כב

With the help of G-d, may He be blessed Abundant peace and blessing — to the honor of my beloved, my brother, my dear one and friend — he who is the veteran, outstanding scholar in Torah and fear of G-d, and so forth — our Teacher the

Rabbi Naftali — may his light shine and radiate for eternity. Restrained by words — who can hold back from pouring out my speech and my grief before my brother — as my own soul — one who loves, cleaving more than a brother. For surely already heard by your ears is the evil tidings — the

hand of Hashem that has struck our city — that taken from us were two beloved of our eyes — the beloved and the pleasant in their lives and in their death — they are the veteran our Teacher the Rabbi Yisroel HaKohen, of blessed memory — and his distinguished brother-in-law, the veteran our Teacher the Rabbi Asher Zelig, of blessed memory. Woe to us for our brokenness! May the Master of salvations and the Master of consolations save and console us speedily — and raise their souls to His throne of glory — to the source from which they were hewn — and may they merit immediately to receive the radiant countenance of the Atik Yomin (the Ancient of Days) — the face of our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe — the new light — may the memory of the righteous and holy one be for a blessing. And may their souls be bound in the bond of life forever. And may He console us and save us from all our troubles — and in particular from the trouble of the soul — that we merit at least from now to accustom ourselves to be in the World to Come — in such a manner that we will always be as He desires. Amen. And behold — on the day of Tisha B'Av (the ninth of Av) — in the midst of the depth of my grief and mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and over our deeds that delay its rebuilding — in the midst of this, the bearer of this letter came to my home — he is Rabbi Mikhl — and with him Rabbi Nachum Yitzchok — may his light shine. And I stood trembling and astonished — in particular because Rabbi Mikhl is very weak in his legs. [And yet he is not the beggar who has no legs — may Hashem grant us to hear that story too.] And I also understood from their words that they went from Uman without permission — for they did not receive leave from his eminence — what they call gizeginen (taking formal leave) before their journey on foot. And I wanted to hold myself back with all my strength from causing them grief — but I could not hold back. And I rebuked them to their faces and spoke with them very hard words — like sinews — which were to them like the piercings of a sword — their coming to me now in this manner. And in truth in my heart I had great compassion for them — for I knew that despite everything their intention was for Heaven in truth. But even so I could not hold back — and I spoke with them very many hard words. And it was my intention not to receive them at my home for Shabbos — but since there were also some other guests from Nemrov — I did not want to shame them so greatly. And behold now I am compelled to send them home and to pay for them the wagon fare — since for me it is a mortal danger that Rabbi Mikhl should walk on his legs, G-d forbid — so weak are they. And Rabbi Mikhl defended himself greatly before me and said he was not so eager to come to me — only through the words of your eminence — who spoke with him many times and told him that he must specifically be at my home in Breslov. And he told me several words that your eminence spoke with him — that it was necessary he be with me. And yet he was afraid to take leave from your eminence — lest now you prevent him — since he has no strength in his legs — as indeed it would have been right to prevent him. Please, my dear brother — remember the mercy and love of our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe, of blessed memory — toward us — that he took us from where he took us, and brought us out from where he brought us, and drew us close with such great closeness — more than all the world — and even more than all his righteous people — as was heard from his holy mouth explicitly many times.

That we know from him more than all of them. And in truth — even I and you — we do not know what G-d has done for us: that we two specifically — know from such a great, holy, awesome, and most exalted light — more than all who come into the world — and even more than his righteous men — and it is impossible to elaborate on this in writing. For the matter of our closeness to him, of blessed memory, is a story from ancient times — and enough for the one who understands. At all events — it is fitting for us to fulfil his will, of blessed memory — to walk in his ways — to have his mercy on all who desire to draw close to his awesome name, of blessed memory — and not to look at the bad or the lack of each person — only to look at the good in them alone. Please, my dear brother — my soul and my heart — remember and look and set your heart well to all these matters — for it is not an empty thing. For in truth I have not come to appease you only for their sake — but for the sake of all our anshay shlomaynu in the holy community of Uman — for it has already become known to me that for several weeks now you have been angry with them for no reason — over nothing — and in particular with Rabbi Ozer — against whom you have greatly multiplied your anger. And if he erred in that he did not reveal to you when the man Moshe left Uman for here without your permission — he is not to be blamed so

much — for even for that very matter you were very angry with him — yet despite that you already know that one must fulfil: in anger, remember to show mercy [Chavakuk 3:2] — to hold fast to the qualities of Hashem Yisborach: that in the very midst of great anger — to remember to show mercy specifically — as explained in the Torah Kartilisa (Likutay Moharan I, 18). And in particular since both I and you know that Rabbi Ozer's intention too was for the good — to bring a soul close to our Master, of blessed memory — and not to anger you, G-d forbid. And if in our opinion he may have erred in this — even so it is upon you and upon me to forgive him — especially since you have already been angry with him more than enough. And he has already received his portion of suffering — and it is fitting for you to have mercy on him and on all our anshay shlomaynu there — to draw them close and not push them away, G-d forbid — for their intention is for Heaven. And it is His will, may He be blessed, and the will of our Master, of blessed memory — that we draw them close. And in particular — you must be careful lest there be from this a desecration of G-d's Name, G-d forbid. For what will people say — especially those who already oppose our fellowship — that G-d forbid, even between Nussun and Naftali a quarrel has already been made — G-d forbid. Woe to the ears that hear such things! We already grieve over the quarrel from Dashov — and far be it to add to it, G-d forbid — especially between us. For there are no men in all our anshay shlomaynu who are brothers — loving and faithful — as we are. And surely it is fitting for us to love one another with even greater abundance and might — because we merited to know so much from him, of blessed memory — and to have such a portion in so many merits of the many, for generations. Therefore we must guard ourselves very greatly so that the love between us not be blemished, G-d forbid, by so much as a hair. And even if in truth it has not been blemished at all — we must go out still more before people — that they not say what they would say, G-d forbid. Therefore — the past is gone. Now — hear my voice, my dear brother — abandon the grudge and anger in your heart toward them — and return to them and have mercy on them and draw them close with love. For in truth you will give life to their souls — and you will literally fulfil the preservation of many souls of Israel — as if you sustained an entire world. For in truth they have already wept greatly before Hashem Yisborach and before me over your pushing them away. Therefore I could not hold back from writing you these words of mine. And I am confident in the greatness of our love — that you will fulfil these words of mine — spoken in truth and with wholeness of heart. And beyond this there is no time to elaborate in writing — and if Hashem be with me, we will speak of this face to face, if G-d wills it.

And I have also requested greatly that you inform me — perhaps you have some news of the daughter of our Master the righteous one — Marat Sarah, may she live — what has become of her — whether she has already given birth in peace — for our grief is very great that we have no news from there. May Hashem Yisborach cause us to hear good tidings speedily. The words of one who loves you in truth for eternity. Nussun of Breslov. Postscript — Greetings The righteous Marat Adil, may she live — and her veteran son our Teacher the Rabbi Avraham Beer, may he live — who prays with devotion — and her daughter Rivka Miriam, may she live — extend greetings of peace to you. All our anshay shlomaynu extend greetings of peace with love.

Nussun of Breslov.