A Cry From the Depths — "What Will Become of Me?"

But one thing I ask of your honor — have compassion on me! [Yiddish:] "Have mercy on me — what will become of me in the end, here in Tzfas? I have no one even with whom to speak a word, to learn and to converse, and the mental obstruction [mniyas hamoyach] is very great." [Hebrew parenthetical immediately following:] (Have compassion on me — what will the end result be for me? Here in Tzfas I have no one with whom to say even a single word of Torah, and the mental obstruction is very great.) Have compassion on me, and beseech mercy on my behalf before G‑d, blessed be He, that He have compassion upon me — as He Himself knows what great compassion I need.

Behold my dear — see to strengthen yourself[א"ע = את עצמו — "himself / oneself." The standard abbreviation.] with all your capacity — and this is the true will of Hashem: that the Jewish man strengthens himself in Hashem — from wherever he is — and not fall from anything at all. And let him believe with complete faith that Hashem is present even in the very depths of Sheol literally — "for there is no place empty of Him" [לית אתר פנו מיניה — Aramaic: "there is no place empty of Him." A foundational Kabbalistic principle from the Tikkunei Zohar (Tikkun 57): G-d fills all places and there is no location where His presence is absent. Even in the deepest pit of impurity or suffering — G-d is there. This is the foundation of the Breslov teaching that one must never despair — because wherever one is, G-d is present to help one rise.] — "and He knows all hidden things" — and "Hashem is close to all who call upon Him" and so on.

And the essential: the person must do everything he can through the arousal from below [אתערותא דלתתא — Aramaic: "arousal from below." The human initiative upward — contrasted with atirutha d'lei'la (arousal from above). The entire sustained spiritual life — through all its ascents and descents — is the atirutha diletata: the human being's own reaching toward G-d, which is more precious than the atirutha d'lei'la because it is earned.] — Torah — and in particular the halachic decisors every day — to know how to fulfill the Torah literally. And the books of the true Tzaddik — which are truly the rebuke and moral instruction of Moses our Teacher, peace be upon him[ע"ה = עליו השלום — "peace be upon him." The standard blessing for a biblical figure (as distinguished from the post-Talmudic זצ"ל). Applied here to Moses our Teacher — Moshe Rabbeinu ע"ה.] — which do not cause a foul odor but the opposite — in the aspect of "my spikenard gave forth its fragrance" — that they transform sins into merits. [See Likutay Moharan Part 2, §8.] [נרדי נתן ריחו — "my spikenard gave forth its fragrance" (Song of Songs 1:12). LM Part 2, §8: The Rebbe teaches that the books of the true Tzaddik are like the nard — the precious perfume — that transforms a foul odor (sins) into fragrance (merits). Unlike ordinary rebuke that shames and discourages, the Tzaddik's teaching gives off only fragrance — it rectifies rather than wounds.] A little Likutay Moharan — a little Likutay Halachos and so on.

And to pray to Hashem — and in hisbodidus — [all according to one's capacity] — to merit to go out from the subjugation of the evil inclination — and to enter into the gates of holiness and the service of Hashem. And to also[ג"כ = גם כן — "also / as well."] recite every day a little from Likutay Tefillot — and the Tikkun HaKelali every day — which is a rectification for all that passes over the person — and to purify and sanctify and benefit him with merits and salvations and so on. And besides this: to study every day Shas[ש"ס = שש סדרים — "the six orders." The complete Talmud — the Babylonian Talmud — consisting of six orders (sedarim): Zera'im, Mo'ed, Nashim, Nezikin, Kodshim, Taharos. The standard abbreviation for the Talmud in all its tractates.] — Talmud — Rashi — Tosafos — and so on — and Tanach and so on — all according to one's capacity and according to one's will and yearning toward Hashem.

