Volume One • Letter 7

Peace and blessing and all good things, forever — to his honor, my beloved, my friend like my very own soul and heart, [ידיד כנפשי ולבבי — "friend like my very own soul and heart." The letter adds the word כ — "like / as" — making the comparison explicit: this friend is as dear to him as his own soul and heart. Compare Letter 6's formula (נפשי ולבבי — "of my soul and heart") — the intimacy deepens with each letter.] who yearns for the service of Hashem in truth — our master and teacher Rabbi Avraham Yakovitch, may his light shine. After inquiring after his precious wellbeing with great love. As for our own wellbeing — thanks be to Hashem.

Practical Matters I have received his letters. And I came to Jerusalem this month — perhaps I will be able to begin making efforts for the printing of the book — at least according to the money I have available for it. And I received here his letter from Sunday, the Torah-reading portion of Noach (which was sent to me at Miron) — and I rejoiced greatly that you received the tefillin and that you are joyful with the commandment — for the joy of the commandment surpasses everything. [שמחת המצוה עולה על הכל — "the joy of the commandment surpasses everything." The joy one feels when performing a mitzvah — particularly one acquired with effort, longing, and months of waiting, as these tefillin were — is itself the highest expression of fulfillment. The joy is not a side-effect; it is central to the commandment.]

And behold — I have fulfilled your words to order Rabbeinu Tam tefillin also for your friend Rabbi Moshe Aharon Ohrbach, may his light shine. And with G-d's help they will be completed within one month to six weeks from today — with all the same embellishments [Hiddurim — הידורים — "embellishments / beautifications." The halachic concept of hiddur mitzvah: beautifying a commandment beyond its minimum requirement. The same high standard of craftsmanship as the first pair.] exactly as yours — and at the same price of 80 dollars, just as yours.

Please write me a reply together with the money for the tefillin. And the sending of the money — the cheque should be in the name of the sender, R' Moshe Aharon Auerbach, and in the name of my wife Mendil Horovitz — so that she will be able to receive the money. And in the letter that R' Moshe Aharon should write to me, he should write that he is sending me 80 dollars for the tefillin that I will send him — so that I will be able to obtain a permit [רשיון — "permit / licence." Formal bureaucratic documentation required at that time for sending goods internationally from Israel. Without such a written record the author could face difficulty at customs or postal authorities.] to send him the tefillin, and there will be no burden or complication for me in this. [כבידות — "heaviness / burden / complication." The word conveys the sense of a heavy, unwieldy obstacle — not merely inconvenience but a genuine administrative weight.] And regarding the knot of the head [tefillin] — his honor may change the knot as he wishes, for the scribe made the knot and I did not see it — for I had already traveled to Miron before the sending, and my son, may his light shine, sent the tefillin. And had I seen it I would have changed the knot. [The knot of the head tefillin housing has different traditional forms among different communities. The recipient wished a particular style that differed from what the scribe made by default. The author apologizes and gives permission to change it.]

And I am very happy with this — that you are making efforts for now to collect the money for af-taifen dem sefer [אָפ טַייפֶען דעם ספר — Yiddish-English: to type up / typewrite the book. אָפ טַייפֶען from English "type" — to typewrite; דעם ספר — the book. The author's own Hebrew translation immediately follows in brackets: להקליד את הספר במכונת כתיבה — "to key / type the book on a typewriter." This is an intermediate step between handwritten manuscript and printed book: the manuscript must first be typed into a clean, legible copy for the typesetter.] — to type up the book on a typewriter — so that we can afterward print it more easily. [יותר בנקל — "more easily / with greater ease." בנקל is a light, nimble word: having a clean typed copy will make the subsequent typesetting and printing proceed more smoothly and quickly.] And with G-d's help, today or tomorrow I will give the book to be typed up — and I am waiting to receive the money from you for this. And immediately afterward I will seek to begin printing it. May Hashem grant us merit that we should be able to print it in completeness soon — so that we can revive the souls of those who are downcast, [נפשות עגומים — "souls of those who are downcast / despondent / heavy-hearted." The people this book is written for: not the already-confident, not the scholars — but those weighed down by grief, guilt, and spiritual heaviness.] who thirst and yearn for the service of Hashem. And I believe with complete faith that many penitents will be made through this book.

