Letter 28 כ"ח

I have come with a request, begging the pardon of your Torah honor [מחילת כבוד תורתו — a formal deferential phrase]: I am ill and weak, G‑d forbid, from the great sorrow and distress I have been suffering for about two years — without even a pillow to sleep on, forced to sleep on a bench. And this entire week I have been lying in bed with a strong fever, headache, and I am spitting blood, G‑d forbid. And I feel myself to be truly in danger. And the doctor told me that I urgently need great recuperation — to restore my body, and fresh air, and rest for several weeks. And I am destitute and lacking everything — I have no support or aide, no brother or relative here — as if I were born of stone. And the compassion on me is very great — for my strength is steadily declining. And two honorable men were moved to go to your honor to ask you to help me from the yeshivah — seeing my illness and the severity of my wandering and distress. And your honor, in your great goodness and kindness, promised them. And now I do not know what changed — that your honor gave only one punt [one pound, one lira], and also spoke about me words that were not in my heart — that I want to deceive your honor. Therefore I ask of your honor not to give credence to wicked slanderers, and not to accept informers against me. Is your honor not a great and wise sage — why would he accept this? These people themselves know that I am gravely ill. And what would one pound suffice for me? Therefore please see, your honor, to fulfill my request.

From me — the son of his friend, who awaits that you fulfill my request: Shmuel Horowitz. The main thing I forgot: I want to know whether your honor received a reply to the letter he sent to my father, may he live — for I am waiting, since certainly without a doubt my father will do good things for the holy yeshivah very soon. And in this period I also sent another large letter to my father for the sake of the yeshivah — and I will also see to write with other people about how your honor is helping me from the yeshivah to restore my body, and G‑d willing it will certainly go well.