A Desperate Cry — "Do Not Abandon Me"

Peace and blessing — to his honor — my beloved, my dear, my precious — from the precious Breslover Chassidim[מאנ"ש = מאנשי שלומינו — "from the people of our peace / from our Chassidim."] — who yearn for the service of Hashem and the fear of Heaven in truth — and for true drawing close to our holy master the Rebbe — Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman [ננמ"ח — נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן — "Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman." The formula derived from the Petek (the slip of paper discovered by R' Yisrael Dov Ber Odesser in 1922) — a unique Kabbalistic formulation of the Rebbe's name in ascending syllabic progression: נ / נח / נחמ / נחמן / מאומן. The author's use of this formula in the salutation is a remarkable and early appearance of it in the correspondence, suggesting deep familiarity with this particular dimension of Breslov tradition.] — his honor, his splendor, his glory, our master Rabbi... may his light shine, may G-d protect him — and all his household, may they live.

Ephraim = "Maka Kol Kadosh" — Striking Every Holy One; Menashe = "Ayi Mekom Kevodo" — Where Is the Place of His Glory; LH on the Two Aspects; LM §37 — Charity to Eretz Yisrael In this portion — Vayechi — "And he placed Ephraim before Menashe" — as brought in the words of our master R' Nossan[מורנ"ת = מורנו ורבינו נתן — "our master and teacher Nossan." A variant of מוהרנ"ת.] זצ"ל in Likutay Halachos[לק"ה = לקוטי הלכות — "Likutay Halachos." R' Nossan's monumental work applying the Rebbe's teachings to all areas of Jewish law.] — that Ephraim is the aspect of "Maka Kol Kadosh" — "striking every holy one" — in the aspect of the disciple Joshua — who came from Ephraim — as in the words of Rashi זצ"ל. That is: the aspect of "striking every holy one" — to give life to oneself[א"ע = את עצמו — "himself / oneself."] and to others through the good points. And that the Holy One blessed be He[הקב"ה = הקדוש ברוך הוא — "the Holy One blessed be He." HaKadosh Baruch Hu.] "strikes every holy one" [מכה כל הק' — "striking every holy one." מכה כ"ל = מכה כל הקדוש — a Kabbalistic concept from the Zohar and Likutay Halachos: Hashem "strikes" (illuminates / activates) every holy thing. Applied here to the aspect of Ephraim / Joshua — the pupil who serves constantly at the Tzaddik's side (Exodus 33:11: "Joshua son of Nun — a young man — did not depart from the tent"). The "striking" is a powerful illumination: Ephraim/Joshua illuminates and activates the good points within every person — even the lowest — thereby giving life to all.] is more precious and needed than the aspect of Menashe — the aspect of "where is the place of His glory" — "Ayei mekom kevodo." [אי' מקום כבודו — "Where is the place of His glory?" From the Kedushah prayer: "Where is the place of His glory?" The seraphim ask — seeking to find where G-d's presence is manifest. The aspect of Menashe is this searching, yearning orientation — seeking the loftiness and transcendence of G-d. Menashe himself embodies this: his name means "he caused me to forget" (Genesis 41:51) — the forgetting of the "house of his fathers" in the service of G-d on high.] It is true that this aspect of "where is the place of His glory" — to seek every day — is also needed. And the aspect of "he caused me to forget all my toil in the service of Hashem" — and "the house of my fathers" — my lineage — as brought in the words of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — is also needed every day[ג"כ = גם כן — "also / as well." Here: the Menashe aspect is also needed.]. But the essential is more: to give life to oneself in the aspect of Ephraim — "for He made me fruitful in the land of my affliction" — to give life to oneself through all the good points and so on. And also in this portion — "the angel... let him bless the lads — and let my name be called upon them" and so on — see Torah 37[ל"ז = lamed(30) + zayin(7) = 37. LM Part 1, §37 — the teaching on charity to the Land of Israel and the holiness of its air.] in Likutay Moharan — that through charity to the Land of Israel[א"י = ארץ ישראל — "the Land of Israel."] — one is included in the holiness of the air of the Land of Israel — which has no sin — like the breath of the children of the schoolhouse — which is the breath of the mouth that has no sin — which protects the world — and through this [through the one who gives charity to the Land of Israel] the Patriarchs are revealed to protect the world. See there carefully.

