Sunday, October 16, 2011

18 Tishrei: Rebbe Nachman's 201st Yahrzeit


Rebbe Nachman of Breslov's histalkus [ascent from the body] took place in Uman, a Ukrainian town in Kiev oblast, on the 18th of Tishrei, which is the second day of Chol HaMo'ed Succos, 5571 [Oct. 16, 1810]. According to his express wish, Rebbe Nachman was buried in the old Jewish cemetery, together with more than 20,000 martyrs of the Haidamack massacres of 5528 [1768]. His surviving family members included his second wife, who built over his grave the original Ohel [a wooden structure to accommodate those who wished to pray nearby]; his daughters Adel, Sarah, Miriam, and Chaya; and several grandchildren. According to one tradition, the Rebbe's father, Rabbi Simcha, survived him, as well.

It is customary for Breslover Chasidim to gather together on "Chai Tishrei" in order to commemorate the Rebbe's Yahrzeit. As is commonly the case in the Breslov community, there are no special minhagim [customs] associated with this event, other than lighting a Yahrzeit candle, giving Tzedakah [charity] in Rebbe Nachman's memory, and engaging in the study of Rebbe Nachman's writings.

Video: Rabbi Chaim Kramer speaks about Rebbe Nachman

3 comments:

Gibbo said...

Ayyyy Rabbi Maimon I see you and I miss you, if anyone has the opportunity to meet this most gentlest of giants then it is worth anything. He is the rav with the shtreimel next to rabbi Kramer, what a tzadik, sigh, to speak to him again.....

Unknown said...

My father was the direct descendant via Rabbi Nachman's marriage to Deborah Brody, via Yankel/Jacob Ben Rabbi Nachman (BaRoN) b. 1808 married to Bracha Zaslovski, a granddaughter of Rebbe Nachman, who had Avram Baron b. 1834 m. Rachel (Feige Rivka) Brennan who had Rabbi Meyer Baron and Herman Baron. Rabbi Meyer Baron married to Chana (Annie) Frank, Rabbi Meyer Baron and Chana had my grandmother Rachel and a daughter Gitel. My Grandmother Rachel (Baron) Kirsner/Kirshner m. Abba/Abe Kirsner, had my aunt Miriam Eve Ann (Kirshner) and Samuel Joseph Kirshner b. 1925, d. 2001). Miriam married Bernard Koenig and could not bear children. My father Sam married Betty (Berman) and they had three children, Mark Geoffrey Kirshner b. 1955 and me, Karen Lynne Kirshner born 1957 and Abby Joy born 1960. She is the only one of us with children. They are Rachel Alexandra Rothschild and Jonathan Charles Rothschild, from her first marriage to Jerome B. Rothschild. The kids were born 1986 and 1989. They are not currently married. I, Karen am the only one married now, to Eleanor R. Peters, who is 1/8 Middle Eastern Jewish on her father's mother's father's line of Weisel/Wissel of German and later Indiana. My father's Great Aunt and Uncle Segal had four children, two boys were underground fighters and smuggled people out of Europe in WWII and they were caught, older one tortured in prison and shot and the other was shot on the spot when caught with gun, and Zena survived, sterilized in Auswitz, saved by her mother Gitel who threw herself over her while all were being beaten and shot at the end of the war, and she married Rabbi Niznik head of Bet Din in Montreal and had an adopted son Chaim Niznik who died at age 40. She has died as well, and there is only Rabbi Shimon Niznik, who was bar mitzvah in Aushwitz or Bergen Belson, as he was in both camps. His father who had been a timber inspector in Vilkija, Kaunus area had sacrificed his last bits of bread to save his son's life and he died. Shimon is alive and lives in Boro Park Brooklyn and has run yeshivas in Brooklyn. He is in his late 80s. My line is the only one in our direct descent.

Anonymous said...

Karen, Kol Hakabod to you and your family
Eduardo