עח

Your letter from Sunday was received by me yesterday morning — immediately after the morning prayer. And at first when I saw the letter — I rejoiced at your letter — because I thought you wrote me some news of my sons, may they live, and of the peace of the safe arrival of your dear co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, home in peace. Although I had already had greetings of peace from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, through Reb Pinchas the Cantor — who traveled with him as one united company [בצותא חדא — b'tzusa chada — Aramaic: "in one companionship, as one unified unit" — from Aramaic tzus — companionship, fellowship; the specific Aramaic phrase for traveling together as a single company] from Odessa to Tzfas. But your letter was to me like seeing his face. But when I read the letter — tears poured down my face. And when my wife saw that I was weeping — I was compelled to tell her this sad tiding. And she nearly fell faint — and a headache seized her — and it has still not released her. And I the entire day did not study — and I was like a drunk and confused. And almost the entire night I did not sleep — from the grief and the unfortunate event that occurred to such a good brother. But in the night I studied the Torah "the Ancient One, hidden and concealed" — and there at its end Rabbainu ז"ל speaks of eternal life. And there it is explained that all suffering comes from a deficiency of inner awareness — "knowledge you have acquired — what have you lacked?" Therefore I settled my mind — that the main suffering out of all sufferings is the deficiency of inner awareness.

מיין ליבער ברודער מיין הארציגער ברודער — My dear brother, my heartfelt brother — together with your wife, may she live, and together with all who share in your trouble — for the sake of Hashem — זייט מקבל באהבה — receive it with love — און היט דעם שכל — and guard the mind — ווער ווייסט וואס ס'האט איבער געבייטן — who knows what was exchanged for this — ווער ווייסט וואס פאר איין צרה איהר האט געפאטערט דער מיט — who knows what kind of trouble you were spared with this — for from the mouth of the Most High evil does not go forth, G-d forbid — אפשר האט איהר בעדארפט אין ים דערטראנקן ווערן עם המעות — perhaps you needed to be drowned in the sea together with the money — געלויבט איז השי"ת וואס מ'האט אייך אפגעלאזט — praised be Hashem Yisbarach that you were spared — און אז איינער איז ח"ו מחסר דעת וואלט ער נישט אוועק געגעבן הונו ורכושו — and if someone were, G-d forbid, deficient in inner awareness — he would not give away his wealth and possessions — אבי השי"ת זאל אים אפגעבן דעם דעת — only may Hashem Yisbarach restore his inner awareness to him — therefore my dear brother — remember how in the Semnasima you held your mind composed — and I strengthened you — and also in the Piderates of Meisnowitz — and I strengthened you — and today as well I ask: my dear brother — have compassion on G-d — and accept His act with love — and strengthen yourself.

וויפל מענטשן האבן אוועק געגעבן כל הונם ורכושם בקאנסאלאטן נאך מעות אחרים אויך — How many people have given away all their wealth and possessions in proceedings pursuing other people's money as well — and praised be Hashem they also live — and are blessed be G-d in their minds. And the grief will accomplish nothing — Hashem Yisbarach has acted upon you — and He can fill you up again — how we do not know — only we believe that He is One Who lowers and also raises — and provides and sustains each and every one with a particular providence.

און איהר זענט געוואוינט צו זאגן תמיד געלויבט איז גאט זאלט איהר היינט אויך זאגן אלע מאל געלויבט איז גאט — And you are accustomed to always saying "praised be G-d" — so today as well say every time: "praised be G-d" — and sustain yourself in faith in Hashem Yisbarach. Imagine to yourself — they wanted to take your son Moshe, may his candle shine, as a military recruit — but if you would give the money they would release him — would you not certainly have given the money? — do not drag yourself after grief — do not be resentful against the attributes of Hashem Yisbarach — and even against yourself do not be in anger.

למען ה' היט דעם מח — For the sake of Hashem — guard the mind — Hashem Yisbarach will surely not abandon you — G-d is with you and lives with you and is by you — and do not be afraid — Hashem Yisbarach wills it so — one may not harbor doubting thoughts about His attributes, may He be blessed. For the sake of Hashem — do not take it to heart — not you, not your wife, may she live, and not your daughter and son-in-law, may they live. For blessed be G-d — our G-d, our Father in Heaven, has not been stolen away. And fulfill: "cast your burden upon Hashem and He will sustain you" — and also stand by G-d and rest — "for My salvation is near to come and My righteousness to be revealed" — turn the grief and sighing to joy — and you will see how Hashem Yisbarach will have compassion on you and make you joyful. For with us all the ends have ended — but with Hashem Yisbarach the ends have not yet ended — and the salvation of Hashem is as the blink of an eye. "When I said my foot slipped — Your loving-kindness, Hashem, held me up."

אין מיט דער מרה שחורה וועט איהר גארנישט פועל'ן — And with melancholy you will accomplish nothing — strengthen yourselves with G-d. And thus I heard from Rabbainu ז"ל — who said: when a person has grief and accepts it and says that it is good — Hashem Yisbarach said to him: אט דאס איז גוט איך וועל דיר ווייזן וואס גוט איז — Now that is good — I will show you what good is! — therefore, my precious brother — have compassion on yourself. Imagine to yourself — as if a robber and murderer fell upon you on the road and wanted to kill you — and afterward take everything from you — and you barely begged him to let you keep your life — would you not have gone away in joy that you at least remained alive?

And beyond all this — what does grief and melancholy avail now? There is no counsel at all except to pour out one's speech before G-d Who brought you naked from your mother's womb — and has fed and provided and sustained you with such great expense — until now — by His grace alone and by His abundant mercies. And the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended and His mercies have not been depleted. And with His great and abundant loving-kindness and mercies — He is able to provide for you also now — with greater elevation and greater might [ביתר שאת ויתר עז — the biblical phrase from Genesis 49:3: "first in dignity and first in power" — se'es — elevation, exaltation, dignity; and oz — strength, might; together: with greater elevation and with greater might than before]. And do not say "from where will my help come?" — "my help is from Hashem Who made heaven and earth." And trust in Hashem and rejoice in Him, may He be blessed — and this will be the counterweight of equal weight. For at the time when you had such wealth — you worried from where your livelihood would come — and that was worry for nothing. And now do the will of the Creator, may He be blessed — and do not worry at all — and He will do wonders and awesome things for you — and provide for you with manna from Heaven.

למען ה' ברודער הארציגער ווארפט אוועק דיין צער פון דעם הארץ — For the sake of Hashem, heartfelt brother — throw off your grief from the heart — remember how the prince reflected: G-d can still do this for me — I must turn back to Him — and he then drew near to his greatness. So may Hashem Yisbarach bless you and make you great and magnify you [ויגדל אתכם — "and may He make you great and magnify you" — from gadol — great, to grow great; not merely to "raise up" but specifically to make great and enlarge in greatness and stature] quickly and soon — and rejoice you and your household. And we will be joyful in your joy.

One who loves you, Nussun from Breslov

And also to write to me the receipt of this letter as well — for I have eye pain — and I am compelling myself to write to you. And in any case I do not want the letter to be lost, G-d forbid. And also you should perform this mitzvah — to bring joy to your co-parent-in-law and mother-in-law, may they live — and not to give your melancholy in partnership to them — and show them a cheerful face. For thus Rabbainu ז"ל said: when one shows a person a cheerful face — one gives him life. And to give life to a Jew is not an empty thing — but a very, very great thing beyond reckoning.

And I ask of all our truly beloved — that all of them strengthen our beloved Reb Shmuel, may his candle shine, and his household — for many matters of mitzvah were concluded at his table — and it is forbidden for us to be ungrateful, G-d forbid. And whoever strengthens him and brings him joy — his reward shall be doubled from Heaven. And there is no counsel to judge him to the pan of culpability, G-d forbid — only to the pan of merit. And also his wife, may she live — comfort her with words that gladden the heart — for she does not have the strength to bear such grief. And what does her grief accomplish? — for it avails nothing at all — only damages the life-force and the health of her body. And the greatness of the mitzvah you do in this is beyond reckoning and estimation. For whoever sustains a single soul of Israel — it is as if he sustained an entire world. And do not listen to the counsel of the adversary who wants to grieve you — only overcome him with joy. For you yourself see with your eyes that melancholy and sadness accomplish nothing — and beyond this — it is from the other side. And you want to be a proper person — and Rabbainu ז"ל said explicitly: whoever wants to be a proper person — let him guard against sadness. Only "eat your bread in joy" — and do not worry worldly worries — only "today if you will but hear His voice." And Hashem Yisbarach in His goodness renews each day always the work of Creation. And convey greetings of peace on my behalf to all the Anash — with strong love and with a willing soul.

Words of one who truly loves you — who awaits your salvation — and desires your success in this world and the next, Nussun from Breslov

My mother and my wife and my sister convey greetings of peace to your mother-in-law and your wife, may they live — and to your precious son — the complete one, the musician — Morainu v'Rabbainu Sender Chaim, may his candle shine — for length of days and good years. Omain, so may it be His will.

Written Thursday, Parshas Nasso, 5640, from Teverya. Devastating financial loss for Reb Shmuel. An extended outpouring of consolation in Hebrew and Yiddish.

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 Hashem Yisbarach merit me to hear from you life and peace and success and blessing. And may Hashem Yisbarach bring you joy — and turn your grief and sighing to joy. Your letter I received on Thursday past — but I had no leisure to reply to you through the postal carriage. And the greatness of my suffering from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — who is truly my brother — is beyond reckoning and estimation. But know that Rabbainu ז"ל said: this world is a world of trial — and at all times Hashem Yisbarach tests a person in a different manner — sometimes He tests through wealth and sometimes through constriction. But let him strengthen himself to stand in his place — and to receive everything — to make from this some contentment of spirit for Hashem Yisbarach [נחת רוח — nachas ruach — "contentment of the spirit / resting of the breath" — the specific compound phrase for divine satisfaction; nachas — rest, contentment; ruach — spirit, breath; the standard term for giving Hashem a divine satisfaction through one's conduct] — and not to be resentful against Hashem Yisbarach, G-d forbid. And everything — to turn grief and sighing to joy. For the Ba'al Shem Tov — may his merit protect us — said: "Hashem is your shadow" — as a person acts — so, as it were, Hashem Yisbarach acts toward him. Therefore if you turn the grief and sighing to joy — so will Hashem act toward you — and turn your grief and sighing to joy. And there is no counsel in this world except to flee to Hashem Yisbarach — for in every time of trouble and distress we have no helper and supporter except You. And particularly since Rabbainu ז"ל taught us the straight path — that everything that passes over a person — pour out one's speech before Hashem Yisbarach for some hours of the day — and afterward be in joy — and not to be drawn after melancholy and sadness. For you can receive proof from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — for before he had this financial damage — he also had worries. And now it seems — if he had not had this financial damage — would he have been in joy?