תרפ"ז

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. On the eve [lit. "the light"] of Monday, [Torah portion of] Va'era , 5687, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. [Letter opens with ellipsis, indicating an omission:] ...And regarding our livelihood, there is nothing new to write — certainly Hashem, may He be blessed, performs great miracles with us. But we need much mercy — both in livelihood and in other matters. And certainly there is no counsel except to believe in His Providence, may He be blessed, and to trust in Hashem, may He be blessed, etc. [וכו׳] Shimshon Barski. ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Thursday, [Torah portion of] Yisro , 5687, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. I am here to inform you that we are, praise to G-d, among the living and in peace. May Hashem, may He be blessed, help [us] always to hear only good. Yesterday I received your letter, etc. [וכו׳] And regarding your apology [ hisnatzlus ] about the battle of thought [ milchemes hamachshavah ] and the abundance of bustle [ ribui hatredos ] — my counsel is that you should read constantly at all times the letters [in the book] Alim LiTrufah [ "Leaves for Healing" — the published letters of R' Yitzchak, son of Reb Nosson of Breslov, to his father and to the Breslov community — a beloved Breslov text ]. For it is explained there greatly regarding the matter of the battle of thought [ milchemes hamachshavah ] — of R' Yitzchak, son of Moharan"as [ Reb Nosson ], of blessed memory — how he wrote each time to Moharan"as, of blessed memory, regarding the overcoming of the confusions of thoughts that came over him — and what Moharan"as, of blessed memory, replied to him: how to strengthen oneself so as not to be confused at all — only to strengthen oneself to always draw the thought into Torah or into prayer or into commerce [ masa umatan ]. And through this one will automatically be saved from strange thoughts [ machshavos zaros ]. And certainly the main thing is the will [ haratzon ] — meaning: you must long and yearn and request from Hashem, may He be blessed, that He give you livelihood with ample provision and with kashrut and without an abundance of bustle [ ribui hatredos ]. But to be saddened and to worry about the bustle of livelihood — that is, to worry about the fact that you are compelled to engage in the bustle of livelihood — this is certainly forbidden. Remember well what is brought in Likutay Moharan , Part 1, chapter 35: for commerce conducted in faith [ masa umatan b'emunah ] is [in the aspect of] sacrifices and incense [ korbanos v'ketores ]. Therefore you are obligated to engage in commerce for your livelihood with faith, and with joy, and with true trust in Hashem, may He be blessed — and to remember Hashem, may He be blessed, well during your engagement in commerce — and to fix times every day for Torah and for prayer as much as possible. And this is very precious before Hashem, may He be blessed. And you have the right [ yesh lecha reshus ] to seek mercy with joy that Hashem, may He be blessed, give you livelihood without bustle. Now I shall inform you of the miracles and the kindnesses that Hashem, may He be blessed, performed for us this week — on Monday. On Monday of this week my son Pinchas, may he live, was compelled to appear before the government regarding the matter of military service [ avodas hatzavah ]... And this matter is a great danger in materiality and spirituality for such a person. And Hashem, may He be blessed, granted me merit to remember that aside from prayer and the seeking of mercy from Him, may He be blessed, we have no counsel whatsoever to strive for his good and his salvation. And I strove, with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed, to fulfill the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: "A person should always bring prayer before trouble" [ Talmud, Berachos 8a — one should pray proactively, not only when already in distress ]. And I also fulfilled, with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed, a small [act of] charity [ tzedakah ]. And Hashem, may He be blessed, in His mercy was in our aid — for His sake, may He be blessed, and for the sake of our master, of blessed memory, in whose holy shade we take shelter — and took him out to freedom for the present — for one year. May Hashem, may He be blessed, thus have mercy with still greater mercy — and save him and take him out to complete freedom without any sufferings and fears, etc. [וכו׳] Your father who seeks your peace and your good in materiality and spirituality, Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Tuesday, [Torah portion of] Pekudei , 5687, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. I am here to inform you that we are, praise to G-d [ taf-lamed-ches — an abbreviation of תהילה לאל — praise to G-d ], among the living and in peace. May Hashem, may He be blessed, help [us] always to hear only good — and may we merit soon to see one another face to face in joy in every detail, etc. [וכו׳] Also there is [available] to purchase the Likutay Aitzos [ "Gathered Counsels" — a compilation by Reb Nosson of Breslov of Rebbe Nachman's practical guidance, organized alphabetically by topic ] from the Rebbe, of blessed memory, of Tcherin [ R' Nachman of Tcherin — a major Breslov figure who published several compilations of Rebbe Nachman's teachings ] — and it is an abridgment [ kitzur ] of all the Likutay Halachos . And it is a very necessary book for all who truly wish for the rectification of their soul, etc., etc. [וכו׳ וכו׳] Also it seems to my humble opinion that those who are found in your country who seek and long specifically [ davka ] for those Likutay Halachos that are hard to find — this is the work of the evil inclination, who wishes to distance and to push away from engaging in those Likutay Halachos that are found easily. For in truth — through the holy Likutay Moharan and through the Likutay Halachos Orach Chaim , Part 1 — if one studies them truly to do and to fulfill — one can become a complete Tzadik in truth. And you write that the main thing they seek is those Likutay Halachos that are almost impossible to find. Therefore — reply to those who seek: give them the Yoreh Dei'ah [ Part 2 of the Likutay Halachos ] and the Choshen Mishpat [ Part 3 of the Likutay Halachos ] and the other books of our Rebbe, of blessed memory, that are hard to find. If only they would fulfill what is written in the Likutay Halachos Orach Chaim , Part 1, which is available — and afterward let them seek the rest. Your father who desires your peace and your good and the peace of all your household in materiality and spirituality, Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Monday, [Torah portion of] Tazria , 5687, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...And may we merit to always recognize His kindnesses and His mercies in every detail — and to give thanks to Him, may He be blessed, for the past — and to trust in Him, may He be blessed, always — and to pray to Him, may He be blessed, in truth for the future, etc. [וכו׳] My son Nosson, may he live — I counsel you for your true good: that you establish for yourself a fixed daily study session [ kviyus limud b'chol yom ] in the Likutay Aitzos with the Hebrew-Yiddish [ ivri-taytsh ] commentary [ Rabbi Shimshon himself worked on a Yiddish translation/commentary of the Likutay Aitzos — here he is urging his son to study the work he is preparing ]. And study every day some paragraphs — both in the holy language [ lashon hakodesh ] and in the Hebrew-Yiddish — and study with patience and with great attention. And with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed, you will receive from this a great strengthening and arousal and abundant renewal — which is the foundation and the root for the entire point of Judaism in truth to its truth. And so too tell [this] to all Anash and to all who truly desire the point of truth. Your father who blesses you with all good — and with a kosher and joyous Passover, Shimshon Barski.