קעט

Blessed be G-d — on this night I arrived home safely — without any strength at all. And my wife, may she live — in the past week — was very weakened — with a fainting on her face. [בבעשעחי על פניה — beshekhn — Yiddish/German: a fainting, a swooning; specifically a fainting episode that caused her face to pale and fall — an episode of collapse on her face; this is the same term as beshinken or beshechen — to faint, to swoon] And we wanted to write — but my wife, may she live, did not agree. And now — blessed be G-d — she has returned to her original vigor.

And know — that I forgot at your place — a shirt and trousers — with ribbons [בענדליך — bendlekh — Yiddish: ribbons, ties, bands — small ribbon-ties used to fasten garments; the trousers have ribbons or tie-cords] — inside the box where the ready-made items are kept. [הגרייט — gereyt — Yiddish: ready, prepared; items that are kept ready; the box that holds prepared and ready items] Therefore I ask — send them to me.

And know — that my sister had a great miracle — for she came home — and everything was locked and sealed. And when she came into the house — she saw that all the objects that were in the box — and the pillows and the cushions — and even the vessels — were laid strewn upon the ground. [מפסחמנחים על הארץ — an unusual compound word in the manuscript; likely מוּנחים — "laid, placed, resting" — from nuach — to rest, to be placed; with a scribal insertion or textual irregularity; the general meaning — that everything was cast down and lying on the ground — is clear from context even if the exact form is uncertain] And it appears that they searched only for money — for they took only one silver goblet — and a good bracelet [בריסטיך טוב — bristik — a bracelet; from German or Yiddish Armband — arm-band; a piece of jewelry worn on the wrist; a good quality bracelet that was taken in the burglary] — and also she had a pledge — earrings — for a Meizhide [אורניגליך — oyringlekh — Yiddish: earrings — from German Ohrring — ear-ring; a pair of earrings that had been left as a pledge or pawn for a loan of one Meizhide] — and this they took. And no more — blessed be G-d. And all is in the merit of the Tzaddikim.

And also Reb Yehoshua, may his candle shine, was with me today — and conveyed greetings of peace from you. And I was compelled to receive from him — in deposit — eighteen Meizhides. And also he asked of me — to convey greetings of peace to his wife. [ובקש מאתי לפרס לזוג' — "and he asked of me to convey greetings to his wife" — the pronoun refers to Reb Yehoshua's own wife, not the recipient's wife; Reb Yehoshua is asking the writer to pass on his own greetings of peace to his wife who is apparently in Tzfas or elsewhere]

Words of one who loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Wednesday, Parshas Shoftim, Elul 5643 (August 1883), from Teverya. The writer has just returned home safely. The wife had a fainting episode but has recovered. A shirt and trousers left behind at Tzfas. A near-miraculous escape from a burglary at the sister's home.

