Letter 29 כ"ט

Life, peace, and all good forever — to the honored self of my beloved, dear friend, beloved to me as my soul — the delight of my heart — the dear young man who drinks living waters from the well of living waters, from the purifying river — Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman [מננמ"ח] — the Chassid, R' Yisrael Dov the Breslover, may he live.

After warmly inquiring of your good welfare with great love — I hereby inform you of our welfare, thanks to G‑d, blessed be He. [Yiddish:] "My dear, righteous, faithful brother — I ask of you greatly: please multiply supplications, prayer, and entreaty on my behalf. And especially at the Tzion of the Foundation of the World, R' Shimon ben Menachem [רמבעה"ן — an apparent abbreviation for a Tzadik buried in the Tiberias area; the standard abbreviation usually refers to Ramban — R' Moshe ben Nachman, who is buried in Acco; or possibly another figure], of blessed memory — and at the Tzion of the Foundation of the World, R' Akiva [R' Akiva — buried in Tiberias], of blessed memory — and at the grave of my grandfather, the holy Shelah [השל"ה הק' — the holy Shelah: R' Yeshayah Horowitz, author of the Shnei Luchos HaBris (the Shelah); R' Shmuel identifies himself here for the first time as the Shelah's descendant — a significant genealogical detail. The Shelah is buried in Tiberias.], of blessed memory — and especially to travel to Meron, to the Tzion of the Holy and Awesome Nachman [הקוה"נ — here the acronym refers to the Rashbi in his aspect as the source of holy light — "Holy and Awesome Nachman" is also used in Breslov for the Rashbi in connection with Rabbainu] of the Foundation of the World, the Rashbi, of blessed memory — and pray greatly for me — that there be an end to my troubles, which I have been suffering and tormenting myself with already for two years and four months. And it reaches no end at all. I have no one — from here to there — the baal davar pursues from every direction. It is already almost Rosh Hashana and one has no idea at all where one stands in the world, and what will be the ultimate purpose. How long will we yet run after the bestial sins…" [Hebrew:] (My dear faithful brother — I ask of you greatly to multiply supplications, prayer, and entreaty for my sake. And especially at the Tzion of the Foundation of the World, R' Shimon ben Menachem, of blessed memory — and at the Tzion of the Foundation of the World, R' Akiva, of blessed memory — and at the grave of my grandfather, the holy Shelah, of blessed memory — and especially to travel to Meron, to the holy Tzion of the Foundation of the World, the Rashbi, of blessed memory — and to pray greatly for me — that there be an end to my troubles, which I have been suffering and tormenting myself with for two years and four months. And it reaches no end at all. I have no one — from here to there — the baal davar pursues from every direction. It is almost already Rosh Hashana, and one has no idea at all where one stands in the world, and what will be the ultimate purpose. How long will we yet run after the bestial sins…)