עז

My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received last Friday Erev Shabbos Kodesh through Rabbi Nachman of Haysin — together with one new ruble — as well as a letter from Rabbi Yaakov. And I am filled with wonder at you that you did not send your letter today through those who carry the post — especially to inform me of news from Rabbi Nachman — the grandson of our Rebbe, of blessed memory — as I warned you. And behold —

regarding the matter of the place in the kloyz — although I had some distress from this as well — I did not magnify the suffering — for you already know that we are far from the honour of this world as I heard from him, of blessed memory — and as we see with our own eyes at every time. And we already spoke much of this at the last Shavuos — how much one must bear humiliations and bloodshed in order to draw near to the supernal point — and so too it is clarified in several places in his words, of blessed memory, that now honour is in exile — and all the honour belongs to the brazen-faced of the generation and so forth. And if you are small in your own eyes and it seems to you that you are very far from him, of blessed memory, because of your deeds — on the contrary — all the more so — one must bear humiliations and bloodshed when one wants to be called by his holy name.

Please, my son — remember and do not forget at every time the immensity of the kindness and compassion that Hashem Yisborach had mercy on us — to be called by his holy name — for which all our days would not suffice to give thanks and praise. In particular since even so Hashem Yisborach does not abandon us — and certainly He will help you that you will have a place to pray without humiliation, with the help of Hashem Yisborach. From now on strengthen yourself not to pull upon yourself extraneous thoughts — and seek and search in every matter for some positive angle — and if you cannot find it — believe in the kindness of Hashem that certainly all is for good — for a person is obligated to say: all that the Merciful One does, He does for good [כָּל דְּעָבֵד רַחֲמָנָא לְטָב עָבֵד — Brochos 60b, in the name of Nachum of Gamzu: one of the most foundational Talmudic affirmations of providential goodness — the baseline of faith when no positive angle can be found]. And behold — I have already informed you through Rabbi Nachman about the matter of the money that Rabbi Moshe — may his light shine — gave in Uman for the building — and that because of this I intend to travel this week to Uman. Therefore do not do otherwise — only send me this week — on Wednesday at the latest — at least four or three new rubles — this will be your donation. And the remainder give to Rabbi Shimshon — so that I may gather some money to add to the aforementioned sum and work on the building. For I am already in debt for forty new rubles — therefore I cannot work on the building unless I add some further sum — as you will understand yourself — and do not do otherwise. And may Hashem Yisborach be with me and guide me in peace — and help us to complete the building in perfection speedily. The words of your father — who awaits your salvation and prays on your behalf. Nussun of Breslov. Letter to Rabbi Yaakov And peace to my dear, outstanding young man our Teacher the Rabbi Yaakov — may his light shine. Your letter I received — and I have heard your cry — and I know your pain [מִכְתָּבְךָ קִבַּלְתִּי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי זַעֲקָתְךָ וְיָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאוֹבֶיךָ — a near-direct quotation of Sh'mos 3:7, where Hashem speaks to Moshe at the burning bush: "I have surely seen the affliction of My people... and have heard their cry... and I know their pain" — v'shama'ti es tza'akasam... v'yada'ti es makhovav. Reb Nussun addresses Rabbi Yaakov in the very words Hashem spoke to Moshe. The pastoral act of receiving this letter and responding is framed in the language of the burning bush — the greatest moment of divine hearing in the entire Torah] — but I do not have words now adequate to write you. And certainly it would be good for you to be regularly here — but the obstacles are many — and this week I travel, if Hashem wills, to Uman. And by the looks of it you will not be able to be here until Shabbos Nachamu [שַׁבַּת נַחֲמוּ — the Shabbos after Tisha B'Av, named for its Haftorah: Nachamu, nachamu ami — "comfort, comfort My people" (Yeshayah 40) — the first of the seven weeks of consolation] coming upon us for good — and presumably you will be here then, if Hashem wills. And what Hashem sends to my mouth I will speak with you with the help of Hashem Yisborach. For now — be strong and resolute, my son — for you already know and understood that all that passes over you necessarily passes over a person: man is born to toil [אָדָם לְעָמָל יוּלָד — Iyov 5:7, expounded in Sanhedrin 99b as born specifically to the toil of Torah. Without toil it is impossible to receive the holiness of the Torah] [Iyov 5 — Sanhedrin 99b] — for I found and did not toil — do not believe [מָצָאתִי וְלֹא יָגַעְתִּי אַל תַּאֲמִין — Megillah 6b, the inverse of the principle applied in Letter 71 to the search for lost holy sparks; here applied to the acquisition of Torah holiness. The two uses are mirror images of the same Talmudic axiom]. But Hashem Yisborach does not send upon a person toil and effort that he cannot stand. And it is already known to us that prayer is very, very difficult because of the multitude of extraneous thoughts — and there is much to say about this, more than any page can contain — but the general principle is that this very thing — that one exerts himself and compels himself to pray even when he cannot pray properly — this itself is very, very precious in the eyes of Hashem Yisborach — and is counted as sacrifices [נֶחֱשָׁב כְּקָרְבָּנוֹת — from Sichot HaRan 12: the daily struggle to pray is equivalent to bringing an offering] — in the aspect of for Your sake we are killed all the day [כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ כָל הַיּוֹם — Tehillim 44:23, cited in Sichot HaRan 12. The daily compulsion to pray despite the constant assault of distracting thoughts is itself a form of martyrdom for Hashem, counted as sacrificial service] [Tehillim 44:23 — Sichot HaRan 12] and so forth. Also remember well that two thoughts cannot coexist at the same time in any way [שְׁנֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת בְּיַחַד — a fundamental Breslov principle: the mind can hold only one thought at a time. Whenever an extraneous thought enters, it can be displaced by filling the mental space fully with the words of prayer]. And also remember well, well the Torah of I will sing to my G-d while I yet exist [אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹקַי בְּעוֹדִי — Tehillim 146:2, the opening of Likutay Moharan I:282. The essential teaching: sing to Hashem from exactly whatever level you are at — b'odi, while I am still in my present imperfect state — not waiting until one is worthy] — and look at it carefully and well — and do not let it seem old to you [וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה בְּעֵינֶיךָ כִּישָׁנָה — "do not let it be in your eyes like something old": a specific Breslov warning against the spiritual danger of over-familiarity with Torah teachings. When what we know becomes so habitual that we no longer truly hear it — when the teaching becomes yeshanah, worn and stale — the inner life begins to die. The instruction is not merely to treat the teaching as new, but to guard actively against the deadening effect of familiarity: every encounter with the Rebbe's words must be as if hearing them for the first time] — and walk with it each day.

