# סד
סד
Source: https://ajew.org/reader/alim-litrufa/2/64
## Segment 1
בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם, יוֹם ד' שְׁמוֹת תקצ"ב.
My beloved son. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received just now at the time of the morning prayer — and it was
## Segment 2
אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי, מִכְתָּבְךָ קִבַּלְתִּי, וְלָא אִיסְתַּיַּע מִלְּתָא לַהֲשִׁיבְךָ מִיָּד, כָּעֵת אֲנִי טָרוּד מְאֹד, אַךְ מִדֵּי דַּבְּרִי עִם רַבִּי אֶפְרַיִם נִזְכַּרְתִּי בְּעִנְיָנְךָ, וּבִפְרָט בְּעֵסֶק הָאַבְרֵךְ רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב, וְנִתְעוֹרַרְתִּי לְהָכִין הַמִּכְתָּב הַלָּז. וְהִנֵּה אַתֶּם בְּעַצְמְכֶם מְבִינִים שֶׁאֵין רְצוֹנִי בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן שֶׁיְּגָרֵשׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ מוֹרִיד עַל זֶה דְּמָעוֹת (גִטִּין צ:), וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה יִתְעַגֵּן עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂא הַשְּׁנִיָּה. וְאִם תִּהְיֶה כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן הַחוֹתֵן וַחֲמוֹתוֹ וְהָעִיר וְכוּ' אֵיךְ יִהְיֶה, אִם לֹא יִהְיֶה גְּרוּעִים מִזֶּה, וּכְפִי עִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהָרֹב אֵינָם מַסְכִּימִים שֶׁחֲתָנָם יִפְרֹק עֹל הָעוֹלָם וְיַעֲסֹק רַק בְּתוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה וְהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִקְרָא חֲתָנָם עַל שְׁמֵנוּ וְכוּ', בִּפְרָט אִשָּׁה בְּכָל אֵלֶּה לֹא יִמְצָא, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִמְלָט מִכָּל הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלֵינוּ לָגֶשֶׁת אֶל קְדֻשַּׁת אֲמִתַּת הָאֱמֶת. וּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שֵׂכֶל מְעַט בְּקָדְקֳדוֹ וּבָקִי מְעַט בְּהִתְנַהֲגוּת הָעוֹלָם עַתָּה, יָכוֹל לְהָבִין כָּל זֶה בְּנָקֵל, עַל כֵּן דַּעְתִּי וּרְצוֹנִי חָזָק מְאֹד שֶׁיְּדַבְּרוּ עִם בֶּן דּוֹדִי רַבִּי אַיְיזִיק נֵרוֹ יָאִיר שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לְמַעֲנִי וְיַכְנִיס אֶת עַצְמוֹ בַּשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁהוּא מִצְוָה רַבָּה; וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם לֹא הָיָה מַכְנִיעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ חוֹתְנוֹ כָּל כָּךְ, אָנֹכִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּבֵיתוֹ, יוֹתֵר מַאֲשֶׁר יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּבֵית אָבִיו. כִּי הֵבַנְתִּי מִקֹּדֶם שֶׁגַּם אָבִיו כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא יִכְעַס עָלָיו הַרְבֵּה, וְיָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאָבִיו אֵינוֹ מִתְנַגֵּד כְּלָל, אַךְ מֵרִבּוּי דִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל הַמְדַבְּרִים עָתָק וְכוּ' הוּא כְּמֻכְרָח לַחֲלֹק עַל בְּנוֹ הַרְבֵּה. וְהַיּוֹם נוֹדַע לִי זֶה, שֶׁכְּבָר בָּא אָבִיו, וְשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ יִסּוּרִים וּמְנִיעוֹת עֲצוּמִים מֵאָבִיו, וְכַאֲשֶׁר הֵבַנְתִּי כֵּן הוּא, עַל כֵּן אִם הוּא רוֹצֶה לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלַחְשֹׁב בֶּאֱמֶת עַל תַּכְלִיתוֹ הַנִּצְחִי אֵין טוֹב לְפָנָיו, כִּי אִם לְתַוֵּךְ הַשָּׁלוֹם, וּבְאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרָיו אַל יִבְגֹּד חָלִילָה. וַה' יַנְחֵהוּ אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹתָנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת תָּמִיד, וְלֹא נַטְעֶה עַצְמֵנוּ כְּלָל. וְהִנֵּה לְעֵת עַתָּה יַמְתִּין מִלָּבוֹא לְפֹה עַד סָמוּךְ לְשַׁבַּת פָּרָשַׁת וָאֵרָא, כִּי אוֹדִיעֲךָ בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי, שֶׁכְּפִי הַנִּרְאֶה קָרוֹב מְאֹד שֶׁאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלְכֶם אַחַר שַׁבָּת הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם.
