קסג

Overview: Monday night, Parshas Toldos. Preparing to travel to Uman on Rosh Chodesh Kislev — hostile words spoken there against the community and the holy Kloyz require a response. *Yanu'cheni b'ma'aglei tzedek l'ma'an sh'mo* (Tehillim 23:3). The past Shabbos: dancing and a Torah on *v'atem tihyu li* (LM I:34) — the three holy points from tzaddik, from one's fellow, and from oneself — canceling *cherpaslev* / *sheviras lev* because where they meet, holy love dwells. *Mi yemalel gevuros Hashem* (Tehillim 106:2). *Dor ha'ani* — this poor generation — that received such extraordinary gifts.

[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]

Your letter I received between Minchah and Maariv in the beis midrash — and I read it then —

My beloved son, my dear one. [ Yitzchok ]

Your letter I received just now. Now — my son — I will inform you of news: praised be G-d — I am prepared to travel — if Hashem wills — on Tuesday — the first day of Rosh Chodesh Kislev — to Uman. And I have already hired a wagon at this hour — for from the day the commotion occurred on the past Yom Tov I have yearned greatly to travel there — and now our dear veteran friend — our Teacher the Rabbi Naftali — may his light shine — has aroused me — who sent me his letter that the Rav there spoke words against us — and especially against our holy Kloyz — which he should not have said — and because of this he very much desires that I come there. Although it is a great burden on me now to travel at this time — I am compelled to travel. And may Hashem Yisborach have mercy on me and on us — and guide us in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name [יַנְחֵנוּ בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ — Tehillim 23:3: yanacheni b'ma'aglei tzedek l'ma'an sh'mo — "He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name." The Psalm of the shepherd and the one who is led — the paths of righteousness traversed not by the walker's own wisdom but by the Shepherd's guidance, and for the sake of the Name — not of the walker but of the Guide] [Tehillim 23:3] — and may He lead me on the true path in every single movement — and may we merit to accomplish there all that we need for eternal good. And also in this world may He expand for us in His great kindness — and may our enemies see and be ashamed and so forth.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

Beyond this there is no time to extend now — and may Hashem lead me in peace. The iron quill is both a practical writing instrument and, as Reb Nussun showed, a vehicle of spiritual teaching: even a dull instrument can write with increased force and intention] speedily — and great merit will be accounted for this. Nussun of Breslov. The words of your father. And to all our *anshei sh'lomaynu* — abundant peace — praised be G-d — we danced greatly on the past Shabbos — and I too danced a little — with the help of Hashem Yisborach — and we spoke from the Torah *v'atem tihyu li* [וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי — "and you shall be Mine": Likutay Moharan I:34 — the Torah of the three holy points that a person must receive: from the *tzaddik*, from his fellow, and from himself. These three sources of holy awakening together cancel *cherpaslev* — the shame and humiliation that breaks the heart — because where holy love dwells the shame is transformed] [Likutay Moharan I:34] — concerning the three holy points that must be received from the *tzaddik* — and each from his fellow — and from himself — and through this the shame of heart — the breaking of heart — is cancelled [מְבַטְּלִין חֶרְפַּת לֵב שְׁבִירַת לֵב — LM I:34: *cherpaslev* — the shame and humiliation — is the pain of the heart that has been wounded by mockery, opposition, and *bizyonos*. The Torah teaches that when the three points of holy love are present — from the *tzaddik*, from one's fellow, and from oneself — the *cherpaslev* is cancelled: because *ki sham ahavah dikedushahshoreh* — for there holy love dwells] — for there holy love dwells. How fortunate are the ears that hear such things — how fortunate are we — how fortunate are we — that we merited to every word — how much more so to every Torah that rises to the Infinite and descends to no end — and revives and connects our souls and the souls of all Israel to their Root. Who can express the mighty deeds of Hashem [מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה' — Tehillim 106:2: mi yemalel gevuros Hashem yashmi'a kol t'hilaso — "who can express the mighty deeds of Hashem — who can declare all His praise?" The verse of speechlessness before divine greatness: the scale of what Hashem has done exceeds all articulation] [Tehillim 106:2] — and His wonders and His great kindnesses — that we merited in this poor generation [הַדּוֹר הֶעָנִי הַזֶּה — the poor, diminished, impoverished generation — spiritually destitute, lacking the living presence of the *tzaddik* — and yet still receiving these extraordinary gifts. The wonder is intensified by the poverty of the era: that in such spiritual destitution such richness was given] . How fortunate are we.