A Change of Heart — Tzfas is Better; the Dream of Meron

And regarding what I wrote to you about the journey to Jerusalem — I hereby retract that for the time being, for they described the situation to me well, and I see that here [in Tzfas] it is good — and it is much better for me than anywhere in the world. Here, for now, I have a spacious house with ample room [בית ברחבת ידים — lit. "a house of wide hands," a Biblical expression of spaciousness, cf. Psalms 31:9]. And I have an open plot of land near our house — for hisbodidus [התבודדות — personal, secluded prayer and inner conversation with G‑d; the central practice of Breslov Chassidus]. And I also have fine books belonging to my father, may he live. And I have everything that I need and desire for learning. I have a key to the mikveh [ritual immersion bath]. And I have a private beis medrash [study hall] nearby, and there is no one at all there except for me alone, all day long. And here the streets are not so noisy, and here there is quiet and safety from every single thing, and the air is pure and clean, very, very much so.

And in particular — Meron: who can describe my longing, my desire, and my wish to be there! And certainly, with G‑d's help, in the month of Elul and in Tishrei I shall surely be there. And I have also received my father's agreement on this. And in Jerusalem — the noise is great, and there too it is not so safe or secure from many things, as it is in Tzfas. And a house to rent is not readily available there. And I have no private beis medrash there, and there is no private open space where one can carry out hisbodidus. And I would not be able even once to do hisbodidus or to study as I wish. And the wandering, and the high cost of living there, and I have at present no means whatsoever of livelihood to be there. Therefore I have resolved in my heart that until the first of Cheshvan [the month following Tishrei] I shall certainly be in Meron the entire two months [Elul and Tishrei]. And from the first of Cheshvan I still do not know what will be.

My entire aspiration, desire, and longing is to be at least in Meron for two or three years in a row, by day and by night. But there is one thing I lack: a good rebbe [spiritual guide and teacher] — G‑d-fearing and learned in Torah as I wish — and a good, precious-valued companion of whom one can say: "Make for yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend" [עשה לך רב וקנה לך חבר — Avos 1:6]. And a minyan [quorum of ten men for communal prayer] to pray with. And regarding money for sustenance — I have trust in Hashem [bitachon — בטחון], and I have some basis of support, a double-doubt's-worth of confidence [ספק ספיקא — a Talmudic legal concept used here loosely and charmingly to mean: "at least doubly-probably," i.e., he feels fairly confident], that I will have money.

Now are the Ten Days of Teshuvah [עשי"ת = עשרת ימי תשובה — "the Ten Days of Teshuvah." The ten days from Rosh Hashana (1 Tishrei) through Yom Kippur (10 Tishrei) — the most intense period of teshuvah in the Jewish calendar. The abbreviation appears three times in this letter.] — which can rectify the entire year — and even all the years.

As explained in the writings of the Arizal: that on each day of the Ten Days of Teshuvah — one can rectify all the corresponding days of all the years. That is: for example — on the first day of the week within the Ten Days of Teshuvah — one can rectify all the first days of the week of all the years. And on the second day of the week within the Ten Days of Teshuvah — one can rectify all the second days of the week of all the years. And so for every day of the week. [The Arizal's teaching: each of the ten days contains the rectifying power for the corresponding day of every week of every year. Sunday within the Ten Days = every Sunday of all years; Monday = every Monday; and so on. Since the ten days span from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur and cover all seven days of the week at least once (and some twice, depending on which day Rosh Hashana falls), together they encompass rectifying power for the entire temporal year. Through teshuvah during these ten days, a person can address the spiritual arrears of a lifetime.]

It thus emerges that through the Ten Days of Teshuvah — one can rectify all the days of all the years — through teshuvah, and so on.

