Your letter I received before Shabbos. And behold — no doubt you have already heard that in my household the children have been ill with the illness of the mazlin [מָאזְלִין — measles; the text adds in parentheses the contemporary term ademes — scarlet fever or rubella. Both were life-threatening in the nineteenth century with no medical treatment] — and they were in great danger. And by the kindness of Hashem they returned to their health with the help of Hashem Yisborach.
But my son Yosef Yonah — may he live — is still laid on the sickbed of illness [עֶרֶשׂ דְּוַי — eres d'vai: a direct biblical phrase from Tehillim 41:4 — Hashem will support him on the sickbed of illness [ה' יִסְעָדֶנּוּ עַל עֶרֶשׂ דְּוָי]. Reb Nussun then immediately prays ה' יִסְעֳדֵהוּ — "may Hashem support him" — using the very same verb from that same verse. The verse in Tehillim continues: "You have transformed all his lying down in his illness" — the whole passage is a prayer for miraculous recovery through divine support, not human remedy]. May Hashem support him speedily. Also in the household of my son Rabbi Shakhnah — may he live — two children were ill with the aforementioned illness — and thank G-d they are returning to their strength with the help of Hashem Yisborach.
And now my eyes are strained all day to hear the good from your son — may he live. Please, very much — inform me quickly of his good welfare. And a prayer to the Living G-d that I merit quickly to hear good tidings from him — that he has returned to his health. And may Hashem Yisborach lengthen his days and years — and may you merit to raise him to Torah, to the chuppah [marriage canopy] and to good deeds — Omain.
And behold — we already know that in all that passes over a person we have no refuge except to Him, Yisborach, alone. And all His intention, Yisborach, in all He brings upon a person — everything is only so that he remember Him and pray to Him — as it is written: Call out to Me in the day of distress — I will rescue you and you will honour Me [Tehillim 50:15].
And now, my son — take upon yourself the yoke of Heaven at every time — and pray to Him at every time about every matter — and hope in Hashem and He will save you. And on account of the urgency it is impossible to extend further.
The words of your father — who seeks your peace always with love, and who intercedes on your behalf, and who awaits to hear the good from you always.
Nussun of Breslov.
Overview: A letter of crisis — measles sweeping through multiple Breslov households simultaneously. Reb Nussun's children have been gravely ill; his son Yosef Yonah is still bedridden. In the household of his son Rabbi Shakhnah, two more children were ill. Yitzchok's own son is also apparently sick. The phrase eres d'vai — the sickbed of illness — is drawn directly from Tehillim 41:4, and Reb Nussun immediately follows it with the prayer ה' יִסְעֳדֵהוּ — using the very verb of that same verse. Against the backdrop of medical helplessness, the theological response is precise: distress is exactly the moment the verse in Tehillim 50 describes — call out to Me in the day of trouble, and I will rescue you.