Rabbi Avraham Chazan, known as Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Nachman, was born in 5609 (1849) in Tulchin. He was the son of Rabbi Nachman Chazan, known as Reb Nachman of Tulchin, the closest disciple of Rabbi Nathan of Breslov, who was himself the closest disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. After Reb Nathan's death, his father led the Breslov chassidim in Uman and published Likutei Halachot.

As a young man he would leave home for the entire week to meditate and pray in seclusion (hitbodedut) in the forest, subsisting on very little food. He studied Rebbe Nachman's teachings in great depth. He once said: “I hope that 10,000 years after the Resurrection, I will be worthy of understanding even one of Rebbe Nachman's statements the way the Rebbe himself understood it in this world!”

After his father died in 1884, he wrote down the stories and traditions he had heard from him, which formed the basis of his book Kochvei Ohr. In 5654 (1894) he settled in Jerusalem, yet traveled every year to the Rosh Hashanah gathering at Rebbe Nachman's grave in Uman. On his journey in the summer of 1914, the outbreak of World War I prevented his return, and he remained in Uman, teaching. His students Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender and Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Rosen later became leaders of Breslov in Jerusalem.

His works include Kochvei Ohr, Biur HaLikutim (a commentary on Likutei Moharan, partly published in 1908 and in full in 1935), Chochmah U'Tevunah on Rebbe Nachman's Tales, Sichot V'Sippurim, Yemei HaTla'ot and the prayers Sasson V'Simchah. Much of his writing was lost.

He fell ill on Rosh Hashanah 5678 and passed away during Chanukah, on 29 Kislev 5678 (December 1917). He was buried in the new cemetery of Uman with the inscription “Rabbi Avraham ben Nachman HaLevi Chazan of the Land of Israel.” The cemetery was later destroyed; his grave was located through testimony and a new tombstone was erected around 1999 by Ohalei Tzaddikim.