סז

My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your love compelled me to write now — in Chol HaMoed — on Erev Shabbos and the Seventh Day of Pesach — even though I have no time at all on account of the

honour due to guests and other matters. And I ask of you, my dear son — that you rejoice in the joy of the holy festival — for we merited that Hashem Yisborach did such miracles for us: that He took us out of Egypt and split the Sea for us — all of it for our sake — so that even we in this generation — which is I and you and all the people in Tultshin and here in Breslov and in all the cities of Israel in their dwelling places — that all of us who are here today, alive [כֻּלָּנוּ אֵלֶּה אֲנַחְנוּ פֹּה הַיּוֹם חַיִּים — a near-direct quotation of D'vorim 5:3: "not with our forefathers did Hashem make this covenant, but with us — we who are here today, all of us alive." Moshe's declaration that the covenant was made with every generation. Reb Nussun applies this to the obligation of joy at the Splitting of the Sea: it falls upon the living present generation] — all of us are the children of this generation — and upon us falls the obligation of this day to rejoice in the joy of the Splitting of the Sea. For at that time the divinity and lordship and sovereignty of the Ein Sof — the Master of Will, blessed be He — was revealed in a wondrous and awesome revelation the like of which had never been — until a servant-girl at the Sea saw [רָאֲתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם — the Mechilta and Talmud [Megillah 10b, Sota 30b]: at the Splitting of the Sea the divine revelation was so overwhelming that "a servant-girl saw what Yechezkel ben Buzi did not see" — infants and nursing babes said: "this is my G-d and I will glorify Him." The lowest and most unlikely witnesses perceived what the greatest prophet could not] and so forth — and infants and nursing babes said: this is my G-d and I will glorify Him [Sh'mos 15:2]. Rejoice, my son, in this joy — that you merited to believe in this at any rate — and to be part of Israel, the chosen people — for whom He did all these miracles. And if He had not looked upon the good within us — He would not have done such miracles for us at all. The matter is strong — be resolute — to be only joyous always, each day — as it is written [Tehillim 149:2]: Israel shall rejoice in its Maker — and it is written [Tehillim 14:7]: Yaakov shall exult, Israel shall rejoice — and in particular on this holy festival day, the Day of the Splitting of the Sea. For — praise be to G-d — we have reason to rejoice simply — in that He chose us from all peoples and exalted us above all tongues and so forth. And in particular that we merited in this generation not to oppose the Master of true joy — who is the source of joy, the source of holiness, the source of faith, the source of true and eternal life, the source of wisdom. Happy are we that we merited to this. It is incumbent upon us to praise the Master of all for all the wondrous good that He wondrously did with us — which cannot be believed when told [אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְאֻמַּן כִּי יְסֻפַּר — a direct biblical phrase from Chavakuk 1:5: "behold among the nations and see — wonder marvellously — for there is a deed being done in your days that you would not believe if it were told." Chavakuk's proclamation of an unimaginable divine act, applied here to the astonishing fact that people in such lowliness merited to hear such awesome things. The prophetic frame elevates Reb Nussun's statement beyond mere modesty: it is an act of divine wonder on the scale of Chavakuk's vision] — that we in such lowliness merited to hear and understand such awesome things. And in us is fulfilled the verse [Tehillim 136:23]: in our lowliness He remembered us [בְּשִׁפְלֵנוּ זָכַר לָנוּ — from the great Hallel of Pesach — "for His kindness is eternal." The most self-abasing verse of the Hallel, perfectly suited to the community's self-understanding: precisely because of their lowliness, He remembered them] — for His kindness is eternal. Therefore we are obligated to rejoice and to dance each and every day [לִשְׂמֹחַ וּלְרַקֵּד — to rejoice and to dance: dancing (rikud) is not merely a synonym for joy in Breslov theology but a distinct form of divine service. Rebbe Nachman taught that joy expressed through bodily movement has unique spiritual power that pure inner feeling cannot achieve alone. To dance is the physical enactment and completion of joy — a higher and separate act] — in everything that passes over us — and all the more so on a holy festival. And let not your heart grieve at all for not being able to be with us every time as your good heart desires — for this too is for good — for it is thousands of times more precious when you are with us once in a quarter-year through breaking such obstacles — than if you had been with me every week without obstacles. Blessed be Hashem that you merit at any rate to be here for Rosh Hashanah every year — and during the year we also see each other face to face several times. Rejoice, my son, and do not be distressed — and gladden your soul at each and every good point — and most of all with milei d'shtuta as is known to you. And it is impossible to extend further — and I am confident in you that you will fulfil these words of mine. And may He in Whose dwelling joy resides send joy upon us — that we merit to rejoice in this holy and awesome festival — especially since it is Shabbos Kodesh and Yom Tov Kodesh together. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation. Omain. Nussun of Breslov.

The words of your father.

Nussun of Breslov.