Amazing Story: When Rabbi Berland Hit the Air and Saved a Jew from Mortal Danger / Story

One of the gabbaim (attendants) saw Rabbi Berland making patting motions in the air. Later it became clear that at that exact moment, the Rav saved a Jew from afar when he patted him on the shoulder and instructed him to vomit.

Amazing Story: When Rabbi Berland Hit the Air and Saved a Jew from Mortal Danger

One of the gabbaim who merited to be in the home of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a related a wondrous event he witnessed, which illustrates how the eyes of the tzaddik see from afar and work salvations beyond the boundaries of time and space.

Mysterious Movements in the Air

On that day, the gabbai was staying in the home of the Rav shlit"a. Suddenly, he noticed an extraordinary sight. He saw how the tzaddik began making strange motions with his hand in the air, as if he were forcefully patting the shoulder of someone standing in front of him.

The gabbai stood in astonishment, completely unable to understand the meaning of this. Why was the Rav hitting the air? Who was there that eyes of flesh and blood were incapable of seeing? "Vomit! Vomit!" the Rav said at that moment, but the context remained an absolute mystery to those present in the room.

The Mystery is Solved

Some time passed, and an amazing story of salvation reached the ears of that gabbai about a man who was in mortal danger. That man related that at the critical moment, he suddenly felt strong pats on his shoulder and heard a voice telling him to vomit, and in the merit of this, his life was saved.

When the gabbai heard the details of the incident, he was struck with amazement. He calculated the times and immediately understood what had transpired. It turned out that the exact moment the tzaddik made the patting motions in his home was the precise time that man felt the pats on his shoulder from afar. The tzaddik, with his immense spiritual power, performed the act of rescue from within his room.

The Deeds of the Fathers are a Sign for the Children

This wondrous event reminds anyone familiar with the history of Chassidus of the well-known story involving the holy tzaddik, the Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk zy"a (may his merit protect us all, Amen). It is told that in the middle of conducting his holy tish (festive table), the Rebbe suddenly took a cup of wine and spilled its contents onto the table without any explanation.

Only later was the secret revealed. At that exact time, a wicked minister sat far away, seeking to sign and enact a harsh decree against the Jews. Suddenly, miraculously, ink spilled onto the document of the decree. Because of this, the matter became confused, the document was ruined, and the evil decree was annulled and never came to fruition.

So too in our generation, we merit to see how the true tzaddikim work salvations in hidden ways, guarding and protecting the souls of Israel from all harm, even when we are completely unaware of it.

Story: The Tzaddik Despises Money with Absolute Hatred

Furthermore, this story was told on the information line, extension 93: When the supreme wonder, the Rav shlit"a, was in Beitar, two men left the home of the tzaddik completely in shock. People asked them what happened, and they said, "We brought the tzaddik a Pidyon Nefesh (redemption of the soul) of five thousand shekels. The Rav shlit"a took the money, went into the washroom, threw it into the toilet, and flushed it." They had no explanation for this behavior. Without a doubt, this shows that the tzaddik does not touch money that is not completely pure.

Story of a Blank Check: The Surprising Amount Written by Morinu HaRav Berland shlit"a

Our holy Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov zy"a, writes that the lust for money is the most difficult desire to break free from. However, when one observes the conduct of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, one sees how the tzaddik is completely clean and absolutely perfect in his detachment from this lust.

A Blank Check from the Businessman

One day, a tremendously wealthy man with vast means arrived at the residence of Morinu HaRav shlit"a. This wealthy man, who wanted to support the holy activities of the Rav, decided to do something extraordinary. He took a blank check from his checkbook, signed it, and handed it to the tzaddik.

"The Rav can write whatever amount he wants," the wealthy man said, granting the Rav free access to his fortune. It was a moment of testing, where any other person might have been tempted to write a massive sum for the benefit of his institutions.

The Surprising Amount

But the reaction of Morinu HaRav shlit"a was surprising and awe-inspiring. The tzaddik took the pen, and with characteristic serenity, wrote only a symbolic amount on the blank check: 100 New Israeli Shekels.

This short story illustrates, more than a thousand words could, the immense spiritual level of the Rav. Out of absolute cleanliness of hands and true prishus (asceticism), the tzaddik proved that matters of this world and money hold no place whatsoever in his pure heart.

From issue 80 — Parshas Vayikra

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