Q&A: Praying with a Breslov prayer leader
Praying with a Breslov Prayer Leader
Question
Hello and blessings, Rabbi. More power to you for this wonderful site; I make great use of it and really benefit from the enlightening answers!
Is it permitted from the outset, with no problem, to pray with a prayer leader who is Breslov? I heard firsthand from an avrekh who studies in the kollel of a great kabbalist in Jerusalem—many rabbis testify that he is a major authority in Kabbalah—that he is careful, in the prayer quorum where he prays, not to have anyone from the Breslov Hasidic group, because the entire prayer goes to the “other side,” and in his kollel he does not allow people to speak about Breslov because it is idolatry.
Breslov penitents say that Rabbi Nachman repairs souls, and that anyone who comes to him on Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Nachman gets him through the judgment. They say that Rabbi Nachman does repentance on their behalf. There are people in Breslov who say that the Creator of the world came down into the world in Rabbi Nachman’s body.
According to the laws of Maimonides regarding idolatry, that is definitely idolatry.
I live in the city of Bat Yam, and in the area where I live there are fresh, unstable Breslov penitents with distorted outlooks. But not every fresh penitent is like that, and I don’t know what every Breslov penitent believes.
Thank you very much.
Answer
Hello. As long as they are not praying to him, it is not idolatry. Both in Chabad and in Breslov there are signs that resemble idolatry, but I do not think they fall under that category. Some individuals among them, however, may very well have crossed the line and actually pray to their rebbe. If you have no other option, then you do not need to avoid them.
As for the wondrous kabbalists whose advice you seek, I would avoid that. Despite the decisiveness and ultimate knowledge about the upper worlds, he has no way of knowing what happens with your prayer in such situations or others. The discussion is halakhic, not metaphysical.
In short, it sounds like you are in an environment that is not recommended.
Discussion on Answer
It seems to me that it is definitely preferable, though not necessarily for halakhic reasons. If there is a regular synagogue of ordinary laypeople, that seems excellent to me.
Thank you very much!
Thank you very much for the answer. Just one more question, please: in the area where I live there are also other synagogues that are not Breslov. Rabbi, would it be preferable to go to a synagogue where there is no Breslov prayer leader, and thus not enter into any doubt?