לד

My beloved son, my dear one, and so forth. [Yitzchok] Know, my son, that Hashem Yisborach is very great — and it is impossible to speak of this at all, even of what glimmers within my heart.

And we have hoped in Hashem Yisborach that everything will be transformed to good — all that passes over each and every person. Only — be strong and resolute,

and remember well, well — what our Rebbe, of blessed memory, said [Likutay Moharan II, 48] — that one must be a great akshan [עַקְשָׁן — a stubborn, unbending one who refuses to yield] in the service of Hashem. Remember this well every day — and especially in the peaceful times that are coming, G-d willing — for you will need it very, very much. For you still do not know what may pass over a person. And even now — you must be great akshonnim [unbending ones] in your little, little service — and also in the desire and the longing and the yearning [רָצוֹן, הִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת, כִּסּוּפִין — three ascending levels of spiritual desire] — one must be a great akshan: to will and to yearn with a strong will always toward Hashem Yisborach and His Torah — whatever the situation may be — as I have set forth at length [in my writings]. And whatever passes over me — I still desire the truth [Reb Nussun speaks here in his own voice — a personal declaration: whatever befalls me personally, my will remains fixed on the truth] — which is Hashem Yisborach and His Torah, which is the very essence of truth. And this is the meaning of do not stir up nor awaken the love until it desires [Shir HaShirim 2:7] [Reb Nussun reads this verse in the spirit of its inverse: you must keep stirring up and awakening the love — keep wanting — until the wanting itself takes hold and desires entirely on its own, without further effort. Be an akshan in desire until desire becomes self-sustaining — as we have already spoken of this in previous teachings]. More than this there is no need to extend — for no doubt you will soon be here in life and in peace. [Yitzchok is expected shortly in Breslov — which is why Reb Nussun cuts the letter short] Be strong and resolute, my brother and beloved student — cast upon Hashem your burden and He will sustain you [Tehillim 55:23] — and do not worry the worry of tomorrow. And let these matters be in your eyes every day as entirely new — so as not to think from one day to the next at all — only whatever your hand finds to do with your strength, do it — each and every day. And be careful from now on to walk with what our Master, of blessed memory, wrote: Today — if you hearken to His voice [Tehillim 95:7] — today specifically. And although even this one day alone is hard to fully discharge one's daily obligation — join to it the other sichos [conversations] and the holy Torahs from the Nachal Novea M'kor Chochmah [נַחַל נוֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָה — "A Flowing Stream, Source of Wisdom": one of the encoded names of the Likutay Moharan, whose acronym spells out Rebbe Nachman's name] — which are filled with very deep counsel — in particular the simple and straight path on the verse I will sing to my G-d while I yet exist [Tehillim 146:2] and so forth. And this suffices for now. The words of your father — who awaits to see your true good forever.

Inform us also of the welfare of my sister's son, Rabbi Aizik — may his light shine — and of the welfare of all our anshei shlomaynu [members of our community] and our beloved friends and companions. May Hashem have mercy in His abundant mercies from now on — upon us and upon all of Israel — for it is a time of trouble for Yaakov — and from it he will be saved. [Yirmiyahu 30:7] Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]