Is there a Sipurey Maasiyos with very good explanations

Question

Is there a good version of Sipurey Maasiyos by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov with excellent commentary, in English or in Hebrew?

Answer 1

There is an edition that contains two commentaries - the Sefer HaRemazim and Sefer Livyas Chein. You can find it on Hebrewbooks here

The Sefer HaRemazim is made up of numerous Rabbonim from those who were Rav Nachman's contemporaries to those who lived later in our generation.

The Livyas Chein was written by Rav Levi Yitzchak Bender zt"l who was a leading Breslover Rov leading the Breslov community in both Uman, Ukraine and and then later Yerushalayim.

You can find it for purchase here.

In addition, you can find an edition by the famed Breslover mashpia, Rabbi Baruch Mordechai (Mota) Frank, entitled סיפור השתלשלות הגילויים של ספר סיפורי מעשיות also on hebrewbooks - here. It is not so much a running commentary but more extracts some highlights and develops the ideas further.

Answer 2

1. Rimzei haMaasiyot by R' Nachman the Tcheriner was first printed with the 1902 Lemberg printing of Sipurei Maasiyot, and it's available here:

https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/רמזי_המעשיות_על_סיפורי_מעשיות

2. The Hashmatot to Rimzei haMaasiyot, published by his son R' Avraham, were first printed in that same edition and they're available here:

https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/רמזי_המעשיות_על_סיפורי_מעשיות

Print editions are more likely to contain these appendices if they're bilingual like the original i.e. with the Lashon haKodesh on top and Yiddish below on each page like the 1815 first printing.

Also remember that the 1815 first printing of Sipurei Maasiyoth contained in the back of the book, the texts that are known today as Shivchei haRan (but with header "Sipurei Ma`asiyoth" on the pages there), and Sichot haRan (only through #110 and with header "Likutei Moharan" there), as well as omissions from and corrections to the already printed Likutei Moharan.

So, the stories are interrelated with the Rebbe z"l himself and his life, and so the Shivchei and the Sichot are a kind of explanation and vice-versa, and so too with all the other holy sefarim and along the lines of Shir haShirim, the Zohar, and the Kitvei Arizal etc. as R' Natan z"l mentions in the Hakdamot, where he also already gives a bit of explanation:

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Tales_of_Rabbi_Nachman/Introductions

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Here is the 1815 printing for viewing or download:

• https://www.nli.org.il/en/books/NNL_ALEPH001124825/NLI This has been reprinted, for example:
• Print edition: ספר סיפורי מעשיות - Keren Hadfassah D'Chasidei Breslev, Jerusalem, 2002 (possibly later reprints too?). A Newly typeset edition of the original 1815, including the Second Introduction from the second printing and “many corrections."

Answer 3

Sefaria offers the digital version, both in Hebrew and (some sections) in English.

The Sefaria-version has the following chapters:

Tale 1; The Lost Princess

Tale 2; The Emperor and the King

Tale 3; The Son Who Could Not Walk

Tale 4; The King Who Decreed Conversion

Tale 5; The King's Son Who Was Made of Precious Stones

Tale 6; The Humble King

Tale 7; The Fly and the Spider

Tale 8; The Rabbi and His Only Son

Tale 9; The Clever Man and the Simple Man

Tale 10; The Burgher and the Pauper

Tale 11; The King's Son and the Maid's Son Who Were Exchanged

Tale 12; The Prayer Leader

Tale 13; The Seven Beggars

Talks Following the Story Tales

Additional Tales

The Treasure Beneath the Bridge The Gentleman Who Traveled With a Coachman

A Story of Trust The King and the Woodsman

A Story of Marror A Story of a Pauper Who Supported Himself From Digging Clay "You Have Labored in Vain"

Here is a excerpt from chapter Sippurei Maasiyos 1:2:

[The Princess Is Lost] Once, there was a king. On the way1 I told [such] a story that whoever heard it had a thought of teshuvah, return. And this is the story. The king had six sons and one daughter. The daughter was very dear to him, and he would cherish (in other words, love) her exceedingly and play with her very much. One time, while he was together with her on a certain day he became angry with her and the words, "Let the Not-Good take you away!" escaped from his mouth. At night she went to her room; in the morning no one knew where she was. Her father (the king) was very afflicted and went here and there looking for her. The viceroy [lit. second in kingship] arose because he saw the king was very distressed, and asked to be given an attendant, a horse and money for expenses, and he went to search for her. He searched hard for her, for a very long time, until he found her. (Now he tells how he searched for her until he found her.)

Answer 4

Beggars and Prayers by R' Adin Steinsaltz (from publisher Basic Books)

This is an old book which seems to be out of print, but I believe it is available on the net at Amazon, Ebay, etc.

It is the famous stories of R' Nachman in English with the personal interpretations of R' Steinsaltz based on Kabbalah Medrash and Torah sources and ideas. The explanations are also in English. It is highly understandable and revealing for a layman and seasoned scholar alike.

I have read it many times and it is a favorite in my family.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan wrote an exelant translation with an extensive commentary in English called "Rabbi Nachman's Stories". I even think Artscroll put out a children's version at some point.