נב

[Yitzchok] May the Name of Hashem protect you and save you and help you [שֵׁם ה' יָגֵן עָלֶיךָ וְיוֹשִׁיעֲךָ וְיַעַזְרְךָ — a three-verb blessing invoking the divine Name directly: yogen

(protect/shield), yoshi'acha (save you), ya'azrecha (help you). The triad echoes the structure of the Priestly Blessing and draws on Tehillim 121 — Hashem will guard your going and your coming. That Reb

Nussun opens the first letter of the new year with a blessing invoking the Name itself — on the very day designated Shem Hashem — is a deliberate and conscious theological act: the Name that was magnified through Yom Kippur's forgiveness is now invoked over his son at the opening of the year] — that you merit to come speedily to all that you have sought your whole life — and more and more. And behold — how very much you gladdened my soul with your letter which I received at this very hour — you gave me life with your words — in seeing that, thanks be to G-d, you have already begun to see the salvation of Hashem — how He, Yisborach, hears the prayer of every mouth always. But even so you still need great and wondrous strengthening — especially in the matter of personal speech between yourself and your Maker. And one must also remember what he, of blessed memory, said [Sichot HaRan 70] — in these words: That is: when He, Yisborach, broadens things a little — it is forbidden to be satisfied with this — but rather to beseech and to yearn at every time for what is still lacking in his service of Hashem. In particular since much is still lacking to us — very, very much. But even so he said that even so one must not be in sadness or black melancholy — only to rejoice greatly in the salvation of Hashem — especially at a time when He broadens things a little in His kindness. And a person of discernment [וּמַשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר — a direct biblical phrase from Mishlai 16:20: "one who is prudent in a matter will find good." This signals that what follows requires genuine spiritual discernment — the teaching is addressed to one who applies careful, attentive understanding to it, not to the casual reader] can understand from this a little — how to conduct himself in this: to always know that much is still lacking — almost beyond measure — and yet always to be in joy. For even in a time of distress, G-d forbid, when it seems to a person that Hashem Yisborach is not paying attention to him at all — even so one must always be in joy and always find some broadening even then — in the aspect of in distress You broadened me [Tehillim 4:2] and so forth. And all the more so at a time when Hashem Yisborach shines His face a little. And it seems to me that you have already heard this conversation from me — and it is impossible to explain it properly in writing — but I have come here as a reminder. And if you merit — you will hear more from me about this. And also the other holy conversations flowing from his awesome words, of blessed memory — like a flowing spring that does not cease —

living waters that do not stop — that purify from all the impurities of the world [מַיִם חַיִּים דְּלָא פָּסְקִין — Zoharic Aramaic: living waters that do not cease — as mentioned in the holy passage Kam Rabi Shimon [recited before Kol Nidrai on Yom Kippur eve], where it is explained that these are the waters of Torah (mayin d'oraysa) that purify from all impurities. Reb Nussun identifies the teachings of Rebbe Nachman with these living waters — fitting precisely on the morning after Yom Kippur, the day of purification, the day of Shem Hashem] — as mentioned in the holy passage Kam Rabi Shimon that is recited before Kol Nidrai — for it is explained there that they are the waters of Torah and

so forth — see there. More than this there is no leisure to extend. The words of your father — who rejoices in your words and awaits complete salvation speedily. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]