רעג

Nussun of Breslov.

With the help of Hashem Yisborach — Motzo'ei Shabbas — the eve of Sunday — Parshas Sh'mos — 5604 — Uman.

Peace — to my beloved son — my dear one — the rabbinical scholar — and so forth — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live.

Know my son that I am traveling with the bearer of this letter — a man from Tultshin — to the holy congregation of Teplik for Shabbas Kodesh coming upon us for good — and if Hashem wills — after Shabbas on Sunday or Monday I will travel to my home. May Hashem Yisborach lead me in peace. If Hashem wills — when we gather together — we will speak face to face — what Hashem Yisborach will prepare for our mouths.

For the time being — know and remember well every day that Hashem is great and His greatness has no investigation — and every day and time — wondrous innovations are made and renewed in the world. And all of it to inform and to hint and to remind every person His greatness and His dominion Yisborach — so that every single one can cleave to Him — from whatever place he is — at every time and every hour and every moment that he desires — as it is written (Iyov 7): *"va'tifk'denu labkarim — lirgaim tiv'chanenu"* — "and You attend to him every morning — every moment You test him." [Iyov 7:18] [וַתִּפְקְדֶנּוּ לַבְקָרִים לִרְגָעִים תִּבְחָנֶנּוּ — the verse is a cry from the depths — yet Reb Nussun reads it as comfort and wonder: Hashem visits a person every single morning — and tests him every single moment. It means there is never a moment when Hashem has forgotten a person — no matter how low — every single moment is a fresh divine visitation. Reb Nussun says he gives himself life from this verse "quite a lot."] And I in my poverty give myself life from this verse — quite a lot. But for the sake of Hashem Yisborach — that you receive everything for good and not for the opposite — for joy and not for sadness — G-d forbid — for drawing close and not for distancing — G-d forbid — for *"chasdei Hashem ki lo samu"* and so forth. And there is much to speak about this and to hint with the hands — for His thoughts are very deep. More than this there is no leisure to extend.

And peace to all his household with great love. And to all the anshei sh'lomaynu who are in Tultshin and Breslov and so forth — peace and great salvation.

Overview: Thursday, Parshas Vayechi — Uman — 5604. To Yitzchok. He arrived here on Tuesday the 10th of Teves — and found ruin — the upper roof of the Beis Midrash had collapsed on the previous Thursday Parshas Vayigash — due to winds and trembling. A miracle that no creature was killed or harmed. The terror of Rabbi Naftali and his household. The opponents rejoiced. The Beis Midrash stands without the upper roof. He trusts in Hashem Who helped until here — He will fix also the roof — and all will turn to good. After many thoughts — he hired a cart to Tshehrin — to travel after Shabbas on Sunday. May Hashem strengthen their hearts — to gladden their soul and convert all sorrow to joy. After all that passes over us — we are called by his holy name — we are troubled in his trouble — but we trust — all will be rectified. The adversary strengthens greatly in sadness — but one must be a great stubborn one — to remember oneself the truth in truth. Hashem helped us without measure — whatever makes him weak in spirit — on the contrary — this is the strength of his joy — that even so I too merit to be in the category of this holy gathering called by the name of the flowing stream. And to his grandson Dovid Tzvi — he was in the home of his father-in-law — all his desire is only that he continue in good learning — to pray with intention — to say Psalms — to distance himself from mockers and childish deeds — to rejoice in the joy of Israel — ben chakam y'sameach av. After completing the letter — he received a letter from Tultchin with a bad tiding — his son of Dovid Tzvi passed away in our many sins. He rebuked him not to be in anger. In all your trouble he is troubled — for grandchildren are like children. You are not the first. What has passed has passed — He is gracious and merciful — greatly multiplies forgiveness. From now throw off from yourself the deeds of youth and rage and irritability. Return home immediately from Tultchin. Spend your days in Torah — this is our consolation in our poverty. And from Motzo'ei Shabbas Parshas Sh'mos — Uman — another great commotion — an edict went out to expel all those not registered here. Rabbi Naftali is one of them — he must get a permit. Strive with all your strength for his benefit. And also speak with Rabbi Leib the Kohen about permitting prayer in his home. Also — your wife does not agree that you be a dratchman — and he had comfort from this — that she is an upright woman and understands it is not appropriate. Leave this appointment — your livelihood will not be diminished.

He is now in your home — for he arrived to the congregation of Krakow on Thursday Va'eira past — and did not find the one whom his soul loves — for he had preceded to travel again from here to Nikolayev. And his pain — you will understand from yourself. And he also was greatly pained over your great pain that will be from this. But to Hashem the hope — that He will rectify all and it will turn to good. For very deep are His thoughts Yisborach — and all is within what he heard from his holy mouth — in his traveling together with him from Breslov to Uman to pass away there — to the heights of the highest heights. What happened then — at every moment and moment — it is impossible to imagine — even what flickers in his heart from this — all the more so what is above above the flickering that is in his understanding and his heart. And then he said in this language: Gott iz groys — me veyst gor nit — se tun zikh af der velt azonei zakhin — me veyst gor nit — G-d is great — one knows nothing at all — such things happen in the world — one does not know at all. And even though they have already spoken greatly about this many times — and also some of it is printed in the book of Sipurei Ma'asiyos — even so — one must still always know and make known every day — that one does not know at all. And through this specifically — one will strengthen in crying out and prayer to Hashem Yisborach. As he concluded then in this conversation: until one comes to great joy through this — and returns to simplicity and wholesomeness — to trust in Hashem and in His salvation — and not to be flustered and alarmed by anything — only to settle his mind at every time. And there is much to speak of this — and the time and the parchment are not sufficient.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

Just now he returns to express a little of his conversation — since he already heard what happened in Uman — that the upper roof of our Beis Midrash fell. And he came on the tenth of Teves to Uman — and was still somewhat confused in his mind whether to conduct travels here. And suddenly upon coming to the Beis Midrash he saw this ruin — and his heart went out. And your father — may his light shine — told him immediately the greatness of the commotion and the fear he had at the time it fell — with a great trembling and loud noise — until he nearly fainted. And our many enemies and adversaries rushed running to their Beis Midrash with joy to announce this — and said — G-d forbid — that our entire Beis Midrash fell. Kol oy'veinu yal'igu lanu — and we did not know what to do — for our eyes are to You. Added to this — immediately in those days that he was there — the decree went out to expel from Uman all those who are not registered there. And from the police they announced loudly outside — as is the custom they speak — everyone to leave from there shortly. Whoever has no residence may linger only two months — and whoever has a residence may linger until the month of May. And from yourself you will understand — that your father — may his light shine — is also included in this threat.

Nussun of Breslov.

And also they must begin to speak in these vicinities about the matter of the mamdos. And he has already spoken somewhat of this from Tshehrin. And behold — now he came here — and did not find you in this time of necessity — to speak with you about such a great matter — and the past is gone. Just now — understand from yourself — that it is essential that you urge yourself to come to him — to engage with you in this. In particular since even without this — he knows — that your heart burns with sparks of flame of our love — to gather with him. Perhaps Hashem will send through his mouth words to give his soul life and to advise him and to strengthen him in trust and joy and hisbodidus — and to remind each other where we are in the world — and what is done with us at every time and every day and every hour. Therefore know — that he intends to travel for Shabbas — if Hashem wills — to Tshehrin. And there he will remain until Thursday Parshas B'shalach — and travel in His salvation Yisborach for Shabbas Shirah to the congregation of Medvedivka. And from there he will see — if Hashem wills — to return to Tirahowitz. And presumably he will travel from there on Monday — if Hashem wills — which is the 15th of Shevat. Therefore — when you come — if Hashem wills — home in peace — if you can urge yourself to come to them for Shabbas Shirah to the congregation of Medvedivka — very good. Or in any case — on the above-mentioned Monday — only that you come on Monday morning. For he intends to urge himself — with Hashem's help — to travel on Monday after the prayer immediately with alacrity. And if they merit to gather there — very good — and confer together. And perhaps you will travel with him from there to Uman — as above. And if the time is not sufficient for him to come to Medvedivka as above — understand from yourself — to see to come to our vicinity soon — and there they will speak together face to face — and the counsel of Hashem will stand. And also from yourself understand to speak here in the matter of our Beis Midrash — for just now he cannot receive anything from them for this. For Rabbi Hirsh from Krakow said to him explicitly — that it is essential to wait for you — for he wants to give some wood with Krakow logs and planks. And his mind is not comfortable with this — for he feared that the expense would be greater — and also — G-d forbid — he would be delayed by this if he would need to wait for their wood. And money answers all. And Rabbi Tzvi said — that when you come in peace he will speak with you about this. And from yourself you will understand from this — how to conduct yourself to the greatest good. The words of your father who awaits to see you in life and peace and joy. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]