I am fulfilling your request to write a special letter [ביחוד — "specially / specifically / set apart for this purpose." Not a general letter but one written exclusively for this friend, with full personal attention.] to your friend R' Moshe Aharon [mentioned above]. May Hashem help that you will be aroused and be companions together in the service of Hashem — and in drawing close to the true Tzaddik — each time with a fresh awakening. [בכל פעם בהתעוררות חדש — "each time with a fresh awakening." One of the central Breslov teachings: the spiritual path requires constant renewal. Every prayer, every encounter with Torah must be approached with the freshness of beginning anew — never habituated, never mechanical.] And may you merit everything that a Jewish man needs to merit in this world. So may it be His will. Amen.

Yiddish Passage — Preface to the Answers on the Intellectual Difficulties [Before answering the recipient's specific questions, the author offers this personal testimony in Yiddish on the transformative power of drawing close to the Rebbe. His own Hebrew translation follows in §§14–15.] "And now I will begin to write a little about the matter of your difficulties from before. The truth — I have already written to his honor — for it is proper to believe in the words and matter of the true Tzaddik in completeness, [בדברי וענין הצדיק האמת — "in the words and matter of the true Tzaddik." The word דברי — dibrei — means specifically the Tzaddik's actual utterances and spoken teachings — his words. In Breslov thought, the Rebbe's words carry unique transformative power: they are themselves vehicles of spiritual rectification, not merely teachings to be intellectually absorbed. Faith must be placed both in his specific words (dibrei) and in his overall matter and path (inyan).] — after Hashem had mercy on me and I felt a little of the sweetness of his matter, and saw a little of the depth of his truth, and the goodness to my soul that I have had from long ago in my drawing close to him." "For this every person will understand for himself — every single one who is close to the Rebbe זצ"ל knows for himself how much he has profited from drawing close to the Rebbe זצ"ל:"

"How much teshuvah and groaning [קרעכצין — krekhtsin — the involuntary deep groan or sigh that escapes a person who truly feels the distance between himself and G-d — a sound of genuine spiritual pain. In Breslov teaching, such a groan of longing is itself a form of prayer and teshuvah — perhaps the most honest of all.] before Hashem over the distance he feels —" "And how many fewer evil glances and evil imaginings and evil thoughts and evil deeds he has through this drawing close to the Rebbe —" "And how much more prayer with intention and hisbodidus and reciting Psalms and commandments and charitable deeds and good deeds he has through this drawing close —" "[To the point] that all the worlds with everything in them are not worth even a single hair's thread [כחוט השערה — "like a hair's thread / a thread of a hair." The Hebrew תרגום uses כחוט השערה — specifically the thread of a single hair — even more minute than "a hair's breadth." This is one of the most extreme expressions of value in Jewish thought: even the most imperceptible increase in closeness to G-d, or the most microscopic decrease in sin — the width of a single hair's thread — is worth more than all the worlds combined.] of greater closeness to Hashem, or a single hair's thread less of sinning before Hashem — which one earns through the Rebbe."

