Segment 1
קיט
בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם, יוֹם ד' חַיֵּי שָׂרָה תקצ"ד.
דַּע בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי, כִּי הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ נִגְמַר בְּיוֹם ב', וְהַיּוֹם הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי בּוֹ פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹן, וְהוּא מְתֻקָּן וְטוֹב לְפָנַי. יְשַׁלֵּם ה' פָּעָלְךָ, תְּהִי מַשְׂכֻּרְתְּךָ שְׁלֵמָה מֵעִם ה', שֶׁתִּזְכֶּה לְהָסִיר מֵעָלֶיךָ הַבְּגָדִים צוֹאִים, וּלְהַלְבִּישׁ אוֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת. וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא קִבַּלְתִּי מִכְתָּבְךָ עֲדַיִן, אֵין בְּפִי מִלָּה לִכְתֹּב לְךָ עַתָּה, גַּם כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי לְךָ הַרְבֵּה הַרְבֵּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דַּי לְהַחֲיוֹת עַצְמְךָ וּלְשַׂמֵּחַ נַפְשְׁךָ תָּמִיד, רַק חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ.
דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ.
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
To: My dear son, my beloved one. [Yitzchok]
Know, my beloved son — that
the garment was completed on Monday
[הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ נִגְמַר — Reb Nussun has received a
new tallis katan or prayer garment, made with Yitzchok's financial
contribution. The Monday completion and Wednesday first use mark specific
days of gratitude]
— and today I prayed in it for the first time — and it is fine and good
before me. May Hashem repay your act — may your reward be complete from
Hashem — that you merit
to remove from yourself the soiled garments — and to be
clothed in festal robes
[לְהָסִיר מֵעָלֶיךָ הַבְּגָדִים צוֹאִים, וּלְהַלְבִּישׁ
אוֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת — Zechariah 3:4: "Remove the soiled garments from him
— and he said to him: See, I have removed your iniquity from you — and I
will clothe you with festal robes." The vision of the High Priest Yehoshua
standing before the divine messenger — accused by the adversary — and
having his soiled garments removed and replaced with festal robes as an act
of divine vindication and purification. The physical garment Yitzchok helped
provide becomes the occasion for the deepest spiritual blessing: that he too
will have his spiritual *bigadim tzoa'im* — the garments of iniquity — removed
and replaced with *machalatzos* — the radiant festal robes of the purified
and vindicated]
[Zechariah 3:4].
And since I have not yet received your letter — there is no word in my mouth
to write you now. And I have already written you very, very much — which is
sufficient to revive yourself and gladden your soul always. Only be strong
and resolute.
The words of your father.
Nussun of Breslov.
[Translator's Note: Overview: Wednesday, Parshas Chayei Sarah — the same week as
Letter 118. The garment Yitzchok helped fund is completed — Reb Nussun has
prayed in it for the first time. The material gift occasions the deepest
spiritual blessing: *l'hasir me'alecha habgadim tzoa'im u'l'halvish oscha
machalatzos* — the vision of Zechariah 3:4, Yehoshua the High Priest having
his soiled garments of iniquity removed and replaced with festal robes of
divine vindication.
Key Themes
Bigadim Tzoa'im / Machalatzos — Zechariah 3:4
"Remove the soiled garments — I will clothe you with festal robes." The
vision of Yehoshua the High Priest's divine vindication and purification.
The physical garment Yitzchok funded becomes the occasion for blessing that
his spiritual iniquity-garments too will be removed and replaced with
radiant festal robes.]