נז

My beloved son, my dear one. [Yitzchok] Your letter I received. And it was not possible to reply at once [וְלָא אִיסְתַּיַּע מִלְּתָא — Talmudic Aramaic: "the matter was not assisted" — a standard Aramaic idiom expressing that circumstances prevented the action] — at this time I am very distracted.

But while speaking with Rabbi Ephraim I was reminded of your matter — and especially the matter of the young man Rabbi Yaakov — and I was aroused to prepare this letter. And behold — you yourselves understand that it is in no way my desire that he divorce his first wife — for the altar weeps over this [הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מוֹרִיד עַל זֶה דְּמָעוֹת — Gittin 90b: the Talmud teaches that when a man divorces his first

wife, even the altar of the Temple sheds tears — one of the strongest statements in all of Talmudic literature against unnecessary divorce] [Gittin 90b] — and who knows how long he will be held in limbo until he marries the second. And even if she were to his liking — what of his father-in-law, his mother-in-law, the town and so forth — would things be better or worse? And according to the ways of the world, the great majority do not agree that their son-in-law should throw off the yoke of the world and engage only in Torah and prayer and hisbodidus — all the more so that he would be called their son-in-law in connection with our name. In particular — he will not find any woman in any of these respects who will be spared from all the trials that come to every person who wants to draw near to us to approach the holiness of the truth. And anyone with a little wisdom in their head and somewhat familiar with the ways of the world today can understand all this easily. Therefore my strong opinion and desire is that they speak with my cousin Rabbi Aizik — may his light shine — to intervene for the sake of peace, which is a great mitzvah. And even if his father-in-law would not humble himself so much — I know that Rabbi Yaakov will be able to do whatever he wishes when he is in his own home — more than he can when he is in his father's home. For I understood from before that even his own father would be very angry with him when he arrived — and it could be that his father is not actually opposed at all, but from the great volume of insolent speech he is practically forced to argue greatly with his son. And today it became known to me that his father has arrived — and that he has great trials and immense obstacles from his father — exactly as I had understood it would be. Therefore if he truly wants to be a proper man and truly think of his eternal purpose — there is nothing better for him than to make peace — and not to betray the wife of his youth, G-d forbid [בְּאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרָיו אַל יִבְגֹּד — an echo of Malachi 2:15, the prophet's rebuke of those who cast off their first wives, reinforcing the halachic and moral case against divorce]. And may Hashem guide him and all of us always in the path of truth — and may we not mislead ourselves at all. And for the time being — let him wait from coming here until close to Shabbos Parshas Va'airah — for I inform you, my beloved son, that it appears very likely that I will be with you after the coming Shabbos, G-d willing. And behold — it is necessary to inform you of sad tidings. The daughter of our holy Rebbe, of blessed memory — the tzadekess Marat Soroh, of blessed memory, from Kromintshaig — departed this life [שָׁבְקָה לָן חַיִּים — Aramaic: literally "she left us life." The traditional Aramaic expression for death used throughout the Talmud and in bereavement discourse. Its precise formulation is theologically gentle: the departed one has left life with those who remain — not simply ceased to exist, but deposited life itself with the living. The expression implies a relationship between the deceased and the living that continues through the inheritance of life] on the eve of Shabbos Chanukah. And on the day before she gave birth to a boy — may it be for a good sign — and he entered the covenant after her passing. May Hashem Yisborach console them speedily with the consolations of Tziyon and Yerushalayim — Omain. And behold — yesterday Rabbi Ephraim son of Rabbi Naftali arrived here — and his mother-in-law from there — and also our friend Rabbi Naftali himself — may his light shine. And they want the tzadekess Marat Adl — may she live — to enter the tent of her sister Soroh, of blessed memory, to raise her sister's children — for Rabbi Aizik wishes to marry her. And what happened happened [וּכְבָר הֲוָה מַה דַּהֲוָה — Talmudic Aramaic: "and what happened happened" — resigned acceptance of the irreversible, a fait accompli that must simply be lived with] — for she certainly wept bitterly — it was very hard to bear. May Hashem console her speedily. She has not yet given any reply — but it appears she will certainly be compelled to go. And it could be that I too will be compelled to travel with her — and then I will see to go first to your community to speak with all of you face to face properly, with the help of Hashem Yisborach. And from yourself you will understand to be careful to conceal the matter — so that it does not become known to the young man Rabbi Nachman — may he live — the grandson of our Master, our Teacher and Rebbe, of blessed memory. And now, my beloved son — I have much to reply to your words — and I do not know why you grip yourself in the imprisonment of thought so much. Have I not already informed you that the thought is always in your hand? And I know that it has already helped you much — and yet you still allow your thought to think thoughts of foolishness such as these — and in particular thoughts of desire for money — about which we have already spoken that no one in the world will benefit from this — and even your obstacles will not be nullified by money at all. And if it were possible for some obstacle to be nullified — a thousand other obstacles would arise against it from the abundance of money specifically. And all this — if it were possible for you to attain money through these thoughts. But you yourself know that you achieve nothing through them — and they cause much harm. Why will you not have pity on yourself and cast them behind you — and draw your thought to yearn toward Torah and prayer and so forth? Cast upon Hashem your burden and He will sustain you [Tehillim 55:23] — as I have already written to you: to cast all one's burden and load — and all that weighs upon one's mind — to throw everything upon Hashem Yisborach — as you yourself wrote to me to Adess that these words entered your heart greatly then. And regarding the trials that prevent you from travelling here — for the time being sustain yourself with the knowledge that at any rate you can be with us three times a year at least. And you have already been here, in Hashem's kindness, for Rosh Hashanah and for Shabbos Chanukah — and with the help of Hashem Yisborach also for Shavuos. And presumably once more or even more before that. And if one wants to be a proper man one can become outstanding in true piety through this. And also through true desires and longings one can merit to be here many times — and also to be in Uman — for everything can be achieved through desires and longings. And accustom yourself to speak the longings with your mouth. Arise! Stand! Arouse your good hearts very well — to accustom yourselves to walk in this path — to yearn and to long greatly toward Hashem Yisborach at every time — and to speak the longings with your mouths. For through this worlds are woven and wondrous novelties are created — through the combinations of letters in 231 gates [בְּרל\"א שְׁעָרִים — two hundred and thirty-one gates: a kabbalistic concept from Sefer Yetzirah (2:4-5) — the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet combine in 231 pairs (gates), through whose permutations all created reality is formed. Speech of yearning toward Hashem activates these combinations, weaving new realities in the supernal dimensions] — which combine and pair in new wondrous combinations through the speech of yearning to Hashem — as is understood and explained in the Torah Ais lon baira b'davra [אִית לָן בֵּירָא בְּדַבְרָא — Zoharic Aramaic: "we have a well in the wilderness" — the title-phrase of Likutay Halachos Siman 31 of Reb Nussun, expounding the power of speech and longing to draw living waters into places of desolation. The expressed yearning of the mouth is cosmologically active through the mechanism of the 231 gates] — see there carefully, Siman 31.

For it is not an empty thing — it is your life and so forth. And because today I studied in books of Kabbalah about the formation and weaving of all the worlds through the combinations of letters — 231 gates — front and back — and through this I was greatly aroused today while speaking with one of our young men. How many, how many great virtues for the one who merits to walk in the ways of our Rebbe, of blessed memory — in particular in the matter of desires and longings toward Hashem Yisborach — and to speak them in one's mouth. Happy, happy is the one who holds to this. No mind can contain what is woven and created from this in the supernal worlds [לֵית כָּל מֹחָא סָבִיל דָּא — Zoharic Aramaic: no mind can bear this — transcending the capacity of human comprehension] — and the wondrous delights that rise before Him, Yisborach, through this. Strengthen and encourage yourselves each day to fulfil this conduct at every time — so that it be good for you forever. And the time of Mincha has arrived — and it is impossible to delay any further. And may Hashem answer us on the day we call — and may we merit to accomplish our request in mercy. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]