Behold I am writing with tears — as I remember the greatness of your sorrow — that we did not merit that you be with us at the past Rosh Hashana. But let your heart be firm and trusting — that certainly this too is for the good — for the ways of Hashem are wondrous — very very wondrous — and very deep are His thoughts, Yisborach [מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו — Tehillim 92:6: mah gadlu ma'asecha Hashem me'od amku machsh'vosecha — "how great are Your works, Hashem — very deep are Your thoughts." The Psalm of Shabbos — already drawn upon in Letter 144 for *ra'anan b'heichalcha* — now invoked for its second and deeper clause. The verse of the incomprehensibility of divine providence: the person who sees only the surface cannot understand why suffering is permitted; the divine *machshavah* — thought, intention, plan — lies beneath all human apprehension, very very deep. Reb Nussun wields both clauses of the Shabbos Psalm together: the *darkei Hashem niflaos* of the first clause, and the *me'od amku machsh'vosav* of the second] [Tehillim 92:6]. And behold — now — Hashem has arranged for my home the bearer of this letter — our dear friend Rabbi Ayzik — may his light shine — and this too is from Hashem — wondrous — as he will tell you.
Please — my beloved son — write to me immediately after Yom Kippur about your good health. And may the Master of Mercy forgive your sins — and raise you from your illness — and may you return to your former strength in fullness. For our sages of blessed memory said: no person rises from his illness until his sins are forgiven [אֵין אָדָם עוֹמֵד מֵחָלְיוֹ עַד שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ עֲווֹנוֹתָיו — Nedarim 41a: the Talmudic interlocking of physical recovery and spiritual forgiveness. Used here not to deepen guilt but to give hope: if forgiveness and recovery travel together — then forgiveness is imminent, and so is recovery] [Nedarim 41a] — how much more so when both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur have passed over you — and certainly your sins have already been forgiven. And from now return to walk in the ways of Hashem — and strengthen yourself in His service and in His Torah — in all that you can [תָּשׁוּב לָלֶכֶת בְּדַרְכֵי ה' — the language of *teshuvah* as new beginning: not guilt but resumption of a journey briefly interrupted. *Tashuv laleches* — return to walking — from here, forward, in the ways of Hashem] — and rejoice and exult in His salvation [וְתָגִיל וְתָשִׂישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ — the paired prophetic verbs of complete joy: Yeshayahu 61:10 — sos asis b'Hashem tagel nafshi b'Elokai — "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem — my soul will exult in my G-d." The verse of the person clothed in salvation and robed in righteousness: *sos* and *tagel* — the two roots of full rejoicing — expressing from both the inner soul and the whole person the complete joy of divine salvation. Reb Nussun takes the two verbs — *tagil* and *tasis* — from this register of prophetic joy: not ordinary gladness but the overflowing joy of the person who has been given salvation as a garment] [Yeshayahu 61:10] — and may the sealing be for good — for long good life and peace.
The words of your father — who intercedes on your behalf.
Nussun of Breslov.
Overview: Erev Yom Kippur, 5595. Writing with tears: did not merit Yitzchok for Rosh Hashana. *Darkei Hashem niflaos me'od me'od* and *me'od amku machsh'vosav*: now identified as Tehillim 92:6 — the Psalm of Shabbos — both clauses wielded together: the wondrous divine ways and the incomprehensible divine thought lying beneath all human apprehension. Rabbi Ayzik as messenger. *Ein adam omed mechalyo* (Nedarim 41a). Certainly forgiven. *Tashuv laleches b'darkei Hashem*. *V'tagil v'tasis bishuaso*: now identified as Yeshayahu 61:10 — the paired prophetic verbs of complete joy — the person clothed in salvation, rejoicing from both inner soul and whole person simultaneously.