רלג

The words of your father who awaits salvation.

Nussun of Breslov.

My beloved son — my dear one.

I received your letter just now. All of yesterday I was standing and awaiting to see you — and it did not come to pass. What to do — for the obstacle of livelihood spreads greatly every time — but good to thank Hashem that your will is strong toward the truth. And with Hashem's help — there is still a vision for the appointed time — and certainly we will see each other's faces soon — and you will come with joyful song with Hashem's help. And today in the morning it passed through my mind to write you something new that is in my heart — but at present I am very preoccupied.

And the general principle [וְהַכְּלָל — the general rule — a classic Breslov letter structure: Reb Nussun presents the entire teaching in one pithy principle, then elaborates] — that you need to think every day as if today you were born — and as if you have nothing in the world except that day alone — and not to trouble your mind about the past and about the future. And even though you are engaged in commerce and livelihood needs which is about the future — even so — the essential is this day that you are standing in — for you do not know what the day will bring. And there is much to speak about this — and you have already heard much about this — and every day may they be in your eyes as new. And how greatly we need to rejoice in our portion over the immensity of His chesed that He separated us from many errors and foolish counsels and so forth. And it is impossible to express in the open field — especially in these times.

Be strong — my son — and be resolute — for Hashem is with you even now. And all the yearning of your good heart is all recorded on high for good. All the more so when you merit to bring from potential to actual — to speak with a full mouth your good longings every day — which is the essential. And Hashem Yisborach desires also your prayer and your speech — and no speech is lost. Be strong — my son — and be resolute in Torah and prayer and speech before Him — Yisborach — all that you can snatch every day and every time — whether much or little — for one who does much and one who does little and so forth. And behold — I am staying here — this is day 4 — and today or tomorrow if Hashem wills I will travel to my home. And we have still done nothing in our affairs — and when you will be with me if Hashem wills I will tell you everything — at present we are casting our burden only upon Hashem Yisborach alone — that He will show us the straight path and the good counsel — in a way that I will merit to return to my home here in peace. More than this there is no leisure to extend.

[Postscript — on the woman Sarah and on casting all particular needs upon Hashem] The woman Sarah left in refusal after her promise to be in your house [שָׂרָה — a servant woman — it was apparently arranged that she would work in Yitzchok's household and she broke this arrangement] — and in my view — even though you now have great pain from this because there is no servant available — even so — certainly Hashem Yisborach will help you and you will find as you wish — and then you will thank Hashem that she refused — for it is for your good. And if Hashem wills — when you will be with me — I will speak with you about this also — for all the laws of derech eretz are all relevant and included in the service of Hashem. For the day is comprised of Torah and derech eretz — and they are included one in the other — as every person can understand for himself. And in all matters there is no counsel except to wait for His salvation — Yisborach — and in the meantime to ask from Hashem Yisborach that He arrange for him what he needs — whether a small matter or a great matter — all the particular needs of food and drink and clothing and dwellings and eating utensils and household utensils and servants and tuition fees — there is no counsel and strategy except to cast one's burden upon Hashem Yisborach that He arrange what he needs. And if some action and counsel and strategy is needed for this — that Hashem Yisborach will arrange it and show him the good counsel in its time and in its season — for in all matters one needs good counsel. For in all matters there are doubts and much division of counsel — until it is impossible to devise counsels for oneself — except to lean upon Him — Yisborach — and to ask from before Him that He have mercy and repair him with good counsel from before Him.

The words of your father — whose immensity of love for you and your good yearning compelled him to write him these words now — and his eyes await Hashem Yisborach that you will give yourself life with this — un taki fort hoff — and in any case — forward with hope! [אוּן טַאקֶי פָארְט הָאפּ — Yiddish: "and in any case — forward with hope!" — one of Reb Nussun's characteristic Yiddish exclamations of encouragement: whatever has happened, whatever obstacles remain — forward with hope, always forward] For praised be G-d — we have an old Father and so forth — and we have One to lean on — praised be G-d. And all is vanity — all is vanity — but the Torah novellae that we received in this generation — true novellae such as these — they are words of the living G-d — the word of our G-d which will stand forever — and kushta ka'ei. [קוּשְׁטָא קָאֵי — Aramaic: "and truth endures" — from the Talmud (Shabbas 55a): the seal of the Holy One is truth — *emet* — and *kushta ka'ei* — truth stands and endures. The Yiddish folk saying says: *a lig shtayt nit* — a lie cannot stand — *nor kushta ka'ei* — but truth endures forever]

Nussun the above-mentioned.

Overview: Wednesday, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan — Breslov. To Yitzchok. Received his letter just now. All of yesterday was standing and awaiting to see him — it did not come to pass. What to do — the obstacle of livelihood spreads greatly every time — but good to thank Hashem that your will is strong toward the truth. With Hashem's help there is still a vision for the appointed time — certainly they will see each other's faces soon — and he will come with joyful song. Today in the morning it passed through his mind to write something new — but he is very preoccupied. Then the general principle: you need to think every day as if today you were born — and as if you have nothing in the world except that day alone — and not to trouble your mind about past or future. Even though engaged in commerce — the essential is this day that you are standing in — for you do not know what the day will bring. Every day may they be in your eyes as new. How greatly we need to rejoice in our portion over the immensity of His chesed that He separated us from many errors and foolish counsels. Be strong my son — for Hashem is with you even now. All the yearning of your good heart is recorded on high. All the more so when you merit to bring from potential to actual — to speak with a full mouth your good longings — which is the essential. Hashem desires also your prayer and your speech — no speech is lost. He is staying here — day 4 — today or tomorrow if Hashem wills he will travel to his home. Casting the burden only upon Hashem alone — that He will show them the straight path. Then postscript: The woman Sarah left in refusal after her promise — Hashem will help you find as you wish — then you will thank Hashem that she refused — for it is for your good. All the laws of derech eretz are relevant and included in the service of Hashem. The day is comprised of Torah and derech eretz — they are included one in the other. In all matters there is no counsel except to cast one's burden upon Hashem — whether a small matter or a great matter — all the particular needs of food and drink and clothing and dwellings and household utensils and servants and tuition — cast one's burden upon Hashem. For in all matters there are doubts and much division of counsel — impossible to devise counsels for oneself — except to lean upon Him and ask that He repair him with good counsel from before Him. Closing: forward with hope — un taki fort hoff! For praised be G-d we have an old Father — we have One to lean on. All is vanity — but the Torah novellae of this generation — true novellae such as these — are words of the living G-d — the word of our G-d which will stand forever — and kushta ka'ei.

I received your letter on Tuesday, Parshas Chayei Sarah. And today I returned and read it — and greatly enjoyed the sweetness of the pleasantness of its words spoken from the walls of his heart. And there is no word in my mouth to reply to you just now — but from the immensity of his yearning for my letters — I am compelled to fulfil his requests. And he already preceded in his letter to write what is in my heart now — as you heard a little from Rabbi David regarding the matter of renewal — that every day and hour completely new things are made. And more than this there is in my heart about this.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

The words of your father — whose immensity of love for you and your good yearning compelled him to write him these words now — and his eyes await Hashem Yisborach that you will give yourself life with this — un taki fort hoff — and in any case — forward with hope! [אוּן טַאקֶי פָארְט הָאפּ — Yiddish: "and in any case — forward with hope!" — one of Reb Nussun's characteristic Yiddish exclamations of encouragement: whatever has happened, whatever obstacles remain — forward with hope, always forward] For praised be G-d — we have an old Father and so forth — and we have One to lean on — praised be G-d. And all is vanity — all is vanity — but the Torah novellae that we received in this generation — true novellae such as these — they are words of the living G-d — the word of our G-d which will stand forever — and kushta ka'ei . [קוּשְׁטָא קָאֵי — Aramaic: "and truth endures" — from the Talmud (Shabbas 55a): the seal of the Holy One is truth — *emet* — and *kushta ka'ei* — truth stands and endures. The Yiddish folk saying says: *a lig shtayt nit* — a lie cannot stand — *nor kushta ka'ei* — but truth endures forever] Nussun the above-mentioned. And also in all likelihood you heard a little what I spoke on the verse *"vayar es hamakom mei'rachok"* — "and he saw the place from afar" [Bereishis 22:4] — that one must see the salvation as if seeing the thing with one's own eyes — but it is "mei'rachok" — from afar. For this is the interpretation of this verse regarding Avraham Avinu when he led his son Yitzchok to the Akeidah — that the Samech-Mem [סַמֶּ"ך מֶ"ם — the Samech-Mem — the Adversary — the force of spiritual opposition — wanted to confuse Avraham greatly with many incitements and enticements during the journey to the Akeidah] wanted to confuse him greatly with many incitements and enticements — until in the end he said to him: I heard from behind the curtain — the sheep for the burnt offering and not Yitzchok for the burnt offering. And he replied to him: such is the punishment of a liar — that even if he says a true thing — they do not listen to him — as our Sages said in the Gemara and Midrash. See and understand and look well and pay attention to all the things said there regarding the trial and the Torah in every person and every time — and every person must take for himself hints and mussar according to his way. How many and how many times the Baal Davar surrounds with his strategies with each person — even with the smallest of the small — to push him away — G-d forbid — and one must strengthen against him with the force of the hope and the leaning that we lean upon the power of the holy elder — for in the immensity of our weakness we have no strength except through this. And one must be strong as if we are seeing the good hope with our own eyes — but it is from very far — in the aspect of vayar es hamakom — that he saw the place — which is the place of the Beis HaMikdash — that the seed of Yitzchok is destined to inherit — but it is from afar. For at present he was leading him to the Akeidah — to do His will — Yisborach — without any extraneous thought — and even though it is tartei d'satrei very much [תַּרְתֵּי דְּסָתְרֵי — Aramaic: "two contradictories" — two seemingly irreconcilable realities simultaneously present: he sees the place where his son's descendants will inherit greatness — and in this very moment is walking him toward slaughter] — even so he did not entertain doubts about His ways — G-d forbid. For this is the essential — to uproot and remove all the questions and confusions and crookedness that are in one's heart — and to do one's part — and to snatch good all that one can — much or little — for one who does much and one who does little — and to be strong in good wills and longings — and to be leaning upon the power of the true tzaddikim who will certainly complete with us what they began. And if what happens happens — one must know the truth that we do not know at all — for *"amarti echkamah v'hi rechokah mimeni"* — "I said I will be wise and it is far from me" [Koheles 7:23] — which is itself in the aspect of "vayar es hamakom mei'rachok." And *"vateitatzav achoso mei'rachok"* [Shemos 2:4] — "his sister stood from afar" — which is also from this aspect — that at first she prophesied about Moshe that he would save Israel — and afterwards she saw that they were throwing him into the river. And as brought in the Ramban there — that the verse hints at this — that she stood from afar to see and to hope for the end and the good hope — only it is from afar. And this is [Mishlei 31:14]: *"mimmerchak tavi lachmah"* — mimmerchak daika — that the bread of Torah cannot be received except from afar daika. [מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ מִמֶּרְחָק דַּיְקָא — "mimmerchak daika" — specifically from afar — the word daika (Aramaic: "precisely — specifically") adds precision: it is not merely that the bread comes from a distance — the distance itself is essential and necessary. One cannot receive the bread of Torah in any other way than from afar] And also the bread in the physical — the livelihood — one must know that it comes from very far — each one according to his livelihood. And then certainly strong in bitachon — that Hashem Yisborach will provide as is fitting — and if it is far from him — so is the matter — for certainly mimmerchak tavi lachmah — mimmerchak daika — for "kashim mezonos kik'riat yam suf" [קָשִׁין מְזוֹנוֹת כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף — "the earning of one's livelihood is as difficult as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds" — Talmud, Pesachim 118a. Yet: just as the Sea of Reeds was split — certainly the livelihood comes as well. The very difficulty is the proof of the miracle] — and even so tavi — certainly she brings. It emerges that both in the physical and in the spiritual one must fulfil "vayar es hamakom mei'rachok" — to see the hope truly — but it is from afar. And then specifically it can be that the hope will come in a moment of inattention — immediately and quickly in a short time — as was the case with Avraham Avinu — upon him be peace — that immediately the judgment was sweetened — and it was said to him "al tishlach yadcha" — "do not send your hand." But immediately afterwards he needed to strengthen in bitachon and hope for another salvation — to find the match for Yitzchok. As it is written there *"vay'hi acharei had'varim ha'eileh"* — and Rashi explained: after the thoughts regarding the match of Yitzchok. And Hashem Yisborach helped him that he was informed also about this — that Rivka was born. And even though it is wonderful good news — even so it is still very far — Yitzchok is thirty-seven years old and Rivka his match is one day old. And afterwards he came home and found that his first righteous wife — Sarah our mother — had died — and also did not find a place to bury her. And as brought in the Midrash — that all this was included in the trials of Avraham Avinu. And still — still — now — also now — the hope of Avraham Avinu and of all our forefathers has not yet been fulfilled — for we are now on the lowest level in the force of the bitterness of the exile in body and soul and money. What shall we say — what shall we speak. Were it not that Hashem helped us — that He sent us His true tzaddikim in every generation — our hope would have been almost entirely lost — G-d forbid. But now — in the force of their immense power — the true tzaddikim — through whom Hashem made known His salvation — praised be G-d — our hope is very very strong that certainly Hashem Yisborach will complete what He began. And in our smallness and poverty we need to enlarge our da'as to receive hints from all the above — and to see the place from afar as above. And it is impossible to express in writing everything — but it is sufficient in this for one who pays attention to the truth.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]