His letter I received the past week. Rabbi Ephraim son of Rabbi Naftali and Rabbi Simchah Baruch came here on the past Erev Shabbas. The *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande — the son-in-law of the *atkapchik* [אַטקַאפְּטְשִׁיק — a Russian administrative official; the *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande is connected to an influential local authority through family] — also came here on the past Erev Shabbas and is still here — and he seeks our welfare and wishes to meet face to face with me and to come to my home. May Hashem Yisborach have mercy that everything be for good. At present Hashem Yisborach helped us greatly — but there was great fear for me on the past Erev Shabbas — and I endured bitterness and fears then — of which it seemed to me that such a fear I had not yet had since the day this *machloket* began to burn.
For my friends from outside sent me word that they wish to expel themselves from here on Shabbas specifically. And it is impossible to describe all that passed in this on that above-mentioned day — for they literally killed me and revived me many times on that day [מַמָּשׁ הֵמִיתוּ וְהֶחֱיוּ אוֹתִי כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים — the language of extreme spiritual and emotional oscillation: news would come that the threat was advancing — then that it had receded — then advancing again. Each swing was like death and resuscitation]. Blessed is the One Who gives strength to the weary — that I endured all of this. [Yeshayahu 40:29] And Hashem was my help — that I strengthened myself in wholeness and simplicity [חִזַּקְתִּי עַצְמִי בִּתְמִימוּת — in *temimus*: the Breslov path of simple, wholesome faith without sophistication or calculation. When the fear threatened to overwhelm him — Reb Nussun found his footing in *temimus* — simple grateful faith] — in that I was saved from being such an opponent against such truth — and also that I merited to write his holy and awesome and true books and so forth.
And meanwhile the above-mentioned people arrived — and this too revived me greatly — and I believed and saw with the eyes of my mind that this was from Hashem — it is wondrous in our eyes [מֵאֵת ה' הָיְתָה זֹאת הִיא נִפְלָאוֹת בְּעֵינֵינוּ — Tehillim 118:23: the verse of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone — *meis Hashem haysah zos hi niflais b'eineinu*. Applied here: the arrival of the guests at exactly that moment of greatest danger was a divine *niflais* — a wondrous act — in Reb Nussun's eyes] [Tehillim 118:23]. How great are the works of Hashem — very deep are His thoughts [Tehillim 92:6]. And Rabbi Nachman of Teplik also came with Rabbi Ephraim for Shabbas — and praised be G-d — we had a beautiful Shabbas — and they also danced somewhat. It is good to give thanks to Hashem Who helped us until here.
And behold — they have already been before the governor and the district governor — and both of them swore solemn oaths that nothing whatsoever would be done to me. And as it appears — praised be G-d — their words are true. Only the fear was from people of the police — for the informers wished to incite them without the governor — since he was somewhat ill — and so it was rising in their minds — but in the mercies of Hashem Yisborach — they turned back from this — because of the fear of the higher court above them — that they would be caught in the net through such injustice. And also people were found from outside who spoke to their hearts that they should not do such a thing. But the intention of the wicked was to do harm — and Hashem frustrated their counsel. So may He frustrate and demolish and uproot and break and humble them beneath us — and may the truth be revealed in the world. Be strong — my son — and gladden your soul in the salvation of Hashem — and ask for the future — and so forth.
The words of your father.
Nussun of Breslov.
Overview: Sunday, Parshas Kedoshim — Breslov. The greatest fear since the *machloket* began: the opponents planned to expel Reb Nussun on Shabbas itself. News came in waves — "they literally killed me and revived me many times on that day." He strengthened himself in *temimus* — grateful that he was saved from opposing such truth and that he merited to write the Rebbe's holy books. The timely arrival of Rabbi Ephraim son of Rabbi Naftali, Rabbi Simchah Baruch, and the *nagid* Rabbi Moshe Lande from Uman — *meis Hashem haysah zos* (Tehillim 118:23). A beautiful Shabbas with dancing. The governors swore solemn oaths that nothing would be done to him. The police-level attack thwarted by fear of higher authority.