קא

To: My beloved son — the delight of my eyes [מַחְמַד עֵינַי — Yechezkel 24:16 and 24:21: Hashem says to Yechezkel: "behold I am taking from you the delight of your eyes" — referring to both his wife and to the Temple.

Machmad einayim is the prophetic term for the thing most precious, whose loss constitutes the deepest grief. Reb Nussun applies it as his highest term of endearment for Yitzchok]

— bound to the walls of my heart [נִצְמָד בְּקִירוֹת לְבָבִי — the root nitzmed appears in Bamidbar 25:3 for the illicit attachment of Israel to Baal Pe'or — a deeply negative Talmudic association. Here Reb Nussun uses the same root for its radical redemption: the holy bond of a father to his son, written into the very walls of the heart. The language of dangerous attachment becomes the language of sacred love]. Peace to you — do not fear — be strong and resolute! Know, my beloved son — that I have still not received your letter today. And today is Sunday — which you know that I am weak — and my mind is not clear as is known to you. But my love for you compelled me to write to you now before the meal — for it was from Hashem that I was engaged in writing Torah about the holy study of I will sing to my G-d while I yet exist — which I spoke of yesterday at the third Shabbos meal — which is in the aspect of the rising at midnight [בְּחִינַת קִימַת חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה — the Tikun Chatzos midnight vigil for the Shechinah in exile. The Talmudic teaching (Brochos 3b) that Hashem mourns at the first watch of the night is the spiritual ground of the midnight rising. The new dimension of the azamra Torah: it is from the midnight of one's lowest point that the going-out of redemption begins] — upon which redemption depends — in the aspect of at about midnight I will go out [כַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אֲנִי יוֹצֵא — Sh'mos 11:4: Moshe's declaration to Pharaoh before the plague of the firstborn. The word kachatzos — at about midnight — connects the midnight moment to the act of going out, of exodus, of redemption] and so forth. And as I was writing — I was reminded of my love for you — for I knew that you are very much in need of these words. Especially since all the new teachings I developed with the help of Hashem Yisborach at these times — wondrous new teachings in His great salvation — all of it came about through you — through the letter that reached me from you on Erev Shabbos Kodesh close to evening through my friend Rabbi Nachman HaYisiner — as I told you a little of this when you were here. Therefore I said — whatever the outcome — I will run these words to you [וִיהִי מָה אָרוּצָה דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה אֵלֶיךָ — an echo of Sh'muel II 18:19-23: Achima'atz son of Tzadok said to Yoav: "let me now run and bring the king tidings" — Yoav refused — but Achima'atz pressed: viy'hi mah aruzah — "and whatever it will be — let me run." And then: "so Achima'atz ran." The image is of the messenger who cannot be stopped, who must run with the news regardless of the outcome. Reb Nussun casts himself as Achima'atz — unable to withhold these words from Yitzchok even in his weakness — viy'hi mah — and whatever comes of it — he runs]. Perhaps I will merit to awaken you from your sleep — to revive you and strengthen you. Awaken, my son — awaken! Do not let your thoughts frighten you from whatever passes over you. Know and believe that all your good points are very, very precious in His eyes — and you can revive yourself through them always. And to enter into genuine merit — in the aspect of and yet a little while and there is no wicked one [וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע — Tehillim 37:10: even the *rasha* aspect dissolves with a small additional turning toward the good point] and so forth. Remember — remember well these awesome words — and do not let them seem old — rather return to them and return — well, well — and each day let them be in your eyes as new. And I longed greatly to copy for you a little of what I wrote about this — but it is impossible — for there is insufficient time. But I hoped in Hashem — when you will be here for the coming Shabbos Kodesh — we will speak of this — with the help of Hashem Yisborach — together with additional holy conversations — flowing from the holy and very awesome source of wisdom. And inform me immediately if you will be here for Shabbos Kodesh — for I longed greatly that you be here for this

Shabbos — only if there is a delay because of your brother-in-law's wedding — certainly you cannot come — and

Nussun of Breslov.

one who is under compulsion — the Merciful One exempts him

[אֹנֶס רַחֲמָנָא פַּטְרֵיהּ — Bava Kamma 28b: the Talmudic principle that the Merciful One exempts under unavoidable compulsion. Applied with characteristic lightness: if the wedding is unavoidable, Hashem exempts the son from coming to his father on this particular Shabbos] — and come, if Hashem wills, on some other Shabbos. The words of your father — who seeks your welfare with great love. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Parshas B'shalach, Sunday. *Machmad einai*: the prophetic term from Yechezkel 24 for the thing most precious — applied as the highest endearment. *Nitzmed b'kirot levavi*: the root of Baal Pe'or's illicit attachment radically redeemed as the language of holy paternal love. *Viy'hi mah aruzah*: Achima'atz of Sh'muel II 18 — the messenger who cannot be stopped, who runs whatever the outcome. *Kimat chatsos layla* — the midnight dimension of *azamra* — redemption hangs on the midnight rising. *V'od me'at v'ein rasha* (Tehillim 37:10). *Anuss Rachmana patrei*. Postscript: *chedvas Hashem hi ma'uzchem* (Nechemiah 8:10). *Hinei Elokim ozer li* (Tehillim 54:6) — the present-tense divine help. Key Themes Machmad Einai / Nitzmed — Yechezkel 24 / Bamidbar 25 *Machmad einayim*: Yechezkel's term for the thing most precious (wife and Temple) — applied as highest endearment. *Nitzmed*: the root of Baal Pe'or's dangerous attachment radically redeemed — the same word for the holy bond of a father's love written into the walls of the heart.]

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]