צה

And afterward he gave us a boat. And we both descended into it — even though it would have been sufficient for Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer to go alone for the belongings. But from the greatness of my joy I also went. And also in order to see the faces of the friends who had accompanied us — for I knew they were certainly waiting for us. And so it was — that immediately when we came to the border — we saw them from afar. And we called to them to come. And Rabbi Tzvi and Rabbi Ber from Lipavitz came toward us with faces of love and very great longing and yearning. But now we were no longer permitted to gather together — only to speak with them from a distance through the border fence (called prigivarniye) — as is known to those familiar with such things. And I did not know whether I was permitted to enter the gate to the house where our belongings were placed. And I saw someone and began to say to him to give me permission. And he recognized me and answered: open the gate — for the gate is not locked with any lock. And I immediately opened the gate and entered — I and my companion and also the sailor. And we received all the belongings into the small boat. And afterward we spoke together through the border fence with our dear friends mentioned above. And we told them how we had crossed through all the ships mentioned above — by ropes and so on. And we took our leave of them again in peace. And we returned with the boat to our ship. And they stood watching. And also other people stood on a high hill at a distance — and all of them waved to us with their hands — and we to them. In a manner of love and great longing. And we also called out to them in a loud voice: l'chaim v'shalom! Until they heard and answered us — until we heard the sound of their love. Until we passed from before their faces — among the great ships. Until we came to our ship. And immediately the sailors brought up all our belongings. And we received them from them — and everything with alacrity and joy. And the captain had still not come back to the ship. And because of this we left all the belongings above on the ship deck. For we did not wish to bring them below to the cabin without his giving us permission himself.