'Light Is Sown for the Tzaddik' — 11 Teves: The Day of the Miracle of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a’s Release from Prison

Exactly one year ago, on Wednesday, 11 Teves, The Rav Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a was released from prison after two years. Shuvu Banim now returns with extensive coverage of that festive day, when The Rav shlit"a came back to his holy residence in Jerusalem, the Holy City!

It was 9:15 on Wednesday morning, 11 Teves 5782—the day the period of administrative release began. One of the general media channels reported that The Rav Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a was expected to be released by administrative release in the coming hours. After nearly a nerve-racking quarter hour—when the heart was afraid to believe, and afraid to be disappointed once again by Israel’s legal system, known for its “affection” toward The Rav shlit"a—at 9:30 the uplifting news arrived from The Rav’s shlit"a attorneys: The Rav shlit"a would be released today to his home, Neveh Kodesh in Jerusalem, with no restrictions whatsoever. At 10:40 it truly happened. After close to two years of endless anticipation, prayers, millions of The Tikkun HaKlali recitations, and hundreds of prayer gatherings for the release of The Rav shlit"a—The Rav shlit"a walked out through the gates of Ayalon Prison in Ramle. The joyous news spread its wings and reached every corner of the country: within the hour, The Rav shlit"a would arrive at his home, Neveh Kodesh. The Rav’s students could not absorb the greatness of the moment. A few minutes later, an announcement went out on the information line by the chassidic elder, R’ Michael Gol shlit"a, on behalf of the community’s rabbinic committee. In a voice choked with tears of excitement and joy, he announced that the reception for The Rav shlit"a would be within the hour at the entrance to his home: “One should come dressed in Shabbos clothing, in honor of Rabbi Berland shlit"a.”

Within just a few minutes, “HaChomah HaShlishis” Street filled with thousands of The Rav’s shlit"a chassidim, admirers, and close followers—newcomers together with longtime disciples; Torah-observant chareidim and Litvaks alongside secular Jews; knitted kippot alongside striped kaftans… “All of them gathered and came to you.” Among them were even those who had never merited to see The Rav shlit"a even once. Thousands upon thousands streamed in from all over the land—from Metula to Eilat—to behold the radiance of the holy countenance of the true Tzaddik of the generation and to greet him. At 11:55, an announcement went out on the information line: “Open the gates, and let a righteous nation enter.” The Rav shlit"a had entered the gates of Jerusalem, the Holy City, and within minutes we would merit to behold the radiance of his face. The excitement in the hearts of the thousands reached its peak. When HaChomah HaShlishis Street became too narrow to contain the crowd, the police decided to close Route 1 adjacent to the street.

“Light is sown for the Tzaddik, and joy for the upright of heart” At 12:13, The Rav’s shlit"a vehicle arrived—with great difficulty—after passing through the thousands who had come from across the country, to his home, Neveh Kodesh. The orchestra burst into the song “Or Zarua,” and The Rav’s attendants tried to clear a path through the thousands pressing at the entrance of the building to The Rav’s shlit"a home. The chassidic elder, R’ Michael Gol shlit"a, recited the blessing with Hashem’s Name and Kingship: “Blessed are You… Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this time!” and “Blessed is He Who has apportioned of His wisdom to those who fear Him!”—as the thousands answered with a mighty “Amen!” that could be heard from afar.

The Rav shlit"a delivered a short teaching from within his vehicle, blessing the thousands who had come to greet him: “Now all sins have been forgiven in the merit of this reception—greeting one’s Rav is like greeting the Shechinah. In the merit of everyone being here, all sins are forgiven from all reincarnations, from the sin of Adam HaRishon. Now this is a rectification for all reincarnations. Everyone who came will live easily to 120, without any illness—he, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, until the end of all generations.” After about a quarter hour, at 12:30, the holy gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a entered his home, Neveh Kodesh—two years after the bitter and reckless day, 14 Shevat 5780, when haters of Israel managed to lay their impure hands on The Rav shlit"a—until the day of Geulah: 11 Teves 5782!

“And it was turned upside down…!” — The reception on the balcony of The Rav’s shlit"a home At 13:20, an announcement went out from the holy home of The Rav shlit"a: in another quarter hour, The Rav Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a would come out to the balcony of his home facing toward Ido HaNavi, and deliver a lesson over a loudspeaker to the thousands who had come to greet The Rav shlit"a but had not merited to see his holy face. The longing intensified—and indeed, after a delay of a few minutes, at 13:46 The Rav shlit"a came out to the balcony, as the thousands recited “Shehechiyanu” and “Who has apportioned of His wisdom to those who fear Him,” with Hashem’s Name and Kingship. The Rav shlit"a began speaking about the greatness of the day of Asarah b’Teves, and then began singing: “And it was turned upside down, that the Jews ruled over their enemies.” After about three quarters of an hour, he went back inside to his home, Neveh Kodesh, to sit on Eliyahu HaNavi’s chair and serve as sandek at the bris of the son of R’ Natan ben R’ Nachman Fuchs (may he live), and also at the bris of the son of R’ Nachman Haas (may he live). The thousands then dispersed quietly, unable to believe what their eyes had seen and what their ears had heard. Did we truly see and hear The Rav shlit"a!? “A great miracle happened here,” and “For the Jews there was light and joy, gladness and honor”!!!

Here is a summary clip from the first two months in the presence of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, from his return home on the day of the miracle of release: