Letter 138

My very self and my flesh — truly beloved to me more than my own soul.

Who has stirred his spirit — and dedicated his broad heart and his blessed abilities — to enter himself with all his strength, with very great and exceptional effort — to magnify and to publicize the name of the one and only Tzadik in the world. Who is elevated above and above all the awesome and most select Tzadikim — the singular ones of the generations. Who is a shelter and a shield for us even now — within all kinds of darkness and distancing — in these latter days — in these our days.

Fortunate are you, my brother! Fortunate are you a thousandfold — for the inwardness of your heart understands and feels the true truth — that now illuminates throughout all the worlds from beginning to end. Peace and abundant salvation!

Because of the great abundance of the fatigue of my soul — from the great abundance of the bitterness and the afflictions and the bitterness that have surrounded me — my mind is not clear and I have no words. But for the sake of the pleasantness of your love — engraved upon the tablet of my heart — I could not restrain myself to perform my obligation. And I wrote with all my strength.

Hashem knows and is witness — and your heart too sees and feels — that your soul is bound to my soul always every day at every time. And especially at the time of the hisbodidus and the conversation with Hashem Yisburach — all my wellsprings are in you (to straighten). My soul knows greatly — that it is rooted in the inwardness of your heart: the point of holy faith in Hashem and in His Torah. And your heart blazes like a burning fire — to join in every kind of joining to the true Tzadik and his truly worthy and genuine people of this generation. For through the springs of the wisdom of his Torah — he illuminates within us true faith. And this faith is the root and the source of wisdom. For through it one comes to conceptions of G-dliness — to see eye to eye His G-dliness and His kingship and His dominion.

But against this — obstacles and hindrances without measure spread themselves. Therefore I hereby turn to you from the very depths of my heart — to establish you in the holy obligation that rests upon us. To think deep thoughts and immense stratagems — (to overcome) and to exert oneself (with will — with all the expiration of the soul — in great teshuvah — until the expiration of the soul — very strongly) — with all the expiration of the soul — in great teshuvah — until the expiration of the soul — to overcome and to exert oneself with very strong will — to meditate in his holy books every single day — to see the new awesome lights within them — until the holy fragrances from the holy words enter into your pleasant heart — for fulfillment and for action.