And the essential of all the above: to rejoice in Hashem and in His Torah and in His commandments and in His true Tzaddikim — and not to fall from anything in the world — however it may be — however it may be. No good desire and no good point is lost, G-d forbid. And in the end — if the person does not leave his place in holiness — to do at least[עכ"פ = על כל פנים — "at least / in any case."] what he can — however he is — however he is — and strengthens himself and trusts in Hashem and rejoices in Him — certainly he will have a good end and good hope forever. And on the contrary: from the descents — they will be transformed into merits — and from the afflictions — they will become crowns — and from the obstacles — there will be pleasantness — and from the sins — there will be merits. And as our master the Rebbe זצ"ל said: in Yiddish: "However it may be — the essential is that one holds firm." [וויא עס איז, דער עיקר אז מען דער האלט זיך — "However it may be — the essential is that one holds firm." Yiddish: Viy es iz, der ikker az men der halt zikh. The Rebbe's ultimate saying of spiritual resilience — whatever passes over a person — the single irreducible requirement is: hold firm. Do not let go. Appear again in Letter 39 as "abi me halt zikh."]

"And it is brought in Shichos HaR"an that our master the Rebbe זצ"ל said — 'the essential is: from the belly of Sheol I cried out' and so on. One must request from Hashem every day for what the person lacks — and long to fill the deficiency — but a thousand times more — one must have patience and the waiting. One must wait very much — all the days of one's life. And all the time one must give oneself life with what one can — and hold firm — until Hashem helps. And even when Hashem helps — one should not think that one has already discharged one's obligation — rather: now one must afresh request and want and hope for the true salvation that the person needs. This is everything that is brought in the teaching 'Call out to Joshua' — §6 in Likutay Moharan Part 1."

[However it may be — the essential is that one holds firm. And it is brought in Shichos HaR"an that our master the Rebbe זצ"ל said: "the essential is: from the belly of Sheol I cried out" [Jonah 2:3 — "From the belly of Sheol I cried out — You heard my voice." Cited in Shichos HaR"an as the Rebbe's personal verse of perseverance — even from the very deepest pit one must cry out and G-d hears.] and so on. One must request from Hashem every day for what the person lacks — and long to fill the deficiency — but a thousandfold more — one must have patience and the waiting. One is obliged to wait very much — all the days of one's life. And all the time one is obliged to give oneself life with what one can — and hold firm — until Hashem helps. And even after Hashem helps — one should not think that one has already discharged one's obligation — rather now afresh one must request and want and hope for the true salvation that the person needs. This is everything that is brought in the teaching "Call out to Joshua" — §6 in Likutay Moharan Part 1.]

One must be expert in the law of the ascent — expert in the running — in the aspect of: "If I ascend to the heavens — You are there" — still very far — and one must yearn to reach what one needs to reach. And conversely: expert in the returning — in the aspect of: "And if I make my bed in Sheol — You are there" [Psalms 139:8 — "If I ascend to the heavens — You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol — behold, You are there." The two verses that define baki b'ratzo (expert in the ascent) and baki b'shov (expert in the descent): in the ascent — still far, must reach higher; in the descent — G-d is there too, do not despair.] — to know and to believe with complete faith that where the person is situated — even literally in the depths of Sheol — Hashem is with him — and with him — and strengthens him and supports him and assists him to go out from his straits — and to transform them into great goods and so on. And when one merits to this strengthening — not to fall from anything — and to do all that one can — both in the ascent and in the descent — at least what one can — and to strengthen and rejoice there in the depths of Sheol — then "the right hand of Hashem is extended to receive his teshuvah" — and he is called one who walks in the ways of Hashem.

May Hashem grant us merit — to rescue us from all our troubles — in body and soul and sustenance — in the physical and spiritual — Amen. So may it be His will. Amen.

This forty-first letter — written Thursday of Parshas Behar-Bechukosai, from Jerusalem — is addressed to a new correspondent, Mr. Avraham Mordechai Falbrbaum. The author had been in Meron for Lag B'Omer and was delayed in responding. The letter contains a complete treatment of LM Torah 6 in both Yiddish and Hebrew translation, and four beautiful parallel transformations.

