A close talmid of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ztz"l talking about Rav Eliezer

RAV YOSEF SHALOM ELYASHIV

Translated from the "Knishta Chada" newsletter issue #41

During Yanki Tzuker’s forty-minute interview on “Kav HaMeidah,” he told a special story. He once met a close student of Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv at a family celebration, someone who has studied with Rav Eliyashiv for 40 years. Although Rav Yosef Shalom was one of the generation’s most brilliant scholars, this man was also drawing close to the Rav. He made some surprising statements. ‘You should know that your Rav has a sharper mind than Rav Eliyashiv. And usually, people with such sharp minds do not pray for too long. They cannot stay focused on what they see as repetitive at best, but Rav Berland is different. Despite his superior intellectual sharpness, he prays patiently for long periods, saying the prayers with profound sweetness. You should appreciate his unique greatness. The longer I spend with him, the more impressive I find him!”