And on Yom Kippur — which includes all the days of the year — as it is written: "Days were formed — and His is the one among them" [Psalms 139:16. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 29:8) expounds: "days were formed" — all the days of the year were made; "and to Him is the one among them" (ולו א' בהם) — this unique day belongs to Him, to G-d alone — this is Yom Kippur. The aleph (א') signals the one singular day that encompasses and is set apart as wholly G-d's.] — this is Yom Kippur, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded.

And one must confess ten confessions in the five prayers. [עשרה וידויים בחמשה התפילות — "ten confessions in the five prayers." On Yom Kippur there are five prayer services: Ma'ariv (evening), Shacharit (morning), Musaf (additional), Minchah (afternoon), and Neilah (closing). The confession (vidui) is recited twice per service — once in the silent Amidah and once in the cantor's repetition — yielding exactly ten confessions across the day.]

[Once [פ"א = פעם אחת — "one time / once." The standard abbreviation for pa'am achas.] in the whispered prayer of the Shemoneh Esrei, [שמ"ע = שמונה עשרה — "Shemoneh Esrei" — literally "eighteen" — the eighteen (now nineteen) blessings of the Amidah prayer. The central standing prayer of every Jewish service, recited in silence. On Yom Kippur, the Vidui (confession) is inserted into the Amidah at the blessing of Slach Lanu ("Forgive us").] and a second time together with the prayer leader [הש"צ = השליח ציבור — "the emissary / representative of the congregation." The prayer leader — the cantor — who repeats the Amidah aloud on behalf of the congregation. Shaliach (emissary) + tzibur (congregation/public): the person appointed to carry the congregation's prayers before G-d. After everyone recites the silent Amidah, the shaliach tzibur repeats it aloud so that those who cannot pray themselves can fulfill their obligation by listening.] who repeats the prayer aloud — with striking upon the chest.]

To extract all ten types of arrows that were shot at the Shechinah and the Jewish soul through the sins of the entire year. See in Sipurey Ma'asiyos — the Seven Beggars — from the story of the Sixth Day — regarding the ten types of musical instruments through which one heals the King's Daughter — [who is the Jewish soul specifically and the Community of Israel [כנס"י = כנסת ישראל — "the Community / Assembly of Israel." The collective entity of the entire Jewish people — also identified in Kabbalah with the Shechinah in her aspect as the divine bride, the communal soul of Israel. The King's Daughter in the story represents both the individual Jewish soul (nefesh hayisraelit) and the collective Community of Israel as a whole.] generally] — from the illness of the ten types of arrows.

And afterward — Sukkos — the encompassing kindnesses. For from Yom Kippur [מיו"כ = מיום כיפור — "from Yom Kippur." The standard abbreviation for Yom Kippur: yud-kuf = Yom Kippur.] until Sukkos — these are plain, simple kindnesses. [חסדים סתם — "plain / simple / undifferentiated kindnesses." Stam (סתם) means plain, ordinary, unspecified — not a particular elevated type. The kindnesses that flow from Yom Kippur's atonement to the eve of Sukkos are genuine chesed — divine goodness freely given — but they are the straightforward, accessible type: divine good-will that enters and is contained within ordinary human experience. They are not yet the encompassing, transcendent kindnesses of Sukkos itself.] And Sukkos is the encompassing kindnesses — in the aspect of the Sukkah: the holy spirit, great wisdom and attainments above the mind — which cannot enter the mind.

And the lulav and esrog and all the four species — they are kindnesses that restore the Divine Presence and rectify it.

And therefore Tishrei is called "the month of the mighty ones — mighty in commandments." And the four species is the commandment that raises the Shechinah — which is in the aspect of the letter dalet — to the light of the face [לאור הפנים — "to the light of the face / the facial light." Ohr happanim — the innermost, most intimate divine light — the direct light of the divine "face" (panim — also meaning "inner"). This is the highest light the Shechinah can receive: the direct, face-to-face illumination from the divine presence itself. The four species, by raising the Shechinah from the aspect of dalet (the fourth letter, associated with poverty and lack) toward this light, complete the process of rectification that Yom Kippur began.] — which is the Sukkah — the mother who overspreads her children of Hashem. [אימא דמסככת על בנין — Aramaic: "the mother who spreads her covering / her shade over her children." The Sukkah is identified with Binah (Understanding) — the supernal mother (Imma Ila'ah) — who spreads her wings of encompassing lovingkindness over her children Israel, like a bird covering her young. The root סכך (to cover / to spread shade) is the same root as סוכה (Sukkah) — the covering structure. Sitting within the Sukkah is being enveloped in the divine mother's embrace.]

May Hashem grant us merit to observe the commandments with great joy — for that is the essential thing — and with ardor and divine vitality. So may it be His will. Amen.

Because of the busyness of the time I am cutting this short. And I am praying here at the holy grave on his behalf and on behalf of his household, may they live. And I will remain here, with G-d's help, until after the festival — and will return, with G-d's help, to Jerusalem, the holy city. [עיה"ק = עיר הקודש — "the holy city." The standard abbreviation for Jerusalem as the holy city: ir hakodesh. The author is at Miron in the Galilee and will return to his home in Jerusalem after Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres / Simchas Torah — another two to three weeks from the time of writing.]

This fourteenth letter — written Thursday 5 Tishrei 5716 (October 1955) from Miron during the Ten Days of Teshuvah — is the shortest and most compressed letter in the collection. The author explicitly apologizes for the brevity: "because of the busyness of the time I am cutting this short." Despite its brevity, it is packed with four distinct teachings, and contains several newly appearing abbreviations now fully explained.

Salutation (§1): A new honorific — כמוהר"ר = kavod morenu harav Rabbi — the fullest form yet. The recipient's wife receives her own blessing for the first time — הצוה"ח שתחי' = the modest one who fears sin, may she live.

Shmuel Horwitz

Gratitude (§2): Letter arrived from erev Shabbos of Parshas Teitzei (late Elul, just before Rosh Hashana) with 24 dollars. "May Hashem give you life just as you have given us life" — the most personal expression of gratitude in the correspondence so far.

The Arizal's teaching on Aseres Yemei Teshuvah (§3): Each day of the Ten Days rectifies the corresponding day of every week of every year. Sunday of the Ten Days = every Sunday of all years; Monday = every Monday; and so on. The entire temporal year is concentrated in these ten days.

Yom Kippur — ten confessions, ten arrows (§4): Yom Kippur includes all days of the year (Psalms 139:16 — "His is the one among them"). Ten confessions in five prayers: twice per service — once in the silent Amidah (שמ"ע) and once with the shaliach tzibur (הש"צ). The chest-striking extracts the ten types of arrows from the Seven Beggars story (Sixth Day) — the spiritual wounds inflicted on the King's Daughter (the Jewish soul = כנס"י = Knesses Yisrael).

Sukkos — encompassing kindnesses (§5): From Yom Kippur (מיו"כ) to Sukkos = chasadim stam (plain simple kindnesses). Sukkos = chasadim hamakifim (encompassing kindnesses) — wisdom above the mind. The four species raise the Shechinah (bechinas dalet) to the ohr happanim — the light of the divine face — which is the Sukkah — Imma d'mesakkechet (the mother who spreads her covering). Tishrei = Yerach Ha'eitanim — mighty in commandments. Observe with great joy and divine vitality — for that is the essential thing.

Postscript (§6): Praying at the holy grave (tzion) for the recipients. Staying at Miron until after the festival, then returning to Jerusalem (עיה"ק = עיר הקודש).

Abbreviations fully expanded in this letter: כמוהר"ר, הצוה"ח שתחי', וכב"ב שיחיו, אחדשה"ט, מעש"ק, עשי"ת, פ"א, שמ"ע, הש"צ, כנס"י, מיו"כ, דו"ש, עיה"ק, ת"ו (Miron).

Key terms in this letter: Gmar chatimah tovah — a good final sealing; the greeting of the Ten Days · Kamohara"r = kavod morenu harav Rabbi — the fullest form of the honorific · Hatzvo"ch shtechi = hatzenu'ah yir'as chet shtechi — the modest one who fears sin, may she live · Achdash"t = achar drishas shlomchem hatov — after inquiring after your precious wellbeing · Me'esh"k = me'erev Shabbos kodesh — from the eve of the holy Shabbos · Asi"t = Aseres Yemei Teshuvah — the Ten Days of Teshuvah; each day rectifies corresponding days of all years · Yamim yutzaru v'lo echad bahem — Psalms 139:16; Yom Kippur is the one day that encompasses all · Pa = pa'am achas — once; the abbreviation for one time · Shema = Shemoneh Esrei — the silent Amidah prayer; eighteen blessings · Hasha"tz = hashaliach tzibur — the prayer leader / cantor who repeats aloud on the congregation's behalf · Knas"i = Knesses Yisrael — the Community of Israel; the collective Jewish soul · Miy"k = miyom Kippur — from Yom Kippur · Chasadim stam — plain simple kindnesses; the undifferentiated goodness between Yom Kippur and Sukkos · Chasadim hamakifim — encompassing kindnesses; Sukkos · Ohr happanim — the light of the divine face; the highest light the Shechinah receives through the four species · Imma d'mesakkechet — Aramaic: the mother who spreads her covering; the Sukkah as Binah · Do"sh = doresh u'mevakesh shlomo — who seeks and requests his wellbeing; the signoff abbreviation · I"hk = ir hakodesh — the holy city; Jerusalem

Volume One • Letter 14

📜 Translator's Summary — Letter 14 [Added by the translator — not part of the original text]

And regarding what his honor asks of me in the letter of Parshas Noach — that I give him good counsel regarding the matter of his longing to travel to the Land of Israel — truly it is difficult to give counsel, and especially since his honor is a debtor and earns his livelihood with great difficulty — with the labor of his hands [ביגיע כפים — "with the labor of his hands / by the sweat of his hands." A biblical expression (Psalms 128:2): "when you eat of the labor of your hands — fortunate are you and it is good for you." Here it describes honest, hard-earned income — not passive income but the fruit of direct physical and mental labor. The author is noting that such a person cannot easily absorb large expenses.] — and [would need] to incur such great expenses for a journey there and back.

From me, Shmuel

"Nevertheless, I am responding to his honor according to my understanding. The first thing: you must see that your wife — the capable woman and G-d-fearing one — should be at peace and should agree to this with goodwill. [דאס ערשטע דארפט איהר זעהן אז אייעהר פרוא דיא אשת חיל ויראת ה' זאל זיין צוא פרידען — "The first thing: you must see that your wife — the capable woman and G-d-fearing one — should be at peace." The very first practical step before any planning for the trip: the wife must be on board, willingly and genuinely in agreement — not grudging or pressured. Eshes chayil (capable woman, Proverbs 31) + yir'as Hashem (fears G-d): both virtues cited together. Tzu friden = at peace / satisfied / agreeable.]

And furthermore — you have almost a whole year to yearn and long for the holiness of the Land of Israel and to beseech and pray to Hashem about this. [בייטען השי"ת — "to beseech / to pray to Hashem." The Yiddish beytn (בייטען) — from the German bitten — means to request, to beseech, to beg, to entreat, to petition. It is used throughout this letter for direct, heartfelt prayer-as-petition: not formal liturgical prayer (davenen) but the direct personal supplication of one who urgently needs something from G-d. The word conveys active, persistent requesting — not passive hoping but earnest, repeated asking.] [And in general — to pray that there should be peace upon Israel and peace throughout the entire world.]"

[The first thing: you need to see that your wife — the capable woman and G-d-fearing one — should be satisfied and should agree to this with goodwill. And furthermore: you have almost a full year to yearn and to long for the holiness of the Land of Israel, and to pray to Hashem about this. (And in general: to pray that there should be peace upon Israel and peace in the entire world.)]

And as for the actual matter of the journey itself — it would be better to travel together with a group of Chassidim, [חברה חסידים — "a group / fellowship of Chassidim." Traveling in an organized group significantly reduced the cost of a transatlantic journey in 1955. The author gives specific figures: solo travel = approximately 900 dollars; group travel = approximately 600 dollars. The difference of 300 dollars is described as a "large sum" (cheshbon gadol) — significant for a person earning his living with difficulty.] for whom the price of the journey would be only 600 dollars — as opposed to traveling alone, which would require about 900 dollars. And for you, 300 dollars is a large sum.

And whereas his honor could be here the entire months of Av and Elul — with the group he could be here only from the days of the Selichos [ימי הסליחות — "the days of the Selichos / the penitential prayers." The Selichos are the special supplications for forgiveness recited in the period before Rosh Hashana. Ashkenazic Jews begin reciting them the Saturday night before Rosh Hashana (or earlier if Rosh Hashana falls early in the week). This is approximately two weeks before Rosh Hashana, in late Elul.] until after Simchas Torah — that is: only one month. But in my opinion this one month alone is more important than several other months — because it includes all the awesome Days: Rosh Hashana [ר"ה = ראש השנה — "Rosh Hashana." The standard two-letter abbreviation for the Jewish New Year — rosh (head) + hashana (the year).] , the Ten Days of Teshuvah, Yom Kippur, the Festival of Sukkos, and Simchas Torah — to fulfill the commandment of the pilgrimage. [מצות עולה רגל — "the commandment of the pilgrimage / the going-up-by-foot." The three pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim) — Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos — were the occasions on which all Jewish men were commanded to appear before G-d in Jerusalem. The word regel means both "foot" and "festival." To be in the Land of Israel during Sukkos is to fulfill this ancient pilgrimage commandment in its most direct sense.]

Shmuel, as mentioned above

Only the essential thing is: whether the administrators of the Torah school where his honor teaches will agree to this. And if they do not agree — or if there is a concern that it might damage your livelihood through this — then there is no alternative but to travel alone during the vacation period of Av and Elul until after Rosh Hashana — as his honor wrote. "And in general — the matter of whether his honor should exert himself to overcome the obstacles — and particularly the obstacle of money for the journey to the Land of Israel — who could counsel you in such a matter? Only — this is the principle we have from our holy Rebbe R' Nachman of Breslov זצ"ל: that money is not an obstacle. The essential thing is the obstacle of the mind and the heart. When the heart yearns and one truly desires — there is nothing that stands against the will. 'The essential thing is the will.' [דער עיקר איז דער רצון — "The essential thing is the will / the desire." One of the most fundamental Breslov teachings, appearing in various forms throughout the Rebbe's writings: ratzon (will / desire) is the highest human faculty and the most powerful spiritual force. Where genuine will is present — where the heart truly wants something — obstacles dissolve. Money, distance, circumstances — all of these are secondary. The primary obstacle to the Land of Israel is not financial but inner: the lack of genuine, consuming desire.] So you have almost a whole year to yearn and to desire and to hope and to pray to Hashem — that you should merit the great and holy commandment of coming to the Land of Israel — even if only to walk four cubits there — that too is very great — and it is most worthwhile and worthwhile to break all the types of obstacles in the world on account of this." [Only this is what we have as a principle from our holy Rebbe R' Nachman of Breslov זצ"ל — that money is not an obstacle. The essential thing is the obstacles of the mind and the heart. When the heart yearns and one truly desires — there is nothing that stands against the will. "The essential thing is the will." So you have almost a full year to yearn and to desire and to hope and to request from Hashem — that you should merit the great and holy commandment of coming to the Land of Israel — even if only to walk four cubits there — that too is very great — and it is most worthwhile and worthwhile to break all the types of obstacles in the world on account of this.]

Alter, son of Tzion