Nachman Goldstein of Tcherin (1825 – 1894), also known as the Tcheriner Rav (
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
of
Tcherin, a town in eastern
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 ...
), was a leading disciple of
Nathan of Breslov
Nathan of Breslov (January 22, 1780 – December 20, 1844), also known as Reb Noson, born Nathan Sternhartz, was the chief disciple and scribe of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov Hasidic dynasty. Reb Noson is credited with preserv ...
(known as "Reb Noson"), who in turn was the chief 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 ...
, the founder of the
Breslov Hasidic dynasty.
Biography
A
child prodigy
A child prodigy is, technically, a child under the age of 10 who produces meaningful work in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to describe young people who are extraordinarily talented in some f ...
who excelled in his Torah studies even as a young boy, Goldstein was the grandson of Rabbi Aharon, the chief rabbi of
Breslov
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 ...
in Rebbe Nachman's day, and the son of Rabbi
Zvi Aryeh, the succeeding rabbi of Breslov. He grew up in the town of Breslov. However, in his youth he shied away from Reb Noson. Once Reb Noson said to him, "Nachman, who knows? Maybe the reason Rebbe Nachman worked so hard to bring your grandfather to Breslav was because of ''you''?" After that, Goldstein became a follower of Reb Noson, and after the latter's death, became very involved with Reb Noson's works.
Goldstein raised his daughter's son,
Abraham Sternhartz
Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the covenantal relationship between the Jewish people and God; ...
, after the latter was orphaned of his parents as a young child. As the grandson of Reb Noson's leading disciple and at the same time a great-grandson of Noson through his father's line, Sternhartz was privy to all the family traditions and stories about Rebbe Nachman's closest disciple. These formed the basis for his definitive collection of Breslov oral traditions, entitled ''Tovot Zichronot''.
Publications
Goldstein was the first to write a learned commentary specifically on Rebbe Nachman's teachings, giving scholarly legitimacy to the Breslov movement after the death of Reb Noson in 1844. Many of today's English-language translations of Breslover works were only made possible because of the Tcheriner Rav's meticulous research and elucidation.
He collected and published Noson's eight-volume
magnum opus
A masterpiece, , or ; ; ) is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, skill, profundity, or workmanship.
Historically, ...
, ''Likutey Halachot'', as well as an expanded version of Noson's ''Likutey Etzot'' (Advice) with additional material from Rebbe Nachman's teachings, under the title, ''Likutey Etzot HaMeshulash''. Altogether, the Tcheriner Rav authored about 20 works, including halakhic
responsa
''Responsa'' (plural of Latin , 'answer') comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them. In the modern era, the term is used to describe decisions and rulings made by scholars i ...
. Some were only seen by Breslover
Hasidim
Ḥasīd (, "pious", "saintly", "godly man"; plural "Hasidim") is a 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 his observance of Jewish ...
in manuscript form before they were lost during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The ones that survive are:
*''Parparaot LeChokhmah''—a commentary that illuminates many complex concepts and structures in Likutey Moharan
*''Zimrat HaAretz''—a commentary that connects each lesson in Likutey Moharan to the
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definition ...
*''Yekara DeShabbata''—a commentary that relates each lesson in Likutey Moharan to the
Sabbath day
*''Yerach HaEitanim''—a commentary that relates each lesson in Likutey Moharan to
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah (, , ) is the New Year in Judaism. The Hebrew Bible, biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , ). It is the first of the High Holy Days (, , 'Days of Awe"), as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25, that occur in the late summe ...
,
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur ( ; , ) is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a date in late September or early October.
For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and ...
and
Sukkot
Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is a Torah-commanded Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelite ...
*''Nachat HaShulchan''—a commentary that describes the connection between numerous chapters of the
Shulchan Aruch
The ''Shulhan Arukh'' ( ),, often called "the Code of Jewish Law", is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Rabbinic Judaism. It was authored in the city of Safed in what is now Israel by Joseph Karo in 1563 and published in ...
and the first lesson of Likutey Moharan
*''Rimzey Ma'asiyyot''—a commentary on ''Sippurey Ma'asiyot'' (Rabbi Nachman's Stories)
Goldstein also produced a collection of source texts for ''Sefer HaMiddot'' (The Aleph-Bet Book—a collection of aphorisms on character traits), tracing Rebbe Nachman's references throughout the
Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
,
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
and
Midrash
''Midrash'' (;["midrash"]
. ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. ; or ''midrashot' ...
. He also compiled teachings of the
Baal Shem Tov
Israel ben Eliezer (According to a forged document from the "Kherson Geniza", accepted only by Chabad, he was born in October 1698. Some Hasidic traditions place his birth as early as 1690, while Simon Dubnow and other modern scholars argue f ...
and the
Maggid of Mezeritch
Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch (; died December 4, 1772 O.S.), also known as the ''Maggid of Mezeritch'' or ''Mezeritcher Maggid'', was a disciple of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov), the founder of Hasidic Judaism, and was chosen ...
and their major disciples under the titles ''Leshon Hasidim'' and ''Derekh Hasidim''.
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 ...
. .
See also
*
Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
Nathan of Breslov
Nathan of Breslov (January 22, 1780 – December 20, 1844), also known as Reb Noson, born Nathan Sternhartz, was the chief disciple and scribe of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov Hasidic dynasty. Reb Noson is credited with preserv ...
*
Abraham Sternhartz
Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the covenantal relationship between the Jewish people and God; ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldstein, Nachman
1825 births
1894 deaths
19th-century rabbis from the Russian Empire
Breslov rabbis
Ukrainian Hasidic rabbis