קכב

Written Thursday, Parshas Beshalach, 5642 (early February 1882), from Teverya. The body of this letter is missing from the manuscript. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Regarding my wife, may she live — I have much to give thanks to G-d — and I give thanks for the past and cry out for the future to Hashem Yisbarach. And know — that from several ailments Hashem Yisbarach helped her — of each of which she was in a life-threatening state. And also the fever — she did not have it from the past Monday until Shabbos. But on Shabbos — after midday — a trembling seized her again — and then the heat — but it came with mercy — relative to the previous times. May Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on her from now — for she has been left without any strength at all — and particularly on her legs — it is impossible for her to walk at all. And the magnitude of the troubles and the expansivenesses that we experienced in these four weeks is beyond all estimate and reckoning. For eye to eye I saw the words of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. But this is my consolation — that Hashem Yisbarach arranged for me our friend the wondrous Chassid Reb Dov, may his candle shine — and he came to me every day — and we spoke at length of the greatness of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — and he gave me life. And I believed that through these words there would be a healing for her — for "a tower of salvations is He to His king" [Psalms 18:51 — מגדל ישועות מלכו — "a tower of salvations is He to His king" — migdal specifically means a tower; the King stands protected within a tower of divine salvations; not merely "great salvations" but the specific image of a protective tower] — etc., etc. And know — that I wrote to you two letters — and also a letter that I sent to Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine, to deliver to Breslov — to my son-in-law. And the last letter I sent you — a good letter — warm as coals of fire — and within it was placed the ticket for Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine. And also I ask of you to write to me whether you received all three letters. And I gave them to Reb Shbteil — a kinsman of your son-in-law Reb Chaim Yehoshua, may his candle shine — and he told me that he sent them. And the last letter — of Reb Nussun son of the woman Chana — for I had a reason in this. And also to write to me about your son, may his candle shine — for you wrote to me that he is, G-d forbid, not in good health — and I had suffering. And surely I pray for him. Therefore I ask of you to write to me what has happened with him — and also write to me about all the Anash — how it has passed with them. And also write to me about my friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — whether his home still stands. And from now let us begin to prepare ourselves for the joy of Purim — every single day — so that on Purim the darkness will be turned to light — and we will merit the supremely elevated awe through the joy. For we have something to rejoice about — that we have such a Rebbe and such a disciple. And as is explained in Likutay Halachos — the Laws of Procreation and Fruitfulness — law 3 — on the Torah "joy and gladness shall overtake them" — etc. And there it is explained that the essential foundation of all our rectifications is only through joy. And look there — and you will find repose for your souls — and you will see the great virtue of joy. And particularly on Purim — Rabbainu z"l said explicitly that it is a great rectification. And every commandment requires preparation — both in deed and in speech. And do not be sad — for sadness is from the Other Side — and the Holy Blessed One hates it. And I greatly ask of you to write me letters — and to reply to me on this letter — first matter first and last matter last. And also to write to me whether our friend Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine, has traveled from your holy encampment or is still there. And also whether you had a letter from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — and what he wrote. And also know — that I wrote a letter on your behalf to your son-in-law Reb Hirsh of Kalibulad. And also perhaps you have heard in your encampment any good news from Wallachia — and also from the countries of Russia — any good word. For I have no letter from anywhere. And ask precisely and directly [ותשאל במכון — "and ask precisely, directly, at the right place" — from mekavon — a fixed, precise foundation; ask specifically and exactly so as to get the definitive answer — from Reb Dov, may his candle shine — who came with me] from Reb Dov, may his candle shine — who came with me — for he surely has news from there. On both this and that there is no news — only life and peace and joy. Your friend, one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov And if my friend Reb Hirsh is still in your encampment — I convey greetings of peace to him — and I ask him to guard the letter to my son-in-law that I sent through him — for it is urgently needed. And greetings of peace to my friend, our beloved — the patron and the community officer [הנגיד והקצין — "the patron and the community officer" — katzin specifically means a commander, an officer, a designated civic and communal leader; a title of recognized authority and distinction within the community] — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Avraham Abba, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his wife Mistress Chava, may she live. To write to me whether he received the new monthly money from Reb Reuven, may his candle shine. Written Sunday, Parshas Mishpatim, 5642 (February 1882), from Teverya. The wife improving but still without strength. "Eye to eye I saw the words of Rabbainu z"l." Prepare for Purim. Three letters sent but possibly lost. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I am informing you — that my wife, may she live, is still not fully in good health. The fever — blessed be G-d — has departed. But the harsh cough has not departed at all — and because of this all her limbs have become disjointed and unhinged — and it is impossible for her to regain her strength. And furthermore — since last Friday — a severe eye pain has intensified upon her — at first with very great heaviness — but now blessed be G-d it has eased a little — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d. My brother, my friend — it is impossible to tell you my intense suffering — only blessed be G-d that we know of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — they give me life in all the troubles that pass over me now. And beyond this — I do not know from where one receives life-force — only that there is a kingdom in concealment that gives life to the world. Therefore I ask of our truly beloved — to pray for my wife, may she live — so that I may fulfill the commandments practiced on Purim — G-d willing — in great joy and in the supremely elevated awe. And may Hashem Yisbarach help you too to be joyful on the holy Purim — as per the will of Hashem Yisbarach — and as per the will of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And I ask of you — that G-d willing on Friday — the eve of Shabbos — it is her yahrtzeit — may she rest in peace — distribute on behalf of my sister for the yahrtzeit — ten of our groshen — as follows: And for the sake of Hashem — send the money — the sum of four Meizhides — for it is a shame for me regarding Reb Shmuel Henech, may his candle shine. And how many times I asked of you to write to me whether Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine, received the letter I sent him — to deliver the letter to Breslov — to my son-in-law, may his candle shine. And you do not want to reply to me — and you have greatly withheld the fruit of your pen from me. And you do not know that my life-force is bound to your souls. More there is nothing new — only life and peace and joy and gladness — for the holy Purim days are palpably drawing near and coming [ממשמשין ובאין — "palpably drawing near and coming" — from memashesh — to feel by touch, to grope toward; Purim is approaching so closely you can almost feel it with your hands; a tactile, physical image of something you can touch as it arrives]. And through the joy of Purim — may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to begin anew — for "and now" [ועכשו — an allusion to Rabbainu z"l's teaching about the power of now in prayer: prayer must be grounded in the present moment of now; declaring now before Hashem is the foundation of genuine prayer; each new now is a fresh beginning] — etc. And to merit a kosher Passover — and to burn the leaven from within us — namely sadness and melancholy — for sadness and melancholy is from the Other Side. Your friend, one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Wednesday, Parshas Tetzaveh, 5642 (late February 1882), from Teverya. The fever has left but harsh cough and eye pain persist. The mother's first yahrtzeit. Distribution for her soul. Purim palpably approaching. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן