Amazing Story: Hours on the Snow at the Tomb of Samuel the Prophet Without Shoes and 4 More Stories

One of the students of Rabbi Berland shlit"a tells of the freezing night when the Rav stood barefoot on the snow for hours, crying out from the depths of his heart over the exile of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) and the dominance of worldly desires.

Amazing Story: Hours on the Snow at the Tomb of Samuel the Prophet Without Shoes

One of the students of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a recounts a special and wondrous period. In those days, the Rav shlit"a would go in the dead of night to the tomb of Shmuel HaNavi (Samuel the Prophet), peace be upon him, to perform the spiritual service of Chatzos (the midnight lament over the destruction of the Temple).

Midnight in the Freezing Snow

On one of the coldest and most wintry nights, the Rav shlit"a arrived at the holy tziyun (tomb), but to his surprise, the place was closed. Outside, a fierce cold prevailed, and heavy snow covered the ground. Despite the harsh conditions, the Rav did not give up on his holy service.

He stood outside, facing the closed tomb, and took off his shoes, as is customary when reciting Chatzos. Thus, completely barefoot, the Rav shlit"a stood on the freezing snow for many long hours. He did not feel the physical cold at all; rather, he was entirely immersed in weeping, crying out over the sorrow of the exile of the Shechinah (Divine Presence).

A Cry Over the Exile of the Shechinah

The student, who witnessed this trembling sight, describes how the Rav cried out from the very walls of his heart. During the tikkun (rectification prayer), the Rav reached the words from Megillas Eichah (Lamentations): "Slaves rule over us, and there is no one to deliver us from their hands." The Rav shlit"a repeated these words over and over for two full hours, with terrible weeping and supplications.

As is known, the Rav shlit"a interprets this verse in a profound way relating to the spiritual work of the soul. He explains that the "slaves" mentioned in the verse are actually the desires of this world. These desires take over a person and rule over him, and this is exactly what one must cry out and beg Hashem, may He be blessed, to free us from their control.

The sight of a tzaddik standing barefoot on the snow and crying over the spirituality of the Jewish people was etched deeply into the student's heart. This is a living testimony to the immense mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) of the Rav shlit"a, and to the true pain he feels for every Jew who is held captive by his evil inclination.

Story: Cries Until Dawn in the Field

One of the prominent mashpi'im (spiritual mentors) of Breslov Chassidus shared a wondrous and moving memory from days past. He spoke of those special nights when he merited to accompany Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, as they would go out together to the open field at the hour of midnight.

Hisbodedus Under the Open Sky

When they would arrive at the field, Morinu HaRav shlit"a would begin to recite the order of Chatzos. However, this was no ordinary recitation. The Rav would open with heart-rending cries and terrible weeping, from an outpouring of the soul that simply cannot be imagined or described in words.

Every single word that emerged from his holy mouth was spoken with boiling tears. The Rav would repeat the words over and over, countless times, out of immense pain and fierce yearning.

A Soul Tormented by the Sorrow of the Shechinah

That mashpia described how the Rav shlit"a simply could not quiet his aching soul. He was completely tormented by the sorrow of the holy Shechinah (Divine Presence) dwelling in exile, and this was evident in every movement and every sigh that emerged from his heart.

The intensity of the weeping and the lingering on every word were so great, to the point that from the hour of midnight until the break of dawn, the Rav shlit"a only managed to reach the second chapter of Chatzos!

This story grants us a rare glimpse into the inner, burning Divine service of Morinu HaRav shlit"a, and into the magnitude of his true participation in the sorrow of the exile of the Shechinah, night after night.

Chilling Story: Why Did Morinu HaRav Berland Enter a Forest Full of Thorns Barefoot?

Who can fathom and who can describe the depths of the tzaddik's heartache? How much his pure soul suffers immeasurably from the sorrow of the Shechinah (Divine Presence)? A glimpse of this feeling can be understood from the following moving story, told by a taxi driver who merited to accompany Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

Barefoot Steps on the Thorns

One day, the taxi driver traveled with the Rav shlit"a toward an isolated forest, so that the Rav could perform Hisbodedus (secluded prayer) there. When they reached their destination, the driver noticed a sight that aroused immense wonder within him.

Before the Rav shlit"a entered the thicket of the forest, he took off his shoes. Without any protection, he began to walk completely barefoot over the thorns, thistles, and sharp stones scattered across the ground. The driver remained in his car, waiting and wondering about the meaning of this incomprehensible act.

Feeling the Sorrow of the Shechinah

The Rav stayed in the forest for many long hours. From within the trees, the sounds of heartbreaking cries and wails over the exile of the Shechinah could be heard. After a long time, the Rav returned to the vehicle. The driver was horrified to see that the Rav's feet were completely bleeding as a result of the many wounds from the thorns and stones.

Terrified and worried, the driver turned to the Rav and asked him: "Why does the Rav do this to himself? Why walk barefoot in such a place?"

The response of the Rav shlit"a was brief, yet one that echoes far and wide, revealing the magnitude of his love for Hashem: "I want to feel a little bit of the sorrow of the Shechinah."

This story illustrates just how much the tzaddik lives and breathes the pain of the exile, and is willing to sacrifice his body and soul to share in the sorrow of the Creator of the world.

A Chilling Story: The Cries and Wails of Rabbi Berland at the Tomb of Yosef HaTzaddik

One of the close students of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a tells of a special and moving period. In those days, he merited to drive the Rav shlit"a in his private car to the tomb of Yosef HaTzaddik in the city of Shechem, night after night. According to him, the sights and sounds he witnessed on those nights are beyond human comprehension, and it is utterly impossible to fathom or describe what would happen there.

Nights of Heartbreaking Cries

When the Rav shlit"a would enter the compound of the holy tziyun (tomb), he would immediately prostrate himself on the ground. There, on the floor of the tziyun, he would burst into terrible weeping and heartbreaking cries that would shake the soul. He would beg and plead before Hashem over all the troubles of the Jewish people. Hours would pass, and the Rav did not cease begging for mercy for every single Jew.

Pleading on Behalf of Suffering Jews

The student describes how he would often literally hear the Rav shlit"a "arguing" with Hashem on behalf of His people. He would cry out from the depths of his heart: "Master of the Universe! Have mercy on so-and-so who is going through terrible suffering! After all, he survived the terrible Holocaust, and is already waiting so much for the Geulah (Redemption) - until when?!"

In this way, the Rav would mention sick people and suffering Jews by name, raising up all kinds of requests and supplications for them. For hours upon hours, the Rav shlit"a would lie on the ground, acting with complete mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) and crying out on behalf of the Congregation of Israel, out of a burning, boundless love for the Jewish people.

A Story of Crying That Turned Into a Dance of Joy

One avreich (Torah scholar) who merited to be in the close presence of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, tells of a wondrous and unique moment. He describes a sharp and moving transition that testifies to the Rav's immense service of Hashem, and his deep connection to every situation in serving the Creator.

From Cries and Weeping to Immense Joy

That avreich describes how the Rav shlit"a was immersed in mourning, accompanied by cries of anguish and heartbreaking weeping as he sat on the ground. But the great wonder occurred immediately afterward. "After the Rav shlit"a finished his cries and weeping, he stood up from the ground and began to sing and dance out of immense joy to Hashem," the avreich recounts in awe.

This rapid transition—from the depths of sorrow, weeping, and sitting on the ground, to the peak of joy and dancing—left a profound impression on everyone present. The immense joy that burst forth from the Rav was a testament to his pure devekus (cleaving) to the Creator, completely devoid of any barriers.

The Secret of the Tzaddik

In truth, anyone familiar with the conduct of the Rav knows that this is his holy and unique path. The tzaddik knows how to bridge the extremes of serving Hashem—weeping over the exile of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), and immediately afterward rejoicing in Hashem with boundless joy.

This is a well-known concept, as the verse states: "Rejoice with her in joy, all who mourn for her". Only one who knows how to truly mourn from the depths of their heart merits to subsequently reach the most genuine and complete joy, dancing out of a burning love for Hashem.

From Issue 80 — Parashas Devarim

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