קנה

Let it not be a wonder in your eyes that I did not reply to you until now — on your letter about the matter of the proposed match that was laid before you. Know — that at the time I received your letter — I was not in the line of health — for I was ill with the katir, G-d have mercy — for approximately ten days — and I did not go even to the synagogue to pray. But my wife, may she live, encountered the elderly mother of the desired one — and came to ask — who and who — and I told her — and it was very pleasing in her eyes. But I wanted to investigate the nature of the young man — in learning — and I could not go out. Afterward a certain woman came and told some falsehood — that the people of Karlin [The Chassidim of the Karlin dynasty — a prominent Chassidic group; the claim is that they refuse to intermarry with Breslov Chassidim] do not agree to make a match with the people of Breslov. And afterward — once again — my wife, may she live, was in the marketplace — and she saw his mother and the elderly woman — and they asked her what had been heard about this. And my wife said: I heard that you do not want — because of Breslov. And they said: who told you? For our holy Tzaddik father from Chmelnik [The holy Tzaddik of Chmelnik — a prominent Chassidic leader; he is the father of the desired young man and he himself is a son-in-law-in-law of Reb Avraham Ber — a distinguished pedigree connecting both families] — he is a son-in-law — and Reb Avraham Ber is his second-degree-relative. And I know that they are all proper people.

And when I heard this — I began to investigate the nature of the young man. First: he is of fine appearance. And also in learning he is good — namely — he can study a page of Gemara anywhere — only posek [Posek — legal decisor; Halachic literature — he has not studied the decisors, the codified law — the Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries — but he can learn Gemara fluently] he has not studied. And he walks on the straight and correct path. Afterward I met with his brother Morainu v'Rabbainu Yechiel, may his candle shine — who is the scribe in the Volhynia kollel [The Volhynia kollel — one of the regional charitable funds in Eretz Yisroel organized by region of origin; Reb Yechiel holds an administrative position as its scribe] — and he too is pleasing to people. And I asked him: what will be the financial obligations? You will give two thousand groshen — and they will give two thousand five hundred groshen. And the money will be Teverya money. [מעות טבריא — "Teverya money" — the local currency standard of Teverya, which differed from the currency standard of other cities; specifying "Teverya money" establishes which monetary scale is being used for the dowry] And from this money — they will take for the gifts — both for the bride and for the groom — as much as they wish. And here — room and board for the couple — only one year. And in Basilik [ביסיליק — Basilik or Vasilik — a town in the diaspora where the groom's family is based; the dowry will be arranged there] — the dowry will be arranged as follows: at the time of the engagement — they will make only heads of paragraphs [ראשי פרקים — "heads of paragraphs" — a preliminary outline agreement; not the full detailed contract but the main points only; the detailed terms are left for the formal tna'im — betrothal conditions] — and set a time for the formal conditions. And at the time of the formal conditions — the clearing of the dowry from both sides will take place. For Reb Yechiel, may his candle shine, will write to his father, may his candle shine — and send the dowry immediately — for he wrote that the dowry has been bound up under his hand for a considerable time already.

And know — that they very much want this — for I told them from what family you are. But I do not know how the conclusion can happen — whether you will travel here — or whether they will travel to your encampment. Therefore write to me whether you want this — in the manner that I wrote to you. And also — how much will your support provision be? And I will speak once more. And know — that they are proper people — and of a fine family — both on the father's side and on the mother's side.

And only from Hashem — who makes the matches — will the match be concluded — "in good" [בכי טוב — "in very good" — the Talmudic expression for completely well and good; but also an allusion: כי טוב — "for it is good" — the phrase used for each day of Creation] — "and there is no good except the Tzaddik." [From the Talmud, Kiddushin 40a — "there is no good except Torah" — and in Breslov teaching this is extended: there is no good except the Tzaddik who embodies the Torah; the match will be sealed through the merit of the Tzaddik] And in the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל — who said that he knows the matter of matches and unions in a way that no person in the world yet knows — and he is the Great Matchmaker — may Hashem Yisbarach help you — that it should be at a propitious hour — and a fitting match from Heaven — for long life and good years — and for generations upon generations — without limit.

Words of one who desires your success and truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Thursday, Parshas Va'eira, 5643 (January 1883), from Teverya. A full investigation of the proposed match for Reb Eliezer. Fine appearance, good learning (Gemara but not decisors), straight path. Financial terms in detail. Rabbainu ז"ל as the Great Matchmaker.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Praise to G-d — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d — here all of us are in life and in peace. So may Hashem Yisbarach merit me — to hear from you — life and peace — from within expansiveness — and from within joy — and from within a comprehensive love — without any separation at all. For love and peace are wondrous vessels for holding all good in them. And what is this — that you did not mention to me in the letter — about Reb Aizik, may his candle shine? And I have suffering from this. And what you wrote to me — that you were greatly joyful at the time of the arrival of our veteran and Chassid friend — Reb Simcha the Cohen — the Tzaddik — you gave me life greatly. For joy among the Anash is no small thing — as Rabbainu ז"ל said: איהר זאלט זיין פריליך — you should be joyful — it was good for the entire world. [A specific teaching of Rabbainu ז"ל transmitted in Yiddish: "You should be joyful — it was good for the entire world" — meaning: when the Anash are joyful — this joy benefits and heals the entire world; an extraordinary statement about the cosmic effect of the joy of Chassidim] And I am also within the world. And also what you wrote — that there is peace between Reb Nachman and Reb Dov, may his candle shine — this too is for me good tidings. Would that Hashem Yisbarach give and have mercy — on our friend Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — and put it into his mind — to judge each and every one of the Anash favorably — and to make peace with Reb Yaakov too. For whoever is added to the holy assembly — many houses are added. And this is good for us too — perhaps we, G-d forbid, G-d forbid, are outside the holiness — and perhaps through the multiplication of houses — they will also surround us within the holiness. And what is this — that my strong friend is becoming sluggish in letters to me — to arouse the love of friends — from one to his companion? More I have no leisure — and I will be brief. And surely when you write to me — G-d willing — surely for you too likewise. Words of one who truly loves you — who earnestly presses his desire and pleases himself [המרצה באמת — "the one who earnestly seeks to please, who presses his desire" — from ratzah — to be pleased, to seek to make acceptable; the writer expresses his earnest pressing desire and pleasure that they should truly become proper men — not merely wishing but actively pressing this desire upon them] — that you should truly be proper men — even though I am as I am: "I am a companion to all who fear You." [Psalms 119:63 — "I am a companion to all who fear You — and to those who keep Your precepts"; the writer quotes this verse with humility: even though I am as I am — lowly and imperfect — I am a companion and friend to all who fear G-d] Nussun from Breslov Written Sunday, Parshas Beshalach, 5643 (January 1883), from Teverya. Joy at Reb Simcha's visit. Rabbainu ז"ל's Yiddish teaching: "You should be joyful — it was good for the entire world." Peace between Reb Nachman and Reb Dov. A call to write more frequently. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן A good man brings good tidings — good tidings from my kinsman [מש"ב — abbreviation of שארי בשרי — "my flesh and kin" — a relative by marriage; the writer's kinsman] Morainu v'Rabbainu Dov Ber, may his candle shine, son of Reb Yaakov — that he arrived home safely from Petersburg. But I do not know the explanation of the matter — for the entire year I wrote letters to them — to inform me about the denunciation that was laid against him — how and what. And now you wrote to me that he came from Petersburg — I do not know whether he went to the military authorities [לאנשי חיל — "to military men, to soldiers" — the military authorities or military courts; whether his case was heard before military authorities and resolved there] — and now they released him — or whether he labored in his rescue until he arrived in Petersburg — and from there they released him from the denunciation. Therefore my friend — our beloved — may peace be yours at your coming — and for long life and years. And may Hashem Yisbarach heal you — all your 248 limbs and 365 sinews [רמ"ח אבריך ושס"ה גידיך — "your 248 limbs and your 365 sinews" — the Talmudic count of the human body's components corresponding to the 248 positive commandments and 365 prohibitions; a blessing for the healing of every limb and sinew] — in such a manner that you should have strength — to engage in Torah and in prayer — and to reckon on your eternal ultimate purpose — and why we came into this lowly world — and in what manner we shall enter before the King. [u'v'haych anpin ne'ul kadam malka — Aramaic from the Zohar: "and in what manner shall we enter before the King" — the great question of how the soul presents itself before the divine King] And for this purpose we came to Eretz Yisroel — to cast off the vanities of the world — and to always merit the World to Come — and to begin from now — to return to Him — blessed be He — in joy. For Rabbainu ז"ל said: קיין יאוש איז נישט דא — there is no despair at all. למען ה' זיי פריליך — שמחה איז איין רפואה צי אלסדינג — for the sake of Hashem — be joyful — joy is a remedy for everything. And also I ask you: you should write that you received from my daughter — two rubles and a half. And from my kinsman Morainu v'Rabbainu Yaakov, may his candle shine — one ruble and a half. And also sugar and little wine-glasses [וויינשלעך — vaynshlelekh — Yiddish: small wine-glasses or wine-vessels; diminutive of vayn — wine; small wine cups sent as a gift or for ritual use] she also sent me — and you write that you sent them to me — and I do not know how it is there. [גם ציקער אין וויינשלעך האט זי מיר אויך געשיקט אין די שרייבסט אז די האסט מיר געשיקט אין איך ווייס נישט וויא עס איז דא — in Yiddish: "Also sugar and wine-glasses she also sent to me — and you write that you sent them to me — and I do not know how it is there"; a financial accounting of items sent and received, written in Yiddish] And also my wife, may she live, asks you: you should write to her — the story of her son Aharon, may his candle shine — what the story is — that he traveled with his household — what drove him to it — that he should have broken himself. [גם זוג' תח' בייט דיך די זאלסט איהר שרייבן די מעשה פין בנה אהרן נ"י וואס די מעשה איז וואס ער איז גיפארן מיט זיין בני בית וועליכעס האט איהם גינייט דערצי אז ער זאל זיך ציברעכן — in Yiddish: "And also my wife asks you: you should write to her the story of her son Aharon — what the story is — that he traveled with his household — what drove him to it — that he should have broken himself"; the wife is asking what compelled her son Aharon to travel with his entire household — what necessity or crisis caused him to uproot himself] Words of one who truly loves you — who blesses you upon dwelling in Eretz Yisroel — for life and peace, Nussun son of our teacher Yehudah ז"ל Written Sunday, Parshas Beshalach, 5643 (January 1883), from Teverya — same day as Letter 156 but addressed to Reb Yaakov Ber. Good news of Reb Dov Ber's return from Petersburg. A healing blessing for 248 limbs and 365 sinews. Rabbainu ז"ל's Yiddish teaching: "There is no despair — joy is a remedy for everything." Financial queries in Yiddish. The wife's question about her son Aharon. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Let it not be a wonder in your eyes that I did not reply to you until now — on your letter about the matter of the proposed match that was laid before you. Know — that at the time I received your letter — I was not in the line of health — for I was ill with the katir, G-d have mercy — for approximately ten days — and I did not go even to the synagogue to pray. But my wife, may she live, encountered the elderly mother of the desired one — and came to ask — who and who — and I told her — and it was very pleasing in her eyes. But I wanted to investigate the nature of the young man — in learning — and I could not go out. Afterward a certain woman came and told some falsehood — that the people of Karlin [The Chassidim of the Karlin dynasty — a prominent Chassidic group; the claim is that they refuse to intermarry with Breslov Chassidim] do not agree to make a match with the people of Breslov. And afterward — once again — my wife, may she live, was in the marketplace — and she saw his mother and the elderly woman — and they asked her what had been heard about this. And my wife said: I heard that you do not want — because of Breslov. And they said: who told you? For our holy Tzaddik father from Chmelnik [The holy Tzaddik of Chmelnik — a prominent Chassidic leader; he is the father of the desired young man and he himself is a son-in-law-in-law of Reb Avraham Ber — a distinguished pedigree connecting both families] — he is a son-in-law — and Reb Avraham Ber is his second-degree-relative. And I know that they are all proper people. And when I heard this — I began to investigate the nature of the young man. First: he is of fine appearance. And also in learning he is good — namely — he can study a page of Gemara anywhere — only posek [Posek — legal decisor; Halachic literature — he has not studied the decisors, the codified law — the Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries — but he can learn Gemara fluently] he has not studied. And he walks on the straight and correct path. Afterward I met with his brother Morainu v'Rabbainu Yechiel, may his candle shine — who is the scribe in the Volhynia kollel [The Volhynia kollel — one of the regional charitable funds in Eretz Yisroel organized by region of origin; Reb Yechiel holds an administrative position as its scribe] — and he too is pleasing to people. And I asked him: what will be the financial obligations? You will give two thousand groshen — and they will give two thousand five hundred groshen. And the money will be Teverya money. [מעות טבריא — "Teverya money" — the local currency standard of Teverya, which differed from the currency standard of other cities; specifying "Teverya money" establishes which monetary scale is being used for the dowry] And from this money — they will take for the gifts — both for the bride and for the groom — as much as they wish. And here — room and board for the couple — only one year. And in Basilik [ביסיליק — Basilik or Vasilik — a town in the diaspora where the groom's family is based; the dowry will be arranged there] — the dowry will be arranged as follows: at the time of the engagement — they will make only heads of paragraphs [ראשי פרקים — "heads of paragraphs" — a preliminary outline agreement; not the full detailed contract but the main points only; the detailed terms are left for the formal tna'im — betrothal conditions] — and set a time for the formal conditions. And at the time of the formal conditions — the clearing of the dowry from both sides will take place. For Reb Yechiel, may his candle shine, will write to his father, may his candle shine — and send the dowry immediately — for he wrote that the dowry has been bound up under his hand for a considerable time already. And know — that they very much want this — for I told them from what family you are. But I do not know how the conclusion can happen — whether you will travel here — or whether they will travel to your encampment. Therefore write to me whether you want this — in the manner that I wrote to you. And also — how much will your support provision be? And I will speak once more. And know — that they are proper people — and of a fine family — both on the father's side and on the mother's side. And only from Hashem — who makes the matches — will the match be concluded — "in good" [בכי טוב — "in very good" — the Talmudic expression for completely well and good; but also an allusion: כי טוב — "for it is good" — the phrase used for each day of Creation] — "and there is no good except the Tzaddik." [From the Talmud, Kiddushin 40a — "there is no good except Torah" — and in Breslov teaching this is extended: there is no good except the Tzaddik who embodies the Torah; the match will be sealed through the merit of the Tzaddik] And in the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל — who said that he knows the matter of matches and unions in a way that no person in the world yet knows — and he is the Great Matchmaker — may Hashem Yisbarach help you — that it should be at a propitious hour — and a fitting match from Heaven — for long life and good years — and for generations upon generations — without limit. Words of one who desires your success and truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Thursday, Parshas Va'eira, 5643 (January 1883), from Teverya. A full investigation of the proposed match for Reb Eliezer. Fine appearance, good learning (Gemara but not decisors), straight path. Financial terms in detail. Rabbainu ז"ל as the Great Matchmaker. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן