The Betrothal is Concluded — With Joy and Great Satisfaction

I hereby inform your honor of my welfare — blessed be G‑d, we have life and peace with us. And with a good sign, a blessed sign, and a fortunate sign [בשטו"מ בס"ט ובמז"ט — three traditional Hebrew auspicious phrases used when announcing a betrothal or marriage] — we have become betrothed [נתקשרנו בשדוכים — we have been formally bound in betrothal] with R' Amram Valenstein [ר' עמרם ואלינשטיין — mentioned in Letter 9 as his prospective father-in-law; the Valenstein family was a distinguished Jerusalem rabbinical family], may he live — and all of us are fully satisfied with this. And especially R' Avner [his uncle R' Avner Luberbaum — clearly a central figure in bringing this match about], etc. And in Tzfas this is considered a sanctification of G‑d's Name [קידוש ה'] — and people are amazed by it: that a young man who desires to learn and to serve Hashem, blessed be He, G‑d sends him what he needs. And in Jerusalem too they are fully satisfied with it, and they say: "Grapes of the vine with grapes of the vine" [ענבי הגפן בענבי הגפן — a Talmudic phrase (Pesachim 49a) meaning: a fitting match between families of equal spiritual stature and quality, just as one variety of grape matches another]. And blessed be G‑d, the betrothal is very, very good. May it be His will that it proceed with great success and as G‑d and the true Tzadikim desire. Amen.

Many thanks for your gift — and may the merit of this great commandment — which is among those things of which the fruits are eaten in this world[בעוה"ז = בעולם הזה — "in this world."] while the principal remains for the World to Come[לעוה"ב = לעולם הבא — "for the World to Come."] [מהדברים שהפירות נאכלין בעוה"ז והקרן קיימת לעוה"ב — "from among those things of which the fruits are eaten in this world[בעוה"ז = בעולם הזה — "in this world."] while the principal remains for the World to Come[לעוה"ב = לעולם הבא — "for the World to Come."]." A phrase from the Mishnah (Peah 1:1) — listing commandments that bring reward both in this world and in the World to Come. The full list includes: honoring one's father and mother, deeds of lovingkindness, bringing peace between a person and his companion — and Torah study "equals them all." Hachnasat kallah — helping to outfit a bride — is included in the category of deeds of lovingkindness.] — and in particular: a commandment for which there are no advocates [referring to an orphan bride or a bride of a Torah scholar with no family support — one who has no one to plead her cause]. And the merit of charity sweetens the judgment of the great Day of Judgment — as brought in the Sefer HaMidos — the entry on Charity — Part 2, paragraph 6. [ס' המדות אות צדקה ח"ב סעי' ו' — "the Sefer HaMidos — the entry on Charity — Part 2, paragraph 6." ח"ב = חלק ב' — Part 2. סעי' ו' = paragraph 6. Rabbi Nachman's Sefer HaMidos: the entry on Tzedakah (charity), Part 2, paragraph 6: "Through charity one sweetens the harsh judgments." The Sefer HaMidos is organized with Part 1 giving the benefits of each quality and Part 2 giving the harms of its opposite; here the reference is to Part 2 of the charity entry.] And all the more so[מכ"ש = מכל שכן — "all the more so."]: the judgment of Rosh Hashana[ר"ה = ראש השנה — "Rosh Hashana."][הבע"ל = הבא עלינו לטובה — "which is coming upon us for good." A phrase attached to a forthcoming holy day: "the Rosh Hashana which is coming upon us for good."] — which is coming soon. For the essential preparation for these awesome days is charity and good deeds[מעש"ט = מעשים טובים — "good deeds."] — which are the advocates before the Day of Judgment. [And this is the best "protection" — advocacy — before Hashem and His heavenly court.] And as is said in all the selichos and the machzor and so on. And therefore all of Israel customarily gives charity during the days of Elul and the awesome days and so on.

And in particular: such charity — helping a bride to marry — for a Torah scholar[ת"ח = תלמיד חכם — "Torah scholar / wise disciple."] — one of our Chassidim[מאנ"ש = מאנשי שלומינו — "from our Chassidim."] — in the Holy Land[באה"ק = בארץ הקודש — "in the Holy Land / in the Land of Israel." B'eretz hakodesh.] — poor and downtrodden — and who has no helper or supporter or sustainer or assistant — may Hashem have mercy. And may the merit of charity shield you like a thousand shields — and may you merit to holy words — as it says[כמ"ש = כמו שכתוב — "as it is written."]: "in your mouth — this is charity" ["בפיך זו צדקה" — "'in your mouth — this is charity.'" The verse from Deuteronomy 30:14: "But the matter is very close to you — in your mouth and in your heart to do it." The Rebbe in LM Torah 2 (Amur / "Shabbos — on Shabbos he said") teaches that "in your mouth" in this verse refers to charity — through charity one merits the holy speech of Torah. The citation "see Torah 2 Amur" confirms this is from LM Part 1 or Part 2, §2.] — [and see Torah 2 — Amur] — and may you merit to all your wishes for good — in the physical and spiritual — and all the blessings of the Torah — and may you be inscribed and sealed in the book of the truly righteous — for a good and sweet new year and all good forever.

This fifty-fifth letter — Monday, 25 Menachem-Av 5724 (August 1964), Meron — is a short, warm letter of gratitude for a gift toward hachnasat kallah (outfitting a bride for her wedding). Theologically concise, it grounds the act of charity in three sources and closes with an unusually personal self-description by the author.

The charity and its virtue (§3): Hachnasat kallah = a commandment of which "the fruits are eaten in this world and the principal remains for the World to Come" (Mishnah Peah 1:1 category). In particular: a commandment for which there are no advocates (no one to plead the cause of the poor orphan bride). Sefer HaMidos, Tzedakah §6 (Part 2): charity sweetens the harsh judgments. All the more so the Rosh Hashana judgment — coming soon. Charity and good deeds = the best "advocacy" before the Heavenly court. All of Israel gives charity during Elul and the Awesome Days. LM Torah 2 (Amur): "in your mouth — this is charity" — through charity one merits holy speech of Torah. The personal closing (signoff): The author describes himself as "who waits for the mercies of Heaven with a broken and crushed heart" — one of the most personally revealing moments in the entire collection — echoing Psalms 51:19 and conveying the depth of the author's own spiritual longing and pain. Key terms: Hachnasat kallah — outfitting a bride for marriage; one of the supreme acts of lovingkindness · Peiros ne'echalin ba'olam hazeh — v'hakeren kayemes l'olam haba — Mishnah Peah 1:1 · Mitzvah she'ein lahem dorshin — a commandment for which there are no advocates · Sefer HaMidos — Tzedakah §6 Part 2 — charity sweetens the harsh judgments · LM Torah 2 — Amur — "b'ficha zu tzedakah" — "in your mouth — this is charity"; charity = holy speech · Hamtzapeh l'rachamei shamayim b'lev nishbar v'nidka — "who waits for the mercies of Heaven with a broken and crushed heart" — Psalms 51:19