Rabbi Nachman Horodenker, [Breslaver Gd.Father]

• Ha'admor Rabbi Nachman of Horodenka
• Rabbi Nachman of Horodenka JewishGen
• Nachman of Horodenka Wikipedia

Rabbi Nachman Horodenker (yartzeit, 2 Tammuz), was a leading and close disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the paternal grandfather of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev.

Nachman Horodenker's son, Rabbi Simchah, married Feiga, the Baal Shem Tov's granddaughter, and named the Rebbe after him. In his youth, Rabbi Nachman Horodenker undertook very difficult devotions and rose to great spiritual heights.

One of the closest followers of the Baal Shem Tov, he moved to Tiberias in the Holy Land in 1764, where he is buried.

Rabbi Pinchus of Koretz said about him that as long as he would remain in (what was then) Poland, the Cossacks would be unable to enter the country. The massacre in Uman of 1768, took place not long after he moved and passed away.

--------------------------

Added by Yissochar Dov Berg:

When the Baal Shem Tov said to Reb Nachman Horodenker that he wants to marry off his children into his family (his granddaughter Faiga ended up marrying Reb Nachmans son Simcha), Reb Nachman at first didn't agree explaining that since his lineage comes from King David and its not fit for him to marry into the Baal Shem Tov's family, with this the Baal Shem Tov took out a written family lineage showing that he also comes from King David. (Siach Sarfei Kodesh)

----------------------------------------

• The Breslover Rebbe was the Great grandson of Baal Shem Tov
• The Baal Shem Tov
• Spiritual Tools: Dveikut: Rav Nachman of Horodenka

The 2nd of Tammuz is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Nachman (ben Yitzchak) of Horodenka, one of the first close colleagues of the Baal Shem Tov, whose mechutan he later became. His grandson was Rav Nachman of Breslav. In 1764, he emigrated to the Holy Land, and settled in Tiveria. The following year (1765), he passed away and was buried there.
 

We should pray to God often that we never forget Him, and that we attain more love for Him. “My Father in Heaven, help me to be aware of Your presence and to think of You always, without forgetting You for one minute. Let your love and fear always be in my heart.” Though it is good to say such prayers aloud, when you pray to be able to cleave to God, it is sufficient that this prayer be made mentally alone. (Rav Nachman of Horodenka quoted in Toledot Yaakov Yosef, Va’etchanan). [Rabbi Yitzhak Buxbaum; Jewish Spiritual Practices, Page 59]

כְּשֶׁפָּנָה הַבַּעַל-שֵׁם-טוֹב זַצַּ"ל אֶל רַבִּי נַחְמָן מֵהוֹרוֹדֶנְקֶע זַ"ל וְאָמַר לוֹ, שֶׁחָפֵץ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּךְ עִמּוֹ, לא הִסְכִּים לָזֶה רַבִּי נַחְמָן, בְּהַטְעִימוֹ לְרַבּוֹ הַבַּעַל-שֵׁם-טוֹב שֶׁזֶּה מֵחֲמַת גּדֶל יִחוּסוֹ הַמַּגַּעַת עַד לְדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ, הוֹצִיא לוֹ הַבַּעַל-שֵׁם-טוֹב כְּתַב יוֹחֲסִין וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ שֶׁגַּם הוּא כָּמוֹהוּ מְיוּחָס עַד לְדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם.