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Thanks to G-d for our lives — blessed be G-d — all of us here are in life and in peace. May I merit to hear from you at all times life and peace and success in all your affairs which you do — and may your deeds be included in the Ten Utterances through which the world was created [עשרה מאמרות — the Ten Utterances — the ten divine pronouncements through which the world was created [Mishnah Avos 5:1]; and within them are included the Ten Commandments — עשרת הדברות; the blessing prays that all of one's mundane affairs be elevated into and included within these divine creative utterances] — in which the Ten Commandments are included — and when your soul is bound to the Torah in every deed and deed, this is not called preoccupation at all — only sacred siftings [רק ברורים — "only berurim" — the Lurianic Kabbalistic concept of the sacred clarifications and siftings by which divine sparks embedded in material reality are extracted and returned to their holy source; when one's soul is bound to the Torah in every act, the act becomes not a distraction but a birur — an act of cosmic clarification]. And do not engage as one driven by preoccupation — only in measured deliberate pace. And may Hashem Yisbarach bring you success through an easy cause — without limit.

And now, my brothers my friends — it has become known to me our great shattering [משברנו הגדול — "our great shattering" — from shever — to shatter, to break violently; the word used in Lamentations for the shattering of the people; sharper and more violent than "breach" — it is a breaking that cannot easily be repaired] that has passed over us at this time — that the glory of our head, the desire of our eyes, Reb Abaleh ז"ל, has been taken from us — and the light of his Torah and his righteousness shall be bound up in the bundle of life [יצרור בצרור החיים — "shall be bound up in the bundle of life" — the specific formula from I Samuel 25:29: "the soul of my master shall be bound up in the bundle of life with Hashem your G-d"; tzror — a small bundle tied up; the souls of the righteous are gathered together and tied in a bundle before G-d; the traditional formula said for the deceased] in the midst of the souls of the Tzaddikim and Chassidim of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. But upon us there is to mourn a great mourning — that there has been diminished from us from within the holy community such a great person. Therefore, my son and my brother — I have greatly asked of you to write to me: when was his passing — and whether he wrote a testament — and how, and in what manner — and whether he spoke before his passing. And also write to me whether the sons who were born to him are blessed be G-d alive and well — and upon whom he left his wealth and property for the sake of holiness. For surely you know his mind — that the Anash — namely Reb Nachman, may his candle shine, and Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine, and Reb Dov, may his candle shine — should recite for him some Kaddish every day in Eretz Yisroel. And also I, immediately upon my learning of this — I recite Kaddish every day — for he has no son to recite Kaddish for him. And particularly in Eretz Yisroel. For we must be grateful to him — for he supported the sons of Rabbainu ז"ל until now — and also was among the upholders of Torah and among the supporters of the Yeshiva of Eretz Yisroel as well. Fortunate is he and fortunate is his portion. — surely at the hearing of the ear my soul languished [למשמע אזן דאבה נפשי — "at the hearing of the ear my soul languished" — an echo of Job 42:5 and Lamentations 3:51; davah — to languish, to faint and ache with grief; stronger than "sick" — the soul that faints and languishes under the weight of terrible news] — that he was taken from us before his time. But the Rock — His work is perfect and all His ways are justice — to declare that Hashem is straight — my Rock — and there is no injustice in Him — righteous and upright is He.

And I have very greatly asked of you to write to me all that I ask of you — for my heart languishes and aches within me [לבי דוי עלי — "my heart is davoy upon me" — languishing, aching; from Jeremiah 8:18 and Lamentations; the heart that faints from grief rather than merely feeling "sick"]. Therefore I want to know how and what — for my grief is very great — and my tears are on my cheek as I remember him. For I knew the true measure of his worth — for I stood by him for four weeks in succession — and saw his fear of Heaven. Woe to us for our shattering — the bitter and the bitter-herbs [המר והמרור — "the bitter and the maror" — the Passover bitter herbs; the grief of this loss is compared to the bitterness of the maror — the ritual symbol of Egyptian slavery; the most intense, visceral bitterness; both the quality of bitterness and its specific Passover embodiment are invoked together]. May the Omnipresent comfort us in the midst of the mourners of Zion and Yerushalayim.

Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov

And I will tell you a story that I saw with my own eyes by our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — how many years ago there was talk in the world that the children of the tribe of Dan were going and the Messiah would come — and Rabbainu ז"ל said it was a lie. And there was a certain person from the Anash who was attached to this foolishness — and when he heard that Rabbainu ז"ל did not agree and said it was a lie — this person became angry at Rabbainu ז"ל and cursed him. And the Anash wanted to push him away — and it became known to Rabbainu ז"ל — and he became angry at the Anash who wanted to push him away. And he acted as if he did not know — and drew him close. And this person afterward became a very upright man and repented over this bad thing he had done — that he had damaged the honor of his master — for he had good points in him.

And particularly since he is under the force of harsh judgments — for he is very poor. And Rabbainu ז"ל said that the evil inclination is empowered by harsh judgments. Therefore my view does not lean toward this — although you blessed be G-d are upright and G-d-fearing people and exceptional in Torah more than I — only I served and stood by Rabbainu ז"ל and received from him practical law. And there are many more stories that I saw with my own eyes — and it is impossible to tell you by way of writing.

Written Sunday, Parshas Vaeira, 5639 (January 1879), from Teverya. The death of Reb Abaleh ז"ל confirmed. Deep mourning. The Torah of "I will sing." The story of Reb Nosson ז"ל.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Therefore, my friend, my beloved brothers — have compassion upon yourselves — and be strong with fresh ardent longing and with fresh will — and engage in the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciples — for they are life to those who bring them forth in their mouths. And you are still in your youth — and fix them in your hearts as ink written on fresh paper. On both this and that there is no news [זו"ז חדשות אין — "this and this, there is no news" — zu u'zu — "this and this, on both counts, in both directions"; the writer means: on both the matters you might wonder about, there is nothing new to report] — only life and peace and joy — נאר פריליך זיין — only be joyful — for in worries nothing is accomplished at all.