Letter: T-S 13J11.4

recto

Peace from on high and blessings that [flourish] like the grass of the hills, like drops from Heaven and the flshes of the depths. Strength and vigor, grace, lovingkindness and mercy, and long life, like the father of the multitude who lived a full life and like him who was bound on the mountain supernal, and like Jacob, a man of perfection and a dreamer of dreams, and like him who sprinkles its blood seven times. May all blessings come and occur, be bound unto and set upon, the heads of my brothers Mar Solomon and Abu Sa‘id, gentle and deeply missed brothers, from me, Maliha, your sister, and my small daughter who is called Zoë, who pays her respects to you. We are alive, and they have assured me by the Rock of our redemption that you are, too, in happiness without mishap, rejoicing without pressures, in contentedness and advantage, without sorrow or lament. Would that I could write you that I am well, but I am not well, because at this moment, I’ll tell you, my soul is restless in my heart, my step has faltered (2 Samuel 22:37), my bones tremble (Jeremiah 23:9), and my strength has melted away, for I have been separated from you now a number of years. Great is my yearning to see you face to face, and I would run at the pace of a lion and rush [to see you]. Indeed I say, “Would that I had the wings of a dove (Psalms 55:7),” that I might take wing and be rejoined with my brothers and our master the fourth. But I am not able [to go] because the time is not right. In fact, I recently arranged to go with certain people, but I consulted the Torah scroll, and [margin:] my luck came up poor, such that I did not succeed [in realizing my plans], and I could not go with them. For Heaven’s sake, do you not see the men of the communities of Greece? When members of their [community] are captured, their relatives go [after them] to redeem them. So, why does not one of you take his life into his own hands to come to me and take me [back], for I will not put myself in anyone else’s hands to return. Now, why should I go alone? While I remain here, the Lord does not deny me my needs, but if I should go there [alone] and something should befall me of an evil nature, better I should die. Now, I have known you since you were young . . . merchandise and come here to Romania . . . and one of you could take merchandise . . .

verso, address

May this letter arrive in happiness and joy to those honorable men of great holiness, my dear brothers Abu Sa‘id and Solomon.

From me, your sister known as Maliha.