Thursday, August 11, 2011

Daniel Ambash and Rabbi Israel Odesser

B"H

Why I haven't continued writing about the Na Nach Nachma suspects being arrested due to abusing women and children ?

The reason is very simple: The Israeli press hardly reports anything on the case and even if, the name DANIEL AMBASH and further suspects are not mentioned. I don't have an explanation why, as most people know anyway who the main suspect is. Especially in religious circles.

Daniel Ambash was born in France where he once met Rabbi Israel Odesser and was so impressed by him that he made Aliyah and became a disciple of the controversial Rabbi who had, according to his own words, received a letter from heaven. The famous note including the Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman Mantra.


There are different versions on how Rabbi Israel Odesser received this Petek (Hebrew for note). The legend says that in 1922, Rabbi Israel was attacked by his Yetzer HaRah (negative side within a human being) and the result was that he ate on 17 Tammuz. Afterwards he regretted his failure so much that he fell into depression. Some sources claim that a student of his wrote the Petek and through it from a balcony at the Synagogue where the Rabbi was standing. Others say that the students wrote the Petek and put it into the book "Likutei Hilchot", Rabbi Israel was reading. He found the Petek and thought that Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (who died in 1810) had sent him a message. Thus, Rabbi Israel was forgiven for eating on the fast day 17 Tammuz.


Rabbi Israel Odesser. After some Ba'alei Teshuva started following him, they began calling him SABA (Grandfather).


Rabbi Israel Odesser passed away in 1994; at the age of 106. Shortly before he died, he claimed to be Rabbi Nachman of Breslov himself. The Rabbi has quite a weird history. He was born in Tiberias in 1888, and the legend says that, one day, he found a book of Rabbi Nachman. Originally, Rabbi Israel Odesser was born into a Karliner family but thrown out of the house when he decided to switch to Breslov.

The question is whether he was sane. Many people say NO. Especially after the Rabbi proclaimed himself as Rabbi Nachman from Breslov.




Today's Na Nach Nachma movement in Israel is mainly run by Daniel Ambash. A Ba'al Teshuva who is also making money with the Nana pop songs we always hear. As far as I understood, the movement considers Rabbi Israel Odesser as the Meshiach. 


Here is a brief video with a song promoted on Daniel Ambash's website. The song is about Rabbi Israel Odesser !



At the concert of the last Yahrzeit of Rabbi Israel Odesser. Location: The parking lot across Jerusalem's Sacher Park / Supreme Court. The singer is NATAN AMBASH, a son of Daniel Ambash.



I have to stress that Rabbi Israel Odesser and his later Na Nach Nachman Me'Uman movement do NOT represent the entire Chassidut Breslov. The chassidic group today consists of many branches. The original Breslovers whose ancestors were the followers of Rabbi Nachman. However, the new Ba'alei Teshuva movements such as Rabbi Eliezer Berland, Rabbi Lazer Brody or Rabbi Shalom Arush rather remind of cults where Rabbis publish themselves and run after money. Everything goes into their pockets on the back of Rabbi Nachman. By the way, Rabbi Israel Odesser and Daniel Ambash today fit into the same "money and being famous category". Giving a bad reputation to the original Breslovers.

8 comments:

  1. B'H

    I'm sorry but you need to be drug influenced, drunk or mentally insane to believe in that story of the Petek. Every time I hear about it, I cannot refrain from laughting. But on the other hand, it is so sad that hundred, maybe thousand, of people are believing in it!

    It reminds me of the famous video posted by the Meshichistim claiming that the Rebbe appeared in 770. Both stories show how far people are ready to go when they cannot cope with the passing of their dear Rebbe.

    In fact, those people believing in the Petek's story are mocked throughout all Meah Shearim! These are stories which ridicule us and our religion! No wonder that Litvakim have fun about Chasidus when hearing about Na Nach drug addicts and the lunatic Meshichistim.

    Moreover, see some videos of Rabbi Odesser on the Internet, and you will see that something was not turning round in his mind! Sincerly, I am quite sure that he was crazy and insane! I saw a video when he was proclaiming "Ani Na Nach Nachman M'Uman" and after that he was laughting like a devil! NO! Seriously, he was not sane at all! In fact, when you see his disciples of nowadays, you have almost no doubt that they are as insane as their master!

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  2. Not to mention that their song is a blatant rip-off (copyright infringement) of the popular Romanian song "Dragostea din tei"! Gneivas Daas!

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  3. B"H

    I watched a few videos and got the impression that he wasn't that learned. Obviously he accepted those hippie Baalei Teshuva and Ambash understood that there was money and fame around. Especially after Odesser had passed away.

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  4. This link explained what's the true story of the "Petek"

    http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/2006/09/based-on-childish-prank-na-nach-nachma.html

    And here are some interesting anecdotes about Rabbo Odesser: http://www.breslov.com/netzach/highlights.html but I have many doubts about many points described there, especially since it is a pro-Odesser's website.

    There it says that Rabbo odesser taught that:

    a) The Petek is a Sefer of Rebbe Nachman.
    b) Whoever does not believe in the Petek is not really connected to Rebbe Nachman.
    c) Whoever denies the validity of the Petek was not at Mt. Sinai at the Giving of the Torah.
    d) The Song Na Nach is the root of the entire Torah.
    e) The story of the Petek is the greatest miracle in Jewish History.

    Very arrogant statement. So, according to him 99,9% of Jews were not present on Matan Torah's day since 99,9% of Jews don't believe that forgery!

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  5. B"H

    Sounds like Odesser wanted to add a unique idea and get himself into the headlines. Ambash just used Odesser for making himself famous and important.

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  6. B"H

    According to different sources, Rabbi Israel Odesser claimed to have received the Petek directly from Rabbi Nachman.

    Do the Mafitzim believe that or would they acknowledge that the Petek was an encouragement written by Rabbi Odesser's students in order to get the Rabbi out of his depression ?

    Do you think the Nana movement will survive the Ambash scandal ? I think it would be positive to look for another head of the movement. Already due to his many wives.

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    Replies
    1. The na nachnikim definitely believe in the supernatural origins of the Petek.

      And there are many Na Nach groups. Daniel's may be the most visible.

      Here are just a few:

      nanach.org/
      na-nach.net/
      na-nah.info/
      nanach.net/
      breslov.com/netzach/
      youtube.com/user/bettlirs
      nachmanhome.com/english.htm

      Delete
  7. All Nanachs say that the Petek was written by Rabbi Nachman and then sent from Above to Rabbi Odesser.

    All Nanachs refute the option that the petek was written by friends and students to remove depression.

    Ambash was a subgroup in Nanach, there are many other groups. He was never a leader of the group and most Nanach's dissociated and had nothing to do with him for years already.

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