His letter I received last week — and surely my grief is very
great at his grief — and in particular over the disruption of
Torah study and prayer that it causes him. But how
greatly you gave me life with your words — that you wrote
that you are strengthening yourself on the basis of the words you
heard on the past Shavuos — and that you snatch whatever good
you are able to snatch — and in the remaining times you strengthen
yourself with holy will and longing — and wait and hope for His
salvation, may He be blessed.
This is the right approach — and this is
how it is beautiful for you to conduct yourself.
For even when Hashem Yisborach helps and these sufferings depart
from you — and you merit to return to your place to be constant
in your studies day and night as at the beginning — even then,
one must remember all our words and conduct oneself by them as
I spoke of them before Shavuos. In particular because it is
impossible to be without the interruptions that occur each day
— for each day has its own fence from without.
But there is no day that lacks its good
— and so forth — as we have already spoken of this greatly
with His great help. Please, my son, my dear one —
be strong and strong — for according to these
words you can be a fit and righteous man all your days. Only be
strong and courageous in Torah and prayer and personal speech
between yourself and your Creator — with everything possible.
And whatever your hand finds to do with your strength — do it —
for whether one does much or one does little — so long
as his heart is directed to Heaven
[Berachos 17a].
The House Demolished and Rebuilt
Know, my son, that on Friday — Erev Shabbos — I ordered my
house demolished. And it was already demolished completely
— down to the sukkah (the
outhouse). And for this too there were several obstacles —
and Hashem Yisborach in His help aided me until here. And
now I await His salvation — that tomorrow, if G-d wills it,
the master craftsman will come with several workers to begin
engaging well in the building. And on Tuesday, if G-d wills
it, there will be the
zaklashchine (the laying of
the foundation) — for life and peace — with the help of
Hashem Yisborach.
And regarding my stepson Shmelke, may he
live — it seems it is impossible to prevent them there from
engaging in remedies. And in my opinion all their medical
treatments are a danger to his eyes — more than everything.
Therefore I spoke with my wife and she agreed with my opinion
— that she should tell them: if his eyes have not begun to
heal — they should immediately return and send him here. And
I trust in Hashem that here he will have
complete healing without any physical remedies. And
let him write me immediately a response to this — for it is
urgent for several reasons.
The words of your father — greatly preoccupied as you will
understand yourself — who seeks your welfare with love and
prays abundantly on your behalf.
Nussun of Breslov.
Overview: A brief but vivid letter written on
a Sunday in Tammuz 5589 — the very day Reb Nussun's house has
just been demolished and its rebuilding is about to begin.
Against this backdrop of domestic upheaval he writes to his
son with characteristic pastoral precision: grief at his
troubles, joy at his approach of snatching whatever good he
can, the Aramaic teaching that each day has its fence but
never lacks good, and a practical instruction about his
stepson's medical situation.
Key Themes
Snatch the Good
The image of chatef — snatching, seizing — whatever
good one can in the midst of suffering and disruption is one
of Reb Nussun's most practical spiritual instructions. When
Torah study and prayer are impossible, snatch a moment of
longing. When longing is impossible, snatch a breath of faith.
The capacity to snatch is never taken away.
Each Day Has Its Fence
The Aramaic — kol yoma is lay gader milvar, lait yoma
d'lait bay tav — drawn from the Zohar — teaches that
every day has its own external obstacle, its own hedge of
difficulty. But no day is without its good. The fence and
the good coexist. This is the deepest source of Reb Nussun's
optimism.
One Who Does Much or Little
The Talmudic principle from Berachos 17a — that before
Heaven, what counts is not the quantity of service but the
direction of the heart — is the liberating counterweight
to perfectionism. A person whose suffering limits their
Torah and prayer is not diminished before Heaven so long
as the heart is oriented correctly.
Complete Healing Without Remedies
Reb Nussun's confidence that his stepson's eyes will heal
in Breslov — without physical remedies — echoes the teaching
of Letter 12 from Rebbe Nachman himself, and the fierce
rebuke of Letter 11. The faith that the tziyun
in Uman and the atmosphere of the holy community are
themselves medicine runs through the whole collection.