קנג

Your letter — through the son-in-law of Reb Itsmar, may his candle shine — with the palimide [פאלימידע — palimide — a Mediterranean preserved fish, likely a type of salted or pickled tuna or mackerel; a delicacy sent as a gift from Tzfas to Teverya] — I received today — Thursday — after midday. And I had no one with whom to give you fitting thanks for the good gift — for it is for me a truly good gift. And may Hashem Yisbarach give you great expansiveness — expansiveness of mind and joy of heart — and may you be joyful in your portion always — and let no sadness come upon you at all. And may there be peace for you and peace for those who help you [1 Samuel 25:6 — the blessing of Avigail to David: "peace to you and peace to your house and peace to all that you have"; the verse of complete peace extended to all sides] — for the essential path of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — the service of Hashem that they want to draw into the world — and particularly for those who shelter in their holy shade — is only through joy. For through joy He heals the princess — into whom all kinds of arrows were shot — and she fell weakened. [A reference to the story of the King and the Princess from Rabbainu ז"ל's tales — the princess who was struck by all kinds of arrows and collapsed; she is healed through the joy of the true king who reaches her; a central image in Rabbainu ז"ל's teaching about how joy is the medicine for the fallen and wounded soul]

And look in almost all the Torah discourses of Rabbainu ז"ל — in almost every discourse he speaks of joy — sometimes explicitly — and sometimes allusively. And one who is joyful — has luminous faces — life. [אנפין נהורין חיים — Aramaic: "luminous faces — life" — from the Zohar; the radiant countenance that comes from inner joy; a luminous face is a face that carries the light of inner spiritual life] And every day — from among the seven days — as is explained in the story — conclude the day in joy. And know — that there is no counsel in this world — for whatever passes over a person — except to strengthen oneself in joy. And Rabbainu ז"ל said explicitly: even in frivolous matters. [אפילו במילי דשטותא — Aramaic: "even in frivolous matters, even in matters of foolishness" — a specific and striking teaching of Rabbainu ז"ל: when a person cannot achieve joy through holy means — he should use even foolishness and frivolity to achieve joy; better to use even these than to remain in sadness] And that sadness is intensifying upon you from all sides — turn it all to joy. "And gladness and joy shall overtake them — and sorrow and sighing shall flee." [Isaiah 51:11 — the verse of ultimate consolation: "the redeemed of Hashem shall return — and come to Zion with singing — and everlasting joy upon their heads — gladness and joy shall overtake them — sorrow and sighing shall flee"; a verse of eschatological joy breaking in upon present sorrow] And if you strengthen yourselves in joy — Hashem Yisbarach will help you — that everything will be truly transformed to joy. And one must seek and search only after expansivenesses — for from the very searching after expansivenesses — by this one opens the channels from the expansiveness. So it is explained from the words of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And we must believe in every single word of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — that it is no trivial thing at all — it is a great act — and through this — great rectifications are made in all the worlds. And the Baal Shem Tov said: "Hashem is your shadow." [Psalms 121:5 — "Hashem is your keeper — Hashem is your shadow at your right hand"; the Baal Shem Tov's teaching on this verse: just as a shadow mirrors and follows every movement of the person who casts it — so G-d mirrors and responds to every movement of the person; G-d's response to us follows our own attitude and behavior like a shadow follows its caster]

Words of one who truly loves you — and blesses you that you should walk in the ways of Hashem — in the power of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and surely G-d willing everything will be for the good, Your friend, Nussun from Breslov

Nussun the above-mentioned.

And the katir intensified greatly upon me — until I am not going to the synagogue to pray. And nevertheless — it is a great kindness — that at least I am able to study Torah.

Nussun from Breslov.

Written Thursday, the 2nd of Chanukah, Parshas Mikeitz, 5643 (December 1882), from Teverya. Reb Aizik sent a gift of palimide. A rich teaching on joy as the central and only path. "Even in frivolous matters." The Baal Shem Tov: "Hashem is your shadow." The writer has taken ill with a respiratory ailment. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter — with the uv'z [האו"ז — abbreviation of אורה וזמרה — "light and song" — or possibly an abbreviation for a promissory note or financial instrument; in context it appears to be a financial voucher or bill of exchange accompanying money sent from Tzfas to Teverya] — and also a letter from Reb Dov — and also a letter from my beloved friend Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Eliezer, may his candle shine — all of them I received properly. And I received the money properly — according to the uv'z. And also I hereby inform you — that our friend Reb Simcha, may his candle shine — from Jerusalem, may it be established — together with his household — arrived yesterday at the appointed time. And his intention is to delay here until G-d willing after the coming Shabbos — and then to travel to your holy encampment. And blessed be G-d — on this night we spoke at length about Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and we gave each other life. I gave him life and he gave me life. And because of the weariness of the journey — he wants to rest here several days. And also he wants to be at the graves of the Tzaddikim who are here. And regarding what Reb Eliezer wrote to me — about the proposed match [השדוך — the shidduch — a proposed marriage match; the writer is being consulted about a potential match for Reb Eliezer or someone in his circle] — surely I will inquire into the matter — toward the best possible outcome. Only I do not know how one can conclude it — for the groom's father is not at home. And why did he not write to me who the matchmaker is — so that I could know whether there is any substance to his words? And the Great Matchmaker — who knows all the destined matches — will surely arrange — through His great salvation — with the help of G-d — a fitting match before Him. But one must still wait for the salvation of Hashem. And I will surely inquire into the matter — and reply to my sender with an answer. And the young man is of good appearance and of a fine family — and his manner of study I will ask of someone who knows him. And because of the urgency of the wagon — I was brief. And Reb Simcha himself — who is here — says peace. [ואמר שלום — "and he says peace" — Reb Simcha is physically present with the writer as this letter is written; he verbally conveys his own greetings of peace to the recipient through this letter]