You have revived me with your words — in what you informed me — that praised be G-d the books were returned in His kindness and wonders — for until now my eyes have been longing for this. And at the beginning of this night I arrived here from the community of Tcherin — tired and exhausted — awaiting and hoping perhaps I would merit to find here a letter from you — and in His kindness Yisborach I received from Rabbi Efraim — may he live — your letter before I even entered the house — for he had received it yesterday. And I immediately read it — and I was astonished at you — my beloved son — that you did not inform me at the very start of the letter of this great salvation and deliverance. And I was compelled to read much of your letter — hearing the greatness of our sorrow and humiliations — may the Omnipresent have mercy — and my eyes were longing for the above-mentioned good news — until I merited to find on the second page good news that fattens the bone [שְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה תְּדַשֶּׁן עָצֶם — Mishlai 15:30: "good news fattens the bone." The proverbial verse of good tidings whose nourishing power reaches to the bone — the deepest level of the body] [Mishlai 15:30]. How great are the kindnesses of Hashem and His wonders [מַה גָּדְלוּ חַסְדֵי ה' וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו — the register of Tehillim 31:20 — mah rav tuvcha asher tzafanta lirei'echa — "how great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You" — and Tehillim 40:6 — mah rabu ma'asecha Hashem... nifle'osecha u'machsh'vosecha — "how numerous are Your works, Hashem... Your wonders and Your thoughts." The Psalmist's characteristic expression of overwhelmed gratitude before divine wonders that exceed all counting and all speech] — what shall we return to Hashem for all His gifts to us [מַה נָּשִׁיב לַה' כָּל תַּגְמוּלוֹהִי עָלֵינוּ — Tehillim 116:12: "what shall I return to Hashem for all His recompenses to me?" The great verse of overwhelmed gratitude — already identified in this collection] [Tehillim 116:12]. And behold — the multitude of humiliations you wrote — although my sorrow is great from all of this — even so the whole thing is vanity — for time flies and our days are like a passing shadow [וְיָמֵינוּ כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר — Tehillim 144:4: "man is like a breath — his days are like a passing shadow." The radical transience of human life: the humiliations too will pass like a shadow] [Tehillim 144:4] — and in a few days everything will pass and everything will be forgotten — and the one who remains at his post — sheltering in the shadow of his holiness — and engaging with his holy books — how fortunate is he. And to turn away — G-d forbid — certainly such a person will be ashamed before himself and will greatly regret it — in this world and in the World to Come. And such humiliations have already passed in previous generations — when the Baal Shem Tov — of blessed memory — illuminated his holy light in the world. And if in some respects the humiliations are now greater — on the contrary — from this one can understand the greatness of what is so desirable. And look and see wonders — that even now He opens a path for His anger — and the obstacles and the humiliations come upon one according to measure — weighed out for the one upon whom they are decreed — and all by exact reckoning. And if we do not know the reason in detail — certainly Hashem is righteous in all His ways — for very deep are His thoughts — and the entire world is full of trials every day.
And certainly Rabbi Itzik son of Rabbi Avraham Dov needed to be tested and refined in the matter that passed over him. And at first he acted foolishly in what he did — at such a time when the wise one at such a time should be silent — and afterwards he made things worse by separating himself from us — which he knows in his own soul and in his heart — from the point of truth. But I am confident in him that — with the help of Hashem Yisborach — he will not become an opponent. And if he merited nothing from all his journeys except this — it is sufficient for him.
To our *anshei sh'lomaynu* — give peace to each one — in my estimation from themselves they will strengthen — whoever has a true mind in his head — and they will fulfil: hide for but a small moment until the anger passes [חֲבִי כִמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבֹר זָעַם — Yeshayahu 26:20: "go my people — enter your chambers — and close your doors behind you — hide for but a small moment until the anger passes." Strategic withdrawal: shelter, endure, and wait for the moment to pass] [Yeshayahu 26:20] — for certainly Hashem Yisborach will not abandon us and will do with us a sign for good — and they will return to us and we will not return to them — for certainly the words of him — of blessed memory (Chayei Moharan 218) — will be fulfilled: "Ich hob ois gefirt un vel ois firen." [Chayei Moharan 218]
And from Tcherin I wrote you a letter to the holy community of Tulchin — and there I informed you that I had sent from Uman several letters to Breslov — and to you in particular — and I was very astonished that not one of them reached you — and I have sorrow from this. But the salvation you informed me of surpasses everything — and in Hashem is the hope that everything will turn to good. And regarding what concerns you — I have already anticipated my answer in these words — for the world is full of trials each day in several ways — and for all of them we have a founded foundation — a strong and everlasting foundation — which is the *tzaddik* who is the foundation of the world — the simple foundation [הַצַּדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם יְסוֹד הַפָּשׁוּט — Mishlai 10:25 and Breslov teaching: the *tzaddik* as the simple, unadorned bedrock upon which everything rests] [Mishlai 10:25] — upon him each and every one must lean in all that passes over him — for we did not come to this world to eat and drink and other lusts G-d forbid — and not for money and illusory honor — but only to endure toil and effort in order to recognize our Creator and Former — Yisborach His Name — according to the Torah which Moshe placed before the children of Israel — and according to how the true *tzaddikim* in each generation guide us — for one must endure bitterness each time — and afterwards Hashem Yisborach helps in His kindness — as we have already seen many times — and as it is written: behold — for peace — bitterness was very bitter to me [הִנֵּה לְשָׁלוֹם מַר לִי מָר — Yeshayahu 38:17 / LM I:27: Chizkiyahu's prayer after recovery — the bitterness was the path to peace — not its obstacle] [Yeshayahu 38:17; Likutay Moharan I:27] — as explained in his holy books (Likutay Moharan I:27).
And as it appears now — I will not linger here very long — and the time of the morning prayer has arrived. By day may Hashem command His kindness [יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה ה' חַסְדּוֹ — Tehillim 42:9: yomam yetzavveh Hashem chasdo uvalaylah shiro imi — "by day Hashem commands His kindness — and at night His song is with me." The verse of day-and-night divine accompaniment] [Tehillim 42:9] — and may He give us merit to pray with great *kavvanah* — to recognize how He, Yisborach, renews in His goodness every day always the work of Creation — and contracts Himself from the Infinite to no end in every act and word and thought of every person — according to the place and the time — and hints to him his hints [מְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, וּמְצַמְצֵם אֶת עַצְמוֹ מֵאֵין סוֹף עַד אֵין תַּכְלִית בְּכָל מַעֲשֶׂה דִּבּוּר וּמַחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁל כָּל אָדָם כְּפִי הַמָּקוֹם וְהַזְּמַן וּמְרַמֵּז לוֹ רְמָזִים — a profound theological statement about divine *tzimtzum* — contraction — as an ongoing providential process. The daily renewal of Creation (*chidush bereishis*) is only possible because Hashem continuously contracts Himself from the *Ein Sof* — the truly Infinite — in order to be present within every act (*ma'aseh*), every word (*dibbur*), and every thought (*machshavah*) of every single person — according to their specific place and time. This is not the primordial *tzimtzum* of the Ari but an ongoing, moment-by-moment divine self-contraction that makes personal providence possible: Hashem meets each person within their specific situation, and through this intimate presence hints to them the hints they need to find their way] — and to fulfil: to declare in the morning Your kindness [לְהַגִּיד בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ — Tehillim 92:3: l'hagid baboker chasdecha ve'emunascha baleilos — "to declare in the morning Your kindness and Your faithfulness in the nights." The Psalm of Shabbos — the verse of the twin testimonies that frame the *Ashrei* of a life lived in awareness of Hashem's gifts: morning is for declaring His *chesed*; night is for receiving His *song*] [Tehillim 92:3] and so forth.
"Gievald! Vos shveigen mir az mir hobin azons gehert!" [Yiddish: "Gievald! What are we silent for — that we have heard such things!" The cry of astonishment and urgency — having heard the Rebbe's words we can remain silent and inactive? Applied to each word and each Torah: the person who has heard should cry this cry] — over every single word and word — each person must say a thousand times: had I not come into the world — for this alone it would have been worthwhile [אִלְמָלֵא לָא אָתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא — Kiddushin 40b: "had I not come into the world except for this — it would have been sufficient." Each word of the Rebbe's Torah alone would have justified the entire journey of one's life] [Kiddushin 40b] — and these books they are tearing and disdaining — woe to them and woe to their souls. May the Master of Mercy return them to the truth — and may He return us to truly fulfil His holy words — spoken in truth — in general and in particular for every person and at every time and in most particular detail every day and at every time.
What shall I say to you — my dear sons and all our faithful *anshei sh'lomaynu* — place your hearts well to what is done with a person in this passing world — in this fleeting shadow — which everyone knows is vanity of vanities — all is vanity. And if they do not merit to improve their deeds — and also spoil — yet they even further strengthen themselves against the point of truth — which has merited to emerge from the vanities of this world entirely — which does not wish to leave any vanity in this world. How fortunate are we — how good is our portion — that our soul has escaped from this like a bird — blessed is the Merciful One who has delivered us from this [בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּפַלְטֵי לָן מֵהָדָא — Aramaic: the Talmudic formula of thanksgiving for having been spared from something spiritually dangerous (*Berachos* 54a and elsewhere). Blessed is the Merciful One who delivered us from the pull of *hevel*]. So may Hashem continue to deliver our soul even from all the vanities of this world — and to engage in Torah and prayer and good deeds — all the days of our lives — forever — Omain.
The words of your father — who awaits seeing you soon — with the help of Hashem Yisborach.
Nussun of Breslov.
And peace to all our *anshei sh'lomaynu* — with great love.
Overview: Friday morning watch — Parshas Vaeira — Kremenchug. Books returned — *shmu'ah tovah t'dashen atzem* (Mishlai 15:30). *Mah gadlu chasday Hashem*: now identified as the register of Tehillim 31:20 / 40:6 — overwhelmed Psalmist gratitude. *Mah nashiv laHashem* (Tehillim 116:12). *Yamenu k'tzeil over* (Tehillim 144:4). *Chabu kime'at rega* (Yeshayahu 26:20). *Tzaddik yesod olam* (Mishlai 10:25). *Hineh l'shalom mar li mar* (Yeshayahu 38:17 / LM I:27). *Yomam yetzavveh Hashem chasdo* (Tehillim 42:9). The omitted *tzimtzum* passage now restored: Hashem contracts Himself from the Infinite in every act, word, and thought of every person according to place and time — the theological foundation of personal providence. *L'hagid baboker chasdecha*: now identified as Tehillim 92:3 — the Shabbos Psalm's morning-and-night testimony. Yiddish *gievald*. *Ilmale lo asina l'alma* (Kiddushin 40b). *Berich rachmana d'palti lan*.