## Sichot HaRan Chapter 137

###### Sichot HaRan 137:1
[Sichot HaRan 137:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:1)

שַׁיָּךְ לְהַתּוֹרָה מָעוֹ"ת רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת וְכוּ' (בְּחֵלֶק רִאשׁוֹן סִימָן ר"ד). וְסִפֵּר מִקֹּדֶם מַעֲשֶׂה:

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
Before revealing the lesson in *Likutey Moharan* I, 204, relating to money and mitzvos, the Rebbe told the following story:²¹³

footnotes:
²¹³ This story is alluded to in the lesson, but not told.


###### Sichot HaRan 137:2
[Sichot HaRan 137:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:2)

מִשְּׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים שֶׁהָיוּ בְּעִיר אַחַת וְהָיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם אַהֲבָה וְהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת גָּדוֹל. פַּעַם אַחַת, רָאָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם בַּחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁנָּטָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר קְצָת וְעָשָׂה אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא כְּהֹגֶן. וְחָשַׁב: 'מִקְרֶה הוּא'. אַחַר־כָּךְ רָאָה אוֹתוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה דָּבָר גָּרוּעַ יוֹתֵר, שֶׁעָבַר עֲבֵרָה מַמָּשׁ, וְאָז נִתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנּוּ וְהִפְרִיד עַצְמוֹ מֵאִתּוֹ.

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
Once there were two very close friends who had recently married. The first one saw the other doing something improper, straying from the true path. However, he did not pay any attention to it, thinking it to be a mere accident. But when he saw his friend continue and do something much worse, he realized that the other was actually a sinner. He decided he would have nothing to do with his old friend and estranged himself from him completely.


###### Sichot HaRan 137:3
[Sichot HaRan 137:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:3)

אַחַר־כָּךְ בִּרְבוֹת הַיָּמִּים כְּשֶׁיָּרְדוּ מֵעַל שֻׁלְחָן חוֹתְנָם, שְׁנֵיהֶם, הִתְחִיל זֶה שֶׁעָבַר הָעֲבֵרָה כַּנַּ"ל לַעֲלוֹת מַעְלָה מַעְלָה עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה עָשִׁיר גָּדוֹל.

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
All this time, they had been supported by their fathers-in-law, as was the custom. After a while, they left their in-laws’ table and had to earn their own living. The sinner began to prosper and eventually grew very rich.


###### Sichot HaRan 137:4
[Sichot HaRan 137:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:4)

וְהַשֵּׁנִי הַנַּ"ל נַעֲשָׂה עָנִי גָּדוֹל. וְהָיָה זֶה בְּדַעְתּוֹ מִתְרַעֵם תָּמִיד עַל מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. כִּי אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ: 'הֲלֹא אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמִי שֶׁזֶּה עָבַר עֲבֵרָה וּמַדּוּעַ יִתְּנוּ לוֹ גְּדֻלָּה כָּל־כָּךְ?'.

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
His friend, on the other hand, became very poor and was constantly upset, complaining of God’s injustice. He said to himself, “I know that my former companion committed a great sin. Why is he given such greatness and wealth?”


###### Sichot HaRan 137:5
[Sichot HaRan 137:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:5)

פַּעַם אַחַת רָאָה בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹמְדִים כַּת אַחַת וּמַשְׁמִיעִין קוֹל וּמְקַשְׁקְשִׁין בְּמָעוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וְנִתְקָרֵב אֲלֵיהֶם. וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ: "אַל תִּגַּע בְּזֶה הַמָּעוֹת כִּי זֶה שַׁיָּךְ לָאִישׁ הַנַּ"ל", הַיְנוּ לַחֲבֵרוֹ הנ"ל.

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
One evening, the poor man had a vision. He saw a band of men approach, carrying large sacks of coins. As they came nearer, he could hear the loud, clinking sound. He tried to move toward them, but they stopped him with a warning: “Do not touch any of this money. It all belongs to your former friend.”


###### Sichot HaRan 137:6
[Sichot HaRan 137:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:6)

אָמַר: 'עַכְשָׁו הִגִּיע הָעֵת לִשְׁאֹל'. וְשָׁאַל אוֹתָם: "מַדּוּעַ יַגִּיעַ לוֹ מָעוֹת? הֲלֹא בְּעֵינַי רָאִיתִי שֶׁעָבַר עֲבֵרָה", הֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ: מִיּוֹם שֶׁיְּרַדְתֶּם שְׁנֵיכֶם מֵעַל שֻׁלְחַן חוֹתֶנְכֶם, מֵאָז חֲבֵרְךָ קָבַע עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה וְקִבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ חֹק וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר לִלְמֹד בְּכָל יוֹם כָּךְ וְכָךְ.

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
Realizing this was an opportune moment, he asked them, “Why is he worthy of these riches? I myself saw him commit a great sin!” They answered, “From the day you both left your father-in-law’s table, your companion has consistently set aside time for Torah. He committed himself to study a given amount each day without fail.


###### Sichot HaRan 137:7
[Sichot HaRan 137:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:7)

אֲבָל אַתָּה אֵינְךָ עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה. וְעַל־כֵּן נוֹתְנִין לַחֲבֵרְךָ מָעוֹת אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁעָבַר עֲבֵרָה. כִּי 'עֲבֵרָה מְכַבָּה מִצְוֹת וְאֵין עֲבֵרָה מְכַבָּה תּוֹרָה' (סוֹטָה כא.).

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
But you are not involved in the Torah. Consequently, your companion is worthy of riches despite his great sin. Although it can extinguish good deeds, sin cannot extinguish Torah” (*Sotah* 21a).


###### Sichot HaRan 137:8
[Sichot HaRan 137:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sichot%20HaRan/r/137:8)

ו'ְאֵין עֲ'בֵרָה מְ'כַבָּה תּ'וֹרָה רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת מָעוֹת.

**Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, trans. Aryeh Kaplan, Jerusalem. Breslov Research Institute, 1973:**
“*Ve’ain Aveirah Mekabeh Torah* – Sin cannot extinguish Torah.” The first letters of the Hebrew words spell out *MAOT* (money).