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Blessed be Hashem

Your letter I received, my beloved son, and it was a great comfort and a reviving of the soul to me — I exult over your utterance as one who finds great spoil. But I had no free time to respond until now — for immediately on Sunday of Parshas Vaayra I traveled to the holy community of Uman for the eve of Rosh Chodesh Shevat just past. And on account of the ruined state of the road I did not return home until this past Sunday. And I found the press idle and at a standstill — because the printing ink had run out. And they need shemen pishtan (linseed oil) to purchase and to cook — and in these times it is not to be found at all except at great expense, and here it is not available at all. And also because the money has run out — and Rabbi Mendil was compelled to travel home, and there he will purchase the holy oil. And if G-d wills it, in the coming week we will return to begin completing the printing of the Teffilos. And thank G-d it is already completed up to the end of Prayer 55. Blessed be Hashem who has helped us until here — so may Hashem be with us to complete it for good. May Hashem complete it for us — for the obstacles are many, and in particular obstacles on account of money.

Now I have read your letter carefully, and I understand your words from a distance. And I see that vain thoughts of young people pass over you — the way of the Adversary being to confuse them with black melancholy and hollow, vain sadness — which black melancholy damages them more than anything else. But I marvel at you, my son, my beloved, the delight of my eyes — that you pay attention to this at all. For you ought to understand from the words you already heard in my home and from the books of our Master, of blessed memory, that you have no business paying attention to any such melancholy whatsoever — for such black melancholy and sadness and anxieties and confusions damage very greatly, and they cause harm, G-d forbid, more than all the moral failings in the world.

Therefore, my beloved son, listen to my words — which are the words of our holy and awesome Master, may the memory of the righteous and holy one be for a blessing. Be strong and strong again — and begin each day fresh. And pay no attention to any confusion or black melancholy at all. And do not give your heart over to such confusions at all. Only strengthen yourself to be in joy always — on account of our having merited to be of the seed of Israel, a holy nation.

And to not be an opponent, G-d forbid, against the light of lights, the purest of the pure — the Sava d'Savin (Elder of Elders) — he is our holy and awesome Master, may the memory of the righteous and holy one be for a blessing — the flowing stream, the source of wisdom. How fortunate are we, how good is our portion, and so forth — that Hashem Yisborach in His mercy has removed from us the veil of blindness that blinds the eyes and prevents many people from looking into the awesome books of our Master, of blessed memory — and they oppose and contend against him and against his people and against his holy and utterly awesome books. Blessed be Hashem who has rescued us from this and separated us from those who go astray — in so very many ways. Surely we are worthy to rejoice in this all our days forever, with a mighty joy that has no end.

And there is no black melancholy or sadness that can ever disturb this joy, G-d forbid — as I heard and understood from his holy mouth, of blessed memory, explicitly. For the essential strengthening is joy — as it is written: for the joy of Hashem is your strength [Nechemiah 8:10]. And beyond this it is impossible to elaborate in writing — examine the books of our Master, of blessed memory, and you will find there to quench your thirst and to gladden your soul at all times always — for this is the essential thing.

Peace and life and joy and all good — as your soul and the soul of your father desires — who waits and hopes and longs and yearns for your true salvation — that there be fulfilled in us: My son is wise and gladdens my heart [Mishlei 27:11]. The lowly Nussun, son of our Teacher the Rabbi Naftali Hirtz — may his light shine and radiate.