ריד

Overview: Saturday night, *Motzai Shabbas* Shemos — Nemirov. Received Yitzchok's letter Friday — read it before *Kiddush* after *Eishes Chayil* — couldn't wait. Writing immediately after *Havdalah* — perhaps can send via a fair-goer. Hashem preceded the cure before the blow — the Rebbe's holy words are *shiv'ah meshivei ta'am* for everyone — there is no matter not included in them. Each person must understand from within something — to give his soul life in his place and time. The essential: understand from oneself — receive strengthening and advice — turn grief and sighing into joy. We have a settled foundation to rejoice our souls. This is not an empty matter — every day and every hour give yourself life with this. You are worrying more than necessary — work of the *Baal Davar.* The marah shechorah itself harms your matter. Greatly angered — you do not obey. He warns you: *dai l'tzarah b'sha'atah.* Do not think of this at all. Engage in Torah and prayer and commerce — *milei d'vdichuta* — you don't know what is happening in the world. Such things passed also over the great ones — explicitly in *Sefer Hachezon* of Rabbi Chaim Vital. Heart yearns over the fact that Yitzchok is nullifying Torah study and his regular *shiurim*. Not good — not the measure — not fitting for us. Words of folly from *anavah pesulah* — invalid humility. The essence of His glory is that the most distant serve Him — *bimkom gedullaso sham anah anvesusnoso.* This error is very common among young men — each thinks this was not said about him — but in truth it was said specifically about him — *daika.* This is the essential trial: in all descents — not to distance from Hashem and from Torah and prayer. Recently examined the booklet from the period of Shavuos — wonderful words — longs for Yitzchok to receive them. Then: Shabbas Chanukah, Shabbas Vayigash, Shabbas Vayechi — *bris milah* by his brother Rabbi Yosef — Rabbi Shachna came for *priah* — also people of Breslov and Rabbi Shmuel Meir and Rabbi Gedalyah of Ladyzhin — danced greatly. Ten gold coins urgently needed. May He Who created the day reveal deep counsels from darkness (LM II:5). *Givald shreck dich nit mein lib kind — Got iz groys — men veyst gar nit — Got iz mit dir.* Even in your matter — wherever each one has fallen — but there is a matter that everything turns to good. Even the worst of the worst is included in these words. Through this — reason to rejoice greatly — to turn all kinds of grief and sighing into joy.

[Hebrew: בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]

I received all your letters. And what shall I say to you — my beloved son — the extent of my pain that I have from this matter.

Peace — to the honor of my beloved son — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine.

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*. And even though I knew before reading it that it would certainly be filled with complaint and crying — even so I could not hold myself back from reading it immediately at the entry of Shabbas. And behold — just now — immediately after *Havdalah* — I sat down to write this letter to you — perhaps I will be able to send it via a passerby going to the fair — and still I do not know if I will find such a person. And behold — to respond to your crying — Hashem already preceded the cure before the blow — through the multitude of holy words I told you from our holy and awesome Rebbe — blessed be the memory of the righteous and holy one — in writing and by mouth [הִקְדִּים רְפוּאָה לַמַּכָּה — the Talmudic principle that the Holy One provides the cure before the blow: even before the suffering arrives — the holy teachings of the Rebbe were already given to us as the medicine that would sustain us through whatever would come] — which are all *shiv'ah meshivei ta'am* — to give life to him — to all the world — and to you — as you are right now. For there is no matter in the world that is not included in his holy words . And praised be G-d — you have already heard from me greatly — and understood greatly — and seen greatly in his holy books — and in the books that Hashem graced me to innovate in his holy words. And certainly it is fitting for you to understand from your own understanding — how to give your soul life even now — for this is a great principle — and we have already spoken of this several times: that even if we speak many such words of truth that restore the soul — even so each person must understand from them something from within something — to give his soul life in his place and in his time — according to what he is. For if our mouths were filled with true words — no person can speak to his fellow or student the innermost particulars — to heal the pain of his soul and strengthen and fortify him in every particular of what passes over him in one single day — all the more so in a week — all the more so in a month and a year — all the more so all the days of his life. And the essential is to understand from oneself from the holy words spoken to you — to receive from them strengthening and advice — to rejoice the soul within the flight of trouble and distress — G-d forbid — to turn all kinds of grief and sighing into joy. And especially — for praised be G-d — we already have a settled foundation to rejoice our souls and give ourselves life in every place — in everything that passes over each person — through the fact that Hashem Yisborach graced us to know and to draw close to such a light and so forth. And at any rate — we do not oppose him. And know and believe — my beloved son — that this is not an empty matter — and every day and every hour you need to give yourself life with this. And know — my son — that in truth you are worrying more than necessary — and this is the work of the *Baal Davar* — the adversary — to increase *marah shechorah* and sadness — G-d forbid. And the *marah shechorah* and the sadness themselves greatly harm your matter — G-d forbid. And I was greatly angered at you — my beloved son — because you do not obey me — especially since all my words are in his *shlichus* — on his behalf. And know and believe that he — of blessed memory — warns you not to think of this matter anymore at all — not before and not after — for *dai l'tzarah b'sha'atah* — may the Merciful One save us [דַּי לְצָרָה בִּשְׁעָתָהּ — sufficient is the trouble in its hour — from Berachos 9b. The imperative not to extend the suffering of distress beyond its moment — not to pre-suffer and not to re-suffer. Each moment of distress belongs only to itself] [Berachos 9b] . And I hoped to Hashem that through this you will be saved — but either way — do not think of this at all. And be very careful and careful to fulfil my words — and do not trouble your mind with this at all — only engage in Torah and prayer and commerce — and divert your mind with joyful matters — and rejoice your soul with *milei d'vdichuta* — words of wit and lightness [מִלֵּי דִּבְדִיחוּתָא — Aramaic: words of light-heartedness and cheerfulness — the Talmudic tradition of using wit and levity to open the heart before words of Torah] — for you do not know at all what is happening in the world. And know that such things passed also over the great ones of Israel. And explicitly I saw in the writing of the holy rabbi — our Teacher Rabbi Chaim Vital — of blessed memory — called *Sefer Hachezon* — that such things passed over him. And how greatly my heart yearns over the fact that you wrote that you are nullifying Torah study — and you are nullifying the regular *shiurim* that you set for yourself at the beginning of this winter. This is not good — this is not the measure — and it is not fitting for us. Was it for nothing that I spoke at great length — until nearly my throat was hoarse — not to despair — not to fall in one's mind — not to move from one's place in any way in all that passes over a person? And after all of this — you write to me words of folly drawn from invalid humility [עֲנָוָה פְּסוּלָה — invalid or spurious humility — the Rebbe's term for false self-abasement that masquerades as genuine humility but is actually a form of spiritual despair and paralysis. True humility gives life — invalid humility takes it away] — writing that you know yourself that you are far from approaching the holy — therefore everything confuses you so much. Is it not certainly true that no person is worthy to approach the holy — to serve Him — the great and awesome — the exalted and elevated G-d — and so forth — and especially those filled with sin and transgression like us today in these generations? But the true *tzaddikim* have already preceded to inform us — and especially our master — that this is the essence of His glory — Yisborach — that the most distant and most coarse should serve Him — for this is all His delight and His play — for where there is His greatness there is His humility [בִּמְקוֹם גְּדֻלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שָׁם אָנוּ מוֹצְאִין עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ — from Megillah 31a: "wherever you find the greatness of the Holy One — there you find His humility." Applied by the Rebbe: the greatness of Hashem is revealed precisely in His seeking out the most distant, the lowest, the most coarse — and this very seeking-out is His humility] . And I have already spoken with you greatly — that this error is very common among young men — that each one thinks this matter was not said about him — due to the multitude of his filth and impurity and corruption — but in truth it is not so — for on the contrary — it was said specifically about him — *daika.* And what more can I add to speak with you — after you do not obey my words which are all words of the living G-d — received from a well of living waters — from the flowing stream — which are deep waters — counsel in the heart of a person — deep deep [Mishlai 20:5] and so forth — and through *temimus* and simplicity specifically — everyone can find them in his place and in his time. And this — this — is the essential trial and purification of every person — that in all the descents and falls — and in all that passes over him — he should not distance himself from Hashem and from Torah and prayer. And behold — in these days I examined the booklet I recently wrote — which speaks of what I innovated with the help of Hashem 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. 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. The words of your father — who yearns to rejoice your soul — and awaits salvation. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]