עו

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.

And the general principle, my brothers my friends — if you want to live any life in this passing and drifting world — I do not know how it is possible to live without the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple and the disciple of his disciple. For if you want to find any repose for your soul — whether in the service of Hashem: study in the Laws of Reading the Torah, law 6 — whether in how one can conduct buying and selling: study in the Laws of Buying and Selling, law 4. And if you truly look in them — with complete faith and with true attachment to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — surely you will find repose for your souls. For I do not understand at all — how can one who is called by the name of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — how he does not constantly search in the treasure-house of the King — in the precious treasuries that Hashem Yisbarach revealed to Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple. For they restore the soul in this world and the next — and every single day that one studies in them — they will give life-force to that day — according to what passes over the person on that day. And without them I do not know how one receives life-force.

For Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple lived good lives and long lives — and could sing songs and enigmatic teachings — and could make time so that the time is precious — and draw us with their voice toward Hashem Yisbarach. And with their words — which are few that hold much — they can heal our souls from all our illnesses — which strike with ten arrows. Only we must bend our shoulder — in wholeheartedness and simplicity — to walk in the ways of Hashem Yisbarach and in the ways of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and with strong desires day and night — and not to relinquish the desire at all.

And Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple labored with great labors — with such healings — for the sake of drawing upon us and upon all who wish to shelter at the threshold of their holy presence [להסתופף בצלם הק' — "to shelter at the threshold of their holy presence" — from hisstopef — to linger at the entrance, to place oneself at the threshold; from saf — threshold; the image of one who stands at the threshold of the Tzaddik's holy presence, as in Psalms 84:11: "I would rather be a doorkeeper at the threshold of my G-d's house"] — such healings — precious healings — to heal our souls in this world and the next — and to clothe us in complete garments — so that nothing should be lacking for us — even at the time when he is in the synagogue in Yerushalayim — according to the garments. For every Torah teaching and every law is a garment for our souls.

And above all — Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple warned us about joy. For even seclusion-prayer — which was the essential thing for Rabbainu ז"ל — even so he commanded us: only one hour or two hours. And for all the rest of the day he warned us about joy — and from worry and sadness we must guard ourselves greatly. For Rabbainu ז"ל commanded us even to be joyful with matters of foolishness — for Rabbainu ז"ל foresaw and looked at how in these times the adversary would greatly overpower the joy — and would strengthen himself with sadness and worries — for this is his side. Therefore he said: be joyful even with matters of foolishness — for from this joy the adversary still does not know.

And particularly you, Reb Aizikl — what do you have to worry about? Is it not written: "the one who multiplies possessions multiplies worry"? — and this is also not an obligation, G-d forbid — for one must be happy with one's portion. And whoever worries about what he will eat tomorrow is of the small in faith. But you — what do you have to worry about? — for you have no possessions at all. Only you have a Shulchan Aruch and the books of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and Psalms and prayers. Grow old and worn out in them — and trust in Hashem — for surely He will not abandon you — and you will not die, G-d forbid, of hunger. And raise your eyes on high — and fulfill: "the eyes of all look to You with hope — and You give them their food in its time" — according to the trust.

And thus I speak to our friend Reb Henech, may his candle shine, and to Reb Avraham, may his candle shine, and to our beloved Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel, may his candle shine — although he has been withholding from me and has not written me any letter — even so I love him and have compassion on him — for he is a son of Avraham ז"ל.

And I ask of you — when you write to me a letter — write to me from the receipt of my letters — from which letter — in order to know whether you received my letter. And also — I received your letter with the draft for the sum of four and a half Meizhides — this morning after the morning prayer — and it gave us life.

And know that from the day of my arrival I have not received any letter from the diaspora from any place — except last week I received a letter from my daughter Gitl, may she live, from Bobrents — how the relatives of my son-in-law ז"ל are taking revenge upon her and her children. And she asks me to receive her son to be with me — for he is ten years old — and she has no means to pay his tuition fees — and has no one to watch over him — besides that she has no means to provide for her six children. May the Omnipresent have mercy on her and on her children. The orphan and the widow He upholds — Hashem shall reign forever.

On both this and that there is no news — only life and peace for you and all your household — and good tidings and complete healing.

On both this and that there is no news [זו"ז חדשות אין — "this and this, there is no news" — zu u'zu — "this and this, on both counts, in both directions"; the writer means: on both the matters you might wonder about, there is nothing new to report] — only life and peace and joy — נאר פריליך זיין — only be joyful — for in worries nothing is accomplished at all. Nussun from Breslov Written during the Omer, 5640 (late April or May 1880), from Teverya. The wife has an alarming new wound. A sustained teaching on studying Rabbainu ז"ל's books. Joy even with foolishness. Reb Aizikl has no possessions — only books; trust in G-d. A widowed daughter in poverty. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן