Your letter I received today — and I do not know what to do — for I have great anguish that Rabbi Shimshon's money has not reached me. Therefore — ask on my behalf very, very much of my friend Rabbi Shimshon that he not delay me — and let him settle the sum to you at once, and you will send it here.
And may Hashem Yisborach be your help to come with alacrity a few days before Rosh Hashanah — as you wrote. Also urge Rabbi Shimshon to travel to Uman this month — as he said before me — and through this Hashem will prosper his path in the material and the spiritual. Also urge my sister's son, my friend Rabbi Aizik — that he bring with him money for Rosh Hashanah to give me for the building — for it is certainly necessary that he too have some portion in the beginning of the foundation of such a holy building. Also Rabbi Mordechai should give some small sum so that he at any rate have some portion in the beginning. And let none of them exempt themselves with any excuse — for it is necessary for all of you to have a great portion in the beginning and the completion of this awesome building — and Hashem will save you.
And behold — I am now travelling without money and do not know what I will do. May Hashem Yisborach have mercy upon me and be my help to begin and to complete — for there is no restraint before Hashem to save [אֵין מַעֲצוֹר לַה' לְהוֹשִׁיעַ — a direct quotation from Sh'muel Aleph 14:6, the words of Yonasan son of Shaul before his lone raid on the Philistine garrison: "there is nothing to restrain Hashem from saving — whether by many or by few." Reb Nussun applies this warrior's declaration of trust to his own situation: the absence of funds is no obstacle to Hashem] — and I have no one to lean on except Him, Yisborach [אֵין לִי עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עָלָיו — a direct quotation of the liturgical phrase from the eve of Kol Nidrai: ein lonu al mi lish'ayn ela al Avinu shebashamayim — "we have no one to lean on except our Father in Heaven." Written just before Rosh Hashanah, the timing of this quotation from the Yomim Noraim liturgy is precise and intentional — Reb Nussun arrives at this declaration through the concrete experience of having no funds, not as an abstract formula]. And may Hashem Yisborach give you all and us a good inscription and sealing [כְּתִיבָה וַחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה — the traditional Rosh Hashanah blessing: may you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a good year].
The words of your father — very distracted, writing in haste — and awaiting his reply in Uman.
Nussun of Breslov.
Overview: A letter of naked urgency — written in haste by a man about to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah without a penny in hand. The closing contains two precise liturgical quotations placed against each other: Yonasan's battle-cry from Sh'muel Aleph — there is no restraint before Hashem to save — and the eve-of-Kol-Nidrai declaration — we have no one to lean on except our Father in Heaven. Both are quoted at Rosh Hashanah eve with full intentionality. The poverty is the prayer.