Tormented Master

by Arthur Green

A biography of the controversial Hasidic rabbi and author of mystic tales, explores the personal conflicts that affected his spiritual philosophy

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, History, Biography, Nonfiction, Judaica, Religion

395 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Miles]

The essay on "Faith, Doubt and Reason" appended to the end of this book was one of the most influential pieces I read in my young religious life in the 1980s. I recently reread it with my philosophy study group and it holds up well. The story of Rabbi Nachman's life is also very well told. He was self-evidently a twisted and unhappy person, and yet out of his life and philosophy Rabbi Arthur Green weaves a beautiful and well-researched tale. The combination of scholarship, research and spiritual depth is itself a remarkable achievement. I strongly recommend this book.

[Nate Merrill]

This was the only Art Green book they had available, so I got it, half-expecting to be way out of my depth, but it was actually pretty understandable with my meager knowledge of the history of Hasidism. I was able to understand every thing except the most mystifying (ha) parts about Kabbalah.

The parallel's between R Nachman's thought and Christianity were often - just BAM in your face. Also: How much of R Nachmans internal pain was a result of just taking teaching about sin too seriously? I think it's fair to say in 2019 that he was also a manic depressive or bipolar or had anxiety or something. Today, Judaism doesn't talk about sin too much, esp liberal ones (especially about sex!), but how do you foster an awareness of it and a desire to avoid it without making yourself an eternal sufferer like R Nachman? Avoiding messianic claims might be a good start!

As Green says at one point, since so much of the material by Rebbe Nachman/Nathan of Bratslav is half-concealed allusion to R Nachman's own life, a biography is a logical way to explore his teachings. Nonetheless, the two excurses at the end of the book were both very good outlines of his thoughts, and I had to reread 'Faith, Doubt, and Reason' multiple to feel like I had gotten everything out of - a really really good piece of writing and argument, one that perhaps explains R Nachman's relevance and importance to 'seekers' (as Green puts it) who are living over 200 years since R Nachman passed away. The individual soul's yearning for Gd, confronted with Gd's simultaneous nonexistence and immanence, as the only reason to continue believing and doing...doubt as the sign of faith and the need for continued and strengthened faith...good stuff!!!

[Nathan Martin]

This was a masterfully documented biography and analysis of the life and writings of Rebbe Nahman of Bratslav. A converted PhD thesis the book is not always an easy read but is a fascinating look as some of the core teachings of this Hasidic master

[Gary]

The book is tough to get through but the last chapters make it all worth it. Very deep.

[Izzy]

Using this book, and Martin Buber’s one can get a little better understanding of the Sipuri mayses, an excellent example of early 19th century Yiddish writing ….

[Greg]

This is an excellent treatment on the life of Nahman of Bratslav. It is a biography prepared with love, but not a whitewash.

[Netanel Miles-Yepez]

A classic academic work on Rebbe Nahman of Bratzlav.