קא

Your letter from this Sunday [מיום א' דנא — "from this Sunday" — dana — Aramaic: "this" — a code-switch into Aramaic for the demonstrative; the same usage as in Daniel and Ezra where dana means "this"] I received properly — and also the letter of your wife, may she live — I also received. And regarding what you wrote about the coins — here you will not find coins — for here there were no currency-vouchers [קוויטליך — kvitlech — Yiddish plural: currency-vouchers or receipt-notes; without these banknotes in circulation, the larger denomination could not be exchanged] — they were unable to exchange the Meizhide — for even one who has coins buries and hides them away [מטמין אותם — "buries and hides them away" — from taman — to bury, to hide in the earth, to conceal as treasure is buried; the image is of literally burying coins underground rather than circulating them] for Tzfas, may it be established.

And regarding Reb Yosef Adam — it is like this: my son Aizik wrote that Reb Yosef asked him that my son should write to you — that you give to Reb Yosef on account thirty-five francs — and he delivered the money to my son. And at the time when my son, may his candle shine, sends me money — my son will then settle the sum of thirty-five francs. And now my son sent me money — and among them the sum of thirty-five francs — and beyond this my son sent me five francs to give to the wife of Reb Yosef. And it came to here the sum of forty francs — the sum of two hundred groshen of our money. And from this money I deducted six groshen of our money — postal money. And I owe you one hundred and ninety-four groshen of our money. And you should do as seems good in your eyes — as much as you take against your debt — and the remainder give to his wife. For my son wrote to me that the sum of thirty-five francs belongs to you — and only five francs to the wife.

And what you sent to the wife — a receipt — in my mission — she asks of you to send her two herring — and also the palimide — and to say to Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel ז"ל that the palimide that he wrote to me about — I did not receive. And also I received a letter.

Words of one who loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Tuesday, Parshas Vayakhel, 5641 (late February or early March 1881), from Teverya. A franc accounting letter. No coins available — currency-vouchers missing. Herring and palimide requested. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter I received properly — along with the spirits — for the sending of portions. And every time I drink from it I will bless Hashem — and you and your household — and particularly on the days of the holy Purim festival. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit you to be a good agent to bring me joy with your spirits on the holy Purim — and may there be drawn down upon us the supreme uppermost awe — according to the will of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And through this may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to prayer with intention — which for Rabbainu ז"ל is like the red heifer to purify us from the impurity of death — and to receive the Passover festival in holiness and in purity and in propriety. For Purim is the preparation for Passover. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to fulfill all the commandments belonging to Purim — in truth and in wholeness and in great joy — and may we have no fallen fears — and awe is the fear of Yitzchak — and may Hashem Yisbarach remember and visit you with a child who will endure in this year — writhing like a woman in labor. And also the legumes I received — and write on your account-book [הבוק שלך — dayn buk — Yiddish from German Buch — book, ledger, account-book; the Yiddish word for the written record of transactions] — two rats of legumes. And also — as your wife, may she live, told your wife, may she live, that she received the raisins — and now it has become known to me that the palimide and the raisins were not sent to us. Therefore I ask of you to inquire to whom they belong — and pay on my behalf — and formally present it to my account — for the donkey-driver Zeidel demanded from me the raisins and the herring. And they already made from the raisins Purim foods — and the herring — without the raisins — he did not want to receive. And beyond this — the donkey-driver Zeidel still does not know to whom they belong. Therefore I asked to inquire there and to pay on my behalf for all the above — and formally present it to my account. And I have great suffering from the letter of your father, may his candle shine — and I will be compelled to write a letter to Reb Tzvi of Kalibulad. And also I read the letter from Reb Aizik, may his candle shine, from last week — and he wrote to me: why do I not want to draw him close and receive him with love — as I drew close you and Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel ז"ל? Have I not also not written to them that they should come — but if they came — I would surely receive them with love? And also if you come — surely I will receive you with love and with affectionate warmth. And I am not a Rebbe at all — only a good brother — in order to receive from one another the good point — and in this we can receive from the point. More news there is none — only life and peace. Words of one who truly loves you in truth and in wholeness, Nussun from Breslov Written Thursday, Parshas Vayikra, 5641 (late March or early April 1881), from Teverya. Purim spirits received as mishloach manos. The red heifer teaching. Raisin-and-herring confusion. "I am not a Rebbe — only a good brother." נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Salutations to your honor — that you exerted yourself and labored on my behalf — and it is reckoned by me also as a good sending of portions. May Hashem Yisbarach help you to receive the Passover festival in propriety — and may Hashem Yisbarach pour down upon you abundant blessing — from the spoils of the sea — in the strength and merit of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And know that the non-Jewish donkey-driver received from me one groshen — his fee for the trouble. And enclosed here is a letter to the woman Dabris — the wife of Reb Tevil, may his candle shine — from Keisar Kasdan — and the woman Leah — the wife of Reb Nussun — knows her. And greetings of peace to all the Anash — with strong love. And because I do not have any paper in my house now — and I am also urgently needed to go to the resting place of the Rambam ז"ל to pray for you as well — I was brief — and with this I say shalom. [ואמר שלום — "and I say shalom" — the formal closing farewell formula: with this I take my leave — shalom; a specific traditional sign-off indicating the letter has come to its conclusion] One who loves you and loves all the Anash — who desires your success in this world and the next, Nussun from Breslov Encamped here in Teverya, may it be established and built for good. Undated — Purim-Adar period, 5641. A brief thank-you. Your trouble-taking is mishloach manos. Hurrying to the grave of the Rambam ז"ל. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter from this Sunday [מיום א' דנא — "from this Sunday" — dana — Aramaic: "this" — a code-switch into Aramaic for the demonstrative; the same usage as in Daniel and Ezra where dana means "this"] I received properly — and also the letter of your wife, may she live — I also received. And regarding what you wrote about the coins — here you will not find coins — for here there were no currency-vouchers [קוויטליך — kvitlech — Yiddish plural: currency-vouchers or receipt-notes; without these banknotes in circulation, the larger denomination could not be exchanged] — they were unable to exchange the Meizhide — for even one who has coins buries and hides them away [מטמין אותם — "buries and hides them away" — from taman — to bury, to hide in the earth, to conceal as treasure is buried; the image is of literally burying coins underground rather than circulating them] for Tzfas, may it be established. And regarding Reb Yosef Adam — it is like this: my son Aizik wrote that Reb Yosef asked him that my son should write to you — that you give to Reb Yosef on account thirty-five francs — and he delivered the money to my son. And at the time when my son, may his candle shine, sends me money — my son will then settle the sum of thirty-five francs. And now my son sent me money — and among them the sum of thirty-five francs — and beyond this my son sent me five francs to give to the wife of Reb Yosef. And it came to here the sum of forty francs — the sum of two hundred groshen of our money. And from this money I deducted six groshen of our money — postal money. And I owe you one hundred and ninety-four groshen of our money. And you should do as seems good in your eyes — as much as you take against your debt — and the remainder give to his wife. For my son wrote to me that the sum of thirty-five francs belongs to you — and only five francs to the wife. And what you sent to the wife — a receipt — in my mission — she asks of you to send her two herring — and also the palimide — and to say to Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel ז"ל that the palimide that he wrote to me about — I did not receive. And also I received a letter. Words of one who loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Tuesday, Parshas Vayakhel, 5641 (late February or early March 1881), from Teverya. A franc accounting letter. No coins available — currency-vouchers missing. Herring and palimide requested. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן