A Student Can Speak with His Rabbi Anywhere Even When the Rabbi is Not Present

A story that reached us from the avrech A.R., through which another glimpse is revealed of the infinite compassion of the holy tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. The tzaddik who sees everything that each and every one of us is going through and cares for everyone.

The avrech A.R. begins and shares with us: "A few months ago, I entered a Chabad library and saw a book of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov there. I opened the book and it was written in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that a student can speak with his teacher anywhere, even if the teacher is not present, as if he were standing right next to him. I immediately began to speak with our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a, with words coming from the heart. I told the Rav everything I was going through, all the difficulties in parnassah (livelihood) and in the service of Hashem. I said that I had not seen the Rav for such a long time and I asked, 'Rav, strengthen me!'"

"While I was speaking with Rav Berland shlit"a, my cell phone rang. I looked and saw that it was from a blocked number. I did not want to interrupt the flow of words that were coming from a burning heart, so I did not answer. I continued to say, 'Rav, strengthen me!' when the phone rang a second time, and suddenly it entered my mind, 'Answer! Perhaps the salvation will come precisely from here.'"

"I answered the phone and it was unbelievable - it was the Rav! I did not know how the Rav had my number; he called me by my name and said with great affection and warmth, 'Why don't you come to me in Morocco? Come to me, I haven't seen you for a long time, why don't you come?' The incident took place in the month of Tevet, and the Rav said, 'Come to me for the reading of the Megillah.' By the grace of Hashem, I merited to arrive for the reading of the Megillah by Rav Berland shlit"a when he was in Zimbabwe, and I received a strengthening from it for my entire life."

The avrech A.R. continued and told what happened to him after he returned from Zimbabwe.

"On the way to Zimbabwe, I prepared a note with a series of questions for Rav Berland shlit"a, but when I arrived and stood within the four amot of the tzaddik, I felt that I had no questions at all. I no longer had any difficulties; everything felt good to me, nothing was missing! Suddenly, it became clear to me that the conduct of Hashem toward me is the best that could be!"

"I tried to approach the Rav during the 24 hours I was there to receive a few words of strengthening and I did not succeed; however, the Rav radiated such light and love toward me. I felt a taste of Gan Eden, that I lacked nothing; all I wanted was to continue being near the Rav, to sing, to chant, and to thank Hashem."

"Suddenly I remembered that my mother had asked for a blessing, and I whispered to myself quietly in a voice that a natural ear cannot hear, 'Rav, my mother asked for a blessing.' Immediately, the Rav turned to me and showered me with questions about the letters my mother had written to him many years ago. In those letters, my mother asked about the medical problem from which she suffered, and now the Rav asked me if it had indeed been resolved? Rav Berland continued and inquired about a number of customs that my mother used to keep, asking if she was still keeping them. I saw what an amazing memory the Rav has, how he is connected to each and every person."