סח

On Thursday I received your letter from Thursday of Vayakhel — and also from our friend Reb Chaim Krish, may his candle shine. And yesterday toward evening I also received your letter from Thursday of Vayikra. And you truly gave life to my soul with your letter — as if I were seeing your face — for whenever I see some letter from you — it is truly my life-force — as if I were seeing my own children — for I truly love you. And say once more: congratulations and congratulations to your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, and your mother-in-law, and your wife, may she live, and the son-in-law, may his candle shine — that it be at a propitious hour and for length of days and good years.

And regarding what you wrote — that you have despondency of mind about what you shattered and broke on the holy Purim [ששברת השאב — "that you shattered the ladle / drawing vessel" — shavarta ha'sha'av — shavar means to break and shatter; sha'av means a ladle or vessel for drawing liquid; the recipient broke or shattered a vessel during Purim celebrations — not merely spilled something, but broke the vessel itself] — to the point that you want to take a vow — this is great foolishness. For know: everything that Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple said — it is all only for life — and not to make from it, G-d forbid, such melancholy. Rather give thanks to Hashem that you fulfilled the joy of Purim — and Rabbainu ז"ל will do with our joy what he will do.

And regarding the fears you have about the hides — may Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on you — only this is an allusion that we must begin anew to engage in seclusion-prayer. For Rabbainu ז"ל said that through the judgment by which we judge ourselves we are saved from fallen fears [יראות נפולות — "fallen fears" — fears that come from the fallen side, the realm of the husks; irrational fears with no legitimate source in holiness; Rabbainu ז"ל teaches that self-judgment liberates one from these illegitimate, fallen fears]. And surely G-d willing I will ask of Hashem Yisbarach that He save you from all evil — and do good for you in every kind of that which is good — for your grief is also my grief — for I love you very much with a love of soul.

And may Hashem Yisbarach save you from every acute pain and deep anguish of suffering [מכל כאב ומכאוב — two distinct words for pain: ke'ev — the acute felt sensation of pain; and mich'ov — the deeper anguish and grief-pain of suffering; together covering both dimensions: the immediate hurt and the existential anguish]. And also for my wife — may Hashem Yisbarach have mercy — and may Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing quickly and soon. For her pain is very great from her eyes. And now — before such a festival — we must only ask of the faithful Physician — the Physician Who heals without payment — and to draw upon ourselves the holiness of the holy matzah — which is a remedy.

And you gave us life — with what you wrote to me that our friend Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine, has had his illness eased. May Hashem Yisbarach send him a complete healing. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit all of us together to receive the holy Passover festival — all its customary commandments — in holiness and joy — and to be careful of any trace of leaven in the physical and in the spiritual. For the sake of Hashem — be only in joy. For one who draws after sadness, G-d forbid — and so on. Rather everything to the contrary — to joy. And not to worry at all. Only to live with the verse: "today if you will but hear His voice." And surely Hashem Yisbarach will not abandon us — for we are bound to such a Tzaddik — who leapt across two bridges of gold for our sake — to draw down for us abundance even in material matters. And he in concealment [באתכסיא — be'iskasya — Aramaic: "in concealment, in hiddenness" — a specific Zoharic and Kabbalistic term for the hidden mode of divine rule; the Tzaddik rules the world not openly but from behind the veil of concealment, invisible to ordinary perception] rules over the entire world. And when you wish, look in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Torah Study, law 1 — and there you will see a great comprehension from our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — and your soul will be revived. For it is a great shame before us that we should be in melancholy when we are bound to such a Tzaddik — from whom flows a spirit of life to complete all the deficiencies — in the physical and in the spiritual.

More news there is none — only life and peace.

From the diaspora let your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, write a letter to my son Moshe Efraim, may his candle shine — and to my son-in-law, may his candle shine — and write on my behalf greetings of peace to them — and to ask of them to receive a letter from my son's wife, may she live, to give life to her soul. Words of one who loves you in truth — and greetings of peace to all the Anash — and to the patron Reb Chaim, may his candle shine — who gave me life with the letter of his grandson — who always seeks your welfare. Nussun son of Reb Leib of Breslov

The above-mentioned Nussun.

