The most essential religious practice of Bratslav, and that which Nahman constantly taught was to be placed above all else in his disciples' hierarchy of values, was hitbodedut, lone daily conversation with God. The Hasid was to set aside a certain period of time each day, preferably out of doors, if possible, and always alone, when he was to pour out before God his most intimate longings, needs, desires and frustrations. Nahman emphasized the need to do all this aloud, to bring those usually unspoken inner drives to the point of verbalization. He also insisted that one do so in one's native language (in his case Yiddish) rather than Hebrew. From: Green, Arthur. Tormented Master. Copyright © 1996 by Arthur Green (Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Publishing). p. 144-45. $17.95 + $3.50 s/h. Order by mail or call 800-962-4544 or on-line at http:\\www.jewishlights.com. Permission granted by Jewish Lights Publishing, P.O. Box 237,Woodstock, VT 05091 Back to Introductory Biography