Confidentiality — Burn All Letters

In general and in full confidentiality: burn all my letters — so as not to show them to anyone, or else conceal them carefully.

And once more I ask of your honor to please see to find some means of obtaining a steady income, and to come with the utmost possible speed. And to write to me immediately a clear reply, without any hesitation or doubt whatsoever.

From me, Shmuel HaLevi Horowitz.

His honor asks me about the matter of helping me in the printing of the book and whether he will lend for it. I will tell him a parable — and he will understand what to do immediately. After the passing of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — when our master the Tzaddik — the foundation of the world[צדיק יסוד עולם — "the Tzaddik — the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). The verse: "The righteous is the foundation of the world" — a Kabbalistic title for the Tzaddik who bears and sustains the world, applied here to R' Nossan as the sole sustainer of the Breslov movement after the Rebbe's passing.] — R' Nossan זצ"ל remained — who had the true understanding[דעם אמתין גפעיל — Yiddish: "the true comprehension / the genuine feeling-sense." Gafeil (from German: Gefühl — feeling / sense) — the deep inner feeling of understanding that is more than intellectual knowledge. R' Nossan did not merely know about the Rebbe — he had the true inner sense of what the Rebbe's significance meant for all of creation.] of the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — how he is the rectification of all the worlds forever — but he had no means of any kind to do and to establish the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — because of the great expenses that were needed for this:

To establish and build a synagogue in Uman — at the holy grave-site of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — for the Breslover Chassidim — and in particular for those who come for Rosh Hashana. And also to print the books of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — to give life to the world forever — books which were still in manuscript form. And the Breslover Chassidim — most of them were poor — and also they did not have in their understanding the greatness of the matter — that one must give one's self-sacrifice[מס"נ = מסירת נפש — "self-sacrifice / the giving over of one's life." Also written מסי"נ (מסירת נפשו — "the giving over of his life") later in the same letter — two variant forms of the same abbreviation.] for such a holy cause. And opponents confronted R' Nossan from every side and corner. And no person who would have the desire and the mind and the understanding of the matter of our master the Rebbe — who would be needed to lay a foundation for the coming generations — was found. And he was almost alone in the world in this matter — and he nearly despaired of it: whether he would be able to complete his will and desire in this great merit for the many — for the entire world forever and ever. [זכות הרבים — "the merit of the many." Zechus harabbim — the spiritual merit generated by an action that benefits the general public — as opposed to zechus hayachid — private merit. Publishing the Rebbe's books = zechus harabbim of the highest order — because every Jew who will ever study these books receives life from them forever. The merit of the many outweighs even the greatest private spiritual achievement.]

And Hashem had mercy on him — and there came to one of the Breslover Chassidim — who was poor and destitute — and had sold all his belongings and possessions — and had from this a sum of money to do some livelihood with it — so that he would have from it to support his household[ב"ב = בני ביתו — "the members of his household / his family." Bnei beiso.]. And R' Nossan spoke with him of the greatness of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — and the greatness of the merit of the many — to establish the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל as mentioned. And it entered the mind and heart of this man — and he began to think and to ache with longing — that he should have the portion in the building and establishing of the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל. And he began to request from R' Nossan זצ"ל — that he take from him his sum of money [which was his entire livelihood and means of support completely] — for the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל as mentioned.

And R' Nossan did not want this under any circumstances — for this was literally his entire livelihood — and also: what would he do with such a paltry sum — it would only cover the beginning alone. But the man wept before R' Nossan זצ"ל — that he should have compassion on him — and specifically he wanted that he should have the merit — that he should have the merit to make the beginning in such a great merit for the many — and R' Nossan זצ"ל stood for a while and thought: how to act — whether to have compassion on this poor man physically: when he takes from him his entire livelihood he will be left empty with no sustenance, G-d forbid — or whether to have compassion on him spiritually: that he should have a portion in this — in the beginning of such a merit for the many — with such self-sacrifice — which is very precious — and he will have good and happiness for his soul, spirit, and neshamah[נר"נ = נפש רוח נשמה — "soul, spirit, and neshamah." The three primary levels of the Jewish soul.] [נר"נ — נפש רוח נשמה — "the soul, spirit, and neshamah." The standard Kabbalistic abbreviation for the three lower levels of the human soul: nefesh (the animal soul / the vital soul), ruach (the emotional-spirit soul), and neshamah (the rational-divine soul). Together these constitute the primary spiritual identity of a person. This person's self-sacrifice would benefit all three levels of his soul forever.] — forever and ever and ever. [And also Hashem will not abandon him, G-d forbid — for "tithe so that you will become wealthy."] [עשר בשביל שתתעשר — "Tithe so that you will become wealthy." A Talmudic promise (Taanis 9a): one who gives a tenth of his earnings as charity will merit to become wealthy. Applied here: even though this man is giving his entire livelihood — G-d will replenish it. The wordplay: עשר (te'asher — you will become wealthy) / עשר (aser — tithe).]

And this poor and destitute man stands and requests for his life from R' Nossan — and weeps before him — that he should have compassion and mercy and pity on him — and take from him the generous offering of his heart — that he should specifically have the beginning.

And in summary: R' Nossan זצ"ל weighed the matter in his mind — and in the end the true compassion prevailed in his mind — to have compassion on this man — and to take from him the money — so that he should have the beginning of establishing the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל. And in truth — this man had almost all the merit of the establishment of the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — for through this specifically was the entire strengthening of R' Nossan זצ"ל — that he was able to establish the matter of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל. And so R' Nossan זצ"ל said explicitly — that he was greatly strengthened through this — that Hashem placed in the heart of such a crushed and downtrodden poor man such a desire — to give such self-sacrifice — to give all his livelihood and possessions for the sake of such a great merit for the many — and therefore he now had the courage that certainly Hashem would complete for him — that he would be able to complete all his will in this. And so it was — that Hashem helped R' Nossan: he built the synagogue[ביהכ"נ = בית הכנסת — "the synagogue / the house of assembly." Beis haknesses.] — and also printed books — and all the cause and merit was this crushed poor man — [who certainly Hashem did not abandon materially either]. Happy is he and happy is his portion and lot — as is obvious to all who have any understanding — what he merited in this test that he stood in — and acquired through this the eternal and everlasting world — which no eye has ever seen.

And in truth — everything is vanity of vanities of this passing world — for time flies greatly — and in the end everyone is compelled to be in the grave — and nothing will remain of the person — only what he managed to snatch some good thing in the world — and in particular a matter of the many. For there is no comparison: the smallest of the small in the merit of the many is not equal to the greatest of the great that has no merit of the many in it — as brought in the Sefer HaMidos of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל.

And in particular the matter of printing the books of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — for our master R' Nossan[מה"ר נתן = מורינו הרב נתן — "our master, our teacher, Rabbi Nossan." מה"ר = מורינו הרב.] זצ"ל said: there is no charity like the charity of printing. And in particular the matter of printing this book — to bring the study of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל into the world in depth — which will be a benefit to all who engage with it — however little they can — there is no comparison to such a benefit. And in particular with G-d's help[בעזהי"ת = בעזרת השם יתברך — "with the help of Hashem may He be blessed."] — I expect that this matter will be a matter that does not stop — that from this book and a little assistance afterward — we will be able to print another book — and so on further — we will be able to give life to the entire world with the healing of the soul and the body and the livelihood — the likes of which have not existed since the beginning of the world — which are hidden in the holy books — and we alone will be the servants to reveal them from concealment to revelation — to give life to the world for generations upon generations. And as R' Nossan said regarding his Likutay Tefillot that he wanted to print: "This shall be written for the last generation" — meaning: he prints this for the coming generations — "and a people that shall be created will praise G-d" [Psalms 102:19] — that there will be created a people who will praise Hashem through this — meaning: even if now there is no one who wants to serve Hashem through this and has the understanding for it — there will come a time when people will be created — more and more — until there will be a people who will serve Hashem through this.

And behold — this is the matter of our book — that all the strengthening I have is: that Hashem has given his honor the desire and the mind to assist in this great merit for the many — I expect that Hashem will complete for us — to bring merit to the world with life and merit such as this. So may it be His will. Amen.

And behold — the choice is in his honor's hands — what to do in this matter. But his honor should not burden himself so much that it will be hard for him afterward to sustain it — and also that this should be in secrecy and privacy — even from the Breslover Chassidim — for there is nothing more beautiful than modesty [אין לך יפה מן הצניעות — "there is nothing more beautiful than modesty / privacy." A rabbinic principle (Makkos 24a in spirit) — the highest virtue is tznius (modesty / discreetness). Doing a great mitzvah privately, without publicity, is the highest form of it.] — and that the adversary [הבעל דבר — "the adversary / the prosecutor." Ba'al davar — literally "the master of the matter" — referring to the spiritual prosecuting force (the Satan / the Sitra Achra) that opposes holy endeavors and can incite jealousy and hatred among people. By keeping the donation secret, one prevents this spiritual opposition from being activated.] should not be able to prosecute through jealousy and hatred and so on.

And behold — with those two hundred dollars that you want to send — it is possible that it will cover a third of the book certainly — [besides the two sheets that I printed and sent to his honor — and why did you not write me that you received them?]. And without your money — I have absolutely no means to print — and I am standing in the middle of the printing — and I do not know what to do. Send the money as a check to the bank — as you sent me previously — for Parshas Metzora — the check for 15 dollars — and the rest of the checks all this time. [טשעק על הבנק — "a check to the bank." The Yiddish/English loanword "tshek" (check / cheque) — a bank check. The practical mode of international money transfer used in the 1950s for sending funds from overseas to Israel.] Your friend.

This thirty-third letter — written around Pesach time (after Chol HaMoed) — is the most practically detailed letter in the collection, centered entirely on the book printing project and featuring the extraordinary story of R' Nossan and the poor man's first donation.

Acknowledgment and Talmudic teaching (§§2): All scrips and checks received — deep gratitude. The Talmud (from the Maamados of Shabbos): one who gives a poor person a full armload in this world — G-d gives him a full armload in the World to Come. But how can a person receive G-d's full armload? — Just as G-d gives the wicked strength to receive their punishment, so He gives the righteous strength to receive their reward. Isaiah 40:12: "He measured the heavens with a handbreadth." The story of R' Nossan and the poor man (§4): After the Rebbe's passing — R' Nossan was essentially alone, nearly despairing — who would fund building the Uman synagogue and printing the books? A poor man came who had sold everything — his entire livelihood was this one sum. R' Nossan spoke of the Rebbe's greatness and the merit of the many. The man began to yearn to be the one to make the first donation. R' Nossan refused — this is the man's entire sustenance. The man wept — he specifically wanted the merit of the beginning. R' Nossan deliberated: physical compassion (don't take his last penny) vs. spiritual compassion (give him the unimaginable merit of being the cause of the entire Breslov revival). Spiritual compassion won. R' Nossan explicitly said this act strengthened him enormously — knowing G-d had placed such desire in such a poor person proved the enterprise was divinely endorsed. The synagogue was built, the books were printed — and this poor man was the cause of all of it. "Happy is he and happy is his portion." The merit of the many; the book (§§5–6): The Sefer HaMidos: the smallest merit of the many exceeds the greatest private achievement. R' Nossan: there is no charity like the charity of printing. This book will generate further books — healing the world's soul, body, and livelihood — quoting Psalms 102:19 (R' Nossan's vision for Likutay Tefillot): "a people that shall be created will praise G-d." Keep the donation secret even from Breslover Chassidim — there is nothing more beautiful than modesty — and to prevent the adversary (ba'al davar) from stirring jealousy. 200 dollars = one third of the book. Two sheets already printed and sent — why no acknowledgment? Send by check to the bank. Key terms: Yesod olam — R' Nossan — "the foundation of the world" — the title applied to R' Nossan as the sole sustainer of Breslov after the Rebbe's passing · Gam hefila lo asu lahem — the true understanding (Yiddish: dem emesn gafeil) of the Rebbe's significance · Zechus harabbim — the merit of the many; outweighs all private merit · Ner-nun — nefesh ruach neshamah — the three lower soul-levels; what the poor man's self-sacrifice benefited forever · Aser bishvil she'tis'asher — "tithe so that you will become wealthy" — Talmud Taanis 9a · Maamados shel Shabbos — the Talmudic teaching about G-d's full armload · Ein tzedakah k'tzedakas hadfus — R' Nossan: there is no charity like the charity of printing · Tikasev zos l'dor acharon — v'am nivra yehalel Yah — Psalms 102:19; a people that shall be created will praise G-d · Ba'al davar — the adversary / the spiritual prosecutor; kept at bay through secrecy and tznius · Ein lecha yafeh min hatznius — there is nothing more beautiful than modesty / privacy