A Story at the Kosel: The Cry of the Kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Ades Over the Rav's Suffering, and 4 More Stories

One of the students of the Rav approached the Kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Ades at the Western Wall (Kosel) and asked him to awaken Heavenly mercy. The painful reaction of the tzaddik regarding the connection between the global lockdown and the Rav's imprisonment shocked everyone.

A Story at the Kosel: The Cry of the Kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Ades Over the Rav's Suffering

This week, an emotional and extraordinary encounter took place at the Western Wall plaza. One of the students of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a approached the righteous Kabbalist, Rabbi Yaakov Ades shlit"a, who was present there. The student, whose heart was bleeding over the condition of his Rebbe, turned to the tzaddik with a request to awaken Heavenly mercy. He shared with him in pain that Morinu HaRav shlit"a is undergoing terrible and unbearable suffering, may Hashem protect us.

The Pain of the Tzaddik

When the Kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Ades shlit"a heard this, he responded with immense pain that was clearly visible on his pure face. He turned to the student and said to him from the depths of his broken heart: "You do not know how much this pains me." It was evident that the suffering of Morinu HaRav touches the very core of the Kabbalist's soul, and he shares in his sorrow in a deep and tangible way.

The Secret of the Global Lockdown

Afterward, the tzaddik added a chilling sentence that sheds spiritual light on the situation in the entire world during those days. "Who knows if this entire lockdown is not because the tzaddik is in prison, closed and locked away, may Hashem protect us," cried out Rabbi Yaakov. These words resonate strongly and illustrate the magnitude of the impact that the suffering of the tzaddik has on all of reality, awakening us to a deep soul-searching regarding the afflictions of the generation.

An Amazing Story: The Wondrous Segulah (Spiritual Remedy) for Banishing Foreign Thoughts

Even though this has already been published several times in the past, the magnitude and awesomeness of the matter justify repeating it again and again so that everyone will know. One of the prominent students of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a shared a tremendous spiritual advice that he discovered during his service of Hashem.

A Wondrous Segulah for Purity of Thought

That student once approached one of the Mashpi'im (spiritual mentors) of Breslov Chassidus and shared with him a wondrous and unique segulah (spiritual remedy) he discovered for purity of thought. He explained that when a person finds himself struggling with undesirable thoughts, there is a proven way to be saved from them.

The advice is simple yet powerful: one must mention the name of the Rav and say, "In the merit of Morinu HaRav Rabbi Eliezer ben Etya shlit"a." The student testified that immediately after saying these words, all the foreign thoughts simply fly away and disappear as if they never existed, and the mind returns to being clear and pure.

It Works Absolute Wonders

The student perhaps expected to surprise the Mashpia with this spiritual discovery, but the Mashpia's reaction was no less surprising. The Mashpia heard these words, smiled, and immediately told him: "You are not telling me anything new; I have already been using this advice for over a year!"

The Mashpia continued and testified from his personal and daily experience that mentioning the name of the tzaddik indeed banishes all confusions from the mind immediately. He concluded his words with enthusiasm and said about this segulah: "It works absolute wonders."

This short and moving story illustrates once again the immense power of the tzaddik. It teaches us about the tremendous and tangible spiritual impact that the very mention of his holy name has on a person's soul, and about the ability to draw strength from it for the spiritual struggles of daily life.

A Story: A Breslov Chassid in the USA - The Advice Truly Works

Furthermore, one of the followers of the tzaddik who was in the USA shared this advice with one of the prominent Breslov Chassidim in Boro Park, and after a few

hours, he met him, and he told him in amazement, "What can I tell you, it works absolute wonders."

A Story of Holiness and Purity: When the Rav Paid for an Entire Taxi Out of His Own Pocket

Who can estimate and who can describe the fear of Hashem, the awe, the reverence, and the trembling that was seen in Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a in all matters of holiness. Anyone who merited to be in his presence immediately noticed his immense caution and meticulousness in every single detail in order to guard the purity of his eyes and thoughts.

Traveling to the Shiur of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zy"a

The Chassidic Rav, Rabbi Yitzchak Weitzhandler, may his light shine, shares a wondrous memory from those early years. He tells of the days when several Breslov Chassidim would travel from the city of Bnei Brak to participate in the regular Torah class of the righteous Chassid, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender, may his merit protect us and all of Israel, Amen.

The regular class took place every Thursday, and the standard way to get there was via the shared service taxis (sherut) of Bnei Brak. The Chassidim would board the taxi and wait for it to fill up before setting out, but sometimes reality presented them with unexpected tests.

The Price of Pure Thoughts

During these trips, a situation would often arise where a woman would come to board the same taxi. In such cases, Morinu HaRav shlit"a would not hesitate for a moment. He would immediately get out of the vehicle, take another taxi, and pay the driver out of his own pocket for the entire taxi.

For the Rav shlit"a, the financial expense was of no consideration compared to guarding his holiness. The main thing and the only goal before his eyes was to remain in absolute purity of thought, without any compromises or leniencies. This story illustrates just how great his self-sacrifice (mesiras nefesh) for the holiness of the camp and purity of the heart has always been.

A Story of Holiness: Screaming in Zedekiah's Cave Until Bleeding

It is well-known and famous among the students and listeners of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a that the awesome and immense spiritual levels he reached did not come on their own. Behind every level of holiness lies tremendous spiritual work, paved with self-sacrifice that is difficult for an ordinary person to grasp.

Toiling in the Fields and Forests

Much has already been told about how, in order to merit and reach those supernal attainments, the Rav shlit"a invested effort, toil, and exertion beyond human nature. He spent his days and nights in solitude, far from the noise of the city, practicing Hisbodedus (secluded prayer) in the fields and forests.

There, under the open sky, he would let out screams and cries from the depths of his heart to the Creator of the world. His service of Hashem was so strenuous and intensive that he would often reach a state of literal fainting, out of sheer exertion and devotion (deveikus) to the Creator.

Cries of Holiness in Zedekiah's Cave

One of the most chilling descriptions illustrating the magnitude of his self-sacrifice relates to his unique spiritual work in Zedekiah's Cave in Jerusalem. It is told that the Rav shlit"a would seclude himself in the depths of the cave for entire nights, screaming and begging for matters of holiness and purity.

He did not spare his physical strength, crying out from the depths of his soul for hours on end. He would scream for holiness all night long, to the point where blood would come out of his throat from the tremendous strain on his vocal cords.

These descriptions reveal a small glimpse of the immense self-sacrifice of the true tzaddik. We learn from this how his entire life is one continuous saga of toil and the complete nullification of the body for the sake of attaining supernal holiness.

From Issue 80 — Parashas Bamidbar

From the series "A Tzaddik Rules in the Fear of God" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" publications