נג

No date given. [From its content — written during the Ten Days of Repentance and promising to visit right after Yom Kippur — this letter belongs to Tishrei 5639] The G-d Who is good and Who does good — may He bestow a good final sealing. [האל הטוב והמטיב — from Brachos 54a and the daily liturgy; G-d's twin qualities of inherent goodness and actively doing good] To the honor of the beloved and faithful, brothers and friends, faithful to our beloved — the exalted patron Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Shmuel, may his candle shine — together with peace upon his modest wife, Mistress Zeldah-Rachel, may she live — for length of days and good years [לאיוש"ט — the abbreviation for le'orech yomim u'shanim tovos — "for length of days and good years"; a specific blessing formula appended to the "may she live" — she should not merely live but live long and well] — in goodness and pleasantness, Omain Netzach Selah Va'ed, so may it be His will — together with peace upon their son Morainu v'Rabbainu Nachman, may his candle shine. Know that you did well and rightly that your eminence [מעלתכם — ma'alaschem — "your eminence, your elevated dignity" — the formal honorific of elevated standing; ma'alah — height, ascent, elevated dignity] did not travel now to me — since it is not proper that you who have come here should travel to me; rather it is I who must travel to you — to see with you. For your love is fixed in my heart like a peg driven firm that shall never be moved [Isaiah 22:23 — the peg hammered immovably into a sure place; the love that nothing can dislodge]. Only the lack of leisure now is what prevents traveling. And if these days were not such days I would surely have already traveled to you. And it was my intention, G-d willing, to travel after the first two days of the holy festival of Sukkos. But now — since you are pining so [מתגעגעים — misgageim — pining, yearning with deep nostalgic ache; ge'agu'im — the emotional longing of one who misses someone keenly; stronger and more specifically aching than ordinary "longing"] to see me — I am setting aside my intention. And G-d willing — right after the holy Yom Kippur — as soon as there is a postal carriage — I will travel to your holy encampment — to see with you and with all our beloved and pleasant fellowship — and rejoice with you in the joy of the holy festival — as in days of old. Words of one who truly loves you — who blesses you with life and peace and every good, Nussun from Breslov And convey greetings of peace to all the Anash with great love. 📜