appreciated an observation I made which most other people there would not have for reasons which will become aparant. My observation was how the song makes the segol of "mizeh" rhyme with the komatz of "Hashoneh" because of the way chassidim pronounce the latter. I personally found this observation very amusing, as did my new Litvish friend.

Rav Shalom Arush Friday Night. Rav Shalom Arush spoke at the Uman Inn Friday night about the importance of maintaining the desire to be holy even after one falls. But he opened with a great joke. [Picture of Rav Arush courtesy of Emunah Teshuva.] A man goes to the airport to pick up his mother in law. When he sees her, he asks how long she plans to stay. She answers that she will stay as long as they want her to. So he responds, "Really? You won't even come over for a cup of coffee?!" Following a lot of laughter, Rav Arush continued the story. The man took his mother in law home and she sat down on a bench in his house. At one point, she got up, and just after that, a clock fell down off the wall and landed right where his mother in law had been sitting. So he exclaimed, "Oy vey! That clock is always slow!" Very cute story. During his speech, he, at various points, did the twist, waved, and balanced a water bottle on his head in true fulfillment of Rebbe Nachman's directive to make one's self and others happy by doing silly things. A very sweet tzadik. 

Chabad Shabbos Morning. It's always interesting to see the different kinds of Jews who go to Uman. There was a Chabad chevra that made a minyan which I davened at Shabbos morning. A lot of funny situations arise in Uman, one of which occured when a Chabadnik came to the bima and called out "Yechi Adoneinu... Melech Hamoshiach...!," "Long live... our master, the king Moshiach...!" Each of the three times he said this, various people responded with "Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!" and then everyone broke out into "Ashreinu ashreinu ashreinu sheyesh lanu rebbe kazeh... Uman Uman Rosh Hashana!," "Fortunate are we that we have a Rebbe [Rebbe Nachman] like this... Uman Uman Rosh Hashana!" Quite a situation!

Coming Home. My wife is amazing. She brought the whole family and something to eat and drink to greet me when I left the baggage claim at JFK. It was so beautiful seeing all of them and giving everyone a much-needed hug! She is definitely the most thoughtful person ever for bringing food to the airport, especially considering the fact that the time difference made the Tzom Gedalia fast 7 hours longer (Yes, I'm aware there is some basis not to fast, or at least not to fast the whole time, but I fasted). The trip was good but it was very good to be home!

The Bottom Line - What Came from Traveling to Uman for Rosh Hashana 

All of the interesting stories and even inspiring experiences are really just talking around the real issue, the tachlis. Why did I go? What came from the trip? 

Those who Criticize Going to Uman for Rosh Hashana. As a digression, the fact that I would be in Uman came up in conversation with a frum fellow from work and his immediate reaction (like many others) was "That's meshugena." Putting aside the fact that it's interesting that with regard to certain things, even generally polite Americans do not feel embarrassed insulting others' religious practices to their faces, I said nothing about his choice to secretly daven on the Har Habayis in front of the Wakf guard a few minutes later in the conversation, which is also a controversial practice which is probably not practiced by as many prominent rabbonim as go to Uman.

What do I say to people who think it's meshugena to leave one's family for Rosh Hashana to go to the Ukraine for a week? First of all, I think it's a different question for someone like me, who does not consider himself a Breslover, than for a Breslover chossid. There's really no shaila for a Breslover. His Rebbe said, a few days before his clearly impending petira, that his people should always make every effort to be by him in Uman for Rosh Hashana (totally separate from the aforelinked reference to one who says Tikun Klali and gives a peruta to tzedaka). So Breslover chassidim must go. But what about others?  

It is interesting that people accept it as a necessary sacrifice when someone has to travel for business away from his family. I have friends who regularly spend almost a full week away from home, sometimes more than once a month. Why is this normal but going on a trip for spiritual benefits for him and his entire family is meshugenah? I believe that says something about people's jaundiced perspective.  

Going to Uman from Eretz Yisroel. Also, certain rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel speak out every year about how people should not leave kedushas Eretz Yisroel, especially for Yom Tov, just to spend it at the kever of a tzadik in chutz la'aretz. While many great rabbonim and tzadikim in Eretz Yisroel go to Uman for Rosh Hashana (see, for example, Rav Shlomo Bussu, who is not a Breslover chossid, mentioned above!) While there are many factors bnei Eretz Yisroel rely on to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashana, I just saw that Rebbe Nachman wrote in Sefer Hamidos (before he became sick) that one who is with "true tzadik" on Rosh Hashana transforms the air around him into the air of Eretz Yisroel. I believe Rebbe Nachman also writes in Likutei Moharan that the kever of a tzadik is a bechina of Eretz Yisroel. So according to Rebbe Nachman, they are not leaving Eretz Yisroel after all. 

Why I went to Uman. On my first trip, I merited Rebbe Nachman's promise to pull me out of the sheol tachtis (Geihinom) by my (trimmed) peyos. And baruch Hashem, my wife went with our son to Uman in November 2011 before his seventh birthday so that both of them could give at least a peruta to tzedaka and say the Tikun Klali by the tziyun in order to merit Rebbe Nachman's promise that any by who does that before the age of seven will be guarded from p'gam habris up through his marriage. But this trip, I was going more for the Rosh Hashana part of it since I'd already been before. 

The first reason in my mind motivating me to go was to get away from regular daily life for a while and recharge my spiritual batteries. I've been doing corporate bankruptcy work in my Manhattan firm for three years now (almost to the day since I started my job the day after Tzom Gedalia after returning from Uman last time). So I felt it was time to come back.  

As a non-Breslover chossid, one of the greatest expressions of the benefits of going to Uman for Rosh Hashana was given over by Rav Elchanan Galdahar, the rosh kollel and posek of Rav Shalom Arush's Chut Shel Chessed yeshiva in Yerushalayim, a fellow from South Africa. He was a great speaker, and said that there are four main benefits of going to Uman which are alluded to in the four letters of Rebbe Nachman's name. The first nun stands for "nituk," "cut off," because when one comes to Uman, he can focus on growth like nowhere else because he is cut off from all aspects of daily life back home. The ches stands for "chaverut," "friendship. One connects to old friends from all of the world in person sometimes for the only time during the year and when one experiences the hardships and joys of the journey to Uman, it binds people together in the bonds of friendship. The mem stands for "milui mivtzarim," "recharding one's batteries." While we have Shabbosim and Yomim Tovim, daily life does drain a person over time so it is very beneficial to recharge one's spiritual batteris from time to time. And the last nun stands for  "netina," giving. When people lose their luggage, need help carrying a bag, need something to drink, directions to the hachnasas orchim and the like, one gets much more out of an experience in which he also gives to others.  

So while I hopefully benefited from all of these four elements in some way, I think the primary motivation going in was to recharge my batteries. But now that I went, I would say that the primary benefit was different. 

My Main Take-Away from this Trip to Uman. As I mentioned above, I attended a number of shiurim at the Breslov Research Institute's "Ritz Carton" near the tziyun. The main theme I picked up from them was various aspects of Rebbe Nachman's teachings regarding how to truly connect to a tzadik. One must nullify his will to the tzadik and follow his teachings. This is the greatest way one can have a relationship to the tzadik. The point was how we should coneect with Rebbe Nachman this way. But as I think about the issue, including my nature and circumstances, I do not believe it is Hashem's will that I identify Rebbe Nachman in particular as the one true tzadik with whom I should go "all in" with. But if this is the case, how can I fuflfill Rebbe Nachman's teachings?  

I realized that I am already connected to a living tzadik, my personal rebbe, although my connection to him is not complete for certain reasons. I therefore resolved to begin making this relationship more whole and even took certain concret steps in this regard before Yuntif. IY"H, this may be the greatest toeles that comes from this trip.

There's a famous mashal that people use to explain the benefit of going to Uman involving a poor Jew who had a dream that a treasure was burried under a certain bridge in Vienna. He travled and began trying to dig under the bridge, only to be stopped by a guard who asked him what he was doing. He told the guard about his dream and the guard laughed, telling the Jew that had a dream a treasure was buried in a Jew's house in a faraway town (naming that same Jew's town and his address) but why would he pay attention to such dreams! The man then went  home and found the treatsure. I love this mashal and it very much resonates with me. It was definitely kedai to go all the way to Uman and separate myself from regular life so I could examine it "from a distance" and discover things in myself and my personal rebbe I was not in touch with before.

 

May Hashem write and seal all Jews for a good, sweet, healthy, wonderful year full of growth and peace spiritually and physically and enable everyone to connect to the true tzadikim!

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Kvitelach for Rebbe Nachman's Tziyun in Uman for Rosh Hashana

IY"H I will be in Uman for the two days preceding Rosh Hashana through the morning of Tzom Gedalia. I am happy to daven for people at Rebbe Nachman's tziyun during that time for the things that they need. If you would like me to do that, please leave a comment with your/the person's Hebrew name son/daughter of the person's mother's Hebrew name (if you know it) or email me directly using the email link in the right sidebar with that information.

To see a summary and video of my last visit to Uman three years ago, click here.

May we all merit a ksiva v'chasima tova l'alter, l'chaim tovim, u'l'shalom!

