Breslov Teachings Shared Across Poverty — On Acceptance, Joy, and Certainty of Good

This is what R' Avraham [ר' אברהם ז"ל — apparently R' Avraham, of blessed memory, a transmitted figure in the Breslov chain; possibly R' Avraham b. R' Nachman of Tulchin, the son-in-law of R' Noson], of blessed memory, told: one of the fellowship told his sorrow before Rabbainu, of blessed memory — that everywhere he turns, things are only bad. And Rabbainu, of blessed memory, answered him, in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory — who had said to someone else who had also told him his sorrow: [Yiddish:] "Be content with how things are — and then things will be as you wish." [Hebrew:] (Be content with how things are — and then they will be as you wish.) And one must remember well what Rabbainu, of blessed memory, taught in Torah Four [תורה ד' — Torah lesson four in Likutay Moharan: Anochi — "I am Hashem your G‑d"]: "A person must know that everything that happens to him is for his good."

And also what R' Avraham, of blessed memory, told: a young man who had drawn close to R' Noson, of blessed memory, once said to R' Noson, of blessed memory: [Yiddish:] "R' Noson — things are going well for me, blessed be G‑d. I pray, I study, I have food and drink, I have no obstacles in Rabbainu's matter." And R' Noson, of blessed memory, replied: "I do not envy you. Is it cleverness when one has food and drink and has no obstacles? Cleverness is when one has no food, and there are obstacles from every side, and whichever way one turns it is not good — and then one engages in Rabbainu's matter. Then I would envy you." [Hebrew parenthetical:] (R' Noson — things are going well for me, blessed be G‑d: in prayer and study, I also have food and drink, and I have no obstacles in Rabbainu's matter. And R' Noson, of blessed memory, replied: I do not envy you — is it wisdom when one has food and drink and has no obstacles? Wisdom is when there is nothing to eat and there are obstacles from every direction, and wherever one turns it is not good — and then one engages in Rabbainu's matter. Then I would envy you.)

And also what is written in Likutay Moharan: "Prayers were established to correspond to the daily offerings" [תפלות כנגד תמידין תקנום — Talmud Bavli, Brachos 26b] — and the meaning is: what the Sages said — "whoever hosts a Torah scholar in his home is as though he offered the daily offerings" [Talmud Bavli, Brachos 10b] — is this: the one who hosts a Torah scholar — who corresponds to the daily offerings — and anyone who hosts him in his home can thereby know the clarification of prayer [a mystical interpretation connecting Torah scholarship, the daily offerings, and the illumination of prayer into a single concept drawn from the Likutay Moharan]. And this is: "prayers were established to correspond to the daily offerings." And also what the Sages say in the Talmud: "Whoever loves Torah scholars will have sons who are Torah scholars; whoever honors Torah scholars will have sons-in-law who are Torah scholars" [Talmud Bavli, Shabbos 23b]. And one must also remember well what Rabbainu taught us, of blessed memory — that every single thing that happens to a person — one must know that it contains Divine Providence, and presumably everything is for good.

And also what Rabbainu, of blessed memory, said: [Yiddish:] "When things are very bad — there is only one counsel: to weep, to cry out, to plead before the Master Above, that it all be transformed to good." [Hebrew:] (When things are very bad — there is only one counsel: to weep, to cry out, to plead before the Master Above that everything be transformed to good.) And one must also remember well what Rabbainu, of blessed memory, said: "there is absolutely no despair in the world at all." [אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל — one of Rabbainu's most famous and foundational teachings, from Likutay Moharan II:78] And I give praise and thanks to G‑d, blessed be He — that I have been drawn close to this holy teaching. And if, G‑d forbid, I had not been drawn close to this holy teaching — G‑d knows what would have become of me. Happy are we, happy are we, that we merited to know that there exists in the world a river that purifies from all stains — that taught us that one must believe that everything is Divine Providence, and that no thing happens by itself, but everything is from G‑d, blessed be He. And he taught us the path of how to strengthen oneself and not fall, G‑d forbid.

For the counsel of the baal davar is only to bring a person to sadness and depression [עצבות]. And afterward — what happens, happens. But Rabbainu, of blessed memory, taught us that one must strengthen oneself and know that ultimately it will be good. For according to my sins and transgressions — everything that G‑d, blessed be He, does with me is also beyond the strict measure of justice. When I estimate for myself the greatness of my iniquities — I fall into very great sadness. But this is my consolation in my affliction: that I know of such a great Tzadik who can certainly save — only one must yearn and long to come to him [to Uman, to Rabbainu's grave]. And this is what Rabbainu, of blessed memory, said: [Yiddish:] "I have drawn you out from the teeth of the samech-mem [ס"מ — the Samech-Mem, or Samael: the angelic force of evil and accusation]. And if one were to slaughter your evil inclination — the channels would be full of blood. But at least — since we know of such a Rebbe, everything can be rectified, and everything can come right. And it will certainly all come right. May G‑d, blessed be He, have compassion — that we merit to come there, to pour out the bitterness of our heart — then it will certainly all be good." [Hebrew parenthetical:] (I drew you out from the teeth of the Samech-Mem. If one were to slaughter your evil inclination — the channels would be full of blood. But at least — since we know of such a Rebbe — everything can be rectified, and everything can come to its place. And it will certainly all come to its place. May G‑d, blessed be He, have compassion — that we merit to come there, to the place, to pour out the bitterness of our heart — then it will certainly all be good.)

I ask of you once more: immediately upon receiving my letter — fulfil my request without any delay whatsoever. For I am waiting on this. And you can send it to me in a registered letter [רעציפסט — from German Rezepisse: registered mail, with confirmation of delivery]. And if you do this — then I will reward you with good letters. From me — who awaits to hear from you good tidings, salvations, and consolations. And may G‑d, blessed be He, give you livelihood in great abundance.