קלב

Your letter — with the whiskey — I received properly. And thank you — for the counsel from you — that you did not send the pillows and cushions — for I was very much afraid of imposing upon our friend Reb Dov, may his candle shine. Only — because there was no other option — because of the poverty of my home — I had no other way. And "Cast your burden upon Hashem." [Psalms 55:23 — "Cast your burden upon Hashem and He will sustain you" — hashlich al Hashem yehavecha; the verse of complete trust in casting one's load upon G-d] But now that Reb Yosef is traveling — it is surely better to send them with him.

But I ask of you — and of Mistress Yidel-Leah, may she live — that you do it for the sake of the commandment — and hire a woman to pour out the feathers from the pillows — into the second cushion [להריק מהכרים הנוצות להכסת השני — to empty the feathers from the pillows into the second cushion; the pillows being converted into cushions — two pillows' worth of feathers consolidated into two larger cushions] — and make each one into two cushions — and pay the woman.

And I greatly ask of all the Anash — to pray for my wife, may she live — for she is still not fully in good health. And on the night after Shabbos — an illness seized her — and her legs are swollen. אט גייען זיי אפ אט זענען זיי ווייטער געשוואלן — איך קען שוין נישט אויסשיסין דאס רחמנות וואס אויף איהר איז — just now they subside — just now they swell further; I can no longer express the compassion that is upon her. May Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on her — in the merit of all the Tzaddikim — and in the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. Be strong and courageous in prayer on her behalf — and I on your behalf.

And also may Hashem Yisbarach help — that now should be a time of divine favor by the divine Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai [התנא האלקי רבי שמעון בר יוחאי — "the divine Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai" — the master of the Zohar, whose hilulah — the anniversary of his passing — falls on Lag Ba'omer, the 33rd of the Omer; the writer is writing on the 17th of the Omer, approximately two weeks before Lag Ba'omer] — that he intercede favorably on behalf of your brother Yisroel Aryeh, may his candle shine — and nullify the decree from upon him — and restore his mind [ויחזיר לו הדעת בשלמות — "restore his mind to him in its wholeness" — the writer is praying for the restoration of Yisroel Aryeh's mental health and clarity of mind; da'as — the fullness of mental-spiritual awareness; to restore it in wholeness means a complete return to clarity] to him in its wholeness — together with the other sick of His people Israel. Omain, so may it be His will.

And the above-mentioned items [The pillows and cushions being sent] should remain with you until there is a trustworthy person to send them to me. And if not — when I come to you — I will receive them. And I greatly ask to reply to me on my letter.

ולמען ה' ברידער הארציגער לאמיר נישט פארגעסן אז מ'ציילט ספירה מ'זאל וויסן אז איטליכער טאג איז א טאג — For the sake of Hashem — heartfelt brothers — let us not forget that we are counting the Omer — let us know that every single day is a day! ס'זאל אינז ח"ו נישט אוועקגייען די טעג מיט א פאק — let the days not pass by in a bundle, G-d forbid! מיר זאלן ביינקען ווען וועלן מיר שוין זוכה זיין מקבל זיין די תורה ללמד וללמד לשמר ולעשות ולקים כפי רצון רבנו ז"ל ותלמידו הק' — let us long and yearn: when will we finally merit to receive the Torah — to study and to teach — to observe and to do and to fulfill — as per the will of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. ויהיה אצלנו כמו אחד שמתגעגע לדבר טוב והוא סופר הימים מתי יגיע לידי — and let it be for us like one who longs for a good thing — and he counts the days — when will it reach his hand. ולמען ה' אל תדאג כלל כי מה פעלת בדאגות שדאגת עד כה — For the sake of Hashem — do not worry at all — for what have you accomplished with all the worrying you have done until now? הדאגות אינם מועילים כלל אדרבא הדאגות היא עבדות והשמחה היא חרות — worry accomplishes nothing at all — on the contrary: worry is slavery — and joy is freedom. [הדאגות היא עבדות והשמחה היא חרות — "worry is slavery and joy is freedom" — one of Rabbainu ז"ל's core teachings; the inner slavery of worry constricts the soul; the inner freedom of joy liberates it; particularly apt in the Omer period between the Exodus (freedom from Egypt) and Shavuos (receiving the Torah)]

On both this and that there is no news — only life and peace.

On both this and that there is no news [זו"ז חדשות אין — "this and this, there is no news" — zu u'zu — "this and this, on both counts, in both directions"; the writer means: on both the matters you might wonder about, there is nothing new to report] — only life and peace and joy — נאר פריליך זיין — only be joyful — for in worries nothing is accomplished at all.

Your friend, one who truly loves you — and desires your success, Nussun from Breslov

And greetings of peace to all the Anash — with strong love. Written the night before Friday, Parshas Tazria-Metzora, the 17th of the Omer, 5642 (early May 1882), from Teverya. Instructions about the pillows and cushions. A prayer for the mental recovery of Yisroel Aryeh. A beautiful Yiddish passage: count every day of the Omer — worry is slavery — joy is freedom. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן