PILGRIMAGE Uman
Tomb of Tzadik Nachman in Uman
The tomb of Tzadik Nachman in Uman is a place of pilgrimage for Hasidim from all over the world. Every year during the celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Uman turns into the religious capital of Hasidism. The streets of the city are crowded, it is almost impossible to find free housing, so if you want to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nahman and learn more about him, it is better to choose any other day for your visit to Uman. If you want to visit here on Rosh Hashanah, you need to plan your visit in advance and book a place to stay overnight.
Who is Rabi Nachman?
Hasidism is one of the branches of Judaism. This teaching originated on the territory of Ukraine. One of the most respected Hasidic leaders – is Nachman, the great-grandson of the founder of Hasidism. He was born in Bratslav and at a very young age became a rabbi – the spiritual leader of the local Jewish community. His teaching spread far beyond Bratslav and earned him great respect and thousands of followers.
In 1810, he moved to Uman. However, he did not live here for long – his entire family and the Rebbe himself fell ill with tuberculosis, which was incurable at the time. In the same year 1810, Nachman died.
Tzadik Nachman’s last sermon was timed to the New Year according to the Jewish calendar. In it, he ordered his followers to bury themselves in Uman and come to his grave every year. Within a month, the tzaddik was gone, but his teachings and testament spread throughout the world.
Rabbi Nachman promised that he will definitely save the soul of the one who comes to his grave, gives alms and recites ten chapters of Psalms: “I will grab you by the peis and pull you out of hell, no matter what it is there and no matter what bad deeds you have done “.
Tomb of Tzadik Nachman
The history of Rabbi Nachman’s tomb in Uman has a rich and rather complex history. It became a place of pilgrimage for many followers of his teachings even before the mid-1920s. However, after the Bolshevik coup, it became increasingly difficult for pilgrims to come to Uman.
The grave of the tzaddik Nachman was destroyed during the Second World War, and in the post-war years the territory of the old Jewish cemetery was built up with residential buildings. However, at the end of the 1980s, a pilgrimage to the grave began, which began to gain popularity after Ukraine gained independence. The Breslover Chasidim received the land where the grave was located, and built a grave complex on this site.
In 1993, two Israeli Hassids tried to steal Nachman’s remains for reburial, but were stopped by Ukrainian police. The following year, the President of Ukraine recognized Tzadik’s burial place as a Historical and Cultural Center. Although it was suggested several times to rebury Nachman’s remains in Jerusalem, the Hasidim rejected the idea because it was against the will of their teacher.
The Historical and Cultural Center of Uman Charitable Fund is engaged in the protection of the territory of the Historical and Cultural Center, on the territory of which is the Tomb of Tzadik Nachman, which, in turn, is located in Uman within the territory of the Ancient Jewish Cemetery, marked on the ancient plan of the city of Uman in 1842.
How to get to the Grave
To get to the Tomb, you can use minibuses No. 9, 14, 18 that run from Uman bus station to the burial place. In Uman, you should also visit the Sofiivka Park. To get to the place, you can use buses from Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, or train from Lviv.