a great comfort to me — for I had some distress at not having seen your letter
for several days. And all the materials for the tallis I received properly — and
praise be to G-d I immediately completed the tallis and attached the
tzitzis to it — and I inaugurated it on last
Shabbos Parshas Parah — and it was a great comfort to me, praise be to G-d. You have done well — that you merited through your good
desire to have a great share in the tallis with the help of Hashem.
And may the merit of the wings of the tallis protect you —
like an eagle who stirs his nest
[כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ — D'vorim 32:11, from
Moshe's great song Ha'azinu: the eagle who rouses his nest, hovering
over his young, spreading his wings. The knafot — wings — of the
tallis carry this image: the wings of the divine presence sheltering the one
beneath them]
and so forth — to save you from extraneous thoughts. Only accustom yourself
at every time to perform a complete severance of attention
from thoughts that are not needed in that hour
[לְהָסִיחַ דַּעְתְּךָ לְגַמְרֵי — hesach
hada'as: a precise Talmudic legal term (appearing in Brochos, Gittin,
and throughout Halachic literature) denoting the complete interruption or
severance of mindful attention. It is not merely ceasing to think about
something — it is a deliberate legal and spiritual act of disengagement of
the mind's attention. When Reb Nussun instructs to perform hesach
hada'as from the extraneous thoughts, he is applying the precision of
this Halachic concept to the realm of inner life]
— and do not begin to think them at all — and this is a very good counsel —
and to be as one who has completely forgotten — and even more than forgetting
— and to make yourself as if you have no knowledge of these thoughts at all —
and to engage in whatever you are engaged in — whether Torah or prayer or
commerce and the like. And even good thoughts that do not belong to the matter
at hand must be set aside as well — as if one has no knowledge of them at that
moment. For example: during prayer one need not think of anything at all — and
in truth it is precisely then that all kinds of confusions and mental tumult
intensify — but one must prevail greatly then with this counsel — to not begin
to think any extraneous thoughts at all. And even if from force of habit the
thought goes out each time — take it each time by the bridle and bring it back
in — to think what one is saying at that moment — even if this happens a
hundred times in a single prayer. And regarding all that you wrote to me — I have already heard such things from
you many times — and you already know that you have nothing with which to sustain
yourself except in the matters you yourself write in your letter. And so it passes
over every person — even though not all are the same and one case is not like
another — but even so what passes over each person is immeasurable. And certainly
there is no vitality and no refuge from them except through Hashem Yisborach and
through the Torah — and in particular through the holy and new and wondrous and
awesome way: the matter of personal speech between oneself and one's Maker —
of which there is nothing higher. Give thanks to Hashem for
the little bit of little — that you have already merited to receive from him and
to fulfil a little in this matter.
