Your letter I received this very hour — and I hastened and did not delay to respond to you, for your love to me is wondrous, as you know. And how greatly my heart yearns for you — I am grieved over you, my brother, my beloved. Alas, my brother — you have bowed me down, for you have mixed my joy — with which I had rejoiced as over all riches — upon hearing the report that he had already begun to return to his former strength. And now you inform me of your pains that have returned and been aroused again — ailments and so forth. May Hashem Yisborach heal you speedily.
Please, my brother, my beloved and dear friend — remember, do not forget, all that we merited to hear and to see from the mouth of the Sava d'Savin (the Elder of Elders). For there is in them enough to give yourself life at every time — whether in good or in difficulty, whether in ascent or in descent — at every time and at every level — whoever one may be. From the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop growing from the wall [cf. Melachim I 5:13] — meaning even the very lowest in spiritual standing — all as one can give themselves life through the holy words if they truly set their heart and eyes upon them.
And even if now your strength is weak for engaging in Torah and prayer — nonetheless there are counsels in his holy words for how to give life to oneself even at this time — namely through will and yearning and longing for Hashem Yisborach and for His Torah — as explained in his holy books. And to pour out one's speech before Hashem Yisborach like a son before his father. And in particular one who is not on the line of health — whose heart is broken within him — it is natural for him to pour out his speech even before people with a broken heart — how much more so before Hashem Yisborach, who has struck and who will heal.
And accustom yourself and strengthen yourself with all your might to gladden your soul with everything possible. For all illnesses come through sadness — and joy is a great medicine for every kind of illness — as explained in Likutay Tinyana, section 24 — see there. And how can every person gladden his soul? Through what he has merited — that G-d has not made him a gentile — and has separated us from those who go astray, and so forth.
Hope to Hashem and He will save you — for surely not lost, G-d forbid, is every single step and every single movement and every single perutah (coin) that you toiled with your body and your means in order to draw close to such a true, awesome, and most exalted Tzaddik, of blessed memory. And all is remembered for your good. And his merit will shield you — to rescue you from all evil and return you to your full former strength — and straighten your heart toward him in truth — and cause you to succeed in all that you turn to — to do you good in your end. May your end grow greater than your beginning [cf. Iyov 8:7].
The words of one who loves you in truth for eternity — who awaits your salvation speedily.
Nussun of Breslov.
I also extend greetings of peace to all of you with great love. For the sake of Hashem — strengthen yourselves to rejoice in the coming holy festival that is upon us for good — to fulfil completely and you shall rejoice in your festival [Devarim 16:14]. And already known to you is that, thank G-d, we have wherewith to rejoice — and this is the truth, in truth. And take care to gather together with love and brotherhood and peace and friendship — without any grudge between one and his fellow — for our Master, of blessed memory, warned us with many warnings regarding the love of friends. And from the greatness of the urgency it is impossible to elaborate.
The words of one who loves you in truth for ever and ever.
Nussun, as above.
Overview: Written just eight days after Letter 25 — still in the weeks of the omer, approaching Shavuos — this tender letter to the gravely ill Rabbi Naftali is one of the most compassionate in the collection. Reb Nussun had just heard a hopeful report of improvement — and then within hours receives a letter revealing the illness has worsened. He pours out a full prayer, a teaching on giving life to oneself even when too weak for Torah and prayer, and the great declaration that joy is the medicine for all illness, cited to Likutay Tinyana 24.