פג

Afterward came the second holy Shabbas in Odessa — and that was Parshas HaChodesh. And also Rosh Chodesh Nissan was that Shabbas. And on Shabbas at the morning meal — the men of Nemirov mentioned above came to me. And also there came to me a fitting man who wished to travel to Eretz Yisroel — his name was Rabbi Aharon Yehuda. And he had been sitting there in Odessa since before the previous Rosh Hashana. And he was a poor and impoverished man — and prayed with voices and great fire. And therefore the people of the study hall of Odessa distanced him — and he wandered about. For "one who turns from evil is deemed mad" [Isaiah 59] in those times. And they also said about him before me that he was a mad man. And in truth he had some unusual movements. But I had faith in him — and immediately regarded him as a fitting man. And had I not already written to Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer to come to Odessa to travel with me to Eretz Yisroel — it is possible I would have taken him with me on the journey to Eretz Yisroel. And also two men from Mezhbuzh came to me. And I spoke with them a little. And I said before them the Torah Azamra l'Elokai b'Odi [Likutay Moharan §282]. And they said that I had greatly enlivened them and had touched them very deeply — for this matter was very needed for them. (And it is already known to us that the words of Rabbainu zichrono livracha enliven everything — in particular the matter of Azamra l'Elokai b'Odi mentioned above.) After Shabbas I began asking a little about ships. For I was content to travel on a ship even before Pesach. But even so I was somewhat reluctant because of several reasons: (1) Because of the festival of Pesach — perhaps it would arrive while on the ship — and how is it possible to be careful from leaven among so many Gentiles? (2) Because I had already written that Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer should come. (3) Because at that time the winds were not yet favorable enough. And also the ships had not yet begun to depart except a very few.