קמ

After Yom Tov — I began immediately to think about how to merit to leave from here to Eretz Yisroel. For before Yom Tov — even though I immediately understood that I was in great need of great mercy and a great salvation to leave from here — even so I forced myself to remove this worry from my mind — so as not to disturb the joy of Shabbas and Yom Tov. But after Yom Tov — I began to think about this. And I saw the fullness of my pressing need now. For I had brought to Alexandria only about three taler. And the expenses of the small boat and the customs and so on — from the large ship to the lodgings — had come to close to eight Egyptian taler (which were a third less than good Istanbul taler). And in truth these expenses had not been in my hand. Only Hashem Blessed be He had mercy on me — that Rabbi Aharon mentioned above had given from his own all the sum mentioned above. And the few pareis that had been with me remained in my hand for small expenses. And now I needed to return the sum to Rabbi Aharon — and to hire a ship to Sidon or to Acco — which was more than three days' travel — almost as far as from Odessa to Istanbul. And also from Acco or from Sidon one needed to hire donkeys to Tzfas. And other expenses to board the ship. And in my hand there was money only for the small sum mentioned above. And from the words of the rav — I had understood before Shavuos at the time I came to him — that he wished to wash his hands of me. And he was particular about my having come at such a time. Therefore immediately after the festival — the worries of thought in this matter came upon me. Only even so I strengthened myself to trust in Hashem — that He would take me out from here. And behold — on Tuesday after Shavuos — we went to the rav — I and my companion Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer. And Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer went without an upper hat — for it had been lost to him at sea. And this too was not pleasant for us in truth — that in such a far land we were already very different in their eyes. Therefore however one was dressed there was acceptable to them. Even so — I had some anguish — for it was not honorable for us to enter thus to the rav. But what could be done — necessity was not disgraceful. And we came to the rav. And he immediately replied that he could not help us at all. And all that we spoke with him availed nothing.