The Rebbe told his attendant to buy a large quantity of ink and writing paper. As soon as they embarked on the ship in Odessa, the Rebbe began to record his thoughts on the Torah. He warned his attendant not to even look at his writings, and would not give him the key to his trunk until he had promised on his honor.

When they left Odessa, many people came to see the Rebbe off out of respect. Many coaches followed him and a great crowd escorted him joyously, singing and dancing all the way.

They embarked on the ship and set off on the Black Sea. During their first day at sea, a great storm arose. The winds whipped up high waves that washed over the ship’s deck. The Rebbe and his attendant had to remain tightly closed up in their cabin so as not to get soaked by the spray. The thunder, lightning and howling winds were beyond description. The two were so terrified by the noise of the rain and thunder, and the roar of the waves, that they found it impossible to sleep at night.¹⁴ #34.

footnotes: ¹⁴ Regarding the vision they saw that night, see Tzaddik

After four days at sea, they arrived in Istanbul. The Rebbe and his attendant sat on the dock, not knowing where to go. They could not tell the Jews from the Turks, and having no knowledge of the language, had no way of asking.

The people saw them sitting on the dock and found a translator who could speak their language. This interpreter acted as their intermediary, immediately finding them lodgings in the Galata quarter.

After an hour or two in Galata, the Rebbe said he did not want to remain there. The interpreter asked, “Do you want to go to the main part of Istanbul? That section contains the capital and the sultan’s residence. Only men are allowed in that quarter. It is completely off-limits to women, and married couples cannot stay there.” The Rebbe replied that he would prefer that.

The interpreter then told them, “Several emissaries from the Holy Land are staying there, among them two of your countrymen. These two were in Israel and are now returning to Europe.”

As soon as the Rebbe heard this, he agreed to meet them. He told his attendant, “I warn you, do not reveal my identity. If they ask about me, do not tell them who I am.”

They left Galata and went to the old city of Istanbul. They were introduced to their countrymen who were returning from the Holy Land.

One of the pair immediately recognized the Rebbe’s attendant. He asked him, “What are you doing here?” The attendant answered, “I am traveling with this young man¹⁵ to the Land of Israel.” The other inquired, “But who is he?” The attendant replied, “He has a travel card from the Austrian Kaiser’s government.” He did not reveal the Rebbe’s identity, as he had been warned.

footnotes: ¹⁵ Rebbe Nachman was twenty-six years old at the time.

They got the idea that the Rebbe was a government agent on his way to make trouble for the great leader, Rabbi Abraham Kalisker.¹⁶ (Tanya) in 1796, Rabbi Abraham joined the Chassidic leaders opposing this work. Rabbi Shneur Zalman, in turn, accused him of misusing charity funds sent to the Holy Land. The two emissaries who met Rebbe Nachman were followers of Rabbi Abraham. They imagined that he had been sent by a number of groups who were opposing Rabbi Abraham. They stubbornly clung to this mistaken idea, causing much conflict between themselves and the Rebbe.

footnotes: ¹⁶ Rabbi Abraham ben Alexander Katz of Kalisk (d. 1810) settled in Israel together with Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk in 1777. When the latter passed away, Rabbi Abraham succeeded him as leader of the Chassidic community in Israel. He was a close friend of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, but after the latter published his major work, Likutey Amorim

They began questioning the Rebbe’s companion. “Is he carrying a letter?” The attendant replied that he was not. “Then why is he going to the Holy Land?” The attendant replied that he did not know.

They decided not to rely on the attendant anymore, feeling that he was trying to mislead them. They told him, “Even though we knew you to be an honorable man, we have grave doubts that you have retained your integrity.”

Not realizing that they were referring to the mysterious stranger, they asked the attendant, “Have you asked your master, Rebbe Nachman of Medvedevka, if you should travel with this man?” He answered that he had. But by this time, they no longer believed anything he said. They had already made up their minds that the Rebbe was a schemer, going to cause trouble in the Holy Land.

They went to the Rebbe himself, questioning him about his identity, his home and his family. But the Rebbe stood firmly and would not reveal a thing. They used every possible ruse, trying to discover some clue as to his identity. He understood their game and answered their questions in such a way that they could determine absolutely nothing. He bewildered them completely, twisting and confusing their questions until their only conclusion was that they knew nothing at all.

He constantly played a different role. For example, one day they asked him if he was a Kohen.¹⁷ He answered that he was. The next day they suddenly asked him if he was a Yisrael.¹⁸ He again answered that he was. They asked him, “Yesterday you said that you were a Kohen. How can you now tell us that you are a Yisrael?” He answered, “Kohen is the attribute of mercy (Tikkuney Zohar #30). Yisrael is another attribute. Thank God, I have both attributes.”

footnotes: ¹⁷ A member of the Jewish priestly class, descended from Aaron. ¹⁸ A regular Israelite, not belonging to the priestly or Levitical classes.

They stormed at him, “It is obvious that you are one of the oppressors. You are using tricks, trying to hide it!” They began to hate him bitterly, hurling every possible insult at him. For many days, they cursed him in every way imaginable. One of the pair was especially ugly in his words toward the Rebbe.

But the Rebbe began to reach out to them. He told them, “I cannot tell you the reason for my journey, for my heart has not even revealed it to my mouth (Kohelet Rabbah 12:10; Tikkuney Zohar #21, 50a). Yet, ‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity’ (Psalms 133:1) – even if they do not know one another’s true intention.”

They replied, “If you tell us your reasons, you will certainly receive great good.” The Rebbe answered, “I do not need any good from you, and no matter what happens, I will not tell you my reasons. But if you wish, you can obtain much good from me.”

They said to him, “The way you speak, one would think that you are a famous tzaddik such as Rabbi Baruch,¹⁹ Rabbi Shalom²⁰ or Rebbe Nachman. They speak in these mysterious ways. But we are pretty sure that you are not one of them. We know what your business is. You’re going to cause trouble for the great tzaddik, Rabbi Abraham.”

footnotes: ¹⁹ Rabbi Baruch of Tulchin and later of Medzeboz (1757-1811), grandson of the Baal Shem Tov and uncle of Rebbe Nachman. ²⁰ Rabbi Shalom Shachna of Probishtch (1760?-1803), grandson of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch.

They warned the Rebbe that a letter would precede him to the Holy Land, warning the community that he was a troublemaker and a spy, so he could not mislead them.

They also plotted with the ship’s agent, a Polish Jew married to a Sephardic woman. His mother-in-law was an important official and had access to the palace.

They went to the agent and told him, “For God’s sake, don’t let this stranger leave for Israel. He is one of our enemies, trying to have Jews expelled, Heaven forbid. Do anything you can to stop him and God will grant you a double reward!” The Rebbe and his attendant knew nothing at all about this.