קמב

Your letter — and the letter of Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — through the young scholar from here — I received properly. And also the letter through Reb Dov — I received properly. And thank you — for writing me a receipt for my letter — for sometimes I am sluggish about writing to you — because I do not know whether you received it. And particularly — since you wrote to me that you fulfilled my words and studied what I wrote to you — it turns out that you did yourselves a good for eternity. For from every single word of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — from which one draws life-force — there will be good for eternity and forever and ever. For thus said Rabbainu ז"ל: what I say is a rectification [תקון — tikkun — rectification, repair, restoration; every word that Rabbainu ז"ל speaks performs a spiritual rectification that operates across all three dimensions of time simultaneously] — for the past and for the present and for the future — forever. Therefore I counsel you with my good counsel — which was taken from the counsel of the Tzaddikim — whose counsel was never divided [אשר לא נחלקה עצתם לשתים — "whose counsel was never divided into two" — the counsel of the true Tzaddikim is always whole, never contradictory or split; it flows from one unified source of supernal wisdom] — but their counsel is whole and goes forth from supernal wisdom — from the all-encompassing intellect [שכל הכולל — "the all-encompassing intellect" — the supreme unified intelligence that contains all particular knowledge within it; the counsel of the Tzaddikim flows from this comprehensive source] — that you should engage in these days and throughout all your days — in the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — believing in them all with faith.

And look very closely in them — and in the book Yemei Moharnat [Yemei Moharnat — "The Days of Reb Nosson" — the chronicle-diary of Reb Nosson ז"ל's life written by his son Reb Yitzchak — recording the events of Reb Nosson's life, his journeys, his spiritual struggles, and his encounters with Rabbainu ז"ל] — and there you will see how one person — through faith and simplicity and straightforwardness [אמונה ותמימות ופשיטות — "faith and simplicity and straightforwardness" — three interconnected qualities: emunah — faith; temimus — wholeness, simple sincerity; pshitus — straightforward simplicity, going straight ahead without deviation; together these three qualities constitute the path of Reb Nosson ז"ל] — merited to feel the greatness of Rabbainu ז"ל — and the greatness of every single word from Rabbainu ז"ל — through which he merited to draw from the springs of salvation and from the springs of wisdom — through which he is able to purify us from filthy garments — and to save us even from foul and reeking vapors. [עשנים סרוחים — "foul and reeking vapors, stinking smokes" — an image for the most degraded spiritual states; Reb Nosson ז"ל's connection to Rabbainu ז"ל's words is powerful enough to save even from the most foul spiritual states] Only we must incline our shoulder — like an ox to the yoke [כשור לעל — "like an ox to the yoke" — the specific image of the ox who bends its neck willingly to the yoke and pulls; we must submit to the yoke of Rabbainu ז"ל's teachings with this same willing submission and steady pulling] — and bind ourselves in all our movements to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — in every single act [בכל עבדא ועבדא — Aramaic: "in every single act and act" — from avda — act, deed; the doubling emphasizes: every individual act, not only in general but in each specific deed] — and particularly in these awesome and holy days — in the Selichos and in the Rosh Hashana prayers — and in the sounding of the shofar — and in the eating on the eve of Yom Kippur — and in the five afflictions — and in the five prayers of Yom Kippur — and in the sitting in the Sukkah — and in the taking of the four species — G-d willing — all of it should be in bound attachment to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and in the strength of the holy assembly of Rabbainu ז"ל.

And we must be very constant in these days — in prayer and supplication and much seclusion [התבודדות הרבה — hisbodedus harbeh — much private seclusion in personal prayer; the Breslov practice of extended private conversation with G-d in one's own language] — for by Rabbainu ז"ל the main business is Rosh Hashana. And as we are bound — in our nefesh, ruach, and neshamah — so will there be peace with them and with their assembly — as is explained in the story of the guest in Chayei Moharan [A specific story in Chayei Moharan about a guest who visits — the story contains teachings about the bond between the Tzaddik and his followers and how the strength of the bond between their souls determines the quality of their connection]. And because of the great love that I love the Anash — and you — and all the young men who shelter in the shade of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — I want to give you all the good that is in all the worlds — which is Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — through whom one can effect an abundant flow in the physical — and an abundant flow in the spiritual. For they contain within themselves all good — children, life, and sustenance — forgiveness, pardon, and atonement — healing of the soul and healing of the body — through Torah and prayer — joy, faith, trust, truth, and humility — "nothing is lacking in it." [Deuteronomy 8:9 — "a land where you will lack nothing" — לא תחסר כל בה; the verse describing Eretz Yisroel as a land of complete abundance; the writer applies this exact phrase to the books and teachings of Rabbainu ז"ל: they are themselves a complete land — לא תחסר כל בו — nothing is lacking in it]

Words of one who truly and wholly loves you — who blesses you with a good inscription and sealing, Nussun from Breslov

May you have a good final sealing.

Written Tuesday, Parshas Tavo, 5642 (September 1882), from Teverya — two to three weeks before Rosh Hashana. A beautiful pre-Rosh Hashana letter. Every word of Rabbainu ז"ל is a rectification for past, present, and future. Bind every holy day to Rabbainu ז"ל. The five afflictions and five prayers of Yom Kippur. The four species. All of it in bound attachment.

Letter 140 | קמ (Kuf-Mem) Thus are the words of one who blesses you with a good final sealing [גמר חתימה טובה — the specific traditional greeting of the Ten Days of Repentance — and particularly the days approaching Yom Kippur: "a good final sealing" — referring to the final sealing of the divine books on Yom Kippur, after the inscription on Rosh Hashana; this is the greeting of these very days, used precisely here as the letter is written between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur], Nussun from Breslov