מח

My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok]

[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי....]

Your letter I received at this very hour — and it was a great comfort to me. And behold — it is my intention to travel today with the help of Hashem Yisborach. Therefore see to hasten to send to my house the sum of one and a half new rubles — for it is urgently needed. And also the sum that you will take out from him for the building — send it here. And let it be sent to me by the people who will travel from here on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Elul which comes upon us for good.

For the building money is urgently needed by me in Uman — and every kerbil [קֶערְבִּיל — a small coin, the quarter-ruble] is in my eyes now worth more than a thousand. For my heart is strengthened to begin such a beginning — which is very hard and very heavy [the construction of the kloyz — the gathering-house for prayer and study — at Rebbe Nachman's tziyun in Uman; one of the consuming projects of Reb Nussun's life, begun under great financial and spiritual difficulty] — as you will understand yourselves. Therefore please very much ask my friend Rabbi Shimshon — may his light shine — to fulfil his promise and send at once also five new rubles for the building — so that he merit to have a portion in the beginning which is more precious than all — and it shall be counted as a special act of charity for him at every moment he hastens. And no need to urge him further than this — for I am confident that he will fulfil my words at once. May Hashem repay his deeds — and may his reward be complete from Hashem [וִישַׁלֵּם ה' פָּעֳלוֹ וּתְהִי מַשְׂכֻּרְתּוֹ שְׁלֵמָה מֵאֵת ה' — a direct biblical allusion to Rus 2:12, where Boaz blesses Rus: "May Hashem repay your deeds, and may your reward be complete from Hashem G-d of Israel, under whose wings you have come to shelter." Reb Nussun applies Boaz's exact blessing to Rabbi Shimshon — just as Boaz blessed one who came under the wings of the Shechinah, so Reb Nussun blesses one who supports the holy building at the Rebbe's resting place] — and may he merit to see sons and grandsons occupied in Torah and mitzvos and so forth. And behold — how very much I place joy in my heart from your letter — for I see the strength of your longing toward Torah and the service of Hashem. Would that this heart of yours were with you all the days — so that it may be good for you forever. And more than this I have no leisure to extend at all — for at this very hour I have hired a wagon to travel today in peace. And may Hashem Yisborach lead us in the straight and true path. The words of your father — who awaits to rejoice in you forever. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי אָבִיךָ....]

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]