Breslov (Hasidic Group) - Important Books of Breslover Hasidism

Important Books of Breslover Hasidism

The main Hasidic texts revered and studied by Breslover Hasidim are those written by Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson. All of Rebbe Nachman's teachings were transcribed by Reb Noson. Additionally, Reb Noson wrote some of his own works.

Rebbe Nachman's magnum opus is the two-volume Likutei Moharan (Collected of Our Teacher and Rabbi, Nachman), a collection of 411 lessons displaying in-depth familiarity and understanding of the many overt and esoteric concepts embedded in Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, Zohar and Kabbalah. In the introductory section of certain editions of Likutei Moharan, the book is likened to the Zohar itself, and Rebbe Nachman is likened to the Zohar's author, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This is based on the citation of numerous parallels between the lives of the two sages, as well as the fact that the names "Nachman ben Simcha" (Simcha being Rebbe Nachman's father's name) and "Shimon ben Yochai" share the same gematria (numerical value) of 501.

Upon the Rebbe's instructions, Reb Noson collected all the practical teachings and advice contained in the Likutei Moharan and published them in:

• Likutei Eitzot (Collected Advices)
• Kitzur Likutei Moharan (Abridged Likutei Moharan)

Rebbe Nachman's other works include:

• Sefer HaMiddot (Book of Traits) — a collection of aphorisms on various character traits; also published in English as The Aleph-Bet Book
• Sipurei Ma`asiyot (Story Tales) — 13 mystical parables, also published in English as Rabbi Nachman's Stories, Tales of Rabbi Nachman, Tales of Ancient Times.
• Tikkun HaKlali (The General Remedy) — a specific order of 10 Psalms which remedies p'gam habrit kodesh (blemish to the sign of the holy Covenant, i.e., the organ of procreation), and all sins in general.

After the Rebbe's death, Reb Noson wrote down all the conversations, fragments of lessons, and interactions that he and others had had with the Rebbe. He published these in the following collections:

• Shevachei HaRan (Praises of the Rav Nachman) and Sichot HaRan (Conversations of the Rav Nachman) — published in English as Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom
• Chayei Moharan (Life of the Rebbe) — published in English as Tzaddik

Reb Noson also authored these commentaries and novellae:

• Likutei Halachot (Collected Laws) — an 8-volume Hasidic commentary on Shulchan Aruch which shows the interrelationship between every halakha and Rebbe Nachman's lessons in Likutei Moharan.
• Likutei Tefillot (Collected Prayers) — 210 direct and heartfelt prayers based on the concepts in Likutei Moharan.
• Yemei Moharanat (The Days of Our Teacher and Rabbi Noson)— an autobiography
• Alim LeTerufah (Leaves of Healing) — Reb Noson's collected letters
• Shemot HaTzaddikim (Names of Tzaddikim) — a list of the tzaddikim of Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidut, and Geonim of Torah in general.

Students of Reb Noson, their students, and their students' students added to Breslov literature with further commentaries on the Rebbe's teachings, as well as original works.

Beginning in the 1970s, Breslov works in English began to appear, most notably Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's Gems of Rabbi Nachman. The Breslov Research Institute, founded in Jerusalem in 1979, publishes authoritative translations, commentaries and general works on Breslov Hasidut in the major languages spoken by modern-day Jewish communities: English, Hebrew, Spanish and Russian.

Breslovers do not restrict themselves to Rabbi Nachman's commentaries on the Torah, but also study many of the classic texts, including the Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, and many others. They may also study the writings of Rebbes from other dynasties. In fact, Rebbe Nachman claimed that while even a complete simpleton can become a pure and righteous Jew, the ideal study schedule of an extremely scholarly Hasid should include the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) with its commentaries, the entire Talmud with its commentaries, the entire Shulchan Arukh, all the Midrashic works, the Zohar and Tikkunei Zohar, the teachings of the Arizal and other kabbalistic works, all over the course of a single year.