קפח

Overview: Sunday, Parshas Shelach — Breslov. A brief urgent letter. His daughter still ill; two gold coins received; complete healing prayer. The bearer of this letter will tell all that happened in Breslov. Regarding the persecutions, distresses, and beatings suffered by the community in Tulchin — instruction on how to stand firm: the four-fold command of courage — *al yitbayyeshu, al yitbattelu, al yifchadu, al yeichatu* — do not be ashamed, do not be nullified, do not fear, do not be dismayed. *Ki Hashem itanu l'hoshi'a osanu al tira'um. Hisyatzvu ur'u es yeshu'as Hashem* (Shemos 14:13). Trust in the great power of the *zaken dikdushah* who began and will complete the salvation.

[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]

I received your letter together with the letter from Rabbi Henich and the two gold coins.

My beloved son — my dear one. I received your letter together with the two gold coins — and may Hashem Yisborach have mercy and quickly send a complete healing to your daughter — may she live — and may she return to her strength quickly. And behold — the bearer of this letter will tell you all that happened here — and certainly everything is for good. And regarding the persecutions and the distresses and the beatings and so forth that they did to each and every one of you in Tulchin [טוּלְטְשִׁין — Tulchin: a town in the region where the *machloket* has spread. The community of Breslov followers there has been suffering persecutions, beatings, and physical violence from opponents — a branch of the same storm that has been raging in Breslov itself] — from yourselves you will understand how to conduct yourselves and how to argue with them to their faces. Do not be ashamed — do not be nullified — do not fear — do not be dismayed before them at all [אַל יִתְבַּיְּשׁוּ וְאַל יִתְבַּטְּלוּ וְאַל יִפְחֲדוּ וְאַל יֵחַתּוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם כְּלָל — four-fold command of courage: (1) *al yitbayyeshu* — do not be put to shame — hold your head high; (2) *al yitbattelu* — do not be nullified — do not give up your identity; (3) *al yifchadu* — do not fear — the emotion of fear; (4) *al yeichatu* — do not be dismayed — the deeper existential fear. A complete armoring of the soul against the opponents] — for Hashem is with us to save us — do not fear them [כִּי ה' אִתָּנוּ לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אוֹתָנוּ אַל תִּירָאוּם — the battle-cry drawn from several Biblical sources: *ki Hashem Elokeichem haholech imachem* (Devarim 20:4) — "for Hashem your G-d Who goes with you will fight for you." And the formula of *al tira'um* — "do not fear them." The standard language of Israelite battle confidence applied to the spiritual battle of the *machloket*] [Devarim 20:4] . And the bearer of this letter will tell you everything — and I have no free time at all to extend. Stand firm and see the salvation of Hashem [הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת יְשׁוּעַת ה' — Shemos 14:13: the words of Moshe to the Israelites at the shore of the sea, with the Egyptian army bearing down. "Stand firm — and see the salvation of Hashem which He will show you today." The supreme verse of passive-active trust: human stillness combined with absolute divine intervention] [Shemos 14:13] — for as He has begun to save us — so do we hope in Him — in the great power of the holy elder [בְּכֹחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁל הַזָּקֵן דִּקְדֻשָּׁה — the *zaken dikdushah* — the elder of holiness: Rebbe Nachman — of blessed memory. "He began — he will complete": the phrase Reb Nussun invokes repeatedly through the entire *machloket* arc — drawn from the Rebbe's own words recorded in Chayei Moharan] — that he will complete saving us quickly with a complete salvation — and our enemies will see and be ashamed — and so forth. The words of your father who awaits salvation. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ....]

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]