Would that this heart of yours were such — to fear Hashem all the days
[מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה לְבָבְךָ זֶה לְיִרְאָה —
D'vorim 5:26: Moshe's words after the giving of the Torah — "would that this
heart of yours were such — to fear Me and keep all My commandments all the
days." Reb Nussun applies Moshe's yearning for Israel's heart to his own longing
for Yitzchok's perseverance]
— with additional holiness and purity and more and more prayers and personal
speeches — and also to be very, very careful to strengthen oneself each day in
joy and gladness at each and every good point that we have merited and so forth. And behold — in these times I am engaged in the matter of
the intention of Elul
[כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל — the spiritual intention of the
month of Elul, as taught in Likutay Moharan II:87-88]
— which is the rectification of the covenant
[Likutay Moharan II:87-88] — which contains
awesome secrets that he revealed there in the matter of
and if the woman does not consent
— and the matter of the fruits — and the matter of the lost objects that the
angels search for, who blow
tekiah, t'ruah, tekiah and so forth.
Happy are the ears that heard this — for a teaching such
## Segment 3
וְהִנֵּה הַהֶכְרֵחַ לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שְׁמוּעָה לֹא טוֹבָה, כִּי בַּת רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ זַ"ל הַצַּדֶּקֶת מָרַת שָׂרָה זִכְרוֹנָהּ לִבְרָכָה מִקְּרוֹמִינְטְשַׁעג שָׁבְקָה לָן חַיִּים בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבַּת חֲנֻכָּה, וּבַיּוֹם הַקֹּדֶם הִמְלִיטָה זָכָר לְמַזָּל טוֹב, וְנִכְנַס לַבְּרִית אַחַר הִסְתַּלְּקוּתָהּ, הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְנַחֵם אוֹתָנוּ מְהֵרָה, בְּנֶחָמוֹת צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם אָמֵן. וְהִנֵּה בְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל בָּא לְכָאן רַבִּי אֶפְרַיִם בֶּן רַבִּי נַפְתָּלִי וַחֲמוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם, וְגַם יְדִידֵנוּ רַבִּי נַפְתָּלִי נֵרוֹ יָאִיר בְּעַצְמוֹ, וְרוֹצִים שֶׁהַצַּדֶּקֶת מָרַת אָדְיל תִּחְיֶה תִּכָּנֵס אֶל אֹהֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ שָׂרָה זִכְרוֹנָהּ לִבְרָכָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים וְשָׁנִים לְגַדֵּל בְּנֵי אֲחוֹתָהּ, כִּי רַבִּי אַיְיזִיק רוֹצֶה לְכָנְסָהּ, וּכְבָר הֲוָה מַה דַּהֲוָה, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי בָּכְתָה בְּמַר נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִסְבֹּל, ה' יְנַחֲמָהּ מְהֵרָה, וַעֲדַיִן אֵינָהּ מְשִׁיבָה דָּבָר, אַךְ כְּפִי הַנִּרְאֶה בְּוַדַּאי תִּהְיֶה מֻכְרַחַת לִסַּע לְשָׁם. וְיָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁגַּם אָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה מֻכְרַח לִסַּע עִמָּהּ, וְאָז אֶרְאֶה מִקֹּדֶם לִסַּע לִקְהִלַּתְכֶם, וַאֲדַבֵּר עִמָּכֶם פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים הַכֹּל עַל נָכוֹן בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּמֵאֵלָיו יָבִין לְהִזָּהֵר לְהַעְלִים הַדָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא יִתְוַדַּע לְהָאַבְרֵךְ רַבִּי נַחְמָן שֶׁיִּחְיֶה נֶכֶד אֲדוֹנֵנוּ מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל.
