# שכב
שכב
Source: https://ajew.org/reader/alim-litrufa/2/321
## Segment 1
שכב
And in particular in the night — in the long nights as now — to fulfil: *"ezkera n'ginasi balailah — im l'vavi asicha — va'y'chapes ruchi"* — "I will remember my song in the night — with my heart I will talk — and my spirit will search" [Tehillim 77:7] [אֶזְכְּרָה נְגִינָתִי בַּלַּיְלָה עִם לְבָבִי אָשִׂיחָה וַיְחַפֵּשׂ רוּחִי — this verse is a central text of Breslov practice: in the long nights of winter — when the world is dark and the heart feels empty — one must remember one's nigun — one's melody — the good point within oneself — and speak with one's own heart — and search one's spirit — perhaps there is still hope] — and to explain to oneself this verse well — how one must converse with oneself — with one's heart — and remember one's song — in the aspect of the good — and search one's spirit — perhaps even so there is still hope to merit to what all the upright and true tzaddikim merited. For every person in every level — even if he is on the lowest rung — must say every time: when will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers — for choice is free — but all should be for drawing close and not for distancing further — G-d forbid — as we have spoken about this countless times. More than this there is no leisure to extend.
## Segment 2
בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם, יוֹם א' עֶרֶב סֻכּוֹת תר"א לפ"ק בְּרֶסְלֶב.
Nussun of Breslov.
## Segment 3
אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי.
My beloved son, my dear one.
## Segment 4
מִכְתָּבְךָ קִבַּלְתִּי הַיּוֹם בְּאֶמְצַע תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית, וְהָיָה לִי לְנַחַת וְהַ' יְשַׂמְּחֵנוּ בְּשִׂמְחַת הֶחָג הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה. וְתִזְכֶּה עַל יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁיִּשְׁלַח הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה לְזוּגָתְךָ תִּחְיֶה, כִּי שִׂמְחָה הִיא רְפוּאָה לְכָל מִינֵי חוֹלַאַת רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן. וְהִנֵּה נִכְסַפְתִּי מְאֹד לְמַלּאוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ שֶׁהוּא רְצוֹנִי, לִכְתֹּב לְךָ דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת מֵעִנְיָנָא דְּיוֹמָא, אַךְ טָרִידְנָא טוּבָא. וַעֲדַיִן לֹא הִנַּחְתִּי תְּפִלִּין דְּרַבֵּנוּ תָּם, וְלֹא הִגְבִּיהוּ כַּנְפֵי הַסֻּכָּה וְכוּ'. אַךְ תְּשׁוּקָתְךָ מַכְרִיחֵנִי לִכְתֹּב לְךָ מְעַט מֵאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֶתְמוֹל בִּסְעֻדָּה שְׁלִישִׁית, שֶׁכָּל בְּחִינַת סֻכָּה וְאַרְבָּעָה מִינִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַכֹּל לְהַשְׁלִים וּלְהוֹצִיא לָאוֹר הַסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת בְּכָל דּוֹר שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִשְׁלָם הַתּוֹרָה וְכוּ'. שֶׁבָּזֶה אָנוּ עוֹסְקִים בְּאֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים לְהַשְׁלִים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה בִּשְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת וְשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא סוֹף גְּמָר וְהַתִּקּוּן שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים כַּמּוּבָא בַּכַּוָּנוֹת. וְכָל מִצְווֹת אַרְבָּעָה מִינִים בַּיָּדַיִם, לְהָאִיר יְדֵי הַסְּמִיכָה בִּידֵי הַכְּתִיבָה הָעוֹסְקִים בִּכְתִיבַת כְּתַב יִשְׂרָאֵל. בִּפְרָט הַכּוֹתְבִים סְפָרִים קְדוֹשִׁים שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִבְקָע יָם הַחָכְמָה שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְהַכְנִיס בְּלִבּוֹ יְדִיעַת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, עַד אֲשֶׁר יִתְקַיֵּם וְיֵדַע כָּל פָּעוּל כִּי אַתָּה פְעַלְתּוֹ וְכוּ' כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּסַיְּמִין אַחַר נְטִילַת לוּלָב לְמַעַן דַּעַת כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹֹקִים וְכוּ'. וְהַנִּעְנוּעִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הֵם בְּחִינַת תְּנוּעַת הַקֻּלְמוֹס בָּאֲוִיר, הַמּוּבָא בְּהַתּוֹרָה "חֲדִי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן" שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹסְקִים בָּהּ עַתָּה. וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה מִינִים שֶׁאֵצֶל הַלּוּלָב הֵם בְּחִינַת ג' אֶצְבָּעִין דְּאָחֲזִין בְּקֻלְמוֹסָא הַמּוּבָא בְּתִקּוּנֵי זֹהַר, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁלִים הַתּוֹרָה בִּבְחִינַת לוּחוֹת הָאֶבֶן כְּתוּבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים. וְשַׁיָּךְ לָזֶה מַאֲמַר הַתִּקּוּנֵי זֹהַר, וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּקָנֶה דִּילָךְ דְּאִיהוּ קֻלְמְסָא בָּזַע יַמָּא דְּאוֹרַיְתָא [וּבִגְלַל זֶה בַּמַּטֶּה שֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁהוּא קוֹלְמוֹס, בָּקַע אֶת יַם התּוֹרָה]. וְהַכֹּל לְהוֹדִיעַ וּלְסַפֵּר לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם גְּבוּרוֹתָיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו וַחֲסָדָיו שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה עִמָּנוּ בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, שֶׁשּׁוֹלֵחַ לָנוּ צַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים כָּאֵלּוּ שֶׁמְּגַלִּים לָנוּ חִדּוּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה נוֹרָאִים וְנִפְלָאִים כָּאֵלּוּ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתְגַּלֶּה אֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ.
And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great and immense love — and in particular to his dear friend as his soul — the veteran outstanding — our Teacher the Rabbi Yaakov — may his light shine. Be very careful and very careful — my son and my beloved disciple — that no thought arise upon you — G-d forbid — not as the will of the truth. Only come with joy with the anshei sh'lomaynu here — for Rosh Hashana coming upon us for good. And so all your days — until there comes the Teacher of Righteousness — so that it will be good for you forever. And in His chesed Yisborach — you will hold to my good credit — forever and eternally.
## Segment 5
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַסֻּכָּה בְּחִינַת עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד שֶׁהָלְכוּ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּנְסִיעָתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהָאָרוֹן עִם הַלּוּחוֹת הָאֶבֶן לִפְנֵיהֶם, שֶׁבִּבְחִינָה זֹאת צָרִיךְ אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי לֵילֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, הֵן רָחוֹק הֵן קָרוֹב, אוֹ בְּעִירוֹ כְּשֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בִּשְׁבִיל מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וּפַרְנָסָה, כְּגוֹן לְבֵית הַפָּאסְט וְכוּ', שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְכַוֵּן כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּרְוִיחַ וְיִתֵּן צְדָקָה לִהְיוֹת בִּכְלַל תּוֹמְכֵי אוֹרָיְתָא הָעוֹסְקִים לְהוֹצִיא לָאוֹר סְפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְכוּ'. וְגַם צָרִיךְ לְכַוֵּן אוּלַי יִפְגַּע עִם אֵיזֶה אָדָם לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מֵהַתַּכְלִית, וּלְהוֹדִיעַ לוֹ מֵאֲמִתַּת הַחִדּוּשִׁים שֶׁל הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל צַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת שֶׁבַּדּוֹר וְכוּ', וְעוֹד יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה בָּזֶה. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לְשִׂמְחָה בְּחִינַת "אוֹר צַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמָח" בְּחִינַת זְמַן שִׂמְחָתֵנוּ. וּשְׁלֵמוּת גְּמַר הַשִּׂמְחָה בְּיוֹתֵר הוּא בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאָז מַשְׁלִימִין הַתּוֹרָה, וְכָל אֶחָד נוֹטֵל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בְּיָדוֹ וְשָׂמֵחַ בָּהּ עַל חֶלְקוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּהַשְׁלָמַת הַתּוֹרָה בִּבְחִינַת הַנַּ"ל.
Great peace — to my beloved son — my dear one — the rabbinical scholar — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live — with all his precious children who go forth from his loins — may they live.
## Segment 6
וְשִׂים לִבְּךָ לְהָבִין הֵיטֵב כָּל הַנַּ"ל וּתְדַבְּרוּ מִזֶּה בְּיוֹם טוֹב הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, וְתִזְכְּרוּ מַה שֶּׁדִּבַּרְנוּ מִזֶּה בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֶעָבַר, וְתִתְחַזְּקוּ מְאֹד לִשְׂמֹחַ עַל חֶלְקְכֶם בְּכָל הַנַּ"ל, כִּי "חֶדְוַת ה' הוּא מָעֻזְּכֶם". עַד יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא ה' מִשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בְּחַסְדּוֹ לְהוֹצִיא מִכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל תְשׁוּקַתְכֶם שֶׁהוּא רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת. נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ.
He received his letter on Sunday. To extend in words of truth — he has no word on his tongue just now — and soon you will come yourself — with Hashem's help. May Hashem have mercy on them — and grant them to draw upon themselves the two beki'us that one needs to draw upon himself — which are in the aspect of baki b'ratzo baki b'shov — which are in the aspect of "im essak shamayim sham atah — v'atzi'ah sh'ol hineka." [בָּקִי בְּרָצוֹא בָּקִי בְּשׁוֹב — expert in going forward — expert in returning — from the vision of Yechezkel 1:14 — the living creatures ran and returned. This is the secret of the Elul beki'us revealed by the Rebbe: no matter how high one rises or how low one falls — one must draw upon oneself this knowledge — the knowledge of the One Who is everywhere — for *"im essak shamayim sham atah — v'atzi'ah sh'ol hineka"* — if I ascend to heaven — You are there — and if I make my bed in the depths — behold You are there. This is both the going and the returning — the Rebbe's secret for the entire month of Elul] For certainly it is a great and very immense beki'us — as they have already spoken about this many times — and there is more to speak about this almost every day — for the heart is crooked above all — and sick and very ill. And how many and how many are undermining against them very much every day — to fall completely — G-d forbid G-d forbid. And one must remember every time well the matter of the above-mentioned beki'us — and more — several holy discourses and awesome Torahs that relate to this — so that one should remain established in his place always. And in particular in the month of Elul — when the two above-mentioned beki'us are drawn — which are the secret of the intention of Elul. In truth he cannot understand at all — in what they merited to hear such things. And even if what happens with them in the physical and spiritual — and the dispute and the shames — even so ashreinu ashreinu certainly — and still there is hope to wait for all good — in this world and in the World to Come — forever.
## Segment 7
דֶּער וַייל הָאבִּין מִיר בָּרוּךְ־הַשֵּׁם, דִּיא פְלִיגְיל פוּן דֶּער סֻכָּה אוֹיף גִּיהוֹיבֶּן, דֶּעם אֶתְרוֹג מְהֻדָּר הָאבּ אִיךְ אִיצְט אוֹיךְ גִּיזֶעהין. בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם אַלְץ רֶעכְט [בֵּינָתַיִם הֵרַמְנוּ אֶת כְּנַף הַסֻּכָּה, אֶת הָאֶתְרוֹג הַמְהֻדָּר גַּם כֵּן רָאִיתִי. בָּרוּךְ ה' הַכֹּל עַל נָכוֹן]. לְהַגִּיד כִּי יָשָׁר ה' צוּרִי וְכוּ', מִי יִתֵּן שֶׁנִּהְיֶה גַּם כֵּן בִּכְלַל יְשָׁרִים, אַךְ לְעֵת עַתָּה אָנוּ שְׂמֵחִים שֶׁאָנוּ מְחַבְּרִים עַצְמֵנוּ לְצַדִּיקִים וְלִישָׁרִים וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה.
And peace to his son the rabbinical scholar our Teacher the Rabbi Dovid Tzvi — may he live. For the sake of Hashem Yisborach — be very strong in every strength — to be only joyful always — and trust in Hashem — for He will not abandon you — and all will be turned to good. And give yourself life through the study of the holy Torah every day — and through prayers and supplications and the saying of Tehillim with intention. And speak with the anshei sh'lomaynu every day — and gladden your soul in all that is possible. And I will stand at my post — to pray for you — and to Hashem the salvation — that He will do good for you in His chesed. Not according to our sins did He deal with us — for His chesed is great upon us — chasdei Hashem ki lo samu. And there is no leisure to extend just now. Peace and life as your soul — my beloved son — and the soul of your father who intercedes for you and awaits your salvation.
## Segment 8
דִּבְרֵי הַכּוֹתֵב בְּחִפָּזוֹן גָּדוֹל וּמְצַפֶּה לִשְׂמֹחַ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ תָּמִיד
And peace to his son-in-law — the rabbinical scholar our Teacher the Rabbi Boruch — may his light shine — with the peace of his wife — his daughter Marat Chana Tziryl — may she live. And to his son Nachman — and to his son Yosef Yonah — may they live. For the sake of Hashem Yisborach — desire to learn — and pray seriously. And be careful with bensching and the reading of Shema and all the blessings. And guard yourselves from bad — and think about the purpose. For the purpose is only Torah and prayer and good deeds. [בַּאגֶערְט צוּ לֶערְנֶין, אוּן דַאוֶוענְט עֶרִינְסְט — Yiddish — the same urgency appears in many of Reb Nussun's Yiddish postscripts to the children and grandchildren of the family: desire to learn — pray seriously — there is no other purpose]
## Segment 9
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
Nussun of Breslov.
## Segment 10
וְשָׁלוֹם לְכָל אַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ בְּאַהֲבָה רַבָּה לָנֶצַח. לְכֻלָּם נֶאֱמַר כָּל הַנַּ"ל וּלְכָל הֶחָפֵץ לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת.
And peace to his son the rabbinical scholar our Teacher the Rabbi Dovid Tzvi — may he live. For the sake of Hashem Yisborach — be very strong in every strength — to be only joyful always — and trust in Hashem — for He will not abandon you — and all will be turned to good. And give yourself life through the study of the holy Torah every day — and through prayers and supplications and the saying of Tehillim with intention. And speak with the anshei sh'lomaynu every day — and gladden your soul in all that is possible. And I will stand at my post — to pray for you — and to Hashem the salvation — that He will do good for you in His chesed. Not according to our sins did He deal with us — for His chesed is great upon us — chasdei Hashem ki lo samu. And there is no leisure to extend just now. Peace and life as your soul — my beloved son — and the soul of your father who intercedes for you and awaits your salvation.
And peace to his son-in-law — the rabbinical scholar our Teacher the Rabbi Boruch — may his light shine — with the peace of his wife — his daughter Marat Chana Tziryl — may she live. And to his son Nachman — and to his son Yosef Yonah — may they live. For the sake of Hashem Yisborach — desire to learn — and pray seriously. And be careful with bensching and the reading of Shema and all the blessings. And guard yourselves from bad — and think about the purpose. For the purpose is only Torah and prayer and good deeds. [בַּאגֶערְט צוּ לֶערְנֶין, אוּן דַאוֶוענְט עֶרִינְסְט — Yiddish — the same urgency appears in many of Reb Nussun's Yiddish postscripts to the children and grandchildren of the family: desire to learn — pray seriously — there is no other purpose]
Nussun of Breslov.
The words of your father.