Knishta Chada Issue 48 Nisan 5776 "And We Considered Him Plagued, Smitten by God, and Afflicted"

Knishta Chada Issue 48 Nisan 5776 Under the presidency of the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

And We Considered Him Plagued, Smitten by God, and Afflicted

Until that meeting, perhaps it was possible to remain on the sidelines. We knew that the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a is a tzaddik, a foundation of the world, holy and exalted, yet we did not feel obligated to proclaim this to the world. Until that random encounter with a yeshiva student from one of the famous yeshivot in Jerusalem. "Tell me, what's happening with the Rav?" he asks. At first, we thought to evade, for we cannot fix the entire world, but suddenly a thought arose in our minds—have mercy on the person. After all, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov writes: "One must pray very much to Hashem to merit drawing close to the true tzaddik, for fortunate is he who merits drawing close during his lifetime to the true tzaddik, fortunate is he, fortunate is his portion, for afterwards [after death] it is very difficult to draw close, and one must greatly increase in prayer and supplication to merit in his lifetime to draw close to true tzaddikim, for the evil inclination focuses greatly on this now, to confuse the world, for Israel is now very close to the end." (Likutey Moharan 78, Part Two).

Isaiah prophesies about the state of Hashem's messenger before the redemption (Isaiah 52-53), I began to answer him. "Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Hashem has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth." The Radak explains: Despised—there is no need to say that we did not covet him, but he was even despised in our eyes: Rejected by men—he was less than other men, who did not associate with him: A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief—the sorrows and grief are the pain of exile, for he was known and accustomed to endure the yoke of exile: And as one from whom men hide their faces—we did not want to look at him due to the disgust we felt, and we considered him as nothing: Surely our griefs—yet we considered him in exile as stricken and smitten by God and afflicted by God's hand due to his sin, and behold, we see that it was not due to his sin but due to our iniquities, as it says: The chastisement of our peace was upon him—all the sufferings that were meant to come upon us came upon him: All we like sheep have gone astray—meaning like sheep without a shepherd: From oppression and judgment—oppression of exile where he was detained and judgment of captivity where they judged him."

The prophet's words are harsh and worth examining closely, but it is even more difficult to understand how the one sent to redeem Israel suffers such torments, and not only that, but many fail to recognize that he is the messenger sent to redeem them, and he appears in their eyes as despicable, and they would be happy if judgments were executed upon him. Until the Midrash says (Yalkut Shimoni Isaiah – Chapter 60) "My dear son Ephraim, etc. Why 'I will surely have mercy on him' twice? Rather, 'I will have mercy' when he was imprisoned, for every day they would gnash their teeth and signal with their eyes and nod their heads and whisper with their lips. 'I will have mercy on him' when he comes out of prison, not one kingdom or two kingdoms come upon him, but one hundred and forty kingdoms surround him, and Hashem says to him: Ephraim, My righteous Mashiach, do not fear them, for all these will die by the breath of your lips, as it is said: And with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. And the Midrash continues (there Chapter 52) the sufferings are divided into three parts—one taken by the patriarchs of the world; one by the generation of persecution, and one by the King Mashiach. And why does the King Mashiach suffer so much? It is related to his love for Israel. Mashiach agrees to give his life for the mission of redemption. Hashem asks Mashiach: (there Chapter 60) those whose sins are hidden with you, are destined to place you in an iron yoke, and make you like this calf whose eyes are dimmed and your spirit is choked in the yoke, and due to their sins your tongue will stick to your palate, do you want this? Mashiach said before Hashem: Master of the Universe, with joy in my heart and happiness in my heart, I accept it, so that not one of Israel will be lost.

Rabbi Yekutiel Fish from the Secret of the Electricity on the War of the Sitra Achra against the Esteemed Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

For us, the matters are clear, we know that the war of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a is for the holy Shechinah and all the souls of Israel. These are the words that Rabbi Yekutiel Fish conveyed this week. "There is no doubt that the suffering that Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a endures is for all of us, for the Shechinah. It pained me greatly when I told one of the heads of the yeshivot about the state of the genius Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a and he responded dismissively and said, 'What does it matter to me? Who cares?!' I answered, just because he is the leader of tens of thousands of families that are not from your circle, does that mean you won't pray, feel pain, and dismiss it? Where have we come to?!