"And in truth — when one would truly, actually obey [טאקי פאלגען — "truly / actually / really obey — in earnest." The Yiddish take (טאקי) is an intensifier adding the sense of "really, for once, in actual practice" — the wistful realism of: if one were to truly put it into practice, not merely in theory.] the Rebbe זצ"ל — even just from one Torah teaching that he teaches us — we would have been able to merit such high levels that no eye has seen." "And we have not yet despaired, G-d forbid — only of being able to study the Rebbe's Torah teachings and through the Rebbe's matter to merit what we will merit." "In any case — whoever feels the sparkling, crystal-clear truth [האמת הצחה — "the sparkling / crystal-clear / luminously pure truth." The Hebrew adjective צח (tzach) means gleaming white, translucent, crystal-clear — like pure spring water or polished crystal. The truth of the Rebbe's path, for one who has tasted it, is not merely correct — it shines with its own luminous clarity, like something that cannot be mistaken because it glows from within. This is beyond "pure truth" — it is truth that sparkles and is self-evidently radiant.] understands well: when one has difficulties — there is someone to lean on, and everything is right and straight — it is not crooked and perverse, G-d forbid." [נפתל ועקש — "crooked and perverse" — from Deuteronomy 32:5. The author asserts: for one who truly feels the sparkling truth of the Rebbe's path, there are no grounds for such intellectual contortions. The path itself is straight — the difficulty lies only in the questioner's own uncleanliness of mind.] "Only: because my mind is not clean — therefore it is hard for me. And the evil inclination wishes to tear me away from the truth — therefore I must pray to Hashem that it should not be hard for me, and that I should always remain bound and attached [אן גיבנדען — ongebunden — "bound to / tied to / attached to." The Yiddish ongebunden means bound like a cord tying one thing firmly to another — an inseparable attachment.] to the true Tzaddik — which is my vitality for eternity, in all the worlds." "Nevertheless, I will begin to resolve a few of the difficulties."

