The bearer of this letter — Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin — will tell you of my preoccupation just now. But from my love for you and my longing — the necessity compels me to write you these few lines at any rate. Be strong — my son — and resolute — and trust in Hashem — for He will not abandon us. And we must return every day and remember what was written on the verse *batzar hirchavta li* — in distress You gave me expansiveness [LM I:195; Tehillim 4:2] — and in this is all our vitality now. And the vastness of the expansions that are within the very force of the distresses — they are our vitality and our strengthening — so as not to despair from prayer and crying and supplication [עֹצֶם הַרְחָבוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ תֹּקֶף הַצָּרוֹת — the extraordinary phrase: *otzem haharchavos sheb'toch toqef hatzaros* — the VASTNESS of the expansions WITHIN THE VERY FORCE of the distresses. Not merely within the distresses — but within their very force and intensity. The greater the pressure — the more vast the hidden expansiveness within it] — and to hope for His salvation always — for certainly He will help and save us for the sake of His great Name — through the great power of the holy elder upon whom we lean in this world and the next forever [בְּגֹדֶל כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל זָקֵן דִּקְדֻשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָנוּ נִשְׁעָנִים עָלָיו — "through the great power of the holy elder upon whom we lean." The *zaken dikdushah* — Rebbe Nachman — is the one upon whom Reb Nussun leans in every crisis of this world and the next. Written from exile — the leaning is the very substance of the hope].
The words of your father — greatly preoccupied — who awaits salvation.
Nussun of Breslov.
Overview: Sunday, Parshas Nitzavim — from Nemirov — the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5596. A brief ardent note: *machmad l'vavi* — the delight of my heart. Rabbi Nachman of Tulchin will tell of his preoccupation. But from love and longing — the compulsion to write these few lines. *Chazak v'ematz u'vtach baHashem.* Return every day and remember *batzar hirchavta li* — in this is all our vitality now. The vastness of the expansions within the very force of the distresses — our vitality and strengthening not to despair from prayer and crying — to hope for His salvation always — for certainly He will help and save for the sake of His great Name — through the great power of the holy elder upon whom we lean in this world and the next forever.