Ullim LeTroofah – Letter Fifteen | Reb Nussun: Printing Begins, the Inexhaustible Books

Ullim LeTroofah

עלים לתרופה

Leaves for Healing

The Sacred Letters of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and Reb Nussun of Breslov, of blessed memory

LETTER FIFTEEN

Monday, 14th of Kislev, Parshas Vayishlach · Year 5584 (1823)
Written from Breslov

With the help of G-d, may He be blessed

To Abundant peace to my son, our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may his light shine and radiate.

Your letter I received yesterday and it was a great comfort to me — but I was genuinely displeased with you, my son, my dear one, for the commotion you make over my not being in the habit of writing to you every time. Surely you know that I am not a free man — my preoccupations are many from many directions. And in particular at present, for thank G-d we have begun to engage in the printing to complete the Teffilos — that is, the book Likutay Teffilos — with the help of Hashem Yisborach. I believe I already informed you of this — that I had already sent Rabbi Mendil to the community of Minkovitz, and thank G-d last week he arrived in peace and brought the letters of type that had been missing. And between today and tomorrow we will begin with peace, with the help of Hashem, to print them. And you can understand from afar the distraction of my mind in this, in many ways — and in particular on account of lack of funds. But salvation belongs to Hashem.

Yet despite all this, know that it is not my intention to send you a letter every two weeks as you wrote — rather, each and every month I will see, with the help of Hashem Yisborach, to write you a letter. And I caution you greatly that from now on you turn away from this path of waiting every day to receive a letter from me — wearing out your eyes for nothing, G-d forbid — for this too is the work of the ba'al davar (the Adversary), to confuse your mind from your prayer and your learning. And this is the way of young people — that they idle away their small measure of service through confusions and wasteful straining of the eyes over empty matters such as these.

And as for what you wrote — that you have nothing with which to sustain your soul except my letters: in truth my words are worthy of being precious in your eyes and of sustaining your soul — but from each and every letter you can sustain yourself for a long time, with the help of Hashem Yisborach. And in particular:

Behold — all the books of our Master, of blessed memory, are in your hand — filled with great treasuries, treasuries upon treasuries of the fear of Heaven and the revelation of G-dliness in wondrous ways, equal for every soul — great and small, young and old. Turn them over and turn them over — age and wear yourself out in them — for you have no better quality than them. And you also have in your hand some of my own novel teachings, thank G-d. And also, thank G-d, you already know and have heard many precious conversations, more precious than gold — from my mouth and from the mouths of our anshay shlomaynu.

Therefore be strong and courageous in joy always. Hold fast to moral instruction — do not let go. And be constant and unwavering in your learning, and pray with kavanah (devotion), and accustom yourself to hisbodidus (personal prayer) each day as I have instructed you. And beyond this it is impossible to elaborate now — for I am greatly preoccupied. And may there be peace.

The words of your father, who constantly seeks your welfare with love.

The lowly Nussun, son of my lord, my father, our Teacher the Rabbi Naftali Hirtz — may his light shine and radiate.

Overview: Written just three weeks after Letter 14 — on the same Parshas Vayishlach and the same day of the week as Letter 7 of Rebbe Nachman himself — this brief letter from Breslov captures Reb Nussun at one of the most consequential moments of his life: the printing of Likutay Teffilos is finally beginning. Against this background of historic spiritual labour, he addresses his son's excessive longing for letters with a rebuke that doubles as a complete teaching: the books of Rebbe Nachman are inexhaustible. No letter can replace them. Turn them over, age in them, wear yourself out in them.

Key Themes

The Printing of Likutay Teffilos Likutay Teffilos — Reb Nussun's own masterwork of 210 original prayers drawn from the teachings of Likutay Moharan — was printed in Breslov in 5584 (1823–4). This letter captures the moment the printing is beginning: the missing type-letters have just arrived from Minkovitz, and Reb Nussun is consumed by the work, financially stretched, and radiating purposeful joy.

The Work of the Adversary Waiting for letters, straining the eyes, anxious checking — Reb Nussun identifies this apparently innocent habit as the work of the ba'al davar (the Adversary): it distracts from prayer and learning. The same principle applies to any form of restless external seeking that draws attention away from the inner work.

Treasuries Equal for Every Soul The description of Rebbe Nachman's books as "equal for every soul — great and small, young and old" is one of the most inclusive statements in the collection. The teachings of Likutay Moharan are not only for the learned elite: they are accessible and nourishing for every person at every level.

Age and Wear Yourself Out in Them The phrase siv u'vlay bahem — age and wear yourself out in them — intensifies Ben Bag Bag's original dictum from Avos. It is not enough to turn the pages: you must grow old in these books, let them form the texture of your life, until they are as familiar as your own thoughts.

Note on Parshas Vayishlach

Letter 15 falls on Monday, 14th of Kislev — Parshas Vayishlach, the same portion as Letter 7 of Rebbe Nachman (written 15 years earlier) and Letter 11 (written the previous year). Parshas Vayishlach — Yaakov wrestling with the angel, emerging wounded and blessed — seems to recur naturally around moments of struggle and spiritual effort in this collection.