Letter 14 י"ד

From me — your friend who wishes you a kosher and joyful Pesach: Shmuel Horowitz.

From me — your brother who greets you and asks that you pray for me: Shmuel. My brother Yaakov, may he live — write to me: did you receive a letter — with a Tikkun HaKlali in it, and a few small pages of my daily practice — that I sent before Pesach? And a Tikkun HaKlali I sent yesterday. Please write a reply. Shmuel Horowitz.

"The anguished, crushed, and broken soul — shattered like a broken vessel — shattered to shards — writes all this in tears at a third of the night — crying out and groaning with a lowly and broken spirit — from the depths of my heart. From afar — please, please — have compassion on my poor and wretched soul. And show me grace — for nothing — and exert yourself for me — to send me a formal government permit to travel to Eretz Yisrael. Perhaps through this I will merit to come to Eretz Yisrael — and there raise the banner of the knowledge of Rabbainu the Holy one, Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman, of blessed and holy memory. Please — do not turn me away empty-handed, G‑d forbid. If you send immediately a good and proper reply with a good permit from the government to travel to Eretz Yisrael — please do this grace for nothing for me — and cast your bread upon the waters — for after many days you shall find it. And exert yourself for me in what is necessary for the above. And also pray for me at the graves of the true Tzadikim — may they rest in peace — that I merit to come. My name: Tzvi Yehudah son of Chaya Hendel. And I also sent my photographs already through R' Leibel Rozenfeld some time ago. And also I ask to reply whether you received from Tzvi Yehudah the 25 gifts [a monetary denomination]. I ask you to reply immediately — at my address only — and you can reach the young man R' Yaakov Zev Brzhesky. Your friend — Tzvi Yehudah mentioned above." — also signed: Hirsh Leib Lipel of the Kloiz.

From me — your friend who awaits the salvation of Hashem — "my eye, my eye runs down with water" [Lamentations 1:16]: Shmuel son of Feiga.

[Appended note from R' Tzvi Yehudah Lipel to the Meron gathering:] Dear beloved friends — I ask you: mention me in Meron at the holy Tzion — that we merit to be together in the service of Hashem in Eretz Yisrael — to raise the banner of the knowledge of Rabbainu the Holy one, Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman — and that I merit to come this very year to Eretz Yisrael. My name: Tzvi Yehudah son of Chaya Hendel. My wife: Reizya daughter of Eti Freida. My daughter: Eti Freida. — Praying for you at the Tzion of Rabbainu the Holy one in Uman: Tzvi Yehudah Lipel.

From me — your friend: Shmuel HaLevi son of Feiga. Peace and blessing to all the dear fellowship. And especially to R' Shlomo Veksler, may he live, and R' Yaakov Zev, and all the fellowship. Please multiply great compassion for me — and especially at the Western Wall and Shimon HaTzadik [buried in Jerusalem] and all the holy places: great compassion! Great compassion! Great compassion! As above — please, please — very, very greatly — do not sleep now — at the essential time of the birth. For I am traveling today to Moscow, etc. And may Hashem, blessed be He, have compassion on me — and see my affliction — and say: enough to my troubles and to all our troubles. Amen, so may it be His will. Yaakov Zev, may he live — write to me whether you received the letter I sent you today — a few pages of my daily practice and guide, etc. — and more. Please write. From me — mentioned above.

From me — your son who awaits the salvation of Hashem — and who awaits to see you soon in Eretz Yisrael — in true and eternal success.

My dear wife, may she live, and my son, may he live, warmly greet you with great love — and await to see you very soon in Eretz Yisrael. My dear precious father-in-law, the distinguished and great rabbi, may he live, and his household, may they live — warmly inquire of your good welfare with great love. From me — your son who awaits the salvation of Hashem — and who awaits to see you soon in Eretz Yisrael — in true and eternal success.

Letters 59–68 span from spring 5691 (1931) through summer 5692 (1932), covering the last months at Uman, the miraculous escape from Soviet Ukraine, and R' Shmuel's first weeks back in Jerusalem. Letter 67 is the climax of the entire collection.