קכח

Overview: Eve of Thursday, the 6th night of Chanukah. *Ya'er Hashem panav eilecha vichunekhah b'he'arat Chanukah hakadosh* — the second blessing of Birkas Kohanim (Bamidbar 6:25) applied to the illumination of Chanukah: the holy light is the bearer of the priestly blessing of divine illumination and grace. Received just before the candle-lighting. Yitzchok's letter to R'Sh in Adess — a great mitzvah performed. *Kein ya'aseh imanu nisim v'niflaos gam ata*. Yitzchok expected tomorrow — *panim el panim asapper l'cha* — face to face I will tell you what passed here.

[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]

To: My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received now — together with the fascicles — and I sent to

call the young men to send you more. And on Monday — it seems to me — I

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

received no letter — only two gold coins and the small watch. And behold — I am now somewhat weak [חָלוּשׁ קְצָת — 10 Tevet: the fast of the siege of Yerushalayim by Nevuchadnezzar, one of the four communal fast days. Reb Nussun is weak — both from illness and from the fast. The next letter (129) will reveal that this is a serious physical episode: praying while lying down, barely able to walk, confined to bed until evening] — and all day I have been lying in my bed — and even prayed thus. May Hashem Yisborach support me speedily for the sake of His great Name, Yisborach. And from yourself you will understand that I have no strength to extend at all. And if Hashem wills — when Rabbi Yaakov comes home — he may be able to hear from him good words. And praised be G-d — yesterday on Shabbos we spoke much about the matter of counsel — that every person needs much counsel to save their soul [שֶׁכָּל אָדָם צָרִיךְ עֵצוֹת הַרְבֵּה לְהַצִּיל נַפְשׁוֹ — the *etzah* — counsel — as the primary spiritual instrument for self-rescue. The teaching that one's soul is always in need of multiple and varied counsels: no single fixed path suffices; the spiritual life requires continual recourse to the guidance of the Rebbe's teachings] and so forth. And I repeated the Torah of the joy of Rabbi Shimon [חָזַרְתִּי הַתּוֹרָה חֲדִי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן — the Torah of the joy of Rabbi Shimon: a specific teaching of Rebbe Nachman in which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's joy is explored as a model and source. The word chadi is Aramaic for "the joy of" — echoing the Zoharic language of Rashbi's circle. Rabbi Shimon's ongoing joy even in the hardest circumstances is a paradigm for the Breslov approach to serving Hashem through joy despite difficulty] — and we spoke wondrous and novel insights. But who knows if he will be able to say them to you as befitting. The words of your father — who seeks your welfare always with love and who intercedes on your behalf. The small one — Nussun the above-mentioned. [Translator's Note: Overview: Sunday, 10 Tevet — the fast of the siege of Yerushalayim. Reb Nussun is weak and confined to bed, praying while lying down. Five fascicles of the new book sent — one from the beginning in order, four from the current place. The Shabbos teaching: every person needs much counsel to save their soul. *Chazar Torah chadi Rabbi Shimon* — the Torah of Rashbi's joy repeated, with wondrous novel insights. The manuscript note (Letter 129) reveals this is the Shabbos before a very serious physical episode. Key Themes 10 Tevet — Fast While Ill The fast of the siege of Yerushalayim. Reb Nussun weak and lying in bed — praying while lying down, barely able to walk. Yet he writes, sends the book fascicles, and transmits the Shabbos teachings through the bearer.]

[Hebrew: הַקָּטָן נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]