A Student Can Speak with His Rabbi Anywhere Even When the Rabbi is Not Present - The Strengthening Story of Rav Berland's shlit"a Student

A story that reached us from the student A.R, revealing yet another aspect of the endless compassion of the esteemed and holy Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. The tzaddik who sees everything that each of us goes through and cares for everyone.

The student A.R begins and shares with us. "A few months ago, I entered the Chabad library and saw a book of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov. I opened the book and it was written in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that a student can speak with his rabbi anywhere, even when the rabbi is not present, as if he is right next to him. Immediately, I began to speak with our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a words that come from the heart. I told the rabbi everything I was going through, all the difficulties in livelihood and in serving Hashem. I said that I hadn't seen the rabbi for so long and I asked, "Rabbi, strengthen me!"'

"While I was speaking with Rav Berland shlit"a, the phone rang. I looked and saw it was from a blocked number. I didn't want to interrupt the flow of words coming from a burning heart, so I didn't answer. I continued to say "Rabbi, strengthen me!" when the phone rang again and suddenly it came to my mind, "Answer! Maybe from here will come your salvation"."

"I answered the phone and unbelievably - it was the rabbi! I didn't know how the rabbi 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 happened in the month of Tevet, and the rabbi said, "Come to me for the reading of the Megillah." With Hashem's grace, I merited to come for the reading of the Megillah with Rav Berland shlit"a when he was in Zimbabwe, and I received strength for life from it."

The student 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 cubits of the tzaddik, I felt I had no questions. I no longer had any difficulties, everything felt good to me, nothing was missing! Suddenly it became clear to me that Hashem's guidance towards me is the best there is!"

"I tried to approach the rabbi during the 24 hours I was there to receive a few words of encouragement and I couldn't, yet the rabbi radiated such light and love towards me. I felt a taste of Gan Eden, that nothing was missing, all I wanted was to continue being near the rabbi, to sing, to chant, and to thank Hashem."

"Suddenly I remembered that my mother requested a blessing, I whispered to myself quietly in a voice that a natural ear cannot hear, "Rabbi, my mother requested a blessing". Immediately the rabbi turned to me and showered questions about the letters my mother wrote to him many years ago. In those letters, my mother asked about the medical issue she was suffering from, and now the rabbi asked me if indeed it was resolved? Rav Berland continued to inquire about several practices my mother used to observe, if she still continues to do them. I saw what an amazing memory the rabbi has, how he keeps track with each and every one."