שפז

Overview: Friday, Erev Shabbas Kodesh Parshas Sh'mini — after midday — Breslov — 5602. To Yitzchok. Until now he was standing and waiting for him to come — and from Heaven he was delayed. And just now Rabbi Dovid arrived and brought his letter with the money for the pidyon nefesh. May Hashem have mercy on him and on them — and send complete healing — healing of the soul and healing of the body — among the rest of the sick of Israel. From yourself you understand the immensity of the pain he had from this — but even so it gave their souls great life — to see at any rate the handwriting from him — to know why he was delayed. On this too one must say — certainly all is for good — and all that Heaven does — it does for good. And one can also attribute the lack to oneself — that one did not overcome the obstacle as one should. But even so — G-d forbid that you fall in your mind because of this — for the ways of Hashem are very very exalted. He already heard from him — of blessed memory — explicitly (Sichos HaRa"n 14) — that even when one does not bring from potential to actual what one desires in any holy matter — even so the will itself is very good. Even though it is explained in the Torah "vihi na pi sh'nayim" (Likutai Moharan part 1 ch. 66) that this is not sufficient — even so — if only they would hold on to this — that the will at any rate be very strong. And praised be G-d — your will is good and very strong. And what can one do — ones Rachmana patrei. He stands and waits now that he will come on Sunday — if Hashem wills. He will not travel before the coming Sunday. And may Hashem in His mercies support him quickly — and he will return to his former strength in completeness — and he will strengthen himself with all strength to receive the Shabbas in great joy. And to Hashem the salvation — that they always be together — even when they do not see each other — for the bodies are far apart and the souls are close — and all of us are bound together in the root of nefesh-ruach-neshamah in the true tzaddik — and this is all our hope forever.

Know my beloved son — that he arrived here to Berdichev on the past Tuesday. And he will remain here for the coming holy Shabbas — may Hashem Yisborach grant them to receive the holy Shabbas as befitting. And everywhere one comes — and in particular here — one hears cries and sighs and sounds of wants — almost without measure. And one who understands hears from all of them hints — that there is no place to flee from the afflictions — G-d protect us — and from all the lacks — except to Hashem Yisborach — to the Torah and to the prayer. And even one who does not fulfil this as befitting — must strengthen himself to rejoice in his portion — that he knows at least something of this — and accustom himself to walk in the ways of truth that our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — the memory of the righteous and holy one for a blessing — brought to light. And to give thanks for the past — for all the expansions found within the troubles and the distress themselves — and to rejoice in them — and to request for the future. If he were to tell — how much and how much one must go in this — pages of parchment would run out. Be strong my son — and be strong — for Hashem is still with you and thinking of your rectification — and certainly He will not abandon you. And begin now to long for the holiness of the holy Rosh Hashana — for the holiness of the holy gathering. And be very accustomed to the books of our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — the memory of the righteous one for a blessing — and in what they merited to explain and to make new in them — and you will find rest for your soul — to strengthen yourself every day in Torah and conversation which is prayer — and to strengthen yourself in joy in all the ways of his holy counsels — however it is — and to await salvation always. For Hashem will never abandon — la shavek v'la sh'vak.

The words of your father — who awaits salvation.

Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

And extend peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu. Overview: Thursday, Parshas Shelach — Berdichev — 5602. To Yitzchok and all his household. He arrived here to Berdichev on the past Tuesday — and will remain for the coming holy Shabbas. Everywhere one comes — and in particular here — one hears cries and sighs and sounds of wants — almost without measure. And one who understands hears from all of them hints — that there is no place to flee from the afflictions and from all the lacks — except to Hashem — to the Torah and to the prayer. And even one who does not fulfil this as befitting — must strengthen himself to rejoice in his portion — that he knows at least something of this — and accustom himself to walk in the ways of truth that our Master brought to light. And to give thanks for the past — for all the expansions found within the troubles and the distress themselves — and to rejoice in them — and to request for the future. If he were to tell how much and how much one must go in this — pages of parchment would run out. Be strong my son — and be strong — for Hashem is still with you and thinking of your rectification — and certainly He will not abandon you. And begin now to long for the holiness of the holy Rosh Hashana — for the holiness of the holy gathering. And be very accustomed to the books of our Master — and in what they merited to explain and make new in them — and you will find rest for your soul — to strengthen yourself every day in Torah and conversation which is prayer — and in joy in all the ways of his holy counsels — and to await salvation always. For Hashem will never abandon — la shavek v'la sh'vak. He received his letter today — and he already preceded to send him his letter from here. He did not procure money here from the city at all — only a little from his brother-in-law and from his innkeeper — and he still does not know if it will suffice for the expenses to Uman. And all that the Merciful One does — He does for good — his eyes are lifted to Him alone — until He will grace all of them in material and spiritual. What one sees on the road — one sees more — and in particular in the great cities like here. The cry of each person and his bitterness reaches to the heavens. And one who understands hears that in their inwardness they are crying: what is the purpose — and what will become of us in the end. But in their externality one hears more the cry of the finding of existence — of what each and every person finds — which is the matter: "u'motzei ani mar mi'maves es ha'ishah" — "and I find more bitter than death — the woman" — which is the livelihood — as our Sages of blessed memory said. [Yevamos 63b] [The Talmudic passage: what is the verse referring to? The ishah — the wife — the Sages interpret as the livelihood — the pursuit of one's existence — which is more bitter than death. Reb Nussun takes this teaching and applies it with great compassion to the universal human cry he witnesses in Berdichev — the great commercial city — where the bitterness of earning one's bread fills the air] And also literally — what they suffer from her — and the essential in the matter of the livelihood. And one sees with one's own senses what our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — of blessed memory — said — that were it not for the salt — the world could not endure the bitterness — as is explained in Likutai Moharan part 1 ch. 23. And this is his consolation in his poverty — in what he knows clearly all this. And in the great chasadim of Hashem — He informed him of the covenant of eternal salt that sweetens all this. Mah nashiv laHashem kol tagmulohi aleinu.