A Story About a Fiery Class on Likutey Halachos That Lasted Eight Hours, and 4 More Stories

A fascinating testimony from the early days of the yeshiva in the Old City, regarding the classes of our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a on Likutey Halachos, which were delivered with a blazing fire for eight consecutive hours.

A Story About a Fiery Class on Likutey Halachos That Lasted Eight Hours

One of the veteran students of our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a tells about those special days at the beginning of the path. As a continuation of the description of the early days and the beginning of the holy yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem, he shares powerful memories that were etched in his heart forever.

Blazing Fire and Awesome Fear

The student describes the powerful classes of the Rav shlit"a from that period. The tzaddik would deliver deep classes on the book "Likutey Halachos," burning with immense enthusiasm. The classes were not delivered quietly, but rather with shouts and a literal blazing fire.

"The holy appearance of the Rav in those moments evoked fear and awe among all those present," he recalls with a tremble. Those present at the class felt the tremendous spiritual power radiating from the Rav, and they could not remain indifferent to the sight of such absolute dveikus (attachment to Hashem).

Eight Consecutive Hours

The climax of those holy gatherings was the incomprehensible amount of time they lasted. The Rav shlit"a would stand on his feet, completely immersed in the upper worlds, crying out awesome shouts of holiness and yearning for Hashem.

He would continue to deliver the class and cry out for eight consecutive hours, without any break or rest. These memories from the days of the yeshiva's founding illustrate the self-sacrifice, the superhuman endurance, and the spiritual power that have accompanied the Rav shlit"a along his entire path.

A Story About the Fiery Class: We Felt the Tzaddik Taking Us Completely Out of Our Bodies

One of the veteran Chassidim shared his breathtaking memories from the classes of our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. He described a spiritual experience so powerful that the listeners felt themselves disconnecting from this world. "We felt that the tzaddik was simply taking us completely out of our bodies," he shared with emotion.

Words Hewing Flames of Fire

In those exalted moments, the words that emerged from the holy mouth of the Rav shlit"a were literally like words hewing flames of fire. Those present at the class tangibly felt how the Shechinah (Divine Presence) was speaking from the throat of the tzaddik. The words flowed from his holy mouth and pierced straight into their hearts, exactly like arrows of fire.

The power of these words was so great that they destroyed and nullified all sense of physicality and worldly desires among the listeners. "We felt that we had completely left our bodies and crossed over into an entirely different spiritual dimension," testified that Chassid regarding the transcendent feeling that enveloped everyone who merited to be present.

A Modern-Day Mount Sinai Experience

To this day, one can hear the intensity of these classes on old cassette tapes recorded during that period. Anyone who listens to these recordings experiences a literal awesome fear and pure fear of Heaven. The voices, cries, and roars of the Rav shlit"a are heard there in the aspect of "a great voice that did not cease."

Listening to those classes illustrates, even if just a little, what those present felt—an experience that was truly akin to the revelation at Mount Sinai. This is a living testimony to the power of a true tzaddik, who is capable of taking simple Jews, elevating them above all material limitations, and standing them face-to-face with the light of the Shechinah (Divine Presence).

An Amazing Story: The Wondrous Dream That Came True Exactly in the Home of Rabbi Berland

A certain Jew told a wonderful story about a special spiritual experience he merited to undergo. One night, he had a vivid and moving dream in which he came to our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

The Surprising Dream About the Tzaddik

In the dream, the tzaddik welcomed him with great joy and an exceptionally radiant countenance. The Rav blessed him warmly and drew him close with tremendous affection. The experience was so powerful that it left a profound impression on him even after he awoke from his sleep.

A few days passed since that special night, and the Jew merited to participate in one of the classes given by our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, in his home. As is known, the Rav delivers classes several times a week, each time to a specific group of Anash (our people). The tzaddik's students come to these classes from all corners of the Holy Land, from cities such as Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Holon, Elad, and more.

