קעב

And peace to all our *anshei sh'lomaynu* — with great love.

Peace to the honor of my beloved son — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine.

I have already written to you that I arrived at Kremenchug on the Friday morning of Parshas Vaeira — and found your letters that the holy books — praised be G-d — had already been returned in His kindness and wonders — and you greatly revived my soul. And on that same Friday I sent you my letter — and I lingered in Kremenchug until yesterday — and no letter reached me — neither from Breslov nor from Uman — and I do not know what to think. But at a time of distress like this — may the Omnipresent have mercy — certainly we need this sorrow too. But this is my consolation in my affliction — that in the kindnesses of Hashem and His great wonders they brought out the books from their hands — what shall I return to Hashem and so forth — how fortunate is the portion of Rabbi Shmuel Weinberg who merited that such a great *pidyon shevuyim* was completed through him [פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים — the redemption of captives — one of the greatest *mitzvos* in the Torah. The holy books seized by the government are *shevuyim* — captives — and their release is a true *pidyon shevuyim*] — how fortunate are all those who engaged in this — and all who expended money for the redemption of souls and the holy Torah. Woe to them and woe to the souls of the informers who brought false accusations — who rebelled and transgressed against the honor of Hashem Yisborach and the honor of the holy Torah — and the honor of the Baal Shem Tov — of blessed memory — and his holy disciples — and against the honor of our Master our Teacher and Rebbe — of blessed memory — whose holy books they seized through their informing. May Hashem repay the evildoer according to his evil — and in His great kindness may He have mercy on the poor and destitute pursued ones like us — and save us quickly for the sake of His great and holy Name that is called over us — for His great Name is found within the name of the true *tzaddik* — as explained in the Torah *b'reishis l'einei kol Yisrael* which we spoke on the past Shabbas Chanukah — and here we completed it somewhat. [הַתּוֹרָה בְּרֵאשִׁית לְעֵינֵי כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל — Likutay Moharan I:1: the Rebbe's opening Torah on the verse *b'reishis bara Elokim* and the final verse *l'einei kol Yisrael* — the teaching that Hashem's Great Name is found within the name of the true *tzaddik*]

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

And behold — in the midst of my great preoccupation today — and I was already prepared to travel — Hashem Yisborach arranged in His mercy that I traveled with Rabbi Efraim — may his light shine — to the post office — and Rabbi Efraim entered there — and found two letters from you. One written on Sunday of Parshas Bo — and one written on Thursday of Parshas Bo. And I was very shaken by the greatness of His kindness — and I traveled quickly to the house of Rabbi Efraim — and I read the letters twice carefully — and from yourself you will understand what happened within me — sorrow and relief — weeping and songs — you will understand a portion of it but not all of it. And I was then very pressed to cross the ferry to arrive here for a night's lodging — and now I have arrived here in Krakow at approximately two or three hours of the night — and I write this letter immediately in the midst of my great preoccupation and confusion of mind — and people come here to greet me — and even so I pushed everything aside to hasten to reply. And behold — you have greatly greatly revived my soul with your letter. Although you have informed me how great the controversy still is — even so I hope to Hashem that everything will turn to good — and especially since we see the great wonders of His kindnesses within the distress — for Hashem is still with us — as you wrote of the many sprouting of the horn of salvation from the people of Uman. And in this we see how great are the works of Hashem — very deep are His thoughts [Tehillim 92:6] — and how great is the power of the elder of holiness — the ancient elder — and his power is still with us — and even until old age and grey hair — may He not forsake us [Tehillim 71:18] — and so forth. Nussun of Breslov. And behold — to strengthen you — praised be G-d — you have already written to me that you are strong in the truth as is fitting — and you very greatly revived my soul in what you wrote — that you revive yourself with the conversations you heard long ago. For in my estimation — Hashem Yisborach has already preceded for all of us the cure to the blow through the multitude of holy conversations I have spoken with you these many years. And all the holy Torahs and the holy stories and the holy prayers — you have more than enough in all of them to revive your souls even at this time of distress — until you now need to dance every day over the greatness of His salvation and His awesome wonders — that we were saved from being opponents G-d forbid against such a point of truth . What shall we say and what shall we speak — with what shall we precede Hashem — for all He has done for us. And at present I have suffering from the fact that I still have no letter from Breslov — and also the document has not reached me — and behold my mind is not clear at all now. Be strong and of good courage — for Hashem is with you — for there is reward for your labor [חִזְקוּ וְאִמְצוּ כִּי ה' עִמָּכֶם — I Divrei Hayamim 28:20; and *yesh sachar lifeulatchem* — II Divrei Hayamim 15:7: "for there is reward for your labor." The promise that no act of faithfulness is without its recompense] [I Divrei Hayamim 28:20; II Divrei Hayamim 15:7] — and there is great hope for what comes after us. And if you set your heart to even one holy Torah from his holy books — you will be able to comfort yourselves over all the distresses that pass over us. And to Hashem belongs the salvation — that He rescue us through his great merit — and I have much to say but no free time permits it at all. And behold — in all the matters of sufferings and confusions that have passed over me and over us — and especially in the matter of the enormity of the distresses and the great fears from after Rosh Hashanah until today — in all of this I revive myself only with what he — of blessed memory — said (Likutay Moharan I:208) on the verse (Tehillim 37): the wicked one watches the righteous and seeks to kill him — Hashem will not abandon him into his hand [צוֹפֶה רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק — Tehillim 37:32–33 / LM I:208: the Rebbe's teaching — the *rasha* piles on coverage until it seems one cannot breathe — but Hashem will not abandon the *tzaddik* into his hand] [Tehillim 37:32–33; LM I:208] — see there what he wrote — but they increase the coverage until it seems as if one cannot breathe — G-d forbid — but Hashem will not abandon him into his hand. And this we see now with our own eyes. And one must believe that the controversy is certainly for great good for each and every one — but what they wish — to uproot them entirely — that will not come into their hands. And certainly whoever truly wishes to be a worthy person — to walk in wholeness and simplicity according to the Torah which Moshe Rabbeinu commanded — certainly no obstacle in the world will be able to prevent him. And if one must pray alone — many of the G-d-fearing in earlier generations prayed alone — and did not wish to pray with the congregation — so as not to be confused . And I have already written to you to fulfil *chabu kime'at rega ad ya'avor za'am* — and your heart will trust securely — that within some time you will be able to pray in whatever beis midrash you wish. And all the *tzaddikim* and all the worthy ones attached to them — of necessity such things pass over them — for their beginning is sufferings and their end is tranquility [כִּי תְּחִלָּתָם יִסּוּרִים וְסוֹפָן שַׁלְוָה — Berachos 5b and related: the rabbinic principle of the universal pattern of the *tzaddikim* and *k'sheirim*: all the troubles that come upon the world — and upon those who walk in the true path — their beginning is sufferings and their end is tranquility. The suffering is not the terminus but the beginning; the terminus is always *shalvah* — peace and rest] [Berachos 5b] — and there is no free time to extend further. And also drunk — but not from wine [וּשְׁכוּרַת וְלֹא מִיָּיִן — Yeshayahu 51:21: the verse of Israel's suffering as a kind of drunkenness — overwhelmed and staggering — but not from wine] [Yeshayahu 51:21] — and as it is written there nearby: *va'yitz'aku el Hashem batzar lahem* [וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה' בַּצַּר לָהֶם — Tehillim 107:28: "and they cried to Hashem in their distress." The response to being "drunk but not from wine" is the cry to Hashem] — upon whom do we have to lean — but upon our Father in Heaven. And also it is not good to punish the righteous [גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא טוֹב — Mishlai 17:26: the *tzaddik's* way is not to punish immediately — his influence operates through Torah and prayer — though when the time truly requires it he removes the thorns from the vineyard] [Mishlai 17:26] . And behold — in all these surroundings I have passed through — no one hears the controversy of ours at all — and yet all of them are full of sorrow and distresses and great preoccupations and pressing livelihood. And should it enter one's mind — that after all the conversations I spoke with you — the taking of the flour from the poor would be considered a trial? And truly I know that whoever has a little sense is certainly firm at his post — and it is not considered a trial for him at all — only some fools who were turned — may Hashem have mercy on them and return them to the truth. And behold: were it not for the fear of the kingdom — a man would swallow his fellow alive [Avos 3:2] . And truly these wicked ones who throw stones wish to destroy Breslov G-d forbid — which is the opposite of stones — as it is written (Yechezkel 36): and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh — and I will give you a heart of flesh [Yechezkel 36:26] . But they will perish — and those like them — and Breslov will not be destroyed G-d forbid — and the word of our G-d will stand forever [Yeshayahu 40:8] — and the above verse will be fulfilled. Listen to this and understand — for Hashem is with us and among us. And especially since our Rebbe — of blessed memory — said to me personally: "Gott iz mit dir, ba dir, shreck zich nit." [Yiddish: "G-d is with you — at your side — do not be afraid." The Rebbe's personal word spoken directly to Reb Nussun — the ultimate source of his courage through every persecution] — for almost every day I had sufferings and dangers on the road — and Hashem Yisborach helped me each time — this poor one called and Hashem heard [זֶה עָנִי קָרָא וַה' שָׁמֵעַ — Tehillim 34:7: zeh ani kara v'Hashem shama umikal tzarosav hoshi'o — "this poor one called and Hashem heard — and from all his troubles He saved him." The verse of the individual specific cry that is heard: not a general prayer but the cry of the one poor person — and Hashem hears it. Applied here to Reb Nussun's experience on the arduous road: each day's new danger — and each day's specific divine hearing and rescue] [Tehillim 34:7] . And peace to all the people of Breslov who stand by us — may Hashem be with them and repay their work and their wages doubled — and may they merit all good in this world and the next forever Omain. And not to us, Hashem — not to us — but to Your Name give glory [Tehillim 115:1] and so forth. Nussun the above-mentioned. The words of your father — who awaits seeing you quickly in life and peace and joy.