as this has never been heard in the world. And the essential lesson that emerges from there is that
every person needs to seek and search greatly — very, very
much — after his lost objects. And the essential seeking and searching
is through the ways of Torah that he revealed on the verse
call Yehoshua
[Siman 6 of Reb Nussun's Likutay Halachos]
— as is explained there in its place. And the essential intentions are in the
aspect of
if I ascend to Heaven You are there, and if I spread my bed in She'ol
there You are
[אִם אֶסַּק שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָתָּה וְאַצִּיעָה שְׁאוֹל
הִנֶּךָּ — Tehillim 139:8: divine omnipresence — no height or depth places
the person beyond Hashem's reach. Here it refers to the spiritual capacity to
rise and to descend in the search, with Hashem present in both movements]
— which is in the aspect of boki b'ratzo boki b'shov
[expert in going out, expert in returning — from Chagigah
13a: the angels who approach and retreat before the divine Throne. Applied here
to the soul's spiritual movement in both directions]
— boki b'ayeil boki b'nafik
[expert in entry, expert in exit — the paired Aramaic
formulation describing complete spiritual mobility in both directions].
For one who merits to fulfil if I ascend and if I spread
my bed in She'ol — there You are — draws upon himself the aspect of
the secret of the intention of Elul — and is able to seek and search after
his lost objects.
For one needs to seek and search greatly — and
certainly during the time of that searching, what passes over the person is
immeasurable. In particular since the lost objects are generally in a place of
desolate wilderness, in a place of tohu vavohu
— and because of this the person wanders like a lost sheep — and about this it
was said [Tehillim 107:4]:
they wandered in the wilderness in a desolate trackless way
and so forth — and the entire Psalm
[Tehillim 107 — the great psalm of return and rescue:
lost wanderers, prisoners, the sick, those at sea — all who cry out from their
extremity. Reb Nussun invokes the entire Psalm as the context for the search:
the seeker of lost objects is the wanderer of Tehillim 107].
And now understand from yourself how much strengthening is needed when one
must pass through such places — and one also needs to seek and find lost objects
from previous incarnations through which the soul has passed — and it is very
## Segment 4
וְהִנֵּה אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי, לַהֲשִׁיבְךָ עַל דְּבָרֶיךָ יֵשׁ בְּלִבִּי הַרְבֵּה, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ עַל מָה אַתָּה תּוֹפֵס עַצְמְךָ בְּמַאֲסַר הָרַעְיוֹן כָּל כָּךְ, הֲלֹא כְּבָר הוֹדַעְתִּיךָ שֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה בְּיָדְךָ תָּמִיד. וְיָדַעְתִּי שֶׁכְּבָר הוֹעִיל לְךָ הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲדַיִן אַתָּה מַנִּיחַ מַחֲשַׁבְתְּךָ לַחֲשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל שְׁטוּת כָּאֵלֶּה, וּבִפְרָט מַחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, אֲשֶׁר כְּבָר דִּבַּרְנוּ שֶׁאֵין מִי שֶׁיֵּיטִיב לוֹ בָּעוֹלָם, וַאֲפִלּוּ הַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁלְּךָ לֹא יִתְבַּטְּלוּ כְּלָל עַל יְדֵי מָמוֹן. וְאִם אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּתְבַּטֵּל אֵיזֶה מְנִיעָה, יַעַמְדוּ כְּנֶגְדָּהּ אֲלָפִים מְנִיעוֹת אֲחֵרִים הַרְבֵּה הַבָּאִים עַל יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַמָּמוֹן דַּיְקָא. וְכָל זֶה אִם הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לְךָ לְהַשִּׂיג מָמוֹן עַל יְדֵי אֵלּוּ הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת, אֲבָל הֲלֹא אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵינְךָ פּוֹעֵל בָּהֶם כְּלוּם, וְהֵם מַזִּיקִים הַרְבֵּה, לָמָּה לֹא תָּחוּס עָלֶיךָ לְהַשְׁלִיכָם אַחֲרֵי גַוֶּךָ, וּלְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לִכְסֹף אֶל הַתּוֹרָה וְהַתְּפִלָּה וְכוּ', הַשְׁלֵךְ עַל ה' יְהָבְךָ וְהוּא יְכַלְכְּלֶךָ. כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְךָ כְּבָר, שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהַשְׁלִיךְ כָּל יְהָבוֹ וּמַשָּׂאוֹ וְכָל מַה שֶּׁמֻּנָּח עַל דַּעְתּוֹ לְהַשְׁלִיךְ הַכֹּל עַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתָּ לִי לְאַדֶעס שֶׁדִּבּוּרִים הַלָּלוּ נִכְנְסוּ אָז בְּלִבְּךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד.
