רעח

May Hashem Yisborach gladden you and us with the joy of Purim — and may He hear our cry and save us quickly for the sake of His name — nagila v'nismecha bishu'aso.

Nussun of Breslov.

My beloved son — my dear one.

Come and see the wonders of Hashem and His chasadim at every time and moment. As he sat at the table today — the messenger arrived from him with the news that the sum of money was lost from him in his house — and immediately he asked all the household members — and no one answered. And from yourself you will understand his pain at that hour. It greatly confused his mind — for he understood his pain well — and he knew the multitude of distresses from the many people who tell him their pain before him — which weigh heavily on his heart — until almost the strength of the bearer broke. And also in his house just now his granddaughter is ill from the measles that broke out on her face today — may Hashem sustain her quickly — and also all his household members are weak from the damage of smoke (*tshad*) that was in the night before — and all night they did not sleep — and they need to pray — in the midst of all this — the above-mentioned news arrived to him. But he had already anticipated for him that it is impossible to bear all that passes over a person every day — except through the ways of the conversations that they understood from him. And Hashem Yisborach did good His chesed with him — that he strengthened himself and believed that all is for good — and he remembered once again that one must walk in simplicity — in wholeness — to fulfil what our Sages taught (Brachos 60b): "le'olam yehei adam ragil lomar — kol mah d'aveid Rachmana — l'tav aveid" — "a person should always be accustomed to say — all that the Merciful One does — He does for good." In the midst of this — the bearer of this letter — our friend Rabbi Nachman — may his light shine — roused himself and searched and looked in the garbage — until he found the lost object and brought it to him in a short time — and he had not commanded him about this at all. And praised be G-d — he fulfilled the mitzvah of returning a lost object in completeness. And Rabbi Gershon — and all the people in his house — all stood astonished — they saw and were amazed — at the greatness of the chesed that He wondrous-makes at every time. Now my beloved son — see and understand and behold the wonders of Hashem and His chesed at every time — and accustom yourself to strengthen yourself in faith at every time — that all that passes over a person is all for good — as he has already spoken greatly about this. And more than this one must strengthen oneself from oneself — for it is impossible to express everything explicitly. And the essential of choice is from the concealment — in that they leave a person at every time to be tested in every matter — and the essential is through the concealment. For if he would see the intention of Hashem Yisborach at every time — there would be no test at all. [עִקַּר הַבְּחִירָה הוּא מֵהַהַעְלָמָה — the essential of free choice is from the concealment. This is a profound teaching: if Hashem's intention were fully visible to us at every moment — there would be nothing to choose. The concealment itself is what creates the space for choice — and the space for human merit. Every trial is a concealment — and every moment of trust in the darkness is a free act of faith] Therefore my beloved son — for the sake of Hashem Yisborach — be strong and resolute — and gladden your soul greatly — in particular in what you were here for several days through the breaking of obstacles — for this is the essential merit. And he knows that all that passed over him from the pain of the loss — was only through the great sadness and melancholy that he did not overpower to drive away from himself — but Hashem Yisborach in His mercies had compassion even so and lightened from him and from him — until the lost object was found. Now be strong and resolute and trust in Hashem — for He will never abandon you. And in all matters of the world — from great to small — in all of them may His chesed be with you every day and every time and every hour — to support you and to sustain you — to strengthen you and to fortify you — in a way that we merit to draw close to Him Yisborach at every time — until you merit to be according to His will Yisborach — forever. And the time of Minchah has arrived and it is impossible to extend. The Master of mercy and chesed will sweeten all the judgments from upon you and from upon us — for His chesed has prevailed over us and the truth of Hashem is forever. The words of your father. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]