קפד

Overview: Sunday, Parshas Kedoshim — Breslov. The greatest fear since the *machloket* began: the opponents planned to expel Reb Nussun on Shabbas itself. News came in waves — "they literally killed me and revived me many times on that day." He strengthened himself in *temimus* — grateful that he was saved from opposing such truth and that he merited to write the Rebbe's holy books. The timely arrival of Rabbi Ephraim son of Rabbi Naftali, Rabbi Simchah Baruch, and the *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande from Uman — *meis Hashem haysah zos* (Tehillim 118:23). A beautiful Shabbas with dancing. The governors swore solemn oaths that nothing would be done to him. The police-level attack thwarted by fear of higher authority.

[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]

His letter I received just now — and I had already sent my letter to you this morning through Rabbi Matil — and certainly you heard also from Rabbi Matil what they frightened me with on the past Erev Shabbas.

My beloved son — my dear one.

His letter I received the past week. Rabbi Ephraim son of Rabbi Naftali and Rabbi Simchah Baruch came here on the past Erev Shabbas. The *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande — the son-in-law of the *atkapchik* [אַטקַאפְּטְשִׁיק — a Russian administrative official; the *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande is connected to an influential local authority through family] — also came here on the past Erev Shabbas and is still here — and he seeks our welfare and wishes to meet face to face with me and to come to my home. May Hashem Yisborach have mercy that everything be for good. At present Hashem Yisborach helped us greatly — but there was great fear for me on the past Erev Shabbas — and I endured bitterness and fears then — of which it seemed to me that such a fear I had not yet had since the day this *machloket* began to burn .

For my friends from outside sent me word that they wish to expel themselves from here on Shabbas specifically. And it is impossible to describe all that passed in this on that above-mentioned day — for they literally killed me and revived me many times on that day [מַמָּשׁ הֵמִיתוּ וְהֶחֱיוּ אוֹתִי כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים — the language of extreme spiritual and emotional oscillation: news would come that the threat was advancing — then that it had receded — then advancing again. Each swing was like death and resuscitation] . Blessed is the One Who gives strength to the weary — that I endured all of this. [Yeshayahu 40:29] And Hashem was my help — that I strengthened myself in wholeness and simplicity [חִזַּקְתִּי עַצְמִי בִּתְמִימוּת — in *temimus*: the Breslov path of simple, wholesome faith without sophistication or calculation. When the fear threatened to overwhelm him — Reb Nussun found his footing in *temimus* — simple grateful faith] — in that I was saved from being such an opponent against such truth — and also that I merited to write his holy and awesome and true books and so forth.

And meanwhile the above-mentioned people arrived — and this too revived me greatly — and I believed and saw with the eyes of my mind that this was from Hashem — it is wondrous in our eyes [מֵאֵת ה' הָיְתָה זֹאת הִיא נִפְלָאוֹת בְּעֵינֵינוּ — Tehillim 118:23: the verse of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone — *meis Hashem haysah zos hi niflais b'eineinu*. Applied here: the arrival of the guests at exactly that moment of greatest danger was a divine *niflais* — a wondrous act — in Reb Nussun's eyes] [Tehillim 118:23] . How great are the works of Hashem — very deep are His thoughts [Tehillim 92:6] . And Rabbi Nachman of Teplik also came with Rabbi Ephraim for Shabbas — and praised be G-d — we had a beautiful Shabbas — and they also danced somewhat. It is good to give thanks to Hashem Who helped us until here.

And behold — they have already been before the governor and the district governor — and both of them swore solemn oaths that nothing whatsoever would be done to me. And as it appears — praised be G-d — their words are true. Only the fear was from people of the police — for the informers wished to incite them without the governor — since he was somewhat ill — and so it was rising in their minds — but in the mercies of Hashem Yisborach — they turned back from this — because of the fear of the higher court above them — that they would be caught in the net through such injustice. And also people were found from outside who spoke to their hearts that they should not do such a thing. But the intention of the wicked was to do harm — and Hashem frustrated their counsel. So may He frustrate and demolish and uproot and break and humble them beneath us — and may the truth be revealed in the world. Be strong — my son — and gladden your soul in the salvation of Hashem — and ask for the future — and so forth.

or each and every one — my innards — my innards — I wait [הוֹמֶה עָלַי לִבִּי עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵעַי מֵעַי אוֹחִילָה — the language of two Nevi'im merged: *home alai libi* — "my heart moans within me" (Yirmiyahu 4:19) — and *me'ai me'ai ochilah* — "my innards my innards I wait" (Yirmiyahu 4:19). The prophet's cry of physical-spiritual anguish over the people who are lost. Reb Nussun turns it into a personal cry of longing for each member of the scattered community]. Now now it is said about the youths: the holy stones are poured out at the head of every street — and no one gathers them home [תִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָה אַבְנֵי קֹדֶשׁ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל חוּצוֹת וְאֵין אִישׁ מְאַסֵּף אוֹתָם הַבַּיְתָה — Eichah 4:1: "how the gold has grown dim — how the pure gold has changed — the holy stones are poured out at the head of every street." The *avnei kodesh* — the holy stones — are the young men of Israel, precious as gold, now scattered and abandoned in the public thoroughfares. Applied here to the Breslov youth who are being pulled away from Torah and truth and left abandoned in the streets of spiritual exile] [Eichah 4:1]. And even one who wishes to flee and escape to a house where Torah and prayer are fostered — they pursue him with every kind of pursuit.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

And who knows what will be in the future — for the *ba'al davar* [הַבַּעַל דָּבָר — the *ba'al davar*: the adversarial force — the *Samech-Mem* — the enemy of holiness. Used throughout these letters as the force behind the *machloket*] has spread very greatly in length and breadth — from without and from within. From without — the sword of the *machloket* kills — G-d have mercy — and from within — the desires and the stirrings and the confusions and the distractions of livelihood and domestic strife and so forth — distress and anguish from every side. On whom do we have to lean? On our Father in Heaven. This is my consolation in my affliction [זֹאת נֶחָמָתִי בְעָנְיִי — Tehillim 119:50: zos nechamasi b'onyi ki imrascha techayeini — "this is my consolation in my affliction — for Your word has given me life." One of the great verses of the longest Psalm — the verse of the person in the deepest distress who finds his sole consolation in the word of Hashem. Applied here: amid the entire catalogue of suffering — Reb Nussun's consolation is the knowledge of the truth of the *tzaddik* and his holy Torah] [Tehillim 119:50] — that we know at any rate of the truth of the true *tzaddik* and of his holy Torah which revives and restores each and every one in every place where he is. And about this they gnash their teeth — to distance — G-d forbid — from this. But the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended and His mercies have not been exhausted forever [Eichah 3:22] — and in His immense wonders He — Yisborach — will be in our help to strengthen us and fortify us and empower us — more and more each time — to hold with all our strength and with all our senses to the true *tzaddik* and to his holy Torah and to his holy name.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]

The words of your father. Nussun of Breslov. In Hashem I have taken refuge — that we all merit to be counted among his holy congregation — in this world and the next forever. How fortunate are we — how good is our portion — and after all that passes over us — even so how fortunate are we. They will perish — the opponents — and a thousand like them — and not one word of his Torah and his holy conversations shall be annulled — as long as the breath of life is in our nostrils. As long as the soul is within us — we will give thanks and praise to Hashem Yisborach for meriting to be in his holy portion. Lots have fallen to us in pleasant places [Tehillim 16:6] and so forth. Overview: Sunday, Parshas Kedoshim — Breslov — the second letter of the day, sent via Rabbi Matil. The situation has quieted. The *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande visited today. The Iyar acrostic: *oyevai yashuvu yevoshu raga* (Tehillim 6:11). Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin's health — fever. Son Nachman also ill. The community accepted a *Sheni-Chamishi-Sheni* fast. *Emes mei'eretz titzmach* (Tehillim 85:12). The deep lament passage: *homa alai libi / me'ai me'ai ochilah* — and *avnei kodesh mishtapechos b'rosh kol chutzes* (Eichah 4:1) — the holy young men scattered in every street. From without the sword of the *machloket* — from within the desires and distractions. *Zos nechamasi b'onyi* (Tehillim 119:50). *Chasday Hashem lo samnu* (Eichah 3:22). *Ashreinu — v'achar kol mah she'oveir aleinu af al pi kein ashreinu*. *Chavlin naflu lanu bane'imim* (Tehillim 16:6). The instruction: share with true lovers — *v'chol zar lo yochal kodesh* (Vayikra 22:10). Peace and life and all good — in this world and the next forever. His letter I received — and you already know that I do not go outside — therefore I had no one through whom to reply to you. May Hashem Yisborach have mercy that everything turn to great good for all of us — and may those who magnify themselves against us be clothed in shame and disgrace — and those who desire my righteousness rejoice and be glad — and say always: May Hashem be magnified [Tehillim 35:27]. And thanks be to G-d — Hashem helps me — that I am for the most part in joy — over the immensity of the wonders of His eternal kindness — that I merited to hear all that I heard — and to write them in a book — to make them known to the children of men and so forth. And in truth all of you also need to rejoice in this every day — for it is not an empty thing from you — for it is your life forever [כִּי הוּא חַיֵּיכֶם לָנֶצַח — Devarim 32:47: ki lo davar reik hu mikem ki hu chayeichem — "for it is not an empty thing from you — for it is your life." The verse Moshe says at the end of his life about the Torah: it is your very life. Applied here to the Rebbe's words and teachings] [Devarim 32:47]. And G-d forbid that any word should be old in your eyes — for these are words that flow — each and every word is a well of living waters [כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר הוּא בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים — the metaphor of the *be'er mayim chayyim* — the well of living waters — for each individual word of the Rebbe's teaching. Every word flows with life and depth. The image recalls the *nahal novea* — the flowing stream — that is one of the Rebbe's central metaphors for his own Torah] — cool water upon a weary soul [Mishlai 25:25] — renewing itself every day and every time — reviving every soul that desires life — restoring with seven restorers of taste [מֵשִׁיב בְּשִׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טַעַם — a Talmudic phrase (Avos 5:7) on the quality of the scholar who knows how to answer: applied here to the Rebbe's words as having seven dimensions of restorative flavour] — revealing the greatness of the Creator and the flashing of His G-dliness — Yisborach — in a way that the mouth cannot speak — for each one according to what he estimates in his heart — and beyond them they ascend to the infinite and so forth. Many things You have done — Hashem our G-d — Your wonders and Your thoughts toward us [Tehillim 40:6] and so forth. And the Master of wonders Who has helped me so greatly until here — may He not forsake me even now — and may He help me and save me quickly — and fell and humble our enemies beneath us. You — the G-d Who performs wonders — for Your sake and for the sake of the true *tzaddik* — humble them to the very dust — and to Hashem belongs the salvation.