תרפ"ט

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. On the eve [lit. "the light"] of Thursday, [Torah portion of] Vayishlach , 5689, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. Your letters from the Torah portion of Toldos and from the Torah portion of Vayeitzei — we received. And we rejoiced with them as is our constant way. And what you wish to know about the gathering of Rosh Hashana — I am here to inform you that there were on Rosh Hashana new souls who have never, never [ מעולם מעולם — deliberate double emphasis ] been in Uman — and some of them were Torah scholars [ ba'alei Torah ] and God-fearing men [ ba'alei yiras Hashem ]. May Hashem, may He be blessed, have mercy — that the truth of the light of our master, of blessed memory, be revealed speedily in all the world — for upon this depends the rectification of the world, etc. [וכו׳] And regarding my travel to Poland — at present it is an impossible matter for many reasons. May Hashem, may He be blessed, help us in His abundant mercy — that we merit to see one another in pleasure and in great joy before Hashem, may He be blessed. Everything is possible. And regarding your traveling to Uman — certainly I and your mother, may she live, long very greatly for this. But this too requires His blessed will — for I cannot do more than send you once again an urging [ faderingl — Yiddish: a summons, a calling forward ]. But certainly it is in His hand and His blessed will. And at present one must believe that even this is for the good — in spirituality and in materiality. Your father who seeks your peace and your good and the good of all your household, may they live, in body, soul, and livelihood, Shimshon Barski. ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Thursday, [Torah portion of] Bo , 5689, 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, blessed be G-d, among the living and in peace. May Hashem, may He be blessed, help [us] to merit to hear only good always, etc. [וכו׳] [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...And regarding your strengthening in the ways of our master, of blessed memory — you are certainly obligated to remember well that sadness [ atzves ] is forbidden with a very severe prohibition — both in materiality and in spirituality. In materiality: one must always look at the kindnesses and the goodnesses that Hashem, may He be blessed, bestows at every moment — as our master, of blessed memory, explained the verse "In my distress You have broadened me" [ Tehillim / Psalms 4:2 ] — namely: that one must always look at the expansions [ harchavos ] and the kindnesses [ chasadim ] that Hashem, may He be blessed, constantly bestows upon a person in materiality. And in spirituality: one must always search within oneself and find good points [ nekudos tovos ] — in order to always strengthen oneself in joy. But sadness is very forbidden. Also one must guard oneself greatly from the quality of pride and coarseness of spirit [ midas haga'avah v'gasas haruach ] which is common in your country — for sadness and pride are two corruptions that distance a person greatly from the truth to its truth. May Hashem, may He be blessed, have mercy and always guard us from all manner of bad qualities — and grant us merit to all good qualities — and in particular to true joy [ simchah b'emes ] and to true humility [ shefilus emes ] — for all the above it is impossible to merit except through the holy daas of our master, of blessed memory — when one truly nullifies oneself to his holy light as is fitting. Your father who seeks your peace and who blesses you and your household with all good in spirituality and materiality, Shimshon.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Wednesday, [Torah portion of] Tetzaveh , 5689, 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, blessed be G-d, among the living and in peace, etc. [וכו׳] [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...And without excuse [ beli teirutz ] — distance yourself from sadness and worries — only strengthen yourself in faith in individual Divine Providence [ emunah b'hashgachah pratis ] and in true trust in Hashem, may He be blessed — in every detail — both regarding livelihood and regarding healing — both for yourself and for your household, may they live. And through this you will always live in joy and with a settled mind [ yishuv hada'as ] — and this is propitious for all good. Your father who seeks your peace and your good in spirituality and materiality — and who always prays for you and for your household, Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Monday, [Torah portion of] Metzora , the fifth of the month of Nissan, 5689, 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, with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed, among the living and in peace. May Hashem, may He be blessed, grant us merit to always hear only good in spirituality and materiality, etc. [וכו׳] May Hashem, may He be blessed, have mercy upon us and sweeten from upon us all our troubles and afflictions — and grant us merit to recognize Him, may He be blessed, and His individual Providence — from within expansion and pleasure [ min toch harchavah v'nachas ] — in general and in particular, etc. [וכו׳] Your father who seeks your good and your success in spirituality and materiality — and who blesses you with a kosher and joyous Passover [ Pesach kasher v'samayach ] —

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Tuesday, [Torah portion of] Emor , 5689, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...But as long as you are unable to travel [to Uman] without any fears and confusions — it is forbidden for you to be saddened by the prevention from traveling to Uman. And even to think about it more than necessary is also forbidden — for the worries and the thoughts about it more than necessary cause, G-d forbid, many stumbling-blocks of sadness and weakness of mind [ chalishus da'as ]. And this is the complete opposite of truth. Certainly one must long and yearn truly to come to Uman — and to prostrate oneself in prayer before Hashem, may He be blessed, at the holy tziyon of our master, of blessed memory. But if one cannot travel on account of the prevention and the danger of the borders [ skanat hagvulin ] — one is certainly forbidden to be saddened and confused by this. For through the study of the books of our master, of blessed memory, and fulfilling what is written there — one can be a complete Tzadik in every place one finds oneself — if it is altogether impossible in any manner to come to the holy tziyon — as is the case now. And regarding this time our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "One who is prevented by force [ ones ] — the Merciful One exempts him" [ Talmud, Bava Kama 28b — the principle that involuntary inability removes the obligation ], etc. [וכו׳] And regarding the weakness of your health and the constriction of your livelihood — you are also obligated to strengthen yourself in faith and in trust in Hashem, may He be blessed — and to hope for healing and for livelihood with ample provision — and to always look at the kindnesses and the expansions that Hashem, may He be blessed, bestows upon you and upon your household — and to strengthen yourself and give thanks to Hashem, may He be blessed, always for each and every kindness. And through this Hashem, may He be blessed, will expand [ yarchiv ] for you — both in livelihood and in healing. And you are obligated to overcome in every possible way — to distance yourself in every manner of distancing from sadness, from worries, and from grief [ yigunim ]. For through these come, G-d forbid, many stumbling-blocks. May G-d guard us. And you can learn true strengthening from me myself — for I am always a sick person, as you know. And regarding my livelihood I have no foundation according to nature whatsoever. And I am always compelled to rely on miracles. And all this is through the little bit of faith and the little bit of true trust that our master, of blessed memory, has instilled in me. And Hashem, may He be blessed, in His mercy does not abandon me, G-d forbid — and helps me in His kindness each time with a little bit of healing and a little bit of livelihood. And so too with you — when you strengthen yourself in faith and in trust and in joy — Hashem, may He be blessed, will help you with blessing and success in the work of your hands — as it is written: "And He will bless you in all that you do" [ Devarim / Deuteronomy 15:18 ]. And you will merit, with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed, livelihood and healing — for you and for your household. And the main thing — distance yourself from sadness and worries in every manner of distancing — and strengthen yourself in joy and in hope to Hashem, may He be blessed — and to look always at the expansions and the kindnesses that Hashem, may He be blessed, bestows upon you and upon your household at every time. And then it will be good for you — certainly — with the help of Hashem, may He be blessed. There is no need to elaborate further. If only you would fulfill all that is written in this my letter — for I did not write all the above of myself, but from the daas of our master, of blessed memory. [ Yiddish closing instruction: ] This letter you should read for a long time [ zman rav ] — once every day. Your father who seeks your good and your success in spirituality and materiality, Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Wednesday, [Torah portion of] Bamidbar , 5689, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...It seems to me [ nila'de — abbreviation of נראה לעניות דעתי — it appears to my humble opinion ] that you do not need to be stubborn [ l'his'akesh ] about the travel [to Uman] — only if Hashem, may He be blessed, helps [you to find] such counsels that you will be able to achieve the matter without many confusions and without dangers — then certainly how good! And if not — you are obligated to wait and to seek mercy from Hashem, may He be blessed — until Hashem, may He be blessed, helps you to be able to travel to Uman without great confusions. And for the present — engage every day in the study of the books of our master, of blessed memory, with constancy and with eagerness — and in particular in Psalms [ Tehillim ] and in the prayers [ tefilos ] and at the Gates of the holy Tziyon [ שערי ציון הקדוש — the gates of the holy gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman, where one prostrates oneself in prayer ] — and all in wholeness [ temimusdik ] and simplicity [ peshitusdik ]. And Hashem, may He be blessed, will help that everything be in the very best manner... Your father who seeks your peace and who desires your good, etc. [וכו׳] — and who mentions you for good at the holy tziyon , Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Monday, [Torah portion of] Nitzavim-Vayeilech [ נו"י — abbreviation ], 5689, Uman. Addressed to: A good writing and a good sealing [ kesivah vachasimah tovah — the traditional Rosh Hashana greeting: "May you be written and sealed for good" ] in body, soul, and livelihood — to my dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...Therefore the counsel is that you should pray greatly to Hashem, may He be blessed — but truly completely [ nor emes gomar ] — to know how to conduct yourself in every detail. And Hashem, may He be blessed, will certainly help you to understand the truth of every matter. Your father who blesses you with a good year in body, soul, and livelihood, Shimshon Barski.