צח

To: Abundant peace to my beloved son, my dear one, the Rabbinic one, our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine.

Your letter I received at this hour — together with the letter to Tsheryn. You did well — what you did — what you accomplished with this letter to Tsheryn [הֱטִיבוֹתָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ — a direct echo of the

royal formula of divine commendation. In Melachim I 8:18 and Divrei HaYomim I 17:2, Hashem says to David regarding his intention to build the Temple: hetivosa asher hayah im l'vavecha — "you did well that this was in your heart." It is the language by which Hashem Himself expresses approval of an act of sacred intention. Reb Nussun applies this same formula — with the resonance of divine commendation — to Yitzchok's act of facilitating peace between a married couple]. Praise be to G-d — I have given you merit in a great commandment without measure — that you should have such a share in such a peace between such a union. May Hashem Yisborach give you merit to eat of its fruits in this world — that you merit to be a truly upright man — and the principal shall remain intact forever [וְהַקֶּרֶן יִהְיֶה קַיָּם לָעַד — the Mishnaic formula

from Peah 1:1: deeds whose fruit one eats in this world while the eternal principal remains intact in the World to Come. Applied here to the merit of making peace between husband and wife]. And behold I have read your letter. And gladness is fixed in my heart from one side. And sorrow from one side — that you are still not strengthening yourself to cast off the foreign thoughts — especially the thoughts of money. And have you not already heard so many holy conversations and Torahs — that the thought is in a person's hand to turn it as he wishes — and that it is impossible in any way for two thoughts to be together — and many other conversations like these — that one can be saved from them through sit and do not do — and especially what we spoke about on this Shabbos Chanukah — about the tangled reed [עַל דָּרֵי כְּרוּכְיָא דְּקַנְיָא — the image from Likutay Halachos Hilchos Shabbos 6 of the foreign thought that winds itself around the mind like a coiled reed — tightening with each attempt to wrestle it free. The counsel: simply stop engaging it] [Likutay Halachos, Shabbos 6]. And why do you not gird your loins to drive them away through such holy counsels? I know, my son — I know — how very strongly they overpower — even so — even so. But you already know and have heard — that the essential thing is that you practice shev v'al ta'aseh — and whatever is done to you — do not be troubled about it. For every single withdrawal — each and every one — by which you withdraw yourself from them — is very precious in the eyes of Hashem Yisborach [כָּל הַמְשָׁכָה וְהַמְשָׁכָה — from Likutay Moharan II:48: every single act of withdrawing from a foreign thought is enormously precious, regardless of whether the thought returns. The victory is in each individual withdrawal] [Likutay Moharan II:48] — as is explained in his holy words. And through this it is fitting for you to revive yourself at every time. For the sake of Hashem — be strong and resolute! And flee at every time from foreign thoughts through shev v'al ta'aseh — and do not look upon whether they overpower you a thousand times a day. You do your part — to flee from them each time. If you flee before they become entangled in your thought — so much the better. And even if you were remiss until it became — G-d forbid — a tangled reed — stand up suddenly and nullify yourself. And remember Shabbos — which is the ultimate

purpose. And this matter cannot be explained in detail — for it is for each person according to what he assesses in his heart [הוּא לְכָל חַד כְּפוּם מַה דִּמְשַׁעֵר בְּלִבֵּהּ — a direct quotation of the Talmudic formula from Bava Basra 60b: kol chad v'chad k'fum mah d'misha'er b'libbei — each and every one according to what he carries in his heart. The phrase appears in halachic contexts of personal capacity and individual measure. Here Reb Nussun cites it to say: the matter of bitul before the Infinite Light cannot be taught prescriptively because it is entirely dependent on each person's unique inner assessment — their capacity and their moment. The Talmudic formula of individual measure is applied to the most intimate dimension of divine service] . At any rate — every person can — and you too — nullify yourself each time. And then the overpowering of the thoughts will be turned for good — so that through this very thing you will be awakened to the aspect of self-nullification before the Infinite Light — which is very, very precious. And every person in whatever place he may be — even in the depths of the underworld — must draw himself toward this — toward the place where all desires are fixed [לַאֲתָר דְּכָל רְעוּתִין תְּקוּעִין תַּמָּן — Aramaic from the Zohar: "the place where all desires are fixed/embedded there" — the supreme divine Root in which all wills and desires find their ultimate home]. And this is the essential aspect of and if I make my bed in the depths of the underworld — behold You are there [וְאַצִּיעָה שְׁאוֹל הִנֶּךָּ — Tehillim 139:8: already in Letter 97's transcriber's preface, and now the living teaching: even from the lowest pit one can nullify oneself toward the Infinite Light] — that even in the depths of the underworld one can nullify oneself toward the Infinite Light — which is the essential ultimate purpose of divine service.

And this is the aspect of and Pharaoh brought their hearts closer to their Father in heaven [וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב אֶת לִבָּן לַאֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם — Sh'mos Rabbah 21: Pharaoh's persecution paradoxically drew Israel's hearts closer to their Father in heaven. The oppressor's intensification of pressure achieved total self-nullification toward Hashem. The harder the sitra achra presses, the deeper the bitul] [Sh'mos Rabbah 21] — for it is specifically through the overpowering of the sitra achra that one nullifies oneself completely. And for the sake of Hashem — know and believe — that I am not writing you mere novelties and homiletics. Even though certainly this too is very precious — but this is not my intention — only that you should go with all of this and strive

and strengthen yourself to fulfil all of this. For praise be to G-d — it is in your hands to fulfil all of this. And gladden your soul in whatever you can. And blessed is Hashem that you wrote in your letter many true words — what you are reviving yourself through in every holy act — and so it is the proper measure — and this is very fitting for you — but you still need to revive yourself more through every good movement and movement — and to believe that every single withdrawal and strengthening is very, very precious in the eyes of Hashem Yisborach. And strengthen yourself in this to flee from now on from evil thoughts. For the essential strength comes through strengthening and joy. And especially — praise be to G-d — we have reason to rejoice in the essential matter — in that we merited to know from such a light of lights — which is our life — however one is — certainly your end will be good — and there is hope for your future — praise be to G-d. The words of your father — who awaits your salvation speedily. Nussun of Breslov. And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great love. Be strong and let your hearts take courage — all who hope in Hashem [חִזְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם כָּל הַמְיַחֲלִים לַה' — Tehillim 31:25: the closing verse of the Psalm of the person in distress who is yet confident of divine deliverance]. The words of your father — who awaits your salvation speedily. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Sunday, Parshas Vayechi. *Heitivosa asher asisa*: now identified as the royal formula of divine commendation (Melachim I 8:18 / Divrei HaYomim I 17:2) — the language by which Hashem expresses approval. *Kol chad kfum mah d'misha'er b'libbei*: the Talmudic formula of individual measure from Bava Basra 60b — applied to the intimate, non-prescriptive nature of *bitul* before the Infinite Light. *Keruchya d'kanya* (Likutay Halachos Shabbos 6), Likutay Moharan II:48, *V'Paroh hikriv* (Sh'mos Rabbah 21), *asar d'kol r'usin t'ku'in taman*. Closing: *chizku v'ya'ametz l'vavchem* (Tehillim 31:25). Key Themes Heitivosa — Royal Formula of Commendation The language of divine approval (Melachim I 8:18): "you did well what was in your heart." Reb Nussun applies it to Yitzchok's act of making peace —

elevating it to the level of divinely sanctioned intention, as Hashem said

Nussun of Breslov.

And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great love. Be strong and let your hearts take courage — all who hope in Hashem [חִזְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם כָּל הַמְיַחֲלִים לַה' — Tehillim 31:25: the closing verse of the Psalm of the person in distress who is yet confident of divine deliverance]. to David about the Temple.]