Rabbi Nachman

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The Aleph-Bet Book (Sefer HaMidot)

(The Book of Attributes)

Rabbi Nachman's Aphorisms on Jewish Living

by

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov Translated by Moshe Mykoff

Published by

BRESLOV RESEARCH INSTITUTE JERUSALEM/NEW YORK

ISBN NUMBER 0-930213-15-7

THE ALEPH-BET BOOK

Rabbi Nachman's Aphorisms on Jewish Living

The Breslov Research Institute

extends its grateful thanks to

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Eli and Ruth Assoulin

who have generously supported this publication and dedicated it

in honor of the birth of their daughter Rachel

May God grant them all

a joyous, healthy and successful life

Publisher's Preface

Once, a non-Jew came to Shammai and asked, "What kind of Torah do the Jews possess?" Shammai replied, "Two! One Written and one Oral." The non-Jew said: "I believe in the Written Torah, but not the Oral Torah," and asked to be converted with that condition. Shammai refused and sent him away.

He then came to Hillel with the same request and was accepted. On the first day of his studies, Hillel taught him: aleph, bet, gimel, dalet etc. The following day, he reversed the order: tav, shin, resh, koof etc. The convert exclaimed, "But yesterday you taught me the other way?!" Hillel replied, "Do you not have to rely on me to teach you the correct order for the Aleph-Bet? Then rely on me that the Oral Law is an integral part of Torah too!" (Shabbat 31a). The Talmud (Bekhorot 30b) states: "If one wishes to convert, but refuses to accept one mitzvah, or even one rabbinical edict, then the conversion is not valid." Rashi (Shabbat 31a) suggests this as the reason for Shammai's refusal to convert the non-Jew. But, he asks, how could Hillel have accepted him if he refused to accept the Oral Law? Rashi answers that the non-Jew did not refuse the Oral Law - at that point he was simply incapable of believing in its Divine origin. Hillel knew that, given proper time and guidance, this convert would ultimately accept Oral Law.

Shammai always maintained the straight, dogmatic approach: one who is serious about entering the realm of Judaism must, from the very beginning, totally accept all that there is to accept. Hillel, on the other hand, always maintained an open approach: accept the newcomer - whether a convert or returnee - with an open heart and mind, and let him discover, at his own pace, the inner workings and beauty of Torah. Thus we are taught, "Since both schools

[Shammai and Hillel] are the word of God, why then are we to follow the teachings of Hillel? Because the students of Hillel were very easy-going and modest, and always showed the highest respect for the school of Shammai" (Eruvin 13b).

Throughout Jewish history we find these two opposing schools of thought. Who does one accept? Whose standards shall be the norm? Which approach is needed to face the modern challenge?

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It was the Baal Shem Tov who first revealed that actually these views are compatible. There need not be either absolute dogmatism or total openness. One must judge each case on its merits and respond with the appropriate reply. Where direct law applies, one must be unrelenting in the pursuance of Torah Law. Where this is not possible, then one must use a pliable approach so that the uninitiated can also partake of Torah. Thus, numbering among the Baal Shem Tov's disciples were world renowned Torah scholars, and simple folk who could barely read. All were accepted. He was able to reach out to everyone.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, developed this approach to perfection. He taught (Likutey Moharan II, #7) that the true leader must be able to show even the most learned and serious student that he hasn't even begun proper study of Torah. He must put aside all his knowledge and begin serving God from anew, in order to receive the full benefits of Torah. But, for one who is first entering the realm of Judaism, that person must be shown God is with him, constantly. The true leader must reach out to him at his level, revealing the wonders of God and Creation while, at the same time, understanding that this person is presently incapable of anything more.

Not only did Rabbi Nachman teach this lesson, he lived it! He embodied the lofty, dogmatic approach that there is only religion: the study of Torah, prayer and performance of mitzvof, that man should engage in. Yet, at the same time, we find Rabbi Nachman involved in mundane conversations, playing chess with prominent atheists, and otherwise engaged in reaching out with the basics, the Aleph-Bet, to those who were distant from God. He was able to show them, by his own example, that there exists a much greater meaning to life, than what they were experiencing to date.

When Rabbi Nachman revealed The Aleph-Bet Book, he did not reveal the sources. Like Hillel, he only revealed the Aleph-Bet, the very beginning of what man needs to propel himself forward in Judaism. Yet, just like Hillel, Rabbi Nachman was saying: "Trust me! Rely on me to teach you the correct Aleph-Bet - the way to correct your each and every trait." The Breslov Research Institute extends its heartfelt thanks to Moshe Mykoff for this most exacting work. In a world where the translation of classical books is of great importance, this tome presented an exceptionally difficult challenge. How does one explain the unexplainable? Where does one find the right words to form the simple sentence from the complex

combination of poetic thought and style that Rabbi Nachman used? Only with Rabbi

Nachman's advice of beginning with Aleph and continuing on to Bet etc. is one able to start. Only by re ying on Rabbi Nachman, that there is a source and reason for everything, can one complete his mission.

May it be the will of the Almighty that, in the merit of the Tzaddikim upon whom we rely, that we merit, in this month of Menachem Av, to see the coming of Mashiach, the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the ingathering of the exiles, Amen.

Chaim Kramer Menachem Av 5746

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION

Improving and perfecting one's character are by no means exclusively Jewish endeavors. Throughout the ages, there has always been an emphasis on ethical and moral behavior as part

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of man's intellectual and certainly spiritual development. Yet, Judaism's approach to the middot, as the character traits are known, has always carried one supreme aspect which keeps it definitively unique from all others. Succinctly put, Jewish ethics and moral values are based on a Divine rather than a relative truth. As such, it has neither been subject to temporal

cultural and social norms (such as the practice of euthanasia, which certain societies even in recent times have seen as morally acceptable) nor for that matter been based on principles governed by human logic. Unlike the wisdom of the ancients which has given way to the so called enlightened attitudes of today, Jewish standards have always been constant and consistent, as they are based upon an unchanging and eternal - Divinely determined -

perception of good and bad. Furthermore, because the middot stem from a higher reasoning, they are not simple logical deductions for suitable social interaction and hence cannot always be understood or always verified by man's intellectual and emotional reality.

This fundamental distinction was not only vital to this translation of Rabbi Nachman's Aleph-Bet Book, it is also an essential concept for the reader to bear in mind when relating to the ideas being presented. A review of the material reveals three general categories into which the aphorisms can be divided. The first type can be recognized as those selections which are straightforward and most consistent with present day patterns of thinking and personal experience: e.g., the need for teaching children to behave properly right from the start (Children 64). Anyone with experience raising children knows this to be true. The second category consists of aphorisms which can neither' be verified nor negated by everyday experience and common logic: e.g., confessing one's sins earns a person a share in the World to Come (Repentance 8). In most cases, the reader, though not understanding why it should be so and therefore unable to come to this realization on his own, will nevertheless have no reason to raise objection to what he is being taught.

