This Friday night, Pirchei Shoshanim will host a Tisch by R’ Dovid Goldstein and R’ Avrham Shapiro of Eretz Yisrael who will speak in honor of R’ Noson of Breslevs’ Yahrzeit which was on that Friday December 17th, Asara B’ Teves. The Tisch will be held at approximately 8:30 pm. at the home of R’ Fishel Todd at the corner of 4th and Forest. (directly across the street from Satmer). The topic will be R’ Nachems promise.

Before Rebbe Nachman passed away, he called for two of his closest followers, Rabbi Aharon, the rabbi of Breslev, andRabbi Naftali of Nemerov, and asked them to act as witnesses for an unusual vow. He proclaimed, “If someone comes to my grave, gives a coin to charity and says these ten Psalms (the Tikkun Haklali), I will pull him out from the depths of Gehinnom. It makes no difference what he did until that day, but from that day on, he must take upon himself not to return to his foolish ways” (Tzaddik #229).

This declaration was revolutionary. No other tzaddik had – or has- ever made such a promise. And because of the magnitude of this promise, Rebbe Nachman’s followers still yearn to pray at the Rebbe’s gravesite in Uman.
 
Rebbe Nachman, like other renowned kabbalists before him, such as the ARI, explained that a tzaddik has the power to elevate all souls, including those that have not made even the slightest move towards spirituality. A tzaddik’s special connection with God has the power to elevate anyone who comes into contact with him, drawing him closer to God.
 
Rabbi Nachman’s promise:

Bear witness to my words. When my days are over and I leave this world, I will still intercede for anyone who comes to my grave, says these Ten Psalms and gives a penny to charity. No matter how great his sins, I will do everything in my power, spanning the length and breadth of creation , to save him and cleanse him….

I am very positive in everything I say. But I am most positive in regard to the great benefit of these Ten Psalms.

Rebbe Nachman said, “I want to remain among you.”

Breslever tradition says that every trip that a person makes to Uman is another steppingstone to the Geula, and that every person who makes the pilgrimage to Uman is promised a share in the Geula.
Rebbe Nachman said, “The time will come, before Moshiach, that the whole world will long for me, and tens of thousands of people will come to my gravesite!” People thought that the Rebbe was pipe-dreaming, Heaven forbid. Until a few years ago, Rebbe Nachman’s gravesite was closed behind the iron curtain. A few brave Chassidim would sneak into the USSR with forged passports.

As late as 1991, only about 20 people reached Uman on Rosh Hashana. Last year, 26,000 people were there; that more than anything is a sign of the impending Geula, the full redemption of our people.
Rebbe Nachman promised in the presence of two witnesses, Rebbe Natan and Rebbe Naftali, that whoever comes to his grave, says Tikkun Haklali, and gives a coin for charity, the Rebbe will do everything so the person won’t fall into gehennom [purgatory – LB].

“How can Rebbe Nachman make a promise like that?

Simple – as soon as a person comes to him, Rebbe Nachman won’t let him or her alone until he or she makes tshuva.”
 
Rebbe Natan wrote his son Yitzchak that it’s worthwhile to bear all the suffering in this world in order to have the privilege of going to Uman. He adds that anyone who reaches Uman on Rosh Hashana makes his entire reincarnation worthwhile, for Rebbe Nachman can cleanse a person of all impurity.

[Editor’s note: Please note, the above was published for informational purposes only].