# קיב
קיב
Source: https://ajew.org/reader/alim-litrufa/2/112
## Segment 1
קיב
Nussun of Breslov.
## Segment 2
בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, יוֹם א' אַחַר חֲצוֹת וָאֶתְחַנַּן תקצ"ג.
And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great love.
## Segment 3
אֲהוּבִי בְנִי חֲבִיבִי שָׁלוֹם לְךָ וּלְבֵיתְךָ.
To: My beloved son, my dear one — peace to you and to your household. [Yitzchok]
Your letter I received at this hour — and I have no time to reply — but from
## Segment 4
מִכְתָּבְךָ קִבַּלְתִּי בְּזֹאת הַשָּׁעָה, וְאֵין לִי פְּנַאי לַהֲשִׁיבְךָ, אַךְ מִגֹּדֶל תְּשׁוּקָתְךָ הַהֶכְרֵחַ לְמַלְּאוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ לַהֲשִׁיבְךָ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר עַל כָּל פָּנִים.
the greatness of your longing it is imperative to fulfil your wish and reply
to you something at any rate.
## Segment 5
וְהִנֵּה צַעֲרִי גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מֵעִנְיַן הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁלְּךָ מֵחֻלְשַׁת זוּגָתְךָ תִּחְיֶה, וּמֵעִנְיַן אַדֶעס, אַךְ כְּבָר יָדַעְתִּי הֵיטֵב בְּבֵרוּר גָּדוֹל שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם מָלֵא יִסּוּרִים וְכוּ' כַּנִּדְבַּר בֵּינֵינוּ הַרְבֵּה בָּזֶה. וּכְבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ זַ"ל שֶׁכָּל הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא יוֹדֵעַ אוֹתָם מִקֹּדֶם וְכוּ' וְלוּלֵא זֹאת הָיָה קָשֶׁה לוֹ לְקַבְּלָם וְכוּ'; וְדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם אָמַר (תְּהִלִּים ל"ח) "כִּי אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן וְכוּ' חוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי" וְכוּ'. אַךְ אַף עַל פִּי כֵן צְרִיכִין לֵידַע שֶׁמִּדָּה טוֹבָה מְרֻבָּה, וְחֶסֶד אֵל כָּל הַיּוֹם. וְאִלְמָלֵא הַחֶסֶד וְהָרַחֲמִים הַנִּפְלָאִים שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין גְּדוֹלֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים, וּבִפְרָט צַדִּיקֵי שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר שֶׁהֵם מִתְפַּלְּלִין עַל הָעוֹלָם, וְלוּלֵא הַיְשׁוּעוֹת וְהַחֲסָדִים וְהַנִּסִּים וְהַנִּפְלָאוֹת שֶׁנִּמְשָׁכִין בְּכָל יוֹם עַל יְדֵי תְּפִלָּתָם הַנּוֹרָאָה, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לָאָדָם לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לֵב לְהָבִין יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת זֹאת כִּמְעַט בְּכָל יוֹם עַל יְדֵי הַדְּבָרִים וְהַהַרְפַּתְקָאוֹת שֶׁעוֹבְרִים עָלָיו וְעַל כָּל אָדָם בְּכָל יוֹם מַה שֶּׁרוֹאֶה קְצָת וּמַה שֶּׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ קְצָת, מִלְּבַד רִבּוּי הַדְּבָרִים וְהַהַרְפַּתְקָאוֹת הַנַּעֲשִׂים בָּעוֹלָם בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בְּכָל עִיר וָעִיר וְכוּ' וְעִם כָּל אָדָם בִּפְרָטִיּוּת מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר בַּמֹּחַ, רַק הֶחָכָם יָבִין מִדַּעְתּוֹ מִמַּה שֶּׁרוֹאֶה וְשׁוֹמֵעַ קְצָת, לְהָבִין מִזֶּה, בִּשְׁאָר מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה בְּכָל יוֹם, וּמִכָּל זֶה יוּכַל לְהָבִין רְמָזִים לְבַל יְבַהֲלוּהוּ רַעְיוֹנָיו מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלָיו, הֵן בְּפַרְנָסָה, הֵן בִּבְרִיאוּת, וּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים, רַק מִכֻּלָּם יִזְכֹּר בַּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מִכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אֵיךְ שֶׁהוּא, כִּי גַּם בִּשְׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּיּוֹת יְכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת סָמוּךְ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְלִזְכֹּר אֶת עַצְמוֹ בַּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל עֵת, בִּפְרָט עַל יְדֵי הַשִּׁנּוּיִים וְהַהַרְפַּתְקָאוֹת הָעוֹבְרִים עָלָיו, שֶׁכֻּלָּם הֵם רַק בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה בִּשְׁבִיל לְרַמֵּז לוֹ וְכוּ' כַּיָּדוּעַ לָנוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר כְּבָר דִּבַּרְנוּ בָּזֶה הַרְבֵּה.
And behold — my sorrow is very great regarding
your sufferings — from the weakness of your wife — may she live — and from the
matter of the debt. But I already know well — with great clarity — that the
whole world is full of sufferings — as we have spoken much about this between
us. And I have already heard from him — of blessed memory — that
## Segment 6
וְאֵיךְ שֶׁהוּא תְּפִלָּה וּצְעָקָה מוֹעִיל לְכָל דָּבָר, אַךְ קָשֶׁה לִצְעֹק וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל כִּי אִם עַל יְדֵי דֶּרֶךְ הַנַּ"ל כְּשֶׁאֵינָם מִתְבַּהֲלִים כָּל כָּךְ רַק יוֹדְעִים שֶׁכָּךְ מַנְהִיג הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הָעוֹלָם, וְכָךְ הוּא הַנִּסָּיוֹן שֶׁל כָּל אָדָם שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר עָלָיו מַה שֶּׁיַּעֲבֹר בְּכָל יוֹם, וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הָאָדָם וְהַזְּמַן. זֶה מְנַסִּין בַּעֲנִיּוּת גָּדוֹל וְזֶה בַּעֲשִׁירוּת מֻפְלָג, וְזֶה בְּפַרְנָסָה כָּזֹאת וְזֶה בְּפַרְנָסָה כָּזֹאת וְכוּ' וְכוּ', וְכָל הַשִּׁנּוּיִים שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂין בָּאָדָם וּבַזְּמַן, בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל אָדָם אֲשֶׁר עָצְמוּ מִסַּפֵּר, כִּי אָדָם זֶה בְּזֶה הַיּוֹם לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו וּלְפִי נִשְׁמָתוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהִתְנַסּוֹת בְּעִנְיָן זֶה דַּיְקָא, וְזֶה בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר לְגַמְרֵי, אֲבָל הַצַּד הַשָּׁוֶה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם, שֶׁכֻּלָּם מְלֵאִים דְּאָגוֹת וִיגוֹנוֹת וְיִסּוּרִים בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, וְכֻלָּם אֵין לָהֶם בַּמֶּה לְהַחֲיוֹת וּלְנַחֵם עַצְמָן כִּי אִם בַּמֶּה שֶׁחוֹטְפִין בְּכָל יוֹם אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה תּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה וּצְדָקָה וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וְכוּ', שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יַצְלִיחוּ לָנֶצַח, וְחוּץ מִזֶּה הַכֹּל הֶבֶל. אֲפִלּוּ אִם הָיָה לוֹ כָּל הָעֲשִׁירוּת וְהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה שֶׁל כָּל בְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאֵין מִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְכוּ', כַּאֲשֶׁר יָדוּעַ לָנוּ כְּבָר. עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרָנוּ רַחֲמָיו לִכְתֹּב דְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הַמֻּעָטִים הַמַּחֲזִיקִים הַרְבֵּה מַה שֶּׁלֹּא עָלָה עַל דַּעְתִּי לִכְתֹּב דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ, וּמֵאֵת ה' הָיְתָה זֹאת, נִפְלָאת הִיא נִפְלְאוֹת תְּמִים דֵּעִים הַחֲסָדִים וְהַיְשׁוּעוֹת שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּנוּ בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת. וּבָזֶה בָּטַחְנוּ שֶׁסּוֹף כָּל סוֹף יִהְיֶה אַחֲרִיתֵנוּ לְטוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאַל יַעַזְבֵנוּ וְאַל יִטְּשֵׁנוּ בְּחַסְדוֹ הַגָּדוֹל יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ לָנֶצַח.
all his own sufferings — he knew them in advance
— and were it not for this it would have been hard for him to receive them.
And King David — peace be upon him — said:
for I am prepared for collapse — and my pain is before me always...
hasten to my help
[כִּי אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן... חוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי —
Tehillim 38:18: the Psalm of David in physical and spiritual anguish.
Ki ani l'tzela nachon — "I am prepared for collapse." Yet even from
this place the prayer is launched: chusah l'ezrasi — hasten to my
help]
[Tehillim 38:18]
and so forth. But even so — one must know that
the attribute of good is greater — and the kindness of G-d
is all the day
[מִדָּה טוֹבָה מְרֻבָּה, וְחֶסֶד אֵל כָּל הַיּוֹם —
Midah tovah m'rubah: the Talmudic principle (Sotah 11a) that the
divine measure of good exceeds the measure of retribution five-hundredfold.
Chesed El kol hayom: Tehillim 52:3 — "the kindness of G-d endures
all the day." Together: sufferings are real but surrounded and exceeded by
divine goodness that persists throughout every day]
[Tehillim 52:3].
And were it not for the wondrous kindness and mercies that the great
tzaddikim draw down — and especially
the tzaddikim who dwell in the dust — who pray for the
world
[צַדִּיקֵי שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר שֶׁהֵם מִתְפַּלְּלִין
עַל הָעוֹלָם — the departed righteous who continue to intercede for the world
from their resting places. Based on the Talmud (Bava Metzia 85a and Brochos
18b) that the righteous even in death pray on behalf of the world. The Rebbe
in his resting place in Uman is foremost among these]
— and were it not for the salvations and kindnesses and miracles and wonders
that are drawn through their awesome prayer every day — certainly a person
would not have been able to sustain themselves. And one who has a heart to
understand can see this almost every day through the things and adventures
that pass over him — and what he sees a little and what he hears a little
— apart from the multitude of things and adventures that happen in the world
each day in every city — and with each person individually — which are beyond
the mind's ability to estimate.
