קטז

And exult like a hero to run the path [וְתָשִׂישׂ כְּגִבּוֹר לָרוּץ אֹרַח — Tehillim 19:6: "and it rejoices like a hero to run its path" — the sun going forth from its chamber with joyful exultation. The image of heroic running applied to the fresh beginning: not hesitant but joyfully striding forward from the very first step] [Tehillim 19:6] — for the choice is always free — and one who comes to be purified — they help him [הַבָּא לִטָּהֵר מְסַיְּעִין לוֹ — Yoma 38b: the moment one turns toward purity, divine assistance arrives] and so forth. And you should merit to be well-versed in Halacha — for this is the secret of the intention of Elul — as you already know. How fortunate are we that we merit to know from such secrets as these — wondrous paths for each person in his service of Him, Yisborach.

To: My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received on Friday. And behold — in most of your letters — although the voice of your cry rises to the heavens — yet in most of them you

yourself answer your own answer on your side — a proper and true answer — especially what you wrote in the recent letter: that you have no place to flee except to fix times for Torah. True and certain and established and enduring and right [אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב וְנָכוֹן וְקַיָּם וְיָשָׁר — the opening formula of the morning prayer Emes v'Yatziv — the blessing recited immediately after the Shema in Shacharis: "True and certain and established and enduring and right and faithful and beloved and cherished and pleasant and sweet and awesome and mighty and correct and accepted and good and beautiful is this word upon us forever." Reb Nussun applies this liturgical formula of absolute affirmation directly to Yitzchok's self- diagnosis: your own answer is in the register of the morning's affirmation of divine truth] and so forth is this word — for certainly Torah and prayer is the essential shelter from all that passes over a person each day. As our sages of blessed memory said: I created the evil inclination — I created the Torah as its antidote [בָּרָאתִי יֵצֶר הָרָע בָּרָאתִי תּוֹרָה תַּבְלִין — Kiddushin 30b: "I created the evil inclination — I created the Torah as its antidote/spice." The Talmudic image of Torah as the seasoning-antidote: just as salt or spice preserves meat from decay, Torah preserves the person from the decay of the yetzer hara. The same divine act created both the problem and its cure — and therefore the cure is perfectly fitted to the problem] [Kiddushin 30b]. And as it is written: were it not for Your Torah which is my delight — I would then have perished in my affliction [לוּלֵא תוֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי אָז אָבַדְתִּי בְעָנְיִי — Tehillim 119:92: "were it not for Your Torah which is my delight — I would then have perished in my affliction." The Psalm of Torah devotion in 176 verses — the central verse of the person who has been afflicted and has only Torah to sustain them. The *lulei* — were it not — is the existential acknowledgment: without Torah, annihilation; with it, survival through the affliction] [Tehillim 119:92]. And apply your mind well to these things — and know faithfully that from my earliest days until this very day — almost never was there a time when all that passes over you did not also pass over me — and each time it seemed to me that there was almost no hope — G-d forbid — were it not that Hashem helped me each day through His wondrous ways — that He preceded to revive us

through the seven restorers of taste and so forth — through the flowing stream that is the source of wisdom. Remember that there is no time in the world at all — and everything flies and passes like a passing shadow and so forth. And in this passing shadow one can exhaust some time in Torah — some in prayer — some in speech and crying and pleading and sighing and lifting one's eyes to Hashem, Yisborach — and some in conversation with people in matters of heaven and matters of the world — and some in the affairs of commerce and livelihood — and some in the bodily necessities that sustain the body which are eating and drinking and sleep and so forth. And amidst all this the day passes and goes — and thus many days. And amidst all this Hashem, Yisborach, has compassion and saves and helps what is needed — for He will not strive forever [כִּי לֹא לָנֶצַח יָרִיב — Yeshayahu 57:16: "for He will not strive forever — nor will He be angry for all time." The verse of divine compassion that does not persist in strictness: there is a limit to the striving, a point at which Hashem's compassion overrides. The promise that the present difficulties are not permanent but will be relieved by divine mercy] [Yeshayahu 57:16] and so forth. And the essential thing is not to think from one day to the next — and let not your thoughts frighten you — neither from the past nor from the future — and the hour and the day in which you stand — you can jump and leap and flee from what you must flee through all the above — and above all of them — the salvation of Hashem and His mighty wonders that He, Yisborach, performs with each person every day and at every time — as we say: for Your miracles that are with us each day — and for Your wonders and goodnesses at every time — especially that we are leaning and relying upon the power and merit of such a power-possessor — who himself warned us to trust upon his very great power which surpasses all. Beyond this there is no time to extend — for praised be G-d I now have distinguished guests in my home — as the bearer of this letter will tell you. And through the salvation of Hashem and His mighty wonders — we rejoiced — praised be G-d — at the third Shabbos meal yesterday. And my heart lifted my feet in that spirit that blew [וְלִבִּי נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלַי בְּהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּנָשִׁיב — Aramaic: "and my heart lifted my feet in that spirit that was blowing." A rare Aramaic poetic phrase — possibly Reb Nussun's own coinage in the Zoharic style — describing the involuntary yet spirit-driven character of the dancing: the spirit that blew lifted the heart which in turn lifted the feet. The dancing was not willed from below but received from above] and so forth — and I danced greatly with the help of Hashem Yisborach — in a way that I did not merit on Simchas Torah — and all of it is through His wonders and great kindnesses. Who can recount the mighty acts of Hashem [מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה' — Tehillim 106:2: "who can recount the mighty acts of Hashem — who can make all His praise heard." The opening verse of the great Hallel-Psalm of Israel's history. Reb Nussun applies it to the wonders of the Rosh Hashana-season gathering — the might of what Hashem does with the Breslov community at Uman is in the register of the Psalmic *g'vuras Hashem* — beyond human recounting] [Tehillim 106:2] and so forth. The bearer of this letter — my friend — may his light shine — will tell you more. Be strong and resolute — and gladden your soul in the past Rosh Hashana — and in what we hope and await on the coming Rosh Hashana. And the joy of Hashem is your strength to engage in Torah several hours each day and in prayer and conversation and so forth. And may Hashem G-d help and save you in all that you need to be saved — quickly, lightly, speedily. The words of your father. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 5594 — the first letter after Rosh Hashana. *Emess v'yatziv v'nachon v'kayam v'yashar*: the opening of the morning liturgy applied to Yitzchok's own self-diagnosis. Torah as antidote — *barassi yetzer hara barassi Torah tavlin* (Kiddushin 30b). *Lulei sorascha sha'ashuai* (Tehillim 119:92). The full daily life portrait: Torah, prayer, speech, weeping, business, eating, sleep — and the day passes. *Ki lo lanetzach yariv* (Yeshayahu 57:16). Then the Rosh Hashana disclosure: *libo nasa raglov b'hahu rucha d'nashiv* — the spirit blew and lifted the heart which lifted the feet. Danced more than at Simchas Torah. *Mi y'malel g'vuras Hashem* (Tehillim 106:2). Key Themes Emess V'yatziv — Morning Liturgy Applied The formula of absolute affirmation from the morning prayer *Emes v'Yatziv* applied to Yitzchok's own answer: fixing times for Torah is true, certain, established, enduring, and rig ht — in the register of the Shema's post-blessing.]

[Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ....]

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]