He was born in the town of Nemyriv, Ukraine (located nine miles (14 km) northwest of Bratslav), where his father had become a close disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Sternhartz remained close to his father all his life, and was the inspiration for his father"s substantial written correspondence during the last 15 years of Reb Noson"s life.
Sternhartz married at the age of 15 and moved to his bride"s home in Cherkasy, Ukraine, located some distance from Breslov. However, it soon became apparent that Sternhartz"s young bride was ill-equipped to deal with married life. The couple divorced in 1825.
Though Chanah was a good wife, she often opposed her husband"s Hasidic leanings and his adherence to Rebbe Nachman"s teachings.
He was selected to head the local post office, which in those days included the government bank. He also supported his father"s printing of Rebbe Nachman"s books and contributed to other charitable projects.
Foreign the rest of her life, Reb Nachman"s wife said that the clothing which Reb Noson bought for her that Passover was the nicest she ever had. In all he did, Sternhartz yearned for the encouragement and guidance of his father, the indefatigable leader (but not the rebbe) of the Breslov movement after Rebbe Nachman"s passing.
At every stage in his son"s life, he would offer support, admonishment, comfort and inspiration.
Often Reb Noson applied the teachings of Rebbe Nachman to the present situation and explained how to put them into practice. Sternhartz immigrated to the Holy Land in the summer of 1868, reaching Ottoman Syria. He died in the city of Safed in 1871 and was buried in the ancient cemetery at the foot of the grave of Rabbi Joseph Caro, author of the Shulchan Aruch.