In this portion — Vayechi — "And he placed Ephraim before Menashe" — as brought in the words of our master R' Nossan[מורנ"ת = מורנו ורבינו נתן — "our master and teacher Nossan." A variant of מוהרנ"ת.] זצ"ל in Likutay Halachos[לק"ה = לקוטי הלכות — "Likutay Halachos." R' Nossan's monumental work applying the Rebbe's teachings to all areas of Jewish law.] — that Ephraim is the aspect of "Maka Kol Kadosh" — "striking every holy one" — in the aspect of the disciple Joshua — who came from Ephraim — as in the words of Rashi זצ"ל. That is: the aspect of "striking every holy one" — to give life to oneself[א"ע = את עצמו — "himself / oneself."] and to others through the good points. And that the Holy One blessed be He[הקב"ה = הקדוש ברוך הוא — "the Holy One blessed be He." HaKadosh Baruch Hu.] "strikes every holy one" [מכה כל הק' — "striking every holy one." מכה כ"ל = מכה כל הקדוש — a Kabbalistic concept from the Zohar and Likutay Halachos: Hashem "strikes" (illuminates / activates) every holy thing. Applied here to the aspect of Ephraim / Joshua — the pupil who serves constantly at the Tzaddik's side (Exodus 33:11: "Joshua son of Nun — a young man — did not depart from the tent"). The "striking" is a powerful illumination: Ephraim/Joshua illuminates and activates the good points within every person — even the lowest — thereby giving life to all.] is more precious and needed than the aspect of Menashe — the aspect of "where is the place of His glory" — "Ayei mekom kevodo." [אי' מקום כבודו — "Where is the place of His glory?" From the Kedushah prayer: "Where is the place of His glory?" The seraphim ask — seeking to find where G-d's presence is manifest. The aspect of Menashe is this searching, yearning orientation — seeking the loftiness and transcendence of G-d. Menashe himself embodies this: his name means "he caused me to forget" (Genesis 41:51) — the forgetting of the "house of his fathers" in the service of G-d on high.] It is true that this aspect of "where is the place of His glory" — to seek every day — is also needed. And the aspect of "he caused me to forget all my toil in the service of Hashem" — and "the house of my fathers" — my lineage — as brought in the words of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — is also needed every day[ג"כ = גם כן — "also / as well." Here: the Menashe aspect is also needed.]. But the essential is more: to give life to oneself in the aspect of Ephraim — "for He made me fruitful in the land of my affliction" — to give life to oneself through all the good points and so on.

And also in this portion — "the angel... let him bless the lads — and let my name be called upon them" and so on — see Torah 37[ל"ז = lamed(30) + zayin(7) = 37. LM Part 1, §37 — the teaching on charity to the Land of Israel and the holiness of its air.] in Likutay Moharan — that through charity to the Land of Israel[א"י = ארץ ישראל — "the Land of Israel."] — one is included in the holiness of the air of the Land of Israel — which has no sin — like the breath of the children of the schoolhouse — which is the breath of the mouth that has no sin — which protects the world — and through this [through the one who gives charity to the Land of Israel] the Patriarchs are revealed to protect the world. See there carefully.

This sixtieth letter — Wednesday, 13 Tevet 5726 (January 1966), Jerusalem — notable for the appearance of the Na Nach formula in the salutation. Two concise teachings from the weekly portion.

Ephraim/Menashe (§2): LH on Vayechi: Ephraim = "Maka Kol Kadosh" (striking/illuminating every holy one) = Joshua's aspect = giving life to oneself and others through good points. Menashe = "Ayei mekom kevodo" (where is the place of His glory) = the seeking, lofty orientation. Both are needed — but Ephraim (finding and activating good points — "for He made me fruitful in the land of my affliction") is the more essential. LM §37: charity to the Land of Israel → inclusion in the holiness of its air → no sin → like children's breath → through this the Patriarchs are revealed to protect the world.

Key terms: ננמ"ח — Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman — appearance in the salutation · Ephraim = Maka Kol Kadosh — giving life through good points · Menashe = Ayei mekom kevodo — seeking the lofty · LH on Vayechi — moreinu R' Nossan — the essential: Ephraim before Menashe · LM §37 — charity to Eretz Yisrael — holiness of the air of Israel; the Patriarchs revealed

Volume One • Letter 60

📜 Translator's Summary — Letter 60 [Added by the translator]