Letter 46 מ"ו

Peace and blessing and all good forever — to my beloved dear friend, my soul's companion — the delight of my heart, the apple of my eyes — the dear and elevated young man, etc., etc., who drinks living waters from Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman [ננמ"ח] — our Master R' Yaakov Zev, may he live and be strong.

After warmly greeting you with great love — I hereby inform you of my welfare. May Hashem grant that we merit what we need to merit — easily. Amen, so may it be His will. I received your letter — and greatly rejoiced to know of your good welfare. And know, my dear brother — that much is happening to me — in spiritual and material matters — and it is impossible to explain even by word of mouth, and certainly not in writing. And G‑d willing — when I merit to conclude my longing and to meet with you together — I will tell you in joy what I shall remember to tell you. And Mashiach will tell what happened with each and every person on every single day. Arouse great compassion for me — greatly, greatly — at the Western Wall, and especially at the holy graves from Haifa, Tiberias, Tzfas, and especially Meron — at the Tzion of the G‑dly Tanna, the Rashbi, of blessed memory, and the other holy graves. And I make you truly and verily the agent for the holy Tzadik — to tell him everything that is happening to me — that it has already been 5 years that I am separated. And what has happened to me until I arrived here. And here how I am struggling so greatly. I have laid out my last remnant of strength here. And to my sorrow — still far from the holy Tzion [he is still in Lublin — not yet at Uman] and from marital peace. And what will be the ultimate purpose, etc. And please lay many arguments and many prayers for me. And arouse the fellowship — and especially R.A.B.Tz. [R' Alter Ben Tzion] and R' Yisrael Dov, etc.

Lay many prayers — that I merit this Shavuos to be at the holy Tzion of Rabbainu, and especially Rosh Hashana — without sufferings and dangers, G‑d forbid. And that no one suffer from this. And that I already be a complete person in holiness, etc. Know, my brother — if you knew what is happening to me and how bitter it is for me — and I have no one to rely upon and no one to pour out my heart to and no one to take counsel with — what shall I say to you? You cannot imagine at all. Only — even so — I am not despairing, G‑d forbid. …They are pursuing me — that I return home, etc. And the rabbinate sent to call me — they hold two letters from Jerusalem rabbis — signed at the Lublin rabbi, R' Klatzkin, etc. — that I should not make any conditions, only submit to the rabbinic court and return home immediately — and what they decide I should accept, etc. Or else — I should send a divorce. And the rabbinic court of Lublin gave me an ultimatum: if I do not travel or send a divorce — they will pursue me through the government [the Polish civil authorities — an extremely serious threat], etc., etc. And I have time until Sunday of Parashas Emor to give a clear answer.

And my visa has expired — and G‑d, blessed be He, arranged wonderful ways: I submitted a request to extend the visa and was compelled to register with the government — like all foreigners — that is: I gave two photographs and filled out forms, etc. And I have not yet received back my passport. And in the request I wrote that I am asking for six months [which would extend until after Yom Kippur] — only usually it will be only three months. And perhaps by a miracle — it will be for six months. And the situation is as follows: I am planning… [The letter continues but the content becomes fragmentary at this point]