Segment 1
בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם, אוֹר לְיוֹם ד' עֶרֶב יוֹם כִּפּוּר אַחַר חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה תקצ"ג לפ"ק.
To: My beloved son. [Yitzchok]
May the King who forgives and pardons enable us to accomplish
the petition of Forgive us, please on this holy and awesome Yom
Kippur coming upon us for good
[מֶלֶךְ מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ / סְלַח נָא — the opening
Segment 2
מֶלֶךְ מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ יְזַכֵּנוּ לִפְעֹל בַּקָּשַׁת סְלַח נָא בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַחֲנֻכָּה טוֹב לַחֲנֻכַּת הַבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ (עַיֵּן לִקּוּטֵי מוֹהֲרַ"ן תִּנְיָנָא ז). וּלְעֵת עַתָּה נִזְכֶּה לְחַנֵּךְ הַבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ מְעַט (יְחֶזְקֵאל י"א לְמִקְדָּשׁ מְעַט עַיֵּן רַשִׁ"י שָׁם) שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹסְקִין בְּבִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה שֶׁיֻּגְמַר בַּשָּׁנָה הַזֹּאת לְטוֹבָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בּוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַסָּמוּךְ מְאֹד מְאֹד הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ, כִּי הַשָּׁנָה פּוֹרַחַת מְאֹד, וּבְקָרוֹב יַגִּיעַ רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל שָׁנָה הַבָּאָה לְטוֹבָה. מִי יִתֵּן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בַּשָּׁנָה הַזֹּאת לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ קְדֻשַּׁת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֶעָבַר וְהַבָּא, וְנִזְכֶּה לִשְׁפֹּךְ לִבֵּנוּ כַּמַּיִם נוֹכַח פְּנֵי ה' בְּכָל יוֹם, בִּפְרָט בַּיּוֹם הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה הוּא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, וְנִזְכֶּה לַחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה לָנֶצַח.
phrase draws on the Yom Kippur liturgy's central refrain. Selach Na
is Moshe's prayer from Bamidbar 14:19 at the sin of the spies — the paradigmatic
cry of forgiveness. In Likutay Moharan II:7, the Rebbe reveals that the letters
of the word Chanukah (חנוכה) are encoded within the verse Selach
Na — and that through Yom Kippur's petition for forgiveness one reaches
the level of Chanukah's illumination]
— until we merit a good Chanukah — a Chanukah for the dedication of the
Holy Temple that will be built speedily in our days
[See Likutay Moharan II:7].
And for now we should merit to dedicate the
minor sanctuary
[מִקְדָּשׁ מְעַט — Yechezkel 11:16: "yet I have been
to them as a minor sanctuary in the lands to which they have gone" — and Rashi
explains: the synagogues and houses of study are the minor sanctuaries of exile.
Reb Nussun applies it directly to the Uman building: the holy house of study
at the Rebbe's resting place is the mikdash me'at — the small
sanctuary — whose dedication is the Chanukah of our time]
[Yechezkel 11 — see Rashi there]
— which we are engaged in building — that we merit it to be completed in
perfection in this coming year — and to pray in it on the very close and very
imminent holy Rosh Hashanah coming upon us. For
the year blossoms and flies
[הַשָּׁנָה פּוֹרַחַת מְאֹד — the verb porach,
from the root פרח, means both to blossom and to fly: the year blossoms like
a flower and flies like a bird. The image draws on the poignancy of Iyov 14:2
— "he blossoms like a flower and is cut off — he flees like a shadow and does
not remain" — and Iyov 20:8 — "he flies like a dream and cannot be found." The
year does not merely pass; it blossoms beautifully and then flies away — and
Rosh Hashanah of the next year is already almost upon us]
— and Rosh Hashanah of the coming year will soon arrive. Would that we merit
this year to draw upon ourselves the holiness of the past Rosh Hashanah and
the coming one — and we merit to pour out our hearts like
water before Hashem each day — especially on this great and awesome day
— and we merit to a good sealing forever.
Your letter I received at the beginning of this night. And certainly it had
not entered my mind to write you these things now. But it was from Hashem
that the bearer of this letter is travelling now in such haste —
Segment 3
מִכְתָּבְךָ קִבַּלְתִּי בִּתְחִלַּת הַלַּיְלָה הַזֹּאת, וּבְוַדַּאי לֹא עָלָה עַל דַּעְתִּי לִכְתֹּב לְךָ עַתָּה דְּבָרִים אֵלֶּה. אַךְ מֵאֵת ה' הָיְתָה שֶׁנּוֹסֵעַ מוֹסֵר כְּתָב זֶה עַתָּה בְּעֵת חִפָּזוֹן כָּזֶה אֲשֶׁר מַלְאָכִים יֵחָפֵזוּן וְכוּ', וּמֵחֲמַת הַטִּרְדָּא עַתָּה לֹא רָצִיתִי לִכְתֹּב, אַךְ נִזְכַּרְתִּי אוּלַי זֶה שַׁיָּךְ לְקַבָּלַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה. וְעַתָּה אֲנִי רוֹאֶה זֹאת בְּעֵינַי כִּי הִזְמִין לִי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְהַזְכִּירְךָ מֵעִנְיַן בַּקָּשַׁת סְלַח נָא כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לַחֲנֻכָּה, וּבְוַדַּאי כְּדַאי וּכְדַאי לִכְתֹּב עַתָּה דָּבָר נִפְלָא וְנוֹרָא כָּזֶה שֶׁזָּכִינוּ בַּחֲסָדָיו הַנִּפְלָאִים שֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה בְּיָמֵינוּ סוֹד כָּמוּס וְנֶעְלָם וְנִסְתָּר כָּזֶה שֶׁכַּמָּה וְכַמָּה עוֹלָמוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים עֶלְיוֹנִים לֹא יָדְעוּ מִזֶּה, וּבְיָמֵינוּ בְּיָמֵינוּ נִתְגַּלָּה סוֹד חִדּוּשׁ כָּזֶה. וּמִלְּבַד נְעִימוּת קְדֻשַּׁת הִתְגַּלּוּת חָדָשׁ כָּזֶה הוּא נִצְרָךְ לָנוּ מְאֹד מְאֹד לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, בִּפְרָט עַתָּה בְּעֵת הַזֹּאת בְּעֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁאָנוּ צְרִיכִים לִזְכֹּר זֹאת הֵיטֵב לְבַקֵּשׁ מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הַרְבֵּה הַרְבֵּה סְלַח נָא וְכוּ' עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַחֲנֻכָּה טוֹב לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ הֶאָרַת בֵּן וְתַלְמִיד, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה כָּל אֶחָד לֵידַע בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא בְּכָל עֵת וָרֶגַע, כִּי ה' אִתּוֹ וְעִמּוֹ וְקָרוֹב אֵלָיו מְאֹד מְאֹד, כִּי מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ. וְיֶתֶר מִזֶּה תְּעַיֵּן אוֹ תִּזְכֹּר מֵעַצְמְךָ מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב שָׁם, וְאִם יֵשׁ לְךָ פְּנַאי טוֹב שֶׁתֹּאמַר סָמוּךְ לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אוֹ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בְּעַצְמוֹ הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה הַנּוֹרָאָה הַזֹּאת. וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עֲזָרָנוּ שֶׁדִּבַּרְנוּ הַרְבֵּה מֵהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת בְּשַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ הֶעָבַר בְּטֶעפְּלִיק, אַשְׁרֵינוּ מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקֵנוּ וּמַה נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵנוּ שֶׁאָנוּ יוֹדְעִים מֵאוֹצְרוֹת סוֹדוֹת נִשְׂגָּבוֹת כָּאֵלֶּה, שֶׁכָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר מְחַיֶּה כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אֲפִלּוּ הַגְּרוּעִים בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁאֵין גְּרִיעוּת מֵהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שֹׁכְנֵי עָפָר וְכוּ' וְכוּ'. וְכָל מַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְתָּ שֶׁהֶחֱיֵיתָ עַצְמְךָ בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹקַי בְּעוֹדִי, שַׁיָּךְ גַּם כֵּן לָזֶה, כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּבִין בְּעַצְמְךָ. מַה נֹּאמַר מַה נְּדַבֵּר, מַה נָּשִׁיב לַה' כָּל תַּגְמוּלוֹהִי עָלֵינוּ שֶׁהֶחֱיָה אוֹתָנוּ בַּדּוֹרוֹת הַלָּלוּ בְּמַטְעַמִּים קְדוֹשִׁים כָּאֵלּוּ, בְּשִׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טַעַם שֶׁיְּכוֹלִים לְהַחֲיוֹת וּלְהָשִׁיב בָּהֶם, שֶׁקּוֹרִין דֶער קְוִויקִין, כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, כָּל הַחוֹלִים וְהַחֲלוּשִׁים בָּחֳלִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ מְאֹד.
at which angels hasten
[אֲשֶׁר מַלְאָכִים יֵחָפֵזוּן — the Yom Kippur
Musaf Kedushah: the unique Kedushah of Yom Kippur's
Musaf prayer includes the phrase malochim yechafezun —
"angels hasten" — as part of its description of the heavenly trembling before
the divine presence on this day. Reb Nussun cites the very Kedushah
of the day that is about to begin: the messenger travels at midnight with the
urgency of the angels in Yom Kippur's own sacred prayer]
— and because of the rush now I did not want to write — but I remembered —
perhaps this is connected to the receiving of the holy Yom Kippur coming upon
us for good. And now I see this with my own eyes — that Hashem Yisborach
arranged for me to remind you of the matter of the petition of Selach Na
in order to merit to Chanukah. And certainly it is worthy — very worthy — to
write now about such a wonderful and awesome thing — that we merited through
His wondrous kindness that
there was revealed in our days a concealed and hidden and
secret mystery — that many, many holy supernal worlds did not know of — and
in our days, in our very own days, there was revealed such a new secret
teaching.
And beyond the sweetness of the holiness of such a new revelation — it is
very, very needed by each and every one of us — especially now at this time
on Erev Yom Kippur — when we must remember this well and petition Hashem
Yisborach greatly: Selach Na and so forth — until we merit a good
Chanukah — to draw upon ourselves the illumination of son and student
[הֶאָרַת בֵּן וְתַלְמִיד — a key kabbalistic pair in
Likutay Moharan II:7. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua embody these two
dimensions — the one like a son in his closeness, the other like a student
in his learning. The Chanukah light illuminates these two relationships
between Hashem and Israel]
— that each person merit to know — in whatever place he may be, at every time
and moment — that Hashem is with him and near to him very,
very much — for the whole earth is filled with His glory
[מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ — Yeshayahu 6:3: the
cry of the seraphim in Yeshayahu's vision. The central verse of divine
omnipresence — applied here as practical knowledge accessible to any person
in any place at any moment].
And for more than this — look or recall for yourself what is written there.
And if you have leisure — it would be good to say the prayer of that awesome
Torah close to Yom Kippur or on Yom Kippur itself. And Hashem Yisborach helped
us that we spoke much from this Torah on last Shabbos Kodesh in Teplik.
Happy are we — how good is our portion and how pleasant
our lot — that we know from the treasuries of such exalted secrets —
that every single word revives all the souls in the world — even the worst
of all — as it is written there:
awake and sing for joy, you who dwell in the dust
[הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שֹׁכְנֵי עָפָר — Yeshayahu
26:19: "your dead shall live — awake and sing for joy, you who dwell in the
dust." Applied in Likutay Moharan II:7 to the spiritual revival of even the
most debased souls: the Rebbe's words reach those dwelling in the dust and
raise them up]
and so forth. And all that you wrote — that you revived yourself through the
holy Torah of I will sing to my G-d while I yet exist — this too
is connected to it — as you will understand yourself.
What shall we say, what shall we speak?
[מַה נֹּאמַר מַה נְּדַבֵּר — echoing B'reishis 44:16
(Yehudah's cry before Yosef) and the Yom Kippur confessional: speechlessness
before divine abundance]
What shall we return to Hashem for all His acts of
goodness toward us?
[מַה נָּשִׁיב לַה' כָּל תַּגְמוּלוֹהִי עָלֵינוּ
— Tehillim 116:12: the psalmist's cry of gratitude that exceeds all
response — already used in Letter 74 for Pesach, now on Erev Yom Kippur at
midnight]
— that He kept us alive in these generations through such holy delicacies —
through the seven restorers of taste
[בְּשִׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טַעַם — the seven dimensions
of spiritual nourishment embedded in Likutay Moharan II:7 that can revive
the souls of the sick]
that can revive and restore — what one calls der kvikn
[דֶּר קְוִויקִין — Yiddish: the quickeners, the
revivifiers — the folk word for things that restore and revive life, here
referring to the Rebbe's teachings as the spiritual nourishment that quickens
even the most enfeebled souls]
— all the souls in the world — all those who are ill and weak from the
sickness of the soul.
My son! You have revived me with your words — in
what you wrote that you revived yourself through this Torah. This is indeed
the measure — and this is very fitting for you. And what you wrote regarding
your sorrow and confusions — this is not new to me — for I already know that
every time things pass over a person that seem to him as if they had never
passed over him before — and in truth it is so — that every time new obstacles
and confusions are renewed upon a person. And from this one can understand —
that certainly the attribute of good is much greater — and certainly if one
overcomes this — one draws upon oneself through this very thing a renewal for
good — to be renewed in one's divine service. And it is impossible to extend
now on this — and there is yet more vision for the appointed time, if Hashem
wills, after the holy Yom Kippur. And everything was worthwhile to make the
effort on Erev Yom Kippur — so that from this there would grow the writing to
you now about the matter of Selach Na — and if we multiply and say
ashraynu — thousands upon thousands of times about this alone —
it would not suffice.
The words of your father — who writes now in the light of the day — and may
the Master of Kindness
sate us in the morning with His kindness — and we shall
sing and rejoice all our days
[יַשְׂבִּיעֵנוּ בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְדּוֹ וּנְרַנְּנָה
וְנִשְׂמְחָה כָּל יָמֵינוּ — Tehillim 90:14, the Psalm specifically titled
Segment 4
בְּנִי! הֶחֱיִיתַנִי בִּדְבָרֶיךָ בַּמֶּה שֶׁכָּתַבְתָּ שֶׁהֶחֱיֵיתָ עַצְמְךָ בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, כָּךְ הוּא הַמִּדָּה, וְכָךְ יָפֶה לְךָ. וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְתָּ מֵעִנְיַן צַעַרְךָ וּבִלְבּוּלֶיךָ אֵין זֶה חָדָשׁ אֶצְלִי, כִּי כְּבָר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁבְּכָל פַּעַם עוֹבְרִים עַל הָאָדָם דְּבָרִים שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא עָבְרוּ עָלָיו מֵעוֹלָם, וּבֶאֱמֶת הוּא כֵּן, שֶׁבְּכָל פַּעַם מִתְחַדֵּשׁ עַל הָאָדָם מְנִיעוֹת וּבִלְבּוּלִים שׁוֹנִים. וּמִזֶּה יוּכַל לְהָבִין כִּי בְּוַדַּאי מִדָּה טוֹבָה מְרֻבָּה, וּבְוַדַּאי אִם יִתְגַּבֵּר עַל זֶה יַמְשִׁיךְ עַל עַצְמוֹ עַל יְדֵי זֶה דַּיְקָא הִתְחַדְּשׁוּת לְטוֹבָה, לְהִתְחַדֵּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַאֲרִיךְ עַתָּה בָּזֶה וְעוֹד חָזוֹן לַמּוֹעֵד אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם לְאַחַר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה. וְהַכֹּל כְּדַאי לִטְרֹחַ בְּעֶרֶב יוֹם כִּפּוּר כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּצְמַח מִזֶּה לִכְתֹּב לְךָ עַתָּה מֵעִנְיַן הַסְּלַח נָא וְכוּ' הַנַּ"ל, וְאִם נִכְפֹּל וְנֹאמַר אַשְׁרֵינוּ וְכוּ' אֲלָפִים וְרִבֵּי רִבְבוֹת פְּעָמִים עַל זֶה לְבַד לֹא יַסְפִּיק.
