A Special Story: The Journey from Boro Park to Merit Spending Shabbos in the Presence of the Tzaddik / A Story of Spiritual Elevation

An important Torah scholar from Boro Park made the effort and arrived on a special flight from the United States just to spend a single Shabbos in the presence of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a and to receive a blessing for his son.

A Special Story: The Journey from Boro Park to Merit Spending Shabbos in the Presence of the Tzaddik

A few weeks ago, a moving event took place that testifies to the immense admiration and thirst to spend time in the presence of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. One of the prominent Torah scholars in Boro Park, United States—a precious Jew who is heavily involved in kiruv (bringing distant Jews closer to Torah)—decided to do something extraordinary.

A Special Journey Across the Sea

This Torah scholar arrived on a special flight from the United States on Thursday, with his sole objective being to spend Shabbos Kodesh in the presence of the tzaddik. Immediately after Shabbos, on Sunday, he hurried to board a flight back to his home across the sea.

It should be noted that this Jew is not counted among Breslov Chassidim at all, nor does he belong to the community of the Rav shlit"a. Nevertheless, physical distance and communal affiliation did not stand in his way, nor did they prevent him from making this strenuous trip.

A Taste of Gan Eden in the Presence of the Tzaddik

What drove him to undertake this quick and exhausting journey was his intense yearning to spend Shabbos in the shadow of the tzaddik of our generation. Additionally, he sought to merit receiving a special blessing for his son, who had reached the age of Bar Mitzvah during those exact days, knowing that the blessing of the tzaddik is a tremendous segulah (spiritual remedy) for the boy's future path.

He went through the effort of this special trip solely to merit greeting the tzaddik. Indeed, the effort paid off when he merited to "taste the Gan Eden (Paradise) of the tzaddik's Shabbos." Praiseworthy is the portion of one who merits to recognize the greatness of the tzaddikim, to nullify himself before them, and to dedicate his time and energy to be in their holy presence.

A Story of Spiritual Elevation: Shabbos Kodesh and a Taste of Gan Eden in the Presence of Rabbi Berland

Another Jew recounted at length and with great emotion, through the "Breslov Line," the transcendent experiences he merited to undergo during Shabbos Kodesh in the presence of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. According to him, throughout that Shabbos, he felt a supernal pleasantness and a literal taste of Gan Eden.

Hours of Spiritual Elevation in the Jerusalem Cold

On the night of Shabbos Kodesh, a massive and holy congregation of nearly two thousand people gathered. The multitudes stood on their feet outside, beneath the balcony of the home of the Rav shlit"a, for several hours. Despite the freezing cold outside, the atmosphere was warm and uplifting. The niggunim (holy melodies) were full of vitality, and hearts burned with a fire of holiness.

A Joy That Cannot Be Described in Words

On the day of Shabbos Kodesh itself, the congregation gathered once again, starting an hour before dawn. The masses stood tightly packed together for about five consecutive hours. Despite the crowding and physical exhaustion, the vitality and joy that flooded the participants were entirely above the laws of nature.

That Jew concluded his words with emotion, saying, "The vitality and joy that one feels there is impossible to fathom or explain to someone who has not come and experienced it for themselves." This is a moving testimony to the immense privilege of spending time in the presence of the tzaddik and tasting a semblance of the World to Come right here in this world.

A Wondrous Story: When the Rav, Burning Like a Torch of Fire, Stops Everything for a Small Child

One of the close followers spoke with tremendous awe about the wondrous conduct of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Anyone who merits to gaze upon the holy face of the Rav sees tangibly how he is attached to holy seraphim (fiery angels). The Rav is literally in the upper worlds, completely detached from the mundane matters of this world.

Dveikus in the Upper Worlds

This is especially evident during the Ra'ava D'Ra'avin meal (the Time of Supreme Favor during the Third Meal of Shabbos), a time of sublime spiritual elevation. In those moments, everyone can see how the tzaddik burns like a torch of fire with love of Hashem and pure awe. The intensity of his dveikus (spiritual attachment) awakens awe and wonder in the hearts of all who see him, and it seems that nothing physical could possibly disturb him.

Humility Beyond Comprehension

However, specifically from within that immense dveikus, the true greatness and humility of the Rav is revealed. Often, a young man or even a small child will suddenly approach him, wanting to ask a question or say something to the Rav shlit"a. At that moment, a literal wonder occurs before the eyes of those present.

The tzaddik humbles himself completely and bends his ear to hear the child's request. He listens to him with full attention and every possible interest, as if there is nothing else in the world. He seemingly leaves all the upper worlds to attend to the simplest Jew, giving him the feeling that he is the most important person of all.

This conduct illustrates something that is completely beyond our comprehension. We merit to see tangibly just how far the humility and lowliness of the true tzaddik reaches, as he completely nullifies himself—in the aspect of "absolute nothingness" (complete self-nullification)—for the sake of every single soul in the Nation of Israel.

From Issue 82 — Parshas Pekudei
From the series "A Tzaddik Rules in the Fear of God" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" Publications