1 reply to this topic

[meirgoldberg]

I have a friend who gives hashkafa shiurim in a chassidishe bais medrash in NY and they got upset with him when he mentioned something from Rav Nachman of Breslov. Can you enlighten me as to whether there is any objection to Rav Nachman's approach, from other Rebbes or Gedolim. I once read (from an academic source) that some accused Rav Nachman of stating hashkafos which may have sounded like pantheism. Is this true and what were/are the Gedolim's views on this and him in general. Thank you. 

[Rabbi Shapiro]

There was disagreement about Rav Nachman's Seforim by the Shpoler Zeide (today that would translate into Skver - I would guess that your Chasidic friend is from there), but you should not worry about them. There were more than sufficient Torah authorities that valued the teachings of Rav Nachman highly. We may do so as well. And nothing there has to do with pantheism (that's just silly).