סז

First I inform you — that blessed be G-d — in another three days there will come upon us and upon all Israel the illumination of the miracle that was performed for us at this time — through the illumination of the holiness of Mordechai and Esther — which is called by its holy name: Purim. There is no land [אין לאנד — ayn land — Yiddish code-switch: "no land" — meaning no country in the entire world; the Yiddish word land embedded within the Hebrew sentence to convey universality] where all the Tzaddikim of every generation and generation spoke so highly about the true depth of the essential holiness of the day [עצומו של יום — atzmo shel yom — "the essence of the day itself" — the specific Halachic-liturgical term from the laws of Yom Kippur [Yoma 85b]: "the essence of the day itself atones" — atzmo shel yom mechaper; applied here to Purim: the Tzaddikim spoke about the inherent intrinsic sanctity of the day of Purim itself, independent of any actions — the very substance of Purim as a holy day]. And particularly Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple spoke at very great length — and revealed many holy secrets from every single thing that happens on Purim — and particularly about the joy of Purim. Therefore I ask of all our beloved to pray for me as well — that I merit to rejoice in the joy of Purim. For I have a great pain — for more than two months — such that when I am sitting I cannot stand — and when I am standing I cannot sit. But I have much relief in this — for there are sometimes such and such days when I do not feel the pain as much. Blessed be the Good One and He Who does good.

And my wife, may she live — for three weeks she has — may the Merciful One protect her — eye pain and headache — which is impossible to put in writing — her crying and her pain. And for more than a week one eye is sealed and sealed shut. And for almost the entire week she has not tasted the flavor of food — only the food of our Arab neighbors [מאכלינו טייע — "our Tayyeh-food" — Tayyeh is the Talmudic-Aramaic word for Arab, from the name of the Arabian Tay tribe; used throughout rabbinic literature for Arab; the writer means the food of their Arab neighbors who apparently assisted the sick wife during this difficult time] and bread — because of her great pain. May Hashem Yisbarach have mercy on her in the midst of the other sick of His people Israel. And she asked me to write to you to pray for her.

And even so — sadness and melancholy is a complete prohibition — and one must strengthen oneself to be in joy. And particularly we — who have something to rejoice about — that Hashem Yisbarach had mercy on us — and revealed to us a little of the hidden light, concealed from all living — and His light is hidden and stored in his holy books. And their words are like coals of fire burning — like torches of fire — in the heart of those who study and meditate upon them. And particularly since we are bound to such a Tzaddik — who blessed be G-d gives forth and does not receive — as is explained in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Appointing an Agent to Collect a Debt, according to the Torah of the Silver Trumpets. And there you will see the greatness of Rabbainu ז"ל. And the entire Torah is built on performing the commandment in joy. Therefore we must rejoice greatly — G-d willing — in the joy of Purim. For joy itself is a commandment. Therefore we must rejoice with the joy of a commandment. Therefore I ask of all our truly beloved — G-d willing — when you merit to rejoice — bind me as well to your joy. And I too will bind my joy to your joy — so that my joy will be part of the congregation of the Anash.

הכלל חאטשי דער רבי מסטרא דילן איז נישט דא אבער זיינע ספרים זענין דא מייגין מיר פריליך זיין און מיר בעדארפן זייער פריליך זיין [Yiddish with Aramaic embedded: "The general principle — even though the Rebbe from our side is not here — but his books are here — we can be joyful — and we need to be very joyful"; chatshi — Yiddish concessive: "even though, although"; mistara dilan — Aramaic within the Yiddish: "from our side" — the Breslov side; three languages in one sentence — Yiddish, Aramaic, Hebrew — itself a Purim mixture].

And my beloved friends in truth — Reb Nachman, may his candle shine, and Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine, and Reb Shmuel, may his candle shine, and Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine, and Reb Dov, may his candle shine, and Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine, and Reb Yoel Tzvi, may his candle shine, and his brother Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Nussun, may his candle shine, and his son, may his candle shine — and all our truly beloved — let us begin from now to draw ourselves close to the light of lights and to his holy disciples — for this will be our hope forever and to eternal eternity.

My friend Reb Nussun son of Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine — on Thursday past I sent you a letter — about what your father, may his candle shine, wrote to me — about the money that the patron Reb Yonah Zeitziv wishes to send — for the merit of the grape wine of the Rambam ז"ל — and within it was also enclosed a letter of congratulations to your co-parent-in-law. And I forgot to write to him that I received the letters from the wife of Reb Naftali, may his candle shine — and I received from her the sum of three bishlikim that your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, sent me — and immediately upon receiving it I blessed him and his household and all his sons and daughters.

And I have greatly asked of you — for the sake of Hashem — after Purim write to me a letter how your Purim was. And also write to me what happened to my beloved friend in truth — who rescued our master and teacher Reb Nosson ז"ל from insults and acts of humiliation and contempt [מחרפות ומבזיונות — "from insults and humiliations" — two distinct categories: cherpot — verbal insults, shaming, reproach; and bizyonos — acts of contempt and degradation, humiliations; Reb Aitzikel physically protected Reb Nosson ז"ל from those who were subjecting him to both categories of mistreatment in Uman] in Uman — Morainu v'Rabbainu Reb Aitzikel, may his candle shine. For the sake of Hashem — write to me. And also as you wrote to me that you made yourself a shop in your home — write to me if you have any drawing of nourishment from it [יניקה — yenikah — "suckling, drawing nourishment" — from yenek — to nurse, to suckle; the organic bodily image of drawing life-sustenance; the writer asks whether the shop is actually providing him with nourishment — drawing livelihood from it as an infant draws milk] — and how was it concluded with the debt from Aba Sheinker — and with the other debts.

And also I ask of you and our friend Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine — as our friend Reb Efraim, may his candle shine, wrote to me that I request of you to draw close his grandson, may his candle shine — and not to look at his bad points — for how Rabbainu ז"ל drew close Reb Elazar son of Reb Shimon — who went where he went — as is explained in the Talmud, tractate Bava Metzia. And also the grandson of Rabbi Tarfon — and afterward they made from them complete Tzaddikim. For I know that if he had a worthy wife he would already have been a proper man.

And also these two weeks I had a letter from Reb Kalman, may his candle shine — and he wrote me that Reb Aizik, may his candle shine, wrote him something false — and he wrote me to ask you. And from this it appears that he has remorse. And do not forget what Rabbainu ז"ל tells in the story of the Master of Prayer — when the watchman said to him "and beyond this — what can I do — I am alone in the world?" — these words were considered by the Master of Prayer as repentance. And also you should know that Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple wanted us to build homes and not to destroy homes. And fortunate is the one who pursues the beloved. And also you should know — the one delivering this letter is going to you to get married — and he has books from the books of Rabbainu ז"ל — and he wants to draw close to us. I studied with him on Motzei Shabbos the Torah "I am Hashem your G-d." Therefore draw him close.

More news there is none — only life and peace — אין פריליך זיין אין שיכרין אין פורים אין פיליאען אין ספרי רבנו ז"ל ותלמידו הק' זכותם יגן עלינו אמן [Yiddish: "and be joyful and get drunk on Purim and revel and in the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — may their merit protect us. Omain."]

One who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Thursday, the Fast of Esther, 5639 (March 1879), from Teverya. The writer in severe pain; the wife's eye sealed shut for over a week; almost no food. A passionate Purim call. The famous Yiddish line: even though the Rebbe is not here — his books are here.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Letter 65 | סה (Samech-Hey) 📜 Translator's Summary — Letter 65