Written Thursday, 7th of Nisan, 5639 (April 1879), from Teverya. Reb Aitzikel's illness easing. The recipient broke a vessel on Purim and is despondent — rebuked sharply. Passover teachings. "Two bridges of gold." Concealedness of the Tzaddik's rule.

I am informing you [מהודענא — mehodana — Aramaic: "I am making known, I am informing" — from the Aramaic root yeda — to know; a formal Aramaic code-switch for the act of notification, as used in Daniel and throughout Aramaic correspondence] that I arrived here in peace this very moment — and I had a great miracle on the road. In those waters where Reb Shmuel Bendirer had cast something [שהשלך ר' שמואל בענדיריר — "where Reb Shmuel Bendirer had thrown / cast" — hishlikh — had thrown, cast, flung; Reb Shmuel Bendirer had previously cast something into those waters — perhaps money or an object in fulfillment of a vow or custom — making this a known landmark on the coastal road identified by this act] — I stood there — and my mule wanted to drink — and went with me into the waters — and there was a great swamp — to the point that it was impossible to move from there. Only Hashem Yisbarach providentially arranged a donkey-driver — and he went into the waters and cried out at the mule — and Hashem Yisbarach performed a miracle — and gave strength to the mule — and it went out by a great miracle from the waters. And all said it was a great miracle. And I attribute it to the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל — and to the merit of the Anash who accompanied me with great love. May this merit stand for me in my going there and in my returning to Eretz Yisroel. And I will pray for all of you on Rosh Hashana. Reb Peysi, may his candle shine, and Reb Moshe, may his candle shine, and Reb Leizer, may his candle shine — traveled to Yerushalayim — for they missed the time of Meron. And I have greatly asked to inform my mother, may she live, and my wife, may she live, and my sister, may she live — that I arrived in peace in Barat. And G-d willing on Monday — G-d willing — I will direct my journey onto the ship. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Friday, Parshas Bamidbar, 5639 (late May or early June 1879), from Beirut. The writer has departed Eretz Yisroel. A dramatic miracle: his mule entered a deep swamp and was saved by divine providence. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Blessed be G-d — I am in life and in peace — and all my family here — blessed be G-d — in life and in peace. May I merit to hear from you life and peace — and a good inscription and sealing in the midst of all Israel. And to merit to see your faces in life and in peace — from within joy and from within expansive breadth of mind. [הרחבת הדעת — harkhavat ha'da'as — "expansiveness of the mind" — the open, spacious, broad mental clarity that is the opposite of the contracted, narrow mind of worry; a specific desirable state of inner freedom and clarity] And for the present moment — may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to receive the awesome holy days in holiness and purity — and weeping from within joy [ובכיה מתוך שמחה — "weeping from within joy" — the paradoxical Breslov elevated state: tears of longing and repentance that arise from within a framework of joy, not from sadness; the most exalted form of prayer at the Days of Awe] — and may our prayer be included in the midst of the holy assembly. And let me inform you — that I had suffering here from the pass — for today here it is very, very difficult to receive a passport. And for three weeks I sat here — until I received a passport here — through great miracles and through much prayer — that Rabbainu ז"ל revealed to us. And "Moses drew near to the thick darkness where G-d was" — for it is within the obstacles that Hashem is present. And I turned with all my heart to Hashem Yisbarach — until Hashem Yisbarach helped me with His great loving-kindness — for prayers are not in vain. And even so — one needs the loving-kindnesses of Hashem at all times. And every day felt to me like many days — for I surely should have already been in the Russian land [ברוסין לאנד — in Russin land — Yiddish code-switch: "in the Russian land" — land — Yiddish for country/land; the same word as in Letter 67's ayn land; a natural code-switch into Yiddish for the destination country]. But from Heaven I was delayed until now. And G-d willing after the coming Shabbos I will travel — by the mouth of Hashem — on my holy way. More news there is none — only life and peace and the fullness of good. Your friend who desires your good and always seeks your welfare, Nussun son of my father the master Morainu v'Rabbainu Yehuda ז"ל Written Thursday, 2nd of Elul, 5639 (late August 1879), from Teiteira — Odessa. Three weeks stranded for a passport. Prayer and miracles. Approaching the Days of Awe. Will travel into Russia after Shabbos. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן On Thursday I received your letter from Thursday of Vayakhel — and also from our friend Reb Chaim Krish, may his candle shine. And yesterday toward evening I also received your letter from Thursday of Vayikra. And you truly gave life to my soul with your letter — as if I were seeing your face — for whenever I see some letter from you — it is truly my life-force — as if I were seeing my own children — for I truly love you. And say once more: congratulations and congratulations to your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, and your mother-in-law, and your wife, may she live, and the son-in-law, may his candle shine — that it be at a propitious hour and for length of days and good years. And regarding what you wrote — that you have despondency of mind about what you shattered and broke on the holy Purim [ששברת השאב — "that you shattered the ladle / drawing vessel" — shavarta ha'sha'av — shavar means to break and shatter; sha'av means a ladle or vessel for drawing liquid; the recipient broke or shattered a vessel during Purim celebrations — not merely spilled something, but broke the vessel itself] — to the point that you want to take a vow — this is great foolishness. For know: everything that Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple said — it is all only for life — and not to make from it, G-d forbid, such melancholy. Rather give thanks to Hashem that you fulfilled the joy of Purim — and Rabbainu ז"ל will do with our joy what he will do. And regarding the fears you have about the hides — may Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on you — only this is an allusion that we must begin anew to engage in seclusion-prayer. For Rabbainu ז"ל said that through the judgment by which we judge ourselves we are saved from fallen fears [יראות נפולות — "fallen fears" — fears that come from the fallen side, the realm of the husks; irrational fears with no legitimate source in holiness; Rabbainu ז"ל teaches that self-judgment liberates one from these illegitimate, fallen fears]. And surely G-d willing I will ask of Hashem Yisbarach that He save you from all evil — and do good for you in every kind of that which is good — for your grief is also my grief — for I love you very much with a love of soul. And may Hashem Yisbarach save you from every acute pain and deep anguish of suffering [מכל כאב ומכאוב — two distinct words for pain: ke'ev — the acute felt sensation of pain; and mich'ov — the deeper anguish and grief-pain of suffering; together covering both dimensions: the immediate hurt and the existential anguish]. And also for my wife — may Hashem Yisbarach have mercy — and may Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing quickly and soon. For her pain is very great from her eyes. And now — before such a festival — we must only ask of the faithful Physician — the Physician Who heals without payment — and to draw upon ourselves the holiness of the holy matzah — which is a remedy. And you gave us life — with what you wrote to me that our friend Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine, has had his illness eased. May Hashem Yisbarach send him a complete healing. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit all of us together to receive the holy Passover festival — all its customary commandments — in holiness and joy — and to be careful of any trace of leaven in the physical and in the spiritual. For the sake of Hashem — be only in joy. For one who draws after sadness, G-d forbid — and so on. Rather everything to the contrary — to joy. And not to worry at all. Only to live with the verse: "today if you will but hear His voice." And surely Hashem Yisbarach will not abandon us — for we are bound to such a Tzaddik — who leapt across two bridges of gold for our sake — to draw down for us abundance even in material matters. And he in concealment [באתכסיא — be'iskasya — Aramaic: "in concealment, in hiddenness" — a specific Zoharic and Kabbalistic term for the hidden mode of divine rule; the Tzaddik rules the world not openly but from behind the veil of concealment, invisible to ordinary perception] rules over the entire world. And when you wish, look in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Torah Study, law 1 — and there you will see a great comprehension from our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — and your soul will be revived. For it is a great shame before us that we should be in melancholy when we are bound to such a Tzaddik — from whom flows a spirit of life to complete all the deficiencies — in the physical and in the spiritual. More news there is none — only life and peace. From the diaspora let your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, write a letter to my son Moshe Efraim, may his candle shine — and to my son-in-law, may his candle shine — and write on my behalf greetings of peace to them — and to ask of them to receive a letter from my son's wife, may she live, to give life to her soul. Words of one who loves you in truth — and greetings of peace to all the Anash — and to the patron Reb Chaim, may his candle shine — who gave me life with the letter of his grandson — who always seeks your welfare. Nussun son of Reb Leib of Breslov The above-mentioned Nussun. Written Thursday, 7th of Nisan, 5639 (April 1879), from Teverya. Reb Aitzikel's illness easing. The recipient broke a vessel on Purim and is despondent — rebuked sharply. Passover teachings. "Two bridges of gold." Concealedness of the Tzaddik's rule. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן