A Tale of Trust by Tzaddik Publishing

rebbe nachman of breslev

a tale of

trust With explanatory notes by

Rabbi Elazar Mordechai Kenig

Tr a n s l a t i o n b y Tzaddik CLASSICS SERIES

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PREFACE Who is Rebbe Nachman of Breslev? It is impossible to define the person or his impact adequately. Although he lived in the Ukraine two hundred years ago, what he taught and practiced continues to affect an ever-widening spectrum of people. He gave much advice on how to live; he spoke unceasingly about how to come closer to God, which he insisted is the only true goal in life. He claimed to have paved a spiritual highway back to God that is accessible to anyone who desires it, and which somehow accommodates everyone. Scorning sophistication, he expounded at length on simplicity and faith—the principle qualities by which it is possible to survive the complexity of today’s world. And he left us with so much more. Paradoxically, Rebbe Nachman sought to unify mankind, while maintaining its diversity. His message speaks to both Jews and non-Jews, yet it describes, in both practical and mystical detail, the unique mission of a Jew in the world. Unity and tikkun olam—repair of the world—flow as an undercurrent to all of his teachings. Redemption is not only about redeeming humankind from all suffering, but restoring the entire creation to the purpose for which it was created. To call him a Kabbalist reduces him. Dancing through the Zohar, Talmud, Bible and halacha, his teachings testify to a

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profound grasp of the entire revealed and hidden Torah. He formulated a comprehensive approach to life by fusing the highest mystical secrets to practical Jewish law. Along with authoring books, he wrote poems and composed melodies. He also told stories which continue to reverberate throughout the generations, awakening the inner spirit within us all. Rebbe Nachman’s followers? They are found everywhere, from all walks of life, backgrounds, and cultural influences. Although Breslev communities exist throughout the world, the highest concentration being in Israel and New York, each possesses a different and distinct personality. Many dress alike, others do not. There are also lone individuals and small groups who learn his books and define themselves as “followers.” Tens of thousands travel to his gravesite in the Ukrainian city of Uman, since he promised to help anyone who would come to him. Yet, many who have not taken the trip still consider themselves “followers.” To discover Rebbe Nachman and his significance is by necessity a personal journey. In the words of his main student Reb Noson, “The whole world is crazy, and so am I. But once I knew someone [Rebbe Nachman] who was sane!”

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION “A Tale of Trust” is one of the shorter tales of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, an original story he told to his followers. Like Rebbe Nachman’s “Thirteen Stories,” this particular tale may initially appear straightforward on the one hand, but enigmatic on the other. Rebbe Nachman tells us about a simple man who is trying to make ends meet on a daily basis. Sound familiar? He has his routine, which seems to work just fine until the king shows up, and wonders how it is possible that such a simple person, living far below the poverty line, could be so satisfied and happy with his life. The king decides to test him to see if he is as genuine as he appears. It is difficult to understand the true motivation of not only the king, but the main protagonist himself. The difficulty is further compounded in a translation where the nuances of the original Hebrew and Yiddish are lost. For example, when the king first encounters this fellow, seemingly without a care in the world, he questions him about his apparent happiness. After all, should not the king himself, with all of his wealth, be the happiest person of all? The king quickly finds out that, indeed, the man is truly satisfied and happy with his simple life. They share a drink “out of love,” and then unexpectedly, the king exclaims to himself, “I will wreck this for him.” And thus the real adventure begins.

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The Hebrew used in the original story is a play between the words kilkul (wreck) and tikkun (repair), alluding to Rebbe Nachman’s famous slogan: “If you believe you can wreck, believe you can repair.” Perhaps the king, out of love for his simple subject—an innocent fellow and self-proclaimed “fixer”—wanted to bring him to an even higher level of trust? The story unfolds as the king attempts to shake the simple man’s faith by “wrecking” his channel of livelihood. Yet, the fellow somehow conquers the test each time, continues to trust in God, and bounces back even stronger. The king’s tests also get stronger, culminating in the most difficult test at the end of the story, and ultimately overcome by the “fixer.” He emerges with a faith which is stronger than ever, and the story concludes: “The king saw what a fine fellow he was, and discharged him in peace.” After the simple man’s trust was “wrecked” over and over again, he now achieves a trust at the highest level of repair and tikkun. All of Rebbe Nachman’s stories are embedded with layers of meaning. At the end of this booklet, there are explanatory notes by Rabbi Elazar Mordechai Kenig, shlita, who leads the Breslev community in Tsfat today. His points are simple and practical, even while going beyond the surface of the story. Within Breslov, and since Rebbe Nachman first told his stories, rich oral traditions and interpretations have been handed down from teacher to student. “A Tale of Trust” is no exception.

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For example, there are even deeper implications to the parenthetical phrase “a meal is a meal” (in the orginal Yiddish, a seuda iz a seuda) repeated each time after the main character finally succeeds in putting his daily meal on the table. When Rabbi Kenig was once asked about its significance, he responded with an esoteric discussion on the kabbalistic concept of sifting good from bad in creation, particularly through the act of eating. He referenced the entry in Rebbe Nachman’s Sefer HaMiddot, which states that by chopping wood (one of the day jobs taken on by our protagonist), one separates the good from the bad, and elevates it, in an act as significant as creation itself. Referring to the simple man in the story, he remarked that each job “this tzaddik” took upon himself, involved this primordial tikkun. He continued to explain that, in fact, the entire process of eating serves the same purpose of sifting the good from the bad. Using bread, the staple of life, as an example, the process begins from the moment the wheat is planted. From there, it undergoes numerous processes, before it finally ends up on the table for human consumption. But the process does not end here. There are, of course, specific blessings to be made before and after eating bread. The clarification continues in the physical body, as the digestive system continues the process of separating the good from the bad, through absorbing the vitality and expelling the extraneous waste. The tikkun is thus completed, and a seuda iz a seuda.

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This is merely one example which indicates a depth, not readily apparent, in what might appear to be a simple story. It is also a tiny drop in the ocean of layered meanings that may be found embedded within the tale. Rebbe Nachman’s warning against altering his stories in any way can now be more easily understood, since even a small change could obscure and shift the entire tale in an unintended manner. This is obviously one of the primary concerns of any translator, for translation always involves some measure of interpretation. The purpose of this translation is to serve as a starting point to understand and reap the benefits of some of the more practical aspects of the story, particularly through the explanatory notes at the end. These notes give immediate and practical advice, enabling us to align our thinking a bit more with that of Rebbe Nachman. No translation is perfect, and any errors are the responsibility of the publisher. Suggestions and/or corrections are welcome and received with gratitude. In any event, the reader is encouraged to learn Hebrew (which is possible at any age), and to find suitable teachers to progress along the Jewish path. You will then be able to explore this story more fully, and also experience the true depth of the entire wellspring of Rebbe Nachman’s advice and teachings as found in his own writings and in the commentaries of his devoted students.

a tale of

trust

NCE THERE WAS A KING who said to himself, “Who could have less worries than I? After all, I have the best of everything and I am a king and ruler.” He then went to investigate if this was true. At night, he went around and stood behind houses to overhear what the common people were saying. In this way, he heard everyone’s problems. In one place, he heard someone speaking about business troubles, elsewhere he heard another one discussing a problem that required an audience with the king. And so it went, from one house to the next, as he listened to the worries of each person. Afterwards, he came to a house so low that it stood beneath the ground. Its windows were literally at ground level; the roof was caved in and broken. The king saw someone sitting and playing the violin so softly, that he needed to listen very carefully in order to hear any sound. The fellow was very happy. A pot of food and a container of wine were set out before him. He was very happy and filled with joy, without a single worry.

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The king entered the house and enquired as to how he was faring, and the fellow responded. The king saw the drink-filled jug, and the various foods, and how he was brimming with joy. He honored the king with a toast, and drank with him. The king also drank out of love. Afterwards the king lay down to sleep, seeing that the fellow was completely happy and worryfree. In the morning, the king arose; the fellow also got up and accompanied the king. The king asked him, “Where do you get all of this?” “I can fix anything that is broken,” the fellow replied. “I am unable to make something from scratch, but I can repair things that are broken. I go out in the morning and fix a few things. After I make five or six gulden, I buy all of this food and drink for myself.” When the king heard these words, he said to himself, “I will wreck this for him.”

The king then left and sent out a proclamation that anyone with something to repair should not give it to anyone else to fix. They must repair it themselves or buy a new one. In the morning, the fellow went out to see if anything needed repair, and was informed that the king had decreed that no one should give anything to someone else to fix. The fellow was displeased, but trusted in God. He continued on

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and saw a wealthy man cutting wood. He asked him, “Why are you chopping wood? Isn’t it beneath your dignity?” The wealthy man responded, “I looked for a woodcutter and couldn't find one, so I am forced to do it myself.” The fellow said, “Let me chop the wood for you.” He chopped the wood, and the wealthy man gave him one gulden. The fellow saw it was going well for him, so he went out to cut more wood, until he earned six gulden. He again bought an entire meal (“and a meal is a meal”) and was happy. The king again went behind the window of the fellow’s house only to see him sitting with food and drink in front of him, and how he was very happy. The king entered the fellow’s house and saw everything as it had been previously; he also went to lay down just as he had done the first night. In the morning, the fellow got up to escort the king, who again asked him, “Where did you get the money to buy everything?” The fellow answered, “Usually, I fix anything that is broken, but the king decreed that no one could give a broken item to another person to fix. So I went out and cut wood until I earned enough money to buy what I needed.” The king then left the fellow and decreed that no one should hire someone else to cut wood. Thus, when the fellow came to inquire about cutting wood, he was told of the king’s decree. He was displeased, since he had no money. But he trusted in God. He went and saw someone cleaning a stable and

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asked him, “Who are you to be cleaning a stable?” The other answered, “I couldn’t find anyone else to do it, so I am forced to do it myself.” The fellow said, “Permit me, and I will clean it for you.” He got up and cleaned it, and was given two gulden. He continued cleaning more stables, until he earned six gulden. He again bought a full meal as before, returned home, and was very happy. The king came back to check things out, and once again saw everything as before. He entered the fellow’s house and lay down. In the morning, he escorted the king, who again asked how he got the money to buy what he needed. The fellow told the king everything that had transpired. The king then went and decreed that no one was allowed to hire another person to clean out stables. In the morning, the fellow returned to clean stables and was told that the king had issued a decree forbidding this.

So the fellow went to the royal minister in charge of army recruitment and hired himself out as a soldier. There are regular soldiers, and those who are paid as mercenaries. The fellow became a mercenary on the condition that it was only temporary and that he would be paid every morning. The minister immediately dressed him in uniform, hung a sword at his side, and sent him to where he was needed.

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At night, after the fellow finished his duties, he removed his uniform and bought himself an entire meal. He returned home (“a meal is a meal”), and was very happy. The king went again to see what happened and saw everything ready as it was previously. He went inside the fellow’s house, spent the night, and questioned him in the morning. As before, he told the king everything that had occurred. The king called the minister in charge of recruitment and commanded him not to pay anyone that day. In the morning, when the fellow went to get paid for the day, the minister refused. He asked the minister, “Did I not make a condition with you that you would pay me every day?” The minister answered, “The king has decreed that we must not pay anyone today.” Any amount of arguing did not help. “I will pay you tomorrow for two days,” the minister said, “it is impossible to pay you today.” What did the fellow do? He went and broke off the blade from his sword, and replaced it with wood. No one could tell the difference from looking at it from the outside. He then went and pawned the blade, and bought his entire meal as before (“and a meal is a meal”). The king again saw that the fellow’s joy was complete as before. He entered the fellow’s house, lay down for the night, and questioned him again in the morning. The fellow related to him everything that had transpired, how he was forced

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to break off the sword’s blade from its holder and pawn it to purchase what he needed for his meal. “Afterwards, when I receive my salary for that day,” he told the king, “I’ll redeem the blade and fix the sword. No one will know the difference, since I can repair anything that is broken—and the king will suffer no damage.” The king went home and called the minister. He commanded the minister as to who was condemned to die. The king then said, “Call the fellow who enlisted as a mercenary. Tell him he must now be a mighty soldier, and command him to be the one to execute the condemned man by cutting off his head.” The minister called the fellow and did as the king commanded. The fellow appeared before the king, who instructed that all the princes should assemble to see this joke, where someone replaced the blade of a sword with a piece of wood. The man fell upon the king’s feet beseeching him, “My master, the king, why did you call me?” “In order to cut off the head of a condemned man,” the king replied. The fellow pleaded with the king, “I’ve never killed anyone! Please call someone else to do it!” The king responded that it was the fellow’s duty—and his duty alone—to perform the execution. The man said to the king, “Is there a clear ruling on the case? Perhaps the sentence of the death penalty was ambiguous. I have never shed anyone’s blood, all the more so when it is unclear that the person is liable for death.”

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The king answered, “Of course the judgment is clear. There is an indisputable ruling that he is liable for death. And now, it is you who must carry out the death sentence on the condemned man.” When the fellow saw that it was impossible to influence the king, he turned to God and said, “God! I have never shed someone’s blood in my life! If this man is not liable to be put to death, my blade should turn from metal into wood.” He grabbed the sword, pulling it from its sheath. When everyone saw the wooden blade, there was great laughter. The king saw what a fine fellow he was, and discharged him in peace.

NINE POINTS ON REBBE NACHMAN’S STORY “A TALE OF TRUST” EXPLANATORY NOTES by HaRav Elazar Mordechai Kenig, shlita Leader of Breslev Tsfat

1. WEALTH IS NOT THE SOURCE OF PEACE OF MIND

In the “Tale of Trust,” Rebbe Nachman tells us about a king who reasons that no one has fewer worries than he, since after all, he is a king and ruler who has everything in the world. To his surprise, when he goes out to investigate the truth of the matter, he finds the opposite is true. He sees a man sitting in a rickety house sunk into the ground, ready to collapse. The man sitting there is calm and relaxed, quietly playing a violin to himself. He has what to eat and drink, with no worries whatsoever. Through telling this story, Rebbe Nachman wants to save us from a common mistake people make in the world where they think that wealth is the only way to a happy and secure life. In the tale, we see a king who has everything, but finds out that happiness and a worry-free life does not depend on having it all. He sees someone who has nothing in his house,

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and whose very basic living conditions were themselves attained only through great difficulty. Despite his dilapidated house, he was nonetheless happy and satisfied. Sometimes, even though he possesses tremendous wealth, a king and ruler can have greater worries than a simple person. For example, despite the king’s riches, if a war breaks out in his land, he could lose his mind from worry and fear. Thus, we see that even when a person has everything in the world, they can still be filled with worry. The proof of this is the fellow in the story. He is happy and good-hearted even though he has no real house to his name. In other words, material prosperity is not the source of one’s security and peace of mind.

2. THE MAIN THING IS TRUST, EVEN WHEN WORKING FOR A LIVING

Rebbe Nachman teaches: “The essence of complete trust is through the intellect, as it is written: ‘All eyes look to You…’ (Psa. 145:15). The term ‘eyes’ refers to the mind, as the Torah writes: ‘And the eyes of both of them were opened…’ (Gen. 3:7). Rashi comments that this phrase refers to understanding, not to actual vision. Trust is developed according to the mind, since trust has many levels and gradations that ascend to the Ein Sof. This corresponds to the verse: ‘Trust in HaShem forever and ever’ (Isa. 26:4). Everything goes according to the mind.” (See Likutei Moharan 225)

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Rebbe Nachman clarifies that a person’s level of trust is not dictated by financial means, but by knowledge. One has trust according to his level of wisdom and daat—higher awareness. Trust is multi-leveled without end, and grows proportionally to the measure of one’s mind. The essence of trust is when a person relies upon God, trusting Him to provide him with his livelihood. There are countless degrees to this: There is a level of trust that is so exalted that a person who attains it does not actively occupy himself with any intention to generate his own livelihood at all. He uses his trust to depend upon God alone to bring him what he needs. Yet, in this story, Rebbe Nachman wants us to know that a life with complete trust in God is not just relevant to one divested of material concerns, and who makes no effort at all for his needs. Rather, it is also relevant to someone who must exert himself to provide for his household. Here, too, he trusts in God according to his spiritual level. Certainly the level of trust of the tzaddikim is that they do not need to be involved in any endeavor. They completely trust in God to support them. Although this is the exalted level of the tzaddikim, every single Jew must nonetheless also trust in God, according to his level, even if he must work and make an effort for his livelihood. This is reflected in the verse: “Trust in HaShem, and do good…” (Psa. 37). A person trusts God also in his “doing.” Rebbe Nachman says in Yiddish, Nor bitachon! (Chayei Moharan 501). In other words, only trust! Even when we labor for our livelihood, the main thing is trust in God.

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3. TRUST HASHEM ANEW EACH DAY

Rebbe Nachman describes the satisfaction of a simple person. All his work and effort for a livelihood are done simply and wholeheartedly, while trusting completely in God. The story highlights a number of points that express the attribute of trust in God within the realm of “doing,” where each person functions according to their spiritual level. When the king asked him where he got everything, the fellow answered, “I go out in the morning and fix things. When I gather a sum of five or six gulden, I buy food and drink for myself.” He had absolutely no worry about tomorrow, since he worked only for today. Even after attaining his five or six gulden, he was satisfied and happy despite having nothing left over for the next day. Usually, a person wants to accumulate a lot of money to ensure long-term security. Without this cushion, he worries and wonders how he will survive. Obtaining these funds is his security crutch—he can only be calm if he has enough money. This is not the way of the simple person in Rebbe Nachman’s tale, who does not achieve security through money. Instead he places his trust in God to arrange work for him to make the five or six gulden he needs to buy his food and drink for that day. By placing his trust in God to provide his livelihood on a day-to-day basis, the fellow in the story was satisfied and

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happy. He didn’t worry about what tomorrow would bring. This concept is expressed through the verse: “Baruch HaShem, day to day…” (Psa. 68:20). When his needs are met for today, his heart is calm and confident. This sense of security comes from faith in the fact that God, in His goodness, renews every day of creation. The same God who renews each day also provides the entire creation with everything it needs.

4. PERFECTION IS IMPOSSIBLE IN THIS WORLD

Our fellow in the story tells the king about what he does for a living. “I can fix anything that is broken. I am unable to make anything from scratch, I can only fix something that is broken. So, I go out every morning to fix things.” Rebbe Nachman is teaching us that although the demand for perfection is natural, along with the constant desire for the means to produce perfect things, it is very different for the simple person. Simplicity allows a person to recognize that he or she is imperfect and lacks the ability to create perfection. This is why the fellow in the story says, “Indeed, I cannot do anything perfectly and completely. I am only able to fix something that is broken, so this is what I do.” This outlook also depends on faith that God renews the entire creation every day. When you know and believe that God is the One who renews all of creation, you can recognize your own limitations, since it will be obvious that everything you do depends upon God.

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This is alluded to in the fellow’s statement that he is unable to produce something whole and complete. Only God can do this, since He created everything in creation and renews it on a daily basis. Thus, the fellow in the story can only repair things that are broken. Many believe that all of their livelihood and existence depends solely on themselves and their own efforts. Their entire lives revolve around making long-term financial profits. According to them, it will only be possible to relax when they have “everything.” Their security and trust depend on the accumulation of money. The truth is, what kind of security is money? It can disappear in an instant, along with the feeling of security. The fellow in the story understood the need to place his trust only in the One Who renews and oversees the entire creation. Therefore, he occupied himself only with fixing things that were broken so he could be paid the same day. He was very happy through his strong trust in God.

5. THE TYPE OF THE WORK IS NOT THE MAIN THING

At the beginning of the story, the fellow fixed things that were broken for a living. When the king issued a decree preventing this type of work, the fellow went out and found a job cutting wood. Thus it went from day to day as the king continued to decree against his work efforts.

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From this, we see that the type of work itself was not the reason for the fellow’s success. Every time he saw that he was unable to do his regular work—for a brief moment—he thought it was bad. Nonetheless, he trusted in God. He went out to look for different work and God brought him new opportunities each time, such as chopping wood, etc. His work to fix broken things was only to make enough money for what he needed that day. This purpose did not change after he started chopping wood. Previously he had done one thing, now he was doing something else. Each time, he earned six gulden to buy his meal for the day, and he was very happy. It made no difference how he acquired what he needed, since the type of work was not the main thing.

6. ONLY TRUST BRINGS TRUE HAPPINESS

Moreover, even the nature of his work was not particularly easy or simple. He didn’t make the five or six gulden he needed for the day all at once. For example, he received one gulden after he finished chopping wood for the first wealthy man. From there, he still needed to search for additional work until he was able to collect the sum he needed for that day. The same thing happened the following day, after it became apparent that cutting wood was not an option because of the king’s decree. God arranged other work for him as a stable cleaner. Here again, he went from one stable to another until he earned the money he needed for that day.

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In other words, although he lacked steady work and a reliable long-term salary, he still made an effort to find work every day, completely trusting in God in order to collect the entire sum he needed. He was then happy and satisfied with his portion. Today, for example, we see those who have invested many years in attaining a medical degree, thinking that this particular degree would guarantee their livelihood for life. However, when they are unable to find a job later, their lives are turned upside down. They suffer even more when they believe that their situation is a great injustice. This is different for the person who is not defined by their profession, but rather focuses his or her efforts for livelihood on a day-to-day basis. This person lives with happiness, satisfaction and inner tranquility.

7. TRUST BRINGS INNER QUIET & TRANQUILITY

The king saw a dilapidated house, with someone sitting inside happily playing the violin. The fellow was playing so softly that the king had to listen carefully in order to hear him. Again, we see the strong trust possessed by this fellow. He would sit and play quietly without making a big noise. When a person lacks inner calm and meaning in life, sometimes they need to make a lot of commotion. The noise makes it seem like the person is invincible, but in reality, it is due to his unrest and lack of inner peace.

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Our fellow however, would sit and play his instrument quietly with confidence, even though one needed to listen carefully in order to hear him. This again highlights his inner calm, which gave his life a true sense of security.

8. TRUST DOES NOT DEPEND UPON PERSONALITY

Some would argue that worry is a result of inborn personality traits. Certain people have a fearful nature, while others have a tranquil and calm personality. Although natural traits do exert a powerful influence on the personality, it is only through actively working on one’s own character that trust in God can be developed. Through this, a person can be saved from worry and achieve genuine happiness. Everyone desires security, but true security only comes from trusting in God, and nothing else. Only He created the entire world, and provides for the needs of all.

9. HEAVEN TREATS US ACCORDING TO OUR ACTIONS BELOW

At the end of the tale, the king forbids the minister to pay any wage on that day. In response, the fellow broke off the blade of his sword in order to pawn it, giving him the funds to purchase his daily meal. The truth is, the king could have put the fellow on trial and sentenced him to death for breaking and pawning a sword that was the property of the state.

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However, the king saw the wholehearted behavior of this fellow, and how he continued to trust in God with humility and grace, no matter what happened to him. The king thus reciprocated in kind, and discharged him in peace at the end of the story. Heaven treats a person according to how they act in this world. When you are not exacting and resentful against God, but live instead with trust, knowing that God is good to all, you will have no worries, since God satisfies every living creature. If the essence of your life is built upon faith and trust in God, He will be lenient with you over things that could have demanded strict justice. This is what our sages teach on the verse, “Many are the woes of the wicked; and lovingkindness surrounds the one who trusts in God” (Psa. 32:10). Even a wicked person, who is liable for his evil deeds, is surrounded by lovingkindness when he trusts in God.

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