קכ

To: My beloved son, my dear one — may he live. [Yitzchok] The attached letter for Petersburg — I prepared it on the eve of Wednesday past

— and it was from Hashem that it circulated in my mind until I wrote it then precisely — and it had not entered my mind to write to him such things — but everything came from Hashem. And I was waiting to send it on Wednesday immediately — and there was no messenger that day — and today there was also no messenger — and certainly everything is for the good. And behold — I received your letter on Wednesday and also today — and they are full of great and bitter cries — and I do not know what to reply. And today too I was somewhat occupied with some matter — and it is also Erev Shabbos Kodesh after midday. Even so — I said to prepare a letter for you immediately. And behold — you will receive the attached letter for Petersburg — and endeavour

to send it with urgency — for it is a great matter and a merit for the many — as you will see for yourself. For I did not seal this letter so that you can read it — and in my estimation this letter itself is an answer to you. And from there you can understand hints to yourself — since even in Petersburg — according to how Rabbi Zev who is written to there now stands — if even there there is hope — how much more so for you and so forth. For in truth all the things I spoke to him are words of truth and justice — that in truth our Rebbe — of blessed memory — directed his words also to him — how much more so to you, my beloved son. And in my estimation — in this itself it is fitting for you to greatly gladden your soul — and to give thanks for your portion — that you were saved at any rate from being far away in Adess — all the more so in Petersburg. And the difference you will understand yourself — even though also now what passes over you is passing. From this you can understand what would have been if it had entered your mind — as many like you do. May Hashem save you from wandering far away — G-d forbid — especially in such places. And if all this is still not enough to ease your sorrow — Know and remember well what our Master — of blessed memory — wrote in these words [Chayei Moharan 67]: "G-d is very great — one knows nothing at all — even in your matter — wherever each of you has fallen — there exists, however, such a thing that is an entirely different matter — and he concluded: the main thing is not to despair of crying out" [גָּאט אִיז גְּרוֹיס מֶע וֶויייסְט גָּאר נִיט... אַבִּי מֶע אִיז זִיךְ נִיט מְיָיאֵשׁ פוּן שְׁרַייעֶין — Yiddish with the manuscript's Hebrew translation in brackets. Hashem is very great — no one knows anything at all — even in your matter — wherever each of you has fallen. Yet there exists something operating there that is an entirely different order

of reality. He concluded: the main thing is not to despair of crying out] . And blessed is Hashem — you are not despairing of crying at all — and certainly the voice of your cry rises to the heavens. But my beloved son — you are frightened more than necessary. For G-d forbid to be drawn after the sorrow so much — especially since you have already seen the kindnesses of Hashem many times that He performed with you. Therefore do not fear and do not be afraid — for certainly He will never abandon you — and everything will be turned for good. And what some man disparaged and cursed you — G-d forbid — do not be pained by this — for this is explained in all the books that it is for good and it is atonement for sin — and an undeserved curse will not come to rest [קִלְלַת חִנָּם לֹא תָבֹא — Mishlai 26:2: a curse without cause cannot settle on its target — it returns to the sender and transforms into blessing] — and it will be turned to blessing. And certainly it is not for nothing that one must pray each day: save me from brazen people and brazenness — and to my curser let my soul be silent. With the help of Hashem you yourself will understand how to conduct yourself in this — but G-d forbid to be so pained about it. The truth is that one must receive hints to draw near to Hashem Yisborach from all that passes over a person each day — but G-d forbid to be in melancholy and sadness so much from every matter. For it is already known that a person is born to toil [אָדָם לְעָמָל יוּלָּד — Iyov 5:7: the universal human condition]

and so forth — and there is no day and so forth. And King David already cried out: for I am prepared for collapse [Tehillim 38:18] and so forth. And Yaakov our father said: and as I have been bereaved — I am bereaved [וְכַאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי — B'reishis 43:14: the most bitter words of paternal grief in the Torah — even the great Yaakov reached this point, and it did not end him] [B'reishis 43:14] — and many more like this. How much more so people of small account like me today — for everything is great kindness from Him, Yisborach. And especially that with the help of Hashem Yisborach we see each time wondrous expansions even within the very distresses and sufferings — and from many evils and troubles He, Yisborach, saves us entirely. It is good to give thanks to Hashem for all the kindness that He bestows upon us each day. And above all — that we merited to know from such a light — and not to be an opponent against it — G-d forbid — in this we have with the help of Hashem Yisborach wherewith to revive ourselves always in whatever passes over us — for he went out before us [כִּי הוּא יָצָא לְפָנֵינוּ — a military image from Bamidbar 27:17 and Sh'muel I 18:13: the leader who goes out at the head of the people before them into battle. Moshe's petition to Hashem to appoint a successor: "who will go out before them and who will come in before them." Applied to the Rebbe: he went out before us into the spiritual battles of

this world — he leads from the front. And therefore yigmor mah sheheitchil — he will certainly complete what he began] — and He will certainly complete what He began and save us forever. And because of the honour of Shabbos — and also the paper and ink are not writing well — it is necessary to be brief. And if Hashem will be with me — and send me more words after Shabbos — if Hashem wills — I will add to write as He wills in His mercies, Yisborach. And for now this suffices — be strong and resolute — and gladden your soul in the joy of Israel [שַׂמַּח נַפְשְׁךָ בְּשִׂמְחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל — evoking Yeshayahu 29:19: v'yosfu anavim b'Hashem simchah v'evyonei adam bikdosh Yisrael yagilu — "and the humble shall again rejoice in Hashem — and the destitute among people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel." The joy Reb Nussun wishes Yitzchok is not private spiritual contentment but the collective messianic joy of all Israel — the *simchas Yisrael* that is the ultimate promised state of the humble and the destitute, those who have waited and cried out]. The words of your father — who intercedes on your behalf. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Erev Shabbos Toldos. *Ki hu yatza l'fanenu*: now identified as the military image of Bamidbar 27:17 — the leader who goes out

at the head of the people before them into battle. The Rebbe went out before us into the spiritual battles of this world; therefore he will complete what he began. *Simchas Yisrael*: now identified as evoking Yeshayahu 29:19 — the collective messianic joy of all Israel, the ultimate promised state of the humble and destitute who have waited and cried out. *Gott iz groys* (Chayei Moharan 67). *Killas chinam lo tavo* (Mishlai 26:2). *Adam l'amal yulad* (Iyov 5:7).

*V'cha'asher shokalti* (B'reishis 43:14). Key Themes Ki Hu Yatza L'fanenu — Bamidbar 27:17 "He went out before us" — the military image of the leader who goes out at the head of the people before them into battle. The Rebbe went out before us into the spiritual battles of this world. Therefore he will certainly complete what he began and save us forever.]

And behold — I received your letter on Wednesday and also today — and they are full of great and bitter cries — and I do not know what to reply. And today too I was somewhat occupied with some matter — and it is also Erev Shabbos Kodesh after midday. Even so — I said to prepare a letter for you immediately. And behold — you will receive the attached letter for Petersburg — and endeavour to send it with urgency — for it is a great matter and a merit for the many — as you will see for yourself. For I did not seal this letter so that you can read it — and in my estimation this letter itself is an answer to you. And from there you can understand hints to yourself — since even in Petersburg — according to how Rabbi Zev who is written to there now stands — if even there there is hope — how much more so for you and so forth. For in truth all the things I spoke to him are words of truth and justice — that in truth our Rebbe — of blessed memory — directed his words also to him — how much more so to you, my beloved son. And in my estimation — in this itself it is fitting for you to greatly gladden your soul — and to give thanks for your portion — that you were saved at any rate from being far away in Adess — all the more so in Petersburg. And the difference you will understand yourself — even though also now what passes over you is passing. From this you can understand what would have been if it had entered your mind — as many like you do. May Hashem save you from wandering far away — G-d forbid — especially in such places. And if all this is still not enough to ease your sorrow —

Nussun of Breslov.