Emergency Fundraising Appeal for Rav Berland shlit”a

“I’M HERE SCREAMING FROM HEARTACHE, BECAUSE I MET WITH ONE OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND HE CRIED TO ME WITH TEARS.  HE ASKED, ‘WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?  THE COMMUNITY IS UNAWARE OF THE GREATNESS OF THE DANGER!”

THE HEARTFELT CALL OF THE KABBALIST RAV SHLOMO ELMELIACH SHLIT”A THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SLEEPING AND DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION OF OUR REBBE, RAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A, IF WE DON’T WAKE UP SOON.

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EMERGENCY FUNDRAISING APPEAL FOR PIDYON SHVUYIM OF RABBI ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A: CLICK HERE  [https://ravberland.com/shop/donate-medical-expenses-rav-berland/](DONATIONS  HERE ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE)

or donate via The Chesed Fund  [https://thechesedfund.com/jerusalem/pidyonshvuyim](donations here are not tax deductible)

These are the words of the kabbalist Rav Shlomo Elmeliach shlit”a:

“After sitting in several meetings, we tried every way not to fall on the community; as in known, the ‘pit isn’t filled with the earth [after it’s removed and returned to it’—in other, their means isn’t enough, and they are required to seek outside help], as it says in the gemara in Brochos.  We know that the situation of Breslover Chasidim isn’t simple.  People here barely make it through the month, but baruch Hashem in the last fundraising appeal of 1,200,000 – this was a fundraising appeal of three days – it was fulfilled what is written: ‘I will pour out blessing upon you without end.’  There was more blessing than any understanding or logic.  People mamash donating more than they had.

“Someone donated my way 1,200 shekels, a person whose children are sleeping on a mattress.  He said to me, ‘We heard the holy call, we heard the need, and instead of buying beds for the children, we decided to give this money to Rav Berland, that it should be opened up for him, better for him, so that he can be released.’

“People contributed with exalted self-sacrifice that has no equal.  In this appeal, unlike the previous one, our hands are tied because there is already a plea bargain.  We need to act with transparency opposite the government…  All the income that comes in are for expenses that the court permits collecting for them.  For example: We know that not everyone wanted to lease an apartment to our Rebbe the Rav, [who is] famous in the media…  This entailed tens of thousands which were assured to the leaser.  He requested a half-year up front to insure himself.  We’re talking about a large sum to be added to the upkeep of the apartment, an on-hand doctor – the Rav has high blood-pressure.

“Not every time do they refer the Rav to the hospital, but almost every day or two the Rav suffers from high blood-pressure, and they don’t carry him off every minute to the hospital.  Therefore, in the apartment is an on-hand doctor along with personal medical equipment.  Therefore, every time that the Rav is hospitalized, they worry that he has personal care, and this costs a fortune.

“The staff of people involved in the Rav’s affairs [called ‘askanim’ in Hebrew] took unto themselves this responsibility.  If I could detail everything that they obligated themselves for the Rav – they mortgaged apartments for this with awesome self-sacrifice.  For example, the court requested that in addition to the giant fine, they give another 199,000 shekels, from which there was nowhere to collect it.  One of the askanim rose up like Pinchas.  That week he had his sister’s wedding, and he took with his father’s permission all the dowry money as a loan in order to free the Rav.

“The community has to wake up.  There are a few Kollel students, askanim who are accompanying the Rav from the beginning of the affair until now and they are stuck between a rock and a hard place [lit: the hammer and the anvil].  On one hand, they have a tremendous burden and the charity organization of the synagogue is concerned with taking care of [the synagogue] and there are many expenses there.  Therefore, the rest of the Rav’s expenses have to be from a new fundraising appeal.  On the other hand, to arrange a new fundraising appeal and to turn again to the community isn’t so simple.  To explain, we’re talking about literally the upkeep of the Rav’s home.  I can testify that for two months they didn’t have the wherewithal to pay the security company.  I had to find for them a loan for a sizable sum in order to pay the security company.

“The security company threatened that if they didn’t receive their fee they wouldn’t guard.  Then, G-d forbid, the Rav would return to prison.  Also if they don’t pay the rental on the apartment, the Rav goes back.  We, the rabbis, without involving the community, arranged a fundraising drive between us.  I, for example – it’s forbidden to tell, but to strengthen the community:  immediately, at the gathering of the rabbis at the home of Rav Micael Gol, I took out 5,000 shekels for a donation.  Another rabbi rose and donated another 5,000.  Another rabbi rose and donated 10,000 – the Rabbanim, the rabbis of the community.

“Still before we began with the trek of the fundraising appeal, we already make a fundraising drive of the Rabbanim.  Just understand how urgent is this fundraising appeal.

“Practically, we decided to raise 1000 shekels from each family, and I of course opposed this.  Understand that also the 1000 shekels that are donated – is this one-time or every month?  Truthfully, in the next five months which remain for the Rav until Cheshvan to be released from house arrest, this obligation needs to be on the public.

“So that one doesn’t think that [to give] 1000 skekels one-time and a person will say ‘peace upon you, my soul’…  I’m saying this without embarrassment.  There are rabbis who are embarrassed to say this, but I say:  Be embarrassed, but every month we need to raise 1000 shekels from each family.  The community needs to raise 200,000 shekels each month…  Regarding the costs of attorneys, we are hoping that they will be considerate and not request a lot of money, because we had here an exercise of the prosecutor; as it were, they agreed to relent on the previous third [of the sentence], and suddenly the Tel Aviv prosecutor didn’t agree… This once again brings the system under pressure.

“We need a lot of heavenly mercy.  The story of the Rav still hasn’t finished.  I’m updated on his health state, and from a health standpoint, the Rav can’t sit a single day in prison.  Every day, his blood pressure goes up to levels which it’s impossible to describe – this is a danger to the heart.  We are always trying to make the Rav happy and not to put him under stress.

“The group which is taking responsibility is a group of self-sacrifice mamash; I mamash envy them.  We the rabbis, baruch Hashem, meet, but we haven’t reached the dust of the feet of their self-sacrifice: signing off on loans, fighting for the Rav’s life.  This is not a simple war – a war with the forces of evil, with the Evil One, literally.

“The evil forces are fighting here with the true Tzaddik of the generation and everyone knows it; they just began again with the Rav and the Corona started again in Israel.  Does this look like something simple to you?  Now, they’re trying to put the Rav in prison – putting him under stress and also they’re put under stress.

“It’s impossible to put this entire burden onto two or three people…  Therefore, we put up students in Kiryat Sefer to arrange a fundraising appeal for the Rav’s expenses.

“The public needs to understand that if the Rabbanim come out here in an appeal, to think that [it’s as if] the Rav is coming out here in an appeal…  If the Rav for example was freed, like in the good years when the Rav would talk about pidyonos, people would sacrifice themselves for pidyonos.  What difference does it make now?  Because the Rav can’t talk now, then everyone sits silently?  Then everything falls on these three?

“I have to inform you that they are already collapsing.  If we don’t rise up like in parashas Pinchas, each one of us, and begin to raise money – not just to donate 1000 shekels… it’s impossible to where where this is going, G-d forbid.  We have no source of income to pay from.  Nothing is left.

“We have a problem here.  People are calling me and saying that they are prepared to donate if the Rav will bless them.  I answer, Rabosai, understand: the Rav today can’t bless anyone in the world.  From a legal standpoint, it’s forbidden for him to make a fundraising appeal and to be involved with the community, but the Rabbanim are representing our Rebbe Rav Berland.

“There’s nothing to do – it’s a ‘time to act for Hashem.’  If someone brings to the Rabbanim 10,000, bring the names of the contributors and we’ll pass them onto 7 rabbis of the community who will pray for them.  I promise them that in the merit of our Rebbe the Rav and Rabbeinu HaKadosh the prayers will be fulfilled completely like the blessings of the Rav, literally.  Because we are the rabbinic messengers, the legs of the tzaddik…  Therefore, I request that each person comes already with 5,000 shekels and ensure the five months until the release.

“I’m here screaming from heartache, because I met with one of the askanim and he cried to me with tears.  He asked, ‘What’s happening here?  The community is unaware of the greatness of the danger!’

“This is what the tzaddik wants now; that each person raise the money and help the Rav.  This is an emergency fundraising appeal for the rescue of our Rebbe Rav Berland, and each shekel that one gives, one should think in his heart that he is giving it into the hands of the tzaddik.  We have faith in the tzaddik, that the Rav sees from the beginning of the world until its end, and believe that the Rav accompanies spiritually everyone who contributes and that he will have success and heavenly assistance.

“Wake up, Rabosai.  The situation isn’t simple.  There are branches of Shuvu Banim throughout Israel and right now the call is to you who are outside Jerusalem… Someone who sacrifices himself for the tzaddik, he will also do it for him.

“There are words of the Rav about the greatness and level of the tzaddik, and what a person merits to when he is bound to the tzaddik, in this world and the next world – words which nullify free choice.  If a person were to hear these words, he would run to support the Rav, to support the Rav’s home and all these expenses.”

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EMERGENCY FUNDRAISING APPEAL FOR PIDYON SHVUYIM OF RABBI ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A: CLICK HERE  [https://ravberland.com/shop/donate-medical-expenses-rav-berland/](DONATIONS  HERE ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE)

or donate via The Chesed Fund  [https://thechesedfund.com/jerusalem/pidyonshvuyim](donations here are not tax deductible)

RABBIS OFER EREZ AND MOSHE TZANANI SHLIT"A [https://ravberland.com/rabbinical-council-calls-for-emergency-fundraising-appeal-for-rav-berland-shlita/]

RABBI MEIR MALKA SHLIT"A [https://ravberland.com/rabbi-meir-malka-in-a-holy-call-for-the-emergency-fundraising-appeal-for-rav-berland-shlita/]

RABBI SHMUEL STERN SHLIT"A [https://ravberland.com/everyone-knows-how-much-r-berland-did-for-him-and-needs-to-show-gratitude-r-shmuel-stern-shlita/]

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Hear Rav Shlomo Elmeliach (in Hebrew)