Letter 4 ד

Peace and blessing and all good things, forever — to his honor, my beloved, my dear — the distinguished Chassid who yearns for the service of Hashem in truth and wholeness and so on — his honor, his splendor, and his glory, our master and teacher Rabbi Avraham Yakovitch, may his light shine, may he live long, may G-d protect him — and all his household, may they live.

After inquiring after your precious wellbeing with great love — as for our own wellbeing — thanks be to Hashem. I have indeed received his letters with the money regularly — and many thanks to him. May Hashem give you life always — and may you merit all your wishes for good. So may it be His will. Amen.

I am constantly occupied with the arrangement of the book "Yichus HaGedolim" — for I am still collecting from rare books — in addition to my fixed study sessions in Torah and the service of Hashem. And therefore I cannot write to his honor at length and consistently. And yet — there is no study hall without a novelty.[ביהמ"ד = בית המדרש — "the study hall / the house of Torah study." The standard abbreviation: beis hamidash.][אין בית המדרש בלא חידוש — "there is no study hall without a novelty.[ביהמ"ד = בית המדרש — "the study hall / the house of Torah study." The standard abbreviation: beis hamidash.]" A beloved rabbinic saying — in every Torah gathering there is always something fresh. The author uses it to justify writing even a brief letter.]

Shovavim Practices — Three Times Psalms; R' Elimelech of Lizhensk; LM II:73 Behold — now are the days of Shovavim — a time propitious for the rectification of the covenant — as brought in the writings of the Arizal and their other holy books. According to their holy words — the practice is to fast. But in our weaker generations — there are other counsels in place of fasting — such as the recitation of Psalms. For here in Jerusalem, the holy city[עיה"ק = עיר הקודש — "the holy city." The standard honorific abbreviation for Jerusalem: ir hakodesh.], many congregations follow the practice of reciting Psalms three times without speaking in between.[ג"פ תהלים בלי דיבור באמצע — "three times Psalms without speaking in between." ג"פ = שלוש פעמים (three times). The practice of reciting the entire book of Psalms three consecutive times without interruption — a marathon of prayer and praise held by communities during Shovavim.] And according to the books of the Tzaddikim — and in particular the holy Tzaddik[צה"ק = הצדיק הקדוש — "the holy Tzaddik." The honorific abbreviation applied to Tzaddikim of the highest sanctity.] Rabbi R' Elimelech of Lizhensk זצ"ל — this is considered equivalent to a fast from Shabbos to Shabbos — which is counted as many fasts — as is known. And this is done at least[עכ"פ = על כל פנים — "at any rate / at least."] once[פ"א = פעם אחת — "one time / once." Pa'am achas.] a year during the Shovavim days.[Rabbi R' Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717–1787) — author of the foundational Chassidic work Noam Elimelech, one of the foremost disciples of the Maggid of Mezeritch, central authority in Polish Chassidism. The "Rebbe R' Elimelech" is cited here as a source for the equivalence of reciting Psalms three times with a Shabbos-to-Shabbos fast — a multi-day fast of extraordinary severity.] And it is also brought in Likutay Moharan Part 2, §73[לק"מ ח"ב סי' ע"ג = לקוטי מוהר"ן חלק ב' סימן ע"ג — "Likutay Moharan Part 2, §73." ח"ב = חלק ב' (Part 2 / Tannina); סי' = סימן (section); ע"ג = ayin (70) + gimel (3) = 73.] — that Psalms is propitious for teshuvah and opens all the gates of teshuvah. And therefore the custom during seasons of teshuvah — such as the Omer days and the days of Elul — is to recite Psalms. And it seems to me that in the abridgment of Likutay Moharan it brings that during Shovavim one recites Psalms — and so in Likutay Halachos. And in general the Rebbe זצ"ל explains this teaching on Parshas Shmos — with which Shovavim begins — see there. And I heard from the Breslover Chassidim[אנ"ש = אנשי שלומינו — "the people of our peace / our Chassidim." The standard Breslov term for the community of Breslov Chassidim: anshei shlomeinu.] that our master R' Nossan זצ"ל had a fixed daily session of Psalms — and during Shovavim he had a fixed session of twice a day.

Shabbos Shirah — and the Six Times the Rebbe Said Torah Each Year And this week — Parshas Beshalach — Shabbos Shirah[שבת שירה — "Shabbos of Song." The Shabbos on which Parshas Beshalach is read — containing the Song of the Sea (Az Yashir — Exodus 15) sung by Moses and Israel after the splitting of the Red Sea. One of the most exalted Shabbosos of the year. Traditional customs include feeding birds on this Shabbos in remembrance of the manna.] — is one of the times when our master the Rebbe זצ"ל said Torah — that is: he would travel to the Breslover Chassidim in Ukraine and say Torah there. [As brought in many Torah teachings in Likutay Moharan said on Shabbos Shirah — such as Torah 9 (Tehomot — "the depths") and Torah 38 (Markavot Phar'oh — "the chariots of Pharaoh") and so on.] For our master the Rebbe זצ"ל had a fixed pattern of six times a year when he would say Torah: Shavuos, Rosh Hashana, and Shabbos Chanukah — when all the Chassidim would travel to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל to hear Torah — and Shabbos Shirah and Shabbos Nachamu[שבת נחמו — "Shabbos Nachamu — the Shabbos of Consolation." The Shabbos immediately after Tisha B'Av, named after the opening of its Haftarah: "Nachamu nachamu ami — be consoled, be consoled, My people" (Isaiah 40:1). The first of the seven Haftaros of consolation leading toward Rosh Hashana.] and some other Shabbos in the year — when our master the Rebbe זצ"ל was traveling among the Chassidim and said Torah to them. As brought in Chayyei Moharan — see there.