ריג

Overview: Monday, Parshas Vayechi — Nemirov. To Yitzchok — *k'nafshi u'l'vavi.* Received his letter at the beginning of Chanukah via Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin. Impossible to reply until now — the engagement with each person regarding fear of Heaven exceeds all business with thousands of souls. Yitzchok already knows everything and has already refreshed the soul in all *shiv'ah meshivei ta'am.* All that passes over him passed over many worthier people. Most of the cause is sadness and *marah shechorah* — weakens strength — strengthens desires — causes great confusion. *Da'at l'navin nakel.* But Heaven forbid this should bring him down — certainly need to cry out to Hashem — but the fears and melancholy are harmful — especially especially. Praised be G-d we have One to rely on who can repair everything. Rejoice that you were on Rosh Hashanah at the holy *tzion.* Be strong — rejoice in all that you know — don't think of this at all — G-d is very great and there is a matter that everything turns to good. The past Chanukah — especially Shabbas Chanukah — spoke holy and awesome conversations that greatly revived the ears of listeners. Especially *hein emes chafatzta u'v'satum* (Tehillim 51:8). For the essence of his sadness is from the abundance of truth — he knows how far he is and how great his defects — but because this truth wants to distance or weaken — one must cast away such truth. Time has come near for Krias Shema. Postscript: another letter arrived and recalled another from before Chanukah. All his letters have one language: bitterness of this world. All bitterness flows from the comprehensive desire — *u'motze ani mar mimaves.* But rejoice — we know of the salt that sweetens the bitterness — *ilmale milcha lav havei alma.* Give yourself life from the fact that you feel the bitterness and cry out — this flows from the *bris melach olam.* Illness and medicine are opponents — when the medicine works the illness intensifies — so with the illness of the soul — *kol hagadol meichavero yitzro gadol mimenu.* Our master is the true doctor — expert to the uttermost end — his power surpasses everything. *Hashem illuminated my eyes in the very moment of writing.* Be strong — believe in yourself that your hope has not perished — strong in prayer and supplication forever — and it will be sweet for you forever and ever.

I received your letter on the eve of last Shabbas Kodesh — immediately upon finishing my prayer — I read it before *Kiddush* — after the recitation of *Eishes Chayil*.

Peace — to my beloved son — my dear one — as my soul and as my heart — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine.

I received your letter through Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin at the beginning of the days of Chanukah — and from yourself you will understand that it was impossible to reply to you until now — both from the multitude of preoccupations in engaging with our *anshei sh'lomaynu* in these times — and also I had no one through whom to reply to you as my heart desires — for as you already know — the few people who come to us — the engagement with each and every one regarding true fear of Heaven far exceeds all business conducted with thousands of souls in matters of commerce and legal disputes and the like. And therefore it was impossible to take a time to direct my speech toward you as is fitting. And even now I do not know what to write to you — for you already know and have heard everything — and you have already refreshed our soul with proper and pure words in all *shiv'ah meshivei ta'am* — the seven who satisfy the taste [שִׁבְעָה מְשִׁיבֵי טַעַם — from Mishlai 27:7: "a satisfied soul scorns honey — but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." Used in Breslov to refer to the Rebbe's teachings that revive and satisfy the spiritual palate — all seven modes of strengthening] . And I know full well that all that passes over you — has passed over many people worthier than you — and many of them were renowned and leaders of their generation. And most — indeed nearly all — of what causes this is sadness and *marah shechorah* — melancholy — which trips a person in several ways [עַצְבוּת וּמָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה — sadness and black bile — the classical *marah shechorah* of the melancholic temperament. Reb Nussun is carefully clinical here: the spiritual struggle Yitzchok is experiencing has a physiological dimension — it weakens the strength, strengthens the desires, and causes great confusion] — for it weakens the strength and strengthens the desires and causes sadness and laxity and great confusion and so forth — which cannot be expressed in writing. But *da'at l'navin nakel* — a person of understanding can easily understand. But Heaven forbid — Heaven forbid — that all this matter which you wrote to me should bring you down. Certainly we need to cry out to Hashem Yisborach for having come into the depths of waters and so forth. But Heaven forbid to draw upon oneself fears beyond what is needed — for the fears and the melancholy are harmful — especially — especially. And especially — for praised be G-d we have One to rely on who can repair everything. And how much should you rejoice that you merited to be on Rosh Hashanah — and to be on the holy *tzion* [צִיּוֹן — the graveside of Rebbe Nachman in Uman — which Yitzchok had visited for Rosh Hashanah — the central pilgrimage of Breslov] . And there is no need to extend in this just now.

Be strong and resolute — my son — and rejoice greatly in all that you know — and do not think of this matter at all — not before and not after — for G-d is very great and His greatness has no investigation. And there is a matter — that everything turns to good. And praised be G-d — Hashem Yisborach helped us during the past Chanukah — and especially on Shabbas Chanukah — and we spoke in His kindness — Yisborach — words of Torah and holy and awesome conversations that greatly revived the ears of the listeners. And a little of them you will hear from the bearer of this letter — Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin — and especially what we spoke on the verse: *hein emes chafatzta* — and so forth — and in the hidden [Tehillim 51:8] [הֵן אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ וּבְסָתֻם — "behold You desire truth — and in the hidden." The teaching spoken on Shabbas Chanukah: that Hashem desires truth — even the hidden truth — the truth that lives in the depths — in the *satum* — the sealed place — of each person's heart. Crucially relevant to Yitzchok's situation: his melancholy comes precisely from his excess of *emes* — his painful awareness of his spiritual distance. The teaching addresses this directly] — and it is very much needed for you just now. For the essence of your sadness and melancholy is from the abundance of truth — because you know the truth of how far you are and how great your defects — but because this truth wants to distance — G-d forbid — or to weaken the mind — one must at any rate cast away such truth and so forth. And it is impossible to express all of this just now — for the scroll is too short and time is insufficient — and you will hear from the mouth of the bearer of this letter. And how greatly my soul longed from the yearnings because you were not counted among us on that Shabbas Chanukah — but I consoled myself in the fact that you merited to be with us the Shabbas before Chanukah. And in my estimation you had a great portion in our Shabbas Chanukah — for the Shabbas you were present before Chanukah was a great preparation for Shabbas Chanukah — and it is impossible to express all of this. More than this there is no leisure to extend — for the time has come near to the hour of the morning *Krias Shema*. May Hashem command His kindness upon us and upon you by day — that you merit to strengthen yourself in the service of Hashem in all the places and in all the matters that pass over you. For it is impossible to express what passes over each person — and the essential is strengthening — and praised be G-d — we have with which to strengthen ourselves always.

[Postscript — written after the letter arrived via the post]

After I wrote this letter — there arrived a letter of yours through the post — sealed with your seal. And I also remembered that before Chanukah there arrived another letter from you — and I read it again now. And all your letters — all of them — have one language: crying out bitterly about the bitterness of this world full of sorrows that passes over each one — not this sight like that sight — but all suffer great bitterness. And all kinds of bitterness of each person — in body and in soul and in money — all of it flows from the general evil — which is the comprehensive desire — about which it is said: *u'motze ani mar mimaves asher hi metzodim* — and I find more bitter than death — who is nets and snares [Koheles 7:26] and so forth. But in this very thing — you and we have reason to rejoice — for we know of the salt that sweetens the bitterness of the world [מִלְחָא הַמַּמְתִּיק מְרִירוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא — the salt that sweetens the bitterness of the world — one of the Rebbe's most profound images. The *milcha* — the salt — is the Torah and the *emunas tzaddikim* — the faith in the true *tzaddikim* — which does not eliminate the bitterness of existence but sweetens it — transforms it — makes it bearable. Referenced in the Rebbe's teaching on the Talmudic saying: *ilmale milcha lav havei alma yachol l'misbel meriruta* — if not for the salt the world could not endure its bitterness] — about which it is said: *ilmale milcha lav havei alma yachol l'misbel meriruta* — if not for the salt — the world would be unable to endure its bitterness [אִלְמָלֵא מִלְחָא לָא הֲוֵי עָלְמָא יָכוֹל לְמִסְבַּל מְרִירוּתָא — from the Talmud (Bechorot 8b) in the name of Shlomo HaMelech — applied by the Rebbe to the *milcha* of Torah and *tzaddik* which makes the bitterness of existence endurable] . And even though you are very distressed — my beloved son — even so: in this alone it is fitting to give yourself life — the fact that you at least feel the bitterness — and for this you cry out so much. And this very thing flows from the dimension of the *bris melach olam* — the eternal salt covenant — which sweetens the bitterness [בְּרִית מֶלַח עוֹלָם — the eternal covenant of salt — from Bamidbar 18:19 — a covenant that cannot be broken. The salt is the *tzaddik* — the eternal covenant between the *tzaddik* and his generation — that sweetens the bitterness of the world. And through this very covenant — paradoxically — one feels the bitterness more intensely — for the salt that heals also sensitizes] — and through this very thing one feels the bitterness more — like all medicines that clothe themselves in bitter things — when one places the plaster upon the wound one begins to feel the pain more. For it is known in the wisdom of medicine that illness and medicines are like opponents to each other — with a great battle between them. When the illness sees that one is engaging with some remedy to heal it — whether through drinking the medicine or through placing it in a plaster from outside — as soon as the medicine begins doing its work for the purpose of healing — to drive out the illness — immediately the illness arouses with strong intensification against the medicine. And because of this it is very difficult to calibrate the healing. (And this is also one of the reasons not to engage with doctors.) So it is exactly with the illness of the soul — and even more so — for *kol hagadol meichavero yitzro gadol mimenu* — whoever is greater than his fellow — his evil inclination is greater than his [Sukkah 52a] . And the more one wishes to overcome — great or small — against the illness of the soul — so too the inner and outer opposition intensifies — and because of this very many very many fell. And our master — our teacher and our rabbi — of blessed memory — already elaborated greatly on this — to strengthen greatly each and every person with wonderful strengthening — to give us life through all *shiv'ah meshivei ta'am.* And praised be G-d — we have such a doctor who is very expert in the healing of our souls to its uttermost end — to the very last — and besides his precious medicines — his own great power surpasses everything. And behold — these words that I wrote just now — Hashem illuminated my eyes in the very moment of writing — and behold they are wonderful — new — true and authentic things. And now there is much in my heart to extend — but it is impossible in the open field — and the leisure does not agree. And this is enough just now to give yourself life forever — *v'yishma chacham v'yosif lekach* — and a wise person will hear and add teaching. Be strong — my son — and be strong — and believe in yourself that your hope has not perished and there is reward for your labor — only be very strong in prayer and supplication forever — and it will be sweet for you forever and ever.

Yisborach in the weeks of Shavuos past and nearby — and they are wonderful words to restore your soul always — therefore I long greatly that you receive them — and if Hashem wills it — when you are here — remind me and I will give them to you. For the things that were innovated in the recent period — certainly you need them more than anything. And behold — to tell you of the greatness of Hashem and His kindnesses and His wonders at every time — and especially what He wondroused His *chesed* with us in the recent past days — that within such distresses and persecutions He expanded for us greatly in His wondrous *chesed* — the multitude of words would fall short. And from Shabbas Chanukah — certainly Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin told you. And on Shabbas Parshas Vayigash there were also some guests. And on Shabbas Parshas Vayechi — Hashem Yisborach helped us — that we were very joyful with Hashem's help — and then there was a *bris milah* at my brother Rabbi Yosef's — may his light shine — and Hashem arranged that he was compelled to send a wagon for my son Rabbi Shachna to honor him with the *mitzvah of priah* [מִצְוַת פְּרִיעָה — the *mohel's* role of *priah* — the second stage of *bris milah*. To be called to perform this role is a significant honor] — and he was here for Shabbas Kodesh. And also the people of Breslov — and Rabbi Shmuel Meir — and Rabbi Gedalyah of Ladyzhin.

And praised be G-d — I danced greatly in my house — and afterwards at the *ben zachar* [בֶּן זָכָר — the celebration marking the birth of a son — held in the home — with Torah study and words of joy] in my brother's house — may his light shine. And there is much to tell of this — and it is impossible in the open field. The ten gold coins are greatly needed for me — for there is not a single *zuz* in my house — and see to urge to send them to me as early as possible. And may He Who created the day have compassion and mercy on me — and reveal deep counsels from darkness [וּמָאן דִּבְרָא יוֹמָא יָחוּס וִירַחֵם עָלַי וִיגַלֶּה לִי עֵצוֹת עֲמֻקּוֹת מִנִּי חֹשֶׁךְ — Aramaic: "and may He Who created the day have compassion and mercy on me and reveal to me deep counsels from the darkness" — referencing the Rebbe's teaching *Tik'u Emunah* in Likutay Tinyana section 5] [cf. LM II:5] — that I merit to know how to conduct myself every day — especially in the matter that is now being done to us. [גִּוַואלְד שְׁרֶעק דִּיךְ נִיט מַיין לִיבּ קִינְד — Breslov Yiddish: "Ahh! Do not be afraid — my beloved child — do not be afraid — G-d is with you!" A direct Yiddish cry from the heart — the deepest and most intimate register of the letter] Do not be afraid — my beloved child — do not be afraid — G-d is with you — truly. Remember what our master — our teacher and our rabbi — of blessed memory — said: *Got iz groys — men veyst gar nit* — G-d is great — one does not know at all and so forth — even in *ayyer zach — vihin itlekher iz gifalin* — even in your matter — wherever each one has fallen [Hebrew translation in the original: G-d is great — one knows nothing at all — even in your matter — wherever each one has fallen] — but there is a matter that everything turns to good — for His greatness has no investigation. And know and believe in truth that you too — as you are right now — are included in these holy words. And even the worst of the worst — G-d forbid — by thousands and myriads of levels — is also included in these words. If only someone were to hear these things — he would give himself life for eternal life and would not lose his world — but what can be done — for because of this very thing they have spread out and extended so against us — especially now. But through this you and we and all of us have reason to rejoice greatly — for we merit to hear and to believe in such holy and true and awesome and deep and simple words. What shall I say — what shall I speak — whoever has a brain in his head — through words such as these — it is fitting to turn all kinds of grief and sighing into joy.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

The words of your father who intercedes for you. Nussun of Breslov. And regarding the matter of the names of the bride and her mother-in-law — I heard from the Rabbi Rabbi Yehudah of Medvedevka — of blessed memory — that our Rebbe — of blessed memory — was not at all particular about this.