The third type of aphorism, which comprises the major part of the work, are those teachings which at best are not absolutely consistent with our experience and reasoning and often even openly contradictory to them. We are being asked to accept ideas which neither conform to current perceptions nor fit into the modern framework. Indeed, were it not that the attributes are based upon a value system which remains true for all ages and in every situation, it would have been only too convenient - through a less exacting and more "scholarly critical"

interpretation - to have translated the aphorisms in this third category in a more palatable way. The reader too must keep in mind the Divine nature of this value system. Even when his personal experience seems to refute the principle, it is only because he has yet to acquire a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught. By doing so, it will become evident that, in fact, this type of aphorism is no less valid than those which everyone knows to be true. Take for example the following aphorism on slander: a person guilty of slander will be

afflicted with leprosy (51ander 19). An obvious problem presents itself. How is it then that we see people slandering others daily and yet they suffer no leprosy?

No doubt, the reader with a background in the Bible could readily point to Miriam, who was stricken with %leprosy when she spoke badly of her brother Moses (Numbers 12) or even Moses himself who, when he slandered the Jewish People (Exodus 4), found his hand covered with leprosy. But, if this fundamental principle is to be valid, namely, the Jewish teachings on character traits are timeless and are as applicable today as they were in Rabbi Nachman's time 200 years ago and as when the Torah was given more than 2,000 years ago, then it must be that our own experience also verifies that slander produces leprosy. The question, of course, is

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To explain this point, it is first necessary to introduce what we shall call the spiritual dimension.

Judaism has always seen the world and its components as both spiritual and physical entities. These two aspects not only compliment one another, they also parallel each other in form and construct. This is perhaps nowhere more prominent than in man, whose physical body with its 248 organs and 365 veins has a transcendental counterpart in his soul with its own, albeit spiritual, 248 members and 365 veins. And, just as there are rules governing our physical reality: stick your hand in fire and it will be burnt, there are rules which govern our spiritual reality. In fact, the set of 613 spiritual rules - the Torah - is the blueprint of all Creation and also comprises 248 organs and 365 veins, namely, the positive and prohibitive

commandments respectively. Hence, only by practicing the mitzvot and perfecting the character traits, which are the very foundation upon which the commandments depend, can a person hope to properly function within the spiritual reality and not be burnt beca use of a transgression of its rules.

Yet, without going much further into what is basically a major principle of the Kabbalistic doctrine on transcendental reality, which would take us far beyond the scope of a translator's introduction, it is necessary to add one more point. Jewish lore has always recognized that the relationship between the physical and its spiritual counterpart cannot be limited to a mere abstract parallel in form and construct. Rather, there exists a very concrete causal relationship between the two. Accordingly, material objects, such as the hide of an animal upon which tefillin are written, can be used to produce spiritual effects; and spiritual deeds, such as repentance, give rise to material benefits. Unfortunately, most people today are no longer in tune with the way this interrelationship operates.- There are nevertheless certain individuals who, after having worked many years to purify their own corporeality, have mastered the rules of spirituality and its relationship to the physical (see Appendix 11). They are not only aware of how the spiritual dimension operates and how it effects our everyday reality, they are also capable of determining the way in which the spiritual world is affected, positively or negatively, by our own physical deeds.

With this in mind, let's now return to the attribute of slander and how it produces leprosy. Webster's Dictionary defines leprosy as a chronic disease ... accompanied by a loss of

sensation. For an alternative usage the dictionary offers the following: a morally or spiritually harmful influence. In point of fact, Judaism would see these two definitions as one and the same: the first being no more than an outcome of the latter. This can be understood from the spiritual definition of leprosy. Rabbi Nachman defines leprosy as the blocking out of spiritual light and the leper as one who is unable to perceive the light of the Infinite which permeates all of Creation (Likutey Moharan I:2i). Thus, we are being taught that when a person slanders and is derisive of others, he cannot hope to receive the Divine Countenance which, through his actions, he's rejected. His falsely accusing any of God's creations makes him incapable of experiencing Godliness and turns his entire world bitter. He has indeed lost all sensation of holiness. The 248 organs and 365 veins of his soul have truly become leperous.*

*) The Mishnah (Avot 5:1) teaches that the world was created through ten Divine Utterances spoken in the Holy Tongue, Hebrew. The letters of the Holy Tongue are themselves physical embodiments of spiritual forces. Accordingly, the combination of letters which form the Hebrew name of any given object or concept has within it the spiritual dimension - the essence of that thing. It is therefore in no waycoincidental that the Hebrew word for slander METZORAH can be transposed to read MOTZE RAH he finds bad in others. A further

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rearranging yields the words ETZ, a tree, and MOHR, which means bitter. When the first man, Adam, ate from the tree in the Garden of Eden, he essentially cut himself off from God; his expulsion from the Garden making his life and the life of all mankind bitter. Furthermore, our Sages (Bereishit Rabbah, 20:12) teach that when Adam was created, his body covering was a Heavenly light and only after he sinned - the punishment for which was the need to labor for his sustenance by separating the wheat from the chaff - was he given a covering of skin which concealed his essence in true corporeality. This too can be learnt from the word METZORAH which can be read OHR, skin, and MOTZ, which means chaff. It is not surprising then that the Talmud teaches (Nedarim 64b) that a person with leprosy is considered dead; foradam was supposedtoliveeternallyand it was only the slander of the snake, itself punished with leprosy, which brought death into the world (Tanchuma, Bereishit 8).

Therefore, at least in the spiritual dimension,** slander does produce leprosy much as it has since the time of Creation. Being a truth of Divine origin, this teaching on slander - as well as the other aphorisms which are also not always verified by our physical senses and perceptions - remains universally applicable and eternally valid; in no way less so than those teachings which "everyone knows" to be true. As mentioned, in most cases it takes the eyes of the spiritually attuned to see this clearly, with all its ramifications. It does seem certain, however, that by following Rabbi Nachman's prescription The Aleph-Bet Book - we too can acquire an understanding of the interrelationship between spiritual and physical, itself a vital step on the road to self-perfection.

**) Exactly why the spiritual rules which govern the world are not always manifested in the physical, as with the outbreak of leprosy on the body of a slanderer, is a question which has been pondered by a number of Jewish scholars throughout the ages (See Shmirat HaLashon, 1:6; Rabbi M.C. Luzatto, Daat Tevunot p. 104). Perhaps this is what Rabbi Nachman had in mind when he said, "Everything that you see in this world - everything that exists - is all a test to give man a freedom of choice" (Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom #300). Given that the purpose of all Creation is for man to earn his place in the World to Come (Etz Chaim, Shaar HaK'Iaiim 1), what would be the point if, instead of following God's will because of faith alone, a person could always immediately have his reward (and punishment) for the things he does.

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It is my hope that this translation - despite its deficiencies, of which I am only too well aware - will assist the English speaking reader seeking to immerse himself into the Torah in general and Rabbi Nachman's teachings in particular. The Rebbe's Sefer HaMiddotIThe Aleph-Bet Book, like the Likutey EtzotlAdvice, is a compendium of practical guidance and hence a hand oo tothelifeofajew.However,whereasAdviceisbased upon Rabbi Nachman's own Torah

discourses, this work is a collection of distilled wisdom drawn from the Bible, Talmud, Midrash and other Rabbinical writings. As much of the material in The Aleph-Bet Book actually preceded both the Likutey Moharan and the Likutey Etzot, it can be seen as a

forerunner to these and all other Breslov literature. Clearly, the Sefer HaMiddot serves as our earliest introduction to the very original way in which Rabbi Nachman interpreted both verse and Aggadic teachings (examples of which can be seen from such pieces as Eating B5, Sweetening judgement 33 and Prayer 84 within the text, as well as the sampling of sources provided in Appendix 111). As with any Torah work of this nature, a casual once over will not suffice for the more than 2,500 aphorisms presented here. Indeed, in the Breslov communities

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Book: no doubt the best way to fulfill Rabbi Nachman's desire that we carry it with us at all times. Realizing that this is something most of us will never achieve, it is my hope that this translation will at least inspire a deep involvement with the material so that we too might repeat the Rebbe's own description of the Aleph-Bet Book: "My dear beloved friend, my dear loyal friend. This [book] is what made me into a Jew."

Moshe Mykoff 23 Tammuz 5746

INTRODUCTION

Rabbi Nachman's Aleph-Bet Book is a collection of aphorisms on the various character traits, positive and negative, as well as other aspects of the spiritual life of the Jew. The material is arranged by subject in alphabetical order and is divided into two parts.

The first part was written by Rabbi Nachman in his youth. He selected from numerous holy books those pieces relating to ethical behavior and righteous qualities. He did this in order to facilitate his recollection of these traits: to have before his eyes the benefits of each and every good quality as well as the harm brought on by its absence and by the possession of bad traits. Whether it was the Sages' explanation of these qualities or the implied understanding of a Biblical verse or Rabbinical teaching which he was able to discern through his keen ability to understand one thing from the next - everything was recorded concisely and according to subject. This, so that he could then follow these good paths and keep to the ways of the righteous. Indeed, many years later upon seeing a copy of the completed work in the hands of one of his followers, Rabbi Nachman remarked, "My dear beloved friend, my dear loyal friend. This [book] is what made me into a Jew."

The second part is similar to the first in form and structure, and the aphorisms are, in the main, on the same subjects as in the first part. However, this second part, which also came to be known as the New Aleph-Bet, was written later on in his life and Rabbi Nachman revealed that it was based on deeper understanding of the sources than the Old Aleph-Bet. Accordingly, there are a good many pieces in this part whose sources and reasoning can only be somewhat understood when studied within a broader context as they appear in Rabbi Nachman's Likutey Moharan (translated in part by The Breslov Research Institute, 1986). Their inclusion in this work on attributes, albeit in concise form, was evidently due to the very practical advice they offer on the character traits which a person should strive to acquire or work to avoid.

Rabbi Nachman kept the existence of his Aleph-Bet Book a guarded secret until after his arrival in Breslov in 1802. Thereafter, he began dictating the first part of the book to Rabbi Nathan. As he read from his manuscript, Rabbi Nachman carefuly selected only those pieces which he wished to reveal to the world. This would explain why he never gave over his original notes to be copied in their entirety and why, although Rabbi Nachman's own manuscript contained references to the sources he used in collecting these aphorisms, they were never recorded. Only after the first printing in 1811 were there any sources included; initially by Rabbi Nathan in 1821 and then in the 1873-74 edition, which for the first time incorporated the references researched by the Tcheriner Rav, and still later in 1909-10 in an edition which was published containing further sources researched by Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin (see Appendix III).

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Rabbi Nathan began transcribing the first part of the text in the summer of 1803. But he was only able to complete about half a folio and then only a bit more at a second session three or four months later, after which no further work was attempted for another two years. Finally, before Chanukah 180,5, Rabbi Nathan had the opportunity to be in Breslov for an extended period of time. For three consecutive weeks, Rabbi Nathan spent a good part of his day with the Rebbe until the transcribing of the first part of the Aleph-Bet Book was completed. In Rabbi Nathan's own words, "It was very difficult for the Rebbe [who carefully dictated each piece, considering and weighing his every word] - But, because of the great benefit which he knew people would have from it and because of his love of Israel, he dedicated himself to its completion." Rabbi Nathan also writes that Rabbi Nachman had in his notes about an equal amount of material which he never gave over. This included as many as two-hundred folios on the subject of Healing alone (see Appendix II).

As for the second part of the book, prior to Rosh HaShanah 1808 Rabbi Nachman gave over several sheets of material to his followers. As Rabbi Nathan was not present in Breslov at the time, he asked these other chassidim to alphabetize this new material. Unlike the first part, these aphorisms were recorded by Rabbi Nachman consecutively, each at the particular time he perceived it. After Rabbi Nathan arrived, he was given these sheets and later on received some additional material from the Rebbe. All this he organized and integrated with the Old Aleph-Bet, thus arranging the entire work in order. At the Rebbe's insistence, Rabbi Nathan took those pieces which were applicable to more than one character trait and incorporated them into each of the appropriate subject headings; hence the many repetitions within the second part of the book. It was Rabbi Nachman's intention to make it easier for the reader - for the student wishing to put into practice these holy words of advice - to use the Aleph-Bet Book as a handy manual and guide for spiritual advancement. In Rabbi Nathan's words, "May God lead us on the true path. And,'just as we have merited organizing them, so may we merit performing them' (Passover Haggadah) - until Israel returns to her place of dwelling like the dove to its nest. May it be speedily, in our time. Amen."

ALEPH TRUTH HOSPITALITY LOVE FAITH EATING WIDOWER

THE LAND OF ISRAEL LOST OBJECTS

EMET

TRUTH

A 1)

A person who wants to attach himself to the Holy One, blessed be He - so that his thoughts travel from one chamber to the next, seeing these chambers with his mind's eye - should avoid speaking falsely, even by mistake.

2)

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Those who lie are not worthy of receiving the Shekhinah, the Divine Countenance. 4)

A Tzaddik is free to act deceitfully with one who deceives others. 5)

All those who add, detract. 6)

Telling lies brings on thoughts of idolatry. 7)

By being truthful, a person won't die before his time. 8)

The breath of a liar gives rise to the evil inclination. When the Mashiach comes, falsehood will not exist and so there will be no evil inclination in the world. 9)

A man of truth can recognize in another if he is speaking falsely or not. 10)

A sign that something is false is that it encounters opposition from the majority [of wise men] - The liar is one of the three [types of people] whom God despises. 11)

Reason cannot tolerate a rich man's deceit. Even he finds himself despicable. 12)

Giving charity rectifies one's speech. 13)

Truth protects the world from all forms of harm. 14)

Flattery leads to lying. 15)

A person who gives charity is rewarded with attaining the truth. 16)

The liar despises humility. 17)

One can see from a man's servants if he is fond of falsehood, for one is dependent upon the other. Occasionally, a person's servants fall into sin because he is a liar, and sometimes he stumbles into falsehood because his servants behave improperly. 18)

When there is no truth, there is no kindness. Such a person cannot deal kindly with people.

19)

Falsehood delays redemption. It brings a man's sins out into the open, thus preventing him from being saved.

20)

Truth redeems from all suffering. 21)

A person should rather die than live and be considered a liar by others. 22)

Where there is truth there is peace. 23)

One who is far from the truth is far from charity. 24)

Truth protects the sign of the Covenant [from blemish]. 25)

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By telling the truth, a person earns everlasting notoriety. 26)

When a husband and wife accustom themselves to lying, their children will be rebellious and sexually immoral.

27)

A person will speak falsely when he is afraid of other people. 28)

Falsehood causes a person to forget God. 29)

A person who does not trust in God speaks falsely, and by telling lies becomes incapable of trusting the truth.

30)

The further a man is from truth, the more he considers one who turns away from evil to be a fool.

31)

A person who wants to turn away from evil must play the fool when he sees that there is no truth in the world.

32)

When a person does not speak falsely, God saves him in time of pain. He will also be blessed with children.

33)

Idle talk brings on [the types of] disease which afflict children. 34)

A person steeped in idleness becomes forgetful. 35)

Falsehood leads to immorality and strengthens the hand of the evil-doers so that they do not return to God.

36)

Because he lies, a person has no cure even if he uses numerous medicines. 37)

A man who tells lies is cut down. He also becomes a fool. 38)

Fear of God brings a person to truth. 39)

A person who guards himself from falsehood is always victorious. 40)

It is permissible to distort [the truth] in order to save oneself. 41)

A person who is fond of falsehood will disgrace the Tzaddik, and will himself be shamed.

42)

A man who speaks falsely perishes. 43)

Truth saves a person from slander. By telling the truth, his prayers are accepted, and when judged Above, he will be judged according to his merits.

44)

A man can tell from his dreams if his heart is true with his God. 45)

A person who keeps his word can accomplish great things. 46)

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One who has no haughtiness is saved from lies. 47)

A person who guards himself from frivolity is known as a man of truth. 48)

One who was a liar in a previous lifetime will be reincarnated lefthanded. 49)

When a person is careful and always speaks truthfully, it is like he created heaven and earth, the seas and all which they contain.

50)

Falsehood applies only to the spoken and not the written word. 51)

The Bible, Prophets and Rabbis made use of speech [to teach a point]. B

1)

People don't listen to one who speaks falsely. Lying also causes a person to be widowed from a number of wives.

2)

The unity of God is revealed through truth. 3)

When you see a liar, you should know that his spiritual leader is also false. 4)

Falsehood leads a person to immorality and murder. It also causes the upright to err in sexual and homicidal matters, and teaches permissiveness in the Torah.

5)

When a person does not distort his words, he is able to humble the haughty and elevate the meek.

6)

A man who does not speak one way with his lips and another with his heart has no fear of drowning.

7)

Truth produces satisfaction. 8)

The disorders of diarrhea and constipation come from lying. 9)

It is truth that will bring the final redemption.

HACHNASAT ORCHIM HOSPITALITY

A 1)

An inhospitable person strengthens the hand of the evildoers so that they do not return to God.

2)

The people of] a city where hospitality is not practiced will turn to immoral behavior, and this will bring murder into their midst.

3)

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4)

Receiving guests is like receiving the Sabbath. 5)

When a person welcomes a Torah scholar into his home, it is like he brought the daily sacrificial offerings.

6)

Hospitality is even greater than arriving early at the House of Torah Study and receiving the Shekhinah.

7)

Jews who have no rabbis in their midst are like Kuttim, Samaritans. B

1)

Hospitality earns a person the fearful-respect of others. 2)

Hospitality is a segulah for returning a woman's menses [so that she can again bear children].

3)

The prominence of the leaders of the generation is strengthened by God's holiness. This [prestige] brings everyone to value the mitzvah of hospitality and causes those who study the Torah to have the law accepted as they understand it.

AHAVAH LOVE

A 1)

When there is no love between people, they bear tales and then mock one another. Their mockery then leads them to telling lies.

2)

Turmoil and [destruction by] fire are the result of hatred. 3)

The love you have for God will protect your soul from misfortune. 4)

Achieving a love for God requires that you first repent for your sins. 5)

Everyone loves the person who is completely given over to praying for the Jewish People.

6)

Love produces encouragement. 7)

Encouraging someone in his service of God will bring him to love you: 8)

You can merit loving God by reciting Haliel - the prayer extolling His praise - in a loud voice.

9)

When you have litigation with a mute who refuses to reach an agreement, your having guarded yourself against unwarranted hatred will bring him to settle with you.

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A person who guards against swearing falsely will certainly not transgress the precepts of "not taking revenge nor bearing a grudge" (Leviticus 19:18).

11)

Garlic is a segulah for [increasing one's feelings of] love. 12)

The merit earned by a man who serves God out of love stands as a lasting protection for two-thousand generations.

13)

God is present wherever pacts and agreements are made. B

1)

When the earth's produce blossoms, it brings love into the world. 2)

A woman's love for her husband can be detected by the [number of] flies and gnats which are in the house. From their love, one can also tell if the passion of the evil inclination has been weakened or not.

3)

The wise men of the generation who love each other and visit each other from time to time have the power tojudge the entire world. Their judgement is lasting and no one will be able to change or nullify it, for God himself is the head magistrate of their court.

4)

Unwarranted hatred causes a person to unintentionally eat non-kosher food. 5)

A person's lust for food causes him to favor one son over the others.

EMUNAH FAITH

A 1)

One's belief in God must come through faith and not because of miracles. 2)

You can achieve faith by being humble. 3)

When you see something out of the ordinary, don't say that it's coincidence; rather, believe that it is Divine Providence.

4)

There are things which bring great harm to the world and it is hard to understand why they were created. You should know that they most certainly have some aspect of good.

5)

Finding the words of an apostate pleasing will bring a person to thoughts of idolatry, even if these words are not heretical in and of themselves.

6)

A person's faith endears him to God much like a wife [is endeared] by her husband. 7)

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8)

When a person loses something it shows that he's fallen from his faith. 9)

One who has lost his faith should visit Jewish graves and tell of the kindness which God has performed for him.

10)

Faith is dependent upon a person's mouth. [Speaking about faith not only increases it - it is faith!]

11)

Torah study breaks all heresy. 12)

Belief in God brings blessing. 13)

Overeating leads to a fall from faith. 14)

Gazing at the sky when it is clear and bright will bring you to faith in the Rabbis. 15)

Should you find that you have doubts about God, remain silent. By virtue of this silence, your very thoughts will provide you with an answer to your question. 16)

Remaining silent when you are insulted will earn you the answers to your questions and you'll merit a spirit of understanding.

