קלח

The words of your father — who awaits salvation.

To: My dear son, my beloved — the joy of my heart. [Yitzchok] I received your letter at this hour — before the sleep that is very necessary for me now — and several of our anshei sh'lomaynu are standing over

me to receive permission to return home in peace. And from yourself you will understand my pressure now. Even so — your strong love compelled me to reply to you a little. And regarding the kaftan — you have done well — my beloved son — for it was in your heart [הֱטִיבוֹתָ בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי כִּי הָיָה עִם לְבָבְךָ — the formula from I Melachim 8:18 — Hashem's words to David about the Temple he wished to build but was not permitted to: "you did well that it was in your heart." The will and the intention are honoured even when the act cannot be completed. Yitzchok's desire to provide a kaftan for Reb Nussun is recognized and honoured precisely for the intention — *ki haya im levavcha* — the fact that it was in his heart is itself the meritorious act]. May Hashem repay your act — that your longing is strong to support me beyond your strength. But even so I cannot accept your goodness now — for I also do not have the coin for the lining and other necessities for the kaftan. And at this very hour the people of Teplyk promised to make me some garment — and I commanded them to make me a good kaftan. And although it will still take some time — one is compelled to wait — for I have no strength to press the hour. And may Hashem the Good clothe me in garments of salvation — a robe of righteousness will wrap me [בִּגְדֵי יֶשַׁע מְעִיל צְדָקָה יְעָטָנִי — Yeshayahu 61:10: "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem — my soul shall exult in my G-d — for He has clothed me in garments of salvation — He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness — as a bridegroom adorns himself with a priestly crown — as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." The verse of the ultimate spiritual clothing: garments of salvation and righteousness. The request for a physical kaftan becomes the occasion for the prayer that Hashem clothe Reb Nussun in the deeper garments — *bigdei yesha*, the salvational garments of Yeshayahu's vision] [Yeshayahu 61:10]. And how greatly you have gladdened my heart with what you wrote — I heard — I heard [שָׁמַעְתִּי שָׁמַעְתִּי — the doubled *sham'ti* — I heard, I heard — is an emphatic affirmation of deep reception: not merely registering the words but receiving them into the innermost place. A doubled hearing marks a double inwardness: the words have penetrated to where they need to go]. Would that you merit to fulfil completely the words of ours that flow from his holy books — until you fulfil the will of our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe — of blessed memory — to truly fulfil his words — to exhaust your days in Torah and in prayer and in repentance — and in longings and yearnings and good and strong and renewed desires each day — and to bring them out from potential into actuality — to speak the longings with the mouth — and to cry out and to yearn as the hart yearns for the water-brooks [כְּאַיָּל תַּעֲרֹג עַל אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם — Tehillim 42:2: "as the hart yearns for the water-brooks — so my soul yearns for You, O G-d." The Psalm of the soul in exile — the longing for the divine presence expressed through the image of the desperately thirsty hart searching for flowing water. The hart's longing is not calm desire but urgent, bodily, existential need. To cry out and yearn in exactly this register — bringing the longing from inner potential into the actuality of spoken words — is the practice] [Tehillim 42:2] — until Hashem has mercy from the heavens. Until you merit each time to come to great joy through the broken heart — and to strengthen yourself in joy at every time — for the joy of Hashem is our strength [חֶדְוַת ה' הִיא מָעֻזֵּנוּ — Nechemiah 8:10: the words of Ezra and Nechemiah to the people on Rosh Hashana: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks... for the joy of Hashem is your strength." The verse that appears repeatedly throughout the collection as the essential Breslov formulation: divine joy is not ornamental but structural — it is *ma'uzenu* — our fortress, our strength, our place of refuge. Not the joy of one's own achievement but *chedvas Hashem* — the joy that belongs to and flows from Hashem] [Nechemiah 8:10]. Beyond this there is no time to extend. The words of your father. Nussun of Breslov. [Translator's Note: Overview: Isru Chag Shavuos — written before sleep while guests depart. About the kaftan Yitzchok wished to provide: *heitivota ki haya im levavecha* (I Melachim 8:18) — Hashem's words to David about the Temple intention: honoured for the intention even when the act cannot be completed. Prayer for *bigdei yesha me'il tzedaka* (Yeshayahu 61:10). *Sham'ti sham'ti* — doubled hearing as double inwardness. The vision: bring longings out from potential into actuality — speak the yearnings with the mouth — *k'ayal ta'arog al afike mayim* (Tehillim 42:2) — until coming to great joy through the broken heart. *Chedvas Hashem hi ma'uzenu* (Nechemiah 8:10). Key Themes Heitivota Ki Haya Im Levavecha — I Melachim 8:18 "You did well that it was in your heart." Hashem's words to David about the Temple he wished but was not permitted to build. The intention is honoured even when the act cannot be completed. Yitzchok's desire to provide the kaftan is meritorious for the intention itself.]

[Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ....]

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]