We see in the Gemara Gittin (57b) how the issue of the killing of Zechariah the prophet is great and severe in the heavens, the suffering of a tzaddik of Israel. They slaughtered young men and maidens of Israel to quiet his blood, and still, his blood bubbled. We see that the suffering of the tzaddik is beyond our understanding and is terrible and dreadful. The Sitra Achra fights with all its might to bend the stature of kedushah, especially with such a tzaddik who has made many baalei teshuvah. And the Sitra Achra fights with such tzaddikim more than with other tzaddikim, because it knows that if it can, God forbid, undermine their name and stain them in the eyes of the world, then their words will not be heard, and there will be no more baalei teshuvah.

Indeed, we are in the month of Nisan, the month of redemption, but we must participate in the suffering of the tzaddikim, which is truly participating in the suffering of the Shechinah.

(You can hear the conversation on the Secret of the Electricity line 02-580-5801)

Rabbi Moshe Tzanani - The Sitra Achra Knows that All the Redemption is Through Our Teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, Therefore It Conducts All These Terrible Trials.

Rabbi Moshe Tzanani, one of the senior and veteran students of our teacher the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, responded to our heart's sentiments and illuminated the reality regarding the state of the Rav. "Such a general goes before us, the true tzaddik manages everything. When the people of Israel were about to enter Eretz Yisrael, Hashem raised the entire nation above and subdued them before Moshe Rabbeinu. It is written in the Zohar—'In the great and terrible wilderness which you saw,' that you saw the Samael bound before the camp of Israel. We have no idea what the power of the tzaddik is, everything is like child's play for him, everything is prepared and arranged for him and planned before him. And when the Rav returned from the north, he asked one who was with him how many moves ahead he had planned, that one answered two or three, the Rav shlit"a retorted to him—I planned three hundred moves ahead.

The tzaddik manages everything, but we need to do our part, meaning, to fulfill what the Rav shlit"a commands us to do. Prayers, Tikkun HaKlali, because everything the Rav does is to sweeten judgments over the people of Israel. The Rav gives his life and body completely, we do not know what will be and how it will be, we only know that we are in good hands and everything will be the best it can be. Indeed, the final redemption will be through 'it will be turned upside down,' everything will turn from one extreme to another. Because we are in the final redemption, this is the end, there has never been such a thing since the beginning of the world, all the trials and the terrible war that is here. The Sitra Achra sees that this is the end, therefore it fights a terrible war, when all the war ultimately focuses on the tzaddik. Today it is revealed what was beneath the surface, the Sitra Achra knows that all the redemption is through our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, therefore it conducts all these terrible trials. But, it will not help, the tzaddik rises higher and higher along with his people. Because it is written that Haman the wicked wanted to separate between Mordechai the tzaddik and the people of Israel, and if God forbid he had succeeded, a great destruction would have come—'to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate,' this is the decree of destruction that was annulled. And why? Because the tzaddik, despite his great power, needs to receive his power from the people of Israel. That the people of Israel should be with him and believe in him and listen to what he commands them. As it says, 'Give strength to God' (Psalms 68). Although we are nothing compared to him, nevertheless he uses our work. As our Rebbe said: 'It is no wonder that the Baal Shem Tov reached such tremendous levels, he had such awesome students. Therefore, one must ask to be truly attached to the Rav shlit"a, as the daughter of Rebbe Nachman dreamed after his passing that Rebbe Nachman wants to enter the synagogue and circles of people stand in a row blocking his way. She saw that the holy Rebbe advanced while facing a man who shouted at him, 'You shall not pass!' The Rebbe advanced and he moved. So with all the rest until the Rebbe entered the synagogue and sat on the chair. So too in the final redemption when all the Sitra Achra is raging and agitating—Rebbe Nachman will eventually sit on the chair, the tzaddik will sit on the chair. And there will be a complete redemption, and we will merit to see wonderful things.