And also remember the Torah on the verse make a window for the ark [צֹהַר תַּעֲשֶׂה לַתֵּבָה — B'reishis 6:16, the opening of Likutay Moharan I:2: make a window — a point of light — for each word of prayer, so that the Divine Presence may dwell within the words] [B'reishis 6:16 — Likutay Moharan I:2] — and look at it carefully there as well and walk with it also. And in Hashem's kindness you will be able to sustain yourself through them and their like. And the trials and fears you have from your father who exaggerates against you — trust in Hashem that He will save you from him — as He has already saved many from such obstacles and fears and many more. And certainly if you remain standing in your place to draw near to the point of truth at every time — you will bring great satisfaction to your father in this world and in the next — far more than if you obeyed him, G-d forbid. And knowledge of the discerning is easy to understand. Hope in Hashem and He will save you. And from the greatness of my distraction it is impossible to extend — and this suffices for now. The words of one who loves you in truth forever — who desires and yearns for your welfare in truth — for His sake alone — not for any ulterior motive or honour of this world, G-d forbid — only for the sake of truth itself alone. Nussun of Breslov. Regarding your study: certainly it is good for you in every way that you begin the order of the Orach Chayyim with the Magen Eretz — and establish for yourself a fixed portion — how many pages each day — until you complete, with the help of Hashem Yisborach, all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch — and return and begin again and so forth. And conduct yourself thus all the days of your life — and through this it will be good for you forever.

Nussun of Breslov.