Hundreds of Old City Kollel Students Attend a Class by the Gaon and Tzaddik

On Monday night, the 27th of MarCheshvan, Parshas Toldos, a class was held at the home of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, for hundreds of avreichim (married Torah students) from our community at the Shuvu Banim Kollel in the Old City, under the "Shuvu Banim - Nechamat Zion" institutions.

The hundreds of avreichim, who merit to "toil in the tent of Torah" (dedicate themselves fully to study), gathered on the aforementioned day in our Beis Medrash (study hall) beneath the holy residence. They merited to hear the words of the Living G-d for approximately forty-five minutes. Below is a summary of the topics mentioned by the Rav shlit"a during the class:

Eliezer saw everything; he saw that Esau would descend from Rebecca, and also that the Jewish people would make the Golden Calf, which is why he placed bracelets on her hands. Rashi writes that Rebecca was 3 years old when she married, and Tosafot also says that Rebecca was 3 years old when she married.

The Zohar in Parshas Tazria discusses the verse: "So that it may go well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you." How could Abraham say such a thing—that you should say "you are my sister" and in that merit we will receive much money? Rather, in truth, when Abraham left the Land of Israel, the angel left him, whereas Sarah's angel did not leave her. Therefore, he said to her, "and my soul may live because of you."

In the month of Cheshvan, it is possible to bring down a House of Fire (the Third Temple). Now is the month of Bul (another name for Cheshvan); Hashem punishes the whole world with mabuls (floods) and inundations because they said that the Jews are murderers.

Now the moon is at its closest, 356,948 kilometers from the Earth. One must know all these calculations of the distances of the moon and the sun.

It is possible to learn all wisdoms in a single hour. When I was a young man, I was against Breslov. The Rebbetzin forced me to read [their books].

They asked Elijah about the prophecy of Isaiah: "For when are you prophesying?" He told them: "For today!" If you do teshuvah (repentance) today, the Third Temple will descend! The Tzaddik prophesies for today!

Jacob melted like wax from the fear of Isaac: "And I shall be in his eyes as a deceiver." The Tzaddik is so meticulous that in a single second, one could die. Rebecca said to him: "Either you enter and receive the blessings, or I will enter and no one will receive them." Esau certainly will not receive the blessings.

The daughter of Kalba Savua wanted only Rabbi Akiva, who used to say, "Who will give me a Torah scholar so I can bite him like a donkey." This was because she understood that he didn't truly hate Torah scholars, but rather because they would insult the am ha'aretz (unlearned people); therefore, he said "I will bite him like a donkey," whereas in truth, within a second, he could transform into a true Tzaddik.

Even the greatest of the wicked do teshuvah (repentance). Yosef Meshita was prepared to be cut into pieces rather than enter the Holy Temple again [to loot it]. Yakum of Tzerorot also realized he was wrong when his uncle, Yosei ben Yoezer, said to him: "See what kind of horse awaits you" (referring to the reward of the righteous vs the wicked). So he went and performed upon himself the four types of capital punishment of the Beis Din (Rabbinical Court).

Jacob "hid" in the house of Shem and Eber because Esau was searching for him. When he went to Charan, Eliphaz took all his clothes. Then Hashem caused a horseman to come and immerse in the Jordan, and that horseman drowned; Jacob took the horse and the clothes for himself. He traveled to Charan because Esau was afraid to go to Laban, for Laban was looking for him because he was a firstborn, intending to turn him into teraphim (idolatrous statues).

Abraham told Eliezer, "Do not fear." Eliezer said to him, "What if Laban slaughters me?" [Abraham replied], "I will protect you." "And what if Laban puts poison for me?" And indeed, that is what happened. Abraham told Eliezer, "Go, I am protecting you," and in the merit of believing in the Tzaddik, he was saved! The Tzaddik protects everyone. The Tzaddik can fly through the air and pass through walls.

In the past, the Tannaim and Amoraim (Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud) would knock down walls. Rabbah bar Nachmani passed through a wall, and it is also brought that Elijah the Prophet knocked down the wall of the palace of Beis Ono to release Rav Hamnuna and his group.

The Tzaddik can say the Shem HaMeforash (the Explicit Name of G-d) and knock down walls and fly through the air!