Letter 292

Every person who wishes to go out from his impurity and his filth — must walk in this path. To always think that he is the only one in the world. And not look at any obstacle or hindrance or confusion, etc. As is found in the story of the wise one and the sincere one (tam) — it is explained there. That the sincere one was a cobbler, etc. — and he could not do the craft as it ought to be. And his shoe was full of deficiencies — at three corners, etc. — and he was very proud of it: "How pleasant and beautiful is this shoe!" "Vos far a zisskait — vos far a zukeridik dos shikele iz" {How sweet and how sugary is this shoe!} etc. And his wife would ask him: "If so — then why do other craftsmen take three gold coins for a pair of shoes — and you take only one and a half?" He answered her: "What is that to me? That is his deed and that is my deed!" "Dos iz yenems ma'ase un dos iz mayn ma'ase — v'habayn…" {That is the other one's deed and that is my deed — and understand…}

…The sincere one was a cobbler, etc. — and he could not do the craft as it ought to be. And his shoe — that he completed in several days with great labor, etc.