נא

My beloved son, our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine.

Your letter I received — at this very hour. And there is no leisure at all to reply to it as is proper.

May Hashem Yisborach strengthen your heart and arouse you on the great and awesome day that comes toward us in peace [הַבָּא לִקְרָאתֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם — a liturgical phrase from the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur machzor: the formula by which the Yomim Noraim are described as "coming toward us in peace" and for good. It carries the full weight of the High Holiday liturgical register. Written on Erev Rosh Hashanah, the phrase is the complete seasonal frame compressed into five words] — one day in the year [יוֹם אֶחָד בַּשָּׁנָה — Rosh Hashanah, the one day of the year uniquely set aside for arousal, renewal and return before the divine throne] — that you merit to accept upon yourself to be renewed from now, each day, for good. And do not lose a single day without hisbodidus — and think of your purpose each day — and snatch each day much Torah and prayer and good deeds — as much as you can snatch and seize and take by force [לַחֲטֹף וְלַעֲשֹׁק וְלִגְזֹל — three verbs of urgent seizure, escalating in force: to snatch, to squeeze out, and to take by force.

Together they paint a picture of someone grabbing goods that will soon be taken away] from this passing shadow — from this vanity of vanities — from this passing cloud [מֵהַצֵּל הָעוֹבֵר — the passing shadow [cf. Tehillim 144:4]; מֵהֲבֵל הֲבָלִים — vanity of vanities [Koheles 1:2]; מֵעָנָן כָּלֶה — the cloud that dissipates [Iyov 7:9]: three images of life's fleetingness drawn from three different books of scripture in a single breath] and so forth. Remember well that all our days are vanity — and one can snatch from them eternal life — every person at whatever level he stands. More than this there is no time now. The words of your father — who seeks your peace with love and intercedes on

your behalf. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]