On Tribulations and the Desperate Need for Encouragement

To the honor of the dear young scholar — who yearns for the service of Hashem and for drawing close to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — Mr. Eliezer Tshingel, may his light shine. I received your letter.

Strengthening Through Every Good Point; Adar Joy = the Entire Topic; Purim = The Holiness of Yom Kippur in Joy Regarding the matter of strengthening through the words of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — see in Likutay Halachos — which is full of strengthening — and so in Alim LiTerufah and the letters of our master R' Nossan[מוהרנ"ת = מורינו הרב נתן — "our master, our teacher, Rabbi Nossan." The standard Breslov abbreviation for R' Nossan Sternhartz.]. And the essential: one must strengthen oneself — for one strengthens only the already-strong. [Yiddish:] "One must hold firm with what one can — and give life to oneself with every good point — and in particular with the drawing close to the Rebbe — which is greater than everything. And this is the entire topic of Adar: 'When Adar enters — one increases in joy.'" [One must strengthen oneself with what is possible — and give life to oneself with every good point — and in particular with the drawing close to the Rebbe — which is greater than everything — and this is the entire matter of Adar: when Adar enters — one increases in joy.] And the Tzaddikim say: one increases holiness through joy — through the joy with which one rejoices. And in particular — the holy Purim — when one must receive joy for the entire year. And according to the joy one merits on Purim — so one merits to the kashrus of Pesach — to be saved from even a trace of chametz — upon which depends all of Judaism — as is explained from the Arizal: according to how much one guards oneself from even a trace of chametz — so one is guarded all year from sins. And this is what is brought in Likutay Moharan Tannina: at first all beginnings were from Pesach — which is the beginning of Israel's drawing close to their Father in Heaven — and so on — and now the beginnings are from Purim. And for this very thing — to merit the kashrus of Pesach — one merits through Purim — for the essential is the joy on Purim. And certainly one must be greatly ashamed on Taanis Esther — and cry out and request from Hashem — "save us from Haman-Amalek — the evil inclination" — and so on. But the essential: one must fulfill the holy commandments of Purim with love and joy and the supreme awe — which is the golden scepter — for the awe is with joy and love and cleaving to Hashem — like Rosh Hashana[ר"ה = ראש השנה — "Rosh Hashana."] and Yom Kippur[יו"כ = יום כיפור — "Yom Kippur / the Day of Atonement."] — the High Priest[כה"ג = כהן גדול — "the High Priest."] in the Holy of Holies[ק"ק = קודש הקדשים — "the Holy of Holies." The innermost chamber of the Temple.] — but then the awe was revealed more than the joy — and on Purim the joy is revealed more — and then the illumination of Mordechai shines — which has no parallel in all the days of the year — and then everyone can draw close to Hashem. And in the Megillah one can see the face of the Tzaddik — Mordechai and Esther — who are the true Tzaddikim and the Community of Israel [כנס"י — כנסת ישראל — "the Community / Congregation of Israel." The Kabbalistic archetype of the collective Jewish soul, identified with Malchus / the Shechinah.] — in the aspect of the Messiah. And so with the other commandments of Purim — gifts to the poor — and dances and melodies — and the clapping of hands — which sweeten all the harsh judgments — [and in the aspect of the receiving of the Torah with love and joy — which was on Purim] — the receiving of the Torah of the revealed and the hidden — judgments and legs. And the essential: the drinking and the intoxication on Purim — which is the rectification of the covenant — and through this one ascends to the place where there is no distinction between evil and good — where everything is good — everything is One — in the aspect of "until one does not know the difference between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai." [עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי — "until one does not know the difference between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai." The famous Talmudic teaching (Megillah 7b) on the level of intoxication required on Purim. In Breslov understanding — this represents not just physical intoxication but a spiritual state: the level where all of one's past — including what was "cursed Haman" (one's sins and fallings) — has been so thoroughly transformed and elevated that it merges with "blessed Mordechai" (holiness). The penitent reaches the place where his sins have become merits — where the distinction between the impure past and the holy present dissolves.] This is the light of the love within the da'as — which is the supreme love — the love of the future — when there will be peace and unity — "and the wolf shall dwell with the lamb" and so on — "they shall neither harm nor destroy" and so on — as brought in Likutay Halachos: this is the aspect to which the penitent must return in his teshuvah — until he reaches the place that is entirely good. And then what was made from sins becomes merits — and this is accomplished through the intoxication of Purim. May Hashem grant us merit for this — and may we merit to be truly close and connected to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — until all the foolishnesses will automatically become null — and so on. So may it be His will. Amen.

Q1: Looking at Books; Q2: Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam; Q3: Leaving the Land of Israel for a Mitzvah; Q4: Obstacles Q1 — Looking at books of other streams: In truth — according to my understanding — it is permitted to look at books [as brought in the words of our master R' Nossan זצ"ל] that speak of Judaism — besides those[ר"ל = רוצה לומר — "meaning / that is to say."] [that speak against the Torah — or contrary to the Shulchan Aruch[שו"ע / משו"ע = שולחן ערוך — "the Shulchan Aruch — the Code of Jewish Law." The variant משו"ע = "contrary to the Shulchan Aruch" (מ = from/against).] — or in opposition to the Tzaddikim — which it is forbidden to look at — and so those that speak of philosophy]. But against this: when there is meat and fish — why does one need to eat vegetables? — It is a pity on the time — one could then study and look into the books of the true Tzaddikim — and so on — and enough said. Q2 — Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam: [תפילין דר"ת — "Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam." Two interpretations exist regarding the order of the four Torah portions placed inside the tefillin: the view of Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040–1105), which is the standard practice; and the view of Rabbeinu Tam (Rabbi Yaakov ben Meir, 1100–1171), his grandson, which places the portions in a different order. Traditional Ashkenazic Chassidim wear both — first the Rashi tefillin, then (without a blessing) the Rabbeinu Tam tefillin. The Kabbalistic distinction is profound: Rashi tefillin correspond to this world; Rabbeinu Tam tefillin to the World to Come.] According to the Arizal[עפ"י = על פי — "according to / in accordance with." Al pi — the standard expression of attribution.] — they are higher than the tefillin of Rashi. And according to the holy Zohar — for the tefillin of Rashi are the tefillin of this world — and the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam are the tefillin of the World to Come. For the tefillin of Rashi are in the aspect of Binah — and the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam are in the aspect of Chochmah. And because of this one does not recite a blessing over them — as brought from the Arizal: there is a dispute between the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim about the head-tefillin — whether they require a separate blessing — the Ashkenazim do recite a blessing because they say we can draw down through our blessing the encompassing lights of the holiness of the head-tefillin. And the Sephardim say: it is not in our power to draw through our blessing the holiness of the head-tefillin — it is accomplished automatically through the arousal from above. And this is for the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam — which are even higher — we cannot draw their holiness through our blessings — it is accomplished automatically through our placing them. And why is it permitted to interrupt for answering Amen — because with Rashi tefillin if one interrupts one must make an additional blessing which causes a blessing in vain — but with Rabbeinu Tam tefillin — the truth is that it is also forbidden to interrupt in speech — but if one hears a blessing and does not answer Amen — this is a great transgression — and therefore one answers — since in one's answering one does not cause an additional blessing — since in any case one does not recite a blessing over the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam — and enough said. Q3 — Leaving the Land of Israel for the grave-site of the Rebbe: It is certainly permitted to leave[אר"י = ארץ ישראל — "the Land of Israel." The standard abbreviation.] for such a great mitzvah for such a great mitzvah — there is none like it. And it is also permitted to use charity money to travel to holy grave-sites — for this is a merit for the giver — and enough said. Q4 — The obstacles: One must greatly strengthen oneself in all that one can — and request from Hashem — that through the obstacles — pleasantness will be made — and vessels to feel even more deeply the holiness of the Tzaddik and the service of Hashem. May Hashem help you in all that you need. And the essential: to be in joy — and certainly through this all the troubles will be nullified — for "in joy you shall go out" — through joy one succeeds — and all the harsh judgments are sweetened — and they have no power to prevent and to harm. [Yiddish:] "The essential is to hold firm and to always be in joy" — as brought in Likutay Moharan Tannina: "it is a great commandment to always be in joy."

And in particular — the holy Purim — when one must receive joy for the entire year. And according to the joy one merits on Purim — so one merits to the kashrus of Pesach — to be saved from even a trace of chametz — upon which depends all of Judaism — as is explained from the Arizal: according to how much one guards oneself from even a trace of chametz — so one is guarded all year from sins. And this is what is brought in Likutay Moharan Tannina: at first all beginnings were from Pesach — which is the beginning of Israel's drawing close to their Father in Heaven — and so on — and now the beginnings are from Purim.

And for this very thing — to merit the kashrus of Pesach — one merits through Purim — for the essential is the joy on Purim. And certainly one must be greatly ashamed on Taanis Esther — and cry out and request from Hashem — "save us from Haman-Amalek — the evil inclination" — and so on. But the essential: one must fulfill the holy commandments of Purim with love and joy and the supreme awe — which is the golden scepter — for the awe is with joy and love and cleaving to Hashem — like Rosh Hashana[ר"ה = ראש השנה — "Rosh Hashana."] and Yom Kippur[יו"כ = יום כיפור — "Yom Kippur / the Day of Atonement."] — the High Priest[כה"ג = כהן גדול — "the High Priest."] in the Holy of Holies[ק"ק = קודש הקדשים — "the Holy of Holies." The innermost chamber of the Temple.] — but then the awe was revealed more than the joy — and on Purim the joy is revealed more — and then the illumination of Mordechai shines — which has no parallel in all the days of the year — and then everyone can draw close to Hashem. And in the Megillah one can see the face of the Tzaddik — Mordechai and Esther — who are the true Tzaddikim and the Community of Israel [כנס"י — כנסת ישראל — "the Community / Congregation of Israel." The Kabbalistic archetype of the collective Jewish soul, identified with Malchus / the Shechinah.] — in the aspect of the Messiah. And so with the other commandments of Purim — gifts to the poor — and dances and melodies — and the clapping of hands — which sweeten all the harsh judgments — [and in the aspect of the receiving of the Torah with love and joy — which was on Purim] — the receiving of the Torah of the revealed and the hidden — judgments and legs. And the essential: the drinking and the intoxication on Purim — which is the rectification of the covenant — and through this one ascends to the place where there is no distinction between evil and good — where everything is good — everything is One — in the aspect of "until one does not know the difference between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai." [עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי — "until one does not know the difference between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai." The famous Talmudic teaching (Megillah 7b) on the level of intoxication required on Purim. In Breslov understanding — this represents not just physical intoxication but a spiritual state: the level where all of one's past — including what was "cursed Haman" (one's sins and fallings) — has been so thoroughly transformed and elevated that it merges with "blessed Mordechai" (holiness). The penitent reaches the place where his sins have become merits — where the distinction between the impure past and the holy present dissolves.] This is the light of the love within the da'as — which is the supreme love — the love of the future — when there will be peace and unity — "and the wolf shall dwell with the lamb" and so on — "they shall neither harm nor destroy" and so on — as brought in Likutay Halachos: this is the aspect to which the penitent must return in his teshuvah — until he reaches the place that is entirely good. And then what was made from sins becomes merits — and this is accomplished through the intoxication of Purim. May Hashem grant us merit for this — and may we merit to be truly close and connected to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — until all the foolishnesses will automatically become null — and so on. So may it be His will. Amen.

Q1 — Looking at books of other streams: In truth — according to my understanding — it is permitted to look at books [as brought in the words of our master R' Nossan זצ"ל] that speak of Judaism — besides those[ר"ל = רוצה לומר — "meaning / that is to say."] [that speak against the Torah — or contrary to the Shulchan Aruch[שו"ע / משו"ע = שולחן ערוך — "the Shulchan Aruch — the Code of Jewish Law." The variant משו"ע = "contrary to the Shulchan Aruch" (מ = from/against).] — or in opposition to the Tzaddikim — which it is forbidden to look at — and so those that speak of philosophy]. But against this: when there is meat and fish — why does one need to eat vegetables? — It is a pity on the time — one could then study and look into the books of the true Tzaddikim — and so on — and enough said.

Q2 — Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam: [תפילין דר"ת — "Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam." Two interpretations exist regarding the order of the four Torah portions placed inside the tefillin: the view of Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040–1105), which is the standard practice; and the view of Rabbeinu Tam (Rabbi Yaakov ben Meir, 1100–1171), his grandson, which places the portions in a different order. Traditional Ashkenazic Chassidim wear both — first the Rashi tefillin, then (without a blessing) the Rabbeinu Tam tefillin. The Kabbalistic distinction is profound: Rashi tefillin correspond to this world; Rabbeinu Tam tefillin to the World to Come.] According to the Arizal[עפ"י = על פי — "according to / in accordance with." Al pi — the standard expression of attribution.] — they are higher than the tefillin of Rashi. And according to the holy Zohar — for the tefillin of Rashi are the tefillin of this world — and the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam are the tefillin of the World to Come. For the tefillin of Rashi are in the aspect of Binah — and the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam are in the aspect of Chochmah. And because of this one does not recite a blessing over them — as brought from the Arizal: there is a dispute between the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim about the head-tefillin — whether they require a separate blessing — the Ashkenazim do recite a blessing because they say we can draw down through our blessing the encompassing lights of the holiness of the head-tefillin. And the Sephardim say: it is not in our power to draw through our blessing the holiness of the head-tefillin — it is accomplished automatically through the arousal from above. And this is for the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam — which are even higher — we cannot draw their holiness through our blessings — it is accomplished automatically through our placing them. And why is it permitted to interrupt for answering Amen — because with Rashi tefillin if one interrupts one must make an additional blessing which causes a blessing in vain — but with Rabbeinu Tam tefillin — the truth is that it is also forbidden to interrupt in speech — but if one hears a blessing and does not answer Amen — this is a great transgression — and therefore one answers — since in one's answering one does not cause an additional blessing — since in any case one does not recite a blessing over the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam — and enough said.

Q3 — Leaving the Land of Israel for the grave-site of the Rebbe: It is certainly permitted to leave[אר"י = ארץ ישראל — "the Land of Israel." The standard abbreviation.] for such a great mitzvah for such a great mitzvah — there is none like it. And it is also permitted to use charity money to travel to holy grave-sites — for this is a merit for the giver — and enough said.

Q4 — The obstacles: One must greatly strengthen oneself in all that one can — and request from Hashem — that through the obstacles — pleasantness will be made — and vessels to feel even more deeply the holiness of the Tzaddik and the service of Hashem. May Hashem help you in all that you need. And the essential: to be in joy — and certainly through this all the troubles will be nullified — for "in joy you shall go out" — through joy one succeeds — and all the harsh judgments are sweetened — and they have no power to prevent and to harm. [Yiddish:] "The essential is to hold firm and to always be in joy" — as brought in Likutay Moharan Tannina: "it is a great commandment to always be in joy."

This forty-sixth letter — Tuesday, 5 Adar 5724, from Meron — is addressed again to Eliezer Tshingel (Letter 37). It has two parts: a sustained Purim teaching, and then four concise practical answers to specific questions.

Purim teaching (§2): Likutay Halachos is full of strengthening; Alim LiTerufah likewise. The Rebbe's drawing-close = greatest thing = the entire topic of Adar. Now all beginnings are from Purim (LM Tannina). Taanis Esther = cry out. Purim commandments = supreme awe in joy = like High Priest in Holy of Holies. The Megillah = seeing the face of Mordechai. Gifts to the poor, dances, clapping = sweetening harsh judgments; receiving the revealed and hidden Torah. Drinking on Purim = tikkun habrit = ascending to the place of "no difference between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai" = the love of the future = the place where sins become merits (Likutay Halachos).

Four practical answers (§3): (1) Books of other streams: permitted to look at Jewish books — but when one has meat and fish, why eat vegetables? — time is precious. (2) Rabbeinu Tam tefillin: higher than Rashi tefillin per the Arizal (this world = Binah; World to Come = Chochmah). No blessing recited because too high to be drawn by human blessing — only by arousal from above. Interrupting for Amen is permitted because it doesn't cause a redundant blessing. (3) Leaving the Land of Israel: absolutely permitted for a mitzvah as great as visiting the Rebbe's grave. Charity money may be used for this. (4) Obstacles: strengthen, request that obstacles become pleasantness and vessels. Joy nullifies all troubles: "in joy you shall go out."

Key terms: Maariv me'at kol yom — Alim LiTerufah — LH full of strengthening · Mishniknas Adar marbin b'simcha — all of Adar is this theme; drawing close to the Rebbe = greatest thing · Sharbat hazahav — the golden scepter — Purim's supreme awe = in joy and love · Ad d'lo yada bein arur Haman l'varuch Mordechai — the place of unity; sins become merits · Tefillin d'Rashi = olam hazeh = Binah vs. tefillin d'Rabbeinu Tam = olam haba = Chochmah · No blessing on Rabbeinu Tam tefillin — atirutha d'lei'la — too high to be drawn by human blessing · Yotzei m'Eretz Yisrael for the Rebbe's grave — permitted · Minian = niyut / obstacles → pleasantness = vessels

Volume One • Letter 46