The flour he received the night before Thursday — and it was a comfort to him — and honor for the holy Shabbas. If Hashem wills — for Purim he should send flour again — fine flour for the joy of Purim — and for the honor of the Shabbas that follows it. May He in Whose abode is the joy — gladden them in the joy of Purim and in the joy of Shabbas and of the festivals always. For they have already spoken greatly — and they see this every day — how much and how much one must strengthen oneself every day to gladden oneself in all that passes over one. For joy is the foundation of all holiness — as is explained in the Torah emtzautha d'alma — that the essential exile of the Shechinah is when sadness overcomes — G-d forbid — the heart of Israel — and so forth. See there in Likutai Moharan part 1 ch. 24 — and likewise in other places in the book — where he greatly speaks and warns to always strengthen oneself in joy — through many types of very wholesome counsels.

And how very greatly his heart stirred in him — upon hearing from a certain person before the holy Shabbas — that you told him that you did not write him a letter then — because of the melancholy — and so forth. And likewise he understands from the letter he received yesterday. But even so — he gladdens himself with the fact that you desire and long in any case to rejoice — and to remove the melancholy from you. For even this is good — the fact that one desires this — as he heard from his holy mouth.

And behold — just now before the morning prayer — when he wished to begin saying the morning blessings — Hashem sent into his mind that he saw yesterday a young person traveling to Tultchin — perhaps he can today send him this letter. Therefore he urged himself to write to him these few words — perhaps perhaps he can give him life and gladden him — and remind him that we bless every day she'lo asani goy — "Who has not made me a gentile" — and the image of G-d is upon you and upon all of us — the children of Israel who walk with beard and peyos — which are the essential adornment of Israel. [A remarkable passage — written in the midst of the crisis of the Haskalah — the Jewish enlightenment movement — when many Jews were abandoning traditional dress and custom — and Reb Nussun gently redirects this heaviness into a wellspring of joy and pride: your beard and your peyos — far from being a source of shame — are the essential adornment of Israel — they testify that Hashem is still with you — that you are part of the holy gathering of Israel — and this itself is a reason to rejoice every single day] And yesterday he spoke with a certain person who had fallen greatly in his own eyes — and he reminded him that in these times — with what is happening in the world — with many casting off the yoke — G-d protect us — until they shave — G-d protect us — it is fitting for a Jewish man to rejoice in his holy beard and his peyos — and to strengthen himself through this — to know that Hashem is still with him — and that he is included in the holy gathering of Israel — who say every day ashreinu — and so forth — ashreinu — and so forth. And even though they have spoken very greatly of this — in this precise language he does not know if he has spoken — and it is for him something new. And he has praised be G-d very very much to speak of this — but time does not agree.

And behold — now a completely new beginning for you — that in the chasadim of Hashem you will travel to Uman — to be at the holy tziyun — for several years you have not merited this — to be there in the middle of the year. "Chacham b'ni v'samach libi." And the essential is to be in joy — and to forget completely all that has passed over you until now — until from within the joy you merit to express your conversation well — to pour out your heart like water before Hashem. And may Hashem hear your cry and receive your prayer — that you merit to be saved in all matters — in body and soul and money — in the material and the spiritual. And from his preoccupation to pray immediately he also does not yet know whether he will have someone to send it via — who will be a reliable courier to hand the letter to your hand specifically. Therefore it is impossible to extend. But from the very great immensity of his love for you and your great longing — he exceeded the proper measure to write now on the chance. And the days of Purim and the days of Pesach are approaching — and Purim is a preparation for Pesach — and all of this is said also to you — and to each and every person in particular. And to Hashem is the hope — that they merit to sing with joy Shoshanas Yaakov tzahalah v'samechah.