תר"צ

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Wednesday, [Torah portion of] Vayeshev , 5695, Uman. [Note: The manuscript reads אומאן — a variant spelling of אומין (Uman)] Addressed to: My dear son [ b'ni hayakar ], Nosson, may he live — together with 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 hear and to make heard only good and kindness always. I am greatly astonished that you wrote that you have not received from us any letter for a long time — I cannot understand this — for not long ago I sent you a large registered letter [ zakaznoye — Yiddish/Russian: a registered postal letter ] with many words of faith and true strengthening. Presumably you received the said letter after your sending us the letter from the night after the holy Sabbath of the portion of Toldos . There is no news with us. May Hashem, may He be blessed, have mercy and continue to draw upon us kindnesses and mercy as we require always — and grant us merit to true faith and true trust — which is the very essence of kindness and mercy. For through this one can always live a life of rest and a life of tranquility [ chayei menucha v'chayei shalvah ] — for the riches and the expansions of the world are bitter and embitter the lives of their owners — knowingly and unknowingly. But true faith and trust nullify from their owners the bitterness — and draw to them a life of rest and tranquility. Your father who blesses you with all good in materiality and spirituality, Shimshon. ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Addressed to: My dear son [ b'ni hayakar ], Nosson, may he live — together with all his household, may they live. I ask you to inform me about my dear and beloved grandson, Yisrael, may he live — for length of days and years — whether he is going to the cheder [Jewish elementary school] to learn — whether he knows the letters [ osiyos ] and the vowel-points [ nekudos ] — whether the teacher studies with him the blessings [ brachos ] for all manner of food and drink, and similar matters. And without excuse — conduct yourself with him with gentleness [ b'nichusa ] in every matter — and do not impose upon him any fear or dread whatsoever in any matter. For the mind of a child is very weak — as is known — and because of this it is forbidden to impose upon him any fear or dread of any thing — so that he not come to any stumbling-block, G-d forbid. Also — without excuse — tell the teacher with whom he learns: that he should not conduct himself with him with any anger or irritation [ keas v'rogez ] — and not impose upon him any fear or dread — both during the study of the Siddur and during the learning of the blessings and similar matters. Let him conduct himself with him with gentleness — and not with anger and irritation — so that his mind not be weakened, G-d forbid. Without excuse — fulfill everything as per my writing in this letter. And may Hashem, may He be blessed, help in His mercy — that you raise him together with all your children for Torah and good deeds — from within the expansiveness and pleasure of holiness [ min toch harchavah v'nachas d'kedushah ]. Your father, Shimshon.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Monday, [Torah portion of] Beshalach , 5695, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...And the main thing: strengthen yourself always in faith in Providence — and in true trust in Hashem, may He be blessed. And believe with all your heart that He, may He be blessed, sustains all creatures — and you too He will not abandon — together with all your household, may they live. And without excuse — distance yourself very, very much from worries — and in particular from sadness — may the Merciful One save us [ Rachmana litzlan ]. And when you strengthen yourself in joy always — you will see with your own eyes the miracles of Hashem, may He be blessed, and His goodnesses and kindnesses at every time. Your father who seeks your peace and your good always — and who blesses you with all good in materiality and spirituality, Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Thursday, [Torah portion of] Vayeilech , 5695, Uman. Opening blessing: A good completion and a good sealing [ gemar chasimah tovah ] for life and peace and length of days and years and all good in materiality and spirituality. [Letter opens with ellipsis:] ...And from afar I feel what has passed over you — may it not be remembered now [ nit itzt gedacht ]. And from now on — may Hashem, may He be blessed, guard you and all your children from all manner of ailments and afflictions and from all manner of fears — and give to you and to all your children length of days and years — and good livelihood in ample provision and in pleasure and with kashrut — and all good in materiality and spirituality — for His sake, may He be blessed, and in the merit of the true Tzadikim who gave to the children in the forest [ an allusion to a story from the Sipuray Maasiyos — the stories of Rebbe Nachman — in which Tzadikim give children in a forest good and long life ] — good lives and long lives — as is explained in the Sipuray Maasiyos . I longed to elaborate further in writing — but because it is close to the Sabbath [ samuch l'Shabbos ] — and also because we are now between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur [ בין כסא לעשור — between the New Moon and the tenth: the Ten Days of Repentance ] — and one must increase greatly in prayer and supplication to Hashem, may He be blessed — that He guard us in His mercy in the new year from all manner of afflictions and fears — and give us in His mercy as a free gift [ b'matnas chinam ]: life and peace and all good, etc., etc. [וכו׳ וכו׳] — and because of this there is not sufficient leisure to elaborate in writing. Your father who blesses you — together with your children, may they live — with a good completion and a good sealing [ gemar chasimah tovah ], Shimshon Barski.

ב"ה — With the help of G-d. Wednesday, [Torah portions of] Tazria-Metzora [ תו"מ — abbreviation ], 5694, Uman. Addressed to: My dear son, Nosson, may he live — and to all his household, may they live. Your letter from this past week we received. And I am here to inform you that certainly Hashem, may He be blessed, does great kindnesses and great mercies for us — in materiality and in spirituality. And for the festival of Passover — Hashem, may He be blessed, provided for us matzos and wine of the vine and meat and fish and the rest of the necessary needs — all in ample provision. And for the future — one must strengthen oneself anew in faith in Providence and true trust — and believe that Hashem, may He be blessed, will not abandon us, etc. [וכו׳] Your father who always seeks mercy on your behalf, Shimshon Barski.