שיא

Nussun of Breslov.

And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great love and precious beloved-ness — and to all the anshei sh'lomaynu whom he did not mention by name — because of the preoccupation and the urgency — all of them are fixed and engraved in his heart with great love — from the point of the heart — all of them stand for the blessing. May Hashem Yisborach make them successful in His mercy in all that they turn — in a way that they merit to take to heart every day their eternal purpose — so that it will be good for them and their children for generations — in this world and in the World to Come forever. And his heart is certain and confident in the goodness of their heart — that they will certainly urge themselves to fulfil all his above-mentioned words — as his friend Rabbi Avraham Dov — may he live — will arouse them — to support him and sustain him with all their strength and more than their strength — in a way that he can complete the holy desires of our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — which are the merit of the many for generations. May Hashem save us. And then each one will rejoice and exult over his share that he had in this — their eyes will see and their hearts will rejoice. Then: and peace and life and all good to all our anshei sh'lomaynu in the congregation of Medevdevka and the nearby villages — and those of the congregation of Kremintshak and Krakav and their surroundings. Hashem is upon them — may they live — and may they succeed in truth in this world and in the World to Come. To all of them are said all the above-mentioned words. All of them beloved — and certainly they will take to heart these few words that contain much. And Hashem will save them. "Heitiva Hashem latovim" and so forth. Nagila v'nismecha bishu'aso.

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

Until here Your abundant mercies have helped us — that he entered the congregation of Brod on the past Tuesday — close to the afternoon prayer. And on Monday he came to Radivil — and on Tuesday he received his letter from the hand of Rabbi Shoel Toviyah. And Hashem Yisborach helped him that he crossed the border with some sufferings and failing of the eyes — but praised be G-d he crossed in peace and chesed. But while he was still there — it became known to him that they were not permitting his attendant Rabbi Nachman — may his light shine — to pass — and he was compelled to cross by himself. And he came on the above-mentioned Tuesday here alone. But "batzar hirchavta li" — in the straits You broadened for me — for there at the border Hashem Yisborach arranged for him a young man from their family — whose father lives in Radivil — and it became known to him who he is. And he drew close to him and entered with him here to Brod — and brought him to a good inn. And all that passes over him — all with sufferings and great chesed — the one end sharp and the other end sharp [רֹאשׁוֹ אֶחָד כַּד וְרֹאשׁוֹ אֶחָד חַד — from the Talmud (Pesachim 3b) — said of a barrel that is pointed on both ends — Reb Nussun applies it to his situation: every narrow passage has two sharp edges — the difficulty of the entry and the difficulty of the exit — yet both are ultimately for good. See Likutay Halachos, Yoreh Deah, Simanei Beitzim section 5] — look in Likutay Halachos Yoreh Deah — Simanei Beitzim section 5 — and understand his words. And from yourself you will understand the immensity of the sufferings that was for him when he came alone — and Rabbi Nachman remained there — and suddenly it was as if an iron wall was between them. And also the garment necessary for him and his underwear remained with him. And this failing of the eyes was from the above-mentioned Tuesday until today Thursday close to evening — that Hashem Yisborach merited him that Rabbi Nachman arrived here in peace — and gave him life. Good to give thanks to Hashem — in general and in particular — for all the chasadim and the good things and the wonders that He does with us at every time.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

And praised be G-d — already several important and elder men have entered to see him. And among most of the Chassidim here — he was received with honor — praised be G-d — and all know him from before. But to collect money is still distant and difficult — but the hope is to Hashem that He will not abandon him. And after Rabbi Nachman arrived — he informed the Nagid Rabbi Yaakov Hirtz. And a short while afterwards — the Nagid himself came to his home to receive his face with love — and brought him himself his letters from here — and it was a great comfort to him. But the comfort is mixed with sufferings — from the multitude of the lacks of each person — and in particular from his letters — whose cry rises to the heart of the heavens — and he does not know what to reply to him just now. But you gave life to his soul in what you reminded him — that what gives you life is kamatz aleph. [קָמֵץ אָלֶף — the vowel kamatz under the letter aleph — the very first step of learning Hebrew — the very first foundation of reading Torah. Reb Nussun says: when one is crushed and overwhelmed — one must return to the most elemental foundations — to the very beginning — to *kamatz aleph* — the root of all learning. This is not a regression but a rebirth — beginning again from the most essential truth] And in truth one must begin to learn with you and with all of us anew — kamatz aleph — in every single Torah he revealed. And you should begin truly anew — kamatz aleph — in the Torah "ki merachamam y'nahalem" — about the matter of melo kol ha'aretz kevodo — printed in two places there. And look and study there anew — how he was precise in writing it — explaining well — as it came out in holiness and purity from his holy mouth — that even in the very depths of the depths one can draw close to him — for melo kol ha'aretz kevodo — the whole earth is full of His glory.

Nussun of Breslov. And how he cried out in his holy voice and said: *"Gott iz mit dir — bay dir — lebin dir — shrek dich nit — dupf af mein koiach — kein yiush iz gor nit farhandin"* — "G-d is with you — close to you — right beside you — do not be afraid — lean on my strength — there is absolutely no despair anywhere." [גָּאט אִיז מִיט דִּיר בַּיי דִּיר לֶעבִּין דִּיר שְׁרֶעק דִּיךְ נִיט דּוּפִי אָף מַיין כֹּחַ קֵיין יֵאוּשׁ אִיז גָּאר נִיט פַאר הַאנְדִין — Yiddish — the Rebbe's words in their original language. The overwhelming intimacy of this: the Rebbe does not say "Hashem is with you" in the third person — he says bay dir — lebin dir — close to you — right beside you — at your very side. Not a distant theology but an immediate presence. And then: dupf af mein koiach — lean on my strength — the Rebbe's personal guarantee. And finally: kein yiush iz gor nit farhandin — there is simply no such thing as despair — it does not exist in reality] And believe me my beloved son — all these words were said to you in particular. And you should say that their essential was said only for your sake — for a person is obligated to say: *"bishvili nivra ha'olam"* — "for my sake was the world created." [Sanhedrin 37a] The words of your father who intercedes for you — only be very very strong and resolute — and Hashem will help you always. And if you were to know and understand what he understood today from new books that he found here — how the world is mired in what it is mired — may Hashem have mercy — and how all the present authors want to strengthen and to arouse — but they have no instrument of the craft — and it is impossible to express in the open field. From the immensity of his longing — he compelled himself to write these words in such preoccupation. Trust in Hashem for He will not abandon you — and gladden your soul — and compel your thought every time to remove from your mind the tormenting thoughts and bad strange imaginings. And what is done with you automatically — do not worry about it and do not look back at all. Hasten to escape for your soul — do not look behind you. [Bereishis 19:17] And praised be G-d — we have someone to lean on — praised be G-d — the power of the elder of elders of holiness. *Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu* — that we merited in this generation to know from such a light. And greet his friend Rabbi Naftali — may his light shine — with love. And inform him that he came praised be G-d to Brod in His chesed Yisborach. About the garment for his son — from here it is impossible for him to bring. But certainly he will make for him the necessary garment — with Hashem's help. Only may Hashem Yisborach help him to rescue him from soiled garments — and may he merit the chalukah d'rabbanan and so forth. The words of your father who intercedes for you — only be very very strong and resolute — and Hashem will help you always.