קעד

Your letter — with the sum of money — through the wife of Reb Tadris, may his candle shine — I received properly — with the letter. And also today I received your letter — written from Isru Chag [The day after Shavuos — Isru Chag — "bind the festival offering" — the day immediately following the festival; the letter was written on the day after Shavuos] — and you gave me life with your letter — in that you wrote that blessed be G-d — it was quiet among you on the holy Shavuos festival — from the disputants and from the pursuers — the unprovoked enemies. And from the fact that you were blessed be G-d — joyful on the holy festival. And would that Hashem Yisbarach grant — that the joy of the holy festival be drawn upon us — over the entire year — to rejoice every single day over our good portion and lot — in double and redouble — beyond all number.

And from now may Hashem Yisbarach help us — that our filth [זהמתנו — "our filth, our spiritual contamination" — the Talmudic concept of the spiritual contamination that was removed at the giving of the Torah: "when the serpent came upon Eve — he implanted filth in her — when Israel stood at Sinai — their filth ceased"; the writer alludes to this: at the giving of the Torah the spiritual filth was removed — and now again through the renewed receiving of the Torah] should be as at the time of the giving of our Torah — which drew away all the sadness and worries and melancholy. But "the precepts of Hashem are upright — rejoicing the heart." [Psalms 19:9 — "the precepts of Hashem are upright — rejoicing the heart"; the verse of the Torah's joy; the Torah's commandments are straight and they bring joy to the heart] And every day we must rejoice over our good portion — for at our disposal rest the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — which are the ancient concealed Torah [אוריתא דעתיקא סתימאה — Aramaic from the Zohar: "the Torah of the Ancient Concealed One" — the deepest, most hidden level of the Torah as it exists within the divine mind before all creation; the books of Rabbainu ז"ל are identified with this level — the primordial Torah that pre-exists all worlds] — and we merit to hold them in our hands — and sometimes to glance in them — and sometimes to study them — and sometimes to fulfill some point from them. And for this — we must greatly rejoice — that Hashem Yisbarach has merited us — within such a concealment — in which the entire world wants to conceal the name of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — with a hiddenness within a hiddenness. And we have merited — within such a concealment — for whom it is: "silence! do not mention the name of the Tzaddik" [An allusion to Amos 6:10 — "silence — for we may not mention the name of Hashem"; the writer applies this to the situation: in an environment of severe opposition and concealment — in which one dare not even mention the Tzaddik's name openly — even within that silence, the light shines through] — who illuminates for us the Light of Lights — as one who peers through the lattices. [Song of Songs 2:9 — "peering through the lattices" — even through the lattices of concealment and opposition, the light of Rabbainu ז"ל shines through] For every single word of Rabbainu ז"ל is a rectification — for the past and for the present and for the future — and in the grave and in the resurrection of the dead — and for the great Day of Judgment. And if we had joy in this every single day — we would be pursuing to snatch even more good points from these books — for they are precious and desirable treasuries — and precious spiritual remedies to save our souls from the pit — and also in the physical — to save our souls — that we should not have darkened faces but rather "a joyful heart makes a face glad." [Proverbs 15:13 — "a joyful heart makes a face glad — but through a sorrowful spirit the spirit is crushed"; the verse of joy reflected in the face] For according to the study of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — a person has no need to worry at all.

And according to what I studied today — Likutay Halachos — Laws of Interest — law 3 — if we were inclining our ears and our shoulder to these precious words — we would have nothing to worry about at all. And even our friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine, would also be in joy — for surely Hashem Yisbarach will help him. And He desires our prayer — that it should be in the aspect of the prayer of the poor man. [בחינת תפילה לעני — "in the aspect of the prayer of the poor man" — from Psalms 102:1: "a prayer of the poor man when he faints" — the most sincere and humble form of prayer; utterly stripped of everything and crying out from the depths; the prayer of the destitute who has nothing else to rely upon] And for the sake of Hashem — let us not allow time to overpower us [שלא להגביר עלינו הזמן — "not to let time overpower us" — from the Breslov teaching: Rabbainu ז"ל wants to elevate us above time — the realm from which all abundance flows; those who are enslaved to time lose access to the infinite abundance above time] — for Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple want to raise us above time — from where all the flows of abundance come — and to give ourselves life through: "until now Your mercies have sustained us" [Psalms 71:6 — "upon You have I leaned from the womb — You drew me from my mother's innards — of You is my praise continually"; or this phrase may echo the prayer Emes v'Emunah: "until here Your mercies have helped us — and Your kindnesses have not abandoned us" — a phrase of total trust based on past providence] — and surely He will never abandon us. But sometimes one must wait — because of the insufficiency of our complete trust. And we have no counsel in this world — except to give thanks for the past and to cry out for the future — and all in joy. And "proclaim from day to day His salvation." [Psalms 96:2 — "sing to Hashem — bless His name — proclaim His salvation from day to day"] And we must not forget — how within the very strait He expanded for us — many and many times. And surely He will never abandon us forever. And for the present — what do the worries and the sadness accomplish? — for they are from the Other Side — and Hashem Yisbarach hates them. And He is a G-d who is rendered sterile [אל אחר איסתרס — Aramaic from the Talmud [Sotah 48a]: "another G-d — he was rendered sterile and does not bear fruit" — said of the Sitra Achra — the Other Side — which has no true power to produce lasting fruit; it only appears to have power but is ultimately sterile and barren; Hashem Yisbarach hates the Other Side's sadness because it comes from this sterile domain] and does not bear fruit. And therefore our flow of abundance is delayed, G-d forbid. Therefore we must greatly strengthen ourselves in joy. And joy is freedom. And "fortunate is the land whose king is a free man." [Ecclesiastes 10:17 — "fortunate are you O land whose king is a nobleman — ben chorin — a free man — and whose princes eat at the proper time in strength and not in drunkenness"; the verse of the truly free king; applied here to joy as the mark of true inner freedom] And the kingdom receives its sustenance from the hands which return the wisdom — and it is ground and milled out [ונשחקת — "and it is ground, milled, pounded fine" — from shachak — to grind, to pound to a fine powder; the image is of wisdom ground down like grain in a mill and measured out precisely in fine portions — apportioned to each person exactly what he needs, with the precision of milled flour] to each and every one — what he needs. [A Kabbalistic teaching: the attribute of kingship — malchus — receives its sustenance from the hands that bring the wisdom down; applied here to the distribution of divine abundance to each person according to his need through joy and freedom]

And believe me — that if, G-d forbid, I did not know from this holy study — how things pass over me — almost every single day — I could not, G-d forbid, have withstood them. For my wife, may she live — almost every day something passes over her. For now she has eye pain — and the eyes are closed. And also I have great pain — the left side pains me greatly. But everything is with great expansiveness. And "were it not for Your Torah being my delight." [Psalms 119:92] And particularly — since I heard from Reb Nosson ז"ל — who said explicitly — in this very language: "יש ענשין קשים ומרים ולבסוף זאל זיך נאך גלוסטן צי רעדן אויף אזא רבי" — "there are difficult and bitter punishments — and in the end they will still want to speak against such a Rebbe." אין מיר געלויבט איז השי"ת אז מיר רעדן ח"ו אודאי נישט — "and we — praised be Hashem — that we certainly do not speak against him, G-d forbid." אין מיר האבן נאך יסורים וואס איינער רעדט — "and we still have sufferings from the one who speaks against." אדרבא מיר גלייבן זיך נאך — "on the contrary — we still hold firm." וואס האבן מיר זיך צי זארגן — "what then do we have to worry about?" מיר דארפן זייער פריליך זיין — "we must be very joyful." אין מיר דארפן זיך זייער ליב האבן — "and we must love each other very much." And to judge each and every one favorably — and to look only at the good of each one of us. For just as Rabbainu ז"ל said that whoever is circumcised is in the category of repair of the covenant — so too whoever draws close to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — is in the category of those who justify the many — "like the stars." [Daniel 12:3 — "and those who justify the many — like the stars — forever and ever"] And let there be in your hearts no residue of resentment [טינא — tina — Aramaic: "mud, sludge, residue" — a residue of bad feeling or grudge that settles like mud at the bottom; from Aramaic tin — mud, clay; the Talmudic image for a hidden, settled resentment] against any one of you — only draw upon yourselves love. And let there be between us such love — as is explained in the Torah Ashrei — sign 13 — the saying: "my fellowship — is there anything in the world that you have not swept over." And also in the story of the tree — thus Rabbainu ז"ל wanted to draw upon us love. For our love is no trivial thing — and from the intensification of the Adversary upon us — we see the greatness of what can rejoice from love.

And I will conclude in peace. May Hashem Yisbarach bless you — in comprehensive peace — and peace among ourselves.

Words of one who loves you — and watches with expectant eyes to see you — in life and in peace — and with smiling faces [ובפנים שוחקות — "with smiling, laughing faces" — from sachak — to laugh, to smile; faces that smile and radiate joy; the specific image of faces lit up with joy and laughter when the meetings of the Anash sweeten all the harsh judgments] — to sweeten all the harsh judgments from upon us and from upon all our households, Your friend forever, Nussun from Breslov

And also I ask of you — to write to me what I owe you in your debt — for I want to know. And if I do not owe you much — I ask of you — if you have good sugar — send me half a ratle [ראטל — a ratle — a unit of weight used in the Middle East and Ottoman Empire; approximately 400-500 grams depending on the locale] — only if it is good. And also I ask of you — to inform me what happened with the old man from Uman — whether they are holding him in the hospital — and whether they give him food. And tell him — that I have not yet received the money into my hand — and if it comes — I will send it to him through your hand. And I greatly asked — to inquire of our beloved friend Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel ז"ל — whether he sent my letter to Bobrents — and what is this — that I have no letter from him at any time.

Written Wednesday, Parshas Beha'aloscha, 5643 (June 1883), from Teverya. Shavuos passed in peace and joy. A magnificent teaching on joy, the ancient concealed Torah, darkened and luminous faces, time and eternity. A remarkable Yiddish passage: Reb Nosson ז"ל's teaching on those who speak against such a Rebbe. A call for love among the Anash.

Your letter I received properly. [...] [The middle portion of this letter is absent from the manuscript as preserved; only the beginning and closing portions are available] More there is nothing new. And G-d willing — when I am in your encampment — I will tell you in person how it happened — that he was a co-parent-in-law of mine [שהוא היה מחתן עמי — "that he was a co-parent-in-law with me" — the writer is referring to some relationship or situation he will explain in person when he visits Tzfas; the details of this matter are reserved for a face-to-face meeting] — to lend on his behalf. And regarding your apartment — it appears to me — not to sell — until Hashem Yisbarach arranges a buyer — and at least he should give you your money. And more than this — may Hashem Yisbarach merit us — to begin from now — to draw ourselves close to Hashem Yisbarach — in the power of the eldest of the elders. [בכחו של זקן שבזקנים — "in the power of the eldest of the elders" — a title for Rabbainu ז"ל — the one who embodies the most ancient and deep level of wisdom; the writer closes with this formula: may we begin from now to draw close to G-d through the power and in the path of Rabbainu ז"ל] Your friend — one who loves your soul, Nussun from Breslov