Before his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Rebbe Nachman journeyed to Kaminetz.¹

footnotes: ¹ Kaminetz-Podolsky, a journey of some 300 miles (483 kilometers) from Rebbe Nachman’s home in Medvedevka.

Great mystery surrounded the entire trip. The Rebbe left his house suddenly and said, "There is a journey before me.”

When he left his home in Medvedevka, taking the route to Medzeboz, he said, “I am going, but I myself do not know where.”² #26, the words are: “There is a journey before me, but I know not where.” These words were addressed to R' Shimon ben Ber, Rebbe Nachman’s first disciple, who accompanied him as far as Medzeboz. He came to Medzeboz and stayed there for a few days. There he was informed from on high that he was to travel to Kaminetz.³ He left and continued along the way.

footnotes: ² In Tzaddik ³ Rebbe Nachman stopped in Volkovitz on the way to Medzeboz and picked up another man. In Medzeboz, he stayed with his parents but did not visit the Baal Shem Tov’s grave. However, it was the Baal Shem Tov who came to him in a vision and informed him that he was to go to Kaminetz (ibid.).

Rebbe Nachman traveled with the utmost simplicity. Though he was a well-known Chassidic leader, he traveled like the simple folk, without any pomp or ceremony. He warned his attendants emphatically not to reveal his identity. Wherever he went, he was completely unknown, traveling in absolute anonymity like an ordinary merchant.

He arrived in Kaminetz. At that time, no Jew was allowed to live there or even to spend the night within the city limits. The Jews lived outside the city, and those who had business in the city would go there for the day. They were allowed to remain there all day, but at night, every Jew had to leave. It was a well-known fact that no Jew was permitted to spend the night within the city limits.

The Rebbe entered the city with his attendant,⁴ and they remained together until nightfall. As night was approaching, the Rebbe told his attendant to leave the city. He said, “I will remain in the city alone tonight. Come back tomorrow morning and meet me here.”

footnotes: ⁴ There is no record of his attendant's identity. R' Shimon fell ill on the way to Medzeboz and did not complete the journey (ibid.).

He spent that night alone in Kaminetz. No one in the world knows what he did that night.

The next morning, his attendant returned to the city and found the Rebbe, as he had been told. The Rebbe went with him into many houses, finding some excuse to enter each one. He used such tricks as asking for a drink of whiskey and the like. He entered many homes in this manner, but again, no one knew his intention.

Then the Rebbe returned home.⁵ #27, #28). Soon after he had spent that night in Kaminetz, Jews were granted permission to live within the city limits.

footnotes: ⁵ Immediately upon returning home, Rebbe Nachman spoke on the verse, “My soul cleaves after You” (Psalms 63:9). Soon after, one of his daughters died (Tzaddik