# קטז
קטז
Source: https://ajew.org/reader/alim-litrufa/2/116
## Segment 1
קטז
Your letter I received today — and I am ready now to travel in peace — and I have no time to reply to you anything. It is good to give thanks to Hashem — that your longing and your consolation is the light of truth that illuminates all — for this is the consolation of all [זֹאת הִיא הַנֶּחָמָה שֶׁל הַכֹּל — echoing B'reishis 5:29 — Lemech at the birth of Noach: zeh y'nachamenu mima'aseinu — "this one will console us from our work and from the toil of our hands." Lemech's naming of Noach as the consolation of the generation from the curse of the land. Reb Nussun applies this to the Rebbe's light: as Noach was the y'nachamenu of his generation — the one who consoles all — so the Rebbe's light is the consolation of the entire generation] [B'reishis 5:29]. And to Hashem is salvation — that He have pity on you and help and save and protect you — that you merit to arrive at the true ultimate good. And you, my son — be strong and resolute — and begin from now in whatever you can.
## Segment 2
בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם, יוֹם א' נֹחַ רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ חֶשְׁוָן תקצ"ד.
And exult like a hero to run the path [וְתָשִׂישׂ כְּגִבּוֹר לָרוּץ אֹרַח — Tehillim 19:6: "and it rejoices like a hero to run its path" — the sun going forth from its chamber with joyful exultation. The image of heroic running applied to the fresh beginning: not hesitant but joyfully striding forward from the very first step] [Tehillim 19:6] — for the choice is always free — and one who comes to be purified — they help him [הַבָּא לִטָּהֵר מְסַיְּעִין לוֹ — Yoma 38b: the moment one turns toward purity, divine assistance arrives] and so forth. And you should merit to be well-versed in Halacha — for this is the secret of the intention of Elul — as you already know. How fortunate are we that we merit to know from such secrets as these — wondrous paths for each person in his service of Him, Yisborach.
## Segment 3
אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי, מִכְתָּבְךָ קִבַּלְתִּי בְּיוֹם ו'. וְהִנֵּה בְּרֹב מִכְתָּבֶיךָ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקּוֹל צַעֲקָתְךָ עוֹלֶה לַשָּׁמַיִם, אַךְ בְּרֻבָּם אַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ מֵשִׁיב תְּשׁוּבָתְךָ בְּצִדְּךָ תְּשׁוּבָה נְכוֹנָה וַאֲמִתִּית, בִּפְרָט מַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְתָּ בְּמִכְתָּבְךָ הַסָּמוּךְ שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מָקוֹם לָנוּס כִּי אִם לִקְבֹּעַ עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה. אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב וְנָכוֹן וְקַיָּם וְיָשָׁר וְכוּ' הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי תּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה הוּא עִקַּר הַבֵּית מָנוֹס, מִכָּל מַה שֶׁעוֹבֵר עַל הָאָדָם בְּכָל יוֹם; וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ"ל (קִדּוּשִׁין ל) בָּרָאתִי יֵצֶר הָרָע בָּרָאתִי תּוֹרָה תַּבְלִין, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תְּהִלִּים קי"ט) לוּלֵא תוֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי אָז אָבַדְתִּי בְעָנְיִי. וְשִׂים לִבְּךָ הֵיטֵב לַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וְתֵדַע נֶאֱמָנָה שֶׁמֵּעוֹדִי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, כִּמְעַט לֹא הָיָה עֵת שֶׁלֹּא עָבַר עָלַי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלֶיךָ, וּבְכָל פַּעַם נִדְמֶה לִי שֶׁכִּמְעַט אֶפֶס תִּקְוָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לוּלֵא ה' עֶזְרָתָה לִי בְּכָל יוֹם בִּדְרָכָיו הַנִּפְלָאִים שֶׁהִקְדִּים לְחַיּוֹתֵנוּ בְּשִׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טַעַם וְכוּ' עַל יְדֵי הַנַּחַל נוֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָה וְכוּ' וְכוּ'.
To: My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok]
Your letter I received on Friday. And behold — in most of your letters —
although the voice of your cry rises to the heavens — yet in most of them you
## Segment 4
זְכֹר כִּי אֵין שׁוּם זְמַן בָּעוֹלָם, וְהַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ וּפוֹרֵחַ כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר וְכוּ', וּבַצֵּל עוֹבֵר הַזֶּה יְכוֹלִין לְבַלּוֹת קְצָת בְּתוֹרָה קְצָת בִּתְפִלָּה קְצָת בְּשִׂיחָה וּצְעָקָה וְשַׁוְעָה וַאֲנָחָה וְלִתְלוֹת עֵינָיו לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּקְצָת בְּשִׂיחָה עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּמִלֵּי דִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבְמִלֵּי דְּעָלְמָא, וּקְצָת בְּעִסְקֵי מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וּפַרְנָסָה, וּקְצָת בְּהַהֶכְרֵחִיּוּת לְקִיּוּם הַגּוּף שֶׁהֵם אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וְשֵׁנָה וְכוּ', וּבְתוֹךְ כָּךְ חוֹלֵף וְעוֹבֵר הַיּוֹם, וְכֵן כַּמָּה יָמִים. וּבְתוֹךְ כָּךְ חוֹמֵל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וּמוֹשִׁיעַ וְעוֹזֵר מַה שֶּׁצְּרִיכִין כִּי לֹא לָנֶצַח יָרִיב וְכוּ'. וְהָעִקָּר לִבְלִי לַחֲשֹׁב מִיּוֹם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְאַל יְבַהֲלוּךָ רַעְיוֹנְךָ לֹא מִן הֶעָבַר וְלֹא מִן הֶעָתִיד, וְהַשָּׁעָה וְהַיּוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹמֵד תּוּכַל לִקְפֹּץ וּלְדַלֵּג וְלִבְרֹחַ מִמַּה שֶּׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִבְרֹחַ עַל יְדֵי כָּל הַנַּ"ל, וְעַל כֻּלָּם הוּא יְשׁוּעַת ה' וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו הָעֲצוּמִים אֲשֶׁר הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ עוֹשֶׂה עִם כָּל הָאָדָם בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים 'וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת' וְכוּ', בִּפְרָט שֶׁאָנוּ סְמוּכִין וְנִשְׁעָנִים עַל כֹּחַ וּזְכוּת בַּעַל כֹּחַ כָּזֶה, אֲשֶׁר הוּא זַ"ל בְּעַצְמוֹ הִזְהִירָנוּ לִבְטֹחַ עַל כֹּחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל מְאֹד הָעוֹלֶה עַל הַכֹּל. יֶתֶר מִזֶּה אֵין פְּנַאי לְהַאֲרִיךְ, כִּי תְּהִלָּה לָאֵל יֵשׁ לִי עַתָּה אוֹרְחִים חֲשׁוּבִים בְּבֵיתִי, כַּאֲשֶׁר יְסַפֵּר לְךָ מוֹסֵר כְּתָב זֶה.
yourself answer your own answer on your side — a proper and true answer —
especially what you wrote in the recent letter: that you have no place to
flee except to fix times for Torah. True and certain and
established and enduring and right
[אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב וְנָכוֹן וְקַיָּם וְיָשָׁר — the
opening formula of the morning prayer Emes v'Yatziv — the blessing
recited immediately after the Shema in Shacharis: "True and certain
and established and enduring and right and faithful and beloved and cherished
and pleasant and sweet and awesome and mighty and correct and accepted and
good and beautiful is this word upon us forever." Reb Nussun applies this
liturgical formula of absolute affirmation directly to Yitzchok's self-
diagnosis: your own answer is in the register of the morning's affirmation
of divine truth]
and so forth is this word — for certainly Torah and prayer is the essential
shelter from all that passes over a person each day.
As our sages of blessed memory said:
I created the evil inclination — I created the Torah as its antidote
[בָּרָאתִי יֵצֶר הָרָע בָּרָאתִי תּוֹרָה תַּבְלִין —
Kiddushin 30b: "I created the evil inclination — I created the Torah as its
antidote/spice." The Talmudic image of Torah as the seasoning-antidote:
just as salt or spice preserves meat from decay, Torah preserves the person
from the decay of the yetzer hara. The same divine act created both the
problem and its cure — and therefore the cure is perfectly fitted to the
problem]
[Kiddushin 30b].
And as it is written:
were it not for Your Torah which is my delight — I would then have
perished in my affliction
[לוּלֵא תוֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי אָז אָבַדְתִּי בְעָנְיִי
— Tehillim 119:92: "were it not for Your Torah which is my delight — I would
then have perished in my affliction." The Psalm of Torah devotion in 176
verses — the central verse of the person who has been afflicted and has only
Torah to sustain them. The *lulei* — were it not — is the existential
acknowledgment: without Torah, annihilation; with it, survival through the
affliction]
[Tehillim 119:92].
And apply your mind well to these things — and know faithfully that from my
earliest days until this very day — almost never was there a time when all
that passes over you did not also pass over me — and each time it seemed to
me that there was almost no hope — G-d forbid — were it not that Hashem
helped me each day through His wondrous ways — that He preceded to revive us
## Segment 5
וּבִישׁוּעַת ה' וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו הָעֲצוּמִים שָׂמַחְנוּ תְּהִלָּה לָאֵל בִּסְעֻדָּה שְׁלִישִׁית אֶתְמוֹל, וְלִבִּי נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלַי בְּהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּנָשִׁיב וְכוּ', וְרָקַדְתִּי הַרְבֵּה בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַה שֶּׁבְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה לֹא זָכִיתִי לָזֶה, וְהַכֹּל בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָיו וַחֲסָדָיו הַגְּדוֹלִים, מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה' וְכוּ'. יֶתֶר מִזֶּה יְסַפֵּר לְךָ מוֹסֵר כְּתָב זֶה יְדִידִי נֵרוֹ יָאִיר, חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ וְשַׂמַּח נַפְשְׁךָ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֶעָבַר, וּבַמֶּה שֶׁאָנוּ מְקַוִּים וּמְחַכִּים לִהְיוֹת עַל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הַסָּמוּךְ הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה. וְחֶדְוַת ה' הִיא מָעֻזְּךָ לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה כַּמָּה שָׁעוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם וּבִתְפִלָּה וְשִׂיחָה וְכוּ', וַה' אֱלֹקִים יַעְזֹר וְיוֹשִׁיעַ לְךָ בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהִוָּשַׁע חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה.
through the seven restorers of taste and so forth — through the flowing stream
that is the source of wisdom.
Remember that there is no time in the world at all — and everything flies and
passes like a passing shadow and so forth. And in this passing shadow one can
exhaust some time in Torah — some in prayer — some in speech and crying and
pleading and sighing and lifting one's eyes to Hashem, Yisborach — and some
in conversation with people in matters of heaven and matters of the world —
and some in the affairs of commerce and livelihood — and some in the bodily
necessities that sustain the body which are eating and drinking and sleep and
so forth. And amidst all this the day passes and goes — and thus many days.
And amidst all this Hashem, Yisborach, has compassion and saves and helps
what is needed — for
He will not strive forever
[כִּי לֹא לָנֶצַח יָרִיב — Yeshayahu 57:16: "for
He will not strive forever — nor will He be angry for all time." The verse
of divine compassion that does not persist in strictness: there is a
limit to the striving, a point at which Hashem's compassion overrides.
The promise that the present difficulties are not permanent but will be
relieved by divine mercy]
[Yeshayahu 57:16]
and so forth. And the essential thing is not to think from one day to the
next — and let not your thoughts frighten you — neither from the past nor
from the future — and the hour and the day in which you stand — you can jump
and leap and flee from what you must flee through all the above — and above
all of them — the salvation of Hashem and His mighty wonders that He,
Yisborach, performs with each person every day and at every time — as we say:
for Your miracles that are with us each day — and for
Your wonders and goodnesses at every time
— especially that we are leaning and relying upon the power and merit of such
a power-possessor — who himself warned us to trust upon his very great power
which surpasses all. Beyond this there is no time to extend — for praised be
G-d I now have distinguished guests in my home — as the bearer of this letter
will tell you.
And through the salvation of Hashem and His mighty wonders — we rejoiced —
praised be G-d — at the third Shabbos meal yesterday. And
my heart lifted my feet in that spirit that blew
[וְלִבִּי נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלַי בְּהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּנָשִׁיב
— Aramaic: "and my heart lifted my feet in that spirit that was blowing."
A rare Aramaic poetic phrase — possibly Reb Nussun's own coinage in the
Zoharic style — describing the involuntary yet spirit-driven character of
the dancing: the spirit that blew lifted the heart which in turn lifted
the feet. The dancing was not willed from below but received from above]
and so forth — and I danced greatly with the help of Hashem Yisborach — in
a way that I did not merit on Simchas Torah — and all of it is through His
wonders and great kindnesses.
Who can recount the mighty acts of Hashem
[מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה' — Tehillim 106:2: "who
can recount the mighty acts of Hashem — who can make all His praise heard."
The opening verse of the great Hallel-Psalm of Israel's history. Reb Nussun
applies it to the wonders of the Rosh Hashana-season gathering — the might
of what Hashem does with the Breslov community at Uman is in the register
of the Psalmic *g'vuras Hashem* — beyond human recounting]
[Tehillim 106:2]
and so forth. The bearer of this letter — my friend — may his light shine —
will tell you more. Be strong and resolute — and gladden your soul in the
past Rosh Hashana — and in what we hope and await on the coming Rosh Hashana.
And the joy of Hashem is your strength to engage in Torah several hours each
day and in prayer and conversation and so forth. And may Hashem G-d help and
save you in all that you need to be saved — quickly, lightly, speedily.
The words of your father.
Nussun of Breslov.
[Translator's Note: Overview: Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 5594 — the first letter after
Rosh Hashana. *Emess v'yatziv v'nachon v'kayam v'yashar*: the opening of the
morning liturgy applied to Yitzchok's own self-diagnosis. Torah as antidote —
*barassi yetzer hara barassi Torah tavlin* (Kiddushin 30b). *Lulei sorascha
sha'ashuai* (Tehillim 119:92). The full daily life portrait: Torah, prayer,
speech, weeping, business, eating, sleep — and the day passes. *Ki lo lanetzach
yariv* (Yeshayahu 57:16). Then the Rosh Hashana disclosure: *libo nasa raglov
b'hahu rucha d'nashiv* — the spirit blew and lifted the heart which lifted the
feet. Danced more than at Simchas Torah. *Mi y'malel g'vuras Hashem* (Tehillim
106:2).
Key Themes
Emess V'yatziv — Morning Liturgy Applied
The formula of absolute affirmation from the morning prayer *Emes v'Yatziv*
applied to Yitzchok's own answer: fixing times for Torah is true, certain,
established, enduring, and rig
ht — in the register of the Shema's
post-blessing.]
## Segment 6
דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ.
[Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ....]
## Segment 7
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]