(You can hear the conversation on the information line 02-587-5777)

Rabbi Yehuda Asher Goldblum on the Holy Knowledge of Our Teacher the Rav shlit"a

We tend to attribute to the tzaddik qualities familiar to us and forget that the tzaddik has nullified every trace of fear from himself, and that he is the messenger of Hashem on earth, to return creation to its original source. Here are the enlightening words of Rabbi Yehuda Asher Goldblum about the holy knowledge of our teacher the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

"The way of our teacher the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a is to always be calm and serene, and never to be in panic or stress. For example, during the Gulf War, the Rav shlit"a said that it is indeed appropriate to say Tehillim, but since people are getting tense, they should sing and dance. During the journey of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Mohara"n, to Eretz Yisrael, a terrible storm arose and everyone cried out, wept, and prayed out of fear that the ship was about to sink in the sea. When the people on the ship saw that Rebbe Nachman was not crying out with them, they began to come to him with complaints and asked why he was not joining the collective cry?! Rebbe Nachman answered them: If you will be silent, the sea will also be silent. The Rav shlit"a explained that they entered into fear and lost emunah and bitachon. In such a situation, one should not pray and cry out, but rather strengthen emunah and bitachon, knowing that Hashem controls the world and everything He does is for the best. This is how the judgments are sweetened, and this is the way of the Rav shlit"a."

Rabbi Goldblum, who beyond being a long-time student of our teacher the Rav shlit"a, is also his son-in-law who has had the merit to serve him greatly, continues to share from what he has drawn from the teachings of our teacher the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Berland shlit"a. "Even one who can pray and cry out must combine it with emunah and bitachon. The tzaddik is the ruler of the world, and no one rules over him, and everything that happens is all for the best. The Rav shlit"a said that the world consists of two states: 1. A state of miracles 2. A state of preparation for miracles. Or both together. Therefore, one must always have emunah, bitachon, and simcha, with a clear knowledge that Hashem controls the world. Whoever can combine prayers as well, so that he himself has a part in the miracles, how good and pleasant it is, the main thing is not to lose simcha and emunah at any time."

(You can hear the conversation on the information line 02-587-5777)

The Esteemed Tzaddik Rabbi David Abuchatzeira shlit"a Speaks on the Greatness of the Esteemed Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

We have received a rare recording, which reveals to us a glimpse of the love of the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi David Abuchatzeira for our teacher the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. The words are piercing and clear and were said during a reception with Rabbi David shlit"a. Although for those who know the Rav, these matters are well known, of course, such a great tzaddik as Rabbi David shlit"a strengthens the feelings of the heart. When they told Rabbi David what our teacher the Rav shlit"a went through last week, Rabbi David expressed in words: "Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a is an angel, he is not a human being, nothing can grasp him."

We have merited that Hashem has planted in our generation a mighty neshamah of such a tzaddik as the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Berland shlit"a, who spreads and illuminates the light of Hashem in the way of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. May it be His will that it will be fulfilled in us, "And those who come to Zion with joy, everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

(You can hear Rabbi David on the information line 02-587-5777)

The Cancellation of Choice - The Uncle Who Wanted to Take His Own Life

Recently, we have heard the unique story of the yeshiva student Moshe Timisit, may he live, a heartwarming moment about our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Moshe is a yeshiva student at Shuvu Banim, the yeshiva of the Rav, and his story reveals another aspect of our teacher the Rav shlit"a's unique way. "During the time the Rav lived in Beitar, my family approached me and told me that my uncle was in a severe mental crisis, moments before he was about to take his own life." Moshe began his story. "We brought him to the Rav shlit"a without scheduling an appointment or coordinating in advance, in the manner of casting your burden upon Hashem. At that time, the activity around the Rav was very tumultuous, so it was not clear where the Rav was supposed to be. To our surprise and joy, just as we arrived at the Rav's house in Beitar, the Rav came out to meet us. Everyone around shouted to my uncle—Run to the Rav, this is your opportunity! This was a person who at that time was not yet following the path of Torah and mitzvot, had never seen the Rav, and certainly was not familiar with the commotion that occurs immediately upon the arrival of the Rav shlit"a. However, something drew him, and he jumped towards the Rav, the Rav shlit"a stopped, looked at his face, got into the car, and drove off. At that moment, my uncle fell on his face and began to cry, it was a surprising sight. While we were trying to encourage my uncle, we saw the Rav's car turn around and come back towards us. The Rav got out of the car, turned directly to my uncle, took his hand, and brought him into his home. My uncle had never spoken with the Rav, but suddenly the Rav turned to him and said—Is there a Dr. Maimon here? I don't want to hear anything about taking one's own life. From now on, you live here, the Rav told him while dancing with him. Later, he wrapped him in a tallit and blessed him, and even gave him a phone number for a match. Since then, my uncle has undergone a transformation from one extreme to the other, he began to strengthen, keep Shabbat, put on tefillin, and go to synagogues until everything passed as if it never was.

(You can hear the story on the Shuvu Banim International line 02-62-66-148)

Grandfather, What Are They Doing to You Up There?!

We all love Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, believe in his mission and great power, and are confident that in any problem we turn to him, he will act for our salvation. Indeed, many who turned to the Rav shlit"a have seen great salvations, even to the point of changing the laws of nature. Suitable matches for those who have been waiting for many years. Holy offspring for couples who had almost lost hope, and there are even those who testify firsthand about the resurrection of the dead. But, what happens when we come to the Rav and it doesn't happen exactly as we expected?!

Before we continue, we must remember that we have no grasp of the essence of the tzaddik. We can tell stories of miracles, even those we have experienced ourselves. However, the attainment and actions of the tzaddik are far beyond our understanding.

On the 26th of the month of Adar II, the God-fearing woman, Lilach Leah bat Tzila z"l, passed away after much suffering at the age of only 37. Lilach z"l merited that on her deathbed, her family transferred a redemption of the soul for her, something that will certainly benefit her where her neshamah is now. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov opens for us a small window into the hidden world of the tzaddik, the foundation of the world: "Sometimes even when this tzaddik makes a redemption, nevertheless it does not help, and this is because even above they greatly desire such a redemption because not every time do they receive such a redemption from below that can sweeten all twenty-four courts of judgment at once, and therefore when this sweetening comes to them, they use it for another purpose." (Likutey Moharan 215).

The holy Mohara"n of Breslov teaches us that not only did the redemption work wonders, but above in the heavens, they use it to do even more wonderful things. And we are certainly happy with the great merit that the redemption of the soul we transferred to the tzaddik worked great things, things we do not always understand. However, if we admit a little of the truth, deep inside, the question nags us—but what about us? What about the righteous woman whose family transferred a redemption and left behind three orphans? Although the situation was critical, nevertheless, what about her?!

The following story is one of many. Of course, we only know the outcome and not the way the tzaddik, the foundation of the world, acted internally, yet the soul is certainly moved. Tomer Carmon, who at the time the story occurred was still a young yeshiva student at Shuvu Banim, tells us about a series of dreams that visited him during that period. "My grandfather, who had passed away, came to me time and again in a dream, appearing terrible in his external appearance. Even though he seemed to be crying out for help, I did not know what to do with it. Only after he came the third time did I manage to take the advice of Rabbi Shimshon Wolach, a student of the Rav, and turn to our teacher the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a on the matter. The Rav indeed said what to do, but with the distractions of time, the matter was forgotten by me until my grandfather z"l came the fourth time. 'I am in the garbage, deep in the garbage, get me out of here! Give, give the redemption that the Rav requests, what are you waiting for?! I came to the Rav shlit"a with my uncle Meir z"l (since then he has passed away), the Rav shlit"a raised his hands up and said—'Now I am taking him out of there. After two weeks, my mother informed me of a dream she had about her father, my grandfather. Dad z"l came to me in a dream, he looked young as he was at the age of twenty, clean, polished, and looked happy. His clothes were new, and his hair was neatly combed, and he had a new car. I asked him, Dad, can I come with you? And he answered no, he smiled at me and drove away... I told my mother that this is certainly a sign from heaven that the redemption helped. Indeed, the redemption of the esteemed tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a works great salvations.

With Hashem's help, may these words be for the success of our teacher Rabbi Eliezer ben Atya shlit"a and for the elevation of the soul of Lilach Leah bat Tzila z"l and the grandfather Peretz ben Nechama z"l.

(You can hear the story on the Shuvu Banim International line 02-62-66-148)

"If the Rav Resembles an Angel of Hashem—Seek Torah from His Mouth. If Not—Do Not Seek Torah from His Mouth."

Said Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli:

"...There are great tzaddikim in the world, who then is worthy according to the Torah's opinion to be a Rav and leader? The Sages expound on the verse, (Malachi 2) 'For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek Torah from his mouth, for he is an angel of Hashem of Hosts': If the Rav resembles an angel of Hashem of Hosts, seek Torah from his mouth, and if not, do not seek Torah from his mouth."

Rabbi Zusha explained: "After all, none of us has seen an angel of Hashem and does not know if his Rav resembles an angel of Hashem, what then is the meaning of the words? Rather, the correct and true interpretation of the words is that if a person sees that the actions of the tzaddik are puzzling and hidden from his understanding, like the way of an angel of Hashem, it is precisely from such a Rav that one should seek Torah." (The Maggid of Mezritch / A. Gorsman).

The Words of the Esteemed Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a for Passover

"He who keeps a mitzvah will know no evil thing" (Ecclesiastes 8:5). The Midrash says (Ecclesiastes Chapter 8) he who keeps a mitzvah will know no evil thing, this is Esther who was occupied with the mitzvah of removing chametz. When Mordechai came to Esther's house, it was already after sunset. The decree was on the 13th of Nisan, all of the 13th was spent writing and signing the decree until it was already evening. And Mordechai began to cry out loud and bitter cries throughout the city while Esther was occupied with the mitzvah of removing chametz. Esther said to him, why are you crying in the middle of removing chametz? Now I am cleaning the hundred rooms of the palace. He who keeps a mitzvah will know no evil thing, we will also intend to remove Haman, after that will be the Seder night, we will drink four cups, and 'it is this that stood for our fathers and for us, for not one alone has risen against us to destroy us, but in every generation, they rise against us to destroy us, and the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hand.' We will wait until after Passover. Esther actually disagreed with Mordechai, the Midrash says Esther argued that we have time to start all the things even after Passover, now will be the splitting of the sea, the song of the sea, Pharaoh's chariots and his host He cast into the sea, we will intend in the splitting of the sea on the seventh day of Passover to drown Pharaoh. We will destroy Haman through the rectifications of the Seder night, we will intend in the song of the sea to drown Haman. The Midrash Rabbah says that here Mordechai understood more than Esther—"And Mordechai passed," Mordechai said to her this year there will be no Seder night, this year there will be no four cups, this year they will not eat the Afikoman. Because the Afikoman indeed alludes to the matter of the splitting of the sea because the arrow that splits the Afikoman into two is the gematria 98 and twice arrow—gematria 196, the Red Sea. The Afikoman itself alludes to the splitting of the sea, at the time of the splitting of the sea, at that moment all the waters of the world were split, and the noise went from one end of the world to the other.

Rabbi Natan explains that the entire miracle was through the nullification that Esther had to Mordechai. Esther argued that all the efforts could begin in a week, after all, the decree is for another 11 months, and Mordechai argued there is no such thing as waiting even one second, not only will there be no Seder night, there will be nothing! We must now annul the decree. No one will wait 11 months, when Hitler came to power, they began to kill Jews. When Hitler conquered Poland, they were already killing Jews in Ukraine, they did not wait for Hitler to come, they saw a Jew, they killed him, the Ukrainians themselves would enter and shoot Jews, the world is lawless! Mordechai tells her, listen, it is not as you think, the situation is catastrophic, they are starting to kill Jews in the streets, the Midrash says they started to kill Jews in the streets.

Rabbi Natan explains that Esther, a God-fearing woman, included all the women in the world, just as Eve included all the righteous women until the end of all generations, and now she needed the miracle. The miracle could only be through Esther's nullification to Mordechai, through her reaching such a nullification to Mordechai, not just nullification—"If I perish, I perish".