The Secret of Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman

Saba said that the most essential and fundamental import of the holy Petek is the revelation of Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman. Even long before the revelation of the holy Petek, Rabbi Nussun already wrote and published in the introduction to the introductory poem in the beginning of Likutay Moharan that Rabbi Nachman's name is signed; double, triple, and quadruple, which is a blatant reference to the Song of the Future which is single, double, triple, and quadruple which the holy Zohar revealed and presented applied to the Name of Hashem: Y-YH-YHV-YHVH, as is brought down multiple times in Likutay Moharan and expounded upon elaborately in Rabbi Nussun's Likutay Halachos, and also prominently taught in the holy books of Rabbi Nachman is the teaching of our Sages that the name of the Tzaddik shares the Name of Hashem, and thus Rabbi Nussun already established that the actual Song of the Future was the name of Rabbi Nachman in this prescribed formation (for the name of Hashem includes everything, and therefore the Zohar reveals the construct of the Song with the name of Hashem, without revealing the specific and actual song). Any and every true adherent of Breslov would have been very familiar with this. Even still this is a very far cry from an actual open declaration from Rabbi Nachman himself, stating explicitly that he is Na NaCh NaChMa NaChMaN – which is only done in the holy Petek. Saba also points out, that if not for the Petek we would know Rabbi Nachman as being of Breslov, like the name of his Chasidus, only in the Petek, Rabbi Nachman signs himself as being from Uman (In addition to the profuse secrets, qualities, and powers of incorporating “of Uman” in the signature of Nanach, it is also further proof of the authenticity of the Petek not being the work of a prankster, trying to pass off a note as being from Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, it would be self-defeating to sign it with an unknown name. It should also be noted, that many years after Saba's passing, a small letter was found where Rabbi Nachman actually signed, Nachman from Uman (spelling Uman with an Aleph – man (on earth)– whereas in the holy Petek it is spelled “mn” like the spelling of the manna which was from the heavens)).

This calls for three studies. 1. The study of the Song of the Future based on the teachings of our holy Sages o.b.m. who lived before Rabbi Nachman. This will entail locating and providing sources where the Sages discussed or mentioned the song. 2. The study of the song based on the teachings of Rabbi Nachman before he revealed the Petek, and also the teachings of Rabbi Nussun. Rabbi Nussun gave inordinate remarkable attention to the Song of the Future, and he discusses it perhaps thirty times, and presents various amazing explanations sometimes at very great length. 3. The study of the actual song: Na NaCh NaChMa NaChMaN MeUman. All of these studies include the four studies of pishat (– the explanation, logical and as simple as possible), remmez (hints), droosh (elaborations showing interconnections and so forth), soad (secret, esoteric).

The method of 1,2,3,4

Before studying the actual Song of the Future, there is need for a brief study of the method employed in the song, of writing a letter, then going back to write it again with the second letter, and then going back again to write the first three letters, and after to write all four. In Kabbala this is called achoora'yim – the back, that is to say just like a person has a face and a back, so too the names and words have a face – their given name, with which they present themselves outright, and their back, which is a shrouded, inhibited, constrained presentation. The Kabbala teaches that when a higher entity gives vitality to a lower entity, the lower entity does not have the ability to receive directly – facing the higher entity, and thus the higher entity gives the lower entity through its (the higher entity's) achoora'yim (back). In this sense, the Song of the Future would indicate the providing for lower entities. The Kabbala and Chasidus makes it very clear that all the provisions come through the Tzaddik, and thus it is very fitting for the Song of the Future to be the name of the chief tzaddik of all times, Rabbi Nachman, lowering himself to provide for all of creation.

There is also a seemingly completely different approach to the function of this method of arrangement, by presenting the letters in this ascending formation, it builds, enforces, and empowers it. The Talmud (Avoda Zura 12) that if a person is G”F in threat from the demon in charge of the blindness who's name is ShABROoREe, he should say: ShABROoREe, BROoREe, ROoREe, OoREe, REe, Yee, and Rashi explains that when the demon hears his name being reduced letter after letter he runs away. From here the Ben Ish Chay (Oad Yosef Chai, Drushos, Parshas Buluk) asserts that by building a name letter by letter, in the method of 1,2,3 one adds strength and power to it. The Ben Ish Chay continues to propound an astounding novelty, that the entire enterprise of King Buluk's hiring Bilaam was to recite the name YiSROeL in the method of reduction mentioned above, and to recite MOAV in the ascending formation of the first letter, first two, first three etc. (as we do with Na NaCh). It is amazing that even without knowledge of Nanach, the Ben Ish Chay realized the magnitude of this method.

Even though these two approaches seem almost contradictory, there is a reconciliation presented in Likutay Moharan, Torah 62, where Rabbi Nachman explains that on the one hand each repetition is hiding and encasing the source from exterior predators, while at the same time each progression builds its protective power, almost exponentially, from its source. Thus when one conducts a fast, starving off the spiritual predators, each progressive day is much more significant because of how it is rooted from the very outset of the fast, and not just a lone day of fasting. Thus fasting consecutive days greatly builds the achievements of the fast to bind the back of the holiness so that it is impregnable from exterior predators, and then the holiness can present itself.

These are the general concepts of this method of achoora'yim (-1,2,3,4), but they do not rule out specific independent interpretations and explanations. Thus there are many other ways of understanding the progression of Na NaCh NaChMa NaChMaN MeUman.