Auction 61 - Rare and Important Items
Letter from Rabbi Nachman of Tulczyn - Disciple and Successor of Rabbi Nathan of Breslov
Opening: $2,000
Sold for: $5,000
Including buyer's premium
Letter handwritten and signed by R. "Nachman Halevi Chazan" of Tulczyn. [Tulczyn? or Uman?, undated].
The letter was sent to his friend R. Yechezkel Heschel of Zhashkiv (Zaschkow), Ukraine. As evident from the letter itself, it was sent together with other letters to the father-in-law of R. Yechezkel Heschel. R. Nachman writes that he intentionally did not seal the enclosed letters in order to review them himself for spiritual strengthening before they were dispatched: "…enclosed is a letter to your father-in-law, together with a letter from his relative R. Y. of Chyhyryn, and they have not been properly sealed in order that I may also continue to read and be inspired by its words…".
R. Nachman of Tulczyn (died 1884) was the successor of R. Nathan of Breslov (Bratslav) as de facto leader of Breslov Chassidim. He served as assistant to R. Nathan for many years, and was sent by R. Nathan on various important missions. At R. Nathan's behest, he travelled to arrange for the publishing of Sefer Likuteh Halachot. Before R. Nathan's passing in 1844, he appointed R. Nachamn as his successor. R. Nathan even entrusted R. Nachman with the "Megillat Starim" which he received from his teacher R. Nachman of Breslov.
R. Nachamn moved to Uman, where he oversaw all the activities of the Breslov synagogue and study hall. R. Nachman of Tulczyn and his compatriot R. Naftali of Uman were the foremost leaders of the Breslov movement to connect to "the true holy man" - Rebbe Nachman - rather than to other, living rebbes. R. Nachman adopted the surname Chazan, as he served as chazzan (cantor) for Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah at the gravesite of R. Nachman in Uman. His heartfelt prayers moved many of his listeners to great spiritual heights. It is told that even his opponents would come to hear his prayers, and were inspired to true repentance.
Several of his teaching and letters have been printed in the book "Alim LeTrufa" together with the letters of his teacher R. Nathan, but the majority of his teachings have been orally passed on by the leaders of Breslov Chassidut. He is quoted extensively by his son, the renowned R. Avraham Chazan, author of "Kochvei Ohr", and leader of Breslov Chassidut in Eretz Israel (see following item). His son-in-law was R. Moshe Yehoshua Bezhilianski, known as R. Alter Tepliker, one of the leaders of Breslov Chassidut and author of "Meshivat Nefesh" and "Hishtapchut Hanefesh".
[1] folded leaf. 17.5 cm. 21 handwritten lines. Fair condition. Stains and tears (repaired with paper). Folding marks. On the back of the letter is the address of the recipient: "To the philanthropist R. Heschel Hirschenau, Zhashkiv" "payment: 10 kopeks".
The letter was sent to his friend R. Yechezkel Heschel of Zhashkiv (Zaschkow), Ukraine. As evident from the letter itself, it was sent together with other letters to the father-in-law of R. Yechezkel Heschel. R. Nachman writes that he intentionally did not seal the enclosed letters in order to review them himself for spiritual strengthening before they were dispatched: "…enclosed is a letter to your father-in-law, together with a letter from his relative R. Y. of Chyhyryn, and they have not been properly sealed in order that I may also continue to read and be inspired by its words…".
R. Nachman of Tulczyn (died 1884) was the successor of R. Nathan of Breslov (Bratslav) as de facto leader of Breslov Chassidim. He served as assistant to R. Nathan for many years, and was sent by R. Nathan on various important missions. At R. Nathan's behest, he travelled to arrange for the publishing of Sefer Likuteh Halachot. Before R. Nathan's passing in 1844, he appointed R. Nachamn as his successor. R. Nathan even entrusted R. Nachman with the "Megillat Starim" which he received from his teacher R. Nachman of Breslov.
R. Nachamn moved to Uman, where he oversaw all the activities of the Breslov synagogue and study hall. R. Nachman of Tulczyn and his compatriot R. Naftali of Uman were the foremost leaders of the Breslov movement to connect to "the true holy man" - Rebbe Nachman - rather than to other, living rebbes. R. Nachman adopted the surname Chazan, as he served as chazzan (cantor) for Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah at the gravesite of R. Nachman in Uman. His heartfelt prayers moved many of his listeners to great spiritual heights. It is told that even his opponents would come to hear his prayers, and were inspired to true repentance.
Several of his teaching and letters have been printed in the book "Alim LeTrufa" together with the letters of his teacher R. Nathan, but the majority of his teachings have been orally passed on by the leaders of Breslov Chassidut. He is quoted extensively by his son, the renowned R. Avraham Chazan, author of "Kochvei Ohr", and leader of Breslov Chassidut in Eretz Israel (see following item). His son-in-law was R. Moshe Yehoshua Bezhilianski, known as R. Alter Tepliker, one of the leaders of Breslov Chassidut and author of "Meshivat Nefesh" and "Hishtapchut Hanefesh".
[1] folded leaf. 17.5 cm. 21 handwritten lines. Fair condition. Stains and tears (repaired with paper). Folding marks. On the back of the letter is the address of the recipient: "To the philanthropist R. Heschel Hirschenau, Zhashkiv" "payment: 10 kopeks".