קכה

Your letter from before Purim — with the four Meizhides — through Reb Tadris, may his candle shine — I received properly. And also the letter after Purim — of your great joy — that blessed be G-d He helped you to rejoice as per the will of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — I also received properly through the non-Jew. And I rejoiced in your letter — and at the peace that existed among you. And particularly the great salvation — that He performed for you — that our friend Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — Hashem Yisbarach also helped him — that he was with you in the joy of Purim. And this is for me a great salvation. And I too — blessed be G-d — also rejoiced in the joy of Purim — but in private seclusion — and I danced a little — with hand-clapping and dancing — to fulfill the words of Rabbainu z"l — who said that through hand-clapping and dancing all harsh judgments are sweetened. And Rabbainu z"l said explicitly — about Purim — and through the merit of the joy of Purim — may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to prayer in its fullness — which is the red heifer — to purify us from the impurity of the corpse that we had — and to merit the light of the face that shines on the three pilgrimage festivals — and Passover is the first of the three pilgrimage festivals.

And may Hashem Yisbarach merit us — that there should be joy and love among us — and that there should be a peace that has a mouth — so that each one can tell his companion what the ultimate purpose of this world is — and each one should help his companion to break the bad character trait that is in him. For no two people are alike — and "love covers all transgressions." And the love that should be between us is no small thing — for Rabbainu z"l said that the world is envious of the love that is among us. Therefore we are obligated to compel ourselves — each and every one — that from his side there should be no holding back of love. For all our service depends on love — that there should be no separation within the assembly, G-d forbid. For we must build houses — and every person who is added to the assembly — houses are added. And not even for a single moment are we permitted to detach our thoughts from the holy assembly of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And particularly the love of the young men of youth — for this is the essential thing by Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — for through them one can build wondrous buildings. And the Adversary lays great ambush against them. Therefore we must strengthen ourselves against him — and increase the peace with even greater elevation and greater might.

Words of one who blesses you with peace — your friend who truly and wholly loves you, Nussun from Breslov

And regarding my wife, may she live — blessed be G-d — several ailments have departed. But she is not fully in good health — for her legs are very swollen. And now it is before Passover — and she is the anchor and mainstay of the home. Therefore I ask of all the Anash — to pray for her — when you go to your home and when you go to all the holy resting places — that Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing quickly and soon.

And greetings of peace to my strong friend — the veteran Chassid, etc., etc. — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine — and his wondrous son, etc., etc. — Morainu v'Rabbainu Sender, may his candle shine — and his precious grandson — the wondrous, precious young scholar — Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Eliezer, may his candle shine. My son — my truly beloved — know that I love you truly like my very own son. Therefore I counsel you with good counsel: be constant in studying the books of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — and every day lay open and spread out your conversation before Hashem Yisbarach [תפרש שיחתך — "lay open and spread out your conversation" — from parash — to spread out, to lay open in full detail; the specific Breslov image of hisbodedus — the private spreading-out and laying-open of one's entire inner speech before G-d; every detail spread open, nothing held back] — and greatly multiply prayer and supplication. And "the consequence of humility is fear of Hashem." And through prayer — one can accomplish everything from Hashem Yisbarach.

Your letter from before Purim — with the four Meizhides — through Reb Tadris, may his candle shine — I received properly. And also the letter after Purim — of your great joy — that blessed be G-d He helped you to rejoice as per the will of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — I also received properly through the non-Jew. And I rejoiced in your letter — and at the peace that existed among you. And particularly the great salvation — that He performed for you — that our friend Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — Hashem Yisbarach also helped him — that he was with you in the joy of Purim. And this is for me a great salvation. And I too — blessed be G-d — also rejoiced in the joy of Purim — but in private seclusion — and I danced a little — with hand-clapping and dancing — to fulfill the words of Rabbainu z"l — who said that through hand-clapping and dancing all harsh judgments are sweetened. And Rabbainu z"l said explicitly — about Purim — and through the merit of the joy of Purim — may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to prayer in its fullness — which is the red heifer — to purify us from the impurity of the corpse that we had — and to merit the light of the face that shines on the three pilgrimage festivals — and Passover is the first of the three pilgrimage festivals.

Written Tuesday, Parshas Tisa, 5642 (after Purim, March 1882), from Teverya. Purim joy in private seclusion. Love among the Anash. The young men. A personal address to Reb Avraham Eliezer. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I bring you a good tiding — how a letter arrived here from the Rabbi Reb Dovid of Astria — from the 3rd of Adar — to the seven prominent men of the city — about how they were in Kiev — and the entire city fasted on Behab — even the assimilated ones and the students and the doctors. And they accepted from all the Jews — even the assimilated ones — every aspect of religious law — to put on tefillin and tzitzis. And the price of tefillin was twelve rubles a pair — and tzitzis forty kopeks a bundle. And they accepted not to speak among themselves except in the Jewish language. And Doctor Mendel Zan — a professor for eye ailments — pledged a large sum of money on behalf of the poor students — for tefillin and tzitzis. And likewise it was so in Petersburg — and all of them accepted all of this upon themselves. And likewise in many cities. And the Minister Ignatiev called Ginzburg and Poliakov — that they sign for themselves that they had not done anything bad to the Jews — and they did not want to sign for themselves — for they said: we are obligated to do good to our brothers the children of Israel and not evil, G-d forbid — and they gave over their very lives for the sanctification of G-d's name. And also the above-mentioned Reb Dovid wrote — that in Smila there was a consul from England — and he asked the rabbis and also the kazine rabbi — about what had happened in Smila. And the consul said that he has a mandate to travel to all places and ask about the damages that the murderers committed in all the places. And Reb Shmuel Henech, may his candle shine, came to me precisely and directly — to bring me this good tiding — for the letter from the above-mentioned Reb Dovid was for several people — and Reb Shmuel Henech was also among them. May Hashem Yisbarach perform miracles with us — as in the days of your going forth from the land of Egypt — "I will show him wonders" — and give us a kosher Passover — and salvations and consolations. And may He help us too — that our hearts be renewed — to do true repentance — as per the will of Rabbainu z"l — and as per the will of his holy disciple — and as per the will of all the Tzaddikim — who cry out about repentance: "Return to Me and I will return to you." Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov And I greatly ask of all the Anash — to pray for my wife — for since last Friday she again has a very severe fever. And greetings of peace to all the Anash — with strong love. Written Monday, eve of Rosh Chodesh Nissan, 5642 (late March 1882), from Teverya. Mass return to tefillin and tzitzis in Kiev and Petersburg; an English consul investigating the pogroms; Ginzburg and Poliakov refuse to sign. Fever has returned. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן In the past week I wrote you a letter — but the wagon did not arrive — and my sister received it — and went to the gate — and encountered a certain man — and gave him the letter. And now it has become known to me that this man stole from our friend Reb Chaim Yehoshua, may his candle shine — and surely he did not deliver the letter. And now I write to you — how Hashem Yisbarach exercises divine providential oversight over me: when Hashem Yisbarach helped me with my wife, may she live — and Hashem Yisbarach healed her completely — in the merit of Rabbainu z"l and in the merit of your prayers — today she went to my sister, may she live — and on the way back she fell upon a stone — and it was a miracle that she did not break her head, G-d forbid, and all her limbs — for she remained weakened. Only Hashem Yisbarach — in His great and abundant mercies — did not harm her — only she has pain. Only may Hashem Yisbarach help still further. And upon me now the verse is fulfilled: "chastising — He has chastised me — Yah — but to death He has not given me over" [Psalms 118:18 — the full verse: "chastising He has chastised me — Yah — but to death He has not given me over" — the infinitive-absolute construction expresses unrelenting, repeated chastisement; yet the verse ends with trust and comfort: all the chastisement — and yet not unto death; the completion of the verse is the consolation] — etc., etc. And regarding what you wrote — whether I have a letter from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — you do not know that if I had a letter — I would surely have sent it to you. And I ask of you — perhaps you have news from your brother-in-law David, may his candle shine — how they concluded the obligation. And also perhaps you have some letter from Kalibulad — from your son-in-law Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine — write to me what he wrote in reply to my letter. And now it has become newly known to me from the words of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — that we have no one to turn to except Hashem Yisbarach — at all times. And we must pray about every single detail — and bring forward mercy before anger, G-d forbid. And particularly we — who are careful about prayer from Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And particularly now — before Passover and the Omer counting — for from now begins a fresh beginning — to prepare ourselves for the receiving of the Torah. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to a kosher Passover — and to be careful about any trace of leaven on Passover — in the physical and in the spiritual. And thank you, your honor, for bringing me the good tiding about our friend Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — that Hashem Yisbarach restored him to his original pristine vigor. May Hashem Yisbarach help him — for long life and good years. And also write to me news from your brother Sender — whether he had letters from his wife, may she live — and what your brother Yisroel Aryeh, may his candle shine, has done. And also from our friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — what is being heard — from his wife, may she live. For the sake of Hashem — my friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — do not fall away from prayer — be strong and courageous in prayer and supplication — only in joy. And surely Hashem Yisbarach will complete matters for you for good. And greetings of peace to my strong friend — the wondrous young scholar — Morainu v'Rabbainu Eliezer, may his candle shine. For the sake of Hashem — remember your Creator in the days of your youth — and hold yourself to the ways of Rabbainu z"l — and study the Torah Anochi — several times — and go through this Torah many times — and surely Hashem Yisbarach will lead you on the straight path. Nussun from Breslov Written the 9th of Nissan, 5642 (early April 1882), from Teverya. Five days before Passover. The wife recovered then fell on a stone — a near-miracle. A teaching on bringing mercy before anger. Good news about Reb Nachman. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן And may Hashem Yisbarach merit us — that there should be joy and love among us — and that there should be a peace that has a mouth — so that each one can tell his companion what the ultimate purpose of this world is — and each one should help his companion to break the bad character trait that is in him. For no two people are alike — and "love covers all transgressions." And the love that should be between us is no small thing — for Rabbainu z"l said that the world is envious of the love that is among us. Therefore we are obligated to compel ourselves — each and every one — that from his side there should be no holding back of love. For all our service depends on love — that there should be no separation within the assembly, G-d forbid. For we must build houses — and every person who is added to the assembly — houses are added. And not even for a single moment are we permitted to detach our thoughts from the holy assembly of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple. And particularly the love of the young men of youth — for this is the essential thing by Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — for through them one can build wondrous buildings. And the Adversary lays great ambush against them. Therefore we must strengthen ourselves against him — and increase the peace with even greater elevation and greater might. Words of one who blesses you with peace — your friend who truly and wholly loves you, Nussun from Breslov And regarding my wife, may she live — blessed be G-d — several ailments have departed. But she is not fully in good health — for her legs are very swollen. And now it is before Passover — and she is the anchor and mainstay of the home. Therefore I ask of all the Anash — to pray for her — when you go to your home and when you go to all the holy resting places — that Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing quickly and soon. And greetings of peace to my strong friend — the veteran Chassid, etc., etc. — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Hirsh, may his candle shine — and his wondrous son, etc., etc. — Morainu v'Rabbainu Sender, may his candle shine — and his precious grandson — the wondrous, precious young scholar — Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Eliezer, may his candle shine. My son — my truly beloved — know that I love you truly like my very own son. Therefore I counsel you with good counsel: be constant in studying the books of Rabbainu z"l and his holy disciple — and every day lay open and spread out your conversation before Hashem Yisbarach [תפרש שיחתך — "lay open and spread out your conversation" — from parash — to spread out, to lay open in full detail; the specific Breslov image of hisbodedus — the private spreading-out and laying-open of one's entire inner speech before G-d; every detail spread open, nothing held back] — and greatly multiply prayer and supplication. And "the consequence of humility is fear of Hashem." And through prayer — one can accomplish everything from Hashem Yisbarach. Written Tuesday, Parshas Tisa, 5642 (after Purim, March 1882), from Teverya. Purim joy in private seclusion. Love among the Anash. The young men. A personal address to Reb Avraham Eliezer. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן