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A verbatim, letter-for-letter copy of a letter in the handwriting of our Master

himself, of blessed memory, which he wrote to all our anshay shlomaynu (fellowship of followers) during

I hereby inform all our anshay shlomaynu that I have grown weary of dwelling in Breslov — on account of the greatness of the troubles and the ordeals that have swept over me. And now I shall be moving from tent to tent — not to settle, but merely to sojourn. Therefore my plea and my request of you is that my toil which I have toiled with each and every one of you should not be in vain — for I have placed my very soul in my palm for the sake of the good of your souls. Hashem is righteous, and I have acted wickedly [cf. Shemos 9:27] — and my own deeds have brought upon me the sufferings, and the death of my precious children, and the machlokes (strife) and the kitrugim (prosecuting accusations). Yet nonetheless — I knew, and I knew well, that the very endeavor in which I engaged with you — to draw you out from the teeth of the Samech-Mem (the Sitra Achra — the Other Side) — it was on account of all these things that he fixed his eyes upon me with rage, and gnashed his teeth against me.

And therefore, my beloved brothers and friends — be strong and courageous in the fear of Hashem — each one according to his strength and his particular level. And let not my toil be in vain. And guard the Torah of Moshe, the servant of Hashem, as I have taught you. And know that even though I am now far from you — this is nothing other than a distance of bodies. There is no distance, G-d forbid, between our souls — for we are close. My beloved brothers and friends! I implore you, I implore you — that these words of mine, with which I have entreated you, should be near to you day and night.

I hereby inform you that I am currently residing in the holy community of Zaslav, and here I shall remain, if G-d wills it, for approximately three months.

Are these not the words of one who loves you — who writes with tears, from the greatness of the joy that is in my heart — that the Holy One, blessed be He, has granted me iron strength to bear the yoke of such sufferings and wanderings as these.

Nachman, son of our Teacher the Rabbi Simcha — may his Rock protect him and give him life. the time he resided in Zaslav in the year 5567.

[Hebrew: נַחְמָן הַנַּ"ל...]