Knishta Chada Bulletin 50 Av Month 5776 - The Shechinah in Exile
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Knishta Chada 50
No one can claim that everything is fine with them. Perhaps one has, Baruch Hashem, a steady livelihood. Perhaps another has some joy from their descendants, but generally, the Jewish people are going through a challenging period – a time of clarification in emunah (faith). As the Rebbe Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhin zt"l said, in the last generation, the test of emunah will be so difficult, likening it to climbing a wall without stairs. The Gemara says: "The entire world was created only to accompany this" (Berachot 6b). That is, emunah and connection to the tzaddik is the main advice through which one can achieve personal and general rectification.
Our holy Rebbe prepared us for these momentous times, giving us tools for those who wish to lift and use them at the right time – now, as everything around is changing, preparing, readying itself for the coming of the King: "And then when honor returns to those who understand, at the beginning of their rule, a dispute arises. And when the enemies unite, they draw much and quickly all the excesses and fall. Perhaps this is the secret of the birth pangs of Mashiach and the war of Gog and Magog, for then in the days of Mashiach, honor will be fully restored to those who understand, and therefore a great dispute will arise before the coming of Mashiach against the Torah scholars, as it says in the generation when the son of David comes, there will be a prosecution against the Torah scholars (Ketubot 112b), and Rashi explains many accusers and obligators will stand against them, and this is the essence of the birth pangs of Mashiach (Rashi Shabbat 118), and also the war of Gog and Magog will arise then, when all the nations will gather to fight against Israel, and in truth, this will be for the benefit of Israel, for then the nations will suffer a complete downfall without support (Yikra D’Shabbat Siman 66)." We have not come to invent a new Torah and certainly not to sow fear and panic, only to strengthen in the power of the tzaddik who prepared for us in advance words of wisdom and knowledge, things that waited in the background for hundreds of years for the moment they would ripen and grow with the right generation – the generation of Mashiach and his chosen emissary.
"Everyone calls him a holy man"
Just before the Rav shlit"a left Johannesburg, we had the merit to speak with Rabbi Katz, the rabbi of the prisons in Johannesburg. "Due to my role as the rabbi of the prisons in Johannesburg, I met the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a several times," Rabbi Shabtai Katz begins his words in a unique interview we conducted with him. "Rav Berland is imprisoned under terrible conditions – but he is always joyful," he says. The prison cell where the Rav is located is very small, the size of three beds, without flooring, with a toilet corner without a fixed partition but a blanket, a very small table, and a box for books in the corner of the room. Visitors bring in and take out books for the Rav at each visit.
It is wintertime, at night the temperatures drop even below zero, and the cold penetrates the cell from the massive prison facility, which houses thousands of prisoners. "I did not notice if the Rav has a heater, but I saw how the Rav warms himself with movement and Torah study. I do not know the Rav's prayer times because he is always joyful and adorned with a tallit and tefillin, always holding holy books in his hand."
"The guards and police at the facility, as well as the prisoners themselves, call the Rav 'the holy man' (THE HOLY MAN) and constantly come to him for blessings and to consult about personal issues in their lives. The prisoners behave with reverence towards the Rav and constantly strive to care for him and ask what he needs."
Rabbi Katz is amazed that the Rav shlit"a is always in a positive attitude, not sad and complaining like the other prisoners. "He always repeats and says that everything is good and everything is fine, and everyone helps him, and finally, he has the opportunity to do hitbodedut as he always wanted." The Rav wanted me to convey on his behalf that he is always with us physically and spiritually, and we need to strengthen in emunah and bitachon in Hashem that everything that happens – is all for the good."
In a conversation with his students, the Rav said: I am here in Gan Eden, for 50 years I did not have such peace of mind to study all day without interruption.
(You can listen to the full interview and other hot materials about the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland on the line – 029917173)
"Know that Mashiach is already ready to be revealed"
When the Rav shlit"a went into exile, everyone thought he was already returning, but the Rav prepared us and said from the beginning that the bitter exile would last three years. And indeed, a little after three years, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, landed in the Holy Land (a picture of the landing), but the Sitra Achra and all its forces could not bear it, and before he arrived, they stirred up strife in the world. About this period, our holy Rebbe and his student spoke: "Once, Reb Noson spoke of the Megillat Setarim and said that the war of Gog and Magog is not mentioned in the Megillat Setarim, implying that there will be heresy in the world, and this will be our and Mashiach's great test. And therefore, in every generation, when there is a great prosecution among Israel, and heresies increase – know that Mashiach is already ready to be revealed, only the heresies and the apostasy cover and conceal him. And as our sages said (Sanhedrin 94a): Hashem wanted to make Chizkiyahu the Mashiach, and Sennacherib Gog and Magog. That is, in every generation, this corresponds to that; against the King Mashiach, who is the level of revealing the pleasantness of the holy emunah, there is Gog and Magog, which are the heresies and mockery against him, for the essence of the King Mashiach will be to illuminate and reveal His blessed light, as our sages said (Midrash Rabbah Parshat Bereshit Parsha 1) 'and light dwells with him' (Daniel 2:22) – this is King Mashiach, see there..., but to this (simple faith) one can only reach through the true tzaddikim who are the illumination of King Mashiach. But this corresponds to that: there is the war of Gog and Magog, which is the general dispute and prosecution against these true tzaddikim who reveal the truth of His blessed existence, for they want to swallow them alive, God forbid, and speak all forbidden things about them and mock them greatly – and through this, they distance the souls of Israel from them. And through this, they prolong the bitter exile, God forbid. And therefore, woe to them! And woe to the souls of those who have a part in the dispute and quarrels against the true tzaddikim, who reveal the truth of His blessed existence, for they are the brazen ones of the generation, the face of the dog, the soldiers of Gog and Magog who conceal the truth, and they are the wicked of the generation as our sages said (Bava Metzia 83b): since he is so brazen, this is proof that he is wicked. And they said in the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:10): whoever is brazen and is not ashamed of someone greater than him, and whoever is a master of dispute – he is wicked from wicked, God forbid, see there. And if you knew, my beloved, my brother, what is written in the Megillat Setarim about these soldiers of Gog and Magog mentioned above who conceal the truth, you would be shocked and frightened and fall on your face from great shock and fear, who and what and how this bitter exile has been prolonged. And they already said in the Yerushalmi (Chapter 2, Halacha 1): the brazen one defeats the kosher one, and all for the sake of choice and trial, until the time comes for His blessed word. In any case, however it is, my beloved, my brother, you flee from dispute and quarrels and do not get involved, and have no part in any dispute and quarrels and mockery against the true tzaddikim, for you do not know what the day will bring forth, etc. And you do not know who and what you are opposing and mocking. And even if they want to incite you, saying it is a mitzvah to pursue the kosher ones, you, my beloved! My brother! Have mercy on your soul! And flee from such mitzvot, for bitter will be your end, and on the contrary; if you help the true tzaddikim, you will bring the redemption closer and merit all the good prepared for the soldiers of the house of David." (Sefer Peulat HaTzaddik, page 507, note 200)
Rabbi Yaakov Meir Salmanovich - No one knows what awaits him
And just as Reb Noson prepared us, immediately with the arrival of the Rav to the land, the accusers jumped out of their holes, even though they knew they were fulfilling the role of Amalek in the story (parable of the boiling bath, Rashi in Parshat Zachor). We all knew how much these and others pursued the Rav all these years, but we did not expect such intensity of hatred. Here is a bit of what Rabbi Yaakov Meir Salmanovich shlit"a, who was the revered rabbi of two of the leaders of the campaign against the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, published: "Gevald! Gevald! How can we remain silent, there is already so much pain and heartache, so many disputes, so much pain, how can you conduct such a cruel war??? Do you have claims??? Do you have things??? Only with goodness! Only with mercy! How can you cause such pain in the world now??? Stop!!! Stop!!! Stop!!! Woe to you from the Day of Judgment! This is terrible hatred! This has not been since the beginning of the world! You are delaying the redemption! You want to go even further to ensnare the tzaddikim again, more signatures, more signatures, woe to you from the Day of Judgment! How can you take such great tzaddikim? The whole world has been crying for four years about the hatred in Breslov, such pain, everything was fine, the Rebbe went to conquer the world, the Sitra Achra awoke and wants to create hatred and division without any mercy." So opens Rabbi Yaakov Meir Salmanovich's cry against those pursuing the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, those who incite innocent rabbis and torment tens of thousands anew every moment.
"Aren't you afraid? To take such tzaddikim and ensnare them? To take such tzaddikim and instill hatred in them? It's not as simple as you think. To instill such hatred in them. It's not the Rebbe." If it is not enough that Rabbi Salmanovich is one of the great influencers of Breslov in our generation, he was also previously the rabbi of the brothers Y.H. and A.H., two of the greatest pursuers of the Rav shlit"a. And he, who knows them personally better than anyone, cries out to them to stop their vile crimes.
"Isn't the suffering each one has enough, no one is sure what will happen to them. What is happening here? How can there be such pain in Breslov? Such wickedness? Four years already of such wickedness, people are crying, four years you have torn the life out of thousands of people. There is so much hatred here, endless hatred. If everyone had love, they could fix everything, the first thing that brings the exile closer is the five types of Erev Rav, the first thing is the masters of disputes. The Rebbe can advocate for everyone except for the masters of disputes." People in the world are not aware of the magnitude of the hatred these people are stirring, who do not shy away from any scheme to defame the name of the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland in the eyes of the public. Rabbi Salmanovich, who has never expressed himself in this way towards anyone, understands the magnitude of the terrible mistake and cries out against two of his former students.
"What is this thing? All the masters of disputes have already regretted it, Rabbi Shechter, who was so ensnared in the previous dispute, Rabbi Shechter, who is holy of holies and was ensnared in the previous dispute, has already asked for forgiveness, was ensnared because of people, now you come again, more signatures, calling people and wanting to sign them again, beware!!! Shame on you!!! No one knows what awaits him, Master of the Universe have mercy, no one is immune! Mercy, Gevald! Is this the Rebbe?! Is this why we came to the Rebbe?! Every period to create more disputes?! There were so many disputes, another dispute?! People are bleeding for four years, people are bleeding, and it doesn't stop, worse and worse, inciting even the authorities, all because of you! Gevald, everyone who needs to fix is lazy, when they come to break in a moment, to break everyone loves, instead of overcoming their desires, a person overcomes the other, it's much easier." The words of Rabbi Salmanovich are harsh and searing in the heart, to what extent our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, is pursued and remains silent. We cannot yet tell even a fraction of the things known to us, to what extent they exploit the holy conduct of our teacher, the Rav, the conduct he took upon himself all his days – to believe and only go in the way that is guided from above. Complete nullification to the will of Hashem.
"Who knows if the redemption is not being delayed because of this terrible dispute that is in the whole world, there is such a desecration of Hashem in the whole world, I hear from all over the world such a desecration of Hashem about this dispute, people are already saying: where do they take such murder? Only in Breslov, in such murder, the Sitra Achra put all the forces to place here Erev Rav to make murder. They take such tzaddikim, sick people, and sign them, wicked like the sea, want to sign them on more, instead of calling the other side to hear their opinion, because something is rattling you, you are making destructions! Aren't you afraid? Hashem is in heaven, aren't you afraid?
Hashem seeks the pursued! Even if a tzaddik pursues the wicked, and here what is going on here, Master of the Universe, we have become a laughingstock to the whole world, Breslov today has become a joke to the whole world. If you rise again, then there will be a force that will rise as well, know that Hashem is there, and He is merciful, He looks only at a good and benevolent person, who wants to do good, don't you hear the cries? There are thousands and thousands connected to the Rav all over the world, and they are crying, and their cry rises to the heart of the heavens, beware! Be afraid! Be afraid! There are people for whom this is their entire life, it's not simple at all. Who knows what was prepared for the people of Israel, the two hundred years of the Rebbe and Reb Noson are over, what is happening here, repent, do teshuvah, they will accept you with love, there is no hatred, even though you did what you did, there is no hatred, thousands of people, tens of thousands of people are torn and broken from this story." Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, taught us only to cry out and pray, no violence and no hatred, because things need to be corrected at the root. But, unfortunately, not everyone is aware of the magnitude of the evil and hatred that has developed in these pursuers who use tools from the world of chaos in their campaign of defamation. Unfortunately, too many people fall into their trap. Therefore, we saw the necessity to bring these terrible things.
"Gevald, how can you do this? Is this what you learned from the Rebbe?! We learned from the Rebbe only love! Only to draw close! If Hashem has mercy on us, have mercy, have mercy, I know all the claims you have, nonsense and nonsense! Nonsense and nonsense! You know very well how to justify everything if you want. Fortunate are you if you stop now, from now on stop, everyone stop, Hashem will help that Mashiach will come and it will stop, there is much to say, I could talk all day, this is the first time I am doing such a thing, know that it is not simple at all, if you stop now there is a chance, if you stop now with all your might there is a chance that the redemption will come!"
(You can hear Rabbi Salmanovich's talk on the line 02-991-7173 extension 31)
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Rabbi Grossman's Grandson – "They are the sinners of Israel in their bodies and we will make them like tzaddikim?"
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"And now it is necessary for the Rav to be completely exonerated because this is a Dreyfus affair, the one who forged the letter (in the Dreyfus trial) committed suicide. Esterhazy (Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy) said that the honor of France is more important than the suicide of that forger who forged, and here people forged the Rav's voice, forged many things endlessly, forged realities, forged things all for action, all for more interest, the Rav is happy, the Rav is at the peak of happiness" (Words of our teacher the Rav shlit"a ina lesson from within Johannesburg prison a few days before his return to the land)
Rabbi Grossman's Grandson – "They are the sinners of Israel in their bodies and we will make them like tzaddikim?"
"This is not simple at all what is happening here, heavens and earth are shocked, about this terrible situation where the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer ben Atia Berland shlit"a is placed. Such a terrible situation, it is truly wondrous and not realistic at all that such a thing happens, that they take such a tzaddik and humiliate him by force. He is bound in chains and they bring against him strange claims that never were and never existed, for anyone with a bit of sense and who is connected to our teacher Rabbi Grossman shlit"a understands and knows that this is not relevant and such things do not exist in a tzaddik like Rabbi Eliezer Berland who is a holy and awesome man." These words were said by the influencer, the grandson of Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman shlit"a in the "Or HaShabbat" system.
"Throughout the years, everyone held that this tzaddik has no connection and relevance to this world, this person has no connection to desires. He rises from moment to moment and from day to day and stood in trials that no tzaddik in the last decades stood. Prison, pursuit from country to country, when every moment he does not let go of the holy Name, not for a moment to let go of the study of the holy Torah. Whoever knows the Rav knows that he is attached every moment to the holy Name and he even signals it with his fingers: Y-H-V-H, every moment you see him attached to the Shechinah with his whole body. Every moment he prays and studies and remembers the holy Name – a piece of divine service."
"From the prison in Johannesburg, hundreds of books were taken out, he only asked for books, even though he had no food and the living conditions were unbearable. Rabbi Grossman told one of his grandsons that the world is placed where they are placed (placed in nonsense), but Rabbi Berland is placed in the letters of the Torah and prayer. It is written in Zohar Pinchas, that when it is difficult for the generation to accept the sufferings that come to them due to their situation, the tzaddik suffers for everyone. And I ask myself how we did not realize that there are such judgments on the people of Israel that the tzaddik has to suffer such things. Maybe it's the internet? Rabbi Berland spoke a lot about the destructive influence of this and that corruptions are created from these defects, it could be from this."
"We need to do a lot of teshuvah and turn the world into a place of peace, and the main thing is not to let people speak – because it is a crime upon a crime – the people whom the tzaddik revives, they are the ones speaking about the tzaddik. God forbid that we should be among those fools, that we should know and remember that the tzaddik revives us, he atones for our sins. How can we believe stories about a tzaddik who was in the hands of criminals, those who turned him into a money machine, and sold him for the sake of profit. They took him from lesson to lesson and everyone who spoke with him they took thousands of dollars from – can we believe them about a case they exploded on the Rav?! They are thieves and liars, they have no connection to kedushah! They harmed an entire community and locked up a rabbi in Israel with lock and key and did not let him speak to anyone except the things they want – can we believe them?! These wicked ones pay tens of thousands of dollars to someone else who agrees to lie, about them it is said: "who speak arrogantly against the tzaddik with pride and contempt." They are the sinners of Israel in their bodies and we will make them like tzaddikim?
"And how do people believe this? After all, he is surrounded by mafias and criminal people who exploit the nullification he has towards the conduct of Hashem, and they exploit this and threaten him that if he does not agree with them, they will release false cases against him – how did we fall into such a thing? How are people not careful to speak about such a tzaddik? The thing that angers Hashem the most is when they speak about the tzaddik, it is like speaking with a father about his only son who sacrifices his life every moment for the people of Israel. Especially Rabbi Berland who every moment sacrifices his life to bring the people of Israel closer without food, without sleep, and without drink."
"About such a person can it be written that he leads astray from the ways of kedushah?! After all, he is the one who brings people closest to guarding their eyes and avoiding defects. He is the one who speaks the sharpest about kedushah, the crazy persistence in Torah study, and prayer with melodies and length. All the things against him are lies and falsehoods and contrary to all straight logic. This tzaddik is far from sins, all his conversation and dealings are only about how to get closer to Hashem, even from prison he only strengthened in Torah study."
"May Hashem grant us that we accept these words and not deviate from the path of truth."
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(You can hear the words on Rabbi Grossman's shlit"a line 077-261-1143 extension 4)
The Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit"a - "Next to every true tzaddik is the snake"
(Picture of him from the rally in front of the court)
"In the terrible and dreadful matter of spilling the blood of tzaddikim and kosher and God-fearing people, I went out of my way to give my opinion, regarding the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, it is known for years even from my personal acquaintance with him for over thirty years that he is a servant of Hashem with self-sacrifice in the full sense of the word without concern for family, without money, and also established and establishes students who fear Hashem, many outstanding servants of Hashem. As is known in the holy books, next to every true tzaddik is the snake, and also there over the years, people who are not worthy wandered around and covered themselves with a tallit all blue, and of course, and here are some God-fearing people who wanted innocently to arrange the courtyard were harmed by people, and for this, they developed much evil, hatred, slander, madness, and even to the point of bloodshed and foul language, and worse yet, they have not yet reached their desire, until they declare the aforementioned tzaddik and all his people whom he drew close, their wine is Yayin Nesech and their bread is Pat Akum and their daughters, etc., and they will not be called from the seed of Israel, God forbid."
These harsh words are written by none other than the Kabbalist, author of "Osrei Lagafen," Rabbi Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit"a, the father-in-law of that Y.H., the main pursuer of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a. "Of course, this was not born on one day but over more than three years, how they opened the evil from time to time and expanded the circle of evil until anyone who does not want to help them or not listen to them, they reach him with various and strange pretexts, and of course, not on one day and not in one story can such a terrible bad name be made, and therefore they started with slanders, and even though it is not true, God forbid, and the main thing is to remove the aforementioned tzaddik and his people from the presumption of kashrut, and through this, every word or movement, they will interpret that his intention and the intention of his students is for evil, God forbid, by changing small details and with their many falsehoods, they plot without pause to deceive several famous rabbis into their net, and through this, to deceive everyone."
The matters are difficult to understand, to what extent those wearing the garb of Torah scholars and God-fearing people have distanced themselves when within them beats an evil spirit. "And if I were not close to both sides directly, I would not express my opinion at all, but since I am following this step by step and I see the plot taking shape until declarations of self-sacrifice and victory, I did not restrain my spirit and wrote this for those who want to know the truth without defiling their minds, and I ask in advance for anyone who is looking for hatred and revenge and pursuit not to read this letter."
In another letter that Rabbi Sheinfeld wrote directly to the Beit Din, he warned them against accepting the words of that snake who seduces and said: "It concerns someone who has entered into him a spirit of impurity, and deceives even himself, and afterwards deceives others with him, therefore the rabbis should know to be careful and abhor him. And I know both sides well and you can verify all the details with me."
In the same style, the Milkman warned – An evil spirit rests on those pursuing the tzaddik
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The Milkman, Rabbi Chaim Cohen shlit"a, a man with divine inspiration and the rabbi of many and great ones, expressed himself on Monday, 12th of Tammuz 5776: "I warn and say Y.H. has an evil spirit resting on him, and it is not under his control, and therefore it is strictly forbidden to speak with him about anything concerning Rabbi Berland shlit"a because he has the power to convince and defame anyone, even someone who does not accept lashon hara. And this is the power of the evil spirit that has entered him, God forbid."
Rabbi Motta Frank shlit"a
I hope very much that within these words of mine you will find, if you wish, rest for your soul, and may we merit, and the great merit of the yahrzeit of this day, the head of our group, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender z"l, whom I saw many times how they came to his house and also in the synagogue, many and good among Anash to speak evil and bad against Rabbi Eliezer (our teacher the Rav shlit"a) and his people... and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak listened and listened, and then I heard from him in this language: 'What do they want? I come to the shul early in the morning, who do I find there? The people of Rabbi Eliezer! Who goes to the field, the people of Rabbi Eliezer! Who do I meet in the mikveh early in the morning, the people of Rabbi Eliezer! – What do they want?!' – May his memory be blessed and his merit protect us."
Thus concludes Rabbi Motta Frank shlit"a, one of the important influencers of Breslov in the world, his sharp letter against those who desecrate the name of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, and all who hear his teachings. Rabbi Frank, like many others, is pained by the pursuit of the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, responds sharply to all those plotting who do not shy away from any means to disgrace the honor of the Rav shlit"a and the honor of the entire Torah. Rabbi Frank is not from the frequent visitors to Rabbi Berland's house and not from those counted among his courtyard, yet, like any Jew watching from the side, whose Jewish soul beats within him, he is fed up with the false pursuit against the Rav shlit"a.
Avraham Taleh – "If there is such a tzaddik, I also want to see him"
"My approach to the embrace of Judaism began at the yeshiva of Rabbi Moshe Arush in Katamon. Rabbi Moshe Tzanani would come to give us lessons, and through him, I learned that one must continue to search for the true tzaddik and not stand still and be content. True, I reached our holy Rebbe, but there is a tzaddik in every generation who reveals the intention of our Rebbe according to the state of the generation. Until then, even though I served in the army for 13 years around the yeshiva 'Shuvu Banim', I did not know of the yeshiva's existence, apparently, the Rav shlit"a hid it from me." This is the moving and unique story of Rabbi Avraham Taleh, from the group of workers at the yeshiva 'Shuvu Banim'.
"So what do I do now? I asked Rabbi Tzanani. After all, I left all my previous life to get closer to the purpose, and now it turns out there is still a way ahead of me. 'Do hitbodedut on it and ask in prayer to know who is the true tzaddik living in our generation, that he should be revealed to you, and give you a message or something similar'! Rabbi Tzanani answered me. Since then, for three months or more, I did hitbodedut only on this, hours upon hours. Master of the Universe, guide me on the right path, if there is such a thing, why shouldn't I merit it? I would plead in prayer. Until one Shabbat night, during midnight, I lay on the ground in hitbodedut and said to Hashem: 'Why do I need such a life? If there is such a tzaddik, I also want to see him'. Suddenly, a torrential rain began to fall that did not stop for a moment, and suddenly I see the Rav shlit"a beside me in a very tangible way, wrapped in a tallit and making movements with his hands. I had not seen the Rav before and did not know him, so I was frightened and said to him: 'Sir, what do you want from me? But he did not answer me."
"Of course, immediately on Sunday, I told Rabbi Tzanani, who tried to clarify with me if I had not seen a picture, I stood my ground, after all, I know clearly what I saw. 'And will you recognize him if you see him again?' he continued to challenge. 'If so, next Shabbat come to the synagogue on Iddo HaNavi Street'. He gave me the address of the synagogue. You can verify with Rabbi Tzanani that this is a true story. "The next Shabbat, I walked from Katamon to the synagogue on Iddo HaNavi, and I arrived at 4:30 in the morning, as soon as I entered, the Rav shlit"a was waiting for me at the door and made the same hand movements he made in the field. Wow, this is the same Rav I saw in the field! I started talking to myself. From 4:30 in the morning until 14:00, I did not leave the Rav shlit"a. And since then, I have been in the yeshiva of the Rav, the yeshiva "Shuvu Banim". Only after about 15 years did I talk to the Rav about that meeting, the Rav answered me and said: 'What miracles with you!' and continued on without talking about it further."
"I saw many miracles and wonders from the Rav shlit"a, especially when I would go out on his mission to bring merit to the many and draw the distant closer. Many were saved after promises I made in the name of the Rav, the Rav shlit"a would tell us: 'Promise in my name'. Barren women were blessed with children, and unemployed found a paved way, on the roads we discovered the power of the tzaddik. One of the friends asked the Rav: why do you perform such miracles with the distant people while with us everything is hidden? 'I have already brought you close, but they are still there, and we need to bring them', the Rav shlit"a answered."
"The Rav shlit"a always talks to us about prayer that must be with melody, and indeed, in all corners of the earth, we spread Torah and Judaism, and we always sang. People would give us large sums of money as charity for the yeshiva and its students, even without us needing to ask, the melodies would draw them. Whoever goes with the Rav in simplicity merits."
"I am an orphan from a very young age, but the pain I have for everything the Rav shlit"a is going through is greater than the pain I had for my parents. Because the Rav is not just ours alone, he is the Rav of all of Israel, as long as the Rav is in pain, we have no life. A friend told me that one day before he approached Judaism, he wanted to repent, he went to one of the Admorim and wanted to shake his hand, but he extended his hand with a glove. That one was hurt and wanted to retreat, one of the friends brought him to Holland, there when the Rav saw him, he hugged him and gave him warm and loving attention. That friend explained to him that all the other tzaddikim really see all our defects, but the Rav shlit"a, in his immense love for the people of Israel, can come close to us even without gloves, and love corrects all the defects."
"The Rav is not in prison, the tzaddik is eternal, we are in prison and need to be freed from all the defects that hold us. The Rav fights for us, and we need to have the merit to come close to him. If the Rav asks for a sum for redemption, it should be given immediately without questions, this is our merit to be part of the redemption."
[To hear the story firsthand and for additional talks and stories, call the phone line of - the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland - 'Shuvu Banim International' line – 02-991-7173 (extension 31)]
Meir Assoulin – Rabbi Berland shlit"a is an angel of Hashem Tzevaot!
Meir Assoulin is a former Border Police officer who has been close to our teacher, the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, for 31 years. His closeness began while serving as a Border Police officer in the area of the Old City, occasionally going up to the "Shuvu Banim" yeshiva complex located in the Muslim Quarter. However, the connection tightened precisely during the murder of one of the yeshiva students. This happened when vile terrorists cold-bloodedly murdered the pleasant young man Eliyahu Omdi z"l hy"d. This aroused storms and further disturbances, which further exposed the heroic figure of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a.
"I saw the Rav walking without fear with tallit and tefillin, Arabs threw a barrage of stones at him, but the stones returned to them. What do you mean?" we asked him. "Did the Rav pick up and throw at them?" It seemed strange to us that the Rav would bend down and throw stones. No, the stones flew miraculously! We, the Border Police officers, were there and saw it with our own eyes."
"A fool is one who even dares to think ill of the Rav shlit"a, the Rav is an angel of Hashem Tzevaot! When I wanted to visit him in Johannesburg, I joined the Labiov family, and together we made the journey. However, because we had a connecting flight, we were delayed on the way for a long time. In fact, by nature, we could no longer arrive before Shabbat in Johannesburg in any way, so we called the Rav shlit"a who told us to travel anyway. I will shorten the story and say that according to the clock and schedule, Shabbat was immediately entering, but all around us saw that the sun refused to set. I told Labiov - see, the Rav is holding the sun for us, after all, if he told us to travel, he will not let us desecrate the Shabbat."
"We arrived at the community's place, and although the hour was late, the Rav shlit"a had not yet started the Mincha prayer. 'See, I held the sun for you,' he remarked to us as we entered and immediately began the prayer." We wanted to meet the Rav shlit"a privately, but for various reasons, it was prevented. Here, perhaps more than all the incomprehensible miracle stories, the greatness of the Rav shlit"a was revealed. The Rav risked himself and came to our hotel at five in the morning, despite the danger lurking in Johannesburg at those hours and despite the difficult hour. He spoke with each of us separately and only then continued to his students who were waiting for him for the Shacharit prayer."
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Rabbi Yehoshua Dov Rubinstein shlit"a – Disputes on Tzaddikim
(Picture from the rally in front of the court and a picture of him with the Rav is on the site)
With Hashem's help, a holy conversation of Rabbi Yehoshua Dov Rubinstein shlit"a, who was one of the first close ones to our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a from the time of the Steipler zt"l, has reached us. Anyone who cares for his soul should lend an ear to these important words – so important.
"The Ra'avan writes (Explanation of the Likutim): 'The disputes between the great ones of Israel and the true tzaddikim were one of the difficult trials for us. Who is like Yosef the tzaddik whose brothers disputed him. Moshe Rabbeinu who was a target for arrows by the people of his generation, the generation of knowledge who suspected him of the most severe sins. King David, Jeremiah the prophet who was imprisoned several times. The dispute on the Rambam where they burned all his books and manuscripts until he had to flee from his city. The great ones of the generation who wanted to excommunicate the holy Ari. In which house today is there no book 'Mesilat Yesharim', and in his time there was a severe dispute on the Ramchal until they wanted to kill him, and he had to flee from city to city."
"The Rav shlit"a said about the dispute on the Ramchal: 'Great and elderly rabbis sit, and suddenly a young scholar comes and does things seemingly new, it was difficult for them to accept this.' Afterwards, the dispute on the Baal Shem Tov that caused the destruction of entire communities and a break within the homes." "The Ra'avan concludes: 'People of our stature should not investigate and discuss the reason for these disputes, in the sense of: "Do not inquire into what is beyond you." Rabbi Shmuel Shapira used to say: 'We need to be among those who do not speak to anyone. We can never know who is right, who is being spoken about, and what my trial is. Woe to those who have a part in a dispute, especially when it begins for the sake of heaven.' The Rav shlit"a once said: 'You do not know how to join a word in the Gemara, but when it comes to speaking about a Torah scholar, you suddenly become a scholar.'"
"There was a storm 15 years ago, and at that time the Rav shlit"a said: 'Whoever by nature speaks about others, I suggest he go there and speak about me. I forgive everyone who speaks about me, and I even want it, but whoever speaks about others with me, he will fly from here like a missile."'
"It is known that tzaddikim of the stature of the great ones of the generation did things that seemed strange to us, but we need to be careful not to speak, God forbid, we could lose both worlds."
(The conversation courtesy of Rabbi Yaakov Shabbat. You can hear the conversation on the Shuvu Banim International line 02-991-7173 extension 31)
Rabbi Abargil zt"l - You were with a true tzaddik of the generation
We had the merit to catch Rabbi Mordechai Deri, an avrech in the 'Shuvu Banim' yeshiva, and bring him to a sharp conversation about the turbulent events he went through on his way from Rabbi Yoram Abargil zt"l, to our teacher the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.
The beginning of the story is very difficult to digest, and we hesitated greatly whether to put it in writing. You can hear it firsthand on the Shuvu Banim International line 02-991-7173 extension 31 or speak directly with Mordechai.
The first time Mordechai came to the Rav shlit"a, he joined a friend who came up from Kfar Saba to Jerusalem for a redemption with the Rav. Suddenly, the Rav began to talk to his friend about his leg pain and told him to come to the yeshiva and dance there on Simchat Torah. 'What leg pain?' my friend wondered, after all, until then he was healthy and felt no pain, and why suddenly is the Rav shlit"a talking about it?"
"'Where do you live?' the Rav shlit"a turned to me with a question. In Kfar Saba, I answered, surprised by his address to me, after all, I was just accompanying. 'You are moving to Jerusalem and not raising the children in Kfar Saba,' the Rav shlit"a ruled firmly while banging on the table strongly. I did not understand how the Rav shlit"a even knew that I was married and had children, this was the first time I saw him."
"In the meantime, that friend did not come to the dances on Simchat Torah, afterwards, he was struck with severe leg pain. In hindsight, he understood what the Rav shlit"a meant, the Rav could have sweetened it for him with the dances."
"The meeting with Rabbi Berland shlit"a was on Wednesday, and on Friday, as usual, I went to Rabbi Yoram zt"l's lesson. After the lesson, I spoke with Rabbi Yoram when suddenly he turns to me and tells me that I need to move to Jerusalem. 'What..?' my surprise only grew. 'Why?' I asked. You were with a true tzaddik of the generation whom I love with all my soul. In hindsight, the connection and great love that existed between these tzaddikim became clear to me. Rabbi Yoram zt"l told me himself that two hours he learned with the Rav shlit"a were worth against dozens and hundreds of hours of study."
"It was difficult for me to accept the decree, every time I came to Rabbi Yoram with another suggestion for a place of residence. 'Maybe to Tzfat? Maybe to Yavniel?' I tried to escape the decree. Finally, a thought flashed in my mind, and I suggested: 'Rabbi Yoram, maybe I will move to you in Netivot?'"
"'You can live wherever you want, but you will not have rectification. Rabbi Berland decreed on you in heaven to live in Jerusalem'. Baruch Hashem, we finally moved, and for eight years now, I have been a regular avrech in the Rav shlit"a's yeshiva. Life in Jerusalem in the shadow of the Rav shlit"a is above nature, we live in miracles."
"During a bus ride, a person approached me who heard about my story and wanted me to strengthen his friend. It turns out that these two were with the Rav shlit"a, who also told them to move to Jerusalem. One of them submitted to the words of the tzaddik and moved, while the other did not move. One day, they went to be blessed by a hidden tzaddik in Hod Hasharon with the intention of their children and their Torah studies. But no, to their surprise, the hidden tzaddik told them that the friend needs to move to Jerusalem because Rabbi Berland shlit"a decreed on them in heaven."
"Why specifically the Rav shlit"a? Now more than ever, it is clear, that with all the difficulty the Rav shlit"a is going through, he does not speak and does not care for himself, only Torah, strengthening, and concern for the whole of Israel. The fire and light received here in Jerusalem cannot be received anywhere else. This is Moshe Rabbeinu of the generation. If Rabbi Yoram Abargil, who was not afraid of anything, and once during a circumcision raised the knife and said that anyone who looks at the knife, he takes away all their defects of the covenant. That same Rabbi Yoram zt"l, who did not give titles to anyone, told me that Rabbi Berland shlit"a is a true tzaddik of the generation. True tzaddikim like Rabbi Yoram zt"l know who the true tzaddik is."
"I have a friend connected to Rabbi Yitzchaki from Porat. Not long ago, someone began to provoke against our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, near him. Rabbi Yitzchaki turned to him and said: 'Do you dare speak against a tzaddik that all the Tikkun HaKlali said at the holy site in Uman and all the closeness and strengthening that comes through Rebbe Nachman in this generation belongs to Rabbi Berland shlit"a? He is the only one who can enter into the mouth of the Sitra Achra and play there. Against him, do you dare speak?! When I personally turned to Rabbi Yitzchaki from Porat, he told me: 'Do not worry, the Rav shlit"a controls everything, may it be His will that everything ends in a great Kiddush Hashem."
Amen.
(You can hear the conversation and all other interviews and talks on the 'Shuvu Banim International' line 02-991-7173)
"With Hashem's help, you will dance until the morning light"
"The matchmaking of the children of Israel is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea," how true these words are in our generation and how necessary is the blessing of the true tzaddik. "We heard that a blessing from the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a works miracles and wonders," Rachel begins her story of the miracle. "Therefore, we turned to the Rav shlit"a and passed on the names of the daughters and their ages for a blessing. We added and said that the reason for the delay in finding their match is not clear to us, after all, they are successful and from a good home, and the matter is simply puzzling."
"We heard the Rav shlit"a say in a recording that a redemption of the soul should be done and that by Pesach there will be miracles – with Hashem's help, you will dance until the morning light – and indeed, so it was. Before we even finished the seven blessings of the first daughter, and already the next day, we closed the engagement of the second daughter, exactly as the Rav shlit"a said."
"We thank you for the recording of the Rav shlit"a that you sent us, it encouraged us greatly and instilled in us a lot of hope. And of course, we thank the Creator of the World, that you were His messengers, for all the kindness He did with us. Although we prayed a lot, we saw with our own eyes how the blessing of the tzaddik helped."
Lesson of the month of Tammuz from within Johannesburg prison a few days before his return to the land
"It is written in Chayei Moharan, that Moshe Rabbeinu could have made peace with Korach in a split second, Moshe Rabbeinu did not give any punishment, God forbid, Moshe does not give punishments to a person, like splitting and tearing the earth, the moment there is no tzaddik, then a person weighs more than the entire earth, and he splits the earth. It is written in Shabbat Chapter 9 and Yoma Chapter 5 "If your sins are like scarlet": like scarlet is like all the years from the creation of the world until now, there are sins from the creation of the world until now, "they shall be white as snow if they are red like crimson": a person has sins up to the heavens, to infinity, to space, but through the tzaddik, in a second, every thought of teshuvah is accepted. The Rebbe said: Since I am a vacuum, I swallow all the sins, the tzaddik has the power to swallow all the sins in a split second, but every second, one must be connected to the tzaddik to know that the tzaddik leads me, I do nothing, I cannot even pray, I cannot get up in the morning, the one who leads me is the tzaddik. How can I hear the Ten Commandments? Through the tzaddik!
Korach said everyone is holy, everyone heard "I am." But, in truth, you heard "I am" because Moshe made you hear, "Moshe would speak, and Hashem would answer him with a voice" – even what is heard from the mouth of the Almighty is thanks to Moshe."
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