סט

I am informing you [מהודענא — mehodana — Aramaic: "I am making known, I am informing" — from the Aramaic root yeda — to know; a formal Aramaic code-switch for the act of notification, as used in Daniel and throughout Aramaic correspondence] that I arrived here in peace this very moment — and I had a great miracle on the road. In those waters where Reb Shmuel Bendirer had cast something [שהשלך ר' שמואל בענדיריר — "where Reb Shmuel Bendirer had thrown / cast" — hishlikh — had thrown, cast, flung; Reb Shmuel Bendirer had previously cast something into those waters — perhaps money or an object in fulfillment of a vow or custom — making this a known landmark on the coastal road identified by this act] — I stood there — and my mule wanted to drink — and went with me into the waters — and there was a great swamp — to the point that it was impossible to move from there. Only Hashem Yisbarach providentially arranged a donkey-driver — and he went into the waters and cried out at the mule — and Hashem Yisbarach performed a miracle — and gave strength to the mule — and it went out by a great miracle from the waters. And all said it was a great miracle. And I attribute it to the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל — and to the merit of the Anash who accompanied me with great love. May this merit stand for me in my going there and in my returning to Eretz Yisroel. And I will pray for all of you on Rosh Hashana.

Reb Peysi, may his candle shine, and Reb Moshe, may his candle shine, and Reb Leizer, may his candle shine — traveled to Yerushalayim — for they missed the time of Meron.

And I have greatly asked to inform my mother, may she live, and my wife, may she live, and my sister, may she live — that I arrived in peace in Barat. And G-d willing on Monday — G-d willing — I will direct my journey onto the ship.

Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Friday, Parshas Bamidbar, 5639 (late May or early June 1879), from Beirut. The writer has departed Eretz Yisroel. A dramatic miracle: his mule entered a deep swamp and was saved by divine providence.

נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Blessed be G-d — I am in life and in peace — and all my family here — blessed be G-d — in life and in peace. May I merit to hear from you life and peace — and a good inscription and sealing in the midst of all Israel. And to merit to see your faces in life and in peace — from within joy and from within expansive breadth of mind. [הרחבת הדעת — harkhavat ha'da'as — "expansiveness of the mind" — the open, spacious, broad mental clarity that is the opposite of the contracted, narrow mind of worry; a specific desirable state of inner freedom and clarity] And for the present moment — may Hashem Yisbarach merit us to receive the awesome holy days in holiness and purity — and weeping from within joy [ובכיה מתוך שמחה — "weeping from within joy" — the paradoxical Breslov elevated state: tears of longing and repentance that arise from within a framework of joy, not from sadness; the most exalted form of prayer at the Days of Awe] — and may our prayer be included in the midst of the holy assembly. And let me inform you — that I had suffering here from the pass — for today here it is very, very difficult to receive a passport. And for three weeks I sat here — until I received a passport here — through great miracles and through much prayer — that Rabbainu ז"ל revealed to us. And "Moses drew near to the thick darkness where G-d was" — for it is within the obstacles that Hashem is present. And I turned with all my heart to Hashem Yisbarach — until Hashem Yisbarach helped me with His great loving-kindness — for prayers are not in vain. And even so — one needs the loving-kindnesses of Hashem at all times. And every day felt to me like many days — for I surely should have already been in the Russian land [ברוסין לאנד — in Russin land — Yiddish code-switch: "in the Russian land" — land — Yiddish for country/land; the same word as in Letter 67's ayn land; a natural code-switch into Yiddish for the destination country]. But from Heaven I was delayed until now. And G-d willing after the coming Shabbos I will travel — by the mouth of Hashem — on my holy way.