Volume One • Letter 2

Peace and blessing and all good things, forever [כט"ס = כל טוב סלה — "all good, forever" — a traditional Hebrew blessing formula; see Letter 1, §1] — and a joyous Festival of Purim, and a kosher and joyous Festival of Passover — to the honor of his exalted honor, [למע"כ = לכבוד מעלת כבודו — "to the honor of his exalted honor" — a formal layered honorific in traditional correspondence, acknowledging both the person's honor and his elevated standing] my friend and my beloved, the strong one, G-d-fearing and wholesome, who yearns for the service of G-d and to bring pleasure and satisfaction to Hashem [נחת רוח — nachas ruach — literally "pleasure of spirit / satisfaction." The author says the recipient does not merely serve G-d — he yearns to bring G-d Himself genuine pleasure and nachas, as a child brings a parent joy.] — the honor of our master and teacher the Rabbi, [כב' מוה"ר = כבוד מורינו הרב — "the honor of our master and teacher the Rabbi" — a formal rabbinic title of deep respect] Avraham Yehuda Yakovitch, may his light shine, [נ"י = נרו יאיר — "may his light shine" — a blessing appended to the name of a living person, expressing the wish that his life, spirit, and influence continue to radiate and grow] may he live long, may G-d protect him and guard him. [שליט"א = שיחיה לאורך ימים טובים אמן — "may he live for long and good days, Amen" — a traditional blessing written after the name of a living Torah scholar or respected person] After inquiring after his precious wellbeing with great love. [אחדשה"ט באה"ר = אחר דרישת שלומו הטוב באהבה רבה — "after inquiring after his precious wellbeing with great love" — a standard, warm opening phrase in traditional Hebrew correspondence, placed here as a compressed abbreviation]

As for our own wellbeing — thanks be to Hashem. I received all of your letters together with the 2 food scrip [The Yiddish-German word סקריפען (skreifen) refers to food vouchers or ration coupons — the common form of charitable support in that era in Israel, enabling the recipient to obtain basic provisions from a store or distribution point] to sustain us and keep us alive — for I have absolutely no standing of livelihood whatsoever. [מעמד פרנסה — "standing of livelihood" — not merely "no income" but the deeper sense of having no footing, no base, no means of support to stand on at all]

And what support I did have was from abroad — my father, may his light shine, was a rabbi there, and through this he would send me a small amount. And also through his encouragement, his friends would send me a little as well. But even so, it did not suffice even for half of my household's needs. And thank G-d, I succeeded through my prayers that he return to the Holy Land [The Land of Israel — אה"ק = ארץ הקדושה — "the Holy Land"] — for he was born in the Land of Israel [א"י = ארץ ישראל — the Land of Israel] and has now reached the years of old age and grey hair, thank G-d. [שני זקנה ושיבה — "years of old age and grey hair" — a dignified biblical phrase (cf. Genesis 25:8, Isaiah 46:4) conveying advanced age with honor and fullness of years] But the small measure of blessing and sustenance [שפע — shefa — literally "abundance / flow / divine sustenance" — not merely money, but the flow of heavenly blessing that was channeling through his father to him] that I had through him has now been cut off entirely — for not a single one of his friends sends me anything anymore.

What you write in your last letter — from the eve of Shabbos [מעש"ק = מערב שבת קודש — "the eve of the holy Shabbos," i.e., Friday] of the Torah-reading portion of Pekudei [Pekudei — פקודי — the final Torah portion of the Book of Exodus, giving a specific date for this letter] — that you hope that from what you send each week I will already be able to pay, little by little, to the printer for the printing of the book: [The author is in the midst of a consuming project — publishing a holy book at his own expense and sacrifice. This letter reveals the real human cost: he lives on charity, yet drives himself to bring this sacred work into the world.] although in truth it does not suffice at all for my household's livelihood — nevertheless, despite this, [אעפי"כ = אף על פי כן — "even so / nevertheless / despite all this" — the author does not pretend his hardship away; he acknowledges it fully, and then rises above it] it is a great lifeline for me — that I am already able to look forward to Hashem, that He will save me and help me also with the book.

Shmuel Horwitz

For this I now have tremendous self-sacrifice, [מס"נ = מסירת נפש — mesiyas nefesh — literally "the giving over of one's soul / life" — total dedication to a sacred purpose regardless of personal cost. One of the highest levels of devotion in Jewish thought.] to print such a holy and awesome book — and I have no help from any person for this. And I still do not know how much the expenses will require — for every 16 pages requires money of approximately 110 liras, [Israeli liras — the currency of Israel at the time, giving a vivid sense of the very real and grinding financial challenge the printing project presented] and I still do not know how many bogin [Bogin (בוגין) — a printer's technical term for a "signature" — a unit of printing consisting of 16 pages folded together. The author does not yet know how many such units the complete book will require.] there will be — for each bogin is 16 pages, and it is possible there will be ten bogin as well. And this is a matter that cannot be calculated — for it must be whole and complete, full of all that is indispensably necessary. [שלם ומלא בכל טוב המוכרח — "whole and complete, full of all the indispensable good" — the author insists the book cannot be cut or compromised; it must come out in its full and complete form, whatever the cost]

And from here locally I have no prospect and no expectation [מבט עין וצפיה — "the glance of an eye and expectation" — a vivid double expression: not even a fleeting glance of hope, not even the slightest expectation of help appearing from anyone nearby] that I will have any help — not even to purchase the book — for there is not even one person who would have an understanding of the book's greatness and its absolute necessity: to revive, to awaken, and to strengthen each and every person. And that literally each and every person can acquire his eternal world through a single utterance from the book — as you will see with your own eyes. [דיבור א' — "a single utterance / a single word / a single passage" — the author's conviction that the book's spiritual power is so great that even one line from it, truly absorbed, can transform a person's eternal destiny] And whoever will only set aside jealousy and the desire to win [הקנאה והנצחון — "jealousy and the desire for victory / to win arguments" — two of the most powerful obstacles to receiving truth: envy of others and the ego's need to be right. The author gently signals that some resist the book not because of its content but because of these inner forces.] — and look with the eye of truth — will know and understand that never yet in the world has there been assembled such a book, with such wonderful power of strengthening — to revive and fortify everyone. Whoever truly wishes to receive the healing will receive his healing in complete and total fullness. And as I see it — this will be of great benefit for people who are new [to the path], like his honor who wishes to draw close — more so than for people who already have their own settled opinion of themselves [דעת עצמו — "their own knowledge of themselves / their own self-opinion" — the subtle danger of those who have been on the path for a while and have developed a fixed, self-satisfied view of where they stand spiritually. This can close a person off to receiving new light.] and think that they are already close [to G-d] — and do not understand how to receive the truth from those who said to them: "Be strong and be courageous!" [חזקו ואמצו — "be strong and be courageous!" — words from Deuteronomy 31:6–7, the rallying call of Moses to Israel before entering the Land. Here the author uses it as the cry of Breslov teachers to their students: take heart, take courage, do not despair.] May you have a portion in this — which is a merit for the multitudes for all generations, the like of which there is nothing. And with G-d's help, [בעזהי"ת = בעזרת השם יתברך — "with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed"] when Hashem helps, there will be a blossoming of salvation [צמיחת ישועה — tzemichas yeshuah — "blossoming / sprouting of salvation" — a beautiful organic image: salvation growing up from the ground like a plant, slowly pushing through the darkness, until it flowers fully in the light] to print yet many more such works — to revive and bring the world to its true and eternal purpose. So may it be His will. Amen. [אכי"ר = אמן כן יהי רצון — "Amen, so may it be His will" — a traditional closing blessing and prayer, expressing that what was said should truly come to pass by Divine will] Shmuel Horovitz Postscript in Yiddish — footnote marker ³ in the original [The author adds a postscript — marked with a footnote number — written in Yiddish, on the holiness of Purim and its deep connection to Passover. His own Hebrew translation follows in §§15–19.] "To write a little — at least — from the holiness of Purim: [Purim: the joyous festival celebrating the miraculous salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia, as told in the Book of Esther. It falls on the 14th of Adar. In Kabbalah and Chassidus it is considered one of the most sacred days of the year — its Hebrew name (from "pur," meaning "lot") hints at the deepest levels of Divine providence and hidden miracles.] that Purim is the beginning of all beginnings." "For in truth, Passover is the beginning of the holiness of Israel's drawing close to their Father in Heaven — [Israel] who went out from the impurity of Egypt, [Tumas Mitzrayim — טומאת מצרים — the spiritual impurity of Egypt. In Kabbalistic thought, Egypt represents the 49th level of impurity — the uttermost depth of spiritual exile and coarseness from which it is nearly impossible to escape. The Exodus was thus not merely a physical liberation but the most dramatic spiritual rescue in history.] which is the very essence of exile — the exile of the soul. [Galus hanefesh — גלות הנפש — exile of the soul. Just as the Jewish people were enslaved in Egypt, every person's soul is in its own Egypt — exiled within the coarseness of the body and the grip of the evil inclination. The Exodus is thus a template for personal spiritual liberation, re-enacted every year.] And the all-encompassing radiant light [Alekhtikayt — אלעכטיקייט — a rich Yiddish coinage combining אלע (all / everything) with ליכטיקייט (luminosity / radiance). It conveys not merely "light" but the total, all-pervasive, all-illuminating radiance of the Divine — a light that fills everything and leaves no darkness untouched. The author coins this word to describe the quality of G-d's revelation at the Exodus.] of Hashem shone upon them — so that they should understand how they must long and draw close to Hashem with great love." "And this is accomplished every single year — for each person must go out from his desires and his bad character traits. [Taavohs u'midos ro'os — תאוות ומדות רעות — desires and bad character traits. The annual cycle of the holidays is not merely a commemoration of historical events — it is a living spiritual cycle in which every person re-enacts the journey from slavery to freedom, from spiritual exile to liberation, year after year.] And the most essential [obstacle] is: despair." [Ye'ush — יאוש — despair, giving up entirely. Not mere sadness, but the complete collapse of hope — the conviction that one is too far gone, too damaged, too lost to ever be saved. This is the yetzer hora's most lethal weapon, because once a person despairs, he stops trying altogether.] "That a person thinks he is already lost and can no longer save himself from the evil inclination — whose greatest weapons — his very own weapons — [זיין גרסטע כלי—זיין זיינע — "his greatest weapons — his very own weapons." The doubling זיין זיינע is emphatic in Yiddish: these are not external forces but the yetzer hora's own specially crafted, personally owned arsenal. The repetition stresses that sadness is not a side-effect but the deliberately chosen, primary weapon.] are sadness [Atzves — עצבות — sadness, depression, spiritual heaviness. As taught throughout Breslov literature, sadness is the root of all spiritual failure and the yetzer hora's chief instrument.] — that it throws the person into sadness so that he cannot revive himself with whatever he can." ["Revive himself with whatever he can" — מחיה זיין מיט וואס ער קען — the Breslov teaching: even if a person cannot do great things, he must revive himself with whatever small good he is capable of in this moment. Sadness paralyzes even this.] "And in truth, one must know: Hashem is a merciful Father [Av harachaman — אב הרחמן — the Merciful Father. A core Breslov teaching that transforms one's entire relationship with G-d: He is not a cold Judge waiting to condemn, but an infinitely loving, patient Father who treasures every single movement of every child toward Him — however small, however imperfect.] — and every single movement that every single child makes is very, very precious to Him. And all of this is revealed on Passover." "And to truly arrive at the holiness of Passover — this comes through the joy of Purim. Through a joyous Purim one is granted a kosher Passover." [האט מען א כשרין פסח — "one is granted / one receives a kosher Passover." The Yiddish האט מען carries a passive, receptive sense: it is given to a person as a gift from Above, as the result and reward of Purim joy. One does not merely "achieve" or "have" a kosher Passover through effort alone — one receives it, as something granted by Heaven in response to the joy of Purim. Purim — celebrated a full month before Passover — is thus the spiritual preparation and the key that unlocks the gift of true Passover liberation.] Author's Note [The following — enclosed in parentheses in the original — is the author's own Hebrew translation of his Yiddish postscript above. It is an integral part of the letter and is translated here in full, section by section.] To write a little at least from the holiness of Purim — for Purim is the beginning of all beginnings — because in truth, Passover is the beginning of the holiness of Israel's drawing close to their Father in Heaven: they went out from the impurity of Egypt, which is the very essence of exile — the exile of the soul. And the light of Hashem shone upon them, so that they should understand how they must draw close to Hashem with great love. And this is accomplished every year anew — for each person must go out from his desires and his bad character traits. And the most essential [obstacle] is despair — that a person thinks he is already lost and can no longer save himself from the evil inclination. For [the evil inclination's] primary weapon is sadness — that it brings a person into sadness so that he cannot revive himself with what is possible. And in truth, know well: Hashem is a merciful Father — every movement that every child makes is very precious to Him — and all of this is revealed on Passover. And to truly arrive at the holiness of Passover — this comes through the joy of Purim. Through the joy of Purim one is granted a kosher Passover.