The days leading up to Rosh HaShanah, the Hebrew New Year, are days of invigorated effort to return to God. There are many customs surrounding these days and on Rosh HaShanah itself.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov encouraged his followers to gather together for Rosh HaShanah to renew the year together in unity and inspiration. Today, with the explosion of popularity of Rebbe Nachman's teachings, these yearly gathers at his tomb draw tens of thousands of people. Despite the war in the east of Ukraine, many thousands will journey to the town of Uman to spend Rosh HaShanah with fellow followers and appreciators.
Not all of us can make this inspiring journey, but we can connect ourselves from wherever we are. We made a few services available on the Emunah website for everyone wishing to participate in the customs surrounding Rosh HaShanah in Uman.
Services include mentioning you and your loved one's names at Rebbe Nachman's grave in Rosh HaShanah and any personal prayer requests you have, a sponsorship of a reading of Tikun HaKlali, and a Pidyon Nefesh (Soul Redemption).
The Pidyon Nefesh or Soul Redemption is a prayer on behalf of someone who usually gives a sum of charity for its sake. The prayer and charity received are ideally said by someone of great spiritual stature. These prayers beseech God to remove the strict spiritual judgments and difficulties that rest on the person. Pidyon Nefeshot is done by many throughout the year but is especially done before Rosh HaShanah, which is the "Day of Judgement." The charity given alongside the Pidyon prayer serves as a personal sacrifice and accompanies the prayer with an act demonstrating true sincerity in one's intentions.
Like any sincere sacrifice, its amount should be substantial enough to be "felt" by the giver, according to their means and honest ability.
Rav Dror will be saying the prayers for all the Pidyon Nefashot given.
A few more words about the Pidyon Nefesh may be helpful for those unfamiliar with the concept. These prayers and charity are literally translated as "Soul Redemption," but they mean something very different from similar concepts in other religions. While in other religions, one's eternity and the afterlife are thought to depend on their soul being "Saved" or "redeemed," the Hebrew Pidyon Nefesh has no connection with this concept. The Pidyon Nefesh is a prayer aimed at removing spiritual difficulties that attach themselves to a part of our souls called the "Nefesh." The Nefesh is not the innermost Eternal part of our soul, but rather it's the part of our souls that connects with our body and what we use as we interact in the world. This world is not clean or easy, and spiritual challenges can attach themselves to us due to life in it. The Pidyon Nefesh is a means to remove some of those challenges and blockages.
There is also a longstanding tradition to recite Tikun HaKlali on Rebbe Nachman's tomb before Rosh HaShanah. Through your donation, a messenger will recite it here and dedicate it in your name to give you a share in this wonderful custom. The messenger will also pray for any requests you desire on the Tomb of Rebbe Nachman. Tikun HaKlali (the General Correction) is a collection of ten Psalms revealed by Rebbe Nachman that should be recited to serve as an act of devotion to God accompanied by repentance to fix the spiritual damage caused by one's past sins.
Rebbe Nachman once took a solemn oath: "If someone comes to my grave, gives a coin to charity, and says these ten Psalms (the Tikun HaKlali), I will pull him out from the depths of hell!". "It makes no difference what he did until that day, but from that day on, he must take upon himself not to return to his foolish ways."
These services will be available through the Emunah website for a limited time until the start of Rosh HaShanah.