A Terrifying Story: “Rabbi Eliezer Is Fire—and Whoever Harms Him Gets Burned”

A shaking testimony from the room of Maran, the Sar HaTorah (Prince of Torah), Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt"l: What did he answer a man who came with doubts about Rabbi Berland? “Even I do not understand what he is doing.”

A terrifying and deeply stirring story was told by the chassidic gentleman R’ A. Chagbi (may he be well), who himself witnessed an incident that took place about three years ago. Rabbi Chagbi entered into the holy inner room together with another man, whose heart was full of doubts about the Tzaddik (righteous one), and who was confused in his mind with all kinds of questions—may Hashem protect us.

The two arrived at the home of Maran the Sar HaTorah, the holy gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt"l. In the room, Rabbi Chagbi turned to Maran and said to him: “This Jew is asking—what is Maran’s opinion about The Rav, Rabbi Berland shlit"a?”

The holy gaon gave them a piercing look, and at that very moment a real fear fell upon them. Afterward, Maran turned to that Jew and asked him: “Do you keep Shabbos?” The man answered: “Yes.” Maran continued and asked: “Are you proficient in the laws of Shabbos?” The man answered him: “No.” He continued to ask: “And in the laws of such-and-such (a particular area of halachah), are you proficient?” And to that as well he answered: “No.”

“Is this what he has left to know?”

Maran, Rabbi Chaim, instructed that man to stand to the side. He turned his face back to Rabbi Chagbi (may he be well) and said to him in astonishment: “He still doesn’t know the laws of Shabbos, and in the laws of such-and-such he also doesn’t know—and this is what he has left to know: what about Rabbi Berland?...”

After that, Maran the Sar HaTorah turned back to that Jew and said with great emotion and tremendous enthusiasm the following awe-inspiring words:

“Rabbi Eliezer is fire, and whoever gets involved with him—gets burned! Even I do not understand what he is doing.”

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From issue P — Parshas Bereishis
From the series “A Tzaddik Rules with Fear of G-d” — “Shapir Amar Nachmani” booklets