קנז

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

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]

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.

📜 Translator's Summary — Letter 155