שטז

And peace to his dear friend the rabbinical scholar our Teacher the Rabbi Yaakov — may his light shine. Very great is his pain on hearing their trouble — may Hashem Yisborach save quickly. And he hoped to Hashem that they will be saved — with Hashem's help — and everything will be turned to good. Only be very strong and resolute — to pray to Hashem Yisborach about all of this — and to draw close to Hashem Yisborach more through all of this. For already you know well that all that passes over every person all the days of his life — all of it is for his good — in order to remind him through this to return to Hashem — and to begin from now — at any rate — with all that he can.

My beloved son — everything you can inform him of some salvation — try to inform him. Also send him a greeting of peace in particular from his young sons — may they live — for they were not mentioned explicitly in the previous letters. And also inform him about their synagogue in Uman — whether it has already been opened and when it was opened. For when he left from there it was sealed — and with Hashem's help he trusted that certainly it has already been opened — but even so he desires to be informed explicitly — as a comfort.

My beloved son — my dear one.

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

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

The words of your father who awaits seeing you quickly in joy. Nussun of Breslov. On Wednesday he came here. And on Friday — Erev Shabbas Kodesh — he sent him and Breslov his letters at length. And if Hashem wills — on Tuesday or on Wednesday — when he will cross the border to Radivil in His chesed Yisborach — he will write to him again — with Hashem's help. Hashem Yisborach helps him every time with wondrous salvations and great chasadim — as he will tell them — with Hashem's help. But he knows that he does not go out toward Him Yisborach at all — and this is all his pain and trouble. How he gives himself life with what he mentioned in his letters — about the matter of Azamra. [This is one of the most astonishing self-revelations in all of Reb Nussun's letters. Here — at the culmination of his great and difficult journey — after all the wonders and salvations he witnessed — he says: the essential pain is this: I do not go out toward Him Yisborach at all. I know my own emptiness. And how do I give myself life? Through the very Torah of "Azamra l'Elokai b'odi" — the Torah of finding good points — the Torah that says even the most fallen person has something to sing with before Hashem. He is writing from the inside of the Torah — not as a teacher, but as its most personal student] And if they were going in this as he does — they would already be more worthy than him. But also he is glad over his portion — praised be G-d. And it is impossible to extend now. And send abundant peace to all my household.