2) Before going on a journey, one should give money to charity. Then nothing will delay him or trouble him on the way (31:4).
3) All the traveling a person has to do is because of flaws in his faith in God. Such flaws are actually a form of idolatry. At times traveling can be a tikkun for these flaws, and this removes the force of anger from the world and draws down the influence of love (40).
4) Neglect of Torah causes exile (Ibid.).
5) A person may spend his life as a `fugitive and a wanderer' (Genesis 4:14) and at times he may come to places which are very far from God the homes of the wicked, or even the homes of heathens. Even so a Jew has the power to elevate all these places to God. He should simply do his part and bring himself as close as he can to God regardless of where he may be (II, 76).
6) When a person has heart there is nowhere that presents an insufferable barrier against his serving God. It is no excuse to say that in a certain place the barriers are so great that it is impossible to serve God. When a person has a heart, all the places in the entire world are his (56).
7) Whenever you are on a journey, make sure that you go to the mikveh. The mikveh has the power to save us from murder (Chayey Moharan, Avodat Hashem 30).
ADVICE from RABBI NACHMAN
Online English translation of Likutey Etzot
A compendium of Rabbi Nachman's practical teachings on spiritual growth and devotion.
© AZAMRA INSTITUTE 5766 / 2006