17)

When a person's adversaries are wise, rich and mighty, you should know that this is because he's more than once fallen from faith.

18)

Faith is considered like charity. 19)

Belief in God makes one wise. 20)

It is first necessary to have faith in God, and only then will you be worthy of understanding Him with your intellect.

21)

The unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, comes about through the soul of the Jewish People.

22)

A person's sins bring him to entertain heresy. 23)

When a person falls from his belief in God, he should cry. 24)

Faith comes by remaining silent [in the face of criticism]. 25)

A person's jealousy causes him to fall from his belief in God. 26)

When a person has no faith, it is an indication that he belittles the words of the Torah. 27)

A person who is always cleaning his hands is purifying his heart. 28)

When a man falls from faith, he should know that he is being judged Above. 29)

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A person will experience an emission, promiscuous thoughts or thoughts of idolatry because he has fallen from his belief in God.

30)

Faith comes through giving charity. 31)

By means of faith one can come to understand God intellectually. 32)

Through faith, one can come to trust in God. 33)

Because of faith, God will forgive you for all your sins. 34)

There are times when God sends a person suffering and punishment but He does not weaken him. This is only intended [to increase his] faith.

35)

Swearing falsely causes a person to fall from faith. 36)

A man who has no faith does not accept rebuke. 37)

The person who does not believe in the words of the Tzaddik will in the end have no benefit from them, though he will see that they've come to be.

38)

A man who has no faith certainly despises God's statutes. 39)

Mashiach will come suddenly and, because of their joy, the Jews will fear. 40)

When Mashiach comes, the ministers of above and below will be weakened. But now, whenever there is an ascent by any minister, the Jews are weakened.

41)

In the World to Come, whoever is "younger" than his neighbor will ascend to a higher level.

42)

Jerusalem was only destroyed because the Jews desecrated the Sabbath, neglected reciting the Sh'ma - both morning and evening - and left the young school children unattended. They felt no embarrassment one for another, despised Torah scholars, and there were no longer any men of faith in the city.

43)

Jerusalem will only be redeemed through charity. 44)

War is the beginning of redemption. 45)

A person who raises pigs delays the redemption. 46)

Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until there is peace amongst the Jewish People. 47)

This, that the Jews wander in exile from nation to nation, is a sign that Mashiach will come.

48)

When the nations overly insult us, it is a sign of Mashiach's imminence. 49)

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50)

Through the spirit of oneness that will exist amongst Jews, Mashiach will come. 51)

Mashiach will come in a year of blessing. 52)

The Mashiach won't come till all the souls have left their storehouse in the "body" [of Primordial Man]. When a person marries his daughter to a Torah scholar, or uses his possessions and engages in business to benefit a Torah scholar, he will merit being resurrected from the aead.

54)

The breath of a liar gives rise to the evil inclination. When the Mashiach comes, falsehood will not exist and so there will be no evil inclination in the world. 55)

A man of truth can recognize in another if he is speaking falsely or not. 56)

The majority [of wise men] will not agree to something false. 57)

The Holy One despises the man who speaks one way with his lips and another in his heart.

58)

Reason cannot tolerate a rich man's deceit. Even he finds himself despicable. 59)

Giving charity rectifies one's speech. 60)

Truth protects the world from all forms of harm. 61)

Flattery leads to lying. 62)

A person who gives charity is rewarded with attaining the truth. 63)

A person who lies will certainly despise humble people. 64)

One can see from a man's servants if he is fond of falsehood or not. 65)

When there is no truth there is no kindness. 66)

If you are in any way false then when God [indicates] His desire to save you, this falsehood brings your sins out into the open so that He should not save you. 67)

For telling the truth, God will redeem you from all suffering. 68)

A person should rather die than live and be considered a liar by others. B

1)

Occasionally, a person comes to some place and experiences anguish there. He should know that his ancestors were in this place and came to some form of heresy, or his descendants will one day be here and come to some form of heresy. This is the reason

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2)

The use of flattery leads one to heresy. 3)

The Holy One, blessed be He, only performs miracles for the person who believes in both worlds.

4)

The evil decrees which the nations proclaim against us are nullified because of our faith in God.

5)

Know! Each and every grass has its own unique power to heal a specific sickness. This is only for the person who did not guard his faith and sexual purity, and did not keep from transgressing "Do not despise any man" (Avot 4:3). However, one who has complete faith and also keeps the Covenant and fulfills "Do not despise any man," his cure is not dependent upon particular types of grasses. He is cured by all foods and drinks in the "aspect" of "And your bread is blessed" (Exodus 23:25). He does not have to rely upon particular grasses to be cured.

6)

The essence of the future salvation will only come about because of faith, the quality of which is in accordance with the leaders of the generation.

7)

When one goes from one rabbi to the next, he must strengthen his faith in the unity of God. Learning from many teachers detracts from the belief in the Oneness. However, the rabbi who has faith in the Oneness is able to enlighten each and every student according to his ability; each pupil only hearing that which is necessary for him, and no more.

8)

Consolation comes because of faith in God. 9)

Flies multiply in the world because there is a lack of faith. 10)

The person who guards himself from transgressing the prohibition against coveting what is not his, will be saved from anger and haughtiness, and from the lack of faith which they bring on.

11)

Because the Jews do not make His Godliness known to the peoples of the world, they are seduced by the nations into following foreign ideologies.

12)

Corruption of faith gives rise to stern judgement. Thoughts of idolatry awaken doubly strict judgements. That is, even the judgements which have already been passed are reviewed to see that they were sentenced properly - without leniency.

13)

A person who causes his friend to fall from faith suffers childlessness. 14)

When a woman is heedful of the mitzvah of challah, tithing the dough, her sons will be masters of faith.

15)

Faith settles the mind. 16)

Torah brings to faith, and faith brings to sanctifying the Name of God. 17)

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A person who finds that he cannot sleep should think about his belief in the resurrection of the dead.

18)

Those who have only a small amount of faith have difficulty gaining new insights into the Torah.

ACHILAH EATING

A 1)

Make certain that there is something left over from the food you eat, so that your sustenance will receive God's blessing.

2)

A man's table purifies him from all his sins. 3)

A man's table earns him the World to Come as well as a livelihood [in this world]. He is recorded for good in the uppermost worlds and is also rewarded with added power and strength when he needs it.

4)

The sin of delaying justice, distorting and corrupting judgement and neglecting Torah study brings drought. People will eat but will not be satiated; they will partake of their bread in measure.

5)

By eating a little bit, a person's heart is drawn after food; more so than the one who has lost hope of eating and has eaten nothing at all.

6)

Why were the Jews deserving of destruction? Because they delighted in the feast of that wicked one, [Achashveroshl.

7)

The altar removes evil decrees, atones sin, nourishes and endears. And the table is comparable to an altar.

8)

When a person eats without first washing his hands [as the law prescribes], it is like he visited a prostitute. One who ridicules this religious requirement is uprooted from the world.

9)

A man should not drink water in public. B

1)

A person whose being reflects the image of God is elevated through his eating of living matter. The opposite is also true.

2)

Eating fish arouses the desire for marital union. 3)

God is made known in the world through the Birkhat HaMazone, the Blessing after Meals.

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Reciting the Birkhat HaMazone brings the country's government relief from dispute and wars.

5)

When a person learns the Torah with a pure mind, because he eats with such a degree of holiness that his sustenance is drawn from the sustenance of the angels, his enemies are sentenced to strangulation. This is indicated [in the verses], "And it was on the third day, in the morning..." (Exodus 19:16); "Then in the morning there was a layer of dew" (Exodus 16:13); "And it was at the morning watch..." (Exodus 14:24). (I heard this explanation from his holy lips: "And it was on the third day", was said during the giving of the Torah and refers to the person who learns the Torah with a pure mind. "Then in the morning, there was a layer of dew," was said about the manna, which is the food from which the angels draw sustenance, as our Rabbis have taught. "And it was at the morning watch," was said at the splitting of the Red Sea when the

Egyptians were drowned, which is an "aspect" of strangulation. Rabbi Nachman learned from one morning and applied it to the other, thereby deducing the above statement from the Torah.)

6)

A man who cannot taste the food he eats should know that God has removed Himself from him.

7)

When Tzaddikim eat, [it is an act of great holiness,] even greater than the bringing of sacrifices and on a higher level than even their marital relations.

8)

Fish grow plump in the merit of the sacrifices. 9)

It is a known principle that a person bitten by a dog has had Heaven's mercy removed from him. It is also a sign that he has eaten a forbidden food.

10)

The person who guards himself against eating forbidden foods is saved from wild beasts.

11)

One whose enemies have gained eminence falls into a lust for food. 12)

A person's lust for food causes him to favor one son over the others. 13)

"Lchu lachmu v'lachmi u'shetu byayin masakhti - Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled' (Proverbs 9:5). L'chu Lachmu V'Iachmi Ushetu is an acronym for LULAV. B'yain - with its four letters - has a numerical value (76)

equivalent to the first letters of etrog, hadas and aravah (1+5+70=76); and maSaKhTi is the aspect of SuKkoT. By fulfilling the mitzvot of the Four Species and sukkah, a person is rewarded with food, drink, clothing and with a revived spirit. Through the mitzvah of sukkah he merits clothing in the aspect of, "When I made a cloud its garment" (job 38:9). By virtue of the willow branch he gains sufficient drink, through the myrtle branch he brings vitality to the soul; and by taking the branch of the palm tree and the etrog of the citron tree, both of which contain edible fruit, he merits having enough to eat.

14)

A person earns sufficient] food and drink by keeping the Torah's statutes and laws. 15)

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Drinking rouses a person to sing and play instruments, while eating does not. This is because when the Jewish People [were in the desert, they] sang the praise of God over the well and not for the manna [which they were given to eat].

ALMAN WIDOWER

A 1)

A person whose wife died should recite daily the chapter on the asham, the offence offering (Leviticus 7:1-7), until he remarries.

B 1)

People do not listen to one who speaks falsely. Lying also causes a person to be widowed from a number of wives.

2)

When a man's wife dies, it is like he has lost one of his bones. This is not so when the Tzaddik's wife dies, as is written, "Achat Meheynah Lo Nishbarah - not one of them [the bones] was broken"; an acronym for ALMAN, a widower.

ERETZ YISRAEL THE LAND OF ISRAEL

B 1)

By settling in the land of Israel, a person gains insight into God's providence over the world.

2)

A person draws from the holiness of Eretz Yisrael in accordance with the original insights which he finds in the Torah.

3)

The yearning which a man has to come to the Holy Land brings him great blessing in his livelihood.

4)

One who provides support for many people draws a blessing from Eretz Yisrael to the diaspora.

5)

A person who yearns to be in the Holy Land arouses a yearning in his father and mother, that is, in their souls, which then come to Eretz Yisrael. God also comes with them, and together they look forward to and yearn for his arrival.

6)

Because of the charity given to the poor people of Eretz Yisrael, a person prospers monetarily.

7)

A person who knows of the Holy Land, who has really tasted Eretz Yisrael, can recognize in another whether he has been with the true Tzaddik for Rosh HaShanah. For when one merits being with the true Tzaddik for Rosh HaShanah, wherever he

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Yisrael. Therefore, a person who knows the taste of the Holy Land, each according to his own level, will of necessity feel Eretz Yisrael when he comes together with this man who has been with the true Tzaddik for Rosh HaShanah, through whom the air becomes an aspect of the Holy Land.

AVEDAH

LOST OBJECTS

B 1)

The same strength which enables a person to return a lost object to its owner, enables him to win converts [for God].

BETH CHILDREN A HOUSE EMBARRASSMENT/MODESTY CLOTHING TRUST IN GOD TIDINGS BLESSING CRYING BANIM CHILDREN A 1)

If a person cries and mourns the passing of an honest man, he will merit raising his children.

2)

Care must be taken that a baby boy not go bareheaded. 3)

A person need not worry about having enough to support his children. As they grow so does his income.

4)

A person who prevents his fellow man from being fruitful and multiplying will go into hell childless.

5)

A man who forces his wife to have marital relations will have indecent children. 6)

The dif faculties of child rearing will be a great burden for a woman whose menstrual flow is heavy.

7)

The daughter of a kohain who marries an Israelite and the daughter of a Torah scholar who marries a boor will bear no offspring.

8)

Fasting on Thursdays is beneficial for raising children. 9)

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10)

Sons are born to the woman whose husband joyously celebrates the holidays and properly adorns tefillin.

11)

There are times when praying for children on behalf of a person who has none will bring about that person's death.

12)

Because people do not fulfill their oaths, children are punished with death. 13)

Moving from one place to another causes a person to be blessed with children. 14)

Older children do not die for the sins of their fathers. However, when the desecration of God's Name is involved, even older children die.

15)

One who eats meat and drinks wine will conceive healthy children. 16)

A person who gazes upon the heel of a woman or at his own wife when she is impure will have indecent children.

17)

A man who has lived in Eretz Yisrael for ten years and has remained childless should divorce his wife: it would seem that he is unworthy of building himself [a family] through her.

18)

What should a person do to have male children? He should marry an appropriate woman, sanctify himself when he is with her and beseech the One to whom the blessing of children belongs.

19)

Whoever bears children does so in his own likeness. 20)

A person should guard himself against cutting down a tree before its time, for this is detrimental to the raising of children.

21)

Whoever exerts himself in charitable ways will have children who are rich, wise and masters of Aggadah, the non-legal passages of the Talmud.

22)

What should a person do to have children? He should apportion his money to the poor and make his wife happy before having marital relations.

23)

just as it is forbidden to kill a person, so it is forbidden to chop down a fruit-bearing tree before its time.

24)

We find the term "death" applied to Yoav because he left no progeny like himself. Of King David it is said that he was "laid to rest" because he left a son like himself. 25)

The evil-eye does not rule over one whose first child is a girl. 26)

Whoever raises an orphan in his home, it is as if he fathered him. 27)

Whoever teaches his friend's son Torah, it is as if he fathered him. 28)

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Forty days prior to the formation of the embryo, a man should pray that his wife bear a son.

29)

The wife of a man whose thoughts are immoral will also have such thoughts. When she entertains immoral thoughts, the forces of evil come to her in her dreams and, because of this, her children die.

30)

When a man is unfaithful to his wife, she will do the same [to him]. 31)

Whoever burns his friend's wheat will leave no son to inherit him. 32)

A woman who loses her children in childbirth should put an apple on her head [while delivering them].

33)

Whoever begins a mitzvah but does not complete it buries his wife and sons. 34)

A man who marries a woman for money will have indecent children and will lose the money in no time at all.

35)

A person who occupies himself with Torah and acts of charity is rewarded with many children.

36)

Children do not die for the sin of their fathers unless they carry on in their fathers' ways.

37)

Marital relations are beneficial for the foetus: purifying and providing the child with alertness, strength and a prominent appearance.

38)

A person who has no children should accept upon himself the yoke of exile. 39)

Taking away a friend's means of income is like violating his wife. 40)

Being given over into the hands of one's enemies is like being bereaved of one's sons. 41)

If a man has sexual relations with a gentile woman or with another man or if he entertains thoughts of idolatry, his son will not be a Torah scholar. Even if he should teach his son Torah, he will forget it.

42)

Good children are very beneficial for their ancestors. 43)

Children die because of falsehood. 44)

Whoever does not separate from his wife near to the expected time of her

menstruation, his sons - even if they resemble those of Aaron - will die. A person who does separate will have male children who are fitting to be instructors of Jewish Law. 45)

Whoever uses wine in performing the Havdallah service separating the Sabbath from the week, will have male children who are fitting to be instructors of Jewish Law. 46)

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A person who sanctifies himself by behaving modestly during marital relations will have male children.

47)

Care should be taken not to allow a baby to nurse from an evil woman, because the milk he suckles can either make him pure or impure.

48)

Warm water and oil are good for an infant's health. 49)

By not withholding oneself from nature's call, a person's prayers on behalf of his children will be accepted.

50)

Offspring resemble their father and mother in appearance. 51)

Indecent behavior in a man's house is worse than the war of Gog and Magog. 52)

Coming early and staying late in the synagogue lengthens the days of one's children. 53)

A person should not favor one of his children over the others. 54)

Lighting Chanukah and Shabbat candles makes one worthy of having sons who are Torah scholars.

55)

By showing love for the Sages, a person's sons will become rabbis. By honoring the Sages, his sons-in-law will become rabbis.

56)

Children die in their youth when people do not fulfill their oaths; when they neglect Torah study; fail to keep the mitzvot of mezuzah and tzitzit; and for the sin of unwarranted hatred.

57)

If a person tithes his money, his children will be saved from diphtheria. 58)

Innocent] schoolchildren die for the sins of their generation. 59)

Securing myrtle branches for the Shabbat makes one worthy of having children who are Torah scholars.

60)

A segulah for a woman who miscarries is to bathe a bride before her wedding. 61)

The nature] of a person's sons and daughters will be influenced by what he eats [prior to their conception].

62)

A person whose children die should not have marital relations during the week, but only on the night of Shabbat.

63)

Drawing a bow and arrow on Lag B'Omer is a segulah for children; as is singing the prayers while leading the congregation in worship.

64)

A child must be taught to behave properly right from the start. 65)

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The songs and praises of God which are recited before the light of day are a segulah for having children, for a woman who lacks the milk [she needs for nursing] and for a wife whose nature it is to be angry.

66)

A person who humbles himself in the presence of his teacher and despite being shamed, turns to his teacher with all his doubts, merits having a son who is even greater than this teacher in the study of Torah.

67)

A person who accepts his suffering with love merits offspring who will live long. 68)

God performs great deeds for a person in accordance with his name. This is because a person's name influences [all aspects of his life].

69)

When a person raises his voice in order to show off, his children will be taken captive. 70)

A man who is childless should use oil regularly. 71)

There are times when a person, by changing dwellings, saves the life of his children. 72)

By pursuing peace, a man saves his sons from death and exile. 73)

When a person does something which is afterwards a hindrance for other people, all good is severed from his offspring.

74)

Occasionally, the great love between husband and wife prevents her from having children.

75)

Most barren women who later conceive give birth to a son. 76)

Children die because of fraud. 77)

The Tzaddik has the power to curse a man so that he will not have decent children. 78)

The person in whose house the Tzaddik takes lodgings is blessed with children. 79)

A person who longs to perform some mitzvah but is unsuccessful will be rewarded with children. They will inherit his greatness and will accomplish this mitzvah. 80)

When a man deprives others of their livelihood, in the end his children die. 81)

A magnet is a segulah for having children. 82)

A person's children die when he uses names of impurity or magic, or if he believes in them.

83)

When a husband and wife wash their hands and give charity before engaging in marital relations, they remove the spirit of impurity from the children which they beget.

84)

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85)

By reciting the chapter of tzitzit (Numbers 15:37-41) with great devotion and fear and by clothing the naked, a person merits having sons.

86)

When the year has been a prosperous one, take this as a sign that the Jews will be fruitful and multiply.

87)

The children of a woman who uses magic will die, and she will become a widow. 88)

A segulah for a nursing mother with an insufficient supply of milk is for her husband to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem.

89)

When people are false, their children are made to suffer. The place in which they live can also have [a negative] effect upon them.

90-91)

If a person brings joy to a groom and bride or if he is heedful [of the mitzvot which involve] lighting candles, his wife will bear sons.

92)

When there has been an abundance of rain it is a sign that many sons will be born during that year.

93)

Husband and wife who curse each other will not raise their children. 94)

Plant some type of produce, and when you harvest it, give it to the poor and have no pleasure from it yourself. This will be a segulah for raising children.

95)

A man who places excessive fear [in the hearts] of the people of his generation will not establish progeny whose hearts contain wisdom.

96)

When a person has no pity on his children, he shows that he hasn't any understanding of holiness.

97)

Not reviewing one's studies and forgetting them causes one s children to die. 98)

A person who has acted immorally will not raise his children. 99)

The Name of God, Elohah protects children. 100)

A person's children will not follow evil ways if he endeavors to secure a livelihood for those who seek God.

101)

By having faith in the Tzaddikim, a man's children live and endure. 102)

When a male child comes into the world so does lovingkindness. 103)

A person who causes grief to his parents is not worthy of raising sons. 104)

By pursuing peace, a person lives to see his children's children. 105)

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106)

When there is strife, it is a bad sign for one's children; peace is a good sign for them. 107)

A man who cannot control his temper has foolish children. 108)

A person who shows respect for his father is rewarded with sons. B

1)

A person who feels the pains of child rearing should recite the sections of the Torah which depict Creation (Genesis 1), daily. Reading this also saves him from falsely being accused of stealing.

2)

A segulah for having children is to humble oneself. Planting a vineyard is harmful for the raising of infants.

4)

Working to redeem someone being held captive is a segulah for having children. 5)

Reciting the maamadot, a collection of Torah readings originally read during the sacrificial ceremony, is beneficial for one's children.

6)

A woman whose children die from diphtheria should bathe her [other] children in oil and then light this oil at the time of her ritual immersion.

7)

A person who successfully defends his faith against a majority who argue against him, will, because of this, be worthy of many children; his progeny will fill the world. 8)

Silver formed into the Hebrew letter heh is a segulah for being fruitful and multiplying.

9)

Sometimes, the structure of a house prevents the woman [living there] from bearing children. When the beams in the structure are not placed into the position designated for them during the six days of Creation, the house is considered a ruin even while it stands. This ruin harms the woman and she cannot bear offspring.

10)

[In choosing] a mohel, a circumcisor, one should look for a man who is both a Tzaddik and God-fearing. For when the mohel lacks expertise [and righteousness], it can, God forbid, result in the circumcised infant being incapable of reproducing or in his becoming an epileptic.

11)

When a person's son occupies himself with Torah study it is as if he never dies. 12)

The milk of a righteous woman provides the child with the fear of Heaven and gives him mastery in this world.

13)

A person who causes his friend to fall from faith suffers childlessness. 14)

When there is peace in the land, children are born to the Jews living there. [These children will develop into] instructors of Jewish Law.

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15)

When a person, while having relations with his wife, takes care so that neither he nor the time are exceedingly hot or cold, the children that are born will be very wise. 16)

If a person rules over his evil inclination, his children will not follow evil ways and because of this he will prosper monetarily and not be put to a test.

17)

Because a woman is not from distinguished lineage, she can have indecent children even if she herself is righteous.

18)

When grain is abundant in the world, it is a sign that males will be born; when wine is abundant, it is a sign that females will be born.

19)

A man who has no son should make it a habit to bring presents to Torah scholars and recite the portion of Bikkurim (Deuteronomy 26:1-11), the first fruit offering. He should also learn a great deal of Talmud and minimize his study of Aggadah which is a segulah for daughters.

20)

When a person [masters] the study of Poskim, the Halakhic Codifiers, so that he is able to instruct others, through this he causes a number of barren women to conceive. 21)

Sometimes, by being taken captive a man is spared the loss of his children. 22)

By giving charity one merits having children. 23)

A segulah for a woman who has difficulty in childbirth is to hang the cemetery key around her neck. This key is also a segulah for [countering] barrenness.

24)

A man who experiences an emission [should be concerned that] his children will die. 25)

There are certain types of wood which, when used in building a bed, will hinder conception and child rearing. Likewise, there are certain types of wood which are beneficial for conception and raising children.

26)

When a man's children die in their youth, [he should have] the mother of his remaining son make a garment which the child should wear until he grows up.

27)

When the Jewish people are fruitful and multiply, the nations issue new decrees against us.

28)

The suffering a person endures proves beneficial for child bearing. 29)

Thorns are a segulah for bearing children. 30)

It is well known that when a person is born circumcised his power of imagination is good and wholesome.

BAYIT A HOUSE

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A 1)

A person should avoid entering an abandoned house, because it is a place of evil spirits.

2)

One who suffers misfortune in one place should go elsewhere. 3)

When the Tzaddik enters a house which is destined for a blessing, the blessing comes as well.

4)

There are places in which good things are destined to happen and [others destined] for the opposite.

5)

The seemingly natural occurrences which befall man, for good or bad, are [actually influenced] by time and place.

6)

Revenging one's jealousy destroys a man's home. 7)

A person has no desire to [leave behind any] benefit to a place which he abandons. 8)

Don't live in the vicinity of a boor who behaves piously. 9)

Any house where the words of Torah are heard at night will never be destroyed. 10)

People age twice as fast in a city built on a slope. 11)

There is a blessing in a house where the wine pours like water. 12)

Do not enter a house in which there are crosses. 13)

A person who wants to move into a house should first recite the entire Pentateuch and then move in.

14)

A person who owns no property is not a man. 15)

A person's location can cause him to sin. 16)

A woman's anger and immorality destroys her home. 17)

It is a bad sign for a house when its threshold and entrances are destroyed. B

1)

Living in the upper storey of a house is better for serving God than living in the lower storey.

2)

Sometimes, the structure of a house prevents the woman [living there] from bearing children. When the beams in the structure are not placed into the position designated

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for them during the six days of Creation, the house is considered a ruin even while it stands. This ruin harms the woman and she cannot bear offspring.

3)

At the entrance of a person's house one can determine if the merit of the owner's ancestors has ceased or if it is still in effect.

4)

A man should make sure that a fruit-bearing tree was not used in the construction of his house.

5)

Concerning the beams of a building: If a man is deserving, they are like the standing Serafim - burning angels - and the building will remain standing for a long time. If he is not worthy, the Seraf im are consumed. This type of fire is most common.

6)

It is a bad sign for a man's offspring when he builds a wall and its top part falls off. 7)

A man only has pleasure when he lives in a place where his ancestors once lived. 8)

A segulah for a person moving to a new house is to bring into it a sword, a knife or some other type of weapon. A hint to this is found in the verse "A house is built with ChoKhMah, wisdom" (Proverbs 24:3); the letters being an acronym for "Klei Chomos Me'cheiroteihem - weapons are their wares" (Genesis 49:5). [The explanation of me'cheiroteihem is alternatively,] their swords or their places of dwelling. 9)

The roof of a house is an indicator of what will happen to the group or family [which inhabits it].

BUSHAH

EMBARRASSMENT/MODESTY

A 1)

A person who embarrasses his friend becomes dumbstruck and forgetful. 2)

It is permissible to embarrass those rabbis who purchase their position for self-pride. It is appropriate to disgrace them and to make light of their honor. Do not stand up for them or call them rabbi. The mantle they wear is like a donkey's saddle.

3)

It is better to neglect Torah study than to embarrass a fellow Jew. 4)

If a person embarrasses a Torah scholar or if he shames his friend in the presence of a Torah scholar, he will become a heretic. He is called "one who acts brazenfaced to the Torah."

5)

The coat of the Tzaddik atones for the spilling of blood. 6)

When people ridicule you, you should fast and cry. 7)

The only reason you are shamed is so that you should repent for those transgressions which you take lightly.

Rabbi Nachman

The Aleph-Bet Book (Sefer HaMidot)

(The Book of Attributes)

Rabbi Nachman's Aphorisms on Jewish Living

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE ALEPH-BET BOOK

Rabbi Nachman's Aphorisms on Jewish Living

The Breslov Research Institute

extends its grateful thanks to

Publisher's Preface