קפה

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.

My beloved son — my dear one.

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. May Hashem Yisborach have mercy that it be for an atonement of sin — and turn to great good. At present the matter has quieted. Blessed be Hashem Who helped us until here. And also today the *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande from Uman was in my home — and from yourself you will understand that he is for our benefit — and he is a thorn of pain to the opponents — their teeth shall gnash and they shall melt away [שִׁנֵּיהֶם יַחְרְקוּ וְנָמַסוּ — Tehillim 112:10: the verse of the wicked man who sees the righteous rewarded and gnashes his teeth and melts away] [Tehillim 112:10] and so forth. The Rescuer of the poor from the stronger than him [מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ — Tehillim 35:10] [Tehillim 35:10] and so forth — may He have compassion on us and save us with a complete salvation quickly — that no fear whatsoever come upon us again — and our enemies will see and be shamed. And may there be fulfilled in the month of Iyar: Aleph — my enemies shall turn back — Yud — and be shamed — Yud — instantly — Resh — let them withdraw [אוֹיְבַי יָשֻׁבוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ רָגַע — Tehillim 6:11: yashuvu oyevai achor yiboshu raga — "let my enemies turn back — be shamed instantly." The four Hebrew words spell out *Aleph-Yud-Yud-Resh* — the acrostic of the month of Iyar — a traditional *siman* for the month: each initial letter of the verse spells the month's name] [Tehillim 6:11] .

And I was astonished at you — my beloved son — that you did not inform me anything about our dear friend Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin [רַבִּי נַחְמָן מִטּוּלְטְשִׁין — the devoted follower who served Reb Nussun with such love during the Uman exile described in Letter 174 — "people serve with great love — Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin"] — please be so kind as to inform me of his welfare by early post. And may Hashem Yisborach send a complete healing to your son and to my son Nachman — may he live — who was also weak the past week — and as it appears it is a matter of fever illness — G-d forbid — may the Merciful One preserve us — and he is still somewhat weak and has been sitting at home at the beginning of the time. May the Creator of healings send them a complete healing in the midst of all the other ill ones of Israel — [text missing here]. At every time we see from every side that there is no *olam hazeh* at all — as our Master our Teacher and Rebbe — of blessed memory — said — and we have in our world nothing except what Hashem Yisborach helps us to be strong to snatch some good — all that we can. And praised be G-d — we see every day wondrous expansions within the distresses and the sprouting of the horn of salvation at every time — but we still need prayer and to multiply greatly in mercy — that Hashem Yisborach have compassion on us and say to our distresses: enough — and return to us and have mercy on us and rescue us and save us from our enemies and pursuers without cause. And know — my beloved son — that all our *anshei sh'lomaynu* accepted upon themselves on Shabbas to fast on the three days of *Sheni-Chamishi-Sheni* that are coming upon us for good [שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי — Monday-Thursday-Monday: the traditional fast of three days in response to communal crisis — a supplication fast modelled on the Talmudic *ta'anis tzibbur*. The community of Breslov has formally accepted this collective fast in response to the persecution] — and it is appropriate that you too should join with us — perhaps Hashem will answer us and have compassion on His great honour — and do for the sake of His Name — to fell our enemies beneath us — and they shall not continue to humiliate us and the holy and awesome books. And truth shall sprout from the earth [Tehillim 85:12] — and there will be fulfilled: give truth to Yaakov [Michah 7:20] and so forth — and if not now — when? My heart yearns for 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. 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. 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. And peace to all our *anshei sh'lomaynu* with great love — and especially to my dear friend — like my own soul — the distinguished veteran young scholar — the fruit of a righteous one — our Teacher the Rabbi Nachman son of Chaya — may he live [פְּרִי צַדִּיק — fruit of a righteous one: a title of honor for one who is the son or descendant of a *tzaddik*. This Rabbi Nachman son of Chaya is addressed with special warmth] . May Hashem Yisborach grant us merit to see him face to face — and may he merit to walk in the paths of his holy forefathers. May his merit protect us in truth — for his own good forever. Nussun the above-mentioned. And from yourself you will understand — to give the letter to be read by our true lovers — and to store it well from strangers — for no stranger shall eat of the holy [וְכָל זָר לֹא יֹאכַל קֹדֶשׁ — Vayikra 22:10: the law that the sacred portions belong only to those who are fit to receive them. Applied here to the letter itself: its contents are holy and belong only to those who are truly connected — not to be shown to opponents or casual observers who might misuse them] [Vayikra 22:10] . The words of your father who awaits salvation. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]