Blessed be G-d — on this night I arrived home safely — without any strength at all. And my wife, may she live — in the past week — was very weakened — with a fainting on her face. [בבעשעחי על פניה — beshekhn — Yiddish/German: a fainting, a swooning; specifically a fainting episode that caused her face to pale and fall — an episode of collapse on her face; this is the same term as beshinken or beshechen — to faint, to swoon] And we wanted to write — but my wife, may she live, did not agree. And now — blessed be G-d — she has returned to her original vigor. And know — that I forgot at your place — a shirt and trousers — with ribbons [בענדליך — bendlekh — Yiddish: ribbons, ties, bands — small ribbon-ties used to fasten garments; the trousers have ribbons or tie-cords] — inside the box where the ready-made items are kept. [הגרייט — gereyt — Yiddish: ready, prepared; items that are kept ready; the box that holds prepared and ready items] Therefore I ask — send them to me. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I received your letter — and also the objects — in their completeness. And I greatly ask of you — and of your wife, may she live — that you should not be involved, G-d forbid, in the controversy. And even whoever disputes against you, G-d forbid — receive him with love. And may you merit to complete repentance — and "he will return and be healed." [Isaiah 6:10 — "lest he see with his eyes and hear with his ears and understand with his heart and return and be healed" — the verse of repentance and healing; applied here: whoever is involved in the controversy — if received with love — will return and be healed] And particularly — since now blessed be G-d — it is the month of Elul — the time of repentance. And it is impossible to merit repentance — except through humiliations. And let him be silent and still. And particularly — the controversy between the women — through which, G-d forbid, Troyitz [טראויצע — Troyitz or Trowitz — a community that was destroyed; the writer refers to a historical destruction of a Jewish community that was caused by controversy among women — used as a warning of what internal discord can lead to] was destroyed, G-d forbid. And also in the days of the Ari ז"ל — the redemption was ruined — and through controversy it was broken. [A tradition that in the time of the holy Ari ז"ל — a spiritual redemption was imminent — but was prevented by internal controversy; a sobering reminder of how high the stakes of internal peace truly are] And for the present — congratulations to you — for a congratulation is always a good sign. And do not worry at all — for Hashem is with you and by you and close to you. And Hashem Yisbarach — G-d willing — will conclude everything for you for the good — in the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And I ask of you — and of all the Anash — to pray for my wife — for since Shabbos she has had the fever every single day. May Hashem Yisbarach have mercy upon her. And we have no counsel — except prayer and supplication and faith and trust and joy. For in the course of time — everything will pass. And sufferings accomplish nothing at all. And through joy — everything is turned to good. And also greetings of peace to my friend, our truly beloved, Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his wife and his son, may his candle shine. ידידי הרב איזיק — למען ה' פליווע נאר בתפילה ותחנונים — וועסטי זעהן ווי אזוי השי"ת וועט דיר אלסדינג העלפן — My friend the Rabbi Aizik — for the sake of Hashem — fly only [fli nor — Yiddish: "fly only" — an idiom of total concentration and immersion — fly with full force in prayer and supplication alone; soar in it; give yourself over to it entirely as a bird gives itself over to flight] in prayer and supplications — and you will see how Hashem Yisbarach will help you in everything. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Tuesday, Parshas Ki Savo, Elul 5643 (August 1883), from Teverya. A plea to stay out of the controversy entirely. Month of Elul — repentance through humiliation. The wife's fever daily since Shabbos. A Yiddish exhortation to Reb Aizik: "fly only in prayer." נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Praise to G-d — here all of us are in life and in peace. So may I merit — to hear from you — life and peace — from abundant success and expansiveness — and from abundant joy — without limit. Two of your letters I received properly — one through the hired coachman — and one through Reb Dovid Tzvi, may his candle shine. And surely I pray for our veteran Chassid friend Reb Yaakov, may his candle shine. And yesterday a new strengthening arose within me — to write to you — to be in joy — over the fact that we merited to be among those who yearn and long to shelter in the holy shade of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. For I studied the Torah "and they were emptying their sacks" [Genesis 42:35 — "and it came to pass as they were emptying their sacks — and behold every man's bundle of money was in his sack" — the Torah portion of Joseph and his brothers; Reb Nosson ז"ל built a Torah discourse upon this verse in Likutay Halachos] — and I studied in Likutay Halachos — the Laws of Mixed Animal Species — law 4. [הלכות כלאי בהמה — Laws of Mixed Animal Species — the prohibition of mating or yoking together different species; Reb Nosson ז"ל's law 4 connects this to a deep teaching about the mingling of the holy and the non-holy and the path of the Tzaddik who disentangles and separates them; a new path for transcending all the ordeals of this world is explained there] And there is explained a new path — of how to pass over all the ordeals of this world. And I said — in the prayers — prayer 22. [תפילה כ"ב — Prayer 22 from Likutay Tefilos — "Collected Prayers" — the prayer-book of Reb Nosson ז"ל composed from the teachings of Rabbainu ז"ל; prayer 22 corresponds to a specific Torah discourse and addresses the themes of that law] What shall I say to you — my brothers and my nation — has the like been heard or seen in the world — such things as these? And when you look in this law — you will find repose for your souls. And at the time of the doing of this study — I cried out to you with a great voice that did not cease: what are we silent about? What do we have to worry about? When we have such a Rebbe — and such a disciple — who will illuminate all the face of the world — and through them there will be a rectification of all the worlds? And surely — within the worlds — our own souls will also be rectified. And we must bind ourselves — at every time anew — to these lights. And surely everything will be as it should be. And surely — if we trust in Hashem Yisbarach — and we are truly bound to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — surely G-d willing everything will be as it should be — both in the physical and in the spiritual. More — leisure does not suffice to write. Your friend — one who loves you and all the Anash — with strong and true love, Nussun from Breslov Written Thursday, Parshas Ki Savo, Elul 5643 (August 1883), from Teverya. Two letters received. A new arousal to write about joy. The Torah "and they were emptying their sacks" — Laws of Mixed Animal Species law 4 — a new path to pass over all ordeals. Prayer 22 from Likutay Tefilos. "I cried out to you with a great voice." נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן And know — that my sister had a great miracle — for she came home — and everything was locked and sealed. And when she came into the house — she saw that all the objects that were in the box — and the pillows and the cushions — and even the vessels — were laid strewn upon the ground. [מפסחמנחים על הארץ — an unusual compound word in the manuscript; likely מוּנחים — "laid, placed, resting" — from nuach — to rest, to be placed; with a scribal insertion or textual irregularity; the general meaning — that everything was cast down and lying on the ground — is clear from context even if the exact form is uncertain] And it appears that they searched only for money — for they took only one silver goblet — and a good bracelet [בריסטיך טוב — bristik — a bracelet; from German or Yiddish Armband — arm-band; a piece of jewelry worn on the wrist; a good quality bracelet that was taken in the burglary] — and also she had a pledge — earrings — for a Meizhide [אורניגליך — oyringlekh — Yiddish: earrings — from German Ohrring — ear-ring; a pair of earrings that had been left as a pledge or pawn for a loan of one Meizhide] — and this they took. And no more — blessed be G-d. And all is in the merit of the Tzaddikim. And also Reb Yehoshua, may his candle shine, was with me today — and conveyed greetings of peace from you. And I was compelled to receive from him — in deposit — eighteen Meizhides. And also he asked of me — to convey greetings of peace to his wife. [ובקש מאתי לפרס לזוג' — "and he asked of me to convey greetings to his wife" — the pronoun refers to Reb Yehoshua's own wife, not the recipient's wife; Reb Yehoshua is asking the writer to pass on his own greetings of peace to his wife who is apparently in Tzfas or elsewhere] Words of one who loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Wednesday, Parshas Shoftim, Elul 5643 (August 1883), from Teverya. The writer has just returned home safely. The wife had a fainting episode but has recovered. A shirt and trousers left behind at Tzfas. A near-miraculous escape from a burglary at the sister's home. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן