The Story of the Seven Beggars, by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
     It once happened that there was a king that had an only son. The king decided to hand over the kingdom to his son, during his lifetime. The king held a huge feast, in order to celebrate the transfer of the monarchy. For sure, anytime that a king holds a feast, it is a time of great rejoicing, and especially on such an occasion, to celebrate such an important event. All the ministers of the kingdom and all the nobility of the land were invited, and there was tremendous joy at the feast. Also the people of the land were very excited that the king was handing over the monarchy, for this was also a very great honor for the king himself. There were all kinds of entertainment at the ball, orchestras and comedians, and so on, and an atmosphere of complete happiness.
   In the midst of the celebration, the king stood up and spoke to his son, "Since I am an astrologer, I can see from the stars that in the future you are going to lose the monarchy, and when that happens, I want you to be very careful not to fall into depression. Rather, you must force yourself to remain happy. And if you do succeed in remaining happy, then I will also be happy. In fact, even if you become depressed, I will still be happy. I will be happy that you are no longer king. For if you can not remain happy despite losing the kingship, that will be a sign that you were not worthy of being king. But if you do manage to remain happy, then I will be very happy indeed."
   The prince took complete control over the kingdom. He appointed new ministers and officers of state. The prince was extremely wise. He loved wisdom very much, and he surrounded himself with wise men. Anyone who was a master of any particular type of wisdom found great favor in his eyes, and was given much importance, and either money or honor, whichever he preferred. And since wisdom was so important, all the people, also, started to dedicate themselves to learning all kinds of wisdom, in order to receive either wealth or honor. However, because the whole nation was completely immersed in their learning, they forgot all the strategies of war. This continued until they reached such a level, that even the simple people of that land, in any other country, would be considered extremely wise. And the wise men were very wise indeed. But because of their wisdom they all became atheists, and they drew the king after them, into their atheism. However this did not affect the simple people, the highest levels of wisdom were too abstract for them to grasp, so they were not damaged. But the very wisest men and the king, they all became complete atheists.
   The king, because he still had some good inside him, for he had been born with good qualities, would think to himself, from time to time, "Where have I got to, how can it be that I should conduct myself in such a way...," and he would moan and sigh that he had fallen into such twisted and mistaken ways. But immediately he would return to his wisdoms, and in doing so, return to his atheistic beliefs. This would happen to him regularly.
     It once happened that there was a flight from a certain country, the whole country fled. During the flight they passed through a forest, and a little boy and a little girl, about four or five years old, got lost. They started crying, because they had nothing to eat. Suddenly a beggar appeared, with his sack on his shoulder. The children went over to him, and started to follow him. He gave them some bread, which they ate. He asked them, "How did you get here?" They answered that they did not know, for they were very young children. He started to walk away, so they asked him if he would take them with him. He answered that he did not want to take them with him. During this conversation they suddenly realized that he was blind, and they could not understand how he was able to find his way. (It is interesting that they were able to appreciate the problem, for they were still very young, however they were very intelligent.) The beggar blessed them that they should become like him, that they should be old like him, and then he left them some more bread to eat, and he went on his way. The children realized that Hashem was watching over them, and that He had sent the beggar to bring them food.
   When they had finished the bread, they started to cry out for more food. Later night fell, and they went to sleep. In the morning they woke up, and again cried for more food. Suddenly a deaf beggar appeared. They tried to speak to him, but he signaled to them with his hands that he was unable to hear. He also gave them bread to eat, and started to go on his way. They wanted him to take them with him, but he did not agree. However, he did bless them that they should be like him, and then he also left them some bread, and went on his way. 
   Again, the bread finished and they cried out for more food. Suddenly a beggar appeared, who stammered. They tried to speak to him, but they were unable to understand his answers. He understood them, but they could not understand him. He also gave them bread to eat, blessed them that they should be like him, and went on his way. 
   Then came a beggar with a crooked neck, and exactly the same story as before. Then a hunch-backed beggar. Then a beggar with no hands, and finally a beggar with no feet, each one gave them bread, and blessed them that they should be like him, as above.
   Again they finished the bread, and so they decided to walk and see if they could find some kind of a settlement. They walked until they found a path, and followed the path until they came to a village. They walked up to a house, where the people had mercy on them and gave them bread. Similarly at the second house, and so on. They realized that things were going well for them, and made a pact between them that they should always stay together. They made for themselves large sacks, with which they went begging from door to door, and to all the celebrations, to the special meals served for a Bris Mila and to Weddings and so on. They then moved on to the next town. And from town to town, begging from door to door, and at the markets they used to sit amongst the other beggars, holding out their begging bowls. Until they became well known amongst the beggars. They all knew them, that they were the children that had got lost in the forest.
   One time there was a huge market in a certain town. The beggars went there, and so too did the children. The beggars hit upon the idea of marrying the two children together. Everyone agreed, and the matter was decided. The only question was how to make for them a marriage feast. Then they remembered that soon it was going to be the king's birthday, and they decided that all the beggars should go to the feast, and whatever they managed to beg for themselves there, meat and bread, with that they would make the wedding. So that is what they did, they collected whatever bread and meat that they could, also anything left over, and they went and dug a huge pit in the ground, big enough to hold a hundred people, and they covered it over with sticks and earth and refuse. And they all went inside and held a wedding for the children. It was a tremendously happy occasion, and the children themselves were also very happy.