Posting Live on the Uman Drive - R' Chaim Freud Part 2

Here is part two of Chaim Freud's journal of the chevra's journey to Uman:

Chevra,

We had a long trip as we left haditch  and traveled Bardichiv and Mezibush( the town of the Bal Shem Tov ) we davened Schacharis a bit late but we are B"H 12 so we make our own minyan. Being in Berditchiv is very special. To be present together with the defender of our people who battles heaven on our behalf is a very comforting feeling. It is taught and agreed by all that Tzadikim are far greater after their pi'tera (death)then while they are in this world. The reason is understood that they have obstacles while part of this world. While being in the world of truth they have free open reign. We all had special personal requests and we were agents for scores of friends and family to help explain their individual needs.  Mesbush is always a treat because we are always fed a nice hot meal. We were privileged to a hot Mikveh and running water in the building. I am emphasizing running water. Because last year there was not either four. The Bal Shem Tov's mikveh needs a filter system as we now have in Uman B"H.

There was one amazing detail I omitted in part 1. While in haditch I was talking to Rav Shoo Shoo the chabad Rav. He showed me a backpack that contained a talis and Teffiian. The young man that is missing his bag is staying in Uman. He is staying a 5 Pushkina apt 171. We should arrive tonight at about   8:30PM to Uman and we will fulfill the mitzvah of returning the lost.

On route to Shepitivska to the tzion of the illustrious Rav Pinchus koritzor. I will deliver one more report prior to arriving in Uman our final destination. We will all check in to our rooms. I checked that the beds and rooms were complete and ready, so far B"H so good....

Reporter

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Posting Live on the Uman Drive - Dov Perkal Edition

Several of my friends are taking a thirty hour bus ride to Uman. It only takes 2.5-3 hours to get there from the airport in Kiev, but they are stopping by several kivrei tzadikim to daven on the way. B"H, they are taking the time out to write about the experience as they go. Video above is of the Alter Rebbe's tziyun in Hadich. Here is Dov Perkal's first entry:

We arrived in kiev @ 12:00 noon and passed through customs with ease. This process used to take 1-2 hours. Hashem is constantly upgrading our lives.

12 of us boarded the van and we are on our way to Haddich to visit the kever of the Baal Hatanya. As we boarded the bus we broke out in song Singing Ashrenu mah tov chelkenu shezochina liskorov lirabenu. In the zechus of going to these mikomos hakadoshim may we merit to come close to hashem yisborach. These giants of klal yisroel were and are korov with hashem. With their help perhaps we can get a little clser this year.

We arrived in Haddich an 9:30pm and stopped to tovel at the mikva. Who would know that a hot shower, clean mikva, and a hachnasas orchim room with hot coffee, hot vegitable soup, and kosher Ukrainian Cavier would be waiting for us. We met up with the Shames that takes care of the kever. His family has been taking care of the kever for more then 150 years. What a zechus. We davened Mariv, said tihillim, and sang some niggunim. What a helig way to connect to Hamelech Hakodosh just days before Rosh Hashana.

My wonderful chaver Chaim Freud, who made all the arrangements for travel food and accommodations for our group took the time to prepare photo copies of torahs of each of the Tzaddikim we are going to visit. Another beautiful way to connect to the tzaddik and ultimately to Hashem.

Here we are back on the bus, our chevra, hand picked by Hashem yisborach to be michazek each other and elevate each other, closer and closer to Hashem. We have 6.5 hours till we get to Bardichiv. There we will have the zecus to be at the kever of Reb Levi Yitzchak ben sorah sasha. Imagine, its an unbeleivable zehus just to utter his name. We have the zechus to stand at the mokom hakivurah of this Tzaddik. Please Hashem, give us the clarity, insight and the ability to open our hearts, our minds, and our lips and utter your praise. Infuse us with the proper kavonos and tiffilos so that we can merit to fix our kelim, so we may receive your shefra brocha me'elyona. I hope and pray we come home with treasures for our families, chaverim and all of klal yisroel.

To be continued..........

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A Ba'al Mussar's Experience in Uman

Here is a section from a very nice article I read this morning which was sent to me by Neil Harris . HT to him for pointing me to this article:

I walked over to the Tzion to find only several dozen people praying at the grave. I entered this small crowd, Psalms in hand looking forward to saying something really significant to God. Over the next hour I took small steps forward into the increasingly dense crowd. I finally got to within one row of the large four-foot high, ten-foot long, five-foot deep marble grave.

A row of men in front of me leaned, heads on arms on the grave crying and whispering intimate prayers. A sociable Israeli man next to me played traffic cop and called out every few minutes, “Ok, brother, your time is up, let someone else get in,” grabbing the shoulder of one of the petitioners and helping him make way for the next person.

At last it was my turn. I squeezed forward and there I was – at the grave...

CLICK HERE to read the full article. It's a very nice article by a Mussar oriented person who is really working on himself.

