Ullim LeTroofah
עלים לתרופה
Leaves for Healing
LETTER THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE
Blessed be Hashem  ·  Wednesday, Parshas Vayikra — Breslov  ·  Year 5601 (1841)  ·  Erev Pesach approaching
ToMy beloved son — my dear one.

He will receive the letter attached here. And may Hashem Yisborach in His mercies gladden him and them with the joy of the holy festival coming upon them for good. And they will merit to draw the holy da'as upon themselves — and to make it known to their children and their children's children — and to their friends and their disciples — so that each one will illuminate the other. And they will receive from one another — to know that Hashem is G-d — there is none beside Him — to draw the illumination of son and disciple — to know at every time that "m'lo kol ha'aretz k'vodo."

And to be awakened from sleep through this — in the aspect of "hakitzu v'ranenu shochnei afar" — "awaken and sing — you who dwell in the dust." For Hashem is awake — "hineh lo yanum v'lo yishan" — "behold He neither slumbers nor sleeps." [Tehillim 44:24, 121:4] And He is the Awakener of those who sleep and the Rouser of those who slumber — and He does not regard and it is not significant in His eyes at all the entire preoccupation of the desire of money — the idols of silver and the idols of gold — "to'avat Hashem asher sane" — "the abomination of Hashem which He hates." Rather His eyes are upon the faithful of the land — and so forth — and upon this He looks — upon the afflicted and the broken of spirit — and so forth. And even though neither one nor the other is in our hands — as the *Tanna* said (Avos Chapter 4): it is not in our hands neither the tranquility — and so forth — nor even — and so forth — even so it is good and fitting to review in one's mind and with one's friends every time all the above. To fulfil "al tira ki ya'ashir ish" — "do not fear when a man grows wealthy." [Tehillim 49:17] And to remember the Mishnah (there Chapter 6): "ein m'lavin lo l'adam lo kesef v'lo zahav ki im Torah u'ma'asim tovim bilivad" — "they do not escort a person — neither silver nor gold — but only Torah and good deeds alone." [Avos 6:9] And at any rate — to desire and to long for this with strong desire — every day anew — and to accustom oneself to express one's conversation through this — until one merits to arrive at joy after true brokenheartedness — according to the holy straight ways in truth that we received from him — of blessed memory.

The words of your father.

Nussun of Breslov.

And be very very careful from grief and sighing — rather snatch the grief and sighing into joy. [אֶלָּא לַחֲטֹף הַיָּגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה לְתוֹךְ שִׂמְחָה — this is one of Reb Nussun's sharpest and most characteristic expressions of the Breslov teaching on joy. Not to suppress grief — but to snatch it — actively and urgently — and transform it into joy. The Yiddish sensibility is embedded in this word — chatos — to grab and run — the same urgency a hungry person brings to snatching a piece of food. Grief is there — acknowledged — but grabbed by its collar and thrown into joy]

Overview: Wednesday, Parshas Vayikra — Breslov — 5601. To his beloved son. He will receive the letter attached here. And may Hashem Yisborach gladden him and them with the joy of the holy festival coming upon them for good. And they will merit to draw the holy da'as upon themselves — and to make it known to their children and grandchildren — and to their friends and disciples — so that each one will illuminate the other. And they will receive from one another — to know that Hashem is G-d — there is none beside Him — to know at every time that "m'lo kol ha'aretz k'vodo." And to be awakened from sleep through this — in the aspect of "hakitzu v'ranenu shochnei afar." For Hashem is awake — "hineh lo yanum v'lo yishan." And He is the Awakener of those who sleep — and He does not regard the entire preoccupation of the desire of money — the idols of silver and gold — "to'avat Hashem asher sane." Rather His eyes are upon the faithful of the land — and upon the afflicted and the broken of spirit. And even though neither one nor the other is in our hands — as the Tanna said — it is not in our hands neither the tranquility — and so forth — even so it is good and fitting to review in one's mind and with one's friends every time all the above. To fulfil "al tira ki ya'ashir ish." And to remember the Mishnah: "ein m'lavin lo l'adam lo kesef v'lo zahav ki im Torah u'ma'asim tovim bilivad." And at any rate — to desire and to long for this with strong desire — every day anew — and to accustom oneself to express one's conversation through this — until one merits to arrive at joy after true brokenheartedness — according to the holy straight ways in truth that they received from him — of blessed memory. Then postscript: and be very very careful from grief and sighing — rather snatch the grief and sighing into joy.

Key Themes

Draw the Holy Da'as Upon Themselves — Make It Known to Their Children and Grandchildren — Hakitzu V'Ranenu Shochnei Afar — Hineh Lo Yanum V'Lo Yishan — He Awakens Those Who SleepThey will merit to draw the holy da'as upon themselves — and to make it known to their children and their children's children — so that each one will illuminate the other. And to be awakened from sleep — in the aspect of "hakitzu v'ranenu shochnei afar." For Hashem is awake — "hineh lo yanum v'lo yishan." And He is the Awakener of those who sleep.
Ein M'lavin Lo L'Adam Lo Kesef V'Lo Zahav Ki Im Torah U'Ma'asim Tovim — Express One's Conversation — Joy After True Brokenheartedness — Snatch the Grief and Sighing Into Joy"Ein m'lavin lo l'adam lo kesef v'lo zahav ki im Torah u'ma'asim tovim bilivad." Accustom oneself to express one's conversation — until one merits to arrive at joy after true brokenheartedness. And be very very careful from grief and sighing — rather snatch the grief and sighing into joy.