וּבְיוֹם מָחָר בָּא וְאָמַר: שֶׁבָּא סְפִינָה מֵחוּץ־לָאָרֶץ עִם יְהוּדִים וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם גַּם־כֵּן שׁוֹחֵט מֻבְהָק. וְשָׁם בְּאוֹתָהּ סְפִינָה הָיָה הָרַב הֶחָסִיד הַמְפֻרְסָם מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב זְאֵב וָלְף נ"י וּשְׁאָר אֲנָשִׁים חֲשׁוּבִים. The next day, the agent came and told them that a ship carrying some Jews had arrived from Europe. Among the group was an expert shochet who could provide them with proper kosher meat. The ship had also brought the renowned Rabbi Zev Wolf²⁵Rabbi Zev Wolf (d. 1823) was a disciple of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, and the mentor of Rabbi Shlomo of Soroka, author of Arvey Nachal. See Shem HaGedolim HeChadash Z-9. of Charni, Austria, and other Jewish leaders.

וְשָׁאֲלוּ עַל רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, וְגִלָּה לָהֶם הָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִם רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל הָאֱמֶת. וְתֵכֶף שָׁלַח ר' זְאֵב הַנַּ"ל אַחֲרֵי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, שֶׁיָּבוֹא אֵלָיו לָאַכְסַנְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ וְיִקַבְּלוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה לְהִתְאָרֵחַ עִמּוֹ יַחַד. וְלֹא רָצָה רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל לָלֶכֶת אֶצְלוֹ, כִּי אָמַר: "כָּאן טוֹב לְפָנַי". The Rebbe’s attendant was introduced to Rabbi Zev, and told him the truth. Rabbi Zev immediately sent for the Rebbe, inviting him to stay with them. They urged the Rebbe in the friendliest way imaginable, but the Rebbe would not go. He said, “It is good for me where I am.”

כִּי הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה בִּסְטַנְבּוּל כָּל מִינֵי קַטְנוּת, וְהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ יָחֵף וּבְלִי חֲגוֹרָה וּבְלִי כּוֹבַע עֶלְיוֹן, וְהָיָה מְלֻבָּשׁ רַק בְּהָ"אִנְטֶער־שְׁלַאק" שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ מֵאֵיזֶה מַלְבּוּשׁ, וְהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בַּשּׁוּק כְּדֶרֶךְ בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים הָרָצִים בַּשּׁוּק וּמְצַחֲקִים, וְהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה מִלְחָמוֹת בְּדֶרֶךְ צְחוֹק כְּדֶרֶךְ בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים. וְהָיוּ מְכַנִּים אֶחָד בְּשֵׁם הַצָּרְפַת, וְאֶחָד בְּשֵׁם אַחֵר, וְעָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה וְהָיָה כְּעֵין תַּכְסִיסֵי מִלְחָמָה מַמָּשׁ. וְהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה עִנְיְנֵי קַטְנוּת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד שָׁם בִּסְטַאנְבּוּל. One reason why the Rebbe avoided Rabbi Zev was because he was doing all sorts of childish things in Istanbul. He went through the streets barefoot and hatless, wearing only his yarmulke and coat lining. Running in the street like a young child, the Rebbe played childish war games.²⁶Or maybe not so childish. See "His Wisdom" #77. He would name one child, "France," another something else, and engage in mock warfare using real battle strategy. This was one of the many childish things he did in Istanbul.

אַחַר־כָּךְ נָפַל הַדֶּבֶר רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן בְּחַאן (חָצֵר) זֶה, וְהָיָה מֻכְרָח לִבְרֹחַ מִשָּׁם. וְהֻכְרַח לִכָּנֵס בָּאַכְסַנְיָא שֶׁל רַבִּי זְאֵב הַנַּ"ל. וְעָשָׂה עֲבוּרוֹ סְעֻדָּה גְּדוֹלָה. וְהָיָה הָרַב ר' זְאֵב הַנַּ"ל נוֹהֵג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּלִי עֵרֶךְ. Then an epidemic broke out on his street, forcing him to flee. He then had to move in with Rabbi Zev. Rabbi Zev celebrated the event with a great feast in the Rebbe’s honor, showing him immeasurable respect.

וְרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, עָשָׂה כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים אָז שֶׁהָיָה כְּנֶגֶד רְצוֹן ר' זְאֵב הַנַּ"ל, אַךְ אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אַהֲבָה מְקַלְקֶלֶת הַשּׁוּרָה, וּמֵעֹצֶם הָאַהֲבָה לֹא הִסְתַּכֵּל עַל זֶה כְּלָל, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהָיָה בְּעֵינָיו פְּלִיאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת. The Rebbe did many things that may have annoyed Rabbi Zev, but as the saying goes, “Love breaks down all barriers” (Bereshit Rabbah 55:11; cf. Sanhedrin 105b). Rabbi Zev was so fond of the Rebbe that he ignored everything, even though he found some of his antics quite shocking.

כִּי בְּכָל־עֵת שֶׁהָיָה ר' זְאֵב מִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי הָעַמּוּד בְּשַׁבָּת כְּדֶרֶךְ הַמְפֻרְסָמִים, וְרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל הָיָה אוֹכֵל בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵת. כִּי הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל מִקֹּדֶם עַד שֶׁבְּעֵת תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל ר' זְאֵב הָיָה הוּא ז"ל אוֹכֵל סְעֻדָּתוֹ. וְכֵן הָיָה בְּלֵיל שַׁבָּת, וּבְשַׁבָּת בְּשַׁחֲרִית, וּבִסְעֻדָּה שְׁלִישִׁית. The first Shabbat that the Rebbe stayed with them, Rabbi Zev led the Friday evening prayers, as was the custom with many great tzaddikim. The Rebbe had prayed earlier and was already eating the Shabbat evening meal when Rabbi Zev began his worship. This happened again during the morning prayers and again at the late-afternoon seudah shelishit.²⁷The third meal of Shabbat, which follows the afternoon Minchah prayers.

וּבְעֵת שֶׁיָּשַׁב ר' זְאֵב לַסְּעֻדָּה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית, כְּבָר בֵּרַךְ רַבֵּנוּ בִּרְכַּת־הַמָּזוֹן. וְצִוָּה לְהָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִמּוֹ שֶׁיִּסְתַּכֵּל אִם יֵשׁ כּוֹכָבִים, וְהִתְפַּלֵל תֵּכֶף עַרְבִית, וְהִבְדִּיל, וְלָקַח הַלּוּלְקֶע וְנִכְנַס לְבֵית ר' זְאֵב. As soon as Rabbi Zev sat down to seudah shelishit, the Rebbe began to recite the Grace after Meals. He asked his attendant to tell him as soon as the stars became visible, and then prayed the evening service. He recited the Havdalah ceremony ending the Shabbat, lit his pipe and entered Rabbi Zev’s house.

וְהוּא הִתְחִיל בְּסָמוּךְ הַסְּעֻדָּה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית כְּדֶרֶךְ הַמְפֻרְסָמִים, וְתֵכֶף כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס רַבֵּנוּ לְשָׁם בְּלִי כּוֹבַע עֶלְיוֹן וּבְלִי חֲגוֹרָה וְהַלּוּלְקֶע בְּיָדוֹ, תֵּכֶף קִבְּלוֹ בְּכָבוֹד גָּדוֹל ר' זְאֵב הַנַּ"ל, וְבֵרַךְ בִּרְכַּת־הַמָּזוֹן מִיָּד, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַרְבִית, וְהִבְדִּיל, וְדִבֵּר עִם רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל כִּמְעַט כָּל הַלַּיְלָה. וְהָיָה אַהֲבָה גְּדוֹלָה בֵּינֵיהֶם. וְרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל עָשָׂה שָׁם כָּל מִינֵי קַטְנוּת כַּנַּ"ל. Rabbi Zev was just beginning seudah shelishit in the way of the renowned masters. In walked the Rebbe with his coat wide open, wearing only his yarmulke and smoking his pipe. Rabbi Zev still greeted him with great respect. He immediately said the Grace after Meals, prayed the evening service and recited Havdalah. Then he sat up all night speaking with the Rebbe with the utmost affection.

וְהָיָה שָׁם עַל קֶבֶר שֶׁל ר' נַפְתָּלִי ז"ל. וְכָל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עָלָיו בִּסְטַנְבּוּל בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וּבְרוּחָנִיּוּת תִּקְצַר הֲמוֹן יְרִיעוֹת לְסַפֵּר. All that happened in Istanbul, both spiritually and materially, would consume many volumes. There are the stories of all the Rebbe’s childish pranks, as well as the account of his visit to the grave of Rabbi Naftali.²⁸Rabbi Naftali ben Isaac Katz of Posen, who embarked on a journey to the Holy Land but passed away en route in Istanbul on 26 Tevet 5479/1719. Rabbi Naftali was an ancestor of Rebbe Nachman, he lived in Breslov for a while, and his journey paralleled that of Rebbe Nachman in many ways. His grave was considered a shrine for pilgrims to the Holy Land; there is a record that it was also visited by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk on his journey there. See Likutey Moharan I, 218.

וּכְפִי הַמּוּבָן מִדְּבָרָיו, שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם, בְּסַכָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה וְהָיָה סָבוּר שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי יִהְיֶה נִשְׁאָר שָׁם דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּסְתַּלֵּק שָׁם אַךְ ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ עָשָׂה עִמּוֹ נִסִּים הַרְבֵּה וְעָבַר עַל הַכֹּל. וְהַקַּטְנוּת הַנַּ"ל הוֹעִיל לוֹ מְאֹד. It is apparent from the Rebbe’s words that he was in tremendous danger in Istanbul. He was certain that he would remain there until he died, but God miraculously intervened and he was saved. The main things that helped were this childishness and degradation.

גַּם כְּשֶׁבָּא מֵהַקֶּבֶר שֶׁל ר' נַפְתָּלִי, נָפַל פִּתְאֹם עַל הָאָרֶץ וְשָׁכַב כָּךְ כַּמָּה שָׁעוֹת. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ הִנִּיחוּ אוֹתוֹ עַל הַמִטָּה וְשָׁכַב שָׁם כָּל הַלַּיְלָה עַד לְמָחֳרָת חֲצִי הַיּוֹם. וְהָיָה שׁוֹכֵב כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּגְוַע עַד שֶׁעֲזָרוֹ ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁקָּם מִמִּטָּתוֹ וְחָזַר לְאֵיתָנוֹ. When the Rebbe returned from Rabbi Naftali’s grave, he fainted suddenly and lay still for several hours. They placed him in bed, where he lay all night until noon the next day. He was on the verge of death, until God helped him and restored his health.

וְהָיָה לוֹ סַכָּנוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת רַבּוֹת וַעֲצוּמוֹת, וּמְנִיעוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר בְּכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל רֶגַע שָׁם. וְאָמַר: שֶׁהַבִּזְיוֹנוֹת וְהַקַּטְנוּת הַנַּ"ל הוֹעִיל לוֹ מְאֹד כַּנַּ"ל. This was just one of the great dangers and countless barriers that he encountered every day in Istanbul. The Rebbe said that the insults and childishness sustained him.