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Please donate to my son's cheder by going to minivanraffle.org to buy a raffle ticket. The drawing for a new minivan, car, or $20,000 cash will be IY"H Chanukah time. $100 for 1 ticket. $360 for 5. Where the form says "Referred by," please write "Dixie Yid." Tizku l'mitzvos!

Video, Music, Picture, & Text Log of Uman Rosh Hashana 5771

See the video above which is made up of video and pictures from my Uman trip. I made it as a kind of video journal for myself of the trip and for those of you who may enjoy it.

For all of those who e-mailed me or left comments with names and things to daven for, B"H, was was zoche to daven for virtually everyone at all of the kevarim both on the way to Uman and in Uman. IY"H, all of our tefilos will be answered in the affirmative!

Below is a basic itinerary of the trip so I'll hopefully be able to remember it! Below are some of the better pictures, most of which are also included in the video as well.

The whole trip was somewhat overwhelming. It was good but it will take some time to process. I was zoche to meet Reb Micha Golshevsky in person Baruch Hashem during the trip as well!

Enjoy!

• Sunday 9/05/10 - 4:30 PM - Left for a two-legged journey to Kiev


• Monday 9/06/10 - 2:30 PM - Landed in Kiev


• Monday 9/06/10 - 5 PM - Left on Bus with 15 of the chevra to daven at Kivrei Tzadikim on the way to Uman


• Monday 9/06/10 - 8 PM - Arrived in Volednick to daven by the kever of Rav Yisroel Dov Ber ben Yosef of Volednick


• Tuesday 9/07/10 - 4 AM - Arrived in Anapoli to daven by the Kevarim of Reb Zusha and the Magid of Mezrich - The Ohel there is in the middle of a completely razed cemetary. Unbelievable.


• Tuesday 9/07/10 - 7:30 AM - Arrived in Mezibuz to say slichos, daven, and daven by the kever of the Baal Shem Tov


• Tuesday 9/07/10 - 1:30 - Arrived in Berditchev to daven by the kever of Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev


• Tuesday 9/07/10 - 8 PM - Arrived in Uman
• Tuesday 9/08/10 - 11:30 AM - Erev Rosh Hashana - I said the Tikun Klali and gave at least a pruta to tzedaka at Rebbe Nachman's kever in reliance on the Tzadik's vow.

• Wednesday 9/09/10 - 8:30 PM - 2nd night of Rosh Hashana - I davened for the amud at a Ma'ariv minyan on the street outside the Kloyz (the main Shul seating about 5000 people) and then after the seuda, was able to say the entire Tikun Klali while touching Rebbe Nachman's tziyun.


• Motzoi Shabbos/Rosh Hashana 9/11/10 - 11:30 PM - I left for the Kiev airport to head back on my 3 legged trip to the states!

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Please donate to my son's cheder by going to minivanraffle.org to buy a raffle ticket. The drawing for a new minivan, car, or $20,000 cash will be IY"H Chanukah time. $100 for 1 ticket. $360 for 5. Where the form says "Referred by," please write "Dixie Yid." Tizku l'mitzvos!

From Uman to Manhattan - Going from the Sefer to the City

Sorry for not being more active recently. As my readers know, I am soon joining the world of "Biglaw". You also know that I am leaving for Uman today.

B"H I have received many many names from Jews (and even a Ben Noach) all over the world in the comments of my previous post and by e-mail. IY"H, BL"N, I will have you all in mind when I say the Tikun Klali and give tzedaka by Rebbe Nachman's tziyon, and by the other kivrei Tzadikim as well. I will not be able to take any more names as I will be pretty much incommunicado till I get back next Sunday.

I just received word last last week that I will be starting my new job the day after I return from Uman. This is much earlier than I was expecting. It's amazing how things work out together like that. IY"H this Rosh Hashana process should prepare me for the battle ahead.

Over Shabbos, I saw a Toldos Yaakov Yosef on Parshas Vayelech which which referred to something he said in Parshas Shoftim. He spoke so so clearly about this change that I'm about to embark on. While the job is a huge bracha, it is also contains overwhelming challenges. And this piece, which I have captioned on the right side of this post, offers amazing guidance and something for me to think about as I leave my current "learning vacation" and embark on my commute to, and work-life in, New York City.

He speaks on the pasuk in Parshas Shoftim, Devarim 20:2, which says, "And it will be that when you come close to the war, the Kohain will approach and speak to the nation." (captioned on the right)

I'll adapt the paragraph from the Toldos on that pasuk (captioned) into English: "The Torah says 'And it will be that when you come close...' The Sifri and Rashi (which brings the Sifri) explain that 'come close' refers to when the Jewish people come close to going out from the border ("s'far") of our enemies. This refers to when a person comes close to going out from the sefer [The word for border, s'far, has the same shoresh as the word for Torah book, sefer], and into the city to do business. Immediately, it is a war with the yetzer hara which tries to seduce a person into הסתכלות נשים, speaking gossip, cynicism, and the like. Therefore, one may not trust in the fact that he has been involved in learning Torah until now by [erroneously] thinking that the yetzer hara will not bother him. Instead, [the verse continues] 'the Kohain will approach and speak to the nation.'"

Anyone who goes to work has many challenges if he wants to try and keep his mind in kedusha. It's tough even for a person who has learned much better and longer than I have. In my case, I will even have to walk through (or near) Times Square every day from the train to my office. Sometimes avoiding הסתכלות נשים and the rest of it is so hard that it is easy to think it it is just better to give up. The task is fearsome and the tendency is just to want to stop fighting it and become misgashem like the surrounding, superficial world.

With this Toldos in mind, I went to look at how the psukim continue (also captioned above after the text of the Toldos). What is the chizuk that the Kohain gives the person who's leaving his sefer to go off on the Long Island Rail Road and walk through Manhattan? What does such a person need to keep in mind during that process?

The psukim (Devarim 20:3-4) continue with the Kohain's message: "And he says to them, 'Hear Israel: You are approaching today to make war on your enemy [the yetzer hara]. Don't become weak-hearted. Don't be afraid, don't panic, and don't be terrified of them because Hashem your G-d is going in front of you to fight for you with your enemies to save you."

As the Gemara in Kiddushin 30b says, if Hashem would not help us, we would not be able to beat our yetzer hara on our own ("ואלמלא הקב"ה עוזרו אין יכול לו")!

This is such amazing chizuk. I made the psukim, the Rashi, and the text of the Toldos itself, into a card. (Click the image to enlarge and print if you wish.) IY"H, when I get back from Uman I want to laminate it so I can read it before I get on the train every day, at least at the beginning, to remind myself to always ask Hashem to help me fight the big battle for me.

IY"H, we should all be zoche to renew our battle against the yetzer hara throughout the day every day, and we should be zoche to win in that battle and win on the Yom Hadin this week.

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Please donate to my son's cheder by going to minivanraffle.org to buy a raffle ticket. The drawing for a new minivan, car, or $20,000 cash will be IY"H Chanukah time. $100 for 1 ticket. $360 for 5. Where the form says "Referred by," please write "Dixie Yid." Tizku l'mitzvos!

Give Me Your Hebrew Name for Davening by Kivrei Tzadikim in Ukraine before Rosh Hashana

As many of you know, I am going to Uman for the first time for Rosh Hashana this year. I'm leaving on Sunday and will IY"H be traveling to five kivrei tzadikim on the way to Uman to daven.

If you would like me to daven for you and/or your family at the kevarim and in Uman by the tziyon of Rebbe Nachman, please leave a comment or e-mail me and I will daven for you IY"H, BL"N. Please also let me know what particular inyanim you need so I can daven for you regarding those things specifically.

Picture courtesy of yeshivaworld. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Please donate to my son's cheder by going to minivanraffle.org to buy a raffle ticket. The drawing for a new minivan, car, or $20,000 cash will be IY"H Chanukah time. $100 for 1 ticket. $360 for 5. Where the form says "Referred by," please write "Dixie Yid." Tizku l'mitzvos!

Info on Upcoming Women's Trip to Uman & Other Kivrei Tzadikim

There will be a women's group to Uman after Sukkos with Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky. Here is the text of a message from her:

With Hashem's help, I will be taking a women's group to Ukraine after Sukkos (babies, girls, and boys before seven are welcome), with one night in Berditchev, one night in Mezhibuzh, a stop in Breslov, and three nights in Uman. We will be arriving in Kiev on Tuesday night, Oct. 5th, and leaving from Kiev on Sunday night, Oct. 10th.

This year, we will actually arrive in Berditchev within three days of Rav Levi Yitzchak's yohrtzeit, so we will still have a "taste" of the greatness of that day. We will be spending Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan in Uman, b'ezras Hashem.

For anyone traveling with American, Canadian, or EU-country passports, the total cost from Israel is $880 and includes ElAl round trip tickets, ground transport in Ukraine, lodging for five nights, beautiful Shabbos meals, one hot meal a day, and shiurim in English every day.

For anyone coming from the States or Europe (or anywhere else), we coordinate your flight that you arrange yourself in time to meet us in Kiev and leave after we return. Whatever the price of the flight--from the US it should run about $700, from Europe it will run about $300, you add the ground costs of $350.

One should not worry about meeting since we already have a number of women coming in from NY and other places and no one will have to wait alone in Kiev, G-d willing.

If you are interested in joining us, please be in touch with Yehudis Golshevsky at yehudisg013(at)gmail.com.

Wishing you a month of revealed mercy,
Yehudis

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Want to Join Our Kevarim Bus on the Way to Uman?

