קצד

The words of your father — who longs for joy with all his heart — for the essential is the joy. [אוּן טַאקִי פָארְט הָאפּ אוּן טַאקִי פָארְט אוּן פָארְט אוּן פָארְט הָאפּ אוּן טַאקִי הָאפּ וָואס הָאפּ הֵייסְט לוּשְׁמִיר וִויא אַזוֹי סְ'אִיז הַאבִּי הָאפּ — Breslov Yiddish: "And yet — despite all — I have hope. And truly I still have — and still and still I have hope — and truly I have hope — and what does hope mean? Let us see — however things are — I have hope." A remarkable outburst of Reb Nussun's signature defiant hope in Yiddish — the word hoff (hope) repeated seven times in seven different forms — a kind of incantation against despair] Joy and gladness shall overtake [Yeshayahu 35:10] and so forth.

Peace and life and all good — to my beloved son — my dear one — the veteran — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live.

Reb Nussun after the prison reaches for this verse: not silence of indifference but silence of the soul that cannot yet speak what it has been through] [Tehillim 139:4] — for in all likelihood you will be here — if Hashem wills it — for the coming holy Shabbas — and face to face we will speak.

I will inform you — my beloved son — a little of what passed over me since Wednesday of Parshas Pinchas that has passed. But I warn you and ask of you — do not fear and do not be afraid at all — for Hashem is with us — do not fear them [Devarim 20:4] . On Tuesday the 17th of Tammuz — my dear friend Rabbi Shlomo from Brahelov [בְּרָאהִילֶיו — Brahelov: a town in Ukraine. Rabbi Shlomo is the father of Reb Nussun's son-in-law Rabbi Baruch] — the father of my son-in-law Rabbi Baruch — may his light shine — came to my home. And he brought with him his son Rabbi Dovid — whom he had just married the past week in Nemirov. And also his brother-in-law Rabbi Baruch came to my home. And I said: this was from Hashem [Tehillim 118:23] — it is fitting to do the *sheva brachos* once more. And in all likelihood we spoke somewhat with my *mechutan* and with his son — words of truth that were in our heart. And on the above-mentioned Wednesday — about two hours before *minchah* — while I was occupied speaking of his holy teachings with the young men — and among them the son of my above-mentioned *mechutan* — Rabbi Shmuel Weinberg came to my home with a somewhat frowning face — and called me aside — and told me that someone informed him in great secrecy that there is one official who has been assigned in writing to oversee my affairs — and he told a little more about this. And Hashem Yisborach helped me that I was not greatly frightened — but I was startled greatly at once — for even without this it was in my mind to travel on Thursday on my way — and because of this I wanted to hurry even more. And I was compelled to pledge security and borrow approximately nine rubles of silver — and I immediately spent seven rubles of silver to sweeten somewhat the above-mentioned matter — and the remainder was for the travel expenses. Meanwhile the above-mentioned Rabbi Shmuel examined my *bilet* [בִּילֶעט — the travel permit: a document required by Russian law permitting Jews to travel and reside outside their registered community. Without a valid *bilet* a Jew was subject to arrest and expulsion] — and its time had already expired. And my heart was very very divided — how to conduct myself.

Meanwhile a messenger came and brought me your letter — and I replied to you briefly that tomorrow at dawn I would set out on my way — for that was my mind then — to travel to the holy community of Nemirov and to linger there or on the way until the *bilet* would reach me. But many are the thoughts in a man's heart — and the counsel of Hashem — it is she who will stand [Mishlai 19:21] — and Hashem Yisborach arranged it that I was delayed here until today. And today my brother Rabbi Yudl brought me a *zashnvideshni* [זַאשְׁוִודֶעשְׁנִי — a Russian-Ukrainian word for a type of official permit or certificate — here a travel permit sealed by the community] sealed with the seal of the community — but the seal of the *parnas* had not yet been obtained — for he was asleep when he left his home. And I was compelled to send Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin on foot to Nemirov for this — and also on Thursday he went to Nemirov for this. And yesterday — before *minchah* — the officer [הַקְּוַוארְטַאלְנֶע — the *kvartalnye*: the Russian neighborhood officer or investigator — a local police official responsible for surveillance of a quarter of a town] came to my home — and asked about the matter of the printing press. And they answered him: has he not already been without this press for many years? And he left my home in silence and did not reply a word. And also he did not go up to my upper floor at all — he was only on my ground floor. And as it appears — there is no fear — with the help of Hashem Yisborach. And now I am waiting for the *bilet* and will seek to travel — if Hashem wills it. And behold — I had wished to extend a little — but meanwhile some preoccupations surrounded me. And behold — my son — from yourself you will understand how everything is one — what happens by you and here and in Uman and so forth — and all that happens in the entire world — all is bound and linked together [הַכֹּל אָדוּק וּמְקֻשָּׁר זֶה בָּזֶה — one of Reb Nussun's recurring meditations: the interconnectedness of all events — nothing is random, nothing is isolated. All that happens in Breslov and Uman and Tulchin and the world is bound into a single divine tapestry] — and His wonders and His thoughts — Yisborach — are very very deep. Although many distresses surround us and they pursue us from every side — even so — this itself is our consolation in our affliction — for since each one sees that such abysses pass over him at every time — *tehom el tehom kore* — deep calls to deep [תְּהוֹם אֶל תְּהוֹם קוֹרֵא — Tehillim 42:8: "deep calls to deep at the voice of Your waterfalls." Applied here: wave after wave of crisis — each depth calling out to another depth — and yet Hashem's salvation runs through them all] [Tehillim 42:8] and so forth — how great are the kindnesses of Hashem that saved us from being pursuers of the wholesome and upright ones who flee and escape at every time to Hashem Yisborach and to His Torah and to the true *tzaddikim* — every day we must rejoice greatly in this. How fortunate are we that we are from the pursued and not from the pursuers. And also the wicked Mordechai Shrerer [מָרְדְּכַי שֶׁערֶער — a known opponent and troublemaker — associated with the forces of the *machloket* — here named with the epithet *harasha* — the wicked one. He has raised his hand to strike a worthy and righteous person] — may his name be blotted — has certainly already sunk in the mire of the depths of the desires of this world. And not content with all of this — he has added further to kindle upon himself a fire not blown — to raise his hand to strike a worthy and righteous man who stands against him. Woe to him — woe to his soul — woe and alas to all who attach themselves to him. In truth — if Rabbi Itzik were a person of strong mind — he could have uprooted him had he given a written complaint against him — for the world is not abandoned. And if it is very hard to endure their insults and humiliations and gnashing of teeth — what can be done? Everything is for good — for our sins have brought these upon us — and we are obligated to accept everything as atonement for sin and forgiveness of transgression — for certainly we are not worthy to draw close to such light — and therefore we are obligated to endure all of this. And Hashem Yisborach has already helped greatly — and will help — and will protect — and will save — that everything be with great *chesed*. And certainly He will do in His mercies with us a sign for good — and our enemies will see and be ashamed. And behold — in the midst of the above-mentioned sufferings — my livelihood is also very tight — and added to this I was compelled to borrow for the above — and also I need to cover all the needs of my son's wedding — may he live. And on last Friday my mind was greatly preoccupied with this — meanwhile Hashem Yisborach expanded for me — for there arrived a letter from Rabbi Ze'ev from Vinnitze — and he sent me ten rubles of silver. Although it is a very small sum — even so I saw in this the wonders of Hashem — for the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended — and in distress You gave me expansiveness [Eichah 3:22; Tehillim 4:2] — and I hoped to Him — Yisborach — that He would help me and all of us and save us in all that we need to be saved — in body and in soul and in money — in the physical and in the spiritual. Be strong and resolute — my son — and see and understand well how a person is pursued at every time — especially one who wishes to approach holiness. And we have nothing except for the few good points that we snatch every day through crying out and prayer and study and will and longing and good yearnings — and through some *mitzvah* that one merits to perform — *tzedakah* and acts of kindness. And a person has only that day [אֵין לְאָדָם אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם — "a person has nothing except that day." A distillation of the urgency of *hayom* — today — from Tehillim 95:7: *hayom im b'kolo tishme'u* — the teaching that the entire work of the soul must happen now — this day — not tomorrow] — as is written on the verse: today if you hear His voice [Tehillim 95:7] — and do not say: when I am free I will study — and so forth. And especially since we already know that the will itself is very good and the essential is the will. And behold — there is no free time to extend further — and I intend to write you another letter before my departure from here. And may the Master of Mercy have mercy upon us that we merit from now on to bring each other good tidings. Said the copyist: I will relate a little less than a drop from the sea of what passed over our Teacher Moharnat — may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing — after the above-mentioned letter. Immediately after the writing of the above-mentioned letter on Sunday — they called him to the above-mentioned official — and he questioned him about the matters regarding which they had informed against him — namely that he was still engaged in printing in his home — and the like and the like. And in all likelihood he answered that this was falsehood — and proved to the above-mentioned official with clear proofs that it was falsehood. But the informers had given the official a great deal of money — and therefore he did not wish to accept the proofs. And he called twelve men from the informers — and they swore false oaths on this by holding an object — and answered before our Teacher about it. And all that he refuted them with clear proofs was of no avail. And afterwards on Wednesday of the above-mentioned portion — they took him to prison — to the jail — and they tormented him very much there — for they placed him among robbers and murderers of souls. And on the first day he was almost in danger from the torments they tormented him with — until Hashem Yisborach had mercy and gave him favor in the eyes of the prison warden — and he placed him in a private room. And he permitted them to give him all the books he needed every day — namely Tanach — and one of the four large sections of Shulchan Aruch — and Gemara and Zohar and the writings of the Ari — of blessed memory — and the like — further books both from the revealed and from the concealed. And also writing implements were given to him in the prison — for even there he cleaved himself to Hashem Yisborach — until he merited to attain novellae in Torah — as is brought from this in the book of *Likutay Halachos Yoreh De'ah* (*Yayin Nesech* 4). And he sat there approximately eight days. And afterwards there was a great and wondrous miracle — the matter was reversed — and the minds of the informers and of the official changed toward them — and they released him on bail. But the legal proceedings continued — until on Rosh Chodesh Elul that followed they expelled him from his home to Nemirov — as described below. And to tell of this in detail — the parchment scroll would be too short to contain it. But whoever will see and contemplate the letters of the years 5595, 5596, 5597, 5598, 5599 will know a little less than nothing — and will be strengthened through this in all that passes over him — for he will see with his own eyes how Hashem does not abandon a person even when the enemies overpower as greatly as they overpower — for You are exalted forever — Hashem — and forever Your hand is on high [Tehillim 92:9] . The words of your father who intercedes for you. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]