Strengthen from wherever you are (§2): The Jewish person must strengthen himself in G-d — from wherever he is — with complete faith that G-d is present even in the depths of Sheol (leit atar panui minei). Practical program: halachic decisors daily, the Rebbe's books (which transform sins into merits like nard — LM II:8), Likutay Moharan, Likutay Halachos, Likutay Tefillot, Tikkun HaKelali, Talmud, Tanach — all according to capacity.

The four transformations (§3): From descents → merits; from afflictions → crowns; from obstacles → pleasantness; from sins → merits. The Rebbe's saying: "Viy es iz, der ikker az men der halt zikh" — "However it may be — the essential is that one holds firm."

LM Torah 6 in Yiddish and Hebrew (§§4–5): Shichos HaR"an: "The essential is: from the belly of Sheol I cried out" (Jonah 2:3). Request what is lacking — long to fill the deficiency — but patience and waiting a thousandfold more. Give oneself life with what one can. Even after G-d helps — don't think you're done — request afresh. Baki b'ratzo: Psalms 139:8 — "If I ascend to the heavens — You are there" — still far, must go higher. Baki b'shov: "And if I make my bed in Sheol — behold, You are there" — G-d is there too, don't despair. When one holds firm in both ascent and descent — "the right hand of Hashem is extended to receive his teshuvah."

Key terms: Mr. Avraham Mordechai Falbrbaum — new correspondent; Lag B'Omer at Meron mentioned · Leit atar panui minei — Tikkunei Zohar: no place is empty of Him; G-d is in Sheol too · Nardi natan reicho — LM II:8 — the Rebbe's books transform sins into merits like nard · Four transformations — yiridot → zekhuyot; tzarot → atarot; meni'ot → ne'imot; avonot → zekhuyot · Viy es iz — der ikker az men der halt zikh — "however it may be — the essential is that one holds firm" · Shichos HaR"an — mibeten Sheol shiva'ti — Jonah 2:3; the Rebbe's verse of perseverance · Savlanut v'hamamtanah — patience and the waiting; a thousandfold more important than requesting · Baki b'ratzo — Im esak shamayim sham atah — Psalms 139:8a; expert in the ascent: still far · Baki b'shov — v'atziyah Sheol hineka — Psalms 139:8b; expert in the return: G-d is there too · Yamin Hashem peshutah l'kabel teshuvato — the right hand of Hashem is extended

Volume One • Letter 41

📜 Translator's Summary — Letter 41 [Added by the translator]

Behold — dear souls — know that on the contrary: Hashem loves the distant ones who draw close to Him — as brought in the Kitzur Likutay Moharan[ליקו"מ = לקוטי מוהר"ן — "Likutay Moharan." The standard abbreviated form used here.] on the Torah [yud — §10] — see there.

And the person — when he is far — and pulls himself toward Hashem — every single pulling — however small — away from the Sitra Achra[ס"א = סטרא אחרא — Aramaic: "the other side." The standard abbreviation for the demonic/impure forces.] — through closing the eyes from evil — and fleeing from evil thoughts and sinful musings — with sit-and-do-not-act[שב וא"ת = שב ואל תעשה — "sit and do not act." The halachic principle of passive restraint — applied here to evil thoughts: don't act on them, simply redirect the mind.] — to think other things — in order to drive away the evil thoughts. And in particular: when the person's first actions pass through his mind — and he breaks his lust — not to muse or think about this. And he fulfills: "And Joseph fled and left his garment" — [this is the thought that is the garment of the mind] — "in her hand and fled and went outside" — and he did not want to enter into plaintiff-and-defendant with the evil inclination. So too must every person. As brought in the holy Zohar on the verse "to do his work" — what is the "work" of the person in this world? To fight with the evil inclination.

On the contrary — this is the teshuvah hamishkal literally — through this: that the thoughts come upon him — and he flees from them — through this he extracts all the holy sparks that he brought into the Sitra Achra — and this is truly the rectification of the covenant.