קס

Your letter I received just now — together with the three prayers — and there is no time to extend now — for between today and tomorrow you will be here — if Hashem wills.

My beloved nephew, my dear one and friend — the scholarly one — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok Ayzik — may his light shine. [ Rabbi Yitzchok Ayzik — nephew, son of Reb Nussun's sister ]

Behold — just now after midnight — Hashem sent into my mind to write to you — I said: I will not delay — and I will write to you immediately. And in truth — I do not know what to write to you — for I am distressed over you — my nephew — whom I raised. And my intention was to raise you to eternal greatness — to give you merit to everlasting life — for only this was my entire aim from the day you came under my roof. And now — how far have you distanced yourself from me — and you push yourself off from day to day — and who knows what a day may bring [מִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה יּוּלַד יוֹם — Mishlai 27:1: "do not boast of tomorrow — for you do not know what a day may bring." The verse of the absolute uncertainty of the future. Used here as an urgent warning: each day of deferral is a day whose consequences cannot be foreseen] [Mishlai 27:1] . And behold — just this week I sent to my son — may he live — three new prayers. Open your eyes and your heart and look at them with a true and wholehearted eye — and you will be able to understand the truth of our ways. And how can it occur to the mind that I would need to strengthen you in faith — as I heard from your own lips — that the essential obstacle for not traveling to Rosh Hashana was because of a deficiency of faith . Can it be believed — can it be told [הַיֵּאָמֵן כִּי יְסֻפַּר — Iyov 29:24: "can it be believed — can it be told?" The rhetorical question of something so astonishing it seems impossible to credit. After everything heard and seen — that this person would still be wavering in *emunah*?] [Iyov 29:24] — that after all the words you heard from my mouth — and after all that you have seen in his holy books — and after you yourself were aroused several times in various good points in your youth — you still limp on two opinions [פּוֹסֵחַ עַל שְׁנֵי הַסְּעִפִּים — I Melachim 18:21: Eliyahu's great challenge on Mount Carmel — "until when do you limp on two opinions?" The verse of spiritual ambivalence: holding both positions simultaneously, belonging fully to neither] [I Melachim 18:21] — G-d forbid. Now — my son and my student — settle your mind well — well — for this is not an empty thing for you — for it is your life. And there is no time to extend — and this hint is sufficient.

The words of your uncle — writing from the heart and soul — who counsels you for your eternal good — for you and your offspring and the offspring of your offspring — for the generations of the world — forever.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

Nussun of Breslov. And urge yourself to come for the holy Shabbos with urgency — perhaps we will be able to speak from the inner point of the heart in a way that I will be able to arouse you afresh. But however it turns out — certainly it will be for your true and eternal good — every single moment that you are here — and every single word that you hear from us — for Hashem is with us. And to arouse the hearts of the children of Israel — to guide them in the path in which our fathers have walked from time immemorial — this entire affair exists now in the world nowhere but with us — with the help of Hashem Yisborach — as our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe — awesome and exalted — may the memory of the righteous and holy one be a blessing — has bequeathed to us. And even if truth is now cast to the ground — and it is forbidden to reveal such words to one whose heart is divided — lest he become further divided — G-d forbid — even so the truth is so — for truth is one — and the lip of truth shall be established forever [הָאֱמֶת הוּא אֶחָד וּשְׂפַת אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד — Mishlai 12:19: sefat emet tikkon la'ad v'ad argi'a lashon shaker — "the lip of truth is established forever — but a lying tongue is only for a moment." The permanence of truth versus the momentariness of falsehood. However suppressed — truth is established forever] [Mishlai 12:19] . And pay close attention to my words — and settle your mind well — well — and I have saved my own soul by arousing you now [אֲנִי אֶת נַפְשִׁי הִצַּלְתִּי — Yechezkel 3:19: the prophetic watchman's fulfilment of obligation — "you have saved your own soul." Whatever the other chooses, the watchman who warned has done what he must] [Yechezkel 3:19] — and you do as seems good in your eyes. And may the Master of Mercy lead you in the straight path — and return you at every time to the point of truth in its truth — so that you do not labor in vain [לְמַעַן לֹא תִיגַע לָרִיק — Yeshayahu 65:23: lo yig'u larik — "they shall not labor in vain." The verse of the Messianic era when human effort will not be futile or frustrated. Used here as an urgent warning: if the nephew fails to return to the path — his entire life's effort will be *larik* — empty and fruitless. Every day away from the true path is effort expended without lasting fruit] [Yeshayahu 65:23] and so forth — have compassion on yourself — and go on hands and feet to grasp our wings [וְתֵלֵךְ עַל יָדֶיךָ וְרַגְלֶיךָ לְהִתְאַחֵז בִּכְנָפֵינוּ — the image of absolute urgency and abasement: crawling on all fours to reach what one needs. And *lihista'acheiz b'chanfeinu* — to grasp our wings — echoes Zechariah 8:23: v'hechezikunachmiyor ish b'chanaf ish Yehudi — "ten men from all the languages of the nations shall grasp the corner of the garment of one Jewish man." The nations grasping at the *kanaf* — the corner of the garment, the wing — to be drawn along in the wake of the divine blessing. Here applied in urgent personal terms: even if you must crawl on hands and feet — grasp the wings of the Breslov community and be drawn along] — so that there will be hope for your end — and your soul shall be as a spoil [וְהָיְתָה לְשָׁלָל נַפְשְׁךָ — Yirmiyahu 45:5: spoken to Baruch ben Neriyah amid destruction — "and I will give you your soul as a spoil." Amid catastrophe — at least preserve your own soul as a precious spoil of war. Applied with urgency: even if you cannot achieve greatness — at least save your soul] [Yirmiyahu 45:5] . Your quill I received — and I began to write with it. And even if it is not good before me — even so it is very needed by me — and it has a share in the writing of this letter which I began with it. And I fulfilled: and if the iron is blunt and he has not sharpened the face — yet forces increase [וְאִם קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל וְהוּא לֹא פָנִים קִלְקַל וַחֲיָלִים יְגַבֵּר — Koheles 10:10: the verse of overcoming a dull tool by increased effort. Rashi: the iron that is not sharpened requires greater *chayyalim* — strength and forces — to accomplish the work. The dull quill requires greater effort; the spiritually dulled person can still accomplish through increased effort and intention] [Koheles 10:10] — see Rashi's commentary and understand well — especially since it is an iron quill. Pay close attention how we find every matter in the Torah — to be aroused toward Hashem Yisborach through all things in the world. And abundant peace to my beloved dear one — as my soul — our Teacher the Rabbi Shimshon — may his light shine. As I was speaking in my heart with the above-mentioned nephew — I remembered you — my beloved — a friend who cleaves more than a brother [אוֹהֵב דָּבֵק מֵאָח — Mishlai 18:24: v'yesh ohev davek mei'ach — "and there is a friend who cleaves more than a brother." The proverb of friendship that surpasses kinship — a bond stronger than even brotherly love. Applied to Rabbi Shimshon: the love between them is not merely affectionate but of this *davek* quality — cleaving, inseparable] [Mishlai 18:24] — whom I have loved with an everlasting love as my son and my brother. And I could not restrain the words from mentioning you now — until when does the lazy one lie [עַד מָתַי עָצֵל תִּשְׁכַּב — Mishlai 6:9: "until when does the lazy one lie — when will you rise from your sleep?" The sharpest Mishlai rebuke to spiritual sloth] [Mishlai 6:9] — when will you arise and renew your days — to draw close to us as before — with even greater elevation and even greater strength. And is it not before you — all the precious delights of our holy treasures hidden in his holy books. And all that is renewed with us each day cannot be estimated — for it is a flowing stream that flows every day and at every time and at every hour [נַחַל נוֹבֵעַ הַנּוֹבֵעַ בְּכָל יוֹם — Mishlai 18:4: mayim amukkim divrei fi ish nachal noveya mekor chochmah — "the words of a person's mouth are deep waters — a flowing stream — a wellspring of wisdom." The verse of the inexhaustible and ever-moving speech that carries wisdom. Applied to the Breslov teachings: they are that *nachal noveya* — never standing still, always producing new waters, always flowing fresh] [Mishlai 18:4] . And is it not before your eyes — the Sefer Likutay Etzos — which was just newly composed. And is it not known to me that you are strong in faith — with the help of Hashem — and the truth sparkles a little in your understanding. And even if there are still many coverings and concealments and obstacles — but in truth — according to the little sparkling of the truth in your heart — it is fitting for you to leap over the mountains to run to such a source of truth [לְדַלֵּג עַל הֶהָרִים — Shir HaShirim 2:8: the beloved leaping over the mountains. Even the little sparkling of truth in the heart justifies leaping over all mountains and obstacles to reach the source] — and if it were across the sea — it would be fitting to cross the sea for it — how much more so since the path is not far from you. And behold — my stomach is full of words — but the canvas is too short and the time is insufficient — for the holiness of the holy Shabbos is drawing near — and one must think at every time about the day that is entirely Shabbos [יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת — the Talmudic and Midrashic expression for the World to Come — *yom shekulo Shabbas* — the day that is entirely Shabbos, entirely rest. The approaching Shabbos of each week is a foretaste and reminder of that ultimate Shabbos — and thinking about it at every time (*b'chol eis*) is itself a form of orientation toward the eternal purpose] . And for this I wrote to you all these words — but it is impossible to exhaust the time only with you. And if you wish — this is sufficient — for I have fashioned ears for you — and you do the good — and choose life — so that you may live — you and your offspring [וּבְחַרְתֶּם בַּחַיִּים לְמַעַן תִּחְיוּ אַתֶּם וְזַרְעֲכֶם — Devarim 30:19: the Torah's final exhortation — the choice between life and death laid before all Israel. Choosing the path of Torah and Hashem is the choice of life — for yourself and your offspring] [Devarim 30:19] and so forth. Nussun the above-mentioned.