שכא

My beloved son Nachman — may he live. I received your greeting — and I had great pleasure from what you yourself wrote. In particular since you were not well — praised be Hashem Yisborach Who helped you. Today you must begin to put on tefillin — you have been born anew. For the sake of Hashem Yisborach — take careful note of what is beginning now. Throw away all the foolishness that has been until now — and create for yourself a new heart for good. [בִּיסְטוּ גָּאר נַייא גִּיבּוֹרֶין — you are entirely newly born — the Yiddish is raw and powerful. A boy putting on tefillin for the first time is not merely fulfilling a new mitzvah — he is born again — an entirely new being. Reb Nussun speaks to him with the most direct fatherly love: throw away the foolishness — the old way of a child — and create for yourself a new heart. This is a moment of true birth] If Hashem wills — from Uman — I will write to you more — with Hashem's help. The tefillin batim — I will tell my son Rabbi Itzik — may he live — to send to you. Be well and joyful — and say Tehillim every day — and desire to learn — and everything will be well — with Hashem's help.

And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great love. It is impossible just now to address you separately as befitting. Presumably you will see or hear what he wrote to his son Rabbi Itzik — may he live. And the post is very urgent.

May the Master of Mercy make the writing and the sealing good [בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים יֵיטִיב הַכְּתִיבָה וְהַחֲתִימָה — the traditional blessing of the month of Elul — "may you be written and sealed for good." Reb Nussun opens with this greeting — he has arrived in Uman — and it is already Elul — the month of preparation for Rosh Hashana] — to the honor of my beloved son — my dear one — the rabbinical scholar — and so forth — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live — with all his children who go forth from his loins — may they live.

[Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ...]

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

Until here His mercies Yisborach helped us — that he arrived here on Tuesday — around midday. And he found his letter — and it was a comfort. And now his eyes are raised heavenward — He Who began — He will complete the work placed in his hand — which is the eternal good of the community. May Hashem complete for them for good quickly. And the awesome holy days are approaching — and one must examine his deeds — and seek and search and investigate a way to repentance — each one from the place where he is. And our power is only in the mouth — and for this too one needs heavenly assistance. And one must strengthen oneself in good desires and longings — with great strengthening and great stubbornness in desire — and to believe in oneself — that still the good within him is very very strong — even though I have damaged it as I have damaged — even so many waters cannot extinguish the love — and rivers cannot flood the good points that I merited to snatch in this passing shadow. [Shir Hashirim 8:7] And in particular — praised be G-d in His great chesed — all is hidden and concealed and sealed and preserved with the true Master of the House — and through his great power — still I have hope for all true and eternal good. Only be very strong and resolute — to rejoice in all this throughout the entire year — and in these holy days of Elul and Tishrei — more and more.

The words of one who writes with tears — from the immensity of the longing for the good points — and so forth.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]

Nussun of Breslov.

*Ashreinu* that we know such holy and awesome and exalted combinations for Elul and Tishrei. And he could not restrain himself from mentioning some of them:

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]

*"Oz v'hadar levushah va'tis'chak l'yom acharon"* — "Strength and beauty are her clothing — and she laughs to the last day" [Mishlei 31:25] — the initial letters of this verse form the word Elul — אֱלוּל [א — Oz; ל — levushah; ו — va'tis'chak; ל — l'yom]. [This is among the most beloved of the Elul combinations revealed by the Rebbe — the woman of valor laughs to the last day — and in her strength and beauty she carries the entire month of Elul in her initial letters. The month of repentance hidden in the woman of valor who laughs even at the end — for she is confident in her strength and in the King] And Tishrei — the initial letters of the verse: *"atah forarsta b'ozzecha yam — shibbarta rashei tanninim al ha'mayim"* — "You broke the sea with Your might — You shattered the heads of the sea monsters on the waters" [Tehillim 74:13] — the initial letters form Tishrei. And also: the ending letters of: *"v'atah yadata es nefesh hager — ki gerim hayitem"* — form Tishrei. [Sh'mos 23:9] And: *"tavoi tasuri mei'rosh amanah"* — "come with me from Lebanon — look from the peak of Amanah" [Shir Hashirim 4:8] — the initial letters of each word form Tishrei twice. And: *"u'mal Hashem Elohecha es l'vav'cha v'es levav"* — "and Hashem your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of" — the initial letters form Elul — אֱלוּל [א — es; ל — l'vav'cha; ו — v'es; ל — levav]. [Devarim 30:6] And: *"v'im lo sov'eh ha'ishah lalaches acharecha"* — "and if the woman is not willing to go after you" — also forms Elul. [Bereishis 24:8] And relating to this is the secret of the intention of Elul — whose foundation is: *"im essak shamayim sham atah — v'atzi'ah sh'ol hineka"* — "if I ascend to the heavens — You are there — and if I make my bed in the depths — behold You are there." [Tehillim 139:8] Happy is one who strengthens himself every day and at every time — and in particular in Elul itself — to go in this — to draw upon himself the knowledge from the One Who is expert in the law — expert in going — expert in returning. And Tishrei — the initial letters of the verse: *"atah forarsta b'ozzecha yam — shibbarta rashei tanninim al ha'mayim"* — "You broke the sea with Your might — You shattered the heads of the sea monsters on the waters" [Tehillim 74:13] — the initial letters form Tishrei . And also: the ending letters of: *"v'atah yadata es nefesh hager — ki gerim hayitem"* — form Tishrei. [Sh'mos 23:9] And: *"tavoi tasuri mei'rosh amanah"* — "come with me from Lebanon — look from the peak of Amanah" [Shir Hashirim 4:8] — the initial letters of each word form Tishrei twice. Who has heard such a thing — who has seen such things. In particular one who has merited to taste — even like a point from the sea — the sweet nectar of the pleasant words — the revelation of the holy Torahs that were said about all the above. Great is our Master and mighty in power — Who made wondrous counsel to hide and conceal such a light — for the sake of the preservation of free choice. But what shall we return to Hashem — Who opened our eyes to see eye to eye the truth of the true point of truth — which it is impossible to hide from our mind — G-d forbid — in any way. Even if our actions are — G-d forbid — as they are — the truth is truth — and the word of our G-d will stand forever. And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great and immense love — and in particular to his dear friend as his soul — the veteran outstanding — our Teacher the Rabbi Yaakov — may his light shine. Be very careful and very careful — my son and my beloved disciple — that no thought arise upon you — G-d forbid — not as the will of the truth. Only come with joy with the anshei sh'lomaynu here — for Rosh Hashana coming upon us for good. And so all your days — until there comes the Teacher of Righteousness — so that it will be good for you forever. And in His chesed Yisborach — you will hold to my good credit — forever and eternally. Nussun of Breslov. And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great and immense love — and in particular to his dear friend as his soul — the veteran outstanding — our Teacher the Rabbi Yaakov — may his light shine. Be very careful and very careful — my son and my beloved disciple — that no thought arise upon you — G-d forbid — not as the will of the truth. Only come with joy with the anshei sh'lomaynu here — for Rosh Hashana coming upon us for good. And so all your days — until there comes the Teacher of Righteousness — so that it will be good for you forever. And in His chesed Yisborach — you will hold to my good credit — forever and eternally.