יד

Sunday, the eve of the New Moon of Iyar [ערב ראש חדש — erev rosh chodesh — the day before the new month; in Jewish practice this day carries its own spiritual significance as a minor day of repentance and prayer; Iyar is the month following Nissan — late April or May], 5636 [= spring 1876 CE] — the Holy City of Teverya.

To the honor of my truly and wholeheartedly beloved [באמת ובתמים — in truth and in wholeness; as in Letter 11, two full and equal qualities of love] — the beloved of my soul [ידיד נפשי — yedid nafshi — "the beloved of my soul" — not merely "friend" but a cherished, devoted soul-companion; the same phrase as the opening of the beloved Shabbos hymn Yedid Nefesh, evoking a devotional, even mystical bond of love], the veteran Chassid — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Nussun, may his candle shine — together with peace upon all the members of his household.

Thanks to G-d for our lives — all of us here are in life and in peace. May I merit to hear from you at all times life and peace — with enduring blessing and in your good health [המחזיק ברכה — "holding / sustaining blessing" — a blessing that holds firm and does not slip away] — and particularly that of your son, may his candle shine.

Your letter — together with the enclosed letter from your father-in-law, may his candle shine — I received properly. And also the letter from Monday of Shemini [Parshas Shemini — the portion about the inauguration of the Tabernacle's service; it falls in early spring] I received on Friday toward evening — and I had no time to go to the graves of the Tzaddikim to pray for your son, may his candle shine. And I prayed in my home. And this morning, very early [השכם — hashkaim — "rising early" — the writer rose before dawn, before the day had fully begun], I went to the graves of the Tanna Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his holy disciples — and I prayed for you and for your son, may his candle shine, and for all the Anash. May Hashem Yisbarach hear my prayer in the midst of the prayers of His people Israel — in the merit of the Tzaddikim.

And also know, my son, that I am sending you enclosed here two letters — one to Uman and one to Breslov. The one to Uman you should deliver to the sister of our beloved friend the veteran Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine. And the one to Breslov — give it to Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine, if he travels to Breslov immediately. And if he will perhaps travel around for a long time — give it to Reb Chaim Kresh, may his candle shine, if he is traveling immediately. The general rule — act with them in the very best manner [תעשה עמהם על צד היותר טוב — use your best judgment to ensure the letters arrive as quickly and safely as possible] — for a hint suffices the wise [די למבין ברמיזה — the recipient knows what to do without needing it spelled out further]. And it would have been right to write to you to give life to your souls — but since right now it is the postal week [פאסט וואך — post voch — Yiddish: "postal week" — the week in which the post goes out; the writer is under time pressure to write multiple letters before the post is dispatched], and I am compelled to write several letters to my brother and to my sons, may their candles shine — for I had letters from each of them — and even from my brother-in-law [ש"ב — shver-ben — Yiddish: "father-in-law's son" — i.e., the son of the same father-in-law, a brother-in-law; another Yiddish code-switch embedded mid-Hebrew, like vais ich nisht in Letter 7 and der hust in Letters 10–11] Morainu v'Rabbainu Yitzchak Ber, may his candle shine, I also had a small letter. And he requests of me that I write to you to write to him some words of moral guidance to give life to his soul. And also my brother requested of me to write to Yitzchak Ber some words of moral guidance — because he is a person of great anger [כעסן גדול — "a great anger-one" — someone in whom the trait of anger is dominant; a spiritual danger that Breslov teaching addresses repeatedly]. And his wife is ill with the cough [הוסט — der hust — Yiddish], and she gave birth to an infant on the 8th of Elul — and it is already no longer in the world [the infant died; mentioned briefly, plainly, without elaboration — the grief is immense and the restraint total]. And she drank fish-brine [פיש שמאלץ — fish shmalts — Yiddish: fish brine or fat; a folk remedy taken after childbirth or illness to restore strength]. May Hashem Yisbarach send her a complete healing. And on account of his anger he himself suffers greatly. Therefore I must write this week several letters.

But my heart burns within me [לבי בוער בקרבי — a biblical phrase from Psalms 39:4 and Jeremiah 20:9: an irresistible, fiery compulsion to speak, like fire shut up in the bones] — to inform you, to ignite [להלהיב — l'halheiv — to set ablaze, to kindle into flame; a strong active verb of fire — not merely to warm but to ignite] your precious hearts — for you are children of kings and not children of the maidservants [בני מלכים ולא בני השפחות — an allusion to the sons of Sarah and the sons of Hagar; Rabbainu ז"ל taught that he accepted for himself only children of kings — those of truly royal spiritual lineage; to be a Breslov Chassid is to claim this royal birthright]. For Rabbainu ז"ל accepted for himself only children of kings and not children of the maidservants. But my beloved children — if you wish to know the greatness of Rabbainu ז"ל and the comprehension of his holy disciple — study in the book Likutay Aitzos [לקוטי עצות — "Gathered Counsels" — a thematic compilation drawn from the teachings of Rabbainu ז"ל, organized by subject and by the Hebrew alphabet], the new one, in the letter Tzaddik [the section organized under the Hebrew letter צ — Tzaddik — dealing with the righteous leader and one's attachment to him] — in the set order from entry to entry, every entry under Tzaddik [כסדר מאות לאות — "in order from letter to letter" — read sequentially, systematically, as a seder — an ordered progression, not randomly or selectively; the word seder is the same word as the Passover Seder — a set, fixed order to be followed faithfully]. And there you will see how we must give life to ourselves — those who shelter in his shade [המסתופפים בצלו — "those who shelter in his shadow / shade" — those who seek the cool shelter of the Tzaddik's shadow from the scorching sun of the world]. And how we must spend our days in the sweet pleasantness [נעם ערבות — sweet pleasantness; the word ערב carries the sense of evening's sweetness, of gentle restfulness and delight] of the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. By day we shall not rest and by night we shall not be still [יומם לא ננוח ולילה לא נשקט — the language of Isaiah 62:6-7 — the watchmen on Jerusalem's walls who give neither themselves nor G-d any rest; the writer places the reader in the role of these watchmen, with the books as their post] — in them, and in them, and in them [ובהם ובהם ובהם — the triple repetition is entirely deliberate: the writer hammers the point with each iteration; nothing else, nothing outside of them]. And they will bring us out of soiled garments and clothe us in clean garments [יוציאונו מבגדים הצואים וילבישונו בגדים נקיים — an allusion to Zechariah 3:4-5: the angel strips the soiled garments from Yehoshua the High Priest and dresses him in pure garments; a powerful image of complete spiritual transformation through the books]. And all the goodness of the World to Come is hidden within them.

And believe me — if you heed my words and engage in them in the set order, with faith [כסדר באמונה — two distinct qualities: k'seder — in the fixed, sequential order, systematically; and be'emunah — with faith, with genuine belief in the power of what you are reading; both the outer practice and the inner quality are required] — surely you will merit all the good in all the worlds. And each one must strengthen his companion in this. And study in order — Torah after Torah, law after law — what can I tell you? And then you will see and will contemplate the greatness of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — what can I tell you? [מה אמר לכם — the phrase appears twice in immediate succession; this is a deliberate rhetorical device — the writer throwing up his hands in loving helplessness not once but twice, unable to contain or express what he feels; each repetition deepens the sense of overwhelming, inexpressible experience] I love you — therefore I long to see in you all goodness. And there is no goodness except Torah — particularly Torah that flows from a wellspring [נחל נבע — "a flowing stream" — the image of Torah as living, moving water, never stagnant, always flowing fresh], a source of wisdom, a source of living waters [מקור מים חיים — Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13 — G-d described as "the source of living waters"; the writer applies this divine title to the Torah of Rabbainu ז"ל] — upon a weary soul [על נפש עיפה — Proverbs 25:25: "like cold water upon a weary soul"; the books of Rabbainu ז"ל as cold, reviving water poured upon the soul parched by the desert of exile]. Therefore be strong and courageous in the Torah of Hashem — which is His Torah.

More news there is none. May you be renewed like the eagle — your youth. [תתחדש כנשר נעוריכי — an echo of Psalms 103:5: "who renews your youth like the eagle" — the eagle was believed to completely renew its plumage in old age; the writer closes with a blessing for complete spiritual renewal and rejuvenation]

Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun son of our teacher Yehuda from Breslov who dwells at this time in the Holy City of Teverya, may it be established and built for good.