קיט

Your letter from Thursday of Shemos I received properly. And because of the confusion of my mind — for my wife, may she live, her weakness has greatly intensified — with several kinds of ailments — as I wrote to you — may Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on her quickly and soon — in the merit of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — in whom we take shelter — and in the merit of all the Tzaddikim who are stored away as treasure in all the cities of Judah and those stored away in the diaspora. Therefore I did not look carefully at the accounts. And now I looked at them carefully — and see — I am your good fortune [ראה אני מזלך — "see — I am your good fortune" — the writer presents himself as the recipient's mazal — his divine influence and fortune; in Kabbalistic thought the righteous intercessor is himself the mazal of those he prays for; a personal declaration, not merely "it is your good fortune"] that I do not condemn all the wrongdoing — for if you had not written to me — I would not have turned my attention to the accounting.

And to ask of all the Anash — that they intercede with fervent supplication and pray for my wife — the proper woman — a complete healing. And I convey greetings of peace to all the Anash — and also to Reb Yoel Tzvi, may his candle shine. And I received through his son-in-law Reb Yosef — the extending of his greetings of peace. And to write to me about Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — what he has done. More news there is none — only Hashem Yisbarach renews every day continuously in His goodness the work of creation — every day. Your friend, one who truly loves you — who longs to see you together. My wife, may she live, and my sister, may she live, convey greetings of peace to your wife, may she live, and to your son Sender, may his candle shine. For the sake of Hashem — my clothing — send it to me on the first wagon — for I have nothing with which to go about on Shabbos. And to draw close our friend Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine — for he is a truly proper man — in truth and in wholeness — draw him close. Written Tuesday, Parshas Vaera, 5642 (January 1882), from Teverya. The wife's condition greatly worsened. The accounting reviewed. A plea for Reb Hirsh. The writer has no Shabbos clothes. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I am greatly astonished at you, my brother my friend — that I have no news from you about what has happened with my strong friend — the veteran Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine. And also from our accounting. And also about my clothing. And you have no cause at all to be resentful against me about the letter — for my mind is very confused — from my wife's weakness — with several kinds of ailments. And she has a very high fever. And she does not taste anything at all — only broth and quinine. And she craves that someone should cook her borsht from beets [בארטט מבעריקיס — borsht fun berekes — Yiddish: borsht made from beets; borsht — the specific Eastern European beet soup; berekes — beets; the combination: the classic beet borsht she longs for and which cannot be found in Teverya] — and here it is not available. Therefore I ask of you — and also of my friend, our beloved, Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel z"l — that you both exert yourselves to send me beets — approximately one rats. And perhaps you will be agents of a mitzvah to give her life — in the merit of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — and in the merit of all the Tzaddikim in whom we shelter — only in them — and not in the medicines of doctors. And the entire world confuses my mind with doctors. But my wife herself does not want under any circumstances a doctor — not even to have one mentioned to her. And I greatly ask of all the Anash — to stir up mercies on her behalf — with heart and soul. And also of Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — I ask that he go to the graves of the Tzaddikim — and also to the grave of my father z"l — and all the Anash — to stir up mercies on her behalf. And also write to me when G-d willing he will travel — for I must send letters with him. Your friend, Nussun from Breslov And my mind is so confused — that the receipt from Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel z"l remained with me — and the receipt that belongs to Breslov — I sent to Tcheryn. And I have much to speak with you from our business — that I saw in the holy books of Rabbainu z"l. But I have no leisure — because of my sick-visiting at home. And greetings of peace to all the Anash — and to your brother Sender, may his candle shine — and to his son Eliezer, may his candle shine — and to Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine — and to your son Morainu v'Rabbainu Sender Chaim, may his candle shine. Undated — Teves-Shvat 5642. The wife desperately ill — fever, eating only broth and quinine, craving borsht from beets which is unavailable. The writer refuses doctors entirely. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter — together with the letter of Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine — and together with the letter of our beloved, my strong friend Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel z"l — and together with the letter of our beloved Reb Aizik — I received properly. And from the matter of my wife, may she live — a little expansiveness — that blessed be G-d the cough and the stabbing pains have left her — and I give thanks to G-d for this. But would that Hashem Yisbarach let the fever leave her — which is beyond all reckoning. And now with us is the Chassid Reb Dov, may his candle shine — he has seen her great suffering — for the fever lasts more than a full day and night. May Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on her quickly and soon. And I greatly ask of you to pray for her — that Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on her — for she has no strength to bear it — and she tastes nothing at all — only cooked water. And the compassion is also very great upon me — for I cannot engage in Torah and prayer — except what I take by force from the time [מה שאני גוזל איזה עת — "what I rob and take by force from the time" — from gazel — to rob, to seize by force; the writer does not merely "steal" moments — he wrests and forcibly robs time away from the sick-visit to study; the word carries the weight of urgent, forcible seizure]. And my main consolation is Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — who revealed to us that even the Master of the Universe Himself is good — and even the preparation is very good. And what shall I say to you — my brothers and my friends — why, why do we sleep from such good that Hashem Yisbarach bequeathed to us through Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple? And we studied on the night after Shabbos the Torah "And Hashem built the rib" — and upon it there is a law: the Laws of One Who Injures His Companion — law 3. And look there — and you will see the greatness of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — and the greatness of the graves of the Tzaddikim. And there is explained the answer to what Reb Aizik, may his candle shine, wrote to me — that you have new sufferings. For there it is explained: that regarding honor — one must fear lest there be a departure and withdrawal of the soul. But regarding humiliations — there is nothing to fear at all; on the contrary — it is a segulah for repentance. And as for what they want to uproot the words of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — they will perish, etc. And Reb Nosson z"l already said — when the controversy intensified greatly against him — he gave himself life with this verse: "He who guards truth forever" — that Hashem Yisbarach Himself guards the truth forever. And from all the insults and slanders — turn yourselves to study Likutay Halachos — for Rabbainu z"l said: the Tzaddik makes from all the insults and slanders — laws. And from Reb Nosson z"l we saw with our own eyes that he merited to this. And we in simplicity must fulfill — that from all the humiliations we turn ourselves to the books of Rabbainu z"l and his disciple. And in another place it is explained: that through the controversy — a book is made. And Rabbainu z"l said: by that place — it shall be counted at every occasion as some book. Therefore — my brothers and my sons — beloved of my soul — Nussun, Eliezer, Aizik, Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel, Henech, Avraham — and also all who truly desire the path of Rabbainu z"l — let us spare and have mercy upon ourselves [נחוס ונחמל עלינו — "let us spare and have mercy upon ourselves" — two distinct words: chus — to spare, to hold back from loss, to not allow something precious to be wasted; and chamal — to have compassion; together: spare and compassionately protect ourselves from squandering our precious days] and upon our days and our years — and let us renew our strength — to begin from now to draw ourselves close to Hashem Yisbarach — according to the paths of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. Surely Hashem Yisbarach will save us from all the controversy — and everything will be set aright — and the word of our G-d will stand forever. And "Pharaoh drew close" [Exodus 14:10 — ופרעה הקריב — "And Pharaoh drew close / brought near" — the writer takes the verse's word hikriv — brought near, drew close — and reads it as a teaching: Pharaoh draws close to whoever has compassion and mercy on his own soul and spirit and divine soul; whoever draws himself near to his own soul's welfare, Pharaoh is drawn toward; a creative Midrashic reading of the word hikriv] — toward whoever has compassion and mercy on his own soul and spirit and divine soul. On both this and that I have no more leisure to speak with you — for I am engaged in the sick-visiting of the one at home. Words of one who truly loves you in truth and in wholeness — and may He Who makes peace in His high places make peace upon us and upon all Israel, Your friend, Nussun from Breslov And greetings of peace to our beloved — my friend, your precious father, may his candle shine — and to our friend, the veteran Chassid, our beloved, Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — and my strong friend Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine. And I am sending you enclosed here the ticket to Jaffa — and also the letter that I sent to your hand for Breslov — for the sake of Hashem guard it — for it is very much needed. And write to me whether you received it in your hand. For my friend Reb Nussun, may his candle shine, and Reb Aizik, may his candle shine, do not reply to the first matter first and the last last — for several times I wrote to them to inform me about our friend Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — what he has done — and they did not reply to me — and I had great suffering. And know that the zhive and the beets I received properly — and why did he not write to me the price? And greetings of peace to the patron Reb Chaim Krish — and to Reb Abba, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his wife, may she live — and to Reb Yaakov, may his candle shine — and to Reb Sender, may his candle shine — and to Reb Yoel Hirsh, may his candle shine — and to Reb Yosef, may his candle shine — and to Reb Meir, may his candle shine — and to Reb Avraham Hirsh. How fortunate are you — Breslov Chassidim — how fortunate are we — how good is our portion! Written Tuesday night, Parshas Beshalach, 5642 (late January or early February 1882), from Teverya. A slight improvement. A rich teaching. Humiliation is a segulah. How fortunate are you — Breslov Chassidim! נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן