Questions About R' Alter's Life; Shavuos at Meron

Let your honor inform me of his good welfare — whether he is going to the yeshivah. And how is the situation there in spiritual and material matters. And whether they asked about me regarding my betrothal. And whether he saw R' Avner and what he spoke with him about this. And how is R' Avner's health, and his Divine service. And how did the holy festival [Shavuos] pass for your honor. And whether he has already obtained a passport [פאס — evidently R' Alter needs a travel document for some purpose; a striking detail of life in British Mandate Palestine]. All of this at length.

Our dear friend and man of good name and reputation, R' Yisrael Dov, may he live — came again to Meron and was with us here for the festival of Shavuos. And on Sunday he departed for Tiberias. And on Shavuos the entire night we were together in dancing [rekud] and conversations [sichos], and we studied a little from The Story of the Seven Beggars [מעשה מז' בייטלרס — Maasah miShiva Kabtzonim — "The Story of the Seven Beggars," one of Rabbainu's most profound and celebrated stories from the Sipuray Maasiyos].

Heartfelt greetings to all men of good name and reputation — and especially to R' Shlomo Veksler. And also from the people of the Strauss courtyard [חצר שטרוס — apparently a residential compound or courtyard in Tzfas where some of the Breslov circle lived]: R' Dovid Shechter and R' Feivish, etc. Everything shall be in full confidentiality.

And I ask once more of your honor to reply to me immediately with a clear answer regarding his coming to Meron. And also to pray for me to Hashem. One who begins a mitzvah is told to complete it [המתחיל במצוה אומרים לו גמור]. And how is my dear friend R' Yankel, may he live forever? Let him also pray for me. Please convey my heartfelt greetings to him with great love. Please send letters to the address of R' Noson Chanhas, Tzfas, Eretz Yisrael — to be delivered to Shmuel Horowitz. In full confidentiality — do not open. Beyond this I have nothing more to write. I, the lowly and despised in the utmost degree of lowliness — who awaits to hear from you good tidings and all goodness — who awaits to meet very soon in Meron and to be diligent in the service of Hashem as He desires and as the choicest of all creation [Rabbainu] desires. Shmuel Horowitz son of Feiga.

Postscript — Greetings to R' Shlomo Veksler and others; everything in confidence

Behold — the days of Elul — the days of mercy and will — are approaching. For then the teshuvah and the prayer are favorable — and this is kindness from Hashem: that they are days of will and mercy — and the teshuvah from love and joy. And they are the preparation for the Days of Judgment — the awesome days.

On Erev Rosh Hashana[ער"ה = ערב ראש השנה — "Erev Rosh Hashana — the eve of the New Year."] — to perform a pidyon — and also the Tikkun HaKelali in connection to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — and verbal confession of the entire year. Each single day of the year is counted as a year — and Rosh Hashana: joyous and glad of heart — and wise: to think that Hashem will do good for us — and a cry from the heart — in the aspect of the shofar — and weeping from within joy — "in Your Name they will rejoice" and so on. [Psalms 89:17 — "In Your Name they will rejoice all day — and in Your righteousness they will be exalted."]

This fifty-eighth letter — Tuesday, 26 Menachem-Av 5725 (August 1965) — is a short Elul/Rosh Hashana note to R' Tzvi Vasilefsky. The days of Elul = teshuvah from love and joy. Erev Rosh Hashana: pidyon, Tikkun HaKelali in connection to the Rebbe, verbal confession (each single day = a year). Rosh Hashana: joy, wisdom (think good thoughts), the shofar-cry from the heart, weeping from within joy ("in Your Name they will rejoice"). The letter is also signed by the author's entire family.

Key terms: Elul = teshuvah from love, mercy, will — preparation for the Days of Judgment · Erev Rosh Hashana: pidyon + Tikkun HaKelali + verbal confession — every day counts as a year · Rosh Hashana: joy + wisdom + shofar-cry + weeping from within joy

These two letters, written just two weeks apart, together form a pivotal moment in the correspondence. Letter 12 (Thursday, 24 Iyar / May 31, 1923) is brief and urgent — written while R' Shmuel is stuck in Tzfas and cannot join R' Alter at Meron. Letter 13 (Monday, 13 Sivan / May 28, 1923) [note: these dates appear slightly reversed in the collection — Letter 13 may be earlier than Letter 12, or there is a minor date discrepancy; they are presented as numbered in the original] brings the most joyous news of the collection so far: the betrothal to the Valenstein family of Jerusalem has been formally concluded.