צב

And they also informed me in Odessa that emissaries from Vilna — known as perushim — would arrive shortly before Pesach. And I was waiting that they would come — for I knew they would certainly travel. But they did not come before Pesach. And after Pesach — on Wednesday — Hashem Blessed be He provided the ship mentioned above for me. And I did not wish to wait at all for the emissaries. And I hired the ship immediately — that we two alone would travel on the ship — among all Gentiles. And also I had never been on a ship at all. But even so — the love of the holiness of Eretz Yisroel overpowered all the obstacles with the help of Hashem. And behold — I note here a great kindness of Hashem: that throughout all the days I stood in Odessa — Hashem Blessed be He provided me in His kindness a place of rest — a private room — in Rabbi Tzvi's house where I sat all day. For I ate and lodged at Rabbi Henich's. But all day long I sat in that house — only in the private room mentioned above. And this benefited me very, very greatly for the journey to Eretz Yisroel. For without this — I would not have been able to linger in Odessa so long. And who knows whether I would have traveled to Eretz Yisroel.