תלא

Overview: Monday, Parshas Mas'ei — Teplik — 5603. To Yitzchok and all his descendants. He received his letter here in Teplik today — and read it carefully. He did not stand trembling as much as he imagined — for the whole story of what passes over him is not new to him at all. Such and such has passed over many upright souls of Israel — and even over him too — more — and even now over many and many. But there are many whose situation is much worse — and who don't even cry out. The cry is indeed a great virtue — but when it leans toward melancholy and sadness — it is more harmful. Our Rebbe — the memory of the righteous and holy one for a blessing — said that sadness harms greatly these evil inclinations — as written in chapter 72. The more one forces himself to push away these thoughts — the more they strengthen. One needs only not to turn his mind backward — and not to look at them at all — even if they blaze and roar. One must not fear them at all. The truth is your trouble is not small. But one must be very careful to walk in the way he — of blessed memory — warned us — to set aside an hour to express his conversation before Him. But however it is — one must overcome greatly to be glad all day — in prayer and study of Torah and the work of commerce. The essential — not to look backward at all. No one knows what happens in the world with the righteous and the wicked in every generation — all require the bitter tears of the true Merciful One. Blessed are we — that we know from him — and we gather together on Rosh Hashana. And this is our consolation in our poverty. The flax dealer — all the more he beats — the more he sees his flax is good. One must strengthen himself when he sees the desires pursuing him greatly — for through this they are refining and testing him. All our strength and hope is on the power of the holy elder. Gadol Hashem u'm'hulal m'od. Gott iz groys — me veyst gor nit — Hashem is great — one knows nothing at all.

From Teplik he replied to him via the messenger. And on Tuesday he arrived here in peace — praised be G-d. And behold — he gave Rabbi Sho'el — may his light shine — the sum of twenty new rubles. Of them — take five new rubles for yourself and note them — that they are the money of the work — and you receive them as payment. And six new rubles belong to the scribe — which he received in Teplik for the Torah scroll he is writing for the congregation of Savran — and send those six new rubles to his daughter Chana Tzirel — may she live. And also another three new rubles — send to her — and it is on account of the Torah scroll from Tshehrin. And give to the scribe for hides if he will need it. And he already instructed through Rabbi Nachman — may his light shine — that you give if he will need more hides. And just now he is sending on this to his daughter the sum of three new rubles — and if he will need more in the course of time — you give some small sum on his account. But in his view — he will not need you to give — for he will warn his son Dovid Tzvi — may he live. Only if his above-mentioned son writes to you — that it is necessary for you to give some sum for the matter of the scribe — fulfil as he writes to you. And to Hashem the salvation — that from Tshehrin he will send him more money as His salvation loads upon them. And the remaining six new rubles — send via Rabbi Shimshon or Rabbi Shmelka — may they live — on account of what they give to his household for their livelihood. And he awaits every day — that good tidings come from the matter of the merchandise. And he already instructed — that if it arrives there in a way that they can deliver it to the congregation of Tirahowitz by Monday Parshas V'eschanan — very good — but as it appears — the matter is far off. And presumably they will conduct themselves properly according to the counsel of Hashem — as he spoke with them.

And regarding you — he already wrote to him a little. And just now there is not a word on his tongue — from the great preoccupation and the gathering of strength. But be strong my son and be strong — and believe in all that our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — of blessed memory — said — that every movement from evil to good is very very precious before Hashem Yisborach. And the essential — accustom yourself — that in the very intensity of their strengthening — you gladden your soul as much as possible. And not to be afraid at all — only to divert your mind completely — and accustom yourself to forgetfulness — to forget at every moment what has passed in the moment that passed. Even if it was what it was — "mah d'havah havah" — for all will turn to good. For we have a very great powerful elder-father — who can convert sins to merits. Only be strong and bold greatly. And remember well — what a person must pass through in this world on the narrow bridge — and the essential is not to be afraid at all. And so he greatly extended on this. And much of this is printed and written — only one must return to it every day. Gadol Hashem u'm'hulal m'od. Gott iz groys — me veyst gor nit — afilu ayyer zach — Hashem is great — one knows nothing at all — even your own matter.

The words of your father — who awaits to gladden you and strengthen you — until you merit to complete salvation.

Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

And give to Rabbi Nachman every week two or three gold coins as he spoke with him — and also give him five gold coins for rent. For he said before him — that the ten gold coins he gave him for rent — he deducted from the weekly money — therefore it is necessary to return this sum. And for now give him five as above — and from Tshehrin he will write to him more. And just now the holy Shabbas has passed — for he was delayed here. And there is much in his heart to speak with him. But just now it is Motzo'ei Shabbas and his strength is weak. Only this he has come to awaken him — on what he is accustomed to write every time — that according to his way — to think greatly about every matter — therefore he has such troubles and confusions. And on this he has come to reply to him — for it is itself the difficulty. For this is not an obligation — G-d forbid — to think greatly. On the contrary — our Master our Teacher and our Rebbe — of blessed memory — warned us greatly not to think greatly. And he said explicitly that this matter called "ibber trachtein" — thinking too much — throws a person greatly — G-d protect us. And if you are accustomed to this from before — it is essential to strive to break this — and to overcome every time to divert your mind — and not to think excessively about anything — in particular regarding evil thoughts and evil ponderings — one must flee from them completely — and not to turn his mind backward at all — and to forget completely at every time what has passed at the start. And trust in his great power — that all will turn to good. Only be strong and bold greatly — as above. And "u'v'motzo'ei m'nuchah yamtzi l'cha r'vachah" — and at the end of the rest He will grant you relief.

Overview: Thursday, Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av — Uman — 5603. To his beloved son. From Teplik he replied via the messenger — and on Tuesday he arrived here in peace praised be G-d. He gave Rabbi Sho'el twenty new rubles — with detailed instructions on how to distribute. He awaits every day for good tidings from the merchandise. And regarding him — he already wrote a little — and just now there is not a word on his tongue from the great preoccupation. But be strong my son — and believe in all that our Master — of blessed memory — said — that every movement from evil to good is very very precious before Hashem Yisborach. And the essential — accustom yourself — that in the very intensity of their strengthening — you gladden your soul as much as possible. Not to be afraid at all — only to divert your mind completely — and accustom yourself to forgetfulness — to forget at every moment what has passed. Even if it was what it was — all will turn to good. For we have a very great powerful elder-father — who can convert sins to merits. Only be strong and bold greatly. Remember well — what a person must pass through in this world on the narrow bridge — the essential is not to be afraid at all. Gadol Hashem u'm'hulal m'od. Gott iz groys — me veyst gor nit — afilu ayyer zach. And also — this matter called "ibber trachtein" — thinking too much — throws a person greatly. If you are accustomed to this from before — it is essential to strive to break this — and to overcome every time to divert your mind — and not to think excessively — in particular regarding evil thoughts — one must flee from them completely — and forget completely at every time what has passed. Trust in his great power — that all will turn to good. Behold — he sent a letter to his son — he is your brother — Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine — in Tultchin. And he will send the nine new rubles to his daughter — she is your sister — Maras Chana Tzirel — may she live. They are six new rubles that he received in Teplik for the Torah scroll from Savran — and three new rubles he is sending — which are to be in the hand of his daughter — for the Torah scroll from Tshehrin. Perhaps the scribe will not need money for hides. And you my son — you know how to conduct yourself with the scribe — that he should not snatch money before the writing — neither for the Torah scroll of Rabbi Tzvi from Tshehrin nor for the Torah scroll from Savran. And tell the scribe — that he has matters with him — for he said before him that he received from Rabbi Shlomo of Savran only an advance deposit — and Rabbi Shlomo told him that he gave him six new rubles — three for the advance and three for hides. Therefore it is fitting that he have hides for three new rubles — for the Torah scroll from Savran. And he has distress from this — that there should not be — G-d forbid — a desecration of the Name of Heaven — when one does not conduct himself properly in this. Therefore from now — see that you not give him money for hides except when you see that he takes the money immediately to buy hides. And presumably you will understand how to conduct yourself with him properly — as he spoke with you in his home. And now my son — be strong and bold greatly — to begin from now to engage every day in Torah and prayer. And fix regular times in Gemara and the *posskim* and Chumash with the commentary of Rashi — and in the scripture. And in particular to engage every day in the books of our Rebbe — of blessed memory. And sometimes learn with companions — and look carefully in them to understand well in practice. And if you cannot learn with companions — learn by yourself. And guard — guard greatly — from anger and irritability and a broken spirit — very greatly — that you not destroy your life force for nothing — G-d forbid. And fulfil: "v'haseir ka'as mi'libecha v'ha'aveir ra'ah mi'b'sarecha." For Hashem's sake — spare yourself — for if not now — when? For upon you is laid no burden and no occupation — except to engage in Torah and prayer and mitzvos. And remember your Creator in the days of your youth. And there is no leisure to extend further. The words of your father — who urges you for your eternal benefit — and who intercedes for you.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]