פ

Your letter from Wednesday I received properly on Friday. And now — I had already written a receipt for the money and given the receipt to Reb Dov, may his candle shine. But the letter to you — I had thought at first to send it with your mother-in-law, may she live, who said she would travel home in peace. But afterward — I did not want to let her travel home — only that she stay here at least until tomorrow. And she went to the hot springs of Teverya three times. And blessed be G-d — my wife, may she live, is still not in good health — but blessed be G-d — as she was — blessed be G-d — her illness has eased from her head pain.

And I received your letter that your wife is receiving remedies from the doctor. May Hashem Yisbarach help her — that the loan you lent me the money should stand in place of a redemption of soul — and should be upheld and maintained through her [ויהיו מקימים בה — "and may they be upheld and sustained through her" — from kayam — to establish, to uphold, to sustain; the money-merit should be maintained and uphold her in life, sustaining her] — and may she be healed. But I do not understand you — that you did something contrary to the will of Rabbainu ז"ל — for Rabbainu ז"ל warned about the doctor — not to receive remedies from him. And he warned very greatly to protect the body carefully. And have I not written to you many letters — do not act treacherously toward the wife of your youth [שלא תבגד באשת נעוריך — "do not act treacherously toward the wife of your youth" — the specific biblical phrase and condemnation from Malachi 2:14–15 and Proverbs 5:18: faithlessness to the wife of one's youth is a grievous transgression; bagad — to betray, to act with faithless treachery]? And particularly an upright wife. Therefore — of what use are the remedies — when afterward you do hard things? For you yourself must restrain her from doing things beyond her capacity. But all this is because you lack trust — and are always in sadness and melancholy — and all the worries fell upon you — and she surely immediately with grief and sighing. But you must turn her grief and sighing to joy and exultation — and this is the healing. And whoever is joyful — he succeeds. And "go eat your bread in joy" — and fulfill: "from all my teachers I gained understanding" — not for ill, G-d forbid — only for good. And believe and trust in Hashem Yisbarach that He will surely not abandon you — and receive your livelihood from Hashem Yisbarach in prayer and in joy. And Rabbainu ז"ל did not want the Anash to have, G-d forbid, darkened faces — only luminous, radiant faces. And study in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Shabbos, law 3 — and there your soul will be revived. And know that I truly love you — for I want you to live good, long lives together with your wife and children. And faith is prayer — faith in gematria is sons — alive and well.

And it is a wonder to me about you — that a young scholar came from Tzfas — who brought me a letter from Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine, from Bucharest — and told me that our friend, the veteran Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — together with his wife, may she live — are lying ill in their beds — may the Merciful One protect them. And I have very great grief from this. And you and Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine — I received letters from both of you — and neither of you mentioned this at all to me. Therefore for the sake of Hashem — immediately to inform me of their welfare — for I am confident in Hashem Yisbarach that He will surely, G-d willing, restore them to their original full vigor [לאיתנם — "to their eissan" — the original primal strength and vigor; from eissan — enduring, primal, primordial strength; the restoration to the full original state before illness, not merely recovery but return to their primal vigor] — and grant them length of days and good years. And tell on my behalf to Reb Nachman, may his candle shine, that he strengthen himself in trust in Hashem Yisbarach — for Hashem Yisbarach will surely heal him and his wife. For Rabbainu ז"ל said — it is a great benefit to a sick person when he strengthens himself — and even others who strengthen him — that too is a great benefit.

For the sake of Hashem — immediately write to me through a trustworthy person — and not through a donkey-driver. For with us — there is not a single twenty-para coin available to give him — as your mother-in-law, may she live, will tell you.

Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov

Written Sunday, Parshas Balak, 5640 (summer 1880), from Teverya. Rebuke about the doctor. Trust and joy are the true healing. Alarming news: Reb Nachman and his wife lying ill. 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 and peace. May Hashem Yisbarach merit me to hear from you and from all of you — life and peace. And may Hashem Yisbarach merit you to bring me good tidings of the recovery of our friend, the veteran Chassid, our beloved, Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — and may my soul be revived. For my soul is bound to his soul. And your letter from Wednesday of Balak I received properly — and you gave me life with the recovery of your wife, may she live. For we have nothing to lean on except our Father in Heaven — and the strength of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple — and the love of companions. For our whole matter hangs on affection — and if we would be truly beloved to one another — as was the will of Rabbainu ז"ל — as is explained in Chayei Moharan — nothing would have dominion over us. And the essential quality of love must be: "love covers all transgressions" — and to judge each one to the pan of merit — and even oneself. And Rabbainu ז"ל warned very greatly about this — for all of our Jewishness depends on this. And about this we must ask day and night — for in this we are delaying the building of the holy Temple. And Rabbainu ז"ל said explicitly: that through judging to the pan of merit — a Tabernacle is made — and the Tabernacle is called the holy place. And do not forget that we are called by the name of Rabbainu ז"ל — therefore we must at all times look within ourselves and reckon our ways — how to cleave to his holy ways. For the words of Rabbainu ז"ל are eternal — and belong to every person and every time and every place. And particularly as is explained in Likutay Halachos — that the boundaries of holiness are the two thousands — namely "I will sing" and "where." And in the Torah of "where" — it is explained that even when one is placed in defiled places — when one searches from there "where?" — through this the sealed saying is revealed. Therefore the resolution for this is "I will sing." And every day and every time we must look carefully in the words of Rabbainu ז"ל and the words of his holy disciple — and draw ourselves toward these things — to fulfill them at least as a thin needle's thread. And Hashem Yisbarach will assist us like the opening of the Hall. געוואלד לאמיר נישט פארשלאפן אינזערע יארן [Yiddish: "Help! — let us not sleep away our years"] — אין אויף וועקן פין איהם שלאף איז נאר דברי רבנו ז"ל ותלמידו הק' [Yiddish: "and to awaken from that sleep — there is only the words of Rabbainu ז"ל and his holy disciple"] — רק ולחם עצלות לא תאכל [Proverbs 31:27: "the bread of laziness do not eat"] — אין מיר דארפן זיך כאטש שניצן איין רגז [Yiddish: "and we must at least stir ourselves with one moment of agitation"] — אין מיר זעהן עכ"פ אז ביי אינז זאלן די חובלים נישט קאליע מאכן די נעימים [Yiddish: "and we must at least see to it that among us the destructive ones do not ruin the pleasant ones"] — and through this one merits offspring. And particularly we are several people in Eretz Yisroel — and Rabbainu ז"ל surely does not agree that there should be, G-d forbid, division among us. For Rabbainu ז"ל said: if you are joyful — it would be good for the entire world. And if we truly loved one another — it would also be good for the entire world. For the entire world was not created except to be a fellowship and company for this [לצות לזה — "to be a tzusa for this" — tzavta — the Aramaic word for company, fellowship, companionship; the same root as b'tzusa chada in Letter 78; the world was created to be a fellowship, a community of companionship, in the service of this purpose]. And according to the Tzaddik's relationship with his people — so is the conduct toward the benefit of the world. And now it is the period between the straits — when the holy Temple was destroyed — because there was no love between them. And we must repair this. Therefore we must at all times reckon our ways — so that there be no obstruction from our side. And we must weep and supplicate before Hashem Yisbarach greatly — that there should be no obstruction from our side — and that we should not need, G-d forbid, to undergo another reincarnation for this reason [להתגלגל — lehisgaralgel — to be reincarnated, to undergo a gilgul — soul-transmigration; the specific Kabbalistic concept: if we do not repair the lack of love in this life, our souls may need to return in another round of existence to complete this repair; a weighty Kabbalistic concern]. Therefore each and every one must have love embedded in his heart for all the Anash — and judge each and every one to the pan of merit — for we do not know his place. And because of the time of the morning prayer I was brief. But what is this — that I wrote in the letter to your co-parent-in-law to reply to me on several matters — and you did not reply to me? And also to tell our friend Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine — that the large letter he sent me from Bucharest — I sent back to him through your mother-in-law, may she live — and within it was enclosed a letter that I wrote to Reb Pinchas Yosef, may his candle shine — so ask for the letter. And also I received a letter from Reb Nussun son of Reb Yekusiel ז"ל — and tell him that I will write him a letter — and now there was no leisure — for by day and by night I cannot write — because I sit all day and all night in a bath of sweat. Words of one who truly loves you in truth and wholeness, Nussun from Breslov Written Tuesday, Parshas Pinchas, 5640 (summer 1880), from Teverya. Love between the Anash builds the Temple. The needle's thread and the Hall's gateway. The period between the straits. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Today I received your letter with two Meizhides and a quarter Meizhide — and I did with them as you wrote to me. And also the Meizhide I will pass to the Rebbetzin — Reb Aitzikel's wife — but I do not know whether the Meizhide is against the old debt of two rubles pozit that she has been claiming for a while — or whether her son sent it now with your co-parent-in-law, may his candle shine, from Odessa. Therefore write to me. And also know — from your letter I was left nearly faint — for you wrote to me those three words: and the above-mentioned has left us the living — and I read the letter many times until I settled my mind — that these three words go about the Gralene — and I do not know the explanation. And the greatness of my grief — even from my own explanation — is beyond reckoning and estimation. And particularly from the sufferings that have been aroused upon you now — may Hashem Yisbarach sweeten the judgments quickly — in the merit of Rabbainu ז"ל who is able to sweeten all the twenty-four courts of law. And we need now to weep greatly over the destruction of the holy Temple — for one who has no inner awareness — it is as if the holy Temple was destroyed in his days. And when our words are not received — it is a sign that our inner awareness is not complete. Therefore we must weep greatly. And even so — we must find some expansiveness — from some exchange — and know that surely everything is for good. For one who has faith — his life is truly life — as is explained. And I have much to write to you — but because my intellect is thrown into confusion [שמחי מבלבל — "my intellect is confused / bewildered" — from sekhel — intellect, understanding; and mevulbal — thrown into disorder, confused; it is specifically the faculty of intellect and understanding that is thrown into disorder by the weight of the troubles] from the troubles that occurred to you — may the Merciful One protect you — may Hashem Yisbarach turn everything to joy for you and for us. And I have greatly asked to write to me the incident of the Gralene. And from all sufferings — we must nullify our own will and self toward the ultimate purpose. [לבטל עצמנו אל התכלית — "to nullify ourselves toward the ultimate purpose" — the specific Chassidic act of bitul — voluntary self-nullification of the ego and personal will; levatel atzmenu — to annul and make ourselves null; directed el ha'tachlis — toward the ultimate divine purpose and end-goal; a weighty Kabbalistic-Chassidic spiritual act] Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Wednesday, Parshas Matos-Masei, 5640 (summer 1880), from Teverya. Three Aramaic words left the writer nearly faint. The intellect thrown into confusion. Nullify the self toward the ultimate purpose. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Your letter from Wednesday I received properly on Friday. And now — I had already written a receipt for the money and given the receipt to Reb Dov, may his candle shine. But the letter to you — I had thought at first to send it with your mother-in-law, may she live, who said she would travel home in peace. But afterward — I did not want to let her travel home — only that she stay here at least until tomorrow. And she went to the hot springs of Teverya three times. And blessed be G-d — my wife, may she live, is still not in good health — but blessed be G-d — as she was — blessed be G-d — her illness has eased from her head pain. And I received your letter that your wife is receiving remedies from the doctor. May Hashem Yisbarach help her — that the loan you lent me the money should stand in place of a redemption of soul — and should be upheld and maintained through her [ויהיו מקימים בה — "and may they be upheld and sustained through her" — from kayam — to establish, to uphold, to sustain; the money-merit should be maintained and uphold her in life, sustaining her] — and may she be healed. But I do not understand you — that you did something contrary to the will of Rabbainu ז"ל — for Rabbainu ז"ל warned about the doctor — not to receive remedies from him. And he warned very greatly to protect the body carefully. And have I not written to you many letters — do not act treacherously toward the wife of your youth [שלא תבגד באשת נעוריך — "do not act treacherously toward the wife of your youth" — the specific biblical phrase and condemnation from Malachi 2:14–15 and Proverbs 5:18: faithlessness to the wife of one's youth is a grievous transgression; bagad — to betray, to act with faithless treachery]? And particularly an upright wife. Therefore — of what use are the remedies — when afterward you do hard things? For you yourself must restrain her from doing things beyond her capacity. But all this is because you lack trust — and are always in sadness and melancholy — and all the worries fell upon you — and she surely immediately with grief and sighing. But you must turn her grief and sighing to joy and exultation — and this is the healing. And whoever is joyful — he succeeds. And "go eat your bread in joy" — and fulfill: "from all my teachers I gained understanding" — not for ill, G-d forbid — only for good. And believe and trust in Hashem Yisbarach that He will surely not abandon you — and receive your livelihood from Hashem Yisbarach in prayer and in joy. And Rabbainu ז"ל did not want the Anash to have, G-d forbid, darkened faces — only luminous, radiant faces. And study in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Shabbos, law 3 — and there your soul will be revived. And know that I truly love you — for I want you to live good, long lives together with your wife and children. And faith is prayer — faith in gematria is sons — alive and well. And it is a wonder to me about you — that a young scholar came from Tzfas — who brought me a letter from Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine, from Bucharest — and told me that our friend, the veteran Chassid Reb Nachman, may his candle shine — together with his wife, may she live — are lying ill in their beds — may the Merciful One protect them. And I have very great grief from this. And you and Reb Aizikl, may his candle shine — I received letters from both of you — and neither of you mentioned this at all to me. Therefore for the sake of Hashem — immediately to inform me of their welfare — for I am confident in Hashem Yisbarach that He will surely, G-d willing, restore them to their original full vigor [לאיתנם — "to their eissan" — the original primal strength and vigor; from eissan — enduring, primal, primordial strength; the restoration to the full original state before illness, not merely recovery but return to their primal vigor] — and grant them length of days and good years. And tell on my behalf to Reb Nachman, may his candle shine, that he strengthen himself in trust in Hashem Yisbarach — for Hashem Yisbarach will surely heal him and his wife. For Rabbainu ז"ל said — it is a great benefit to a sick person when he strengthens himself — and even others who strengthen him — that too is a great benefit. For the sake of Hashem — immediately write to me through a trustworthy person — and not through a donkey-driver. For with us — there is not a single twenty-para coin available to give him — as your mother-in-law, may she live, will tell you. Words of one who truly loves you, Nussun from Breslov Written Sunday, Parshas Balak, 5640 (summer 1880), from Teverya. Rebuke about the doctor. Trust and joy are the true healing. Alarming news: Reb Nachman and his wife lying ill. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן