קסז

Your letters — and from our friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — and with the letter from Reb Altir — from Tuesday, this present one — I received today in the morning. And blessed be G-d — over the kindness that He performed with you and with your wife, may she live — and over the kindness that He will yet perform with you. And regarding what you wrote to me — about the festival — and about before the festival — this is nothing but beginning from the side. [אין זה כי אם מתחילין מן הצד — "this is nothing but beginning from the side" — a Talmudic expression indicating that the questioner or opponent is approaching the matter obliquely, from an indirect angle — not dealing with the core issue directly but circling around it; the writer dismisses the complaints with this formula: they are coming at things sideways, not directly]

And Hashem Yisbarach will show wonders — that it will not enter the minds of human beings. For Rabbainu ז"ל — one hour before his passing — made a fist and shook it forcefully [עשה אגרוף ונענע עמו בחזק — "made a fist and shook it forcefully" — a specific account preserved from the final hours of Rabbainu ז"ל's life: with one hour remaining before his passing, he clenched his fist and shook it with great force — to demonstrate and signal that he is a warrior in both the spiritual and physical dimensions; an act of defiance against the forces of opposition even in his final hour] — to show that he is a warrior — in spirituality and in physicality. And surely Hashem Yisbarach will not permit any one of them. And we need to hold only to the weapons of Torah and prayer. "Give might to G-d" [Psalms 68:35 — "give might to G-d — whose majesty is over Israel and whose might is in the skies"; the verse calling to ascribe and give all might to G-d, not to the forces of opposition] — and G-d will give might and power for eternity.

And it astonishes me — at first your honor wrote that I should receive the monthly money of Reb Abba ז"ל — and half I should receive into my hand — and half I should send to the woman Chava, may she live. And at first they did not want to give me — because Reb Altir asked to hold it back. But afterward you argued with them and they agreed to give me. Only now — the distributor — the honored our teacher Reb Yaakov — is in your encampment. And he told me before his journey — that he will give the woman Chava half — and the other half — when he comes home — he will give to me. But now — perhaps she has gone back on her words. [חזרה בדבריה — "she went back on her words" — the feminine form; the subject is the woman Chava, may she live — it is she who may have reversed her position, not the distributor; the distributor will give her half, but now she may be reconsidering her arrangement] And regarding the clock [השעך — "your clock" — a clock or timepiece that was being sought; the writer notes it is not here and the entire city laughs at him over it] — it is not here — and the entire city laughs at me — saying it is of no use at all.

And also — to distinguish between thousands upon thousands and myriads of distinctions [להבדיל בין אלפי אלפים רבבות הבדלות — the standard formula of absolute distinction between the holy and the non-holy; the writer is about to mention something of the non-holy world and distances it from the sacred matters just discussed with this formula of infinite distinction] — in the synagogue of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes — there were several people from Jerusalem — and they had no effect at all — and they traveled home empty — without any effect whatsoever.

And know — my brother and my friend — that I am sending you — through the bearer of this letter — two Meizhides. And from them give our money — according to the Meizhides — 322 — to Reb Chaim, may his candle shine — 1025 groshen — after a correct accounting — one groshen — five paras [פאריס — paris — a small Ottoman coin denomination; fractions of a groshen; five paras = one groshen according to the local exchange rate] — from Reb Moshe Yadid. And to Reb Yaakov Ber, may his candle shine — the sum of six groshen of our money. And to Reb Dov — one bishlik — ten paras. And the remainder — whatever is left — set it to the account of what I owe you.

And it astonishes me — that I wrote to you that I distributed ten groshen on behalf of your wife — and you should distribute ten groshen on behalf of your wife — and I wrote to you to whom to give — and you did not write me news of this. And perhaps you did not receive my letter.

The sum: my brothers and companions — do not worry at all — for Hashem is with you and by you and close to you. And surely He will not abandon you.

Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Wednesday, the 10th of the Omer, 5643 (April 1883), from Teverya. A vivid tradition about Rabbainu ז"ל: one hour before his passing he made a fist and shook it forcefully — to show he is a warrior in spirituality and physicality. Financial distribution details. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter I received on Friday — the eve of Shabbos — after midday. And I had no leisure at all to reply to you as befits replying to two such beloved ones. Only I wrote you a receipt for your letter. And also I asked — since I am sending — with our veteran Chassid friend Reb Volveh — who is called Reb Ze'ev — from Jerusalem — the sum of seven groshen — to distribute: to my friend Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — two groshen. To Reb Dov — two groshen. To Reb Itzig — two groshen. To Reb Aizik — two groshen. And to the widow of Reb Itzele — one groshen. [Note: the distribution totals nine groshen, not seven — there may be a scribal error in the source or the writer counted differently] And I ask of you — perhaps your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, will come — and bring letters to my hand from the diaspora — that you send them to me immediately — and revive my soul. For I have no letter from anywhere. And for the sake of Hashem — be in joy for the great Hillula [הלולא רבא — Aramaic: "the great Hillula" — the celebration of the anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on Lag Ba'omer at Meron; the greatest annual Chassidic celebration in Eretz Yisroel; hillulah from Aramaic — celebration, jubilation] — for Rabbainu ז"ל will surely also be there. One who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Nussun the above-mentioned. To Reb Nussun son of Reb Hirsh in Tzfas, may it be established — my friend Reb Nussun, may his candle shine — receive this guest — who is among the distinguished of the Anash — with a pleasant countenance. [בסבר פנים יפות — "with a pleasant countenance" — from the Mishnah, Avos 1:15: "receive every person with a pleasant countenance"; the specific Mishnaic phrase for warm, open-faced hospitality; the honored way of welcoming a guest] For blessed be G-d — he stayed with me too — eight days — with a pleasant countenance. Written the night after Shabbos, around Lag Ba'omer, 5643 (May 1883), from Teverya. A brief letter sending seven groshen for distribution. A request for prayers at the Hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. A letter of introduction for a distinguished guest. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן I received your letter — and also a letter from the woman Chava, may she live. And surely I will fulfill her request. But today I could not find Reb Yaakov son of Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — to inquire with him. And the wagon is urgent. And G-d willing after Shabbos I will send her the account clearly. And I — according to what appears — will not be at Meron [מירון — Meron — where the Hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai takes place on Lag Ba'omer; the writer will not be able to attend because of his wife's condition] — because my wife is not in good health — her legs are swollen. And the olive oil [השמן זית — olive oil — brought to Meron for the Hillula; it is customary to kindle torches and bonfires at the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on Lag Ba'omer; oil was sent as a contribution to the Hillula celebrations] — surely I will give. Only why did he not write on behalf of which Figa? [A specific question: several women named Figa were in need of prayer; the writer needs to know which Figa the oil is being dedicated for, to pray by the right name] And I ask of you — to pray for us. And I will pray for you at Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes. And I greatly long to see you. And the money — send it to me. Only for the olive oil — I will pay here — it comes to ten — 20 coins. And set it to the account of the debt that I owe you. And also write to me — who sent the money. And also I ask of you — since I received this week a letter from Bobrents [בברינץ — Bobrents — a town in the diaspora; likely Bobrynets in Ukraine; a community where some of the writer's family lives] — through my friend Reb Nussun son of the woman Chana — and he wrote to me that his daughter Figa Bilimah is not in good health. Therefore I ask of you — since enclosed here is a letter for Bobrents — deliver it to my friend Reb Nussun the above-mentioned. And I ask of him — that surely when he sends a letter to the above-mentioned — he should send my letter too. And convey greetings of peace to him. And let him write to me what became of his daughter, may she live. And the letter that you sent this week — I did not receive. And why did you not write with whom you sent it? And also the letter from Reb Yudel Kudniver, may his candle shine — I also did not receive. And also I received the letter from my friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — that a door fell upon his wife, may she live. [A serious accident — a door fell on Reb Aizik's wife; the writer addresses this at the end with a prayer for her healing] Therefore write to me what happened to her. And may the merit of all these awesome Tzaddikim before whom we are prostrating ourselves now — and the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — send to your wife, may she live — and to his wife, may she live — and to the daughter of Reb Nussun, may his candle shine — and to the wife of Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — and remember them with salvation and mercy — together with all of Israel. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Friday, Parshas Behar, 5643 (around Lag Ba'omer, May 1883), from Teverya. The writer cannot attend Meron — the wife's legs are swollen. Olive oil sent for the Hillula. A letter enclosed for Bobrents. A door fell on Reb Aizik's wife — prayers for her healing. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letters — and from our friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — and with the letter from Reb Altir — from Tuesday, this present one — I received today in the morning. And blessed be G-d — over the kindness that He performed with you and with your wife, may she live — and over the kindness that He will yet perform with you. And regarding what you wrote to me — about the festival — and about before the festival — this is nothing but beginning from the side. [אין זה כי אם מתחילין מן הצד — "this is nothing but beginning from the side" — a Talmudic expression indicating that the questioner or opponent is approaching the matter obliquely, from an indirect angle — not dealing with the core issue directly but circling around it; the writer dismisses the complaints with this formula: they are coming at things sideways, not directly] And Hashem Yisbarach will show wonders — that it will not enter the minds of human beings. For Rabbainu ז"ל — one hour before his passing — made a fist and shook it forcefully [עשה אגרוף ונענע עמו בחזק — "made a fist and shook it forcefully" — a specific account preserved from the final hours of Rabbainu ז"ל's life: with one hour remaining before his passing, he clenched his fist and shook it with great force — to demonstrate and signal that he is a warrior in both the spiritual and physical dimensions; an act of defiance against the forces of opposition even in his final hour] — to show that he is a warrior — in spirituality and in physicality. And surely Hashem Yisbarach will not permit any one of them. And we need to hold only to the weapons of Torah and prayer. "Give might to G-d" [Psalms 68:35 — "give might to G-d — whose majesty is over Israel and whose might is in the skies"; the verse calling to ascribe and give all might to G-d, not to the forces of opposition] — and G-d will give might and power for eternity. And it astonishes me — at first your honor wrote that I should receive the monthly money of Reb Abba ז"ל — and half I should receive into my hand — and half I should send to the woman Chava, may she live. And at first they did not want to give me — because Reb Altir asked to hold it back. But afterward you argued with them and they agreed to give me. Only now — the distributor — the honored our teacher Reb Yaakov — is in your encampment. And he told me before his journey — that he will give the woman Chava half — and the other half — when he comes home — he will give to me. But now — perhaps she has gone back on her words. [חזרה בדבריה — "she went back on her words" — the feminine form; the subject is the woman Chava, may she live — it is she who may have reversed her position, not the distributor; the distributor will give her half, but now she may be reconsidering her arrangement] And regarding the clock [השעך — "your clock" — a clock or timepiece that was being sought; the writer notes it is not here and the entire city laughs at him over it] — it is not here — and the entire city laughs at me — saying it is of no use at all. And also — to distinguish between thousands upon thousands and myriads of distinctions [להבדיל בין אלפי אלפים רבבות הבדלות — the standard formula of absolute distinction between the holy and the non-holy; the writer is about to mention something of the non-holy world and distances it from the sacred matters just discussed with this formula of infinite distinction] — in the synagogue of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes — there were several people from Jerusalem — and they had no effect at all — and they traveled home empty — without any effect whatsoever. And know — my brother and my friend — that I am sending you — through the bearer of this letter — two Meizhides. And from them give our money — according to the Meizhides — 322 — to Reb Chaim, may his candle shine — 1025 groshen — after a correct accounting — one groshen — five paras [פאריס — paris — a small Ottoman coin denomination; fractions of a groshen; five paras = one groshen according to the local exchange rate] — from Reb Moshe Yadid. And to Reb Yaakov Ber, may his candle shine — the sum of six groshen of our money. And to Reb Dov — one bishlik — ten paras. And the remainder — whatever is left — set it to the account of what I owe you. And it astonishes me — that I wrote to you that I distributed ten groshen on behalf of your wife — and you should distribute ten groshen on behalf of your wife — and I wrote to you to whom to give — and you did not write me news of this. And perhaps you did not receive my letter. The sum: my brothers and companions — do not worry at all — for Hashem is with you and by you and close to you. And surely He will not abandon you. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Wednesday, the 10th of the Omer, 5643 (April 1883), from Teverya. A vivid tradition about Rabbainu ז"ל: one hour before his passing he made a fist and shook it forcefully — to show he is a warrior in spirituality and physicality. Financial distribution details. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן