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"Pidyon Shvuyim (redeeming captives) takes precedence over providing for the poor and clothing them, and there is no mitzvah (commandment) as great as Pidyon Shvuyim", states the Rambam (Maimonides), as we have brought before you. And as the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman shlit"a (may he live long and good days), the Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek and head of the Migdal Or institutions, said: "Our Sages of blessed memory tell us, 'He who opens a door for his fellow, owes him his soul.' How many hearts did our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Berland shlit"a, open to bring people back in teshuvah (repentance) and to bring Jews closer to Hashem? He gave over his soul for every Jew. I have known the Rav for 40 years and I know how much mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) he has to help the People of Israel. So now that he is in distress, we are obligated to remember that 'he owes him his soul.'"

People of Israel, day after day passes, and now the holy days of Hanukkah have arrived, and the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a is still sitting in prison. We must not be ungrateful and forget all the mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) that the Rav shlit"a performed for each and every one of us. Even those who do not know the Rav personally, we are all truly obligated in the release of the Tzaddik—he who sacrifices his soul for the hamatkas hadinim (sweetening of the judgments) over the entire People of Israel.

Soon a year will have passed, and the Rav shlit"a, in his advanced age and with his frail health, is still sitting in prison as the days tick by. And now a precious opportunity has arrived, for which we have waited throughout the Rav's entire exile; through a legal move, the Rav can be released, with Hashem's help. And as the Rav said himself: "The Rav is about to be released soon. We ask everyone without exception, from all of the People of Israel, every son and daughter of the People of Israel—each one should donate a thousand shekels from their Hanukkah money. One should borrow, one should take, one should do it in installments. Direct this from the money of Hanukkah, Purim, Passover; (therefore) it is possible to take a thousand shekels in installments, because a thousand shekels is needed in order to release the Rav as quickly as possible. Within a week or two, the Rav can be released. If every son and daughter will donate a thousand shekels—one will donate from savings, one will donate from a gemach (interest-free loan fund) that he borrowed from."

[caption id="attachment_6002" align="alignnone" width="720"] The letter in the holy handwriting of His Honor, the Holy Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, calling to arise and raise the donation for the holy Pidyon (redemption)[/caption]

"Everything is with prayers, as it is written regarding our father Jacob (Genesis, Vayishlach): with prayer, with a gift, and with war. Therefore, it is necessary to donate a thousand shekels so that the Rav will be released even before Tu B'Shvat, perhaps even by the Tenth of Tevet. We ask everyone to gird their loins, to strengthen themselves, and to perform this action. And with Hashem's help, if there are a thousand such sons and daughters, we will be able to release the Rav by the Tenth of Tevet."

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It is brought in Halacha (Jewish law) that on Hanukkah, it was the custom for the poor to go around to houses and ask for Tzedakah (charity). As the Bach (Rabbi Joel Sirkis) wrote, since they were negligent in the service of the Holy Temple, they were punished with the cancellation of the service, and the tikkun (rectification) is the lighting of the candles just as in the Holy Temple. The Pri Megadim adds that one of the most important ways of tikkun (rectification) on Hanukkah is performing kindness by giving Tzedakah. And how much can a person merit if he awakens to jump upon this beloved mitzvah, especially when it concerns a distinguished Tzaddik like the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. As the Sages said: [Shabbat 139a] "Jerusalem is redeemed only through Tzedakah," and Hanukkah is the time most auspicious to awaken the Geulah (Redemption), because the days themselves are a semblance of the Redemption, for the Hanukkah candle is a semblance of the Temple service. Therefore, it is proper to increase Tzedakah on Hanukkah, as this brings about the pados (ransom) and the Geulah (Redemption).

Currently, the situation is that the Fund to Save our Teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a—under the leadership of Rabbi Ofer Erez shlit"a and under the supervision of the Rabbis shlit"a—is in debt of over a million shekels. Rabbi Ofer shlit"a has essentially abandoned his entire private organization and dedicated it to the rescue of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Furthermore, a persistent battle is currently being waged in the courts to release the Rav shlit"a as quickly as possible, and the debts simply make this important conduct difficult.

Therefore, and as His Honor our Teacher the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a requested, anyone with a Jewish heart within them should arise and donate according to the generosity of their heart and as the Rav shlit"a requested, at least a thousand shekels. As it is said, "And Tzedakah (charity) saves from death" (Tractate Shabbat, page 156), for anyone who gives Tzedakah is saved from actual death. Great is Tzedakah, which cancels the burning anger of Hashem Yitbarach (the Blessed Name) from the world, and draws down kindness into the world until the revelation of Mashiach Tzidkenu (our righteous Messiah) and the building of the Holy Temple, speedily in our days, Amen. And as Rebbe Nachman said, no one ever lost from giving Tzedakah to the Tzaddik.