קיד

Praise to G-d [Tehillah l'El — "Praise to G-d" — from tehillah — praise, laudation; not merely thanks but active praise and glorification] — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d — here all of us and all the Anash are in life and in peace — and engaged in joyous celebrations — the voice of gladness and the voice of joy — the voice of groom and the voice of bride — and we go from strength to strength [Psalms 84:8 — "they go from strength to strength" — the verse of the pilgrims who journey toward Jerusalem with ever-increasing spiritual power; a specific scriptural phrase about progressive ascent]. May Hashem Yisbarach help us to hear from you only gladness and joy — and may our enemies and those who pursue us without cause see and be ashamed forever. And may the Guardian of Truth guard us from all who hate us without cause — and avenge before our eyes the avenging of the blood poured out without cause — and save us from all our pursuers — those who spread a bad name about the Anash — the believers, children of believers — in the renewal of the work of creation and in the Written Torah and the Oral Torah — and in the coming of the Messiah and in the resurrection of the dead — and who believe in all the true Tzaddikim — whose merit shall protect us — and save us speedily from them and from their multitude — without limit.

Your letter from the Torah portion of Chukas we received properly on Thursday of Eikev in Tazlaki — and all of us read the letter together — about the controversy that has risen against us and against you. And we saw with our own eyes how the words of Rabbainu z"l were fulfilled: "And I will redeem them — but they spoke lies about Me" — but my brothers and friends — do not be saddened by the controversy — for Rabbainu z"l said: the controversy elevates and raises up the person — and surely it elevates and raises each one according to his level.

And he also said: the controversy is a sign that you want to be proper people — as Rabbainu z"l said to the people of Ladizhin — at the time that Rabbainu z"l asked them: what is being heard in your encampment? And they answered Rabbainu z"l: blessed be G-d — by us it is still and quiet. And he said to them: surely you are also quiet from the service of G-d. And furthermore — in every generation they rise against us, etc. etc. Therefore do not fear at all — for we have already passed through several sudden panics from the great and well-known controversy — and even so — the truth stands forever. And they will perish — and a thousand like them — and not one word of Torah will be annulled. And all this is only a trial — for this world is the world of trial. And Rabbainu z"l already said that this world is now the world of free choice.

Therefore — my beloved and pleasant brothers — be silent toward Hashem, etc. — and do not do anything at all — only go to the graves of the Tzaddikim — and cry out over the exile of the Divine Presence — that such a light should be hidden. And for the sake of the self-sacrifice — it is his name — of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — may it help you and us — and humble all our enemies beneath the truth. For the truth stands forever — and the truth endures forever. And by this is hinted to us: our assembly is no passing thing — and through our assembly — houses will be built without measure and without reckoning. And do not fear at all — for Hashem is with us and by us and near us and adjacent to us. And strengthen yourselves in great joy — because they contend against you and against us — because we want to draw ourselves close to such a great light — the Light of Lights — which shines in all the worlds — and even upon us. And go and see the might of your Master!

And know that Rabbainu z"l fights on our behalf — and he can pray a prayer in the aspect of judgment — whereby the Other Side is compelled to disgorge the very essence of its vitality. And at all times gather together — to review among yourselves the words of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — and be in great joy. For in the controversies that passed over us in our youth — the main source of our strengthening was through joy — and joy is the sweetening of all harsh judgments. And may Hashem Yisbarach help us through this — that we should have a good inscription and sealing — and may Hashem remember you with children, life, and spacious abundant sustenance. [מזונא רויחא — Aramaic: "spacious, ample, relieved sustenance" — from Aramaic revicha — relief, spaciousness, abundance; the Talmudic Aramaic word added to the classic triple of bnei chayei u'mezonah: a provision that is spacious, unencumbered, and abundantly relieved]

More news there is none — only life and peace.

And I have already written a letter by post to Bucharest — and I have no reply yet. And I ask of you to write to me almost every week — letters — to Uman and to Breslov — to the address of David Shteh — and to Uman G-d willing to the address: Nussun Lirsman, may his candle shine. And I do not forget you even for a single moment — for your soul is bound to my soul — in the thick braided ropes of love — and surely at all times I will reply to you on your letter.

And greetings of peace on my behalf to the honor of my friend, my dear brother, the veteran Chassid — G-d-fearing, etc. — the Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — and the Chassid Reb Dov, may his candle shine — and your wondrous, veteran Chassid brother Reb Sender, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his precious, wise son Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Eliezer, may his candle shine — and congratulations to them forever. And now he must begin anew — to keep vigilant watch at the doors of the books of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple [לשקד על דלתות — from Proverbs 8:34: "happy is the man who listens to me — watching at my doors day by day — keeping guard at the posts of my doorways" — the image of the devoted student who keeps perpetual vigil at the doors of wisdom] — and to walk in the paths of Rabbainu z"l — in Torah and in prayer — and in private conversation between himself and his Creator — greatly. And to my truly beloved, our beloved — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Aizik, may his candle shine. And to my truly beloved friend Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel z"l. And to his brother Reb Yoel Tzvi, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his son, may his candle shine. And to Reb Henech, may his candle shine. And to Reb Yosef Adam, may his candle shine. And to Reb Meir, may his candle shine. And greetings of peace to the patron, our beloved, Reb Chaim Krish, may his candle shine — and to the patron Reb Yaakov, may his candle shine — grandson of Reb Shimon, may his candle shine — and to the honor of the celebrated patron Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Chaim Yehoshua — together with peace upon his wife — and congratulations to them — may it be in an auspicious hour — may it be for long life — and may they merit to see from their children — children and grandchildren — engaged in Torah and commandments — from great wealth and honor — without limit. Also my brother Michl, may his candle shine — and his son Kapil, may his candle shine — and my son-in-law Morainu v'Rabbainu Yechiel, may his candle shine — and my brother Ze'ev, may his candle shine — together with his son-in-law, the kinsman Morainu v'Rabbainu Yitzchak Ber, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his wife and his son Aizik, may his candle shine. And my son-in-law Morainu v'Rabbainu Zeidel, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his wife Mistress Adel, may she live — and their son Morainu v'Rabbainu Aharon Leib, may his candle shine — forever — convey greetings of peace to you on the wedding — may it G-d willing be on Tuesday of Tetzei — for congratulations. And all of them convey greetings of peace to all the Anash — with strong love. And I ask of my friend Morainu v'Rabbainu Nussun to write to me — how is the grain held among us in Eretz Yisroel. And blessed be G-d — today I received the passport from Teiteira — and it is a great miracle — for here harsh decrees have greatly multiplied — may Hashem Yisbarach sweeten them — and so in all the holy places of Israel.

Written 24th of Menachem Av, 5641 (August 1881), from Neket. Praise to G-d. Controversy as elevation. The Ladizhin story. "Go and see the might of your Master."

A certain woman is traveling to the Holy Land — and I sat down with my intention to write to you everything that rises in my mind and in my thought — the binding of thought, speech, and deed — to Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. Perhaps I will arouse myself from now — to begin anew to remind myself: this month is the time to circumcise the heart — the letters of Elul alluding to: "to circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed" — and to return in complete repentance — so that I may return in such repentance until I am able to fulfill: "and say: return, children of man — for days have been formed — and one of them to arouse greatly toward Hashem Yisbarach" — for all the business of Rabbainu z"l and his disciple is Rosh Hashana — and this month is a great preparation for Rosh Hashana — and these are days of divine will — will specifically.

And we must yearn and pine and long — when will Hashem Yisbarach merit us — for all the rectifications that are made from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Shemini Atzeret — as is explained in the books of Likutay Halachos — many times — each time in a different manner. As is explained briefly in Likutay Eitzvos — the new section. And the essential thing is the will. And within all this — we must cry out and call and strengthen ourselves with fresh desires — and begin from now anew — to draw ourselves close to Hashem Yisbarach — through the paths of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple.

And for the sake of Hashem — let great mercies be aroused on all the graves of the Tzaddikim — for all of Israel stand now in very great distress. Both in Russia-land and here — for here harsh decrees are being renewed every single day — and one decree more harsh than its companion — namely: that Jews shall not reside in the villages at all, G-d forbid. And also they do not allow any person from outside Wallachia to come there — and even one man from Wallachia — when he travels to another country — they afterward do not allow him to return to his own country. In sum: there is no hatred against Israel as there is here. And also from Russia-land one hears here of great devastations. May Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on all Israel — for the compassion that is required for our brothers the children of Israel — is beyond all reckoning. And we are obligated to cry out to Hashem Yisbarach — as is explained in the words of Rabbainu z"l in the Aleph-Beis — that every person must hang the communal suffering specifically upon his own sin [לתלות בחטאו — "to hang it upon his own sin" — from talah — to hang, to suspend; the image of hanging the collective suffering on one's own sin as on a peg — taking personal responsibility as the cause; not merely connecting to it but specifically suspending it there as one hangs something on a hook]. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov