JMMusings

Free translation using AI: The letter "Shiggayon LeDavid" reached me, and my innards were shaken. How can there be such a man, one who turns things from one extreme to the other? On the contrary, I rebuked R' Baruch to his face: why is he so ungrateful? The two times I was in Petersburg were on account of his grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory. I could have said, "His grandson is alive. Let him come and answer all the difficulties raised against him." Yet I never said, "Who am I, that the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov should be sanctified through me?" Afterward he asked me, "Why do you need all this? Can't you sweeten the harsh judgments by passing your hand over the forehead and face?" I told him, "Surely our forefather Yaakov knew how to sweeten harsh judgments, yet he still said, 'I will appease his face with the gift' [to Esav]. The truth is that one needs both the sweetening of the judgments and a gift sent to Esav." Afterward he asked me, "Is it fitting for your honor to wander around such distant towns?" I answered, "Am I greater than R' Pinchas ben Yair, who wandered all his days to redeem captives?" Afterward I asked him, "Is it true what people tell me in your name, that you called my book, the Sefer shel Beinonim, a book of mere intellect?" He admitted to his words. I asked, "If so, why are you angry with me?" He replied, "Why did you come into our region?" I gave him two answers. First, it is written, "The earth and its fullness are Hashem's." Second, I could not bear the suffering and torment of the villagers who had been exiled from their homes to the towns, where they were cast out in the streets, swollen with hunger and dying of famine. He replied, "What do you care if they die?" I said to him, "It is evident that you accepted slander about me from those 'Westerners.' Until the year 5562 we were faithful friends, but those Westerners spoke slander about me and you accepted their words, just as Shaul accepted [the slander] about David. So I say as David said to Shaul: 'May Hashem judge between me and you.'" At first I said not to reveal this letter to Anash, so that there would be no desecration of G-d's name before the opponents. Afterward I reconsidered, and on the contrary, I ordered that the letter be copied and sent to all the lands where Anash live, so that everyone will know the falsehood. For in that [forged] letter it was written that I had asked R' Baruch for his approval of my trip to Petersburg, and that he told me anyone traveling there must wear Russian clothing and grow a forelock, and that I accepted this upon myself for the good of Israel. This is a lie, known and publicized throughout our region, since many people travel from our region to Petersburg and need none of this. Besides, why would I need his approval? I hold a document of freedom from the Emperor (may his glory be exalted) covering all my conduct. I conclude and send greetings to Anash, "for their protection has departed from them, and Hashem is with us; do not fear them." Shneur Zalman, son of R' Baruch, of blessed memory, of Liadi