Alter Tepliker was the

sobriquet A sobriquet ( ) is a descriptive nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym in that it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name without the need for explanation; it may beco ...

of Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua Bezhilianski ( 1919), a learned scholar and leading

Breslover Breslov (also Bratslav and Breslev) is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810), a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism. Its adherents strive to develop an intense, joyous relationship with ...

Hasid Ḥasīd (, "pious", "saintly", "godly man"; plural "Hasidim") is a Honorifics in Judaism, Jewish honorific, frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the Talmudic and early medieval periods. It denotes a person who is scrupulous in hi ...

Uman, Ukraine Uman (, , ) is a city in Cherkasy Oblast, central Ukraine. It is located to the east of Vinnytsia. Located in the east of the historical region of Podolia, the city rests on the banks of the Umanka River. Uman serves as the administrative c ...

in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Biography

Born in Teplyk,

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

, he became active in the Breslover community in nearby

Uman Uman (, , ) is a city in Cherkasy Oblast, central Ukraine. It is located to the east of Vinnytsia. Located in the east of the historical region of Podolia, the city rests on the banks of the Umanka River. Uman serves as the administrative c ...

, where he married the sister of

Abraham Chazan Abraham Chazan (1849–1917) was a rabbi and key figure in the transmission of Breslover Hasidut at the turn of the 20th century. Biography He was born in Tulchyn, Ukraine to Rabbi Nachman Chazan, the closest disciple of Nathan of Breslov ("Reb ...

. Chazan's father,

Nachman Chazan Nachman Chazan (1813–1884) was a seminal figure in the continuation and growth of Breslov Hasidism in the mid-nineteenth century. The Breslov movement was founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who died in 1810. Rebbe Nachman's closest disciple, Nat ...

, was the closest disciple of Reb Noson, who was in turn the closest disciple of Rebbe

Nachman of Breslov Nachman of Breslov ( ''Rabbī'' ''Naḥmān mīBreslev''), also known as Rabbi Nachman of Breslev, Rabbi Nachman miBreslev, Reb Nachman of Bratslav, Reb Nachman Breslover ( ''Rebe Nakhmen Breslover''), and Nachman from Uman (April 4, 1772 – O ...

. Breslover leaders of the following generation, such as Rabbis Shmuel Horowitz and Yitzchok Gelbach, attributed their initial interest in Breslov teachings to their first exposure to Alter Tepliker's ''Hishtafchut HaNefesh''. He fell victim to a

Cossack The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borders of Ukraine and Rus ...

pogrom A pogrom is a violent riot incited with the aim of Massacre, massacring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews. The term entered the English language from Russian to describe late 19th- and early 20th-century Anti-Jewis ...

during the Ukrainian struggle for independence in 1919. He was murdered in a

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

while holding a

sefer Torah file:SeferTorah.jpg, A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema file:Köln-Tora-und-Innenansicht-Synagoge-Glockengasse-040.JPG, An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Inte ...

. Rabbi Alter Tefliker was the first to initiate the printing of the writings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav and his student Rabbi Natan in a format divided into different topics. His famous books are Mishivat Nefesh (Lemberg 1772) which deals with the issues of faith, repentance and the service of God, and the outpouring of the soul (Jerusalem 1774) which deals with matters of prayer and solitude, central topics in the Breslav Torah. His books had a great influence on the followers of Breslav. Some of the leaders of Hasidism in the generations that followed him testified that their first encounter with Breslav's teachings was through his book "The Outpouring of the Soul". In the last generation, his books were printed in many editions and were widely distributed. His other books are: "Amonat Aitach" (Lamberg 1773 with the days of Moharna 1978) - which deals with the virtue of utilizing time, "Or Zarua" (Jerusalem 1777) - a commentary on the Passover Haggadah, "Mili Davot" (Piotrkov Tera d) - On the Tractate of Avot and Commentary "Mi Ha Nahal" (Bnei Brak 5655) on part of the book of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav, Lakoti Moharan. Many of his manuscripts, including traditions and rumors from the elders of the Hasids, as well as other books he prepared for printing, have been lost. Dr. Zvi Marek's book "Secret Scroll: The Secret Messianic Vision of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav" is based on a manuscript by Rabbi Alter Teflikar.

Publications

Tepliker pioneered the publication of Breslover teachings on specific topics. His ten books include: * ''Hishtafchut HaNefesh'' (''Outpouring of the Soul'') — on the topic of ''

hitbodedut Hitbodedut or hisbodedus (, lit. "seclusion, solitariness, solitude"; Tiberian: ''hīṯbōḏăḏūṯ'' , Ashkenazi: ''hīsboydedēs/hīsboydedūs'' or ''hīsbōdedūs'', Sephardi: ''hitbōdedūt'') refers to practices of self-secluded Jewi ...

'' (meditation) * ''Meshivat Nefesh'' (''Restore My Soul'') — on the topic of inner strength * ''Or Zorei'ach Haggadah'' (''The Breslov Haggadah'') — on the

Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...

Haggadah The Haggadah (, "telling"; plural: Haggadot) is a foundational Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover Seder. According to Jewish practice, reading the Haggadah at the Seder table fulfills the mitzvah incumbent on every Jew to reco ...

* A commentary on ''

Pirkey Avot Pirkei Avot (; also transliterated as ''Pirqei Avoth'' or ''Pirkei Avos'' or ''Pirke Aboth'', also ''Abhoth''), which translates into English as Chapters of the Fathers, is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims from Rabbinic Jewish ...

'' * ''Mei HaNachal'' (''Waters of the River'') — a commentary on Rebbe Nachman's ''Likutey Moharan''.

References

*Kramer, Chaim (1989). ''Crossing the Narrow Bridge''.

Breslov Research Institute Breslov Research Institute is a publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810) and selected works of R ...

. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Tepliker, Alter Breslov rabbis Ukrainian Hasidic rabbis Hasidic rabbis in Europe 19th-century Ukrainian rabbis 20th-century Russian rabbis Jewish martyrs 1919 deaths Anti-Jewish pogroms in Europe Year of birth missing