קמז

What shall I say to you, my son — do you not see with your own eyes, every day and every time, the vanity of the world — how everything is vanity, and all the toil that is done under the sun — with each and every person? And already all the tzadikim of former and later generations cried out — and in particular our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe, of blessed memory — that the world deceives us entirely and so forth. And if we know all this — and yet even so it seeks to deceive us against our will — for the leaven in the dough holds back [Brochos 17a — the evil inclination, compared to leaven, spreads and expands against a person] and spreads and extends itself against each one as it extends — nevertheless the truth is the truth — for truth is one — and it is impossible to alter the truth in any way for one who wishes to look upon the truth.

And for this it is good for us to give thanks to Hashem at every time — that at any rate we know the truth more clearly than the rest of the world — even more than the Chassidim of today. And if even so your deeds do not go well — even so it is very good and precious, very very precious, that you know the truth in its truth. But just as it is a great virtue that you yearn so much toward the true purpose — so too there is in it a great deficiency: that you burn and cry out more than necessary. For more than necessary is — G-d forbid — close to destruction [h'risah]. And have we not already spoken to the very last point — that one must give oneself life even with a single point of our holy Jewishness which we hold in His great kindness?

My beloved son, my dear one.

To: My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received now. And although I have sorrow from this — that

you came to such a state — to suffer so much on the road — for such a gain.

Even so — this is my consolation — what you wrote: that you remembered the words of our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe — of blessed memory — that the road is a tikkun habris [דֶּרֶךְ הוּא תִּקּוּן הַבְּרִית — one of the Rebbe's distinctive teachings: the hardships of travel — the discomfort, uncertainty, and exposure of the road — constitute a *tikkun* for the *bris* — a rectification of the covenant of purity. The road strips away the comforts and protections of home, placing a person in a condition of vulnerability that corresponds spiritually to the state of rectification of the *bris*. The Rebbe saw commercial travel not as spiritually neutral but as a form of sacred service] — and with the intention of Elul [כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל — the specific spiritual intention associated with the month of Elul: the awareness of Hashem's nearness, the practice of searching and returning. The Rebbe's teaching connects the hardships of the road with the inner work of Elul — both involve stripping away comfortable illusions and standing before the divine in vulnerability and truth]. And by implication you were thinking then of several words of Torah. And also — in the meantime — you had the opportunity to converse your private speech before Him, Yisborach — as we have spoken of this many times. And presumably you fulfilled some of this. And through this — to Hashem is the hope — that everything will be turned to good. And also one must have the intention during commerce — that all the efforts and labors are considered as labors of a mitzvah [טְרָחוֹת שֶׁל מִצְוָה — the Talmudic concept of *tircha d'mitzvah* — the exertion invested in performing a mitzvah, which itself carries merit. Applied to honest commercial toil undertaken to support a family and enable Torah: the exertion is not merely practical but spiritually precious, even when painful] — which are very precious. And behold — blessed is Hashem — they worked here on the preparation of the Sukkah all of last Friday — eve of the holy Shabbos — and also tomorrow — and afterwards — if Hashem wills — we will engage in this. But the money has run out — and through Rabbi Nachman I will inform you of this. And may Hashem the Good act — and provide for us with dignity — and be with us to be as He wills for good in truth — and to complete the Rebbe's affairs — of blessed memory — to give merit to the many forever. The words of your father — somewhat occupied. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Sunday, Parshas Re'eh. Yitzchok suffered on a commercial journey. The consolation: he remembered the Rebbe's teaching that the road is a *tikkun habris* and the *kavanas Elul*. *Tircha shel mitzvah*: commercial toil is itself spiritually precious. Sukkah being prepared but money has run out. The Shabbos third meal: Reb Nussun was heavy and broken- hearted but Hashem helped him to great joy that reached to the feet. The tension between *shikcha* — forgetting as a great quality — and the necessity to remember and reflect at appropriate moments. *Navon yavin la'ashurav* — the discerning person knows when to apply each quality. Key Themes Derech Hu Tikkun HaBris / Kavanas Elul The road is a *tikkun* for the *bris* — the hardships of travel strip away the comforts of home, placing a person in vulnerability and rectification. Combined with the *kavanas Elul* — the inner work of awareness and return — commercial travel becomes a form of sacred service.]

Nussun of Breslov.