סט

My beloved son. [Yitzchok] My beloved son — your letter I received through the first post on Tuesday Parshas Behar — and from yourself you will understand the greatness of the

[Hebrew: אֲהוּבִי בְּנִי שֶׁיִּחְיֶה....]

distress it caused me. But from Hashem it was that I had already learned a little of this matter last Shabbos — as I already informed you in my letter —

and I certainly spoke much of this at the holy resting place. And blessed be Hashem who in His compassion also sent me your second letter this week — in which some broadenings were mentioned — for in the distress He broadened us [בַּצָּר הִרְחִיב לָנוּ — Tehillim 4:2, the refrain of consolation running throughout these letters since Letter 59: from within the distress itself, He broadens]. Blessed be Hashem who has helped us until here. But we still need much salvation — that Hashem Yisborach may have compassion on His own honour and on the honour of the true Tzadik — and have compassion on the persecuted such as we are — and save us from the hand of our enemies and those who pursue us without cause. And may He speedily confound the counsel of all those who rise against us for evil and ruin their plans — and may there be fulfilled in this month: my enemies shall return, they shall be ashamed in an instant [א'וֹיְבָי יָ'שֻׁבוּ יֵ'בֹשׁוּ רָ'גַע — Tehillim 6:11, whose initial letters again spell Iyar — the monthly acrostic formula repeated from Letter 75, confirming its deliberate use during this period of persecution] — Omain. Now I come to bring you glad tidings of Hashem's kindness and His immense wonders — that, praise be to G-d, I purchased for fifty new rubles magnificent and choice roof beams — and they have already begun to hew them. And I also purchased timber for the columns which they call slopiss — and in Hashem's kindness they will soon raise the building with the help of Hashem. And I am ready now in the morning — if Hashem wills — to travel home. And on the coming Shabbos Kodesh I will rest in the holy community of Teplik — and in the coming week I will come home, with the help of Hashem Yisborach. And on account of my great distraction it is impossible now to extend at all. And if Hashem wills — when you are with me for the holy Shavuos coming upon us for good — we will recount His wonders, Yisborach, which He has bestowed upon us until here — in particular regarding this holy building. And we will give thanks for the past and petition for the future — may Hashem be with us to complete it speedily. And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu — with great love — and in particular to my friend our Teacher the Rabbi Shimshon — may his light shine. Be strong and let your hearts be courageous — all who hope in Hashem. Do not fear and do not be dismayed — for Hashem is with us — may He not forsake us and may He not abandon us. May they be ashamed and confounded together — all our enemies — they shall be ashamed and we shall not be ashamed. Blessed be Hashem, Yisborach — we have no reason to be ashamed before them at all in this matter of the opposition — for their complaint is not against us but against Hashem and against His holy Torah and against the true Tzadik — the Tzadik who is the foundation of the world — upon whom all the house of Israel leans. Let them hold to their path — of multiplying drinking and drunkenness and spending their days in frivolity — and we, in the name of our G-d, shall invoke more Torah and

[Hebrew: נָתָן מִבְּרֶסְלֶב...]

prayer and the saying of Tehillim and hisbodidus — and rejoicing in Hashem and in His Torah and in the true Tzadik. And we shall see whose word will stand [וְנִרְאֶה דְּבַר מִי יָקוּם — a biblical declaration echoing Yeshayah 46:10 — "declaring the end from the beginning... My counsel shall stand" — and more precisely Mishlai 19:21: "many are the thoughts in a person's heart — but the counsel of Hashem, it shall stand." The phrase davar mi yakum — whose word shall stand — is not a rhetorical question

but a prophetic challenge: it invokes the certainty of divine counsel prevailing over all human opposition. Reb Nussun is declaring, not asking]. Happy are we — how good is our portion [אַשְׁרֵינוּ מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקֵנוּ — the Shacharith liturgical phrase: "happy are we — how good is our portion — how pleasant is our lot — how beautiful is our inheritance." The shame of persecution is inverted into a declaration of pride] — that they pursue us because we are called by his holy name. The portions fell for me in pleasant places — indeed a beautiful inheritance is mine [חֲבָלִים נָפְלוּ לִי בַּנְּעִימִים אַף נַחֲלָת שָׁפְרָה עָלֵי — Tehillim 16:6: a verse of pure gratitude for the lot one has been given. Applied here as the final word after all the persecution: our inheritance, however it looks to others, is beautiful beyond measure] . The words of your father who awaits salvation. Nussun of Breslov. Nussun of Breslov.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]