20) Eyal Shoko

A story about a Jew from Givat Olga who was addicted to alcohol and suffered excruciating pain during every attempt to quit. After turning to Rabbi Berland shlit"a, the Rav instructed him to stop immediately and drink only chocolate milk (shoko) whenever the urge arose. Miraculously, he was completely cured of his addiction without any pain, and earned the nickname "Eyal Shoko."

The following story was related by the dear Rabbi Chanan Zaknin, one of the Breslov Chassidim in Givat Olga. One of his friends, a Jew named Eyal, was addicted to alcohol and the bitter drop (hard liquor). He desperately wanted to rehabilitate himself and return to a proper, normal life, but he was afraid to stop. Every time he tried to begin the withdrawal process, he was struck by severe pain and was literally forced to return to drinking in order to forget the pain.

The Opportunity to Merit a Blessing

One evening, Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a arrived in Givat Olga, and Eyal realized that this was his opportunity to merit a blessing from the Rav. He entered the room where Morinu HaRav was and asked the Rav that he should merit to stop drinking alcohol and that he shouldn't be attacked by the pains that come to him during every attempt to quit. The Rav told him to bring a Pidyon Nefesh (redemption of the soul) and stop immediately with the alcohol, and he would not have any pain. Eyal believed in the power and blessing of the tzaddik, but nevertheless asked the Rav which method he should use to begin the withdrawal process. There are several psychological methods in this area, and Eyal wanted to do whatever the Rav would tell him.

Drink Only Chocolate Milk

The Rav surprised him and said, "Drink only chocolate milk (shoko) and everything will pass." Since then, more than four months have passed. Eyal drinks only chocolate milk whenever he feels the need to drink alcohol, and Baruch Hashem (thank God), throughout the entire withdrawal period using the special method the Rav told him, he hasn't drunk alcohol at all. And the great wonder is that he feels absolutely none of the pains that attacked him during his previous attempts to quit.

Since then, with his consent, his friends began calling him "Eyal Shoko." And when you come to Givat Olga, located in the west of the city of Hadera, and you want to hear the story from the man himself, enter the small, warm synagogue of the Breslov Chassidim and ask where "Eyal Shoko" is.

From the book "Pele Elyon, Part 3"