Request for His Address — and for Holy Books

And so I ask of you to send me your precise, detailed address. And so I ask of your honored self to kindly seek out for me the following holy books: Likutay Moharan [לקוטי מהר"ן], parts one and two — the collected Torah teachings of Rabbainu, R' Nachman of Breslov Likutay Tfilos [לקוטי תפלות] — the collected prayers of R' Noson, each corresponding to a Torah teaching of Rabbainu Sipuray Maasiyos im HaSichos [ספורי מעשיות עם השיחות] — the Thirteen Stories of Rabbainu, together with his recorded table-conversations Alim LiTrufah [עלים לתרופה] — the collection of R' Noson's personal letters Yemay Moharna"s [ימי מהרנ"ת], part two — the diary-memoir of R' Noson of Breslov Kitzur Likutay Halachos according to the aleph-bais [alphabetical order — an abridged, alphabetized compendium of R' Noson's Likutay Halachos] Meishivas Nefesh [משיבת נפש — "That Which Restores the Soul": a collection of R' Noson's letters of strengthening and encouragement] Chayay Moharan [חיי מהר"ן] — the biography of Rabbainu, compiled by R' Noson Those special bound volumes in which each Torah teaching from Likutay Moharan is printed together with its corresponding prayer from Likutay Tfilos, and together with the teaching from Likutay Halachos that explains and elucidates that Torah And other fine holy books of which I may not yet be aware And there is no way to measure or assess the greatness of this mitzvah — enabling the many to merit [מזכי הרבים], and drawing them from darkness to light, etc. [Yiddish:] "And enormous gratitude and blessings in advance for this."

"After greeting you from the depths of the heart — I write to you: I received your letter — and you gave us great life. May Hashem give you life always — and may you be blessed with all the blessings of the Torah. Amen. So may it be His will."

"I am praying for you almost every day — [and for your friends: that you find your matches quickly — and may you merit the service of Hashem and drawing close to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — and all good things[כט"ס = וכל טוב סלה — "and all good things forever." The standard blessing extension.] — in the physical and spiritual — Amen. So may it be His will.] And when I say the prayer of the pidyonos — I also mention you there. May Hashem truly help you with everything — and in particular: may you find the lost object — that is: the proper match — for in this depends the finding of all the lost objects — and this is the essential teshuvah: to seek the lost objects — both from this incarnation and from other incarnations — that the person must seek in the world. And the first thing — he must get married. As we know: the Rebbe זצ"ל did not want to deal at all with a young unmarried man — the first thing: he sent him to get married. And in the Talmud it is also brought: an Amora asked his companion why he does not wear a tallis — he answered: because he has not yet married. He said to him: do not look at my face until you have married." [בגמרא ווערט אויך גברענגט — "And in the Talmud it is also brought." The Talmudic source (Kiddushin 29b): "One who has no wife is without Torah, without protection, without joy, without blessing, without good." The specific dialogue about the tallis — a young man without a wife has not yet completed his spiritual identity — and the senior scholar refuses to teach him or even be seen with him until he has fulfilled this fundamental obligation. Marriage is not a personal choice but a basic prerequisite for the full service of Hashem.]

"My dear precious friend — know: all of Judaism and the strengthening toward the Rebbe זצ"ל depends on this — that a young man must get married as soon as possible. Therefore you must greatly request Hashem for this — and study the Torah 'Call out to Joshua' in Likutay Moharan §6 — which is called the intentions of Elul — and fulfill as much as possible: to hear one's humiliation — to be still and silent — that is: even the humiliation within oneself that the person feels from being far from Hashem — [from this alone: that one has not yet merited to marry and to become a complete person — and the work of the person is still not in completeness] — and what happens with the person in Judaism — ascents and descents — one must be ashamed — and one must receive it with love for atonement of sins — and also hold firm always — not to fall from anything that happens with him."

"From the greatest ascent — he should know: it has not yet even begun — and he is still very very far from Hashem — and he must still make the world tremble — so that he should merit to something in the service of Hashem. And the opposite: he should not despair — even from the very worst descent — and think, G-d forbid, that he has, G-d forbid, no hope — to return to Hashem and to be close to Hashem. On the contrary — he should know: from the side of the greatness and mercy of Hashem — he is very close to Hashem — only let him turn and bring himself close to Hashem — with what he can — with a groan — and longing — and requesting from Hashem — then Hashem will turn to him and help him with everything. Only let him have strengthening — days and years — and not grow tired of waiting for this — only have patience — again and again — in this way times without number — days and years — with stubbornness — not to move away from Hashem — only give oneself life with what one can — and hold firm in the bit of Judaism — and fixed sessions — and service of Hashem — even if it seems to him there is no taste in it and no fragrance — let it be very very precious to him — for this is his entire vitality — and only this will remain with him forever."

"And in the end — if the person is so strong in the service of Hashem — that the more he will do in the service — [for however much more one can do in the service of Hashem — one is obligated to do] — he should know: it has not yet even begun at all. For who can say he serves Hashem — no angel and no seraph can say this. And the opposite: not to fall — even when one can do nothing at all — and on the contrary — even much more happens to him, G-d forbid — one must strengthen oneself greatly — and recount everything to Hashem — and make a protest before Him — that the adversary wears me out — and I want to serve You in truth — and confess to Hashem every day what passes over him — and request that He help him — and even if one sees that nevertheless what happens keeps happening — one should not be moved — and not grow tired of recounting to Hashem everything always — and requesting for everything. And so too the fixed sessions and matters of Judaism that one takes upon oneself — for example: to pray as one can — to study the Shulchan Aruch — to say the Tikkun HaKelali every day — a little Psalms in order — to study every day a little Likutay Moharan — Likutay Tefillot — Likutay Halachos — a little hisbodidus — and whatever else the person chooses for himself in the daily order — all this: not to abandon from day to day however it may be. And when the person is strong in this — then 'the right hand of Hashem is extended to receive his teshuvah' — and he will ultimately merit a good end. So may it be His will. Amen."

[After inquiring after your precious wellbeing from the depths of the heart — I am writing to you that I received your letter — and you gave us great life. May Hashem give you life always — and may you be blessed with all the blessings of the Torah. Amen. So may it be His will. I am praying for you almost every day — [and for your friends: that you find your matches quickly — and may you merit the service of Hashem and drawing close to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — and all good things[כט"ס = וכל טוב סלה — "and all good things forever." The standard blessing extension.] — in the physical and spiritual — Amen. So may it be His will.] And when I say the prayer of the pidyonos — I also mention you. May Hashem truly help you with everything — and in particular: may you find the lost object — that is: the proper match — for in this depends the finding of all the lost objects — which is the essential teshuvah: to seek the lost objects — both from this incarnation and from other incarnations — which the person must seek in the world — and the first thing: he must get married. As we know: our master the Rebbe זצ"ל did not want to deal at all with a young man — the first thing: he sent him to get married. And in the Talmud it is also brought: an Amora asked his companion why he does not wear a tallis — he answered: because he has not yet married — he said to him: do not look at my face until you get married.]

[My dear friend — know: all of Judaism and the strengthening toward our master the Rebbe זצ"ל depends on this — that a young man must marry as soon as possible. Therefore you must greatly request Hashem for this — and study the Torah "Call out to Joshua" in Likutay Moharan[לקו"מ סי' ו' = לקוטי מוהר"ן סימן ו' — "Likutay Moharan, §6." לקו"מ is a variant abbreviation for Likutay Moharan.] §6 — which is called the intentions of Elul — and fulfill as much as possible: to hear one's humiliation — to be still and silent — that is: even the humiliation within oneself that the person feels from being far from Hashem — [from this alone: that one has not yet merited to marry and to become a complete person — and the work of the person is still not in completeness] — and what happens with the person in Judaism — ascents and descents — one must be ashamed — and receive it with love for atonement of sins — and also hold firm always — not to fall from anything that happens with him. From the greatest ascent — he should know: this has not yet even begun — and he is still very very far from Hashem — and he must still make the world tremble — so that he should merit to something in the service of Hashem. And the opposite: he should not despair — even from the worst descent — and think, G-d forbid, that he has no hope — to return to Hashem and be close to Hashem. On the contrary — he should know: from the side of the greatness and mercy of Hashem — he is very close to Hashem — only let him turn and bring himself close to Hashem — with what he can — with a groan — and longing — and requesting from Hashem — then Hashem will turn to him and help him with everything. Only let him have strengthening — days and years — and not grow tired of waiting — only have patience — again and again — in this way times without number — days and years — with stubbornness — not to move away from Hashem — only give life to oneself with what one can — and hold firm in the bit of Judaism — and fixed sessions — and service of Hashem — even if it seems no taste and no fragrance — let it be very very precious to him — for this is his entire vitality — and only this will remain forever. And in the end — if the person is so strong in the service of Hashem — that the more he does in the service — [for however much more one can do in the service — one is obligated to do] — he should know: it has not yet begun at all. For who can say he serves Hashem — no angel and no seraph can say this. And the opposite: not to fall — even when one can do nothing — and on the contrary — even much more happens, G-d forbid — one must strengthen greatly — and recount everything to Hashem — and make a protest before Him — that the adversary wears me out — and I want to serve You in truth — and confess to Hashem every day what passes — and request that He help — and even if one sees that what happens keeps happening — do not be moved — and not grow tired of recounting to Hashem always — and requesting for everything. And so too the fixed sessions and matters of Judaism: to pray as one can — to study the Shulchan Aruch — to say the Tikkun HaKelali every day — a little Psalms in order — to study every day a little Likutay Moharan — Likutay Tefillot — Likutay Halachos — a little hisbodidus — and whatever else the person chooses for himself in the daily order — all this: not to abandon from day to day however it may be. And when the person is strong in this — then "the right hand of Hashem is extended to receive his teshuvah" — and he will merit a good end ultimately. So may it be His will. Amen.] This forty-ninth letter — Sunday of Parshas Noach, 5721 (October 1960) — is addressed to an unnamed young unmarried scholar. The same Yiddish-then-Hebrew structure as Letters 34, 41, and 48. Two dominant themes: (1) marriage as the first spiritual priority for a young man; (2) the complete program of perseverance, patience, and daily fixed sessions. Marriage first (§2): The author prays for the correspondent daily — and in particular that he find the "lost object" = the proper match. Seeking the lost objects (the Talmudic concept of aveidah — lost property — applied to one's soul-purpose) = the essential teshuvah of each lifetime. The Rebbe himself would not deal with an unmarried young man — he would immediately send him to marry. Talmudic source: the Amora who refused to show his face to a young man until he had married. All of Judaism and strengthening toward the Rebbe depends on marrying as soon as possible. Ascents and descents; patience and stubbornness (§2): LM §6: hear one's humiliation. The humiliation of not yet being married (not yet a complete person) = a valid source of receiving shame with love for atonement. From the greatest ascent: "it has not yet even begun." From the worst descent: Hashem is there, one is closer than one thinks. Strengthening for days and years with stubbornness — not moving away from Hashem — giving oneself life with what one can. The adversary "wears me out" — make a protest before Hashem. Don't grow tired of recounting. Fixed sessions: prayer, Shulchan Aruch, Tikkun HaKelali, Psalms, LM, Likutay Tefillot, LH, hisbodidus. When strong in this: the right hand of Hashem is extended. Key terms: Marriage = the first priority — the Rebbe would send unmarried bachurim to marry before anything else · Finding the zivug = finding all the lost objects = the essential teshuvah · Talmudic Amora refusing to show his face to the unmarried scholar · Aveidah — lost objects from this and other incarnations — seeking them = teshuvah · Even the greatest ascent "has not yet begun" — no angel can say it serves Hashem · Ekshanus — stubbornness without measure, days and years · Make a protest before Hashem: "the adversary wears me out" · Full daily program: prayer, Shulchan Aruch, TK, Psalms, LM, LT, LH, hisbodidus