If you are going to Uman (like me!) and would like to travel to daven at the kevarim of several Tzadikim on the way to Uman for Rosh Hashana, I have an opportunity for you.

My friend Chaim is coordinating transportation to several kevarim on the way to Uman. A number of us are already coming and we're going to Mezbitz, Berdichiv, Vilednick, Annapoli, and Breslov on the way to Uman.

If there is enough interest, we will be renting a tour bus. Details:

• Departing Monday Sept. 6th from Kiev airport @ 3 PM
• Cost: $200 (unless enough people sign up, then it will be less)
• Traveling to the kevarim in Mezbitz, Berdichiv, Vilednick, Annapoli, and Breslov
• Traveling for about 24 hours
• Arriving in Uman about 2 or 3 PM on Tuesday Sept. 7th, erev erev Rosh Hashana
• This will allow us plenty of time to rest and go to Rebbe Nachman's tziyon in preperation for Slichos at about 3 AM erev R"H.

Please contact Chaim at 516-851-8855 or by e-mail if you're interested in joining.

Picture courtesy of Chaim. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

These Yingelach Really Know How to Dance!!! - Uman 2009 Video

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Some of the Ways I'm Preparing for my First Time in "Uman Uman Rosh Hashanah!"

I'm doing some reading and contemplating how to try and prepare myself for going to Uman for the first time this Rosh Hashanah using some books and seforim. My friend Simcha, who's gone for two years so far and took most of these pictures, recommend that I read Through Fire and Water, Reb Noson's biography by Rav Chaim Kramer. So far I'm reading it over Shabbosim and I'm a little over halfway done. It's a very long book but very interesting. It's crazy what Reb Noson had to go through and the way that other Tzadikim and their thugish followers treated him and other Breslovers. The most amazing part of it, though, is just to truly learn from Reb Noson what it really means to attach one's self to a Tzadik totally and completely. He was the perfect talmid. My question from this book is how I can change to become a true talmid of Rav Moshe Weinberger...






A Simple Jew also recommended that I see two other books, which came in the mail last week. I plan to save at least one of them for the plane on the way to Uman. One is Against All Odds, about one person's mesirus Nefesh to be in Uman for Rosh Hashanah when it was still under Soviet control.

By the way, when I ordered these books from the Breslov Research Institute, Rav Chaim Kramer's organization, I was very happy with how it worked. They now have free shipping on all orders, and Yossie Katz, who handles the shipping from Monsey, has done a great job and shipps things out very quickly, B"H.

Interestingly, Yossie Katz is also the author of one of the chapters in the next book A Simple Jew recommended to me here:

The other is Rebbe Nachman and the Knights of the Rosh Hashanah Table. It is a collection of essays from about 50 people, some of whom are pretty well known. They write about how they discovered and became connected to Rebbe Nachman, Breslov, and Uman.

Some of the people featured in this book are Menachem Herman, R. Jonathan Rietti, and Yossie Katz, the the Breslov Research Insititute's illustrious sefer to distributor to all orderees.

My wife asked me to order Rav Ozer Bergman's guide to Hisbodedus, Where Heaven and Earth Kiss. It really is a great and practical book from the parts of it I've looked at. My wife's working on it now and IY"H, I will as well. Hisbodedus is such an ikar in Yiddishkeit and in what Rebbe Nachman teaches, so it's obviously something I need to work on and hopefully Reb Ozer's book will help with that.

I'm also trying to go through and review some of the major pieces in Likutei Moharan like Azamra, Ayeh, and Tinyana 48. It is amazingly deep and the connections are hard to grasp sometimes. But I do find that after the second or third time through, I pick up a few more things. Though it is like that when learning anything deep.

Ashreinu ashreinu ashreinu she'yesh lanu Rebbe kazeh!

IY"H, all of this should lead toward the true tachlis, which is "Va'ani, Kirvas Elokim li Tov."

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I Recently Bought My First Uman Plane Ticket For Rosh Hashanah!!!

... And I am very excited!

Every year that I've consistently posted my friends' updates from their Uman trips, I have wanted to go. But law school and work have gotten in my way. But this year, I have already graduated and my post-law-school-job will not yet have started. It is my last perfect chance to go. B"H, the Rebbetzin gave me reshus so IY"H I am on my way! IY"H it should be l'toeles to help em draw closer to the Borei Olam!!!

Uman Uman Rosh Hashanah!!!

P.S. I'll be riding for a day and a half before reaching Uman with Leon (think "Alexi") in the green cab you see here visiting a few Kivrei Tzadikim on the way to Uman...

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Rabbis Moshe Weinberger, Chaim Kramer, and Jonathan Rietti at Breslov Dinner!

Click on this and the image below to enlarge.

On 4 Iyar 5570 (1810), Rebbe Nachman left Breslov and moved to Uman. Rebbe Nachman had hinted at this final journey many years before and this would prove to be one of the greatest historical journeys in modern day Jewish history. Fast forward 200 years and 25,000 + Jews make the annual pilgrimage to Rebbe Nachman’s Tzion every Rosh HaShanah. What secrets did Uman possess to initiate this change? What did he promise? And why is this so relevant today?

Join together with the Breslov Research Institute on April 25th, 2010 in Great Neck, NY – two hundred years after the Rebbe’s arrival in Uman for an awe inspiring evening and discover the answers to one of the most mysterious events in our times. The night will feature a Gala Dinner, speeches by Rabbis Moshe Weinberger, Jonathon Rietti and Chaim Kramer. There will be a video presentation: Uman, Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow featuring never seen before video footage of “covert” Uman trips in the 60’s under the Communist watch.

Don’t miss this chance to be part of history!

All proceeds will go to Tzadaka benefiting the Breslov Research Institute, the primary publisher of Rebbe Nachman’s works in English, French, Modern Hebrew, Spanish and Russian.

For more information or to reserve, please CLICK HERE.

Also, to see a high quality video of Rabbi Chaim Kramer, founder and head of the Breslov Research Institute, giving a shiur, click on their home page HERE.

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Breslov Chassidus Shiurim by Rebb. Yehudis Golshevsky

Here are several shiurim given, for women only, by Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky. To listen to them right away, left click on the links. To download them, right click on the links and select "Save Target As."

Rebbetzin Golshevsky gave the following shiur during her recent trip to Uman on the topics of Tikkun Haklali, shemos hatzaddikim, and a vort from Kedushas Levi on Noach, told over in Berditchev.

LINK

"making Torah into tefillah"--the relationship between Yaakov, Rochel, and Leah.

LINK to get the shiur.

Making a tzimtzum in the heart so that we can build the vessels to reveals Hashem's Kingship:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Picture of Rabbi Nachman's "kibbutz" and the original Breslov Synagogue (on right horizon), circa 1922, courtesy of Breslov.com. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Rabbi Lazer Brody in Five Towns Last Night - Audio Shiur

Rabbi Lazer Brody's drasha in the Five Towns last night was a big success. We planned for about 30 people maximum. But there were almost 60 people there. Thanks to Rabbi Brody, several people who helped solicit sponsorships, and well over 20 people who came forward to help sponsor the shiur, and to all the attendees, it was a big success.

It was an eclectic crowd and many people got to speak with Rabbi Brody after the shiur. I received a number of requests to have the shiur recorded from people who knew that they would not be able to make it. Therefore, thanks to Reb Chaim, who recorded the shiur, I would like to present a wav recording of the shiur.

The very beginning of the shiur is not in the recording because there were some slight tecnical difficulties with the recorder, but the following is the beginning of the story Rabbi Brody opened up the shiur with... Poking fun at people like himself who come to America to raise money for worthy institutions in Eretz Yisroel, he told the following story:

A galach (priest) back in Feudal Europe noticed that while plagues and sickness were afflicting the gentiles in the town, the Jews did not seem to be afflicted by these things. The priest went to the rabbi to ask what the secret was to their immunity from these diseases. The rabbi told him that all Jews keep a mezuzah on their door, and that they are therefore procted from many forms of danger in their homes.

The priest asked if he could buy a mezuzah to put on his door as well. The rabbi responded that it was not one of the mitzvos that a gentile may not perform, so he saw no problem with it and assited the priest in obtaining a mezuzah, which the priest installed on his door.

Soon aftwardward, the town was overrun by cossaks who raided Jewish homes.

But to hear the rest of the story and the punchline, you will have to listen to the shiur. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE to get the shiur by either left clicking to listen to streaming audio or right clicking and selecting "Save Target As" to download the shiur. If it were up to me to title the shiur, I would call it, "Achieving Peace of Mind By Making Peace With Hashem."

Picture courtesy of R. Lazer Brody. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Breslov Chassidus on Bereishis - Women's Trip To Uman Coming Up!

I am happy to present the first shiur for the new year on Breslov Chassidus for women by Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky. Here, she speaks on how "big things" often come in small packages, like "Bereishis," the Beis Hamikdash, and the Tzadik.

CLICK HERE to get the shiur.

And here's an announcement from Rebbetzin Golshevsky regarding some spots that are available for women from North America, Europe, or Israel to go learn Torah and daven by the Kevarim of a number of Tzadikim in Eastern Europe and then go to Uman for Shabbos. It really sounds amazing!

It looks like I still have a few seats for women who would like to join us from the States or Europe on the trip to kivrei tzaddikim in Ukraine next week.

For women who like to decide last-minute, this is a great opportunity!

Anyone who is interested can contact me directly at yehudisg013@gmail.com for more details.

