שסא

The words of your father who awaits salvation.

Nussun of Breslov.

Peace — to my son — the rabbinical scholar — our Teacher the Rabbi Dovid Tzvi — may his light shine.

He received his letter and it was a comfort. And see to write another letter that will reach Uman. Would that Hashem fulfil your requests — as you asked in your letter — to strengthen your mind and your heart to begin from now anew — and in particular since the days of Elul are approaching. Be strong my son and strong — and go in the ways of our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — the holy one — the memory of the righteous one for a blessing — who warned each person to express his conversation every day in the German tongue. [בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז — in the Ashkenazic tongue — meaning Yiddish — the daily spoken vernacular of the Jews of Eastern Europe — the Rebbe's insistence was that one speak to Hashem in one's own natural language — the language of the heart and of ordinary life — not formal Hebrew — but the mamme-loshen — the mother tongue — the tongue of intimacy and directness] For also you were intended by our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — of blessed memory. In particular since he heard and understood from him — that he had already begun to engage in this some time ago. Please my beloved son — strengthen and take courage in your heart — to begin from now to engage in this — and to set fixed times and portions for every matter. Namely — to study posk — halachic decisions — every day — at least two or three pages. And to study Chumash and Nevi'im and Kesuvim every day. And to say Tehillim and prayers every day. And to express your conversation before Hashem Yisborach in the Ashkenazic tongue every day — and all that is in your heart to speak. And if you cannot speak — fulfil "dom laHashem v'hischollel lo" — "be still before Hashem and wait longingly for Him" — for also silence in a special place has meaning. [Tehillim 37:7 — even the inability to speak — the mere sitting in silence before Hashem in a designated place — this itself is a form of hisbodidus — perhaps the deepest form — when the heart is so full it cannot speak — the silence itself becomes prayer] And the desire and the longing to go out from the foolishness of the vanities of the world — and to draw close to Torah and service — this too is very very precious. And to Hashem belongs the salvation — that afterwards Hashem Yisborach will open your mouth — and you will be able to speak — on this day or the days that follow — certainly — with Hashem's help. And are you not free for all of this — for the millstone of livelihood is not hanging round your neck — and what is necessary for you — he hoped to Hashem that he would fill your sufficiency. And you have no other business except to set the above-mentioned portions. And there is time in the day to engage in Torah portions even more — but he does not want to burden you greatly. And also you will have leisure to speak and to converse with our dear anshei sh'lomaynu — and to gladden your soul together with them — and to remind oneself every day of the pleasantness of our portion — as one says every day: ashreinu ashreinu — and so forth. And for the sake of Hashem Yisborach — keep far from you the melancholy with all your strength — and trust in Hashem — for He will not abandon you — for chasdei Hashem lo samu — and so forth. And because of the urgency of the post it is impossible to extend further. And this is enough for now to arouse and to strengthen your thirsty soul — that in truth thirsts for the truth. And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu in Breslov — with great love and precious deep affection. And to my beloved Rabbi Shimshon — may his light shine — abundant thanks to you for having fulfilled your words to lend me for the work. And he has already paid his son Rabbi Itzik — may he live — and warned him to pay you in full — and he certainly fulfilled his words. And his request from him and from all the beloved and pleasant anshei sh'lomaynu — that they watch over his household to support them in all that is possible. And let them be careful not to avert their eyes — G-d forbid — from his household — that he not be a debtor — G-d forbid. And strengthen yourselves every day in Torah and prayer — and in particular in hisbodidus — as they have spoken of this countless times. Ashreickem if you fulfil his words — for they are not from his heart — G-d forbid — only from the heart of the holy and very awesome tzaddik — the memory of the righteous and holy one for a blessing. And all of them flow and come out from the source of true and complete wisdom — very awesome — whose understanding is beyond reckoning. And the days of Elul are approaching — and the seven weeks of consolation have already begun — and they must prepare themselves for Rosh Hashana — the holy and awesome and very terrible day. "Is the shofar sounded in the city and the people not tremble?" And remember well what they merited to hear regarding the holiness of Elul and Rosh Hashana — "Es l'vavcha v'es l'vav" — "oz v'hadar l'vushahvet'schak l'yom acharon" — Tishrei Tashuri. And let not such awesome new novellae — which renew themselves at every time for each and every person in every place — become old in your eyes. And it is impossible to extend now on this. The words of your father who awaits to rejoice in you — that it be fulfilled: "chacham b'ni v'samach libi" — "be wise my son and gladden my heart." [Mishlei 23:15] Nussun as above.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]