A Story of Mesirus Nefesh: Nights in the Field to Merit the Light of the Tzaddik

An incredible story about the mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) of our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, who would practice hisbodedus (secluded prayer) for entire nights in the field in order to merit receiving the light of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak zy"a.

It is well-known and famous that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zy"a would deliver a regular class every Thursday. In those classes, he would speak words striking flames of fire from the holy books of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov zy"a. During that period, our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, lived in the city of Bnei Brak, and he would make tremendous efforts to merit the great light that illuminated these classes.

Preparation of an Entire Night in the Field

On the night before the class, the eve of Thursday, the Rav shlit"a would go out to the field and practice hisbodedus throughout the entire night. He would cry out and shout to Hashem from the depths of his heart, begging that Hashem would have mercy on him and grant him the merit to receive the light of the holy Rebbe Nachman zy"a. The Rav knew that this light was drawn down to the world through the tzaddik of the generation, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak zy"a, and therefore he prepared his spiritual vessels with immense yearning.

After an entire night of crying out in the field, the Rav would travel to the holy city of Jerusalem to participate in the class. But his spiritual work did not end there. Immediately after the class, the Rav would go back to the field and practice hisbodedus for another entire night.

Complete Nullification to the Tzaddik

During that second night in the field, the Rav would continue to cry out to Hashem, this time so that the holy class he had heard would enter deep into his heart. He begged to merit truly acquiring the light of the tzaddik. This is a rare and wondrous example of immense self-nullification—the ultimate submission to the tzaddik—the likes of which we have hardly ever heard.

It is impossible to fathom or describe the mesirus nefesh of the Rav in his search for the tzaddik. As is brought down many times in the book Likutey Halachos, a person must search for the tzaddik day and night until all their strength is exhausted. Only through such toil is it possible to merit and receive the awesome light of the holy Rebbe Nachman.

This story is but a drop in the ocean from the abundance of known stories about the mesirus nefesh of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a. With the help of Hashem, many more stories will be told about his holy service and his absolute nullification to the true tzaddikim.

From Issue 79 — Parshas Shmini
From the series "Tzaddik Moshel Yiras Elokim" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" publications