Only the wise person understands from his own understanding — from what he
sees and hears a little — to understand from this: in
the other provinces of the King of the Universe
[בִּשְׁאָר מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם
— malko shel olam: King of the Universe — the precise rabbinic
formula for divine kingship (*melech ha'olam* of the blessings; *malko shel
olam* in Talmudic prose). The image is a deliberate application of logical
reasoning — kal vachomer: the wise person observes a little of what
happens in his small local province and reasons from the seen to the unseen
— if such things happen in this one province, how much more must be happening
in all the other provinces of the King of the Universe. A universe-scale
extrapolation from local observation]
— what happens each day — and from all of this one can understand hints —
not to be frightened by his thoughts from all that passes over him — whether
in livelihood — whether in health — or other matters — rather from all of
them he should remember Hashem Yisborach from wherever he may be — however
he is — for even in the deepest depths of the underworld one can be close
to Hashem Yisborach and remember oneself in Hashem Yisborach at every time
— especially through the changes and adventures that pass over him — for
all of them are only for this purpose — to hint to him
— and so forth — as is known to us — as we have already spoken much about
this.
And however one is — prayer and crying out help for every matter. But it is
hard to cry out and pray — except through the above path — when one is not
so frightened — but rather knows that this is how Hashem Yisborach conducts
the world — and this is the trial of each person in the world — that whatever
passes over him each day should pass over him. And all is according to the
## Segment 7
דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ הַכּוֹתֵב מִנְּקֻדָּה שֶׁבַּלֵּב וּמְצַפֶּה לִישׁוּעָה.
person and the time. This one is tested through great poverty and this one
through extraordinary wealth — and this one through one kind of livelihood
and this one through another — and so forth — and all the changes that happen
to a person and in time — each day and each person — are beyond counting —
for this particular person on this particular day — according to his deeds
and according to his soul — must be tested in this specific matter — and that
one in an entirely different matter. But the common denominator of all of them
— is that all of them are full of worries and griefs and sufferings beyond
measure — and all of them have nothing with which to revive and console
themselves —
except through what they snatch each day of something
holy — Torah and prayer and charity and acts of kindness
— through which they will succeed forever. And outside of this — everything
is vanity. Even if he had all the wealth and all the world of all the world's
people — all the more so since there is no one who will have all this world.
Until now His mercies have helped us to write
these few words that hold much
[דְּבָרִים הַמֻּעָטִים הַמַּחֲזִיקִים הַרְבֵּה — a
precise Talmudic aesthetic: few words that contain great holding-power. The
style of the pithy utterance with great weight — the Mishnaic and Talmudic
ideal of concentrated wisdom. Reb Nussun marvels that what came to him to
write is precisely of this quality: the few words that hold much. And he
adds: what had not entered my mind to write — it was from Hashem. The
quality of the writing, its brevity and weight together, is itself a
divine gift]
— which had not entered my mind to write — and it was from Hashem. Wondrous
— the wonders of the One perfect in knowledge — the kindnesses and salvations
that Hashem Yisborach performs with us each day and at every time. And in
this we trust — that in the end our end will be good. And may He not abandon
us and not forsake us — in His great kindness — Yisborach His Name — forever.
The words of your father —
who writes from the point within the heart
[הַכּוֹתֵב מִנְּקֻדָּה שֶׁבַּלֵּב — the *nekudah
shebalev* of the *azamra* Torah (Likutay Moharan I:282) — the innermost
point of the soul that can never be fully extinguished. Reb Nussun signs
as one who writes from that very deepest place — a self-inscription of rare
intimacy in the entire collection]
— and who awaits salvation.
Nussun of Breslov.
[Translator's Note: Overview: Parshas Va'eschanan, Sunday after midday. *Malko
shel olam*: now identified as the precise rabbinic formula for divine kingship,
with the *kal vachomer* logic: from what one observes in one's small local
province, extrapolate to all the other provinces of the King of the Universe.
*D'varim hamu'atim hamachazikim harbeh*: now identified as the Talmudic
aesthetic of the pithy utterance with great weight — few words, great
holding-power — and Reb Nussun marvels that this quality came to him as a
divine gift, writing what had not entered his mind. The *tzaddikim shochnei
afar*. The *harpatka'os* as divine hints. The *nisayon* of each person. *Hakosei
minkudah shebalev*.
Key Themes
Malko Shel Olam — King of the Universe / Kal Vachomer
The precise rabbinic formula for divine kingship, used here as the basis
for *kal vachomer* reasoning: observe what happens in your small local
province — then reason to what must be happening in all the other provinces
of the King of the Universe.
A universe-scale logical extrapolation.]
## Segment 8
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
Nussun of Breslov.