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Crossing the Narrow Bridge: A Practical Guide to Rebbe Nachman's Teachings

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You don't have to be Hasidic to get a lot out of this book! It dispells forever the stereotype of Hasidic Jews as "letter of the Law." This book reveals the heart behind many Hasidic/Orthodox practices, helping any Jew to start where s/he is at and move forward at his/her own pace toward greater lov of God.

The title comes from the famous quote by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov: "All the world is just a narrow bridge, but the main thing is not to fear at all." Rabbi Kramer tells us how to cross that bridge to greater faith. He explains the heart of daily Hasidic practice in plain, use-friendly language, too. The chapters are arranged by topic, so you can read the book from cover-to-cover, or start with the areas that most interest you. Highly recommended!

I've probably read more than most people have on the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, and I definitely consider this book to be the most comprehensive, well organized, and practical introduction to the topic. It presents even the deepest concepts with surprising clarity and delivers them right to the heart. I discovered "Bridge" about eight years ago, and it literally became a bridge for me over all kinds of turbulent life situations. I've given it as a gift many times and if I could award it ten stars instead of five, I would. Chaim Kramer's comfortable, straight-forward style is full of warmth and humor. This book definitely has become one of my most cherished "friends".

The Breslow teacher Chaim Kramer has in this work tried to distill the practical wisdom of Rebbe Nachman. The chapters are: Simplicity, Joy, The Good Points, Truth, Faith, Torah and Prayer, Torah Study, Prayer, Hitbodedut, Peace, Day and Night, Daily Needs, In the Home, Earning a Living, Charity.The Seven Candles, Tzaddik, Rosh Hoshanah, Eretz Yisrael. The Holy Land, You Can Too.
The book is a compilation of teachings and often there is a choppiness to it. But there is a great deal of inspirational teaching here .
Here is a citation of one teaching of many, many.

"When we have faith , then our livelihood is like receiving manna from Heaven- we can rely on Heaven to send it to us.This way, we are content with whatever we receive, and have no desire for more and more.Conversely, when a person does desire more than what he is given, he destroys his whole life with the desire for wealth, for there is no manna in that. ( Likutey Halakhot, Netilat Yadayim li'Seudah 6:85)"

As this little excerpt illustrates "Advice is Wise only when it is wisely taken." There is also of course a temptation to interpret such a verse in a way which would free oneself from the need to make any effort at a livelihood. I may be wrong, but I don't think Rebbe Nachman is saying this.
In any case I wish that the reader will have the Siyata d'Sheminyah to read wisely even the wisest of works.

Crossing The Narrow Bridge is the starting point and introduction to Rabbi Nachman's teachings. Afterwords, I highly recommend studying Likutey Moharan (A Collection of my Rebbe's Works), translated into English by Rabbi Chaim Kramer. It is recommended to study this series with a Chavrusa. All of Rabbi Nachman's available books can be found at:

[...]I had the privilege of meeting Rabbi Chaim Kramer. I am grateful for his monumental tasks that he has and still is undertaking, in translating so many of Rabbi Nachmans works. He is a true Mensch. He would not even let me call him Rabbi, in spite of his official Smicha.

"Crossing the Narrow Bridge" is truly one of the most inspirational books I have read. I am baal teshuvah for many years and find this book as important now as when I first began the journey. It is well written and conveys a tremendous amount. The book will definitely make you think. One of its greatest feats is demonstrating the luminous beauty of Torah Judaism. Whether you are just investigating a Torah life or are frum from birth, this book has something for everybody.