Tefillas L'Moshe Ish Ha'Elokim — a prayer of Moshe the man of G-d
— the only Psalm attributed to Moshe in the entire Psalter. Reb Nussun
closes this midnight letter with Moshe's own words, on the very night of the
greatest forgiveness Moshe ever achieved for Israel — when on the second Yom
Kippur Moshe descended with the second tablets and announced Hashem
Hashem El rachum v'chanun. The choice of Moshe's Psalm, on Erev Yom
Kippur, at the moment of seeking forgiveness through Selach Na
(Moshe's own prayer) — is a precise and deeply layered echo].
Nussun of Breslov.
The words of your father — who writes now in the light of the day — and may
the Master of Kindness
sate us in the morning with His kindness — and we shall
sing and rejoice all our days
[יַשְׂבִּיעֵנוּ בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְדּוֹ וּנְרַנְּנָה
וְנִשְׂמְחָה כָּל יָמֵינוּ — Tehillim 90:14, the Psalm specifically titled
Tefillas L'Moshe Ish Ha'Elokim — a prayer of Moshe the man of G-d
— the only Psalm attributed to Moshe in the entire Psalter. Reb Nussun
closes this midnight letter with Moshe's own words, on the very night of the
greatest forgiveness Moshe ever achieved for Israel — when on the second Yom
Kippur Moshe descended with the second tablets and announced Hashem
Hashem El rachum v'chanun. The choice of Moshe's Psalm, on Erev Yom
Kippur, at the moment of seeking forgiveness through Selach Na
(Moshe's own prayer) — is a precise and deeply layered echo].
Nussun of Breslov.
[Translator's Note: Overview: Written after midnight on Erev Yom Kippur — one of
the most charged letters in the collection. Likutay Moharan II:7: *Selach Na*
contains the letters of *Chanukah* — Yom Kippur's forgiveness reaches
Chanukah's light. The Uman building is the *mikdash me'at* (Yechezkel 11:16).
*Porach* — the year blossoms and flies (Iyov). *Malachim yechafezun* corrected
to the Yom Kippur *Musaf Kedushah* — the messenger travels at midnight with
the urgency of the angels in Yom Kippur's own sacred prayer. *Melo kol ha'aretz
kvodo* (Yeshayahu 6:3). *Hakitzu v'ranenu shoknei afar* (Yeshayahu 26:19).
The closing from Tehillim 90:14 — *Tefillas L'Moshe* — Moshe's own Psalm,
on the very night of the greatest forgiveness Moshe achieved for Israel.
Key Themes
Selach Na → Chanukah — Likutay Moharan II:7
The Rebbe's revelation that the letters of Chanukah are encoded in
Segment 5
דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ הַכּוֹתֵב עַתָּה בְּאוֹר הַיּוֹם, וּבַעַל הַחֶסֶד יַשְׂבִּיעֵנוּ בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְדּוֹ וּנְרַנְּנָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה כָּל יָמֵינוּ.
Selach Na — Yom Kippur's petition for forgiveness reaches Chanukah's
illumination. A hidden secret revealed in our days. The arc: forgiveness →
illumination → dedication.]
Segment 6
נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב
[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]