Yitzchok Breiter
Encyclopedia
Yitzchok Breiter was a Breslover
Hasidic
rabbi
who spread the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
beyond their origins in Ukraine
to the country of Poland
during the 1920s to 1930s.
in Lublin
, and was impressed by the wisdom and faith it contained. He hid the book to read it again the next day, but when he returned, it had disappeared.
A few weeks later he came across a copy of Parparaot LeChochmah by the Tcheriner Rav, Rabbi Nachman Goldstein
, which is a scholarly commentary on Likutey Moharan. In this volume, Breiter found information which helped him make contact with the Breslover Hasidim in Russia
. The next Rosh Hashana, he made the first of many trips to Rebbe Nachman's gravesite in Uman.
These pilgrimages ended in 1917, when the Russian Revolution sealed the border between Poland and Communist
Russia. Barred from visiting Rebbe Nachman's grave, Breiter composed an emotional prayer asking to be able to visit Uman once again. This prayer was recited by Breslover Hasidim around the world for more than 70 years, until the fall of Communism in 1989. Unable to travel to the annual Breslover Rosh Hashana kibbutz
(prayer gathering) in Uman, Breiter established a similar holiday gathering in Lublin.
Breiter was a fiery, charismatic orator who was instrumental in increasing the numbers of Polish Breslover Hasidim to several thousand by the 1930s, making him one of the more important leaders of pre-World War II Breslov Hasidim. He was one of the Breslov leaders to whom Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
sent his petek for verification; the petek was returned without comment to Odesser on the last ship out of Poland before the German invasion of Poland.
during the Nazi
occupation of Poland. He was deported on one of the transports to Treblinka, where he perished.
He also composed the stirring song Chidush Kemoso ("A Novelty Like Him") in praise of Rebbe Nachman, which is often sung at Breslover gatherings.
Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)
Breslov is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism...
Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
who spread the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
Nachman of Breslov
Nachman of Breslov , also known as Reb Nachman of Bratslav, Reb Nachman Breslover , Nachman from Uman , was the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement....
beyond their origins in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
to the country of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
during the 1920s to 1930s.
Biography
Born in Poland 76 years after Rebbe Nachman's death, Breiter grew up without ever having heard about Breslover Hasidut. He first came across a copy of Rebbe Nachman's Likutey Moharan while learning in yeshivaYeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
, and was impressed by the wisdom and faith it contained. He hid the book to read it again the next day, but when he returned, it had disappeared.
A few weeks later he came across a copy of Parparaot LeChochmah by the Tcheriner Rav, Rabbi Nachman Goldstein
Nachman Goldstein
Nachman Goldstein of Tcherin , also known as the Tcheriner Rav , was a leading disciple of Nathan of Breslov , who in turn was the chief disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, the founder of the Breslov Hasidic dynasty.-Biography:A child prodigy who excelled in his Torah studies even as a young boy,...
, which is a scholarly commentary on Likutey Moharan. In this volume, Breiter found information which helped him make contact with the Breslover Hasidim in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The next Rosh Hashana, he made the first of many trips to Rebbe Nachman's gravesite in Uman.
These pilgrimages ended in 1917, when the Russian Revolution sealed the border between Poland and Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Russia. Barred from visiting Rebbe Nachman's grave, Breiter composed an emotional prayer asking to be able to visit Uman once again. This prayer was recited by Breslover Hasidim around the world for more than 70 years, until the fall of Communism in 1989. Unable to travel to the annual Breslover Rosh Hashana kibbutz
Rosh Hashana kibbutz (Breslov)
The Rosh Hashana kibbutz is a large prayer assemblage of Breslover Hasidim held on the Jewish New Year. It specifically refers to the pilgrimage of tens of thousands of Hasidim to the city of Uman, Ukraine, but also refers to sizable Rosh Hashana gatherings of Breslover Hasidim in other locales...
(prayer gathering) in Uman, Breiter established a similar holiday gathering in Lublin.
Breiter was a fiery, charismatic orator who was instrumental in increasing the numbers of Polish Breslover Hasidim to several thousand by the 1930s, making him one of the more important leaders of pre-World War II Breslov Hasidim. He was one of the Breslov leaders to whom Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
Yisroel Ber Odesser
Rabbi Yisroel Dov Ber Odesser , also known as Reb Odesser or Sabba , was a Breslover Hasid and rabbi who claimed to have received a "Letter From Heaven" sent directly to him by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who had died 112 years earlier, revealing to him a new remedy for relieving the world's...
sent his petek for verification; the petek was returned without comment to Odesser on the last ship out of Poland before the German invasion of Poland.
Holocaust
Breiter was a recognized elder in the Warsaw ghettoWarsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
during the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
occupation of Poland. He was deported on one of the transports to Treblinka, where he perished.
Publications
Breiter wrote several scholarly works, including Seder HaYom ("Order of the Day"), which explains how to apply Rebbe Nachman’s teachings to one's daily life, and Sheva Amudei Emunah ("Seven Pillars of Faith"), a primer for developing one's faith.He also composed the stirring song Chidush Kemoso ("A Novelty Like Him") in praise of Rebbe Nachman, which is often sung at Breslover gatherings.