עד

Thanks to G-d for our lives — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d — all of us here in the line of life and peace. May I merit to hear from you life and peace and good tidings from you and from the diaspora — as my soul desires — without limit.

After the holy Purim I was watching for your letter — how the joy of Purim went with you — which sweetens all the harsh judgments. And in the end — I have not merited to give life to my soul with the joy of my precious brothers — whose love is tied and attached in my heart. For I blessed be G-d was in joy — and I tied my joy to your joy and to the joy of all the Anash. And beyond this — I have suffering because of what you wrote to me about your wife — that she is not in good health.

And also I want to know — perhaps you have any letter from your co-parent-in-law, our beloved precious one — perhaps through him there is some news about our friend your son-in-law Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine. For my soul is utterly spent with yearning to hear some news from him. And also from you I have had no news for some days — and I have grief — for they are engraved in my heart truly as children. And particularly since there is a great business between us — in the partnership formed between us through Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. Therefore we must know at all times how I am engaged in the partnership — and how you are engaged in the partnership — so that each one according to his capacity not be idle, G-d forbid, in our business in whatever he can do. And the main thing of this business is prayer and supplication and joy.

For thus I heard from our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — before his holy and pure departure — and thus he said in his holy language — that blessed be G-d we now have three clarified laws: for Rosh Hashana one must travel; and Shulchan Aruch one must study; and seclusion-prayer one must do every day — and specifically from all preoccupations and all confusions and all mixings — one must make from this prayer. For on that account it is called prayer — praise. And I settled my mind — to arouse myself and arouse you — to begin this anew — to hearken and obey Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — to fix each day a set time for seclusion-prayer — a statute that shall not be transgressed [חק ולא יעבר — "a statute and it shall not be transgressed" — the specific biblical phrase from Psalms 148:6 and Proverbs 8:29: the immutable decree of G-d that cannot be crossed; the daily seclusion-prayer is fixed as immutably as the laws of nature]. And even to say only "Master of the World, have mercy on me" — for solid, unbroken hours [שעה רצופים — "unbroken, pressed-together hours" — from ratzuf — pressed together, continuous, without interruption; the hours should be solid and unbroken, each pressed against the next]. And surely Hashem Yisbarach will help us — and the spirit of Hashem will speak through us — for it is no empty word — these are the words of Rabbainu ז"ל.

And our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — who merited what he merited — and revealed such new teachings — and composed such prayers — it was only because he set aside and nullified his holy mind before Rabbainu ז"ל — and performed in wholeheartedness everything that Rabbainu ז"ל commanded — and engaged in seclusion-prayer — both with few words and with many words — and did not allow a single day without seclusion-prayer. And faith and prayer are one thing — namely: through our being believers in the words of Rabbainu ז"ל — we will surely engage in prayer every day. For this is the foundation of Rabbainu ז"ל — for the main weapon of the Messiah is prayer — and through it one can conquer all the battles — both in the physical and in the spiritual. And G-d willing surely everything will be properly set aright — for Hashem is good to all.

And greetings of peace to our beloved, my strong friend, your dear father, may his candle shine — and to our beloved the Chassid, the wondrous one, Morainu v'Rabbainu Nachman, may his candle shine — and to our beloved the Chassid Reb Dov, may his candle shine, together with his son, may his candle shine — and to Reb Yoel Tzvi, may his candle shine, together with his son, may his candle shine — and to his brother, our beloved, Reb Nussun, may his candle shine.

And I do not know what this is — that I wrote him a letter about the two Napoleon-coins and the two small lamps — and he also has not written me a letter since his son was born — congratulations. And surely when he writes to me — I will certainly also write to him — for I want to draw him close and he distances himself from me. And I know that his distancing is because of his despondency of spirit. But Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple already cried out: זייט זיך ניט מיאש קיין יאוש איז גאר ניט פאר האנדין גאט איז מיט דיר גאט איז בא דיר גאט איז לייבן דיר אין שרעק דיך נישט [Yiddish: "Do not despair! Despair does not exist at all! G-d is with you — G-d is by you — G-d is next to you — do not be afraid!"]. And since Rabbainu ז"ל does not despair of us — we ourselves certainly need not despair of ourselves. On both this and that there is no news — only life and peace and the fullness of good.

Your friend, your truly beloved, Nussun from Breslov

Written Thursday, Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei, 5640 (February or March 1880), from Teverya. The three settled laws of Reb Nosson ז"ל. The weapon of the Messiah is prayer. The Yiddish call against despair.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I bring you good tidings as well — good tiding facing good tiding. For my wife, may she live, on Shabbos and on Sunday was in mortal danger — and none believed she would live. And blessed be G-d on Monday her illness eased — and now blessed be G-d she walks in the house. For she had illness and vomitings — may the Merciful One protect us. But good it is to give thanks to Hashem for all the loving-kindness He has bestowed upon us. And may Hashem Yisbarach give life to you and your household in the fullness of good — both in the physical and in the spiritual — as you gave life to us with your letter. And my wife, may she live, danced for joy — that our friend the beloved of our souls Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine, is in life and in peace. May you swiftly and soon bring us good tidings about your brother, may his candle shine — who every day does not depart from my mind — for I was thinking thoughts outside, G-d forbid — because for a weighty span of time [זמן כביר — "a weighty, substantial time" — from kabir — heavy, weighty, great; not merely a long time but a heavily weighty one; the duration carried significant weight and gravity] — he wrote to us that he is ill — and there was no letter from him about his recovery. Therefore may Eliyahu be clothed in you — and you brought us good tidings — so at all times may Eliyahu be clothed in you and bring us good tidings. And regarding what you wrote me — to give you counsel — one must first pray and fix us with good counsel — for I do not know whether he knows the particulars of buying and selling. And due to the urgency of the postal carriage I have no leisure to sit and settle myself — only you write to me in what manner you want to do with him — and what kind of shop you want to make with him — and I will settle myself and pray — perhaps Hashem Yisbarach will send us some good counsel. And also what you wrote about your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — gave me life very greatly — for a person came here and gave me greetings of peace from your mother-in-law, may she live — and I had very great suffering from this. But a good man brings good tidings. And the straight thing would have been to write to you words flowing from the Hinnuvme — for I have many words — but due to the urgency of the postal carriage I have no leisure to bring them from potential into actual. And regarding the Maizide money that was sent to me through Reb Yisroel Avraham, may his candle shine — I received it and it gave us life. And the remainder of the money — send it to me through the patron Reb Chaim Yehoshua, may his candle shine, to Reb Dov, may his candle shine. And send me all the money — although I owe you — G-d willing when money comes to me from my son, may his candle shine, I will then discharge and clear the debt. And G-d willing I will write to you a letter at the time the money comes into my hands. And convey greetings of peace on my behalf to your father, may his candle shine — and write to me whether it is in his mind to travel to the diaspora. And to all the Anash who are beloved to me as my own soul. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Encamped in Teverya. Written Wednesday, 11th of the Omer, 5640 (late April or early May 1880), from Teverya. The wife recovered from mortal danger. Reb Tzvi is alive. May Eliyahu be clothed in you. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Thanks to G-d for our lives — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d — all of us here in life. But they will not allow me to restore my spirit [לא יתנוני השב רוחי — "they do not allow me to restore my spirit" — hashev ruchi — to return / restore the spirit to its settled equilibrium; a more specific image than merely "rest" — it is the restoration of the spirit to its composed, settled state; they will not let the spirit be restored and recomposed] — with my wife, may she live. For blessed be G-d Hashem Yisbarach helped us — and returned life to her. But I do not know whether from an evil eye there formed upon her a wound with very great pain — to the point that she cries out with a bitter voice by day and by night — for six days now — and they still see only a red mark. And everything is allusions — to draw closer to His service, may He be blessed. For there is no place to flee from the blows of time except to Hashem Yisbarach and to His holy Torah — and to multiply prayer and supplication before Hashem Yisbarach — until Hashem looks down and sweetens all the harsh judgments — both above and below. And for livelihood — one need not worry at all. For we do not know at all — if sometimes the livelihood is in great constriction — we do not know what is being exchanged for this. And there is no counsel for anything except Torah and prayer — and not to be lazy of mouth before Hashem Yisbarach [לא לעצל פה — "not to be lazy of mouth" — the laziness of not opening the mouth to speak in prayer; the mouth must not be lazy but must open in prayer and supplication] in prayer and supplication — to strengthen oneself in trust — and to raise our eyes on high — and to believe in the personal divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach over every single particular — how He watches over us — and through this He watches over us with a complete and full gaze. And the general principle, my brothers my friends — if you want to live any life in this passing and drifting world — I do not know how it is possible to live without the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple and the disciple of his disciple. For if you want to find any repose for your soul — whether in the service of Hashem: study in the Laws of Reading the Torah, law 6 — whether in how one can conduct buying and selling: study in the Laws of Buying and Selling, law 4. And if you truly look in them — with complete faith and with true attachment to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — surely you will find repose for your souls. For I do not understand at all — how can one who is called by the name of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — how he does not constantly search in the treasure-house of the King — in the precious treasuries that Hashem Yisbarach revealed to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. For they restore the soul in this world and the next — and every single day that one studies in them — they will give life-force to that day — according to what passes over the person on that day. And without them I do not know how one receives life-force. For Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple lived good lives and long lives — and could sing songs and enigmatic teachings — and could make time so that the time is precious — and draw us with their voice toward Hashem Yisbarach. And with their words — which are few that hold much — they can heal our souls from all our illnesses — which strike with ten arrows. Only we must bend our shoulder — in wholeheartedness and simplicity — to walk in the ways of Hashem Yisbarach and in the ways of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and with strong desires day and night — and not to relinquish the desire at all. And Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple labored with great labors — with such healings — for the sake of drawing upon us and upon all who wish to shelter at the threshold of their holy presence [להסתופף בצלם הק' — "to shelter at the threshold of their holy presence" — from hisstopef — to linger at the entrance, to place oneself at the threshold; from saf — threshold; the image of one who stands at the threshold of the Tzaddik's holy presence, as in Psalms 84:11: "I would rather be a doorkeeper at the threshold of my G-d's house"] — such healings — precious healings — to heal our souls in this world and the next — and to clothe us in complete garments — so that nothing should be lacking for us — even at the time when he is in the synagogue in Yerushalayim — according to the garments. For every Torah teaching and every law is a garment for our souls. And above all — Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple warned us about joy. For even seclusion-prayer — which was the essential thing for Rabbainu ז"ל — even so he commanded us: only one hour or two hours. And for all the rest of the day he warned us about joy — and from worry and sadness we must guard ourselves greatly. For Rabbainu ז"ל commanded us even to be joyful with matters of foolishness — for Rabbainu ז"ל foresaw and looked at how in these times the adversary would greatly overpower the joy — and would strengthen himself with sadness and worries — for this is his side. Therefore he said: be joyful even with matters of foolishness — for from this joy the adversary still does not know. And particularly you, Reb Aizikl — what do you have to worry about? Is it not written: "the one who multiplies possessions multiplies worry"? — and this is also not an obligation, G-d forbid — for one must be happy with one's portion. And whoever worries about what he will eat tomorrow is of the small in faith. But you — what do you have to worry about? — for you have no possessions at all. Only you have a Shulchan Aruch and the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and Psalms and prayers. Grow old and worn out in them — and trust in Hashem — for surely He will not abandon you — and you will not die, G-d forbid, of hunger. And raise your eyes on high — and fulfill: "the eyes of all look to You with hope — and You give them their food in its time" — according to the trust. And thus I speak to our friend Reb Henech, may his candle shine, and to Reb Avraham, may his candle shine, and to our beloved Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel, may his candle shine — although he has been withholding from me and has not written me any letter — even so I love him and have compassion on him — for he is a son of Avraham ז"ל. And I ask of you — when you write to me a letter — write to me from the receipt of my letters — from which letter — in order to know whether you received my letter. And also — I received your letter with the draft for the sum of four and a half Meizhides — this morning after the morning prayer — and it gave us life. And know that from the day of my arrival I have not received any letter from the diaspora from any place — except last week I received a letter from my daughter Gitl, may she live, from Bobrents — how the relatives of my son-in-law ז"ל are taking revenge upon her and her children. And she asks me to receive her son to be with me — for he is ten years old — and she has no means to pay his tuition fees — and has no one to watch over him — besides that she has no means to provide for her six children. May the Omnipresent have mercy on her and on her children. The orphan and the widow He upholds — Hashem shall reign forever. On both this and that there is no news — only life and peace for you and all your household — and good tidings and complete healing. Nussun from Breslov Written during the Omer, 5640 (late April or May 1880), from Teverya. The wife has an alarming new wound. A sustained teaching on studying Rabbainu ז"ל's books. Joy even with foolishness. Reb Aizikl has no possessions — only books; trust in G-d. A widowed daughter in poverty. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Thanks to G-d for our lives — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d — all of us here in the line of life and peace. May I merit to hear from you life and peace and good tidings from you and from the diaspora — as my soul desires — without limit. After the holy Purim I was watching for your letter — how the joy of Purim went with you — which sweetens all the harsh judgments. And in the end — I have not merited to give life to my soul with the joy of my precious brothers — whose love is tied and attached in my heart. For I blessed be G-d was in joy — and I tied my joy to your joy and to the joy of all the Anash. And beyond this — I have suffering because of what you wrote to me about your wife — that she is not in good health. And also I want to know — perhaps you have any letter from your co-parent-in-law, our beloved precious one — perhaps through him there is some news about our friend your son-in-law Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine. For my soul is utterly spent with yearning to hear some news from him. And also from you I have had no news for some days — and I have grief — for they are engraved in my heart truly as children. And particularly since there is a great business between us — in the partnership formed between us through Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. Therefore we must know at all times how I am engaged in the partnership — and how you are engaged in the partnership — so that each one according to his capacity not be idle, G-d forbid, in our business in whatever he can do. And the main thing of this business is prayer and supplication and joy. For thus I heard from our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — before his holy and pure departure — and thus he said in his holy language — that blessed be G-d we now have three clarified laws: for Rosh Hashana one must travel; and Shulchan Aruch one must study; and seclusion-prayer one must do every day — and specifically from all preoccupations and all confusions and all mixings — one must make from this prayer. For on that account it is called prayer — praise. And I settled my mind — to arouse myself and arouse you — to begin this anew — to hearken and obey Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — to fix each day a set time for seclusion-prayer — a statute that shall not be transgressed [חק ולא יעבר — "a statute and it shall not be transgressed" — the specific biblical phrase from Psalms 148:6 and Proverbs 8:29: the immutable decree of G-d that cannot be crossed; the daily seclusion-prayer is fixed as immutably as the laws of nature]. And even to say only "Master of the World, have mercy on me" — for solid, unbroken hours [שעה רצופים — "unbroken, pressed-together hours" — from ratzuf — pressed together, continuous, without interruption; the hours should be solid and unbroken, each pressed against the next]. And surely Hashem Yisbarach will help us — and the spirit of Hashem will speak through us — for it is no empty word — these are the words of Rabbainu ז"ל. And our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל — who merited what he merited — and revealed such new teachings — and composed such prayers — it was only because he set aside and nullified his holy mind before Rabbainu ז"ל — and performed in wholeheartedness everything that Rabbainu ז"ל commanded — and engaged in seclusion-prayer — both with few words and with many words — and did not allow a single day without seclusion-prayer. And faith and prayer are one thing — namely: through our being believers in the words of Rabbainu ז"ל — we will surely engage in prayer every day. For this is the foundation of Rabbainu ז"ל — for the main weapon of the Messiah is prayer — and through it one can conquer all the battles — both in the physical and in the spiritual. And G-d willing surely everything will be properly set aright — for Hashem is good to all. And greetings of peace to our beloved, my strong friend, your dear father, may his candle shine — and to our beloved the Chassid, the wondrous one, Morainu v'Rabbainu Nachman, may his candle shine — and to our beloved the Chassid Reb Dov, may his candle shine, together with his son, may his candle shine — and to Reb Yoel Tzvi, may his candle shine, together with his son, may his candle shine — and to his brother, our beloved, Reb Nussun, may his candle shine. And I do not know what this is — that I wrote him a letter about the two Napoleon-coins and the two small lamps — and he also has not written me a letter since his son was born — congratulations. And surely when he writes to me — I will certainly also write to him — for I want to draw him close and he distances himself from me. And I know that his distancing is because of his despondency of spirit. But Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple already cried out: זייט זיך ניט מיאש קיין יאוש איז גאר ניט פאר האנדין גאט איז מיט דיר גאט איז בא דיר גאט איז לייבן דיר אין שרעק דיך נישט [Yiddish: "Do not despair! Despair does not exist at all! G-d is with you — G-d is by you — G-d is next to you — do not be afraid!"]. And since Rabbainu ז"ל does not despair of us — we ourselves certainly need not despair of ourselves. On both this and that there is no news — only life and peace and the fullness of good. Your friend, your truly beloved, Nussun from Breslov Written Thursday, Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei, 5640 (February or March 1880), from Teverya. The three settled laws of Reb Nosson ז"ל. The weapon of the Messiah is prayer. The Yiddish call against despair. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן