קד

I have greatly asked of you to write to me about the health of your son Morainu v'Rabbainu Sender Chaim, may his candle shine — and whether you have any letter from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — and whether you received my letter that I wrote to you several days before Purim — and I gave it to a son of Avraham, may his candle shine — and it was delayed until after Purim. And the herring — I gave it to whoever it belongs to. And about the raisins — we have used them up — therefore whatever it was — give it back — and whatever it comes to — present to my account.

And also write to me how your Purim went — whether you were all together in joy — and also whether the Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine, was with you too — and who among you was personally the Purim-person and had the Parah made from him — as is explained in the words of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And also know that I prepared myself regarding Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — regarding the Torah portion of Parah — as I told you. And also whether you received the letter that I wrote to Reb Tzvi of Kalibulad, may his candle shine — and whether I wrote well.

And also I ask of you — without any excuse — to write to me about the incident that occurred with the brother of Reb Meir of Keshanov — for three or four persons from your encampment and one from our encampment gave him poison and killed him — and took from him several hundred liras — and all his belongings. And it appears that he is the father of this young scholar who goes among you. Therefore write to me what is being heard about this — whether they were caught and imprisoned or not — for I need to know this clearly — because I have a reason that is stored away and treasured in concealment [ta'am kamus — from kamas — to store away, to treasure up in hiding; not merely a private reason but one deliberately held in reserve, stored as treasure is stored away for the right moment] in this. And G-d willing when we are together I will tell you the reason. Therefore I have greatly asked to write to me immediately and to reply to me on every single detail — coin by coin.

And my wife, may she live, is not in good health at all — on the right hand — may Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing — and all those who need healing.

More news there is none — only life and peace. And may He give you a livelihood that flows through divine spirit [parnasah b'ruach — "livelihood through divine spirit / breath" — a livelihood that flows like wind and spirit from above, effortlessly and spiritually, rather than through grinding struggle; a blessing for sustenance that comes from the divine breath itself] — and may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to receive the Passover festival in holiness and in purity — and to be careful of any trace of leaven on Passover — in the physical and in the spiritual.

Words of one who loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Monday, Parshas Shemini, 5641 (late March 1881), from Teverya. Urgent inquiry about a poisoning murder. The wife's right hand is ill. Livelihood through divine spirit. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your precious letter we received properly — and we saw your grief. You have surely already heard how I was gravely ill for approximately four months — to the point that the entire city did not believe I would live. And blessed be G-d — the G-d Who is good and does good — for Whom it is fitting to give thanks — He returned the life-force to me in all my limbs — blessed be G-d. And now — when I saw your letter — I immediately girded my loins like a warrior — to write to your son-in-law Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine, a letter — that he should leave off from pursuing you — and not involve us, G-d forbid. And in their assembly may our honor not be joined. And we wrote him such letters — we are confident that he will surely hear the voice of our outcry. For he too in truth is a proper man — only no person is held responsible for his distress. But there is no counsel to humiliate one companion — and particularly, G-d forbid, to pursue a companion — among faithful beloved ones as you have been with one another from of old and from long ago. Is there not law in Israel? And may your honor not judge us to the pan of culpability, G-d forbid — only to the pan of merit. And do not receive slander, G-d forbid — for your love has not parted from us — as from long ago and from of old — your love will not part from us. For Hashem Yisbarach knows the truth — that I want to see from you and your children — as I want to see from my own sons and daughters. For our love is not contingent on anything — only because we are all bound to the root of the roots of the souls of Israel — which is Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And I am always pleading and beseeching intercession on your behalf — every day — and in the holy places — and for all the members of your household — and particularly for your son Morainu v'Rabbainu Yisroel Aryeh, may his candle shine. And may Hashem Yisbarach help you to come to your home in the Holy Land — in full salvation — quickly and soon — and carry you across — both by sea and by land — to life and to peace. More there is nothing new — only life and peace. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit me and you to receive the Passover festival in holiness and purity — and to be careful of any trace of leaven on Passover — in the physical and in the spiritual. Your friend, one who truly loves you in truth and in wholeness, Nussun from Breslov Written Tuesday, Parshas Shemini, 5641 (late March 1881), from Teverya. A mediation letter to Reb Hirsh. Love not contingent on anything — rooted in Rabbainu z"l. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter from Wednesday, the 6th of Nissan — I received properly this morning — through a son of Avraham, Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Eliezer, may his candle shine. And I was given life by your letter — after Reb Yosef, may his candle shine, came home to peace — and saw all my sons and brothers in the diaspora. And also that you are blessed be G-d in life and in peace. And also that your co-parent-in-law arrived in Stankovitz in life and in peace. And also from the good tiding of my beloved Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — that their bills of exchange came before Passover — and he had some expansiveness. And from the small expansiveness that one finds — great expansivenesses can come — as per the saying of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And perhaps this will be the explanation according to the words of our rabbis z"l: "Open for me as the eye of a needle — and I will open for you" — and so on. This matter is both in the physical and in the spiritual. And do not wonder that I have not written you a letter until now — for when I received the last communication I immediately wrote you a letter with the donkey-driver Nachman — and I have suffering from that letter that you did not receive it. For within it was enclosed a letter from Breslov — to the woman Dabris — the wife of Reb Tevil — from her daughter in Breslov. And I placed her letter inside your letter and sealed them. But I wrote on the letter the name of Reb Nussun son of Chana. Therefore inquire by my friend Reb Nussun, may his candle shine, or by the donkey-driver Nachman. For in her letter was a good tiding — that her grandson stood at the obligation and blessed be G-d he was saved. And further — for two weeks I have been a wanderer and a rover in my own house [na v'nad b'veisi — the precise words of Cain's curse [Genesis 4:12,14]: "a wanderer and a rover shall you be"; applied here with gentle self-deprecating humor — the writer wanders homeless within his own walls because the furniture has been moved for Passover cleaning] — and I had no writing implements — and I had no place to write. And because of this I did not reply to the letter of your brother, may his candle shine, as well — for my mind is confused — for I have no table — and we eat on the floor — because before Passover it is so. May it be for good long years. And now in these days — there is no counsel except yearnings and desires and longings for Hashem Yisbarach. דערווייל קלאמירשט לערינט מען קלאמירשט דאווינטמען — for now, one clings and grasps: one learns while clinging — one prays while clinging — only may our will be strong and firm — and let us bind ourselves to the root-source of the will — and there everything will be sweetened. And G-d willing — the days of Passover draw near and come — and the will shall be revealed. Therefore G-d willing when the days of Passover come — receive them in great joy. And I also want to receive them in joy. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to say the Haggadah in a loud voice — in truth — and to count the Omer count with intention — and to prepare ourselves to receive the Torah with fresh ardent longing — fresh desires — to keep and to do. And to eat matzah as a remedy — in great joy. And to be careful of any trace of leaven — in the physical and in the spiritual. And the rendel that my son Aizik, may his candle shine, sent me — take it into your hand against your debt — only the tithe from the rendel — distribute wheat-money to the Anash — to whoever needs it most — according to your judgment. And write to me whether I still owe you — and if not — tear up my receipt-note. And also — that Reb Yosef, may his candle shine, did not bring me a letter from my son Aizik, may his candle shine — and also perhaps there is news of my daughter Adel, may she live — write to me. And also write to me about your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — whether he was in Troyits — and also surely was in Kalibulad — how he concluded there with the heirs — and whether he delivered my letters to my son, may his candle shine — for I gave him letters. And also to say to your brother, may his candle shine — that my wife herself will give him trouble if he comes home before the wedding — for he has lingered away from home for such a time without a conclusion — so it seems to me according to my humble opinion. And I do not know the opinion of our friend the veteran Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine. On both this and that there is no news — only: every single day we must renew our drawing close to the hidden and concealed light — which reveals a handbreadth and conceals a handbreadth — and in every Torah teaching and Torah teaching He restores the soul with the seven restorers of flavor. Words of one who truly loves you in truth and in truth — a love of truth — a love of soul — a love of eternity [Three deliberate dimensions of love enumerated one after another: ahavas emes — love of truth; ahavas nefesh — love of soul; ahavas nitzchiyus — love of eternity; a conscious triple that is itself a teaching on the depth of their bond] — in a strong and firm bond, Your friend, Nussun from Breslov Written Monday, 12th of Nissan, 5641 (late March 1881) — four days before Passover. Good news. The writer homeless in his own house. A Passover teaching on yearning. The triple closing. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I have greatly asked of you to write to me about the health of your son Morainu v'Rabbainu Sender Chaim, may his candle shine — and whether you have any letter from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — and whether you received my letter that I wrote to you several days before Purim — and I gave it to a son of Avraham, may his candle shine — and it was delayed until after Purim. And the herring — I gave it to whoever it belongs to. And about the raisins — we have used them up — therefore whatever it was — give it back — and whatever it comes to — present to my account. And also write to me how your Purim went — whether you were all together in joy — and also whether the Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine, was with you too — and who among you was personally the Purim-person and had the Parah made from him — as is explained in the words of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And also know that I prepared myself regarding Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — regarding the Torah portion of Parah — as I told you. And also whether you received the letter that I wrote to Reb Tzvi of Kalibulad, may his candle shine — and whether I wrote well. And also I ask of you — without any excuse — to write to me about the incident that occurred with the brother of Reb Meir of Keshanov — for three or four persons from your encampment and one from our encampment gave him poison and killed him — and took from him several hundred liras — and all his belongings. And it appears that he is the father of this young scholar who goes among you. Therefore write to me what is being heard about this — whether they were caught and imprisoned or not — for I need to know this clearly — because I have a reason that is stored away and treasured in concealment [ta'am kamus — from kamas — to store away, to treasure up in hiding; not merely a private reason but one deliberately held in reserve, stored as treasure is stored away for the right moment] in this. And G-d willing when we are together I will tell you the reason. Therefore I have greatly asked to write to me immediately and to reply to me on every single detail — coin by coin. And my wife, may she live, is not in good health at all — on the right hand — may Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing — and all those who need healing. More news there is none — only life and peace. And may He give you a livelihood that flows through divine spirit [parnasah b'ruach — "livelihood through divine spirit / breath" — a livelihood that flows like wind and spirit from above, effortlessly and spiritually, rather than through grinding struggle; a blessing for sustenance that comes from the divine breath itself] — and may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to receive the Passover festival in holiness and in purity — and to be careful of any trace of leaven on Passover — in the physical and in the spiritual. Words of one who loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Monday, Parshas Shemini, 5641 (late March 1881), from Teverya. Urgent inquiry about a poisoning murder. The wife's right hand is ill. Livelihood through divine spirit. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן