עה

I bring you good tidings as well — good tiding facing good tiding. For my wife, may she live, on Shabbos and on Sunday was in mortal danger — and none believed she would live. And blessed be G-d on Monday her illness eased — and now blessed be G-d she walks in the house. For she had illness and vomitings — may the Merciful One protect us. But good it is to give thanks to Hashem for all the loving-kindness He has bestowed upon us. And may Hashem Yisbarach give life to you and your household in the fullness of good — both in the physical and in the spiritual — as you gave life to us with your letter. And my wife, may she live, danced for joy — that our friend the beloved of our souls Reb Tzvi, may his candle shine, is in life and in peace. May you swiftly and soon bring us good tidings about your brother, may his candle shine — who every day does not depart from my mind — for I was thinking thoughts outside, G-d forbid — because for a weighty span of time [זמן כביר — "a weighty, substantial time" — from kabir — heavy, weighty, great; not merely a long time but a heavily weighty one; the duration carried significant weight and gravity] — he wrote to us that he is ill — and there was no letter from him about his recovery. Therefore may Eliyahu be clothed in you — and you brought us good tidings — so at all times may Eliyahu be clothed in you and bring us good tidings.

And regarding what you wrote me — to give you counsel — one must first pray and fix us with good counsel — for I do not know whether he knows the particulars of buying and selling. And due to the urgency of the postal carriage I have no leisure to sit and settle myself — only you write to me in what manner you want to do with him — and what kind of shop you want to make with him — and I will settle myself and pray — perhaps Hashem Yisbarach will send us some good counsel. And also what you wrote about your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine — gave me life very greatly — for a person came here and gave me greetings of peace from your mother-in-law, may she live — and I had very great suffering from this. But a good man brings good tidings. And the straight thing would have been to write to you words flowing from the Hinnuvme — for I have many words — but due to the urgency of the postal carriage I have no leisure to bring them from potential into actual.

And regarding the Maizide money that was sent to me through Reb Yisroel Avraham, may his candle shine — I received it and it gave us life. And the remainder of the money — send it to me through the patron Reb Chaim Yehoshua, may his candle shine, to Reb Dov, may his candle shine. And send me all the money — although I owe you — G-d willing when money comes to me from my son, may his candle shine, I will then discharge and clear the debt. And G-d willing I will write to you a letter at the time the money comes into my hands. And convey greetings of peace on my behalf to your father, may his candle shine — and write to me whether it is in his mind to travel to the diaspora. And to all the Anash who are beloved to me as my own soul.

Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Encamped in Teverya.

Written Wednesday, 11th of the Omer, 5640 (late April or early May 1880), from Teverya. The wife recovered from mortal danger. Reb Tzvi is alive. May Eliyahu be clothed in you. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Thanks to G-d for our lives — blessed be G-d, blessed be G-d — all of us here in life. But they will not allow me to restore my spirit [לא יתנוני השב רוחי — "they do not allow me to restore my spirit" — hashev ruchi — to return / restore the spirit to its settled equilibrium; a more specific image than merely "rest" — it is the restoration of the spirit to its composed, settled state; they will not let the spirit be restored and recomposed] — with my wife, may she live. For blessed be G-d Hashem Yisbarach helped us — and returned life to her. But I do not know whether from an evil eye there formed upon her a wound with very great pain — to the point that she cries out with a bitter voice by day and by night — for six days now — and they still see only a red mark. And everything is allusions — to draw closer to His service, may He be blessed. For there is no place to flee from the blows of time except to Hashem Yisbarach and to His holy Torah — and to multiply prayer and supplication before Hashem Yisbarach — until Hashem looks down and sweetens all the harsh judgments — both above and below. And for livelihood — one need not worry at all. For we do not know at all — if sometimes the livelihood is in great constriction — we do not know what is being exchanged for this. And there is no counsel for anything except Torah and prayer — and not to be lazy of mouth before Hashem Yisbarach [לא לעצל פה — "not to be lazy of mouth" — the laziness of not opening the mouth to speak in prayer; the mouth must not be lazy but must open in prayer and supplication] in prayer and supplication — to strengthen oneself in trust — and to raise our eyes on high — and to believe in the personal divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach over every single particular — how He watches over us — and through this He watches over us with a complete and full gaze.