שלד

The words of your father.

[Hebrew: בְּנִי חֲבִיבִי....]

Nussun of Breslov.

My beloved son — my dear one.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

He received his letter just now — with the sum of half a silver ruble — may Hashem repay his deed. And you gave him life with your words — what you wrote — that praised be the living G-d — there was a change for the better in his son — who is his grandson — may he live. May Hashem Yisborach complete his healing in completeness — and may he merit to raise him in ease and to rejoice in him — together with all his sons — may they live — in goodness and pleasantness — and raise them to Torah and to the wedding canopy and to good deeds — for long days and good years — Amen so may it be His will. And behold he intends to travel — if Hashem wills — tomorrow on his way to Uman. May Hashem lead him in His righteousness in straight paths — for he leans upon Him Yisborach alone. And praised be G-d — we had distinguished and fitting guests on the past Shabbas Kodesh — more than ten — and in His great chasadim — praised be G-d — they spoke many words of truth — and they rejoiced in His chesed — until the heart lifted their feet and they danced in the joy of Hashem and His salvation. Great are the deeds of Hashem and the wonders of His chasadim that He Yisborach does with us at every time — and in particular on the holy Shabbosos of Hashem and the festivals of Hashem. What shall he say — His chesed is great upon us and the truth of Hashem is forever. And some you will hear from the mouth of Rabbi Dovid — and see to speak with him until he recalls himself everything that passed at every meal — and what they spoke in His chesed — and in particular at seudah sh'lishis. And they must return and remember well the holy and true words — for it is not an empty thing what Hashem Yisborach makes wondrous His chesed with us at every time — that they merit to speak in the praise of the greatness of the true tzaddik — and in the wonders of his Torah and his conversations and his holy and very awesome stories. Nussun of Breslov. My sons and my brothers — be very very strong and resolute — "ish es re'eihu ya'azoru u'l'achiv yomar chazak" — "each man shall help his fellow — and to his brother he shall say: be strong" [Yeshayahu 41:6] — to remind one another — and to arouse one another — and to remember the chasadim of Hashem and His wonders — and to give thanks for the past at every time — and to request for the future — to strengthen oneself every day anew in good desires and longings in truth — until one brings the longings within words — to detail them with a full mouth — to pour out one's conversation before Him Yisborach as a son before his father. And however it passes over a person — and however he is — let him not withhold himself from the mercies — for Hashem Yisborach hears the prayer of every mouth — and always desires even your prayer — and the prayer of the most lowly — and let him remember today: "shavat aniyim atah tishma" — "the cry of the poor — You will hear." Hear my son the instruction of your father — for I know how heavy this matter is upon you — but in truth — if you accustom yourself to this — it is very easy. And the essential is that you throw away your mind and worldly wisdoms — only annul yourself completely as though you have no mind at all — and as though you were born today — and say every time: "today I will begin to pour out my conversation" — and so forth. [This is one of Reb Nussun's most direct and practical teachings on hisbodidus — the daily personal conversation with Hashem in one's own words. He addresses his son's specific difficulty — the weight and self-consciousness of beginning — and gives the precise remedy: annul yourself entirely — imagine you are born today — and say: today I begin anew. The past failures at hisbodidus are irrelevant — there is only today — and today I begin] And look at every time at the truth — to bring out the word in truth — as we spoke of this greatly on the past Shabbas Chanukah. "Hafoch bahem v'hafoch bahem" — turn them and turn them over — until you merit to fulfil them every day — until you merit to arrive at great joy through this. More than this there is no leisure to extend. Your father who intercedes for you and awaits salvation.