For anyone familiar with Rebbe Nachman and Bratslav
Hasidism, Zvi Mark’s book The Scroll of
Secrets: The Hidden Messianic Vision of R. Nachman of Breslav, does not
contain too many surprises.
Mark has
gotten access to a secret scroll guarded by Bratslav Hasidism for two-hundred
years, containing the prognostications of Rebbe Nachman’s regarding the coming
of the Messiah. Not surprisingly, since
Bratslav Hasidism has always been accused of elevating their rebbe to messianic
status, the messiah in the scroll closely resembles Rebbe Nachman and Bratslav teaching will be in the vanguard
of the Messianic Age, bringing in a new world order. But the beauty is in the details, and Mark does a excellent job showing the importance of the scroll in Bratslav self-conception.
Mark also deftly explains the complex
issues of esoteric and exoteric knowledge, messianic thought and expectations,
and the complex role of modern Bratslav Hasidim in explaining and propagating
their cause.
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