Reality Surpasses All Imagination

When that Jew entered the home of the Rav shlit"a, an amazing surprise awaited him. The Rav shlit"a drew him close, hugged him, and shone his face upon him with great joy.

To his absolute astonishment, he realized that this was exactly everything he had dreamed of just a few days prior. He stood there, awestruck and amazed by the revelation of the tzaddik's holiness and by the fact that the dream had become a living, breathing reality before his eyes. This story illustrates once again the deep spiritual connection between the tzaddik and his students, a connection that transcends the boundaries of time and space.

The Story of the Spiritual Struggle: Rabbi Berland's Cry Over the Decree in Meron

Recently, our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, has been awakening the masses and crying out from the depths of his heart over the terrible decree of the Zionists surrounding the holy site of Meron. Approaching the holy and awesome day of Lag BaOmer, when all of the Jewish people from all corners of the globe yearn with a holy fire of longing to reach the holy of holies and participate in the holy hillula (celebration of the tzaddik's passing), a tremendous concern arose. This year, the Zionists decreed a terrible decree designed to disrupt and limit this holy pilgrimage.

A Cry Unheard of Since the Creation of the World

Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, did not remain indifferent in the face of the situation, and cried out a great and bitter cry over it. In his sharp words, the Rav expressed himself and said that "this is a terrible decree the likes of which has not been seen since the creation of the world."

In order to nullify the evil of the decree, the Rav composed two special prayers. Whoever reads the words that the tzaddik writes there is gripped by absolute terror from the intensity of the cries and the pain bursting forth from between the lines.

Piercing Words During a Class in the Rav's Home

This week, on the 4th of Iyar, their day of calamity when the Zionists celebrated the establishment of their government of destruction, a special class took place in the home of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a. Students who participated in that class recount that the Rav spoke terrible and highly piercing words about the antics of the Zionists.

In his words, the Rav specifically addressed the annihilation of tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, and mentioned the known facts that the hands of the Zionist leaders were involved in this terrible treachery. To substantiate his words, the Rav shlit"a mentioned clear historical sources. He cited the book of the holy tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Shonfeld zt"l, "The Holocaust Victims Accuse."

Furthermore, the Rav mentioned the holy tzaddik Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandl zt"l, who published a book containing shocking details about the crimes of the Zionists during that dark era. The words of the Rav shlit"a illustrate his deep concern for the entirety of the Jewish people, and his uncompromising spiritual struggle for the holiness of Israel and the vigilant protection of the holy sites.

An Amazing Story of Zealotry: When Rabbi Berland Uprooted an Idol Abroad

One of the students of our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, recounts a wondrous and rare event that illustrates the Rav's tremendous zealotry for the honor of Heaven. The incident occurred during one of the Rav's trips abroad, when the student merited to accompany him and be an eyewitness to an act of true heroism.

A Holy Fire of Zealotry

During the trip, the Rav and his escorts arrived at a central square in one of the cities. In the center of the square stood a giant idol. When our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, noticed this, he could not remain indifferent to the sight of the desecration of Hashem's Name. The Rav became inflamed with a holy fire of pure zealotry, and before the eyes of all the passersby, he began to act fearlessly.

In an amazing step of spiritual and physical heroism, the Rav began to smash and shatter the idol. He struck the idol again and again, and did not let up until he succeeded in completely uprooting the massive statue from its place.

Into the Depths of the River

After uprooting the idol, The Rav dragged it with tremendous strength toward the vehicle they were traveling in. The stunned students helped load the idol into the car. The idol was so large and heavy that the car door could not close behind it.

With the giant idol protruding from the open vehicle, they drove quickly toward a nearby river. When they reached the riverbank, they threw the idol into the deep water, thereby eradicating the idol worship from the world.

This story reminds us of the deeds of the Torah giants of Israel and the tzaddikim of all generations, who paid no mind to anyone when it came to the honor of Hashem. They acted with true mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice), out of a burning love for Hashem, in order to uproot idol worship and purify the world.

From Issue 82 — Parashas Behar

From the series "Tzaddik Moshel Yiras Elokim" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" publications