Letter 26 כ"ו

Peace and blessing and all good forever — to his honor — my beloved, my dear, my precious — who yearns for the service of Hashem in truth — and to draw close to the true Tzaddik — upon which everything depends — [as brought in the Sefer HaMidos (Letter Tzaddik, §151–152): the coming of the Messiah depends on drawing close to the Tzaddikim — which is the general redemption; the essential completeness of the soul — the private redemption — in the aspect of "draw close to my soul — redeem it" — depends on drawing close to the Tzaddikim; drawing close to the Tzaddikim is good in this world and in the World to Come (ibid. §53); it is good to spend a long time for even one hour of drawing close to the Tzaddik (ibid. §55); the connection to the Tzaddik is a great healing (ibid. §196); teshuvah brings healing to the world (ibid., Teshuvah §93); good children are a great healing for their parents (ibid., Banim §42). And even so: the connection to the Tzaddik is a greater healing — more than all the above — as brought in the words of R' Chayyim Vital זצ"ל in his book Eitz HaDa'as: that good children are good — and in particular, G-d forbid, young children who died save their parents from Gehinnom. But even so: they carry some judgment for the fact that they died because of his sins. But the connection to the Tzaddik is more beneficial — and so on. The Tzaddik is the Supreme Court of the Heavens — and can save his people — and so on. And in particular: in the books of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — much of this.] May Hashem grant him also good and living and enduring children — and also the connection to the Tzaddik. So may it be His will. Amen. His honor, his splendor, his glory, our master Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo son of Malka, may his light shine — and all his household, may they live. [כמהר"ר אליעזר שלמה בן מלכה — "our master Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo son of Malka." A new correspondent — not R' Tzvi Vasilefsky. He is addressed here with his mother's name (Malka), suggesting the author is making a special spiritual intercession. The extensive salutation cites a series of passages from the Sefer HaMidos (Rabbi Nachman's collected maxims from Talmud, Midrash, and Zohar), all on the theme of the Tzaddik's healing power — suggesting this correspondent is facing health or family challenges.]

Now I will write to you about the praise you heap upon me — it does not begin at all, to my sorrow. I am very much asleep in the service of Hashem, and the baal davar pursues me from every direction — around and around — and I have not a moment's rest. And very great mental obstructions. It is bitter for me from every direction. I know no counsel against him — he wants to swallow me completely. Therefore — it is a holy obligation upon you to travel at this time to Meron, to the holy Tzion of the Foundation of the World, the Rashbi, of blessed memory. I make you my agent — lay many prayers and tears there on my behalf — ask greatly before G‑d, blessed be He: what will be my ultimate purpose? I am already being tormented in this way for almost two years with such persecutions, and I do not merit to serve Hashem, and I am very far from Rabbainu the Holy one and from G‑d, blessed be He — without measure and reckoning. What will be the ultimate purpose? Is it conceivable that I was created to waste my days in such vanity? Do not be silent, do not be still — much prayer for me.

My dear brother — tell everything to the holy Tzadik, the Rashbi, of blessed memory — and pour out the entire heart. That there finally be an end to the troubles. "A prisoner cannot free himself from prison." [אין חבוש מתיר עצמו מבית האסורים — Talmud Bavli, Brachos 5b: a person cannot extricate himself from his own spiritual imprisonment without outside help — from the Tzadik and from G‑d] On the eve of Rosh Chodesh Nissan there was a journey to Rabbainu the Holy one. You can fulfill it — to be in holy Meron and to make the Tzadik a messenger to Rabbainu the Holy and Awesome Nachman, etc. And likewise you can go to the grave of R' Yisrael of Kardin [R' Yisrael of Kardin — a Breslover associated with R' Noson], of blessed memory, and to the Tzadik R' Avraham of Kalisk [R' Avraham of Kalisk — a leading Chassidic master and companion of R' Nachman of Horodenka; buried in Tiberias], and R' Nachman of Horodenka [R' Nachman of Horodenka — grandfather of Rabbainu R' Nachman; buried in Tiberias], etc. — and make them messengers to Rabbainu the Holy one, and lay many prayers upon them on our behalf — that there finally be an end to my troubles and yours, and that we merit to serve Hashem truly in innermost truth, and to be bound to Rabbainu the Holy one with self-sacrifice, etc. — and to come soon to the Tzion of Rabbainu the Holy one — essentially.

Purim: Holiness of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in the Form of Joy; Mordechai's Light; The Fiftieth Gate; Wine on Purim = Tikkun HaBrit; Purim → Chametz → Pesach The holy and awesome days of Purim — which are literally the holiness of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — the holiness of the High Priest in the House of the Holy of Holies — each person has this in his own home — as brought in the Tikkunei Zohar. The holiness of Mordechai — which has no parallel in all the days of the year. And in the Megillah — the light of the face of Mordechai. The fiftieth gate of holiness. And just as throughout the year — drinking wine is a blemish of the covenant — on the contrary: on Purim — drinking wine is a rectification of the covenant — and the drinking is very very high — beyond all estimation. And gifts to companions — and gifts to the poor — the greatness of charity. And through the merit of the holiness and joy of Purim — one merits the kashrut of Pesach — as brought in the words of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל and the other holy books. And all the beginnings are from today — from Purim — for through this one can receive Pesach with care about even a trace of chametz on Pesach. And because of this: one begins to study the laws of Pesach on Purim itself — as brought in the Shulchan Aruch — and one makes the Kimcha DePascha on Purim — and so on.

And now — all beginnings are from Purim. "And they fulfilled and accepted" [Esther 9:27 — the verse describing Israel's acceptance of Purim; used in Breslov tradition as the model for renewal of the original Sinai acceptance — what was received at Sinai by compulsion was re-accepted freely at Purim (Shabbos 88a)] — and the days of Purim will never be nullified, etc., etc.

From me — your friend who loves you truly: Shmuel Horowitz, the Breslover.