The Tenth of Teveth and the Passing of Rabbi Natan of Nemirov ז”ל. Speaker: Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld ז”ל. (Recorded Teveth 5731/January 1971). (Ein Yaakov – Lesson 017b.)
The spiritual and historical significance of the Tenth of Teveth is presented in context of the passing of Rabbi Natan of Nemirov on this day in 5605 (1844).
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Natan ז”ל. Hilula – memorial shiur about the events leading up to the passing of Rabbi Natan b’Rav Naftali ז”ל Hertz (Sternhartz, of Nemirov) on Erev Shabbat, the Tenth of Teveth, 5605 (20 December, 1844). Recorded 1971-01-06 – the evening before the fast of the Tenth of Teveth, 5731.
00:00 – Introduction. On the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Natan ז”ל it is a custom to read the letter written by the students of Rabbi Natan in the city of Breslov to the students of Rabbi Natan in the city of Tcherin. On the Shabbat preceding his passing, Rabbi Natan ז”ל spoke about the soul’s ability to remain in the physical world after death, hinting at his own histalkut (passing away). The Sefer haNisraf – the “Burnt Book” – a manuscript that Rebbe Nachman wrote and then had destroyed.
13:56 – “The seforim we have of Rabbeinu ז”ל today are all due to Rabbi Natan ז”ל.”
14:25 – Rabbi Zvi Teplik ז”ל.
15:00 – Rabbi Natan encouraged saying a lot of Tehillim… no matter if with more kavana (concentration/intent) or less kavana.
15:07 – Rabbi Natan’s last day: Sipurey Masiyos – the Stories of Rebbe Nachman.
15:19 – Rabbi Natan’s final requests to his students: To remain united with ahava (love) and continue to publish Rebbe Nachman’s seforim .
*15:53 – The three tragedies of the 10th of Teveth. The passing of Ezra HaSofer on the 9th of Teveth.
*19:14 – The Zohar Hakodesh states that often when a Rabbi asks a question, it indicates that he has a new answer.
19:28 – Rabbi Nathan’s chiddush – Torah innovation – regarding the historical events of the 9th and 10th of Teveth.
20:57 – Yerushalayim means “perfection of fear [of Hashem].”
23:04 – Rabbi Natan made a siyum on Shulchan Aruch (the Codes of Torah Law) on the day of his passing. He ate a small seudah of bread and soup and bentched, adding words about Eretz Yisrael.
25:35 – Following his meal, Rabbi Natan spoke with Rabbi Nachman Tulchin. Then, after lighting the candles of Shabbat and saying hamapil, Rabbi Natan passed away just before Shabbat, in peace, through histalkut be’neshika – Hashem’s kiss.
27:23 – The kevura – burial – of Rabbi Natan took place on Motzei Shabbat.
30:07 – Words of encouragement for kavana during tefilah and hitbodedut – private prayer in one’s own words, in seclusion.
32:22 – The most accomplished level of hitbodedut – personal prayer – is to ask Hashem for the privilege to fulfill the words of Torah that one is learning. Rabbi Natan’s sefer Likutey Tefilot is a powerful example of “Turning Torah into Tefilah”.
*37:01 – “When the neshama of a tzaddik rises on his yahrzeit, the souls of his students rise with him.”
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