   The children  remembered the great kindness that Hashem had done for them, in sustaining them while they were in the forest, and they started to cry out and yearn for the first beggar, the blind one, that had given them bread while they were in the forest. And as they were yearning for him to come to the celebration, he suddenly spoke up and said, "Here I am. I have come to your wedding. And now I will give you as a wedding present that which I blessed you before, that you should be old like me. When I first met you, I only gave it to you as a blessing, but now I am giving it to you as a wedding present, that you should have a long life, like mine. You think that I am blind, but in fact I am not blind at all. It is just that all the time that the world has been in existence is no longer for me than the wink of an eye. (Which is why it seemed as if he was blind, for he simply did not look at the world at all, since all the time that had passed in the world was to him just the time it takes to blink the eye.) For I am very very old, and yet I am like a suckling child, that has not even started to live. Nevertheless, I am still very old. And not only I myself say this, I also have the approbation of the Great Eagle. I will relate to you the story.... Once there were many people traveling in ships on the sea. A storm wind blew up and destroyed all the ships, but the people were saved. They came to a tower, and went inside, and found there sufficient food and drink and clothes to cover all their needs. They had there everything that they could possibly need. They decided that each one of them should tell an old story, that they should each relate their very earliest memory. There were both young and old people there. They decided to honor the oldest person there by letting him tell his story first. He said, "What can I tell you, I can remember as far back as the apple being cut from the branch." And no one there understood what he meant. However, there were some very wise men there, and they said that that was certainly a very old story indeed. And it was the turn of the next oldest. The next eldest said, "You call that an old story? I myself remember that, and not only that, but I also remember the candle when it was lit." Everyone agreed that that was certainly an older story than the first. But still, it was a wonder to them, how the second, who was younger than the first, could actually remember further back. And then it was the turn of the third oldest. He spoke up and said, "I remember when the fruit first started to be formed." They all agreed that this was an even older story than the first two. The fourth eldest related, "I remember when the seed was taken to be planted." The fifth eldest related, "I even remember the wise men planning and inventing the seed." The sixth related that he could remember the taste of the fruit, even before it had entered into the fruit. The seventh related that he could remember the fragrance of the fruit, even before it entered into the fruit. The eighth remembered the look of the fruit, even before it became a fruit. I, (the blind beggar telling the story,) also was there, I was a very young child, and I told them how I could remember all their stories, and furthermore, I could remember when there was absolutely nothing at all. They all agreed that this was the oldest story of all, and they could not understand how the youngest could actually tell the oldest story, that he could remember more than those older than him. Following this, the Great Eagle came and knocked on the tower, and said to them, "Stop being so poverty stricken. Return to your treasures, and use them." He told them that they should leave the tower in descending order, eldest first, and he took them all out of the tower. First of all, he took the very youngest, who was in fact, older than them all. Then the next youngest, and so on, the eldest of all leaving last of all. Because whoever was the younger, was actually the older, and the oldest was the youngest of all. 
   The Eagle said to them, "I will explain to you the stories that each of you told. The one who told how he could remember the apple being cut from the branch. He was able to remember only as far back as the cutting of his umbilical cord. The one who remembered the lit candle, he could remember as far back as when he was an embryo, and a candle was alight above his head. The one who remembered the forming of the fruit, was remembering the actual forming of his body, at the time of the creation of the embryo. The one who remembered the seed being taken to be planted, was remembering the transferring of the seed at the time of conception. The one who remembered the wise men inventing the seed, was remembering the time that the seed was still in the brain, (for the creation of the seed starts in the brain.) The one who remembers the taste, that is the soul, (the nefesh.) The smell, that is the spirit, (the ruach.) The sight, that is the inner most point, (the neshama.) And the child that remembered nothing at all, his is the earliest memory of all, for he remembers even that which came before the nefesh, ruach and neshama, which is the aspect of absolutely nothing." 
   The Eagle then said to them, "Return to your ships, which are your broken bodies which have been rebuilt. Now you will be able to return to them." And he blessed them. And as for me, (the blind beggar telling the story,) the Great Eagle said to me, "You come with me, because you are like me. For you are very old, and yet very young, and still, you have hardly even started to exist. Even so, you are very very old. I am also that way, for I am also very old, and yet very young." So you see, I have the approbation of the Great Eagle, (that I have lived a very long life,) and now I give you a long life, like mine, as a wedding present." And there was tremendous happiness and rejoicing, there at the feast. 
      On the second of the seven days of the wedding feast the young couple remembered the second beggar, the deaf one, that had sustained them and given them bread. They were yearning and longing for him to come to the feast, and suddenly he appeared and said, "Here I am." And he embraced them and kissed them and said, "Now I will give you a present, that you will be like me. That you should have a very good life, like mine. Originally I gave it to you as a blessing, but now I am giving you the good life that I lead, as a present. You think that I am deaf. But really I am not deaf at all. It is simply that the whole world has no value in my eyes whatsoever, that I should listen to all its lackings. Because all the sounds that are heard in the world are only due to something that is lacking. Every single person crying out over what he is missing. And even all the sounds of happiness in the world, even they are only due to a lack of something, that the person was lacking something, which he has now received. Therefore, all the sounds of the world are of no importance to me, that I should allow to enter into my ears all the cries of the people crying out for what they are missing. For I live such a good life that I do not lack for anything. And I have the approbation regarding this, that I live such a good life, from the Land of Riches." And the good life that he lead was that he had bread to eat and water to drink. (And he related to them the story...)
   "For there is a country that is tremendously rich, that has unbelievable treasures. One time a group of people got together, and each one was boasting about the good life that he lead, how he was able to live such a good life. I stood up and said to them, "The good life that I lead is far better than the good life that any of you lead. And the proof is... if you lead such a good life, let us see if you can save a certain country. For there is a country that used to have a garden, and the fruit that grew in the garden had all the tastes in the world. The fruit also contained all the smells and sights in the world. It also grew all the flowers in the world, everything possible grew in the garden.
   There was a gardener there who watched over the garden. The people of that country used to live such a good life, because of that garden. But then they lost the gardener, and everything in the garden went to ruin, for there was no one to watch over it. Still, they were able to continue to live from the under growth that still remained. Then a cruel king attacked their country, but he had no success against them. So he went and damaged the good life that they still had from the garden. Not that he was able to damage the garden itself. Rather, what he did was to place in the country three groups of slaves, and he commanded them to do exactly according to his instructions. And through this they damaged the sense of taste. For through whatever it was that they did, all the food that every one ate had the taste of rotting flesh. They also damaged the sense of smell, so that all the smells had a smell of bitterness. Similarly they damaged the sense of sight, so that it seemed to people that they were looking at everything through clouds and darkness." (This is all through what the slaves of the cruel king achieved, through following his instructions.) "And now, if you are really able to live the good life, let us see if you are able to save them. Furthermore, (all this is being said by the deaf beggar,) if you do not save them, all the suffering that this particular country is going through, you could find yourselves facing exactly the same problems. 
   So all the rich people traveled to that country, and I went with them. And on the journey, each one of them continued to live his own particular good life, for they still had all their treasures, etc. But when they started to come close to the country, also their sense of taste, etc. began to be damaged. I said to them, "If you have not even reached there yet, and already you are starting to be affected, what is going to be when you get there? And furthermore, how on earth are you going to be able to save them?" So I took from my bread and water and gave some to them, and they were able to taste in my bread and water all the tastes in the world, and their sense of taste, etc. was restored. 
   Meanwhile, in the country with the garden, the people started looking into how they would be able to rectify the damage that they were suffering. They said to themselves..."What about the Land of Riches, (the one mentioned previously,) surely the gardener who used to work here, (through whom they received their good life,) is from the same root as the people there, for they also have a good life." They decided to send for help to that country, for surely they would be able to save them. And we happened upon the messengers that they had sent, as they traveled towards us, in the direction that we had come from. They asked the messengers..."Where are you going?" They answered, "We are going to the Land of Riches, to ask them for help, that they should come and save us." The people from the Land of Riches said..."We are from that land, and we are on our way to you." I, (the deaf beggar telling the story,) said to them, "You are going to need my help, because you alone will not be able to save them, (as previously explained.) In fact, you had better wait here, while I go with the messengers to save the country."
   So I went with them, and entered into one of the cities. and I heard how one person would tell a joke, and a few people would gather around, and they would all laugh together. I listened more closely, and heard that they were telling obscene jokes. One would tell a dirty joke, and a second would continue it, another would laugh, and a fourth would listen in enjoyment, etc. I then went to a different city. I saw two people arguing over a business deal. They went to court and the case was decided. But when they left the court, they started arguing again, because they were not happy with the judgment. They then decided to go to a different court, for judgment. After leaving the court, one of them started arguing with somebody else, and they then went to a yet another court for judgment. The whole city was full of arguments, and people taking each other to court, so the whole city had to be full of courts. I realized that all this was because there was no truth there. The judge would favor one side, and then he would do the other a favor in return, and ultimately the whole city was full of bribery, and not the slightest trace of justice.
   I later noticed that in fact, all their behaviour was completely immoral, so much so that it had become totally permitted to them. And I said to them that this is the reason that their taste, smell and sight had been damaged. For the cruel king had left his three groups of slaves there, in order to damage their way of life. And they went around making obscene jokes, which introduced obscenity into the land, which is what ruined the sense of taste, that all foods tasted like rotting flesh. They also introduced bribery into the land, which affected their eyes and ruined their sight, as it is written, "bribery blinds the eyes of the wise." They also introduced immoral behaviour into the land, which ruined the sense of smell, (as we have said elsewhere, that immoral behaviour damages the sense of smell.) "Therefore, purge the land of these three sins, and hunt out these three groups of slaves, and throw them out. And if you do all this, not only will you repair the senses of taste, sight and smell, you may even be able to find your lost gardener."
   They did this, and started to cleanse the country of these three sins. Also they searched after the cruel king's slaves, and each time they would catch someone, they would ask him, "Where are you from?" Until they identified all the slaves, and threw them out, and purified the country from all the sins. Suddenly a commotion was heard, "Could this crazy person who is wandering around saying that he is the gardener, the one that everyone throws stones at and runs him away, could it really be that this is our old gardener?" And they bought him before the leaders, who were rectifying the country, (and the deaf beggar was also amongst them,) and I said to them, "Absolutely, this is your true gardener." (So it turns out that through him, the country was rectified.)
   So you see, I have the approbation of the Land of Riches that I really do lead the good life, for I was able to fix that country. And now, I give you as a gift my good life." And the happiness and rejoicing was overwhelming, there at the feast. (And so it is with each of the beggars, they each come to the feast, and give as a present, that which was originally given as a gift, that the couple should be like them, etc.) The first one gave them a present of a long life, and the second gave them a present of a good life.
     On the third day, the couple remembered the third beggar, the one who stammered, and longed and yearned for him to come to the feast. As they were yearning for him, suddenly he appeared, and said, "Here I am." He embraced and kissed them, and said, "Previously I only blessed you, that you should be like me, but now I give it to you as a wedding present. You think that I am unable to speak properly, but that is incorrect, it is just that all the speech of the world, which is not praise of Hashem, is incomplete. I, however, am a fabulous orator, and I can tell over the most wondrous poetry and prose. So much so, that no being in the world would not want to listen to me. And everything that I say is filled with the most wondrous wisdom. And I have the approbation regarding this from a great man, who is known as the Man of True Kindness. And about this there is a whole story.
   Once, all the wise men were sitting together, and each one was boasting about his particular wisdom. One boasted that, with his wisdom, he had been able to invent iron. Another had invented a different metal. Yet another said that he had invented silver, which was even more valuable. And another said that he had invented gold. One said that he had invented weapons, and one said that he had invented the making of metals out of other metals. Another boasted about a different wisdom. For there are many things in the world that have been created through wisdom, for instance gun powder, and the like. Each one boasted about his particular wisdom.
   One of the people there said, "I am wiser than all of you, for I am as wise as the day." No one understood what he meant. He explained, "All your wisdoms could be collected together, and it would not amount to more than one hour. Despite the fact that they have all been drawn from different days, according to whatever was created on that particular day, still they are only combinations, that could be combined into one hour. But my wisdom is that of a complete day." I, (the beggar with the stammer,) asked him, "Like which day are you as wise as?" He answered, "This man is wiser than me, since he has the intelligence to ask such a question. The answer to your question is that I am as wise as any day that you choose." Now you could ask, how come the one who asked, "like which day," is wiser than the one who is as wise as any day, and regarding this there is a complete story....
   For this Man of True Kindness is indeed a very great man, and the beggar with the stammer goes around collecting all the acts of true kindness that are done, and brings them to the Man of True Kindness. For the main existence of time, (for time itself is a creation,) is through all the true acts of kindness that are done. And the beggar with the stammer, he collects them all up, and brings them to the Man of True Kindness.
   For there is a mountain, and on this mountain stands a rock, and from the rock flows a Spring. Everything that exists has a heart. Also the world itself has a heart. And the Heart of the world is a complete structure, with a face, and arms, and legs etc. But the toenail of the Heart of the world has more heart in it than any other heart in the world. And this mountain with its rock and its Spring, stands at one end of the world, and the Heart of the world stands at the other end. And the Heart stands opposite the Spring, and is filled with a mighty yearning to come to the Spring, crying out constantly, that it should be able to come to the Spring. And the Spring, similarly, is constantly yearning for the Heart. But the Heart has two things that weaken it, one is that the sun concentrates its rays on it and burns it, (because it is longing so much to go to the Spring.) And the second is that it is terribly weak, precisely because of its tremendous yearning to go to the Spring. And when it needs to rest a little, that it needs to have a break from such a powerful desire, a huge bird comes and flaps its wings on it, and shields it from the sun. But even while it is resting, still it is constantly looking at the Spring, and yearning to come to it. So if it is yearning so much to come to the Spring, why does it not just get up and go to it? The reason is, that when it comes close to the mountain, it can no longer see the summit, and therefore it can not see the Spring. And were it to stop looking at the Spring, it would die, because its whole existence comes from the Spring. As long as it stands at a distance, it can see the summit of the mountain, and the Spring, but as soon as it gets close to the mountain, it looses sight of the summit, (as can be easily demonstrated,) and therefore of the Spring, and then it starts to die, G-D forbid. For were the Heart to die, G-D forbid, the whole world would cease to exist. For the Heart is the life of everything in existence, and obviously, there is no life without a heart. This is the reason that it cannot go to the Spring. All it can do is to stand opposite it, and yearn and cry out for it.
   And as for the Spring, it has no time of its own, because it does not exist within the parameters of time. However, the Heart gives it time as a present, one day at a time. And when it comes to the end of each day, at which point the Spring has no more time, and is about to die, G-D forbid, which would thereby cause the Heart to die also, G-D forbid, which would cause the whole world to cease to exist, G-D forbid. At the very end of the day, the two take leave of each other, with the most wonderful poems and verse, filled as they are with such a love and longing for each other. That is when the Man of True Kindness, who is watching over them, at the very last possible minute, gives a present of one day to the Heart, and the Heart gives it to the Spring. And the Spring thereby has another day to exist. And this day, where it comes from, its source, it also comes with the most wonderful poetry and verse, (which is made up of all the wisdoms.) And all the days are completely different, for there is sunday and monday etc. also the first day of each month, and also the holidays, and so on.
   And all the time that the True Man of Kindness has, it all comes from me, (the beggar that stammers.) For I go and collect all the acts of true kindness, from which time is created. (Which is why he is wiser even than the wise man mentioned earlier, because he is as wise as any of the days. For all the existence of the time, and of the days, it is all because of him. Because he collects all the acts of true kindness, from which the time is created, and brings them to the True Man of Kindness, who gives it as a day to the Heart, who gives it in turn to the Spring. And through this does the whole world remain in existence. So it turns out that the very existence of time, with all its songs and prose, which have in them all the wisdom of the world, it is all because of the beggar that stammers.)
  That is why I have the approbation of the True Man of Kindness, that I am able to speak the most wonderful poetry and verse, which contains within it all the wisdom of the world. And now I give it to you as a wedding present, that you should be like me." And the happiness and rejoicing continued, there at the feast.
     As the day's celebrating came to an end, the couple retired for the night. In the morning they once again yearned for the beggar who had sustained them in the forest, the one with the crooked neck. Suddenly he appeared, and said, "Here I am. Previously I blessed you that you should be like me, but now I give it to you as a wedding present. You think that I have a crooked neck, but in truth, my neck is not crooked at all. Quite the opposite, my neck is completely straight. It is just that there are all kinds of vapors in the world, and I do not want to have any part of them. (Which is why his neck seemed crooked. He made it so in order to not be any part of the vapors of the world.) Really, I have a very beautiful and wonderful neck. For I have a very beautiful voice, and all the sounds of the world, that are not actual speaking, I can make with my voice. For I have a truly wonderful neck and voice, and regarding this, I have the approbation of a certain land. For there is a land, where the people are very expert at playing music. And all the people there are occupied with this, even young children. There is no such thing as a child there that does not know how to play an instrument. And the youngest child there, would be considered a great expert in any other country. And the experts, and the king there, and all the musicians, they are talented beyond belief. 
   One time a group of these expert musicians were sitting together, and each was boasting about his particular expertise. One boasted that he was able to play a certain instrument, and another a different instrument. One boasted that he was able to play a number of different instruments, and one boasted that he was able to play all the instruments. One boasted that with his voice he was able to make the sound of a certain instrument, and one that he could make the sound of a number of different instruments. One boasted that he was able to make the exact sound of drums, as if he was actually drumming, and another said that he could make the sounds of gunfire. I also was there, and I said to them, "My voice is better than all of yours. And the proof is, that if you are such musical experts, you should be able to save a certain two countries. These two countries are a thousand miles apart, and in both of them, when night falls, no one is able to sleep. Because at night, all the people there, men, women and children, they all wail. The sound of their wailing is enough to melt a stone. Because at night, they hear a sound of such great wailing, and then they start wailing themselves. (It is the same in both countries.) These two countries are a thousand miles apart. And if you are all such musical experts, let us see if you can save them, or if you are even able to copy the sound of the wailing that is heard there." They said to him, (the musical experts to the beggar with the crooked neck,) "Can you take us there?" I said that I could, and we all got up and traveled there. 
   We got to one of the countries, and as it became night, everyone there started wailing. The wise men that had traveled with me also started wailing. (So obviously they would be unable to save the two countries.) I said to them, "At least, can you tell me from where the wailing is coming from?" They said to me, "Do you know?" I answered, "Of course. For there are two birds, a male and a female, the only two of their kind in the world. The female got lost. They both went looking for each other. They both searched for a long time, until they were both completely lost, and realized that  neither of them would be able to find the other. So they remained where they were, and built nests. Each one close to one of the two countries mentioned. Not too close, but close enough to hear their calls. And when night falls, they both start to wail at the top of their voices, calling for their partner. This is the sound that is heard in the two countries." (And it is because of their wailing, that all the people in the two countries wail also, and no one is able to sleep.) They did not believe that this was the true cause. They said to me, "Can you take us to see them?" I said , "Yes, but you cannot go there. For if you get too close, you will not be able to stand the wailing. For you can not even stand it from here, where you are now, and already you are wailing with them. If I were to take you there, you would not be able to stand it at all. Also by day, it is impossible to come close to them, because it is impossible to stand the happiness that there is there. Because by day, all the other birds gather around them, and comfort them and raise up their spirits, and speak to them words of consolation telling them that they should not give up hope, for surely it is still possible that they will each find the other, until it is impossible to approach close to them, due to the tremendous happiness there. However the sound of the happiness can not be heard at a distance, only close by. Only the sound of the wailing at night can be heard at a distance. And that it why it is not possible to come close to them." They asked me, "Can you help them?" I answered them, "Yes, because I can make all the sounds in the world, and also throw my voice, so that here, where I am making the sound, no sound will be heard. It will only be heard at a distance. Therefore I can make the sound of the male bird, and it will be heard close to the female. And also the opposite, and that way bring them closer and closer to each other, until they meet."
   But who could believe such a claim? So I took them into a forest, and they heard a sound of someone opening a door, and then closing it again, and locking it with a bolt. They heard the sound of the bolt, and then the sound of gunfire, and the sending of the dog after whatever had been shot. And the dog was rummaging and searching in the snow. All these sounds they heard, but when they looked, they could not see anything. Also they did not hear the slightest sound coming from me. (The beggar with the crooked neck was making all these sounds which they heard, and they had to admit that he was certainly capable of making any sound in the world, and sending them wherever he wanted. So he would also be able to help the two birds, as he had related to them. Rabbi Nachman did not explain any further, specifically regarding the birds, and it was obvious that he was deliberately leaving out this part of the story.) So it turns out that I have the approbation of that land that I have a truly wonderful voice. And that I am able to make all the sounds in the world. And now I am giving that to you as a wedding gift, that you should be like me." And there was great happiness and rejoicing there at the feast. 
      On the fifth day, there was also tremendous rejoicing. They remembered the beggar with the hunch-back, and longed for him to come to their celebration. How could they get him to come to the feast, for if he were to come, their happiness would know no bounds. Suddenly he appeared and said, "Here I am. I have come to your wedding." And he hugged them and kissed them and said, "Originally I blessed you that you should be like me, but now I give it to you as a wedding present. In truth, I am not a hunch-back at all, in fact, I have such shoulders that I am the aspect of the 'little that can hold a lot,' and I have an approbation regarding this. 
   For one time, there was a group of people, each boasting that he has this quality of being the 'little that holds a lot.' One of them, they just made a joke of him, but the rest, their words were accepted, that they had this aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.' But the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot' that I have, is greater than all of theirs. One of them claimed that his brain was this aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' for he sustained with his brain myriads of people, with all their needs and behaviors, all their lives and movements, he held them all in his brain, which meant that he had an aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.' They all laughed at him and said, "The people are nothing and you are nothing." One of them said, "I once saw a 'little holding a lot' similar to you. Once I saw a mountain that was completely covered in garbage and filth, and I could not understand how so much filth and garbage could have got there. There was a man living there, on the mountain, and he told me, "All this is from me." For that was were he lived, and that was where he threw his garbage from his food and drink, and relieved himself, until he had raised up an unbelievable pile of filth. So he certainly has this aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' for only from him comes this huge pile of filth." (And similar to this was the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot' of the one who boasted that he held so many people in his brain.) 
  Another boasted that he was the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' for he was the owner of a small estate that gave forth a huge amount of fruit. And when they measured the fruit produced, there was no way that so much fruit could have come from that size estate. There simply was not enough space to grow so much fruit. So it turns out that it is the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.'.
   One related that he had a wonderful orchard, filled with fruit, and many many people used to visit there, it was so beautiful. And there was no way that such a small orchard could hold so many people. So he certainly had the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' and his claim was also accepted.
   One of them said that his speech was the aspect of the 'little that held a lot,' for he was the secretary to a king. Many people used to come to him, one with praises of the king, another with petitions for the king, and so on. Obviously the king did not have time to listen to all of them, so the secretary had to condense all their words into a small amount, and present it before the king, yet his words had to contain all their praises and claims etc. So he certainly had this aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.'
   Another one said that his silence had the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.' For he had many accusers and much hostile criticism of him. And his answer to all their accusations was complete silence. (In other words, his silence was his only reply to all their accusations.) So his silence was the aspect of the 'little that held a lot.'
   Another one said that he was this aspect of the 'little that held a lot,' for there is a poor, blind person who is very great. And the one telling the story was very small, and he leads the blind person. So he has this aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' because the blind person could slip and fall, so he protects him by leading him. So he is the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' because he is very small, and he holds up the blind person who is very great. And I, (the hunch-back beggar who is telling the story,) I was also there, and I said to them, "In truth, you all have this aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.' And I understood all that you intended with each of your stories. And the last one to speak, the one that leads the blind person, he is the greatest of all of you. But I am on a level much much higher even than that. For the one that told how he leads the blind person who is very great, his meaning is that he leads the moon, which has this aspect of blindness. For the moon has no light, or anything else of her own. And the one telling the story leads the moon, even though he is very small, and the moon is very large. He is sustaining the whole world, for the world needs the moon. So he really is the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot,' but the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot' that I possess is greater than all of you. 
   And the proof is, that once there was a group of people arguing about the type of shade preferred by each animal. Because every animal has a certain shade under which it prefers to rest. There is a special shade for every type of animal. For each animal chooses its own shade, and in that particular shade it always rests. Also each bird has its favorite branch, and on that branch in particular it likes to sit. Their argument was whether it is possible to find such a tree that all the animals would like to rest underneath, and that all the birds would choose to sit in its branches. And they decided that there must be such a tree, and they wanted to go and see it. For the euphoria there, by such a tree must be very great indeed. For all the animals and birds are to found there, basking in happiness, with none of them damaging another. All of them resting and playing together, and just to be able to be there would have to be the most tremendous pleasure. They were arguing as to which direction they would have to go to get to this tree. They argued and argued, but could not come to a decision. One said that they should go north, and one south, etc. but they were unable to come to an agreement. 
   Then a wise man came, and said to them, "Why are you arguing about which direction to go in? You should first of all argue about who will be able to go there, to the tree. Because not everyone is able to go to such a tree, only one who has the particular aspects of that tree. For the tree has three roots: the first is faith, the second is fear of heaven, and the third is humility, and the trunk of the tree is truth, from which fan out all the branches. Therefore it is only possible to come to the tree if you have all these qualities." And this group of people had a tremendous love and unity between them, and they did not want to be separated, one from the other, that some of them should be able to go to the tree, and some not. For not all of them were able to go to the tree, because only a few of them had all the necessary qualities. So they decided to wait while those who were lacking some of the necessary qualities would struggle and work on themselves, and raise themselves up, until also they had all the qualities needed, so that they could all go to the tree together. So that is what they did, all of them struggled and worked until they were all on the same level. And when they had all reached that level, they also discovered that they were all in agreement as to which direction they had to go in to get to the tree, and they set off to go there.
   They traveled for some time, until they were able to see the tree in the distance. And they looked and saw that the tree did not stand in space, for it occupied no place at all. And if it does not exist in space, how can one possibly get to it? And I, (the hunch-backed beggar,) I was also there with them. And I said to them, "I can take you to the tree. For this tree does not exist in space at all, for it is completely above space, whereas the concept of the 'little that holds a lot' only exists within space. In other words, the tree certainly must occupy the slightest amount of space, and it is precisely there, that minuscule amount of space, that has the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.' And the aspect of the 'little that holds a lot' that I possess is at the very end of space, above which there is no further space. Therefore I can take all of you to the tree, which is completely above space." (I.e. the beggar's aspect of the 'little that holds a lot' enabled him to be both in space and above space. For he possessed the highest possible perfection of the 'little that holds a lot,' which is the aspect of  the final limit of space, above which there is no more space, for there, it is already the aspect of completely above space.) And I took them, and carried them all to the tree.
   So I have the approbation of those people that I have the highest possible aspect of the 'little that holds a lot.' (And this is why he seemed to be a hunch-back, because he was able to carry so much, which was the aspect of the 'little holding a lot.') And now I give it to you as a wedding present, that you should be like me." And the happiness and rejoicing continued there at the feast.
    On the sixth day there was also great rejoicing. And the young couple yearned for the beggar with no hands to come to the feast. Suddenly he appeared and said, "Here I am. I have come to join your wedding celebration." And he kissed and hugged them. And he also said to them, "You think that I have a defect in my hands, but this is not the case. In fact, my hands are tremendously powerful, but I do not use the power in my hands in this world. Because I need to use them for a different matter. And I have the approbation regarding this from the Water Castle.
   Once, there were some people sitting together, and each one was boasting about the power in his hands, each with a different power. One boasted that his hands were so powerful that even after he had shot an arrow, he could retrieve it and bring it back to himself. I asked him, "Which arrow can you bring back?" For there are ten different types of arrows, depending on which of the ten different types of poisons the arrow is dipped in, each poison more powerful than the last. The arrows all being identical, just which poison used being the difference. Which is why I asked him which type of arrow was he able to bring back. I also asked him whether he was able to retrieve the arrow even after it had hit the target, or only before it hit. To that, he answered that he was able to retrieve it even after it had hit the target, but as to which arrow he was referring to, he specified only one type. I, (the beggar with no hands,) said to him, "If so, you will not be able to heal the Princess, if you are only able to retrieve the one type of arrow." 
   One boasted that the power in his hands was such that any time he received anything from anyone, he was actually giving to them. (His actual taking was an act of giving.) Therefore he was a master at giving charity. I asked him which charity he was able to give. (For there are ten different types of charity.) He answered that he was able to give a tithe. I said to him, "If so, you will not be able to heal the Princess, because you will not be able to get to her. For you are only able to go through the first wall."
   Another described the power in his hands, saying that there are ministers throughout the world, who each need a certain wisdom, and through the power of his hands, he is able to give them that wisdom through placing his hands upon them. I asked him, "Which wisdom are you able to give with your hands?" For there are ten types of wisdom. He told me which type. I said to him, "In that case, you will not be able to heal the Princess. Because you will not be able to read her pulse, because you only know one type of pulse. For there are ten types of pulse, and if you are only able to bestow one type of wisdom with your hands, you will only be able to know one of the types of pulse." 
   One boasted that he was able to quench a storm wind with his hands, and turn it into a gentle breeze. I asked him, "Over which wind do you have control?" For there are ten different types of wind. He told me which particular one. I said to him, "In that case you will not be able to heal the Princess. Because you will only be able to play one particular tune for her. For there are ten types of tunes, and through music she can be healed, but you will only be able to play for her one of the tunes." They then asked me, "So what are you able to do?" I answered, "I can do all that all of you are unable to do. I can do all that you can do, and also the other nine that you can not.
   And regarding this there is a story. Once there was a king that wanted to capture a certain Princess. He tried all kinds of schemes until he finally succeeded. One time he had a dream that she was standing over him and killing him. When he awoke, he could not get the dream out of his mind. So he called all his dream interpreters, and they explained the dream to him in its simple sense, that she really was going to kill him. The king could not decide what to do about it. To kill her would upset him very much. To expel her would be even worse, because then somebody else would take her. And he had had to work so hard to capture her in the first place, and now she would belong to someone else. And also, if she had someone else to help her, it would be even more likely that the dream would come true, and that she would kill him. Yet he was scared  to keep her by him, because of the dream. He could not decide what to do. Meanwhile, his love for her gradually died, because of the dream. And her love for him also gradually died, until she came to hate him, and she ran away from him.
   The king sent out people to find out where she is. And the word came back that she was at the Water Castle. For there is a Water Castle, which has ten walls, each inside the other, all of them made of water. Also the grounds within the Castle were made of water. There were also trees and fruit, all made of water. There is no need to add how wonderful that Castle was. For such a thing is completely unheard of, that a whole castle should be made of water. To enter the Castle was impossible, for one would drown in the water.
   The Princess, when she ran away, came to this Castle, and was wandering around the outside of it. They told the king where she was, and he went, with his soldiers to capture her. When she saw them, she decided to run into the Castle, for it was preferable to her to drown in the water, than that she should be captured again by the king. And who knows, perhaps she would survive, and be able to enter the Castle. When the king saw her running into the Castle, he said, "So be it," and he ordered his soldiers to shoot at her, and if she were to die, too bad. So they shot at her, and hit her with all the ten types of arrows, coated with the ten different poisons. She ran away into the Castle, and went through the gates in each of the ten walls made of water. For there were gates in each wall. And she went right through them all, into the inside of the Castle, and fell down and fainted there. And I, (the beggar with no hands,) heal her.
   For one who does not have in his hands the ten types of charity, (mentioned previously,) can not enter through the ten walls, for he would drown in the water. And the king and his soldiers chased after her, and did indeed drown. But I am able to enter through all the ten walls, which are made like waves of the sea, standing as walls, and held up by the winds. And these waves, which are the ten walls, they stand there permanently, and I am able to enter into them, and remove the ten arrows from the Princess. I also know all the ten types of pulse, which can be felt through the ten fingers. Because each of the ten fingers can register one of the ten types of pulse. And I can heal her through the ten types of tunes. And I go ahead and heal her. So it is clear that I have all the aforementioned powers in my hands. And this I now give to you as a gift." And the happiness and rejoicing was overwhelming, there at the wedding feast.

 
 
[This story has not one single redundant word, and anyone well versed in the sacred literature, will be able to find a number of clues there, as to things mentioned in the story. For instance, regarding the arrows, that is what is written in Devarim, 32:41, "My hand will take hold of judgment," and Rashi explains there, a human fires an arrow, but can not retrieve it, Hashem, however, can both fire an arrow and retrieve it after He has fired it.
Regarding the ability to give charity, which was needed to pass through the walls of water, that is what is written, Isaiah, 48:18, "and thy righteousness (charity) as the waves of the sea."
Regarding the one who could control the wind with his hands, it is written, Proverbs, 30:4, "Who has gathered the wind in his fists?" Which is the aspect of music, see Likutei Moharan, I:54.
Regarding the ten types of tune, connected to the ten types of pulse, see Likutei Moharan, II:24.
The stories also mention some of the earlier Tzaddikim, for instance King David, who stood at the edge of the world and cried to the spring that flowed from the rock on the top of the mountain, as he says in Tehillim 61. All the above we heard from Rabbi Nachman himself.  In fact the whole Psalm there is referred to in the story of the third day, as it says, "Add days to the life of the King,"  i.e. add a new day each day. "Appoint loving kindness and truth that they may preserve him," here we see the Man of True Kindness. For all the days are created by him, and he continually gives and adds on to the days of the King, which is the Heart, which is the aspect of King David. And as it says there, "that they may preserve him,"  for as it comes to the final minutes of each day, at which point the Spring is soon to die, and therefore the Heart, and therefore all the world, G-D forbid, the Man of True Kindness is watching over all this, and he comes and gives another day to the Heart, etc. Which is, "Thus will I praise your name for ever, as I pay my vows, day by day." For each day that he gives to the Heart, comes with its songs and melodies, as above. And when the Heart needs to rest, a bird comes and shelters it from the sun, as it says, "I will trust in the shelter of your wings for ever." 
In the story of the first day, with each of the elders remembering their earliest memory, where the youngest of all can only remember as far back as his umbilical cord being cut, Rabbi Nachman said that this is referred to in the Yerushalmi, (Kesuvos, 36b,) where Shmuel boasts that he can remember the pain of the Milah, and etc. see there.
But as to the story itself, who were the beggars, when did this all happen, what are all the stories about, these things Rabbi Nachman did not explain. The story of the seventh day, about the beggar with no feet, and the conclusion of the introduction, about the king's son that took over the kingdom, these he said that he would not tell. Who can fathom even a fraction of the many clues and wondrous secrets contained in this story.
(We have been forced to sacrifice a literal translation in favor of readability, nevertheless, we have kept as close as we could to the original.)] 

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Home Lessons given by the Rav HaRav Levi Itzchak Bender, zt"l.