We will be spending one night in Berditchev, one night in Mezhibuzh, and three nights in Uman, b'ezras Hashem.

I will be teaching about 1.5 hours a day, from the teachings of the tzaddikim we visit, history of Chassidus, stories, and much Likutei Moharan.

We will be spending Shabbos in Uman--an experience that is not to be believed.

Picture of the Tikun Klali by Rebbe Nachman's tziyon in Uman taken right before Rosh Hashana courtesy of Simcha Goldberg. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Posting (Almost) Live After the Uman Drive by ZEV - Part 2

Being with Rabbeinu Z"L for Rosh Hashanah was Kulo chizuk – In fact, I’d say it was even Magical. The best way I can describe my experience is that in Uman, on Rosh Hashanah, H" Yisbarach is crowned as the King, L'Maaseh, with all the majesty that a group of tens of thousands of Yidden can muster up. From the time that I walked into the Kloiz for selichos Erev Rosh Hashanah (3 am, right off of the plane..) the words "Melech," which are painted on the walls at the front of the Kloiz, served as the humbling intoduction to the soon to be coronation ceremony. Rabbenu's Tzion on Erev Rosh Hashanah was packed, with Yidden from every corner of the world, of every type, pouring out their hearts to the Ribbono Shel Olam, crying, dancing, tearing open the heavens with Tikkun Klali. The energy in Uman, and especially inside by the Tzion, could be felt by everyone there. There were tens of thousands of people there. Inside the Tzion, outside the Tzion, on the streets surrounding the Tzion. Everywhere – davening, crying, confessing in front of the Rebbe. I couldn’t help but to feel the experience deeply.

When I made my way, finally, to the Tzion, and put my head down on Rabbeinu’s matzevah, for the first time, I felt as if he was embracing me. “Rabbeinu, B”H, I’m finally here with you for Rosh HaShanah. – I’m here Rebbe!” One thing I have to say – given the massive number of people there – it was packed, but the Yidden let each other up to the matzevah. I expected to have to fight my way to the front, but it wasn’t like that at all. Everyone there seems to know that everyone else ALSO wants to touch the Rebbe’s kever, and they make it happen, B”H. I was zoche with a few chaverim (B”H, I finally got to spend Rosh HaShanah, by the Rebbe, with REB CHAIM F.!!! – after 4 years of planning it, I finally overcame the meniyos!).

Davening in the Kloiz was probably the most powerful spiritual experience I’ve ever had. I don’t know exactly how many Yidden are in the main shul of the Kloiz – I heard 10,000 with those standing. I had heard about the clapping that goes on my HaMelech, but just couldn’t have imagined the power of that moment. When “HaMelech” is said, everyone there stands up and claps, giving the Master of the World a standing ovation, for at least a minute. The feeling that I experienced at that moment can’t be put into words. It was just so powerful. 10,000 Yidden (or something like that…) clapping for our Father in Heaven. The clap was like a clap of Thunder. It just went through me. I’m not sure I can go through another Rosh HaShanah without that moment (It should be with Moshiach Tzidkeinu, by the Rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash in the coming year, B’Karov Mamash). The same Clap of Thunder took place at “HaMelech HaKadosh”.

The davening was just so amazing – like I said, Magical. I kept thinking to myself what a zchus it was to be standing there. Such a zchus to be a Ben Melech, clapping for my Father in Heaven. Hameivin Yavin. All throughout Yom Tov, I could hear the Roar coming from the different minyanim – all davening with such intensity. Screaming, clapping, dancing – Lichvod the Melech. And Tashlich … oooooh ahhhh. It was a sea of kittelach surrounding that body of water – a surreal scene of Yidden davening, doing hisbodedus, dancing – a sea of Kedushah.

Taking the charter flight back to Eretz HaKadosh was not my famous part of the trip, BUT after waiting in the airport on endless lines and checkpoints, our holy brethren were having some fun with the baffoon thug Ukrainian soldiers - one precious Yid screams really loud - SCREAMS - to the soldier standing at the head of a line of hundreds of us (the Ukrainian soldiers did their best to make us wait as long as humanly possible before being allowed into various sections of the airport), "Meeeester, Yehi Razon Milfanecha sh'anachnu, bnei malachim, maminim b’nei maminim, yeheyu Moshlim Aleichem B’Karov, BARUCH SHELO ASANI GOY, Meeeeester!!!". The soldier got angry at him, assuming he was being made fun of, and the Yiddele says to him, "MEEEEEEster, I ask you if we can take a peeeecture with you Meeeeester."

Mi K’Amcha Yisroel. I so hope you two Holy Yidden can join the kibbutz next year (in Yerushalayim of course, but if not, then in Uman)!

---Zev

Picture courtesy of Simcha Goldberg. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.