Segment 1
קכו
Overview: Wednesday, Parshas Vayeishev. Two fascicles of the new book sent via R' Mordechai. A male child born *mi'geza kodesh*. *Yonkosav*: now identified as Hoshea 14:7 — the verse of the ultimate Messianic restoration of Yisrael, the people flourishing again from the root and sending forth fresh tender shoots. The newborn's *yonkosav* will carry the Rebbe's holy lineage forward. *Tzaddik ka'tamar yifrach* (Tehillim 92:13). *M'vaser tov*: now identified as Yeshayahu 52:7 — the Messianic herald whose feet are called beautiful because they carry the announcement of redemption for all Israel. The birth in the holy lineage points toward the ultimate *m'vaser*.
Segment 2
בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם, אוֹר לְיוֹם ב' מִקֵּץ ג' דַחֲנֻכָּה תקצ"ד לפ"ק.
Peace to you — fear not and be not dismayed for Hashem is with you [אַל תִּירָא וְאַל תֵּחַת כִּי ה' עִמְּךָ — the formula of divine encouragement throughout Tanach (D'vorim 31:8, Yehoshua 1:9 and many parallel places). In the Chanukah season of miraculous divine assistance, it carries its fullest resonance]. I received your letter now — and I have no time to reply at length. And behold — regarding the matter in which you are working on my behalf to provide the needs of the coming holy Shabbos — you have done your kindness well [הֵטַבְתָּ חֲסָדֶיךָ — a variant of the *heitivosa* formula recurring throughout the collection (Letters 98, 107, 110, 125): the biblical register of formal commendation for a kindness performed — rooted in Bereishis 19:19 (*higdalta chasd'cha*) and the royal formulas of Sh'muel and Divrei HaYomim. Here in the form *heiativta chasadecha* — you have done your kindness well. A gracious formal acknowledgment of sacred generosity]. May Hashem repay your act and may your reward be complete from Hashem. But I do not know why you long so much to be told explicitly how much I need for holy Shabbos. And truly I myself do not know.
Segment 3
אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי.
[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]
Segment 4
שָׁלוֹם לְךָ, אַל תִּירָא וְאַל תֵּחַת כִּי ה' עִמְּךָ. קִבַּלְתִּי מִכְתָּבְךָ עַתָּה, וְאֵין לִי פְּנַאי לַהֲשִׁיבְךָ בַּאֲרִיכוּת, גַּם אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה לִּכְתֹּב. וְהִנֵּה בְּעִנְיָן אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מִשְׁתַּדֵּל עֲבוּרִי לְהַסְפִּיק צָרְכֵי שַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, הֵטַבְתָּ חֲסָדֶיךָ. יְשַׁלֵּם ה' פָּעָלְךָ וּתְהִי מַשְׂכֻּרְתְּךָ שְׁלֵמָה מֵעִם ה', אַךְ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ עַל מָה אַתָּה מִשְׁתּוֹקֵק כָּל כָּךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ לְךָ בְּפֵרוּשׁ כַּמָּה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ עַל שַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ. וּבֶאֱמֶת אֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְתָּ לְקַבֵּל פֹּה קֶמַח וּבָשָׂר, טוֹב וְיָפֶה, אִם תּוּכַל לְהָבִיא עוֹד מָעוֹת מַה טּוֹב, כִּי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ רִבּוּי הַהֶכְרֵחִיּוּת. וַאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְשַׁלֵּם בְּשָׁבוּעַ זֶה בְּעַד עֵצִים וְנֵרוֹת, וְגַם זֶה הוּא צָרְכֵי שַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ, וְכֵן שְׁאָרֵי הַהֶכְרֵחִיּוּת הָרַבִּים. אַךְ אֵינִי מַטִּיל עֲלֵיכֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם הַכֹּל, רַק אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בְּכֹחֲכֶם עֲשׂוּ, וַה' הַטּוֹב יַעֲשֶׂה וְיִגְמֹר בַּעַדְכֶם. וְאִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם בְּיוֹם ב' אֶכְתֹּב לְךָ עוֹד. יֶתֶר מִזֶּה אֵין פְּנַאי לְהַאֲרִיךְ כְּלָל, כִּי מוֹסֵר כְּתָב זֶה נָחוּץ מְאֹד, כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא קִבֵּל הַמִּכְתָּבִים. וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְשַׂמַּח נַפְשְׁךָ וְיוֹשִׁיעַ לְךָ בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהִוָּשֵׁעַ. וְהִנֵּה תְּהִלָּה לָאֵל עַל שַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ הֶעָבַר הָיָה גַּם כֵּן כַּמָּה אוֹרְחִים יוֹתֵר מִמִּנְיָן, יוֹסֵף ה' עֲלֵיהֶם וְכוּ'. וְגַם בְּשָׁבוּעַ זֶה נִשְׁאֲרוּ בְּבֵיתִי כַּמָּה אוֹרְחִים. הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יַעַזְרֵנוּ לְהַסְפִּיקָם, וְהָעִקָּר לְהַסְפִּיקָם צָרְכֵי נַפְשָׁם אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה בָּאוּ לְכָאן. ה' יִגְמֹר בַּעֲדִי וְכוּ'.
To: My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok]
Peace to you — fear not and be not dismayed for Hashem is with you
[אַל תִּירָא וְאַל תֵּחַת כִּי ה' עִמְּךָ — the
Segment 5
דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ הַמַּעְתִּיר בַּעַדְכֶם.
formula of divine encouragement throughout Tanach (D'vorim 31:8, Yehoshua
1:9 and many parallel places). In the Chanukah season of miraculous divine
assistance, it carries its fullest resonance].
I received your letter now — and I have no time to reply at length. And behold
— regarding the matter in which you are working on my behalf to provide the
needs of the coming holy Shabbos —
you have done your kindness well
[הֵטַבְתָּ חֲסָדֶיךָ — a variant of the *heitivosa*
formula recurring throughout the collection (Letters 98, 107, 110, 125):
the biblical register of formal commendation for a kindness performed —
rooted in Bereishis 19:19 (*higdalta chasd'cha*) and the royal formulas of
Sh'muel and Divrei HaYomim. Here in the form *heiativta chasadecha* —
you have done your kindness well. A gracious formal acknowledgment of sacred
generosity].
May Hashem repay your act and may your reward be complete from Hashem. But I
do not know why you long so much to be told explicitly how much I need for
holy Shabbos. And truly I myself do not know.
And what you wrote — to receive here flour and meat — good and fine. If you
can bring more money — how good — for you know the multitude of necessities.
And I need to pay this week for wood and candles — and this too is among
the needs of Shabbos Kodesh — and so too the other many necessities. But I
am not imposing all of this upon you — G-d forbid — only do what is in your
power — and Hashem the Good will act and complete on your behalf.
And behold — praised be G-d — on the past holy Shabbos there were also
several guests — beyond count.
May Hashem add to them and so forth
[יוֹסֵף ה' עֲלֵיהֶם וְכוּ' — Tehillim 115:14:
yosef Hashem aleivchem aleivchem v'al beneichem — "may Hashem
increase you — you and your children." The blessing of divine multiplication
applied to the gathering of guests: may Hashem multiply them further]
.
And also this week several guests remain in my home. May Hashem Yisborach
help us to provide for them — and
the essential thing is to provide for them the needs of
their souls — for which they came here
[הָעִקָּר לְהַסְפִּיקָם צָרְכֵי נַפְשָׁם אֲשֶׁר
בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה בָּאוּ לְכָאן — the primary hospitality is not the physical
but the needs of the soul for which the guests made the journey to Breslov.
The physical provision is the frame; the spiritual sustenance is the essential
content].
May Hashem complete on my behalf and so forth.
The words of your father — who intercedes on your behalf.
Nussun of Breslov.
[Translator's Note: Overview: Eve of Monday, the 3rd night of Chanukah. *Heitivta
chasadecha*: now identified as a variant of the *heitivosa* formula recurring
throughout the collection — the biblical register of formal commendation for
a kindness performed. *Al tira v'al teichas ki Hashem imcha*. Flour, meat,
wood, candles. Many guests beyond count — *yosef Hashem aleihem* (Tehillim
115:14). The essential provision: *tzarchei nafsham asher bishvil zeh ba'u
l'chan* — the souls' needs for which they came to Breslov.
Key Themes
Heitivta Chasadecha — The Heitivosa Formula
"You have done your kindness well" — a variant of the *heitivosa* formula
from Letters 98, 107, 110, and 125: the biblical register of formal
commendation for a kindness performed. Rooted in Bereishis 19:19 and the
royal formulas of Tanach.
A gracious formal acknowledgment of sacred
generosity.]
Segment 6
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]