קעה

Nussun the above-mentioned.

To all my brothers and companions — let me speak peace and abundant salvation.

Their letter I received today during the morning prayer — and last night after the evening prayer I received the letter from Rabbi Yosef the son-in-law of Rabbi Zalman — and all of them inform of comfort and joy and gladness. And certainly it is joy and gladness — that we merited within such a concealment to know of such truth. And all the more the noise and the concealment are greater — the more we have to rejoice — for had we not drawn close before and known the truth of the truth as it is — it would not have been possible for us to draw close in any way now — and G-d forbid we would also have been doing — G-d forbid — what they do to the holy and awesome books. Who will give us a mouth to give thanks and to praise Hashem Yisborach for all the miracles and wonders He did with us — to save us from such wickedness — from such Sheol and Destruction . Whoever has even a little true sense in his head will know and understand that there is no trouble in the world like the trouble of one who tears and disdains such holy books — and sheds the blood of souls of Israel without cause so greatly — and prevents many from the holiness of Israel — and wishes to overturn the bowl on its face. And also here in Uman there is found one opponent whose son has begun somewhat to draw close to our *anshei sh'lomaynu* and to study much Talmud and legal codes — and now people of worthlessness who call themselves by the name of Chassidim are forcing him against his will to stop learning Talmud and legal codes — and saying it is better to talk with them. And his father cried out to his son: I will give you to eat on condition that you not study more than one page of Talmud each day — no more — for whoever studies all day is a Breslover and so forth.

The rule is — that the opponents do not stand to prevent the studying of our Rebbe's books — only the inner evil intent in their heart is to abolish from Israel all Torah entirely. For you know the actions of the youth — especially in this generation — and there is no salvation except through the Torah. And there is no one who brings the study of Torah and the fulfilment of Torah into the world like our Master our Teacher and Rebbe — of blessed memory — through the truth of his holy ways that he revealed through us and in his holy books. And about this they incited against us so greatly — they said: come and let us destroy them — G-d forbid.

And truly according to the ways of nature — we know no way at all how to stand against them — and also to pray and cry out to Hashem Yisborach — although in this we engage somewhat — but there is not one among us who can stand in his prayer against such incitement — for the *Samech-Mem* himself has girded his loins and gnashed his teeth against us. But even so — we are obligated to do our part — to cry out and wail and plead according to our strength — and Hashem hears the prayer of every mouth. But the essential of our trust is only on the power of the prayer of the elder of elders — who engages in this business of ours — to bring souls close to Hashem Yisborach in truth — upon whose holy name we are called *Breslover Chassidim* — he began — he will complete — as he said: "Ich hob ois gefirt un ich vel ois firen" [Chayei Moharan 218] — and he also said other holy words like these.

And I believe even now with complete faith that certainly he will complete everything as his will — and in the end the end of the pursuers will be to be cut off from the earth so that their memory is erased [Tehillim 34:17] . Woe to them — woe to their souls — forever. But at the present time — each one needs to pass through trials like these. And I believe — that even now certainly no one has trials that he cannot stand in — and the essential is the confusion of the mind. But since — blessed be Hashem — you are all strong and established in the truth and the faith — I am confident in you that in the kindnesses of Hashem Yisborach I will not be put to shame by you — and you will not be put to shame by me — neither in this world nor in the World to Come.

And each person must say of himself: *Echad hayah Avraham* — Abraham was one [אֶחָד הָיָה אַבְרָהָם — Yechezkel 33:24 / Likutay Moharan II:1: Avraham stood alone against the entire world — and each person must take this stance in the face of the opposition] [LM II:1] — as explained at the beginning of the second book of Likutay Moharan. And I revive myself greatly with this now — for what would I have done if also you — G-d forbid — had been throwing stones at me — as happened to Avraham our father who was alone in the world. Blessed be Hashem that you were saved from this. And also every one of you must think of himself — that even if he were the only one in the world who knew of such truth — he would need to be strong against the entire world. But Hashem does not send upon a person what he cannot stand — and blessed be Hashem that we have at least this small holy gathering — the wholesome and worthy ones — who do not choose any false wisdoms — and not any mockery and confusions that prevail now — but walk in wholeness and truth and uprightness in the holy path in which our fathers have walked from time immemorial — which we would not have merited except through his holy and awesome and true and profoundly deep words — wholesome in every kind of true wholesomeness. How fortunate are we — how good is our portion — that we merited to hear all this. How fortunate are we for every word and word and for every conversation and conversation that we heard from him — of blessed memory.

Until here His mercies — Yisborach — have helped us — that we merited to hear such Torahs and stories within the noise of the fire of the controversy up to the heart of the heavens that was in his days — which came close to swallowing him alive — G-d forbid — and Hashem Yisborach had mercy on His people — and we merited that he dwelt in Breslov — and there all his holy books were composed. Who can express the mighty acts of Hashem — who can declare all His praise [Tehillim 106:2] . And the great ones are greater in their death than in their life [גְּדוֹלִים צַדִּיקִים בְּמִיתָתָם יוֹתֵר מִבְּחַיֵּיהֶם — Chullin 7b] [Chullin 7b] — for after his holy passing we have seen wondrous novelties and immense miracles even greater than in his lifetime — that he gave strength to the exhausted one like me — pursued endlessly like me — to write and print such books — and to compose and print such awesome prayers — and to gather the holy gathering for Rosh Hashanah in Uman — and so forth. Many things You have done — You, Hashem my G-d — there is none comparable to You — I will tell and speak of them — they are too many to count [Tehillim 40:6] . And we also merited to build the beis midrash here — and to pray in it several times on Rosh Hashanah. The G-d Who girds me with strength [Tehillim 18:33] — Who has helped me until now — not through my merit and not through my strength — but through his merit and his great strength — may He help me even now to complete the beis midrash here in the coming summer — if Hashem wills it — and also that I return quickly to my home in Breslov in peace.

For although I am indeed a great coward — against this Hashem Yisborach gave me merit to be very strong — with the help of Hashem Yisborach — in *azus dikedushah* — and Hashem Yisborach has made my forehead strong against their foreheads [וְנָתַן מִצְחִי חָזָק נֶגֶד מִצְחָם — Yechezkel 3:8–9] . And blessed be Hashem — I am strong in my mind like a pillar of iron and like walls of copper — and I prepare myself — with the help of Hashem Yisborach — for gift and for prayer and for war [לְדוֹרוֹן וְלִתְפִלָּה וּלְמִלְחָמָה — Bereishis 32:9: Ya'akov's three-pronged strategy before meeting Esav] — and may Hashem G-d help me with His great power. And I have already spoken greatly with our dear friend the bearer of this letter — Rabbi Shmuel Weinberg — and I await his reply that he send me quickly for good. And I hope to Hashem Yisborach that I will proceed gently toward Breslov in peace. And it is impossible to fathom the minds of the opponents — what they think in wishing to expel me from Breslov — for wherever I travel — I will declare the truth of his holy Torah there as well — and there too will be made Breslover Chassidim who are the truly worthy ones of Israel [אוֹדִיעַ גַּם שָׁם אֲמִתַּת תּוֹרָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה — a remarkable moment: Reb Nussun articulates the silver lining of even forced exile — wherever the persecution drives him, the Rebbe's truth will be planted there too. New Breslover Chassidim — *k'sheirim amitiyim sheb'Yisrael* — will emerge wherever he goes. And he adds: perhaps this is Hashem's intention behind the expulsion altogether] . And in truth it even enters my mind — perhaps this is Hashem Yisborach's intention in all of this. But I have great compassion for you — that we should suddenly be separated — G-d forbid. I am confident — in Hashem's kindness and in his great power — that He will certainly not do this — for the Rebbe's sake — of blessed memory — and will help me in His wonders to return to my home in Breslov in peace quickly.

And the days of Purim are approaching — and may Hashem Yisborach hear our cry tomorrow on Taanis Esther — and may we merit to pour out our hearts like water before Him — Yisborach. And as He did awesome things in those days — so may He wondrously show His kindness with us with eternal salvation — and may we merit to rejoice in His salvation quickly in the holy Purim days that come toward us for peace. And may the horn of truth be raised higher and higher [וְיִתְרוֹמֵם קֶרֶן הָאֱמֶת לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה — the Rebbe's own language for the goal of his entire mission: the raising of the *keren ha'emes* — the horn of truth — to the highest heights. The Rebbe spoke of this as the purpose of everything he did and taught. For Reb Nussun to invoke it here — on the eve of Taanis Esther — as the ultimate prayer and hope: may the truth be raised and revealed — is to anchor the entire *machloket* within the Rebbe's own declared purpose] — and we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation always. And you my brothers and companions — rejoice and be glad — blessed is Hashem that you merited to be in his holy portion forever. And give thanks for what has passed — that He helped you to remain established in the truth through such distresses and sufferings — and cry out for the future. Strive and multiply supplication and request before Hashem from the very depths of your hearts — and cry out and plead before Hashem Yisborach every day — that each person merit to remain standing at his post in the point of his Jewishness [בִּנְקֻדַּת יַהֲדוּתוֹ — the *nekudas yahadu'so*: the innermost point of one's Jewishness — the place where the soul is most essentially connected to Hashem and Torah — the point that cannot be captured or extinguished however great the external pressure. The battle of the *machloket* is ultimately a battle over whether this point will hold] — and that we merit to be saved from our enemies and pursuers. They will kneel and fall — but we will rise and stand upright [הֵמָּה יִכְרְעוּ וְיִפֹּלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ נָקוּם וְנִתְעוֹדָד — Tehillim 20:9: "they have kneeled and fallen — but we have risen and stood upright." The Psalm of battle confidence: those who trust in chariots and horses fall — those who invoke Hashem's Name stand upright. A fitting close to the eve of Taanis Esther: the opponents are the ones who will fall; the community that clings to the *nekudas ha'emes* will rise] [Tehillim 20:9] . And may we merit to see each other soon face to face — and rejoice and be glad in His salvation.

And peace to my dear friend the distinguished one — our Teacher the Rabbi Avraham Ber — may he live. Trust in Hashem — my beloved son — for certainly He will not abandon you — and everything will turn to good. And his words — of blessed memory — are alive and enduring — that he said: "Gott iz grois, meh veist gar nit. Gott firt tamid ois." [Yiddish: "G-d is great — one knows nothing at all. G-d always carries through."] And I — the poor and destitute and greatly pursued one — in my integrity I will go — to believe in his holy words in wholeness and simplicity — and to tell to all who wish to hear all the acts of the great Hashem that He did with us. And may Hashem complete for me — and also until old age and grey hair — O G-d do not forsake me — until I tell Your arm to a generation — to all who come — Your greatness and Your righteousness and so forth. [Tehillim 71:18]

Nussun the above-mentioned.

And abundant peace to my dear friend — like my own soul and heart — the great luminary — the distinguished one — our Teacher the Rabbi Aharon — may his light shine — with the peace of his sons and all his household. I have already poured out my speech somewhat above — and what shall I add? His honor of Torah knows everything — his heart is as my heart and his soul is as my soul — for we are all one. And in Hashem Yisborach we have taken refuge — for He will not forsake us in the time of our old age — and our enemies will see and be ashamed — and at the time of our visitation — for length of days and years — He will gather our souls among the people of our Rebbe — of blessed memory — and we will not be ashamed or disgraced forever.

Nussun the above-mentioned.

Therefore it would have been better for them to give their souls from the beginning — and certainly it would have been better for them in this world and the next. But certainly I judge them favorably — and my heart is pained over their troubles. But even so — I believe in what our Rebbe — of blessed memory — said: no person has a trial and obstacles that he cannot stand in — and the essential is the confusion of the mind [הָעִקָּר הוּא מְנִיעַת הַמֹּחַ — meni'as hamoyach: the confusion and disturbance of the mind — the *bitul hamoyach* — is the only real obstacle. The physical dangers, the financial pressures, the social humiliations — none of these are the true obstacle. Only the confusion of the mind — the inability to think clearly and hold to what one knows — is what actually causes a person to fall]. And even now — the essential is the confusion of the mind.

And whoever returns to his heart even a tiny fraction of what was spoken between us — and of the wonders we saw in his holy books — and all the flashing of G-dliness and the flashing of the greatness of the Rebbe — of blessed memory — that I planted in you with the help of Hashem Yisborach — will certainly stand in the trial. Or he will strive to flee beforehand so that he will not need to come to the trial and to humiliation — G-d forbid — as Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin did — who fled from his home and sits here — and so Rabbi Elik of Breslov. And I hope to Hashem that they will certainly return to their homes in peace — if Hashem wills it. But even so — you should not flee immediately — only if you see — G-d forbid — that the hour demands it. But I hope to Hashem that you will not need to come to this — only that even without this you need to yearn and long and strive with all your strength to come here — and to Hashem belongs the salvation. And although I wrote above not to expect miracles specifically — even so in truth I see wondrous miracles almost every day — for it is not an empty thing that in Hashem's kindness we have been saved from them until here. Thus I trust in Hashem that He will always rescue us from them — and our enemies will not prevail against us. And certainly Hashem Yisborach will make signs and wonders in heaven and on earth — in order to humble our enemies and rescue us from their hands — not for our sake — but for the sake of the one who engages in this to plant the vineyard of the house of Israel — to bring the sustaining of Torah into the world [לְמַעַן הָעוֹסֵק בָּזֶה לִטַּע כֶּרֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל — the vineyard of the house of Israel: the Rebbe's own image for his mission — to plant a vineyard of true Torah in Israel. The miracles are not performed for the individuals' sake but for the sake of this cosmic mission: the planting and nurturing of the true Torah and its adherents in the world]. But what I wrote above — my intention was not to press the moment — and the believer need not worry. But however it will be — certainly He will rescue me and all who remain with us — called by his name — of blessed memory — certainly He will rescue all of us and our enemies will not rejoice over us — only those who magnify themselves against us will be clothed in shame and disgrace — and those who desire our righteousness will rejoice and be glad and so forth. And it is enough for those who truly desire. And from the greatness of your longing for my words I could not restrain myself from writing a little more — to rouse you and all who truly desire the truth — reg

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]

arding *azus dikedushah* — holy boldness — Nussun of Breslov. eed very very greatly — to fulfil: be bold as a leopard [Avos 5:20] — and *lo nitnah Torah l'Yisrael ela mipnei sheheim azim* — the Torah was given to Israel specifically because they are bold [Beitzah 25b] — as he — of blessed memory — spoke of this greatly. And although certainly now it is impossible to be bold to their faces — for the hour favors them — even so — even in silence you need to have very great boldness. And the essential is that at any rate you should have boldness in your hearts — that you should not be ashamed — G-d forbid — in your own selves. And as our Rebbe — of blessed memory — said (Chayei Moharan 215): "Vos hobin mir zich tzu shemen?" [Yiddish: "What do we have to be ashamed of?" — the Rebbe's declaration of inner holy boldness] [Chayei Moharan 215] — for although each person must be ashamed before Hashem of his sins — in the matter of our community — that we are called by his name — in this there is nothing to be ashamed of at all. This is our portion from all our toil — this is our hope — this is our comfort — this is our salvation forever. And whoever is strong in his heart and is not ashamed in his own heart — Hashem Yisborach will help him to know how to conduct himself in *azus* against them — to respond to them in a peaceful way — and even so to pierce their hearts — that they will fall before him in their hearts. And one must ask from Hashem to know how to respond — to fulfil: know what you will answer [Avos 2:14] and so forth.