Siach Sarfei Kodesh Sunday: A Segulah For Pregnancy

שיח שרפי קודש ד-קעו

(Painting by Paulo Zubato)

The Breslover chassidim in Poland had a custom to place a copy of Likutei Moharan under the pillows of women who had difficulty giving birth, and they witnessed many miracles by doing this.  It was also known that many barren women were able to conceive with the help of Heaven after reading Rebbe Nachman's stories.

This segulah is mentioned in Chayei Moharan 25:
After giving the lesson "Rabbi Shimon began," in Likutei Moharan I 60 the Rebbe said humorously, "Today I have said three things contrary to what people usually say.  People say stories help you go to sleep.  But, I said that through stories it is possible to rouse men from their sleep.  People say talk will not make someone pregnant.  But, I said that the conversations of the Tzaddik and his stories, which rouse men from their sleep, lead to God's remembering barren women.  People say the truly great Tzaddik does not need much money. What does he need it for?  But, I said there is a certain kind of contemplation, which requires all the riches in the world.

Siach Sarfei Kodesh Sunday: Fast Davening and Impure Thought(s)

שיח שרפי קודש א:תרנח

(Painting by Marc Chagall)

Someone once asked Reb Nosson if he preferred to daven quickly so as not to have impure thoughts.  Reb Nosson answered: "One can pray quickly and still think about a single impure thought over the course of the entire davening! However, when one davens at a moderate pace he can at least have good thoughts in between..."

168th Yartzheit of Reb Nosson zt"l

פרפראות לחכמה סא: ח

Reb Nosson's passing was directly connected to the three tragedies that took place in Teves.  Ezra was a scribe: he spread Torah among the Jews.  Reb Nosson was Rebbe Nachman's scribe - he was the only one of his followers who worked constantly to spread his teachings as widely as possible.  Even people who never met the Rebbe are aroused to serve Hashem through his writings all because of Reb Nosson.

With the passing of the scribe there is a reduction in the spreading of Torah, as manifested in the translation of the Torah into Greek (which obscured the deeper meaning of the Hebrew text).  This corresponds to the imposition of secular studies and atheism on the Jews in our times.

Heresy leads to the siege of Jerusalem and exile, corresponding to the infamous Russian Pale of Settlement and the mass migrations of Eastern European Jewry, which began around Reb Nosson's passing.  Not for nothing did Reb Nosson mention these three tragedies and exhort his followers to "be strong with money, willpower, and effort," and make sure to spread the Rebbe's teachings.


שיח שרפי קודש קס"ח

Before his passing, Reb Nosson spoke about the "three laws," with the Breslover Chassidim should observe.  They must:

1. Go to Uman for Rosh Hashannah
2. Study the Shulchan Aruch every day
3. Practice hisbodedus every day

שיח שרפי קודש תרנ"ה

Reb Naftali, who was in Uman, already knew that Reb Nosson had passed away.  When asked how he knew, Reb Naftali answered, "I had a dream in which I saw Reb Nosson running quickly,  I said 'Reb Nosson! Where are you running?' 'Me?' he said.  'Straight to the Rebbe!' "