The Olive Oil Campaign — "There Is Nothing Greater" — The Parable of the Burgher

My dear brother — it is a very great wonder to me that you have not replied to the letter I sent you a few weeks ago — in which I wrote to you about the matter of the olive oil at the Tzion of Rabbainu the Holy one, etc. And I am troubled greatly — perhaps you did not receive the letter. And therefore I cannot write to you — for who knows if you are receiving the letters. And you understand enough. Now I have come, my dear brother, to arouse you: [Yiddish:] "You must save yourself. You must with all your strength gather money and send it here, with a vehicle — a canister of fine olive oil. For they have written to us that no olive oil is burning at the Tzion of Rabbainu the Holy one. And the entire world depends upon this — as Rabbainu the Holy one brings in the Sefer HaMiddos: through olive oil burning as an eternal lamp — one is saved from shmad [forced apostasy]. And today the entire world, G‑d forbid, is full of shmad. And all the troubles — of the soul and of the body — in general and in particular — stem only from this. And as the holy R' Noson, of blessed memory, brings in Alim LiTrufah: to burn at Rabbainu's a perpetual lamp of olive oil — there is nothing above this. Nothing is greater than this. And this is the sweetening of all harsh judgments — both in general for Israel, and in particular for the fellowship. And in still more particular — for the one who exerts himself in this."

[Yiddish continued:] "Therefore, my dear brother, beloved, precious one — remember well what we speak of here: to exert yourself that olive oil should burn at the Tzion of Rabbainu the Holy one — there is nothing above this. And one must have almost self-sacrifice for such a holy thing. Remember well — for every single hair of Rabbainu's matter one must roll in every manner of mud and clay [רפש וטיט — an expression of total self-abasement; drawn from the Breslov tradition of R' Noson who rolled in the snow and mud to draw close to holiness]. And especially such a matter upon which all the worlds depend — and which cannot be measured or assessed. Remember well what the holy Rebbe said: to do even the smallest thing for him is immensely difficult. But only because it is for Rabbainu — the baal davar lays himself out with all his strength. For it is a goodness in this world and in the days of Mashiach and the resurrection of the dead and in the future World to Come. And especially such a matter that truly enables the many to merit — that is a merit for the many to all generations and generations of generations. One must run and work with full strength — even to do something for Rabbainu, of blessed memory. And especially such a matter that has nothing above it — one must certainly run with great joy to take upon oneself to perform this mitzvah — for G‑d, blessed be He, has caused us to merit this mitzvah — that we need to send. One must seize it with both hands and not delay and not be lazy in this. And in this merit — Rabbainu, of blessed memory, will exert himself for us — that we ourselves too be able to merit very soon all goodness. And you understand enough — that the entire world will come out of the trouble in which it is so locked and blocked. For if the world were able — all the world would travel. Then Mashiach would have come, etc., and you understand enough."

[Yiddish:] "My dear brother — remember well how the burgher could not take out the poor man's wife without the act of madness [שגעון — a reference to the parable from Rabbainu's story of the burgher and the pauper in the Sipuray Maasiyos: the burgher was able to rescue the poor man's captive wife only by doing something mad and seemingly irrational — acting without calculation, throwing himself entirely into the act]. For one must sometimes truly do an act of madness in order to rescue the soul. For if one only starts to think and be clever — one remains with nothing. One cannot take her out in any way. But as the burgher did — he did not think at all — and in one burst he entered and did not look around at all, and he truly did an act of madness — and yet he took out the poor man's wife. Happy is he. Therefore, my dear brother — merit this and do an act of madness: without thinking and without reckoning — go and acquire a fine canister of good Tzfas olive oil [שמן זית צפתאר — olive oil from the Tzfas region, known for its high quality] — and send it here. And we will arrange more canisters to send together. Oh (Gott!) — do not let yourself be deceived! Remember: the Tzion of Rabbainu the Holy one is in the aspect of the Foundation Stone [אבן שתי' — the Foundation Stone upon which the Holy of Holies stood in the Jerusalem Temple; the most sacred spot in creation; R' Shmuel is saying that Rabbainu's Tzion in Uman has a spiritual status corresponding to this] — and above it is even higher than the Holy of Holies. Reckon it as though you are lighting the Menorah in the Holy Temple. My brother — I will envy you if you truly do this! Oh (Gott!) — this will stand you in good stead. You will earn profit that is beyond measure and beyond reckoning."

[Yiddish:] "Oh (Gott!) — do not allow yourself to be persuaded by the baal davar. And in this merit — Rabbainu, of blessed memory, will wake you from your sleep and draw you close truly. Oh (Gott!) — the matter is in your hands! For 'the matter is very near to you — in your mouth and in your heart to do it' [Deuteronomy 30:14]. Remember well — if R' Yisrael [R' Yisrael of Kardin — who drew R' Yisrael Dov to Breslov and who is now deceased] were alive — he would with self-sacrifice from sheer joy — see to send with all his strength. Therefore, my dear brother — do not relax and see to send a canister of olive oil as quickly as possible. And one mitzvah brings another mitzvah [מצוה גוררת מצוה — Avos 4:2] — and you will merit to have longings to break all obstacles and come to Chanukah among the fellowship. For you are, to your sorrow, asleep — and great compassion on you — that you have been far from it for several Rosh Hashanas already. And what will be the ultimate purpose? And through this — you will merit to break the obstacles and merit to be at Rosh Hashana there — at the place where you send the oil. And you understand enough."

My dear brother — I am very pressed. And the fellowship are all poor people here. And even so — we are doing our best with all our strength that we should be able to send some canisters — for the cost of sending one canister is the same as sending five canisters together. My dear brother — arouse compassion on me — for it is very bitter and dark for me, to my great sorrow. And what will be the ultimate purpose? Reply immediately — a good reply. From me — who hopes to see the canisters of oil very soon — and you for Chanukah — and to be truly saved. Amen.

Shmuel Horowitz, the Breslover. Please send the canister via a trustworthy person whom you know — when he travels by automobile — and have him deliver it either to me, or to R' Yaakov Zev, etc., or to R' Alter. And also write us a letter — to whom you delivered the canister and where he resides — and we will go to him to receive it. Joyfully! Hope! A holy good Shabbos!