כז

Sunday, the Torah portion of Vayigash [Parshas Vayigash — "And he approached" — Yehuda's plea before Yosef, the revelation, the descent of Yaakov's family to Egypt; it falls in late December or early January], 5638 [= December 1877 or January 1878 CE] — the Holy City of Teverya, may it be established and built for good — written from the home.

To the honor of my friend, my strong beloved, our ohavainu — my son truly [בני ממש — "my son truly / literally" — not metaphorically but in every sense; the word mammash — truly, literally — deepens the fatherhood: fully, completely his son] — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Nussun, may his candle shine — together with peace upon all the members of his household.

Thanks to G-d for our lives — life and peace are with us. May I merit to see you and to hear from you life and peace and great goodness. Omain Netzach Selah Va'ed.

I have greatly requested: on the past Monday I sent you a letter through Reb Dov, may his candle shine, to Reb Chaim Yehoshua — and within your letter there was enclosed a letter to our friend Reb Chaim Kresh, may his candle shine. And there I greatly requested of him to write to me — whether perhaps he has some letter from my son-in-law, may his candle shine, and from my daughter, may she live. And also from my wife's sons who also dwell in Breslov. And also whether he was at Rosh Hashana in Uman — whether he saw there my brother from Yassy and also my son Aizik from Yassy. Therefore, since I wrote to him four weeks ago — and I also sent you a letter through Reb Chaim Yehoshua — and the letter was lost — I am now writing to you the letter through the bearer of this letter. And I ask of you to be a faithful agent [שתעשה בציר נאמן לשלחיו — "that you should be a faithful emissary for the one who sent it" — an echo of Proverbs 25:13: "a faithful envoy to those who send him"; the writer draws on the proverb to describe what he needs] — and fulfill my request: ask of Reb Chaim the said all that I requested as explained above. And write to me everything you hear from his mouth about my son-in-law, may his candle shine, and my daughter, may she live — and about my wife's sons: one whose name is Avraham Ber and the second whose name is Aharon, may his candle shine and may she live — give life to our souls. And particularly my wife, may she live — for she truly has no life-force at all, for these nine days she has the illness of coughing of blood [חלי שעול דם — "the illness of coughing blood" — a dangerous symptom indicating serious pulmonary illness; named clearly and precisely]. And I know that all her weakness is from grief — for she has no letter from anywhere: not from my sons and daughters, may their candles shine, and not from my brothers, and not from her sons. And we no longer know what to reckon.

And also — what is heard in our lands regarding the passports from Turkey and from Wallachia — whether they are good in our lands? And also whether our friend Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine, had a letter from his son Nussun, may his candle shine, regarding his passport? And also know that he also had a letter from our friend Reb Abaleh, may his candle shine, with money. And also my son Moshe Efraim, may his candle shine, also sent me money — for our friend Reb Chaim, may his candle shine, prayed in Breslov in the kloys [הקלויז — the intimate Breslov house of prayer in Breslov itself, the kloys of Reb Nosson ז"ל — the most sacred Breslov prayer space] of our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל. And also my son-in-law Morainu v'Rabbainu Neta son of Zeev Zidye, may his candle shine, also prayed there with my grandson Morainu v'Rabbainu Shlomo Leib and my grandson Pinchas, may his candle shine. And also my daughter Miriam Sima, may she live — how is it possible that she did not see herself with the woman Miriam Peyerel, may she live, at the time of my journey here? — at least to convey greetings of peace on our behalf. On all this inquire of him well — and write me clear news.

And also perhaps he knows my son-in-law Reb Yisroel, may his candle shine, and saw him in Uman on Rosh Hashana. For the great grief we have is beyond reckoning — from Troyits we have no letter, from Bebrinitz we have no news, from Yassy regarding my son Aizik, may his candle shine, I have no news, about Esther Taanis and about my daughter Adel — we have no news for more than a year — and from my brother in Yassy I have no news. And from Breslov we had one letter after weeks — and there it was written that my son-in-law wishes to send me money but does not know how to send it. And also there was written that my wife's son Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Ber, may his candle shine, had an illness in his legs — rheumatism [ראמטידני — romatidni — Yiddish/European: rheumatism; a word borrowed from Eastern European medical vocabulary] — and was unable to walk. And since then we have no news. Perhaps our friend Reb Chaim, may his candle shine, will send a letter to Breslov.

I have asked of you to write on my behalf a letter to my son-in-law Morainu v'Rabbainu Neta Lermer, may his candle shine, and to my stepson Morainu v'Rabbainu Avraham Ber, may his candle shine, and to my stepson Morainu v'Rabbainu Aharon, may his candle shine — they and their wives and their sons and their daughters, may they live — a quarter of a quarter of a sheet [חצי רבע ניר — "half a quarter of a sheet of paper" — one eighth of a full sheet; the writer asks only for the smallest possible written acknowledgment, just a few lines to know they are alive] — that I ask of them to write to me a letter about their welfare. And sign me: Nussun son of our teacher Yehuda ז"ל. And ask Reb Chaim to receive his letter — perhaps through you some salvation will sprout. For since after Sukkos I have written them two letters. And perhaps Reb Aitzikel sent to my sons, may their candles shine — and also he himself should receive a small letter from me. And also last week I sent through Reb Zeidel the donkey-driver the tallis of Reb Kalman, may his candle shine — and also a small pouch [ציך — tsikh — Yiddish: a small cloth bag or pouch; a code-switch into Yiddish mid-Hebrew, like the other Yiddish household words throughout these letters] with a pair of socks [זוג זאקין — a zug zakin — Yiddish: "a pair of socks"; another Yiddish code-switch], and a little cotton wool, and two pairs of undergarments, and one shirt, and one skullcap [יארמולקע — yarmulke — Yiddish: the skullcap worn by Jewish men; another Yiddish code-switch; the Hebrew word is kipah but the writer uses the familiar Yiddish term] — to write to me whether he received everything in full.

And pray for my wife, may she live. And write to me what the wife, may she live, did. And also your son, the wise child — what is he studying? For Hashem Yisbarach knows the truth: I pray for you at all times — for the love of your souls is bound to my soul.

And on account of my confidence I have been brief — and say peace to you and peace to your helper [שלום לך ושלום לעזרך — an echo of I Samuel 25:6 — David's greeting to Nabal: "peace to you, peace to your household, peace to all that is yours"; a warm ancient greeting formula; "your helper" — ezrecha — referring to his wife, his companion, his support].

Nussun from Breslov

And convey greetings of peace on my behalf with strong love — love such that many waters cannot extinguish — to your father, the veteran Chassid Morainu v'Rabbainu Hirsh, may his candle shine. And greetings of peace to the brother-in-law Morainu v'Rabbainu Eliezer, may his candle shine — together with your son Sender Chaim, may his candle shine. And greetings of peace to all the Anash. And write to me about our friend Reb Dov, may his candle shine — what did he do? And greetings of peace to the nagid Reb Chaim Kresh — and bless them on my behalf: may they have long life and peace in your coming [לשלום באך — "peace in your coming" — a directional blessing for peace as one arrives and departs; not merely "peace" in the abstract but peace accompanying the movement of life — in your coming and in your going]. And also if you have any news of our beloved Aizikl, may his candle shine — where he is now — write to me. And greetings of peace on my behalf to Reb Kalman, may his candle shine. Be strong and strengthen yourself with him in hisbodidus. And do not take issue at all with the ways of Hashem Yisbarach — only receive in joy and look toward salvation — until Hashem looks down from Heaven and has mercy upon you — through prayer and supplication in joy. The above-mentioned Nussun