קמו

Your letter from Thursday of Noach I received properly. And the magnitude of the suffering and the joy that I had when reading the letter is beyond all estimate and reckoning — that such a light trial is difficult for you to receive — and you are in sadness — and you are not holding yourselves to be in joy. And my joy is that blessed be G-d we are from the pursued of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and we hold ourselves to the great tree — "under it sheltered all the beasts of the field — and in its branches dwelt all the birds of the heaven" [Daniel 4:9 and 4:18 — Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great tree whose height reached the heavens and all creatures sheltered beneath it; applied here to Rabbainu ז"ל — the great tree under whose branches all who attach themselves to him find shelter] — and the magnitude of the peace that is there — and the magnitude of the pleasure and joy that is there — and the magnitude of the knowledge that is there — is beyond all estimate and reckoning. And this tree stands forever and will never wither. And the pursuers — they are like the shadow of a flying bird in the air — a wind passes through it and it is gone. And at every occasion they rise against us — and the Holy Blessed One saves us from their hands. And through this — they hint to us to draw ourselves close to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — with greater elevation and greater might — to begin anew — to engage in the business of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — in Torah and prayer and supplication and petition and seclusion. And "Pharaoh drew close" — etc. And the lion and the bear already came — and struck it and killed it — and the Philistine shall be as one of them. [1 Samuel 17:36 — David's argument to Saul about why he can face Goliath: "your servant has slain both the lion and the bear — and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them"; applied here: Rabbainu ז"ל has already overcome far greater spiritual forces of opposition — the current persecutors are as nothing compared to those already defeated] And blessed be G-d that we have someone to trust and lean upon — our Father in Heaven — and the great power of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — who wage war against Amalek and against Bilam and against Og King of Bashan — and subdue all kinds of evil eye from upon us. Therefore we have nothing to fear from them and from their multitude. And He will surely ignite the thorns from the vineyard when the necessity arises. And "the wicked one watches for the righteous" — etc. — and Hashem will not abandon us in his hand. And I already heard from Reb Nosson ז"ל: whoever begins against the people of Rabbainu ז"ל in this — has filled his measure more than all transgressions. [A teaching from Reb Nosson ז"ל: attacking Rabbainu ז"ל's followers is the most severe possible transgression — it fills the attacker's measure of sin beyond all other sins] And you — be strong and courageous in the word of Hashem. And wherever you pray — your prayer will ascend before the throne of His glory — in the merit of the holy Ari — and in the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And if you want specifically to pray in this synagogue — so as not to give them ease — you must accept upon yourselves that you do not want any honor — and even sometimes some humiliation. And what did my father ז"ל — and Reb Yisroel of Lipovitz ז"ל — and also Reb Nachum Zalman ז"ל — with the Tzaddik Reb Yeshayah Shalom ז"ל — who did not pray in this synagogue — were they not proper men? G-d forbid! May my portion be with them! And from ancient times — not in this synagogue — but only proper men. But now — since the leaders of the people — some are from the mixed multitude and from the 974 generations — and they are the heads in the synagogue — and cannot bear proper men. And why do you need to scheme specifically to pray there? And I trust in Hashem Yisbarach — that He will surely stir Egypt against Egypt [Isaiah 19:2 — "and I will stir Egypt against Egypt" — G-d causes the oppressors to turn against each other; applied here: their own internal conflicts will bring about their downfall without any action from those being persecuted] — and Hashem Yisbarach will give spirit and success among you. Stand firm and see the salvation of Hashem that He will perform for you. Be silent toward Hashem — and wait longingly for Him — and He will act for you for a sign of good — and your enemies will see and be ashamed.

And also my friend — Reb Nussun son of the woman Chana — as they told me: that your mother, may she live, shamed you for holding yourself with us — and you have suffering from the pursuits of the Anash — and you share yourself in the suffering of the Anash. Do not pay attention to her at all — only walk in the path of your father ז"ל. For if our patriarch Abraham had wanted to listen to the voice of his father and mother — he would not have been the head of the forefathers. And look in the discourse "Echad hayah Avraham — Abraham was one" [Ezekiel 33:24 — "Abraham was one" — a Torah discourse of Rabbainu ז"ל at the beginning of Likutay Moharan Tinyana dealing with being singular and alone in one's commitment to truth; to stand alone as Abraham stood alone] — at the beginning of Likutay Tinyana. Only be strong and strengthen yourself — to share in the fellowship in one company [בצותא חדא — Aramaic: "in one united company" — the Zoharic and Talmudic phrase for being joined together as one group; from tzavsah — company, fellowship] — with the humiliation — for it is the honor of the World to Come. And the honor of this world will come of itself — for whoever flees from honor — honor pursues after him. And the honor of this world is also essentially the honor of Hashem — for one must diminish one's own honor and increase the honor of Hashem. And Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — they and their books and those who join themselves to them — they are the honor of Hashem. And whoever holds fast with them — will surely have a good end — forever and ever — without limit.

And greetings of peace on my behalf to Reb Yaakov, may his candle shine — and tell him that he must rejoice in the humiliation and the pouring out of blood that happened to him — for they exchanged his ailment for this [A specific teaching: the persecutions and humiliations that Reb Yaakov suffered were a divine exchange — his physical ailment was spiritually traded for these humiliations; his suffering as persecution spared him the suffering of illness] — as is explained in the journey to Eretz Yisroel by Rabbainu ז"ל — concerning the people who humiliated him in Istanbul. And the letter that was sent to me through a Sephardic man — I also received today. And I see in the troubles great expansivenesses. And G-d willing let there be expansiveness for all. And when I received the letter — I was studying Likutay Moharan, sign 179 — which speaks of controversy. And there it is explained: for controversy — the remedy is fasting. And there in another place it is also explained: that *tzom* [צו"ם — fasting — the letters of tzom are a Hebrew acronym: ו'כתותי מ'פניו צ'ריו — "and crush before him his enemies" — Psalms 89:24; the very word for fasting contains within it the verse of crushing the enemies before him] is an acronym for "and I will crush his enemies before him." Therefore my opinion is inclined — that in the coming week — you should gather all the young men and fast at least one day — and go to the grave of the holy Ari — and there recite Psalms and prayers — and pour out your conversation before Hashem Yisbarach — and your suffering. And I will also do the same here — for our strength is only in the mouth. And may the Hearer of prayers hear our prayer — and answer us from all trouble and distress. And may He fulfill for us: "let all those who contend with you be put to shame and disgraced" [Isaiah 41:11 — "behold, all those who contend with you shall be put to shame and disgraced — those who fight against you shall be as nothing and shall perish"] — etc. — "you will seek them and not find them — those who quarrel with you shall be as nothing and as emptiness" — etc. — and so on. And even one drop of blood that they shed of yours — will not be lost. For Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — blessed be G-d — they can distribute the light that illuminates worlds — from thousands to hundreds. And this is only possible for a Torah scholar who avenges and holds a grudge [תלמיד חכם שהוא נוקם ונוטר — from the Talmud: a Torah scholar who is a specific form of nokeim v'noter — who avenges and bears the insult on behalf of the Torah; the Talmud rules that a Torah scholar has a specific right and duty to remember and avenge insults to Torah honor] — only the believer will not be shaken. And strengthen yourselves in joy — for Rabbainu ז"ל has concluded and will conclude.

And he fulfills through you the letter that Rabbainu ז"ל wrote to his holy brother Reb Yechiel ז"ל — when there was controversy against him in Kremenczuk [Rabbainu ז"ל wrote a letter of encouragement to his brother Reb Yechiel during a period of controversy in Kremenczuk; this letter is preserved in Chayei Moharan; the writer applies it now to the persecutions in Tzfas] — and the letter is in Chayei Moharan. And all the controversies are only to hint to us: אז מיר זאלן טאקע זיין ברסלבער חסידים — that we should truly be Breslov Chassidim. מיר זאלן אסאך לערנען ספרי רבנו זצ"ל ותלמידו הק' — we must study very much in the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and grow old and wear out in them — and from them do not move. [סיב ובלה בהם ומהם לא תזוע — "grow old and wear out in them — and from them do not move" — an echo of the Ashrei prayer and the language of total devotion to Torah study; the books of Rabbainu ז"ל are to be the primary occupation, not secondary to other studies] And among us — the primary study must be in these books. And if there is leisure remaining — study other sessions too. For thus said Rabbainu ז"ל.

And now I am studying the Laws of Slicing the Bread, law 5 — I do not know what we are silent about — is there anything as great as this — that Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple want to clean and purify us entirely — from the filthy garments — and to clothe us in clean and white garments — for the World to Come — as is explained there in the above-mentioned law. And because of our smallness — we must not forget the greatness of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And we must rejoice and dance in the streets and the marketplaces over our lot and our portion. It is upon us to praise the Master of all — how fortunate are we, how fortunate are we! And not to become nullified before them — only give might to G-d. And the Torah was given to Israel only because they are bold — "You led with your might to Your holy habitation" [Exodus 15:13 — from the Song of the Sea — "in Your lovingkindness You led the people You redeemed — in Your might You guided them to Your holy habitation"; the word oz — might — is the key; the Torah requires boldness and might, not timidity] — and not to be ashamed before the mockers. And I have very, very much to say with you — but not in the open field.

On both this and that there is no news — only to pray for my wife, may she live — for the fever has returned again — and she has no more strength to bear it.

And also I ask — perhaps there is some letter from your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — or from Reb Yosef of Uman — to inform me of what they write. And also write to me immediately whether you received this letter — so that I know whether it reached you. And G-d willing in the coming week I will write a letter to Reb Pinchas Yosef, may his candle shine — and send it to you.

And do not worry at all — השי"ת וועט אייך אויספירן מכל צרותיכם להרחבה גדולה — Hashem Yisbarach will lead you out from all your troubles into great expansiveness — and will give you children, life, and spacious abundant sustenance. And trust in Hashem — with faith and trust and joy — for your salvation is near to coming. Your friend — who seeks your peace always — and who truly seeks your good, The smallest one, Nussun from Breslov

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.

Written Wednesday, 5th of Marcheshvan, 5643 (October 1882), from Teverya. A burning response to the persecution in Tzfas. The great tree. The lion and the bear. Stir Egypt against Egypt. A fast-day requested. *Tzom* as an acronym. The letter of Rabbainu ז"ל to Reb Yechiel. Study very much in Rabbainu ז"ל's books.

And this is my consolation — at least — when I have some letter from you. For every single one of the Anash is precious in my eyes as a brother — and the young men of youth are precious in my eyes as truly my very own sons — because we are from one root — from the Tzaddik who awakens and illuminates in the roots of the souls — through the Torah. In sum — it is worth it for us to bear all the humiliations — so that we should be included in the form of the letter aleph. [תמונת אל"ף — the form of the letter aleph — Rabbainu ז"ל's Kabbalistic teaching: bearing humiliation completes the spiritual form of the aleph — the letter of divine unity and the human being who sits upon the throne; one who accepts humiliation is spiritually molded into the shape of this letter] Words of one who loves you — watching with expectant eyes for your reply, Nussun from Breslov Written Tuesday, Parshas Chayei Sarah, 5643 (November 1882), from Teverya. Seven weeks after Rosh Hashana — no reply from anyone. Every one of the Anash is as dear as a brother; the young men as his very own sons. It is worth all the humiliations to be included in the form of the letter aleph.