The First Difficulty — Stated by the Recipient His first difficulty is: why do Breslov Chassidim attach themselves only to a Rebbe who has departed [שנסתלק — "who has departed / who has ascended." The Hebrew verb histalkus / nistalkek carries the Kabbalistic sense of ascent and withdrawal, not merely death. The Rebbe's soul withdraws upward — it does not simply cease. This word already hints at the answer: a soul that has "ascended" rather than died continues to exist and operate on a higher plane.] — when the Torah writes: "to the judge who will be in those days" [Deuteronomy 17:9 — the obligation to turn to the living halachic authority of one's own generation] — and [regarding skin afflictions]: "to the priest who will be in those days." [ibid. — implying one must go to the living authority of one's time] [This is one of the most commonly raised challenges against Breslov specifically: other Chassidic groups appoint a new Rebbe when the previous one passes away. Breslov has had no new Rebbe since Rabbi Nachman's passing in 1810 — his Chassidim remain bound to him alone. The questioner cites two biblical verses implying one must turn to the living authority of one's own time.] The Answer — The Soul of Moses and the True Tzaddik (Yiddish) "I have much to answer on this — but the paper is not sufficient. Only in brief: the truth is as follows." "From always and from the very beginning [פון תמיד אן — "from always and from the very beginning / from time immemorial." The Yiddish fun tomid on conveys not merely "always" but "from the very outset of creation — from the beginning of time." This is a principle embedded in the structure of creation itself, not a later development.] — the entire world is obligated to come to the great true Tzaddik — the soul of Moses, [Nishmas Moshe — נשמת משה — "the soul of Moses." One of the most profound and distinctive teachings in Breslov Kabbalah: the soul of Moses does not appear only once in history. It reincarnates and descends into the world at specific moments — taking a new body and a new name — each time its particular form of rectification is needed for that era. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was such a manifestation, and ultimately Rabbi Nachman of Breslov is the final manifestation before the Messiah. This is why Breslov does not appoint a new Rebbe — the soul of Moses, as Rabbi Nachman, does not pass away; it continues to guide from beyond the physical world.] may he rest in peace — who alone descends into the world to rectify the entire world." "And no other can in any way rectify souls — however great he may be — if he is not the soul of Moses. On the contrary: even he himself must also come to the soul of Moses, so that it should place him in his root in absolute completeness." [Even the greatest Tzaddikim of every generation cannot rectify souls in the ultimate sense. They themselves must connect to the soul of Moses to receive their own ultimate rectification and be established at their own spiritual root. No one stands independent of Moses.] "And therefore Hashem sends down the soul of Moses once in several generations — to rectify all those generations." "For example: from the creation of the world until Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace — everyone did not come to their proper rectification in completeness [זייער רעכטין תיקון — "their proper / rightful rectification." The Yiddish rekht (right / proper / due) emphasizes that this rectification is what each soul is owed — its genuine, fitting, complete rectification at its root, not a partial or substitute tikkun.] — until Moses our Teacher came and rectified all the generations up to him." "See in Likutay Moharan, Section 4 — that the bones of Yehudah [A reference to Likutay Moharan §4, which discusses the Midrashic teaching that the bones of Yehudah (Judah, son of Jacob) were rolling about in his coffin in the desert — because he had not yet received his full rectification — even though he was a great Tzaddik and son of Jacob. Full rectification came only when Moses prayed for him.] were rolling [in his coffin] — and he was unable to come to his rectification — even though he had Jacob our father, may he rest in peace, and other great Tzaddikim — until Moses our Teacher came and called up his confession before G-d [דערמאנט זיין ווידוי — "reminded [G-d of] his confession / called up his confession." The Yiddish dermant (דערמאנט) means to remind, to bring to mind, to invoke — Moses actively called up Yehudah's confession before G-d, bringing it into renewed force before the Divine Throne. This is more than merely "mentioning" — it is the act of a great intercessor bringing a forgotten or incomplete spiritual accounting back into full operation.] and prayed for him — and then he received his true rectification at his root." "And so the holy Zohar brings in Parshas Vayechi — on Reuven, Shimon, and Levi — that Jacob was afraid to bless them [and to rectify them in completeness] until Moses would come and do everything in completeness. And so Moses placed and rectified all souls. And fortunate is he who was among Moses' people." "The maidservant saw visions at the sea what Ezekiel [the prophet] did not see." [Mechilta, Beshalach — even the lowliest among the Israelites at the splitting of the sea attained a level of divine vision surpassing that of the great prophet Ezekiel. This was the power of being among Moses' people.] "And besides Moses — no one was called 'Rabbeinu' — because 'Rabbeinu' can only be called one who brings forth and reveals a new portion of Torah and a new guidance of the world and rectification of souls — as Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace, who received the entire Torah from Heaven." "And from now on, no prophet is permitted to introduce any new thing." [A principle derived from the giving of the Torah at Sinai: the Torah is complete; no new revelation of the same status can be added.] "And besides Moses our Teacher — no one was called 'Rabbeinu' — not even Joshua and so on. Only 'Morenu' [Morenu — מורינו — "Our Teacher." As the author explains: Morenu means moreh derekh — one who shows the way — who teaches the paths of Moses, how to observe them. Not a revealer of new paths but a guide of the existing path. Morenu (teacher of how to walk) vs. Rabbeinu (revealer of the path itself) — a crucial distinction.] — in the language of: one who shows the way — who teaches us the paths of the Rebbe Moses our Teacher, how to observe them." "And in this way the world conducted itself through the power of Moses our Teacher — and all the Tzaddikim and prophets only through the way and power of Moses our Teacher. He alone is the Rebbe — and all are only his disciples." "Until there appeared the holy Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, may his merit protect us — and he was the soul of Moses himself — and descended into the world to rectify the world and all the souls from the time of Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace." "And he was given permission to reveal a new way in the guidance of the world and the essential portion of Torah — the hidden secrets of the Torah: the Zohar and Tikkunim [Zohar and Tikkunim — the foundational Kabbalistic texts attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: the Zohar and the Tikkunei Zohar. These revealed the innermost mystical dimension of the Torah — an entirely new level that had not been publicly accessible before.] — and so on. Therefore he is called 'Rabbeinu' — for he is the true Rebbe of the world, and all Tzaddikim are his disciples." "And not Joshua after Moses — and so R' Abba and R' Elazar did not become Rebbes after the passing [Here in the Yiddish the author uses הסתלקות — histalkus — "the withdrawal / the ascent." In §§19–21 the תרגום uses the same word for R' Shimon, but uses פטירה (petira) for Moses. This reflects a deliberate distinction: פטירה is the standard Hebrew word for death/passing, used for Moses; הסתלקות — ascent and withdrawal — is the mystical Kabbalistic term used for R' Shimon and the Rebbe, whose souls ascend to a higher plane and continue to operate from there. The choice of word is itself a statement about the nature of the Rebbe's continued presence.] of their Rebbe Moses and R' Shimon — rather they were companions and conducted themselves according to the way of their Rebbe Moses and R' Shimon." "And they were bound, as Chassidim, to R' Shimon after his histalkus — in that they would regularly see R' Shimon after his histalkus, [פלייגען זייעהן — "would regularly see / were accustomed to seeing." The Yiddish flegn (פלייגען) is the habitual past — "used to / would consistently / were in the habit of." This is not a one-time visionary experience but a regular, habitual occurrence: the disciples of R' Shimon would consistently see him in visions after his passing.] and would always speak only of their Rebbe R' Shimon, and walk in his way and his Torah." "And they would say: 'R' Shimon — you are dwelling in the dust [שוכן עפר — "dwelling in the dust." A specific biblical phrase (cf. Job 17:16; Psalms 22:30) meaning buried in the grave, in the dust of death. The full phrase is: "R' Shimon — you dwell in the dust [of the grave] — and yet you guide the world." The contrast is the entire point: physically buried, yet spiritually ruling and guiding the living. This is the ancient Kabbalistic precedent for continuing to look to a departed Rebbe for guidance — the Rebbe is in the dust of the grave and simultaneously guides the world.] and you guide the world.' And they held themselves together in love — and R' Shimon alone was the Rebbe, and all were only his disciples." Author's Note [The following — enclosed in parentheses in the original — is the author's own Hebrew translation of the Yiddish sections above (§§7–13). It is an integral part of the letter and is translated here in full.] Whoever is close to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל knows for himself how much he has profited from the drawing close to the Rebbe זצ"ל: how much teshuvah and sighing [ואנחה — "and sighing / and groaning." The Hebrew תרגום uses אנחה — sigh, groan — as the equivalent of the Yiddish krekhtsin. Both convey the involuntary, deeply felt expression of spiritual pain at one's distance from G-d — a sigh that is itself a form of prayer.] to Hashem over the distance he feels; and how many evil glances and evil imaginings and evil thoughts and evil deeds have diminished [התמעטו — "have diminished / decreased / become fewer." The Hebrew verb me'et (become less) conveys not elimination but genuine measurable reduction — the drawing close to the Rebbe actually reduces the frequency and power of negative impulses in practice, not merely theoretically.] for him because of his drawing close to the Rebbe; how much more prayer with intention and hisbodidus and reciting Psalms and commandments and charitable deeds and good deeds have been added [התווספו — "have been added / have increased / have accumulated." The reciprocal to התמעטו: as the negative decreases, the positive increases and accumulates — a genuine quantitative change in one's spiritual life through the drawing close.] to him by virtue of the drawing close — [to the point] that all the worlds and all that is within them are not worth even a hair's thread of greater closeness to Hashem — a hair's thread less of sinning before Hashem — which one earns through the Rebbe. And in truth — when one would truly obey the Rebbe זצ"ל, even just from one Torah teaching that he teaches us — we would have been able to merit such high levels that no eye has seen. And we have not yet despaired of studying the Torah teachings of the Rebbe and of meriting through the Rebbe's matter what we will merit. In any case — whoever feels the sparkling, crystal-clear truth understands well: when there are difficulties — there is someone to lean on — and everything is right and straight — it is not crooked and perverse, G-d forbid. Only: because my mind is not clean — therefore I have difficulties; and the evil inclination wishes to sever me from the truth; and I must pray to Hashem that I should not have difficulties, and that I should always remain bound to the true Tzaddik — which is my vitality for eternity in all the worlds. Nevertheless, I will begin to resolve a few of the difficulties. His first difficulty is: why do Breslov Chassidim attach themselves only to a Rebbe who has departed — when the Torah writes: "to the judge who will be in those days" — and [regarding skin afflictions]: "to the priest who will be in those days." I have much to answer on this — but the paper is not sufficient. Only in brief: the truth is as follows. From always and from the very beginning — the entire world is obligated to come to the great true Tzaddik, the soul of Moses, may he rest in peace — who alone descends into the world to rectify the entire world. And no one else can in any way rectify souls — however great he may be — if he is not the soul of Moses. On the contrary: even he himself is obligated to come to the soul of Moses, so that it should establish him in his root in absolute completeness. And therefore Hashem sends down and lowers the soul of Moses once in several generations to rectify all those generations. For example: from the creation of the world until Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace — everyone did not arrive at their rectification in completeness — until Moses our Teacher appeared and rectified all the generations up to him. See in Likutay Moharan that Yehudah's bones were rolling [in his coffin] and he was unable to arrive at his rectification — even though he had Jacob our father and other great Tzaddikim — until Moses our Teacher arrived, called up his confession before G-d, and prayed for him — and then he arrived at his true rectification at his root. And so the holy Zohar brings in Parshas Vayechi — on Reuven, Shimon, and Levi — that Jacob was afraid to bless them [and to rectify them in completeness] until Moses would come and do everything in completeness. And so Moses established and rectified all souls. And fortunate is he who was among his people and those close to him. "The maidservant saw visions at the sea what Ezekiel did not see." And no one was called "Rabbeinu" except Moses — because to be called "Rabbeinu" is only possible for one who brings forth and reveals a new portion of Torah and a new guidance of the world and rectification of souls — as Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace, who received the entire Torah from Heaven. And from now on, no prophet is permitted to introduce any new thing. And besides Moses our Teacher — no one was called "Rabbeinu" — not even Joshua and so on. Only "Morenu" — in the language of one who shows the way — who teaches us the paths of the Rebbe Moses our Teacher, how to observe them. And in this way the world conducted itself through the power of Moses our Teacher, and all the Tzaddikim and prophets only through the way and power of Moses our Teacher. He alone is the Rebbe — and all are only his disciples. Until there appeared the holy Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, may his merit protect us — and he was the soul of Moses himself — and descended into the world to rectify the world and all the souls from the time of Moses our Teacher, may he rest in peace. And he was given permission to reveal a new way in the guidance of the world and the essential portion of Torah — the hidden secrets of the Torah, the Zohar and Tikkunim, and so on. Therefore he is called "Rabbeinu" — for he is the true Rebbe of the world, and all Tzaddikim are his disciples. And not Joshua after the passing [פטירת משה — petiras Moshe — "the passing of Moses." The תרגום here uses פטירה (petira) — the standard Hebrew word for death — for Moses, while using הסתלקות (histalkus — withdrawal / ascent) for R' Shimon. This is a deliberate distinction: פטירה denotes ordinary death / departure; הסתלקות denotes the mystical ascent of a holy soul that continues to operate from a higher plane. The author's choice of words signals: Moses passed away in the regular sense, but R' Shimon — like Rabbi Nachman — underwent a histalkus, an ascent, and continues to guide from beyond.] of Moses — and so R' Abba and R' Elazar [after the histalkus of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai] did not become Rebbes after the histalkus of their Rebbe Moses and Rabbi Shimon. Rather they were companions and conducted themselves according to the way of their Rebbe Moses and R' Shimon. And the Chassidim of R' Shimon after his histalkus were bound to R' Shimon — such that they would regularly see R' Shimon after his histalkus, and would always speak only of their Rebbe R' Shimon and walk in his way and his Torah. And they would say: "R' Shimon — behold, you are dwelling in the dust [שוכן עפר — "dwelling in the dust [of the grave]." The full phrase in the original: הרי הנך שוכן עפר והנך מנהיג את העולם — "Behold, you are dwelling in the dust — and you are guiding the world." The paradox is the entire answer to the question: the Rebbe is physically in the grave — and simultaneously guiding the living world. Burial in the dust does not end the Rebbe's guidance; it transforms its mode. This is why Breslov Chassidim can remain bound to a departed Rebbe: because the Rebbe, like R' Shimon, dwells in the dust and guides the world at the same time.] — and you are guiding the world." And they held themselves together in love — and only R' Shimon was the Rebbe, and all were only disciples. His friend, who seeks his wellbeing in truth, [דוש"ט = דורש שלומו בתמידות — "who constantly seeks / inquires after his wellbeing" — a traditional sign-off formula, here abbreviated] Shmuel Horovitz

Your friend, truly

Shmuel Horwitz