שד

Nussun of Breslov.

Great peace — to my beloved son — my dear one — the rabbinical scholar — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live — with all his pleasant children who go forth from his loins — may they live.

He received his letter this week on the past Sunday — and it was a very great comfort to him — from every word and word of love that he informed him. *"Sas anochi al imrascha k'motzei shalal rav"* — "I rejoice over Your word as one who finds great treasure." [Tehillim 119:162] Would that his heart be so always — and to add every day and day fresh strong new yearnings — in a way that he turns everything to joy and good — until he merits to fear Hashem and to serve Him in truth and in wholeness and in joy and great gladness — all his days forever — he and his sons and his household — and all those who join themselves to him. And praised be G-d there is and there is much for us to rejoice in — in His great chesed — as we have spoken much about this.

And you my beloved son — you reminded him in your words in the above-mentioned letter of what we spoke about the matter of the mitzvah of remembering the Exodus from Egypt every day — and *"uv'chol dor vador chayav adam lir'os es atzmo"* — and so forth. And about this too he is obligated to give great thanks and praise to His great name Yisborach — Who has helped us until now — that men of truth are found — and among them his sons and those who go forth from his loins — who hear somewhat of true and deep words that are very deep — flowing from an exalted and very very awesome fountain. *Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu* and so forth. And he gives himself life through this — as they spoke about this on the past Shabbas Shirah. And more is in his heart — for in his poverty the days of old age and white hair have sprung upon him — and his strength is weak and scant — and his enemies have multiplied as they have multiplied — may Hashem protect us — besides the other kinds of confusions almost without measure — of which a fraction has been revealed to you — all the more so what is hidden from you. In spite of all these — this is his comfort in his poverty — the immensity of His chesed that He made wondrous with him — the poor and the destitute — to give us life as of this day with such true and eternal life — through words such as these — in the revelation and glimmering of such divine light — that it is impossible to express. *"Mah adaber"* — *chasdo gavar aleinu v'emes Hashem.*

And behold — just now in these times here in Kremintshug — Hashem illuminated his eyes — that he studied in the Ein Yaakov tractate Avodah Zarah chapter one. And certainly he has already studied this amira many times — and also on that day that he studied it — he did not pay enough attention to understand the allusions for the service of Hashem Yisborach. And afterwards the eyes of his heart were opened — and it gives him life very greatly — and already he has given life through this to several souls — with Hashem's help. And it is what our Sages of blessed memory said there — on the verse (Iyov 30): *"ach lo v'i yishlach yad — im b'fido lahen shu'a"* — that even when Israel do not perform a single mitzvah before Me — except as much as a rooster's pecking — that pecks in the rubbish heap — I join it to a great account [אֲפִלּוּ אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין מִצְוָה לְפָנַי אֶלָּא כְּפִיד שֶׁל תַּרְנְגוֹלִין שֶׁמְּנַקְּרִין בָּאַשְׁפָּה — אֲנִי מְצָרְפוֹ לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן גָּדוֹל — from Avodah Zarah 4a. The image is of a rooster — one of the lowliest of creatures — pecking through garbage — and even this tiny, effortful, unglamorous search for something good — Hashem counts as a great reckoning. This is the teaching of Azamra applied from Chazal: even the most fallen person has good points — and Hashem treasures them beyond all measure] — and so forth. See my son and understand — and all those who listen to my voice — how expressed and explained and alluded to in this saying — all that we engage in speaking greatly about the matter of strengthening according to the awesome Torah on the verse "Azamra l'Elokai b'odi." And it is explained more fully there — that even if Israel do not perform mitzvos except like a rooster pecking in the rubbish heap — He joins it to a great account. And he gives himself life through this very greatly — for our good just now is literally like a rooster pecking in the rubbish heap — that from within the garbage it finds half a grain of barley or wheat and the like — and so keeps searching all day — until it finds each time some portion of a crumb of bread that lies in the garbage — and through this it gives itself life. And Hashem Yisborach in His abundant mercies asks of Israel His near people — that at any rate they give themselves life through this — for He joins them to a great account — as above. And let them not pay attention to the sufferings and adventures that pass over every person in body and soul — for they are all with great mercy and chesed for eternal good. For Israel — He exacts from them little by little — like a rooster pecking in the rubbish heap. And another interpretation — even if they do not perform a mitzvah — and so forth as above. And another interpretation — in the merit of their crying out before Him — I will save them. That is — as if to say: is there not for you a great counsel and wondrous refuge — to cry out and to call before Him — and He will certainly save you. And there is much to speak about this — but it is impossible in the open field — and the time for the afternoon prayer is about to arrive. And this is sufficient for now — for those who truly desire to renew themselves through this — to begin to go in our words that we spoke about this — to begin in them completely anew. And each person according to his own level — can understand from this a wondrous strengthening without end and without limit. For the essential is strengthening — only be strong and resolute. For Hashem is with us. For He Yisborach is full of mercies. And "chasdei Hashem ki lo samu."

And were it not for the chasadim of Hashem that prevailed over us — that we merited to hear what we heard from the Nachal Novea Mekor Chachmah of blessed memory about this matter — certainly we would not have understood all this from the words of our Sages of blessed memory. But now — after He illuminated our eyes in such darkness — for he reveals deep things from within darkness — through this in His great chesed we also merit to find in the words of our Sages of blessed memory — that they intended in the spirit of their holiness his true and very deep words. For truth is one. *"Mah gadlu ma'asecha Hashem — m'od am'ku machshevosecha"* — to give us life as of this day in these generations.

And you will understand well my sons and my brothers and my friends — that all the above-mentioned words of our Sages are bound and connected to each other well. For they warned us that our thoughts and the sufferings and the adventures that pass over every person — and the lack of livelihood — should not alarm us. For all the sufferings are with chesed — for one who looks at them — for *"batzar hirchavta li"* — as is explained in his words of blessed memory — for all the sufferings are only like a rooster pecking in the rubbish heap. And all is for great eternal good — for He exacts from Israel little by little — so that Israel will merit the World to Come — as is explained there afterwards. And may Hashem Yisborach grant us to rejoice in the joy of Purim coming upon us for good — and may we merit that Purim be a preparation for Pesach. And all of this is alluded to in our above-mentioned words — that we spoke first about the Exodus — and afterwards about the matter of the rooster pecking in the rubbish heap — which is also precious in His eyes Yisborach. And this is the entire matter of Purim — the falling of Haman and Amalek — who stands in every generation and at every time — upon each and every one — to cast him down G-d forbid — and to weaken his mind very greatly — as it is written (Devarim 25): *"asher karcha b'derech — vay'zanev b'cha kol hanechshalim acharecha"* — and Hashem Yisborach Himself fights against him — through His true tzaddikim in every generation and every time — and turns all to good. As we see in this poor generation — that He illuminated our eyes through such Torah novellae — until even we can find and understand the immensity of His chesed Yisborach without measure. And still *"chavivusah gaban"* — and so forth. And it is impossible to extend further just now. May Hashem grant us to see face to face in joy — and we will speak more words of peace and truth — that will illuminate our eyes and gladden our hearts — *nagila v'nismecha bishu'aso.*

And greet with love all our anshei sh'lomaynu — from the smallest to the greatest — who are fixed in his heart with such strong love — without end. To all of them these words are said. Let the wise hear and add to his learning. And from yourself — understand to copy this letter and to send it via a faithful man to the anshei sh'lomaynu in Breslov. But be careful that it not reach — G-d forbid — the scoffers — for there is no novelty in the world — even if it were true and deep and very exalted and life-giving to all — that they cannot turn it to mockery. And all this is on account of the power of choice. But the truth is witness to itself — and "sfas emes tikon la'ad." And You are exalted forever Hashem. And peace to his daughter — may she live — the modest one — Marat Chana Tziryl — with the peace of her husband — his son-in-law — his wonderful dear friend — our Teacher the Rabbi Boruch — may he live — and to all their children who go forth from their loins — may they live. Mazal tov! — I did not know until this week — through the letter of my son our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live. May Hashem Yisborach grant that it be for a mazal tov for all of us — and may you merit to raise those who go forth from your loins to the chupah and to good deeds — may they yet flourish in good and blessed old age — fresh and verdant they shall be — Amen so may it be His will. And it is fitting to understand — to awaken and to draw close to Hashem Yisborach from every place that one is — from all that passes over a person at every time. In particular when one merits that a son or daughter of Israel is born — that as it were the image of His likeness is increased — as it is written in the Midrash Rabbah on the verse *"es'be'ah b'hakeitz tzmunasecha."* And one must give great thanks to Hashem for this — to begin anew to draw close to Hashem Yisborach. And peace to his beloved outstanding son — our Teacher the Rabbi Dovid Tzvi — may he live. Your brother Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live — gave me life through his letter — that he wrote to me — that you go with a smiling face — praised be G-d. May Hashem Yisborach strengthen your heart and gladden your soul. And if your beginning was small — and already immense sufferings and confusions and many thoughts have passed over you — your end will flourish greatly — in His great chesed — with Hashem's help. Only be very strong and resolute — to rejoice always — and to trust in His chesed Yisborach — that everything will be turned to good — Amen so may it be His will. And great peace to his beloved son — the veteran rabbinical scholar — our Teacher the Rabbi Shakhna — may his light shine — and with all his precious children who go forth from his loins — may they live — and in particular to his beloved son our Teacher the Rabbi Nachman — may he live. There is no leisure to address you in particular — my beloved son — but presumably the copy of his letter to Tultchin will reach your hand — which was said also to you and to all of you. Be strong and may your hearts be strengthened — all those who hope to Hashem. And his eyes yearn at every time for his salvation — for he knows his soul's anguish. And to Hashem the salvation — for we have no one to lean on except our Father in heaven. And peace to his stepson — the rabbinical scholar — our Teacher the Rabbi Shmelka — may his light shine — and to his son Nachman — may he live — and to his son Yosef Yonah — may he live. For the sake of Hashem — study with great eagerness and pray with seriousness and devotion — and recite birchas hamazon and Krias Shema with seriousness — and then it will be good for you — with Hashem's help — in this world and in the World to Come. You can already understand — dear beloved children — that there is no other purpose — only to pray and to learn and to perform good deeds. May Hashem Yisborach strengthen your hearts in this — Amen so may it be His will. And peace to all his anshei sh'lomaynu — his lovers and friends in truth — each and every one according to his level. May Hashem Yisborach raise their horn and their fortune — in wealth and honor and livelihood and life. And the essential — to strengthen your hearts in His service and His Torah in truth — for this is all of a person. And you will receive a copy of his letter from Tultchin — and pay careful attention to his words that are said in truth. And see to take care of his household — that they can prepare all the necessities for the upcoming Pesach — and that he not be a debtor — G-d forbid. And to Hashem the salvation. And it is impossible to extend further — for the page is short and the time of the post has arrived — and there is no need to urge the ones who urge.

The words of your father and your teacher and your lover in truth — forever. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]