To R' Yankel in His Bereavement — A Letter of Profound Consolation

"May the days of constriction be transformed into salvations and relief" — to his honor — my beloved, my dear — like my own soul — the revered Chassid — from the precious Breslover Chassidim — who yearn and long for true drawing close to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — his honor, his splendor, his glory, our master Rabbi Tzvi Yosef Vasilefsky[כמהר"ר = כבוד מורינו הרב רבי — the full salutation honorific.], may his light shine — and all his household[כב"ב = וכל בני ביתו — "and all the members of his household."], may they live. [בין המצרים יתהפכו לישועות ולרווחים — "May the days of constriction be transformed into salvations and relief." The salutation here replaces the usual "peace and blessing" with a prayer drawing on the period of "Bein HaMetzarim" — the Three Weeks of mourning between 17 Tammuz and Tisha B'Av (see §2 below). "Bein HaMetzarim" literally means "between the straits / between the constrictions" — derived from Lamentations 1:3: "all her pursuers overtook her in the straits." The author prays that this time of constriction be transformed into salvation — echoing the Talmudic promise that Tisha B'Av will one day be transformed into a day of rejoicing.] After inquiring after your precious wellbeing with great love. Let his honor believe me — that writing is very difficult for me because of my illness and great weakness and my terrible pains. And it has been a while that I have wanted to write to his honor — but my weakness mentioned above has delayed me. And today — returning — with G-d's help — from the hillula of our master the Arizal — I remembered his honor — that we were together in Meron — and at the gravesite of the Arizal — some years ago — I toiled with great effort to write to his honor. And therefore — on the hillula of the Arizal — who was from the sparks of the Messiah — and also because I want to begin after Tisha B'Av to print the book Part 2 of Ya'alas Chen — I said: I will try to write once more to his honor. Please send me the five hundred Israeli pounds for the book — and also the money received from the books. And do not delay the redemption — for our master the Rebbe's book — Likutay Moharan — is "the beginning of the redemption" [לק"מ אתחלתא דגאולה — "Likutay Moharan is the beginning of the redemption." A teaching from Chayyei Moharan — the record of the Rebbe's conversations (Chayyei Moharan §318 and similar). The Rebbe stated that the Likutay Moharan itself — his collection of Torah teachings — is the "beginning of the redemption." If this is so for the Likutay Moharan generally, then all the more so for a book of deep study in its teachings.] — as brought in Chayyei Moharan — and all the more so this book which is the Torah of our master the Rebbe in depth. And I have no words to describe the praise of this book — all the more so in writing.

Tisha B'Av: Weeping at Midnight; The Esrog; LT Torah 67; The Shechinah's Weeping at the Western Wall; The Seven Weeks of Consolation; Elul; The Full Tishrei Cycle And now the beginning is already upon us — for the approaching awesome days — and one must prepare oneself with charity and lovingkindness and so on. Because of my weakness — writing is very difficult for me — and even so — it is impossible to be dismissed without anything. Certainly during the Three Weeks — and in particular on Tisha B'Av — one must recite Tikkun Chatzos — and to weep. [And this weeping also — one merits through it a beautiful esrog — as our master the Rebbe זצ"ל hints in Torah 67 of Likutay Tefillot — "Bereishis — l'einei kol Yisrael" — that the weeping at midnight and during the Three Weeks is the essential — for the concealment of the grace and beauty and splendor of the entire world — which is the true Tzaddik — and he hints there that the beautiful esrog is the aspect of the grace and beauty — the beautification of the esrog is the beautification of the Tzaddik. And in another Torah — and in Shichos HaR"an — that according to the weeping of the awesome days — so is the beauty and splendor of the esrog. And therefore — it is understood — that the weeping during the Three Weeks and on Tisha B'Av is also from the beginning of the awesome days — [as brought in Likutay Halachos that the Three Weeks is already the preparation for the awesome days and for Rosh Hashana and so on] — and through it one merits a beautiful esrog.] And the essential of the weeping — as appears from the Torah "Bereishis — l'einei kol Yisrael" — and Prayer 33 of Part 2 [of Likutay Tefillot] — that the beginning of the affliction was the exile of the Ten Tribes from the Land of Israel — [that is: that they are far from the Land of Israel — and they are in exile in the diaspora] — and for this the Shechinah wept at the Western Wall of the Temple. And through her weeping — [the opposite of our weeping and the arousal to return in teshuvah — which through this would have caused the building of the Temple and the redemption] — the fiery luminaries grew stronger — and caused the exile of Judah and Benjamin — and the burning of the Temple through the fiery luminaries. And in any case — they could have given life to themselves through the holiness of the true Tzaddikim — who are they — the luminaries of light — in the aspect of the Shabbos of the entire day[בחי' שבת דכולא יומא = בחי' שבת דכולא יומא — Aramaic: "in the aspect of the Shabbos of the entire day." A Zoharic phrase describing the highest Tzaddikim — those whose entire life is in the aspect of Shabbos: entirely holy, entirely above the mundane week, illuminating all the days from their elevated station.] — who shine toward the Holy Temple — and they are the head of the house — and they are those who give life and illuminate and restore the soul. But the true Tzaddikim passed away — and their light became concealed. And this is the hardest of all — for the passing away of the Tzaddikim and their concealment is doubly hard as the destruction of the Temple — and for this one must weep greatly at midnight — and in particular during the Three Weeks — and in particular on Tisha B'Av. And even so — one must not be in the aspect of despair and complaint and anger — only in the aspect of yearning and longing in weeping — after these holinesses: the Holy Land — and the holy Temple — and holy Jerusalem — and the holy and awesome true Tzaddikim. And to believe: that through this very thing — participating in the suffering of the Shechinah and the Holy One blessed be He and so on — through this very thing one builds the Temple — and merits to find and feel the grace and beauty of the Tzaddikim — who are the Temple. And to be consoled — as all the lamentations end with consolation. And afterward — certainly begin the days of consolation: Shabbos Nachamu — Parshas Va'etchanan — see Torah 78 in Likutay Tefillot — on the matter of the true Tzaddik who is a simple person — and so on — and there our master the Rebbe זצ"ל cries out: that there is no despair at all — and the essential is drawing close to the Tzaddik in his lifetime — see there the great strengthening — the likes of which there is none. And the seven weeks of consolation — and from 8 Elul begins the holy and awesome: "I am to my Beloved" — days of mercy and will and teshuvah from love and great kindnesses — and through these days one can draw close in the path of teshuvah. And Tishrei: from Rosh Hashana until after Yom Kippur — these are days of judgment. And in Elul — teshuvah from love — will and mercy — [aspect of great kindness]. And Rosh Hashana and the Ten Days and Yom Kippur — teshuvah from awe — very difficult. And then: all the Ten Days — through which one can rectify each day from the entire year and from all the years — as brought in the writings of the Arizal: on Sunday of the Ten Days one can rectify all the Sundays of all the years — and on Monday: all the Mondays — and so on. And afterward: Erev Yom Kippur — the eating is the preparation for the fast — and if one does not eat on Erev Yom Kippur — then the fast of Yom Kippur only completes the holiness of the eating of Erev Yom Kippur — and Yom Kippur remains without the rectification of Yom Kippur. And therefore the eating is counted as a fast — for all of Yom Kippur's fast is through the vessel made by the eating of Erev Yom Kippur. And the confession of Erev Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur — ten times — corresponding to the ten types of arrows of the sins. And afterward: Sukkos — the time of our joy — and the drawing forth of the holy spirit — and the holiness of the Sukkah and the Four Species — and the festival itself. And Hoshana Raba — the completion of the rectification. And Simchas Torah — which is the essential final purpose of all the above — and everything is preparation for this.

And when I heard that you already know — I immediately ran to seek you out, and I sought you at R.Y.D.'s and at R.Sh.K.'s [R' Shlomo — likely R' Shlomo Atik or R' Shlomo Veksler] and at R' Avner's — many times — until I found R.A. [R' Alter] and he said you had already departed. And I had anguish of soul from this — that I did not see you afterward. May Hashem grant that we merit to meet together with a joyful heart and a radiant face, from abundant joy — in the service of Hashem in truth. Amen, so may it be His will. Believe me — I am writing all of this with tears and a greatly broken heart.

15 Av = Beginning of Rosh Hashana Preparation; Charity Opens All Gates — LT Torah 4; Torah Study in Darkness — LT Torah 38; Prayer from the Straits — Psalms 118 and the Shofar; 15 Av Onward; Elul = Love; Rosh Hashana = Awe; LM Torah 6 Behold — now certainly already beginning from 15 Av — a festival like Yom Kippur — [the 15th begins and on Yom Kippur is completed — and enough said] — the preparation for the month of Elul — the days of mercy and will. And as in all the prayers of Elul in Likutay Tefillot — our master R' Nossan זצ"ל requests: that I should merit to prepare myself — from today — that at least in the month of Elul my heart shall be fully circumcised — and so on. And in truth — the beginning is already from the Three Weeks — the days between the Straits — for everything is the preparation for the holy and awesome Rosh Hashana. For the entire year must be the preparation for the days of Rosh Hashana — as brought in the words of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל in the Shichos — and just as all the days of a person's life must be preparation for the last day — "and she shall rejoice in the last day." And the preparation is in Torah and prayer and charity and lovingkindness. Charity opens all the gates — as brought in Torah 4 of Likutay Tefillot — "And the Ravens." [תורה ד' לק"ת — "ואת העורבים" — "Torah 4 of Likutay Tefillot — 'And the Ravens.'" Based on the verse in I Kings 17:6 — "And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening" — the ravens (orvim) that brought food to Elijah. The prayer elaborates on this verse to teach the power of charity to open all the heavenly gates and sweeten all harsh judgments.] Specifically to break the cruelty — in the place where the person is already not willing and it is hard for him — specifically this is very precious — and this is the essential service of charity. And through this one merits what one merits. And so in the matter of Torah: one who studies at night — during the time of darkness and constriction — in difficulty — subdues the spirit of storm — the "end of all flesh" — and elevates the Shechinah and unifies her — and so on — as brought in Torah 38 of Likutay Tefillot — "Chariots of Pharaoh" — see there. [תורה ל"ח — "מרכבות פרעה" — "Torah 38 of Likutay Tefillot — 'Chariots of Pharaoh.'" ל"ח = lamed(30) + ches(8) = 38. The prayer based on the Song of Songs verse "To the chariots of Pharaoh I compared you, my beloved" — on the power of Torah study specifically during the darkness of night and times of difficulty to subdue the harsh forces and elevate the Shechinah.] And so in the matter of prayer: "from the straits I called — answer me in the breadth" — the letters of "straits" (metzar)[מצר — צמר = מצר (metzar — straits) and צמר (tzemer — wool) contain the same letters: מ, צ, ר. This Kabbalistic permutation is cited in the Zohar's Idra Naso: the psalm "From the straits I called" (Psalms 118:5) — sung before the shofar blowing on Rosh Hashana — contains within it the thirteen beard-rectifications (tikkunei d'kana) of the divine ancient face (Atika Kadisha). The transformation from "straits" to "wool/white" symbolizes the transformation from judgment to mercy.] are the letters of "wool" (tzemer) — then the judgments are sweetened and the great mercies are aroused — the thirteen divine attributes — from the Ancient One — as brought in the holy Zohar — the Idra — the section of Naso — that Psalms 118 hints at the thirteen rectifications of the beard. And this is the matter of Rosh Hashana — when one sounds the shofar which is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top. And this is also hinted in Psalms 118 "from the straits" — and this verse is said before the sounding of the shofar. And in any case we learn from all of the above: that at every time when the person is constricted — physically or spiritually — and he strengthens himself to do what he can — this is truly the arousal from below — which is very precious to Hashem. "When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child" and so on. And through this one merits what one merits. My brother — be strong — and strengthen our companions — to give life to themselves — and to begin a new beginning today — "if today you heed His voice." As if they were created today — and as if today they received the Torah. And to fulfill: "behind the lion" — to do teshuvah and turn toward Hashem — after the eighth of Av — which is the sign of the lion — and not "behind the maiden" — Elul — which is the sign of the virgin. For the importance of the month of Elul is that it is days of mercy and will — from the aspect of the Crown — and the thirteen divine attributes of mercy — and then one can and is most propitious to go in the paths of teshuvah. And Tishrei from Rosh Hashana until after Yom Kippur — these are days of judgment. And in Elul — teshuvah from love — will and mercy — [aspect of great kindness]. And Rosh Hashana and the Ten Days and Yom Kippur — teshuvah from awe — very difficult — and there is also a great difference between teshuvah from love and teshuvah from awe. And to study the Torah "Call out to Joshua" — and to walk with it according to one's capacity — to hear one's humiliation — and to be ashamed before Hashem for one's distance. And even so — one who hears his humiliation should be still and silent — and not despair — and do in one's capacity: Torah and prayer and charity and lovingkindness[גמ"ח = גמילות חסדים — "deeds of lovingkindness." The comprehensive term for all acts of kindness that go beyond the letter of the law — the highest form of active goodness. Along with Torah study and Tikkun Chatzos, one of the three foundations of the world (Avos 1:2).] — [which are the essential of all good deeds and commandments] — for the essential doing of holiness is charity — as brought in the words of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל. And good deeds — both: "turn from evil" — to guard oneself with all one's capacity to guard the seven lamps and the covenant — and "do good": to recite Psalms and prayers and hisbodidus — and to study the holy Torah: Tanach[תנ"ך = תורה נביאים כתובים — "Torah, Prophets, and Writings." The complete Hebrew Bible.] and Tikkunei Zohar and Shulchan Aruch[ש"ע = שולחן ערוך — "the Shulchan Aruch — the Code of Jewish Law."] — and in particular the books of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — the Book of Stories and the Sefer HaMidos and Likutay Moharan — and so on. And everything according to one's capacity — in measured amounts — not an excess of light — not sadness — only in joy. And even on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — sadness is forbidden — and it does not succeed at all — and only in joy one succeeds. And this is the strong foundation of the service of Hashem: that the service and the awakening — all should be in joy and faith and trust in Hashem. And as brought in the Torah "Call out to Joshua" — one must fulfill: "if I ascend to the heavens" — to know that one has not yet merited at all — and has not attained at all — "for the high is above the high" — and so on — "and if you are righteous — what do you give Him?" — and the opposite: "and if I make my bed in Sheol — You are there" — expert in the law on ascent — and the essential on descent — to know and believe: that specifically in the descent — there shines the divine Name Havayah — [the essential Name] — to give the person life — that he should not turn back. And as long as one is not strong in this — to strengthen oneself — even if, G-d forbid, one is in a descent from which there is none worse — one strengthens oneself and returns to Hashem from there — one is not yet going in the paths of teshuvah. And when one merits to fulfill "and if I make my bed in Sheol — You are there" — the right hand of Hashem [the aspect of kindness] is extended to receive his teshuvah. And this is the essential intention of Elul — and upon this depends all of Judaism — and enough said. And also in the matter of charity — this is a great "advocacy / protection" before the Day of Judgment — for through this the anger of the world is soothed — and one unifies the Holy One and His Shechinah — as explained in the holy Zohar: "And David made a name" — and "David did righteousness and lovingkindness" — that through this one makes the divine Name Havayah. And therefore one says before every commandment — and in particular charity: "for the sake of the unification of the Holy One blessed be He and His Shechinah" — and so on. And our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings in the Sefer HaMidos: that through charity one sweetens the judgment of the great Day of Judgment — of the resurrection of the dead and the final purpose — from which all the Tzaddikim will tremble. And the essential Day of Judgment is about the affliction of the poor. And as brought: the generation of the Flood and other evil generations — they do not rise at the resurrection and are not judged on the Day of Judgment. Only the people of Sodom — who had no pity on the poor — besides their punishment in this world — will rise and be judged on the Day of Judgment for eternal shame and disgrace. And it is brought in the Midrash: the entire Day of Judgment is about the cry of the poor — and so on. And conversely: the measure of good is greater — and as brought in the Haftarah of Shabbat HaGadol: "And it shall be sweet" and so on — "bring the tithe" and so on — [charity] — "and a sun of righteousness shall shine" and so on. And so in the holy Zohar: that through charity and lovingkindness in this world — one crosses the river of fire — [in which the souls immerse to completely shed the garment of this world and come to their final purpose] — in which there is great fear of remaining there — [for many souls and angels remain there and are burned] — and through charity one crosses the river of fire without any fear and without any pain. And also in the Talmud — Bava Basra — that one who shears his property and gives to the poor is saved from the judgment of Gehinnom — and so on. And how many pages would not suffice to explain and write what I have in all this — and enough said.