Ullim LeTroofah
עלים לתרופה
Leaves for Healing
LETTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN
Blessed be Hashem  ·  Sunday, Purim — Breslov  ·  Year 5598 (1838)
To Simchah v'sason la'Yehudim — joy and gladness to the Jews [Esther 8:16] — and among them the honor of my beloved son — friend of my soul — the rabbinical scholar — and so forth — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live — with all who go forth from his loins.

This hour — after the finishing of the reading of the Megillah — I received his letter — and it was a great comfort to me. His letter that was sent via a messenger — he already wrote to him that he received it — but his first letter he has still not received. And just now know that Hashem Yisborach does new things at every time — for on the holy past Shabbas night — a son was born for good fortune to your mechutan — and he will enter the bris if Hashem wills on the coming Shabbas Kodesh. Therefore he came before me with a request and pressed me to postpone the tena'im — the betrothal celebration — until the coming Shabbas — so as not to burden him with two great festive meals — and I agreed. And also there are other reasons for this that it is for the good — as he will tell him. Therefore do not come with your household tomorrow — only come yourself without delay tomorrow if Hashem wills — and remain some hours or a day — and afterwards return to your home. And on Erev Shabbas Kodesh coming upon us for good — come with all your household. And on Motza'ei Shabbas — the celebration of the tena'im together with the seudat habris milah — and Hashem the Good will complete for good — nagila v'nismecha bishu'aso.

And now I will inform you my beloved son — and all the anshei sh'lomaynunew wonders. For in this night — after we merited to rejoice as fitting — and also he — praised be G-d — danced greatly on Shabbas Kodesh and on the past night — and he let himself sleep after midnight — and he could not sleep. Afterwards — at about three hours after midnight — one man came to his house — who had informed on him as is well known — and he came with great and powerful weeping — with prostration and kneeling and bowing down. And at first he sent to him his teacher — his friend Rabbi Yitzchok the Kohen son of Rabbi Yudel — and woke him and told him that he was already in his lower house — and was weeping before the righteous tzadekkes Marat Adil — may she live — for his wife had become very very ill — unto death. And so it was — for at that hour she passed away.

But he himself — together with his son the bridegroom — came up afterwards to my upper house — and immediately upon entering — he fell on my feet and kissed them with great force — until I feel the force of the kiss on my feet. And so he did many many times — that he fell on my feet and kissed them greatly — and begged my forgiveness in weeping with flowing tears — and said: "I have sinned — all the informing was through me — what should I do — forgive me." And he gave me two silver ruble as pidyon. [פִּדְיוֹן — redemption money — a sum given to a tzaddik as a spiritual redemption — a central practice in Breslov through which the tzaddik intercedes on behalf of the soul of the one who gives it] And he wept that he had no more to give — and he promised that if he could repair what he had corrupted — certainly he would repair it — and strive for his benefit with all his strength. And he said that also today he can enter here.

More than this it is impossible to express. *"Lechu chazu mif'alos Hashem"* — come and see the works of Hashem. [Tehillim 46:9] Would that all the opponents merit to appease me — for their own eternal benefit. And the ways of Hashem are very very hidden — great are the deeds of Hashem — very deep are His thoughts — rejoice my brothers and friends in the salvation of Hashem. Until now His mercies and chasadim have not abandoned us — so may He add in doubled doubling to show us His chesed — and His salvation give us. All through the power of the holy elder — the chesed of all chasadim.

Rejoice in Hashem and in His holy tzaddikim — especially now in Purim — time of joy for all — "Purim in land! Purim in land!" — Purim in the land! Purim in the land! [פּוּרִים אִין לַאנְד — Yiddish: Purim in the land — a joyful exclamation — Purim is here — Purim has arrived!] There is no leisure to extend — for I have still not begun to fulfil the mitzvah of becoming intoxicated on Purim — would that I merit to fulfil it as fitting and to rejoice as fitting — until we merit to draw the aspect of "kaymu v'kiblu" — they confirmed and accepted — anew. [קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ — Esther 9:27 — the Talmud (Shabbas 88a) teaches that at Purim the Jewish people confirmed the acceptance of the Torah they had first accepted under compulsion at Sinai — this time from love — kaymu v'kiblu — they confirmed and accepted. Reb Nussun sees in the joy of Purim the power to renew this acceptance anew each year]

Nussun of Breslov.

Overview: Sunday, Purim — Breslov. Simchah v'sason la'Yehudim — and among them my beloved son — friend of my soul — Rabbi Yitzchok. This hour after finishing the reading of the Megillah — he received his letter — great comfort. His first letter he has still not received. Hashem Yisborach does new things at every time — for on the holy past Shabbas night — a son was born for good fortune to his mechutan — and he will enter the bris if Hashem wills on the coming Shabbas Kodesh. Therefore he came and pressed him to postpone the tena'im until the coming Shabbas — and he agreed. Therefore do not come with your household tomorrow — only come yourself without delay — and remain some hours or a day. On Erev Shabbas come with all your household. On Motza'ei Shabbas — the tena'im together with the seudat habris milahnagila v'nismecha bishu'aso. Then: now I will inform you — new wonders. For in this night — after we merited to rejoice as fitting — and he danced greatly on Shabbas and on the past night — and let himself sleep after midnight — and could not sleep. At about three hours after midnight — one man came to his house — who had informed on him as is well known — and he came with great and powerful weeping — with prostration and kneeling and bowing down. He sent first his teacher — Rabbi Yitzchok the Kohen son of Rabbi Yudel — who woke him and told him he was already in his lower house — weeping before the righteous tzadekkes Marat Adil — for his wife had become very ill unto death. And so it was — for at that hour she passed away. But he himself with his son the bridegroom — came up afterwards to his upper house — and immediately fell on his feet and kissed them with great force — until he feels the force of the kiss on his feet. And so he did many many times — fell on his feet and kissed them greatly — and begged his forgiveness in weeping with flowing tears — and said: "I have sinned — all the informing was through me — what should I do — forgive me." And he gave him two silver ruble as pidyon. And he wept that he had no more to give — and promised that if he could repair what he had corrupted — certainly he would repair it. "Lechu chazu mif'alos Hashem." Would that all the opponents merit to appease him — for their own eternal benefit. Great are the deeds of Hashem — very deep are His thoughts — rejoice my brothers and friends in the salvation of Hashem. Until now His mercies and chasadim have not abandoned us — so may He add in doubled doubling. All through the power of the holy elder — the chesed of all chasadim. Rejoice in Hashem and in His holy tzaddikim — especially now in Purim — time of joy for all — "Purim in land! Purim in land!" There is no leisure to extend — for he has still not begun to fulfil the mitzvah of becoming intoxicated on Purim — until we merit to draw the aspect of "kaymu v'kiblu" anew.

Key Themes

New Wonders — He Fell on My Feet — Lechu Chazu Mif'alos Hashem At three hours after midnight — one man came — who had informed on him — and came with great and powerful weeping — fell on his feet and kissed them with great force — begged his forgiveness in weeping with flowing tears — "I have sinned — all the informing was through me — forgive me." Gave two silver ruble as pidyon. "Lechu chazu mif'alos Hashem." Would that all opponents merit to appease him for their eternal benefit. Great are the deeds of Hashem — very deep are His thoughts.
Purim In Land — Kaymu V'Kiblu — They Confirmed and Accepted — Anew Rejoice in Hashem and in His holy tzaddikim — especially now in Purim — time of joy for all — "Purim in land! Purim in land!" All through the power of the holy elder — the chesed of all chasadim. Would that he merits to fulfil the mitzvah of Purim as fitting and to rejoice as fitting — until we merit to draw the aspect of "kaymu v'kiblu" anew.