Today, the 19th day of Av, is the Yortzei of Rav Naftali Hertz of Nemirov. He was one of the closest students of Rabbeinu z”l and a very close friend of Rav Noson z”l.

Rav Naftali was born in the year 1780 to a very well known Chassidic family and from a young age toiled in Torah and Davening. He became close to Rebbe Nachman along with Rav Noson and the two became Rabbeinu’s closest disciples and they were able to achieve a very personal relationship with Rabbeinu that none of the other chassidim had.

Rebbe Nachman said that Rav Naftali and Rav Noson know and understand more about him than anyone else. Rabbeinu said “Just as my enemies know nothing about me, so to my followers know nothing about me except for Noson and Naftali who know a little”.

Rav Naftali merited to hear a conversation from Rebbe Nachman about the coming of the Moshiach and the end times. It happened when they were on the way to Breslov one time that Rebbe Nachman started revealing secrets about Russia and what will happen when Moshiach comes and about the resurrection of the dead. Rav Naftali did not reveal these secrets to anybody. Before he died, he told them over to his student Rav Aharon Lipovitz z”l and Rav Aharon passed them over to Rav Avraham Bar Nachman (author of Biur Halikutim and Kochvei Or). One time they asked Rav Naftali about what will happen at the end and he asked “Do you learn the seforim of Rebbe Nachman”? I received from Rabbeinu that when the sefer Liktuei Moharan is accepted in the world then it will be possible to prepare for the geulah.

Rabbeinu revealed the Tikkun Klali in front of Rav Naftali and Rav Aharon (The Rav of Breslov) and they were the two witnesses in front of whom Rabbeinu said that whoever comes to his kever, gives charity and says Tikkun Klali – that Rabbeinu will help them and also take them out of gehinnom by the peyos.

He passed away in the year 1859 and is buried in the new cemetery in Uman.

May his great merit protect us and all of Israel, Amen.