Ullim LeTroofah
עלים לתרופה
Leaves for Healing
First Letter of the Year 5592
LETTER FIFTY-NINE
With the help of Hashem Yisborach  ·  Sunday, the day after Yom Kippur, Shem Hashem — the 11th of Tishrai  ·  Year 5592 (1831)
[שֵׁם ה׳ — Shem Hashem: the traditional name for the day after Yom Kippur. Rebbe Nachman explains its meaning in Likutay Moharan II:66: after the forgiveness and atonement of Yom Kippur, when Hashem declared "I have forgiven", His Name — which is intertwined with Israel's names (sh'mo m'shusof bishmaynu) — is magnified and elevated. Since Shabbos is itself Sh'ma d'Kudsha Brich Hu [Zohar, Yisro], and Moshe immediately after Yom Kippur gathered Israel and warned them regarding Shabbos [Vayakhel; Rashi there], the day after Yom Kippur is called Shem Hashem — for on it the aspect of Hashem's Name is revealed and glorified]
Written from Breslov
To [Yitzchok]

May the Name of Hashem protect you and save you and help you [שֵׁם ה' יָגֵן עָלֶיךָ וְיוֹשִׁיעֲךָ וְיַעַזְרְךָ — a three-verb blessing invoking the divine Name directly: yogen (protect/shield), yoshi'acha (save you), ya'azrecha (help you). The triad echoes the structure of the Priestly Blessing and draws on Tehillim 121 — Hashem will guard your going and your coming. That Reb Nussun opens the first letter of the new year with a blessing invoking the Name itself — on the very day designated Shem Hashem — is a deliberate and conscious theological act: the Name that was magnified through Yom Kippur's forgiveness is now invoked over his son at the opening of the year] — that you merit to come speedily to all that you have sought your whole life — and more and more.

And behold — how very much you gladdened my soul with your letter which I received at this very hour — you gave me life with your words — in seeing that, thanks be to G-d, you have already begun to see the salvation of Hashem — how He, Yisborach, hears the prayer of every mouth always. But even so you still need great and wondrous strengthening — especially in the matter of personal speech between yourself and your Maker.

And one must also remember what he, of blessed memory, said [Sichot HaRan 70] — in these words:

מֶען טָאר נִיט דֶעם אוֹיְבֶּערְשְׁטִין נָאךְ גִיבֶּען "One must not give in to the Almighty — one must not let Hashem off the hook" [The original Yiddish of Rebbe Nachman, preserved verbatim in the text. The Hebrew parenthetical follows: ossur l'vaser l'Hashem Yisborach — it is forbidden to concede to Hashem Yisborach — meaning: do not allow yourself to be satisfied with whatever crumb of blessing has been given; keep pressing, keep asking, keep yearning. One of the most characteristic and startling expressions of Rebbe Nachman's teaching on prayer — an inversion of the expected posture of acceptance]

That is: when He, Yisborach, broadens things a little — it is forbidden to be satisfied with this — but rather to beseech and to yearn at every time for what is still lacking in his service of Hashem. In particular since much is still lacking to us — very, very much. But even so he said that even so one must not be in sadness or black melancholy — only to rejoice greatly in the salvation of Hashem — especially at a time when He broadens things a little in His kindness.

And a person of discernment [וּמַשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר — a direct biblical phrase from Mishlai 16:20: "one who is prudent in a matter will find good." This signals that what follows requires genuine spiritual discernment — the teaching is addressed to one who applies careful, attentive understanding to it, not to the casual reader] can understand from this a little — how to conduct himself in this: to always know that much is still lacking — almost beyond measure — and yet always to be in joy. For even in a time of distress, G-d forbid, when it seems to a person that Hashem Yisborach is not paying attention to him at all — even so one must always be in joy and always find some broadening even then — in the aspect of in distress You broadened me [Tehillim 4:2] and so forth. And all the more so at a time when Hashem Yisborach shines His face a little.

And it seems to me that you have already heard this conversation from me — and it is impossible to explain it properly in writing — but I have come here as a reminder. And if you merit — you will hear more from me about this. And also the other holy conversations flowing from his awesome words, of blessed memory — like a flowing spring that does not cease — living waters that do not stop — that purify from all the impurities of the world [מַיִם חַיִּים דְּלָא פָּסְקִין — Zoharic Aramaic: living waters that do not cease — as mentioned in the holy passage Kam Rabi Shimon [recited before Kol Nidrai on Yom Kippur eve], where it is explained that these are the waters of Torah (mayin d'oraysa) that purify from all impurities. Reb Nussun identifies the teachings of Rebbe Nachman with these living waters — fitting precisely on the morning after Yom Kippur, the day of purification, the day of Shem Hashem] — as mentioned in the holy passage Kam Rabi Shimon that is recited before Kol Nidrai — for it is explained there that they are the waters of Torah and so forth — see there. More than this there is no leisure to extend.

The words of your father — who rejoices in your words and awaits complete salvation speedily.

Nussun of Breslov.

Overview: The first letter of the new year 5592, written the morning after Yom Kippur — the day called Shem Hashem. The letter opens with a deliberate three-verb blessing invoking the Name itself — yogen, yoshi'acha, ya'azrecha — on precisely the day that Rebbe Nachman explains in Likutay Moharan II:66 as the revelation of Shem Hashem: when Hashem's Name, intertwined with Israel's names, is magnified through the Yom Kippur forgiveness. The centrepiece is Rebbe Nachman's Yiddish teaching preserved verbatim [Sichot HaRan 70]: do not let Hashem off the hook. The teaching is addressed to the maskil al davar — the person of genuine discernment. The letter closes by identifying the Rebbe's teachings as the mayin d'oraysa of Kam Rabi Shimon.

Key Themes

The Name Invoked on Shem Hashem Opening the first letter of the year with a three-verb blessing invoking Shem Hashem directly — on the very day bearing that name — is a conscious theological act. Rebbe Nachman's teaching in Likutay Moharan II:66 explains why this day carries the Name: the forgiveness of Yom Kippur magnifies the divine Name intertwined with Israel's own names.
Men Tor Nisht — Do Not Let Hashem Off The Yiddish phrase from Sichot HaRan 70 inverts the expected posture of acceptance: when a broadening comes, do not rest — press further. Yearn for what is still lacking. Satisfaction with partial rescue is itself a spiritual danger. Joy and yearning must be held simultaneously.
Maskil Al Davar — For the Discerning The phrase from Mishlai 16:20 signals that the teaching requires genuine discernment. The paradox — always know that much is lacking, yet always be in joy — is not a simple formula; it requires attentive spiritual wisdom to navigate.
Kam Rabi Shimon — Living Waters The Zoharic passage before Kol Nidrai identifies Torah as living waters purifying from all impurity. Reb Nussun identifies the Rebbe's teachings as these waters — on the morning after Yom Kippur, the day of purification, the day of the revealed Name.