קיא

Nussun of Breslov.

To: My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received now — at the time of the afternoon rest — and I have no time to extend.

And behold — my mind is very pleased with what you are engaged in writing the indices — for it is a wondrous and eternal success when we merit to engage in the books of our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe — of blessed memory — and especially to make corrections in them that are a merit for the many for generations [זְכוּת הָרַבִּים לְדוֹרוֹת — from the principle of Avos 5:18: "whoever causes the many to have merit — no sin shall come through him." Z'chus harabbim l'doros: merit for the many — not just for one's contemporaries but for all future generations who benefit from the corrected and indexed holy books. Every soul who benefits from those improvements in all future time shares in this merit] — and it is impossible to explain the greatness of this occupation. It is good to give thanks to Hashem who has helped us until now. And through this it is fitting for you to revive your soul at every time — for even now when you are unable to persevere as is fitting — even so you merit to engage in such a holy and awesome occupation. May Hashem be with you — that you merit to be diligent at the doors of Torah and service day by day [לִשְׁקֹד עַל דַּלְתֵי הַתּוֹרָה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה יוֹם יוֹם — a direct echo of Mishlai 8:34: ashrei adam shomea li lishkod al d'lasai yom yom lishmorr m'zuzos p'sachai — "happy is the person who listens to me — to be diligent at my doors day by day — to guard the posts of my entrances." The verse of personified Wisdom calling the person to her threshold. Shekod al d'lasai — diligence at the doors — is Wisdom's own invitation to the daily vigil at her gates. The verse continues: "for one who finds me finds life" — the reward for this diligence at the threshold of Torah and service day by day] [Mishlai 8:34] — until you arrive at the ultimate good of the Jewish person for which he was created. And to return to the tent of Torah with regularity — and let your Torah be fixed and your work incidental [לַחֲזֹר אֶל אֹהֶל תּוֹרָה בִּקְבִיעוּת, וְתִהְיֶה תּוֹרָתְךָ קֶבַע וּמְלַאכְתְּךָ עֲרַאי — Avos 4:10 and the Talmudic principle: asei torascha keva u'melachtecha arai — make your Torah fixed and your work incidental. The aspiration to invert the ordinary hierarchy: Torah as the permanent fixed centre, livelihood as the incidental surrounding it] . And upon you to long for this at every time — and to snatch for now whatever you can — and to gladden your soul through every good point — and to be

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

grateful for the past and petition each day to add for the future at every time holiness and knowledge — for this is the essential true

length of days [אֲרִיכַת יָמִים — the true length of days in Breslov teaching: not the mere passage of time but the quality of spiritual life — the daily accumulation of holiness and divine knowledge. Each day genuinely lived is a day whose length is real] — as is explained in his words — of blessed memory. The words of your father — who intercedes on your behalf. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Parshas D'varim — brief, written at the afternoon rest. *Lishkod al d'lasai yom yom*: now identified as Mishlai 8:34 — Wisdom's own invitation to the daily vigil at her doors, with the promise "one who finds me finds life." *Z'chus harabbim l'doros* (Avos 5:18). *Torascha keva u'melachtecha arai* (Avos 4:10). *Arichus yamim* — the true length of days. The greeting to Rabbi Nachman the grandson: three levels of peace — in the home, within themselves, and the *shalom hak'lali* that enables genuine prayer. Key Themes Lishkod Al D'lasai Yom Yom — Mishlai 8:34 "Happy is the person who listens to me — to be diligent at my doors day by day." Wisdom's own invitation to the daily vigil at her threshold. "For one who finds me finds life" — the reward for persistent diligence at the doors of Torah and service.]