The Rebbe once fasted from Shabbat to Shabbat while living in Zlatipolia.269Rebbe Nachman moved to Zlatipolia sixteen months after returning from Israel, during Elul 5560 (September 1800). He remained there for two years and then moved to Breslov (Tzaddik #11). By Friday afternoon, he was so weak that he had to be carried to the mikvah. He said that the reason he became so faint was because knowledge of his fasts had become public.
The Rebbe lived in town and had his private room where he could practice his devotions. Still, he would often walk in the woods and fields and seclude himself in prayer.
I once walked with the Rebbe through Medvedevka, where he lived earlier.270The Rebbe lived in Medvedevka from his eighteenth year (1790) until he moved to Zlatipolia (see Tzaddik #11). Reb Noson was with the Rebbe in Medvedevka for the wedding of the Rebbe's daughter, Sarah, shortly after the move to Breslov (Yemey Moharnat #3). We strolled all through the fields and hills. The Rebbe gestured toward the hills and meadows and said, “See all these fields and hills around the city. See all the other places near the town. I was in all these places. I went to each of them many times and secluded myself in prayer.”
The Rebbe pointed to a mountain near the city. He said, “There is a very high place on top of that mountain, and in the middle of it there is a small depression. I would climb to the top and seclude myself there. This was my favorite place; I would go there many times. There were also other places.”
All this took place in Medvedevka, where the Rebbe was already a renowned tzaddik. This is aside from the many times he engaged in hisbodedut earlier, when he lived in a nearby village (see “His Wisdom” #117). Earlier as well, when the Rebbe lived in Medzeboz and later in Zlatipola, and here in Breslov, the Rebbe would spend much time every day doing hitbodedut. Many times he spent the whole day in hitbodedut.
בִּקְהִלַּת זְלַאטִיפָּאלִי, הִתְעַנָּה פַּעַם אַחַת מִשַּׁבָּת לְשַׁבָּת, וּבְיוֹם שִׁשִּׁי הֻכְרַח לִנְסֹעַ לְהַמֶּרְחָץ, כִּי לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ, וְאָמַר: שֶׁזֶּה הָיָה מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנּוֹדַע הַדָּבָר לָרַבִּים שֶׁהוּא מִתְעַנֶּה, מֵחֲמַת זֶה נֶחֱלַשׁ כָּל כָּךְ.
The Rebbe once fasted from Shabbat to Shabbat while living in Zlatipolia.269Rebbe Nachman moved to Zlatipolia sixteen months after returning from Israel, during Elul 5560 (September 1800). He remained there for two years and then moved to Breslov (Tzaddik #11). By Friday afternoon, he was so weak that he had to be carried to the mikvah. He said that the reason he became so faint was because knowledge of his fasts had become public.
רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ חֶדֶר מְיֻחָד בַּכְּפָר שֶׁיָּשַׁב בּוֹ לְבַדּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ עַל פִּי הָרֹב עַל פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה בְּתוֹךְ אֵיזֶה יַעַר וְכַיּוֹצֵא, וְהָיָה מִתְבּוֹדֵד שָׁם הַרְבֵּה.
The Rebbe lived in town and had his private room where he could practice his devotions. Still, he would often walk in the woods and fields and seclude himself in prayer.
וּפַעַם אַחַת הָלַכְתִּי עִמּוֹ בִּקְהִלַּת מֶעדְוֶועדִוְוקֶע שֶׁהָיָה דָּר שָׁם בִּתְחִלָּה (כַּמְבֹאָר לְעֵיל), וְהָלַכְתִּי עִמּוֹ אָנֶה וָאָנָה אֵצֶל הַשָּׂדוֹת וְהֶהָרִים. וְנָטָה יָדוֹ עַל פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדוֹת וְהֶהָרִים. וְאָמַר לִי: "עַל כָּל אֵלּוּ הַשָּׂדוֹת וְהֶהָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה סְבִיב הָעִיר וְעַל כָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת הַסְּמוּכִים לְהָעִיר סָבִיב, בְּכֻלָּם הָלַכְתִּי וְסִבַּבְתִּי כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים". הַיְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וּמִתְבּוֹדֵד שָׁם בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת הַנַּ"ל.
I once walked with the Rebbe through Medvedevka, where he lived earlier.270The Rebbe lived in Medvedevka from his eighteenth year (1790) until he moved to Zlatipolia (see Tzaddik #11). Reb Noson was with the Rebbe in Medvedevka for the wedding of the Rebbe's daughter, Sarah, shortly after the move to Breslov (Yemey Moharnat #3). We strolled all through the fields and hills. The Rebbe gestured toward the hills and meadows and said, “See all these fields and hills around the city. See all the other places near the town. I was in all these places. I went to each of them many times and secluded myself in prayer.”
וְסִפֵּר לִי: שֶׁשָּׁם עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר, יֵשׁ מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ מְאֹד, וְשָׁם בְּרֹאשׁ גָּבְהוֹ שָׁם יֵשׁ בְּתוֹכוֹ כְּמוֹ בִּקְעָה. וְהָיָה עוֹלֶה עַל רֹאשׁ גֹּבַהּ הָהָר וְנִכְנַס לְתוֹךְ הַבִּקְעָה שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ וְשָׁם הָיָה אוֹהֵב לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים. וְלִפְעָמִים הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים כַּנַּ"ל.
The Rebbe pointed to a mountain near the city. He said, “There is a very high place on top of that mountain, and in the middle of it there is a small depression. I would climb to the top and seclude myself there. This was my favorite place; I would go there many times. There were also other places.”
וְכָל זֶה הָיָה בִּקְהִלַּת־קֹדֶשׁ מֶעדְוֶועדִוְוקֶע שֶׁכְּבָר הָיָה צַדִּיק מְפֻרְסָם בְּעֵת שֶׁדָּר שָׁם. חוּץ מַה שֶּׁהָיָה מַרְבֶּה בְּהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת מְאֹד בְּעֵת שֶׁיָּשַׁב בְּהַכְּפָר וְכַּנַּ"ל. וְכֵן בִּתְחִלָּה כְּשֶׁיָּשַׁב בְּמֶעזְ'בּוּז וְגַם אַחַר כָּךְ בְּעֵת שֶׁיָּשַׁב בִּזְלַאטִיפָּאלִי וּפֹה קְהִלַּת־קֹדֶשׁ בְּרֶסְלַב, בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם הָיָה מִתְבּוֹדֵד הַרְבֵּה. וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים, שֶׁהָיָה מִתְבּוֹדֵד כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ.
All this took place in Medvedevka, where the Rebbe was already a renowned tzaddik. This is aside from the many times he engaged in hisbodedut earlier, when he lived in a nearby village (see “His Wisdom” #117). Earlier as well, when the Rebbe lived in Medzeboz and later in Zlatipola, and here in Breslov, the Rebbe would spend much time every day doing hitbodedut. Many times he spent the whole day in hitbodedut.