difficult to escape that in the course of the search one does not lose even
more. And as it is hinted there — that even the Tzadikim who dig for the lost
objects sometimes themselves get lost — see there — all the more so other
people. And through this the general exile is prolonged so greatly — and the
personal exile of each and every soul individually is prolonged — all of this
because of this — may the Omnipresent have mercy.
Therefore whoever wants to have compassion on his own soul
— how much strengthening he needs — so as never to despair of the seeking and
searching — whatever the situation — even if it seems to him that he is losing
more each time, G-d forbid — even so he must do what is his to do and search
more. And even if he finds nothing at all — he must believe that he
certainly finds much through the seeking and searching alone — for
the toil does not perish
[לֵית רְעוּתָא טָבָא דְּאִתְאָבֵיד — Zoharic Aramaic:
there is no good desire that is lost. Every sincere yearning leaves a permanent
trace — nothing of the search is wasted]
— and therefore:
I toiled and did not find — do not believe;
I toiled and found — believe
[יָגַעְתִּי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי אַל תַּאֲמִין, יָגַעְתִּי
וּמָצָאתִי תַּאֲמִין — from Megillah 6b, originally about Torah learning.
Reb Nussun draws this into the framework of searching for lost objects: even
when the searcher sees nothing of what they found, they have certainly found —
for the effort itself is the finding].
And it is hard to understand why ta'amin — believe — is used, for
one can surely see whether one found or not. But in truth it can be that a
person toiled greatly and it seems to him that he still found nothing — and
because of this he says "I toiled and did not find" — and even so do not
believe him — "I toiled and found — believe" — even though he has nothing in
hand of what he found — even so believe with complete faith that he certainly
found much. For there are many things that are not shown to a person what he
found until the very end — and even if he found nothing yet — even so he found
much through the searching and toil alone — for the toil and searching alone
is never lost in any way. And therefore:
I toiled and found — believe — ta'amin
specifically — and understand this well — for it is not an empty thing.
And according to this path — all the toils and efforts in Torah and prayer —
## Segment 5
וּבְעִנְיַן הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ מַה שֶּׁמּוֹנַעַת אוֹתְךָ לִנְסֹעַ לְפֹה, מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, לְעֵת עַתָּה תְּחַיֶּה עַצְמְךָ מַה שֶּׁעַל כָּל פָּנִים אַתָּה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת אֶצְלֵנוּ שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה לְפָחוֹת, וּכְבָר הָיִיתָ בְּחַסְדֵי ה' עַל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַל שַׁבַּת חֲנֻכָּה, וּבְעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת תִּהְיֶה גַּם כֵּן. וּמֵהַסְּתָם תִּהְיֶה עוֹד פַּעַם אַחַת אוֹ יוֹתֵר מִקֹּדֶם בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ; וְאִם תִּרְצֶה לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר תּוּכַל לִהְיוֹת עַל יְדֵי זֶה אֲפִלּוּ מֻפְלָג בַּחֲסִידוּת אֲמִתִּי. וְגַם עַל יְדֵי רָצוֹן וְכִסּוּפִין אֲמִתִּיִּים תּוּכַל לִזְכּוֹת לִהְיוֹת פֹּה כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, וְגַם לִהְיוֹת אֵיזֶה פְּעָמִים בְּאוּמַאן, כִּי הַכֹּל יְכוֹלִין לִפְעֹל עַל יְדֵי רְצוֹנוֹת וְכִסּוּפִין, וּלְהַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמְךָ לְדַבֵּר הַכִּסּוּפִין וְהָרְצוֹנוֹת בְּפִיו, קוּמוּ נָא, עִמְדוּ נָא, עוֹרְרוּ נָא לְבַבְכֶם הַטּוֹב הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב לְהַרְגִּיל עַצְמְכֶם לֵילֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, לִכְסֹף וּלְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק הַרְבֵּה לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל עֵת וּלְדַבֵּר הַכִּסּוּפִין בְּפִיו, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נֶאֱרָגִין עוֹלָמוֹת וְחִדּוּשִׁים נִפְלָאִים, עַל יְדֵי צֵרוּפֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּרל"א (מָאתַיִם שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד) שְׁעָרִים, הַמִּצְטָרְפִין וְנִזְדַּוְּגִין בְּצֵרוּפִין חֲדָשִׁים נִפְלָאִים עַל יְדֵי דִּבּוּרֵי הַכִּסּוּפִין לַה' וּלְתוֹרָתוֹ וְלִדְרָכָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. כַּמּוּבָן וּמְבֹאָר בְּהַתּוֹרָה אִית לָן בֵּירָא בְּדַבְרָא עַיֵּן שָׁם הֵיטֵב (בְּסִימָן ל"א) כִּי לֹא דָּבָר רֵיק הוּא מִכֶּם, כִּי הוּא חַיֵּיכֶם וְכוּ'. וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁהַיּוֹם לָמַדְתִּי בְּסִפְרֵי קַבָּלָה מֵעִנְיַן הִתְהַוּוּת וַאֲרִיגַת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת עַל יְדֵי צֵרוּפֵי הָאוֹתִיּוֹת ברל"א (מָאתַיִם שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד) שְׁעָרִים פָּנִים וְאָחוֹר וְכוּ', וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתְעוֹרַרְתִּי עַתָּה הַרְבֵּה הַרְבֵּה מִדֵּי דַּבְּרִי עִם אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים שֶׁלָּנוּ. כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מַעֲלוֹת טוֹבוֹת לְהַזּוֹכֶה לֵילֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל, בִּפְרָט בְּעִנְיַן הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְהַכִּסּוּפִין לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וּלְתוֹרָתוֹ בִּכְלָלִיּוּת וּבִפְרָטִיּוּת וּלְדַבְּרָם בַּפֶּה, הֵן בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ לִהְיוֹת יְהוּדִי בֶּאֱמֶת, הֵן בִּפְרָטִיּוּת מַה שֶּׁחָסֵר לוֹ בִּפְרָט בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵת וְכוּ' וְכוּ', אַשְׁרֵי אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחֵז בָּזֶה. לֵית כָּל מֹחָא סָבִיל דָּא מַה שֶּׁנַּעֲשֶׂה וְנֶאֱרָג מִזֶּה בָּעוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, וְנִפְלְאוֹת הַשַּׁעֲשׁוּעִים הָעוֹלִים לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל יְדֵי זֶה. חִזְקוּ וְאִמְצוּ בְּכָל יוֹם לְקַיֵּם הַנְהָגָה זֹאת בְּכָל עֵת לְמַעַן יֵיטִיב לָכֶם לָעַד. וּזְמַן הַמִּנְחָה הִגִּיעַ, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְמַהְמֵהּ עוֹד כְּלָל, וַה' יַעֲנֵנוּ בְּיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ וְנִזְכֶּה לִפְעֹל בַּקָּשָׁתֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמִים.
especially in personal speeches before Him, Yisborach — we now call
seeking and searching. And so for the most part one seeks
and searches through desire and yearning and longing. And through this
you can greatly strengthen yourselves at every time however
it is — for you are obligated to seek and search more regardless — like
the one who searches for lost objects in the physical world, who certainly does
not find in one attempt — especially for losses such as these — for which one
must spend all one's days seeking and searching them. In particular since we
believe in truth that toil is never in vain — for what one gains through the
toil and searching alone — even all the time one has not found — is itself a
gain beyond measure —
more than all the wealth of the world — an eye has not seen
[עַיִן לֹא רָאֲתָה — Yeshayah 64:3. The full verse:
"no eye has seen, O G-d, other than You — what He will do for those who wait
for Him." It is a verse specifically about the hidden reward awaiting those
who wait upon Hashem — the gain that no eye has seen is the specific reward
reserved for those who persevere in hope. Reb Nussun applies it here with
full prophetic weight: the gain from the toil of searching — even when nothing
is found — is precisely this ayin lo ra'asah, exceeding all sight,
all conception, reserved for those who wait and hope and search]
and so forth. All the more so since we are confident that we will certainly
merit to find everything in the end — if we merit to always strengthen and seek
and search as above. And in the matter above are contained all the intentions
of Pesach and Parshas HaChodesh — see Likutay Halachos, Birchas HaPeiros 5.
And now rejoice greatly in Hashem
[שׂוֹשׂ תָּשִׂישׂ בַּה' — a direct quotation of
Yeshayah 61:10: "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem — my soul shall exult in my
G-d." This is the opening verse of one of Yeshayah's most concentrated
passages of messianic joy — immediately following the declaration of good
tidings to the poor and the binding of the brokenhearted. Reb Nussun opens
the final joy-section of this letter with precisely this messianic phrase]
— that we merited to hear such awesome things as these. And more than this it
is impossible to extend — how much we need to rejoice when we are sustained
with seven m'shivei ta'am
[שִׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טַעַם — from Mishlai 26:16:
seven who give back taste — applied here to the Rebbe's teachings as providing
spiritual nourishment in sevenfold abundance]
such as these. And
joy and gladness shall overtake you
[וְשָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה תַּשִּׂיג — Yeshayah 35:10
and 51:11: the great messianic verse — "the ransomed of Hashem shall return
with song — eternal joy shall be upon their heads — gladness and joy shall
overtake them — and sorrow and sighing shall flee"]
— until you also seize the sorrow and sigh and bring them into the joy against
their will — for in everything with which they can weaken your mind with any
sadness, G-d forbid — say: on the contrary — this is my joy — that a person
such as I — and even so I know of such wonders as these —
pleasantness in His right hand forever
[נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינוֹ נֶצַח — Tehillim 16:11:
"in Your presence is fullness of joy — in Your right hand are pleasures
forever"]
such as these. And if I am even worse — on the contrary it is fitting for me
to rejoice even more — for even so Hashem Yisborach has given us the privilege
of leaning on a holy Tzadik such as this — who has revealed such awesome
things. And surely one cannot deny that even so I know
the story of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua
[One of the Rebbe's thirteen holy stories in
Sipuray Maasios]
— and I also know the Torah of
the melody of seventy-two strings
[from Likutay Moharan]
— and I also know
the story of the Seven Beggars
[הַשִּׁבְעָה בֶּעטֶלִירְשׁ — the last and greatest of
Rebbe Nachman's sacred stories, told in Yiddish — each of the seven beggars
reveals that their seeming deficiency is their greatest perfection]
and so forth —
what shall we say, what shall we return to Hashem — for all He has
bestowed upon us
[מַה נְּדַבֵּר מַה נָּשִׁיב לַה' כָּל תַּגְמוּלוֹהִי
עָלֵינוּ — Tehillim 116:12: "what shall I return to Hashem for all His
beneficence to me?" — quoted in plural as a communal cry of awe].
And on account of the distraction — for I also must travel to the wedding this
week if Hashem wills — it is impossible to extend further.
And may the joy of the holy festival be sweet for you — and may you merit to
be careful of even a trace of chametz in the
physical and the spiritual — and to feel the joy and cleaving of the holy
Hallel of Pesach — and the exalted sweetness
of the holiness of the Pesach Seder. Let us rejoice and be glad in His
salvation.
Nussun of Breslov.
## Segment 6
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
Nussun of Breslov.