קפז

Blessed be G-d — with us are life and peace. So may I merit to hear from you — life and peace — from within great expansiveness and abundant success and doubled flow — and the fullness of all good.

In the past week I received from you a small letter — with the money that you sent to Reb Yehoshua, may his candle shine. And I gave him the money — and also my Meizhide too I gave him. And I sent you receipts. And also I sent you one more bishlik — with a small letter — because there was no leisure — because of the urgency of the wagon. The Meizhide and the bishlik together are your money — 30 groshen and 20 paras — receive toward your debt — 20 groshen — and the remainder distribute as I wrote to you in the letter I sent you through my beloved friend, may his candle shine. And I have had no reply from you.

And also from Reb Aizik, may his candle shine — it has been a considerable time — I have had no letter. And also you have not written to me about him — what he has done — and whether he is joyful — even at a time when he descends from kingship. [אפילו בעת שיורד מן המלוכה — "even at a time when he descends from kingship" — a reference to the teaching of Rabbainu ז"ל about the need for joy even in times of descent and diminishment; when a person's spiritual or material state declines — even then — he must find joy; this teaching is explained in the metaphor of the king who descends from his throne] And also from you — I have not received a letter from the inner depths of your soul. And it appears that you are drawing upon yourself: "in sadness shall you eat it." [Genesis 3:17 — "cursed is the ground for your sake — in sadness shall you eat of it all the days of your life" — the curse of Adam; the writer applies this: by living in sadness, you are bringing upon yourself the curse that was meant to be superseded by Torah] But Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple do not teach us this — only to be joyful in our portion — and to draw upon ourselves luminous faces — "fullness of joys in Your presence" [Psalms 16:11 — שבע שמחות את פניך — "fullness of joys in Your presence" — שבע here is sova — satiation, fullness — not the number seven; from sova — to be satiated, to be full; "fullness of joys in Your presence — pleasures at Your right hand forever"; a verse of luminous countenance and joy in the divine presence] — a joyful heart makes a face glad. And through this — the curse is transformed into blessing. And even one who has not today, G-d forbid, anything to eat — also need not worry — for worries accomplish nothing at all. Only trust in Hashem Yisbarach and ask of Him that He should arrange sustenance. And particularly — one who has something upon which blessing can rest — must give thanks to Hashem Yisbarach. Blessed be G-d — that I have something upon which blessing can rest. And may it be His will that blessing should rest on the work of our hands. And everything in joy. And all your free choice consists in this — that you should not worry at all.

And what do we have to worry about? For the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple rest with us — openly. And blessed be G-d — we study them little by little. And we were — many and many times — on Rosh Hashana. And we long yet to be on Rosh Hashana. And in the kindness of Hashem Yisbarach — that we are not on the side of those who dispute against this hidden light — how we must rejoice over this — day and night. For according to what is explained in the books — the magnitude of the blemish of those who dispute — is that their very purchase is nullified in its entirety — as is explained in the Laws of Overreaching — and in many other laws. [בטל מקחם מכל וכל — "their very purchase is nullified in its entirety" — a strong Halachic metaphor: the opponents' entire spiritual transaction — their claim on the World to Come — is invalidated through their opposition; as in a purchase made under conditions of overreaching — the transaction is cancelled altogether]

And for this world — one certainly need not worry — only ask of Hashem Yisbarach — in joy — for all that one needs. And joy is success — and sadness is a great transgression — which brings, G-d forbid, all the transgressions of the world. And through it — one does not recognize the providence of Hashem Yisbarach — for one always feels lacking. And whoever worries — is deficient in faith in two respects: first — he does not believe that when Hashem Yisbarach wants it thus — it must surely be thus — for we do not know what He sweetens through this; and second — he does not believe that Hashem Yisbarach can save from nothing to something. For from where was our vitality until now — was it through the natural way — each one according to his worth — if not through the help of Hashem Yisbarach? And sometimes He delays — for He desires our prayer — that we receive the flow of abundance through prayer. But everything must be in joy — to give thanks for the past — and to cry out for the future.

And even my friend Reb Aizik, may his candle shine, is also being foolish when he worries — for worries accomplish nothing for him at all. And he must be very joyful — over the fact that he was created an Israelite. And not only that — but also that he was not caught, G-d forbid, in the sects of Bucharest. [שלא נלכד ח"ו בהכתות מבוקרעסט — "that he was not caught in the sects of Bucharest" — the various non-traditional religious movements or sects that operated in Bucharest; Reb Aizik is thanked that he was not drawn into these] And also this — that he has been drawn close to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. And blessed be G-d — that he engages little by little in the ways of these books. And also — from within his pressures — he was many times on Rosh Hashana — and longs yet to be on Rosh Hashana. Is there a greater wealth than this? For it is more precious than gold and than pearls — and all desirable things cannot compare to it. And regarding children — for the present — Hashem Yisbarach has shown you — that blessed be G-d — you are not barren. And "emunah" — faith — equals in gematria — "banim" — children. [אמונה in gematria = 102; בנים = 102; this gematria is a teaching of Rabbainu ז"ל: faith — emunah — is itself the spiritual root of children — banim; one who strengthens his faith thereby spiritually opens the gates for children to be granted] And faith is prayer. Until Hashem looks down upon you — and has mercy upon you — with complete salvation.

And everything can be accomplished through joy — for joy is the sweetening of the harsh judgments. And particularly since blessed be G-d — the days of Adar and the holy Purim are drawing palpably near. And may Hashem Yisbarach help us to receive them in joy — as we accepted upon ourselves in the days of Mordechai and Esther — with hand-clapping and dancing. And G-d willing surely some sweetening will be drawn upon us. And trust in Hashem — for He will surely not abandon you — neither in this world nor in the next. And everything that is needed for the rectification of our souls — surely Hashem Yisbarach will help us — in the merit and power of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — who are themselves the rectification of the souls of the dead and the living. And today I studied the Laws of Robbery — law 4 — and there you will find repose for your souls.

And I have heard that Reb Simcha, may his candle shine, is also not going to the three Shabbos meals — because there was a resentment against him — because of money. Is it not that you believe in divine providence? And what is destined for you — surely will be yours. And can Hashem Yisbarach not arrange for you from another place? Is it truly very good — to be a recipient? [הלא רבנו ז"ל אמר שקשה מאד להיות מקבל — "For Rabbainu ז"ל said that it is very difficult to be a recipient" — a teaching of Rabbainu ז"ל: receiving gifts or charity from others is spiritually burdensome and difficult; one who has another option should not choose to be a recipient] For Rabbainu ז"ל said it is very difficult to be a recipient. And particularly — he too did not take for himself — only to distribute to the Anash. One must believe that Hashem Yisbarach wants it thus. And not for the sake of money should one distance oneself from the unity of the assembly. For "it is in affection that our matter is sustained." [Aramaic from the Talmud [Shabbos 10a] — anan b'chavivusa talya milsa — "for us the matter depends on affection" — the fellowship is sustained by mutual love and affection; it is affection — not money — that holds the assembly together] And each one must see — that from his side — there should be no separation, G-d forbid. For through unity one merits to complete counsel — as is explained in the Torah "rejoice, Rabbi Shimon" [chadei Rebbi Shimon — Aramaic: "rejoice, Rabbi Shimon" — the formula of the Zohar; unity and fellowship bring about the joy and revelation of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's light] — and one merits joy. And you need to draw people close. And you — for money — are distancing. For it is not enough that we do not cry out — a hundred and forty voices [מאה ו40 קלין — "100 and 40 voices" — a reference to specific teachings about the need to cry out from the depths in prayer; the number 140 (100 + 40) may allude to specific Kabbalistic concepts of levels of prayer] — to be saved from the lust for money. But at least — we need not draw upon ourselves the lust for money — which does not rest in separation. And also — one should not disparage even a Tzaddik whose ruling is not followed — like Reb Dov, may his candle shine. And because of the urgency of leisure — I will be brief.

From me — one who truly loves you — and "I am a companion to all who fear You." [Psalms 119:63] Nussun from Breslov

My wife and my sister, may they live — convey their good greetings of peace to you.

Written Tuesday, Parshas Mishpatim, Shvat 5644 (February 1884), from Teverya. A rich letter. Reb Aizik is encouraged: joy even in descent. Sadness is a great transgression. Worry shows deficiency of faith in two respects. Reb Aizik's gematria: emunah = banim = 102. Purim approaching. Reb Simcha's withdrawal reproved. "It is in affection that our matter is sustained."

I received the letter — with the sending of portions. [משלוח מנות — mishlo'ach manot — the sending of Purim gifts; the Purim custom of sending portions of food to friends and relatives on the day of Purim; the recipient sent mishlo'ach manot to the writer in Teverya] And I cannot reply — for from the 7th of Adar — when I went to Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes — from that day I became very, very ill. And I inform you — that through the joy of Purim — you can sweeten from upon me [יכולים אתם להמתיק מעלי — "you can sweeten from upon me" — a Kabbalistic concept: the Purim joy of the Anash in Tzfas can spiritually sweeten the harsh judgments that rest upon the writer in Teverya; through their joy they can perform a spiritual act of sweetening on his behalf across the distance] — for I do not have one complete limb. And I am compelled every single day — to sit on pillows and cushions. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov — may he live. [הי"ו — abbreviation of הי' וחי — "may he live" — a blessing appended after a living person's name; in the context of this gravely ill final letter it carries particular poignancy]