Customer Reviews

The Tales of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav

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Reading Adin Steinsaltz's presentation of Rebbe Nachman's tales makes me understand far better why Martin Buber took the stories, trimmed them, glossed over parts, in general, fiddled with the content, form, theme and outcomes.

By and large, the Rebbe's stories are complicated. Part fairy tale, part Kabbalistic and Midrashic symbolic fun fest, the stories defy neat categorization. Definitely, there are themes. Kings, daughter who get lost, sons who go into exile. The Rebbe is not afraid to complicate matters. There are stories within stories (and sometimes stories within those stories).

Frankly, without the commentary by Rabbi Steinsaltz at the conclusion of each story, many of these tales would be incomprehensible. The world of Rebbe Nachman was replete with allusions to books very few read anymore, in Hebrew and Aramaic, and part of a milieu that has passed by most of modern society.

So why read them? Foremost, they are like a blueprint for understanding his other works. Secondly, they have an odd, inexplicable appeal. We KNOW Rebbe Nachman is telling us mysteries of the Torah and the Cosmos. Even if we don't understand all his allusions, the intuition is there. And that can be a spark that starts more investigation.

I have an idea that was the Rebbe's plan in telling them in the first place.

As is the Jewish rabbinic tradition, Rabbi Nachman taught great mystical teachings through the telling of stories. It was reccommended to me many many moons ago that I needed books on Rabbi Nachman's teachings if I was a serious student of Jewish mysticism.

Laura Weakley
What the Torah Teaches us About SurvivalCompanion Workbook to What The Torah Teaches Us About SurvivalWhat The Torah Teaches Us About Spirituality/ Through Isaac's Own Spiritual Journey