Pikuach Nefesh: Redemption of Captives to Save Our Teacher

"There is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives" – "And tzedakah saves from death" (Proverbs 10:2)

Dear friends, members of Shuvu Banim, students and supporters of our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a, Hashem be with you!

As is known to all, a stubborn struggle is being waged against the judicial authorities regarding our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. The general public is not fully aware, but the campaign is difficult and long, and the activists are collapsing under the burden of the legal expenses and the attorneys of the tzaddik.

The Rambam writes:

"The redemption of captives takes precedence over providing for the poor and clothing them, and there is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives! For the captive is included among the hungry, the thirsty, and the naked, and is in mortal danger. And one who averts his eyes from his redemption violates 'You shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand,' and 'Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor,' and 'Do not rule over him with rigor in your sight,' and nullifies the mitzvah of 'You shall surely open your hand to him,' and the mitzvah of 'And your brother shall live with you,' 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' and 'Rescue those who are taken to death,' and many such things. And there is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives." (Rambam, Laws of Gifts to the Poor, Chapter 8, Law 10)

Please see to it to donate with self-sacrifice your contribution to Hashem for the "Pidyon Shvuyim" fund for our teacher, the Rav shlit"a! By instruction of the community rabbinical committee, every family should give 500 NIS for this noble cause, and it is permissible to give this from ma'aser funds.

The Shulchan Aruch writes:

"Every moment that one delays in redeeming captives, where it is possible to hasten, is as if he is shedding blood" (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah, Section 252, Clause 3).

This is not a time to be silent! This is pikuach nefesh! Please hurry to fulfill the mitzvah! And do not say, "When I am free I will study, for perhaps you will not be free"...

To listen to the words of the community rabbis and to make the holy donation by credit card (100% to the Pidyon Shvuyim fund), call now *9148 extension 10.

Center for Help and Kindness in the name of Moharan of Breslov for the rescue of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a - For a direct donation click here

For donation via telephone, contact number - 0527-184-729

Words of Rabbi Y.D. Grossman shlit"a, Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek and head of the Migdal Ohr institutions:

"Our Sages tell us, 'He who opens a door for his friend owes him his soul.' How many hearts has our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, opened to return to teshuvah (repentance) and bring Jews closer to Hashem? He sacrificed his soul for every Jew. I have known the Rav for 40 years and know how much self-sacrifice he has to help the people of Israel. So, when he is now in distress, we are obligated to remember 'he owes him his soul.' Everyone who can help influence others to donate, there is no greater mitzvah than this.

And with Hashem's help, the Rav will return to lead the community, to give classes, to increase Torah and glorify it, and with Hashem's help, to prepare us all so that we may merit, with Hashem's help, the complete Geulah (Redemption) soon. This is the goal."

Words of Rabbi Shalom Arush shlit"a, head of the Chut Shel Chessed institutions:

"Even if it were the simplest Jew in the world, the mitzvah of the redemption of captives is very, very great. All the more so when it concerns my master, teacher, and rabbi, Rabbi Eliezer ben Atia shlit"a, for everyone who has traveled or will ever travel to Uman, it is all in his merit. I am a witness to this unequivocally; he opened the way to Uman in a clear manner, truly with self-sacrifice. One day I will tell what things I actually saw with my own eyes, self-sacrifice. Therefore, we must help with a donation for the redemption of captives, for we are talking about a great tzaddik who took upon himself suffering for our sake, and there is also here gratitude for the fact that we reached Uman in his merit. And not only that, but he opened all the matters of our Rebbe with self-sacrifice."

Words of Rabbi Ofer Erez shlit"a:

"When King David fled from Avshalom, all the people who were with him helped him simply and with self-sacrifice. Even though King David was at spiritual levels where he could seemingly manage on his own, this is our work; we must help.

Everyone feels that the entire reality of the Rav and everything he is going through is in a very, very spiritual and very high place, and this is true. Beyond that, we must simply 'know His ways in the land,' to do everything in our power to help the Rav; this is certainly our obligation.

It is true that the Rav is coping with supreme heroism that is almost difficult for human intellect to grasp how the Rav holds up under all these terrible sufferings, but our obligation is to help him; there is no question about this at all.

There is an incident where they once tried to harm our Rebbe, and the people of his circle at a certain hour left the place and relied on the merit of our Rebbe. And even though there were miracles and our Rebbe was saved, our Rebbe later was strict with them and said to them explicitly, 'You must do your part and not rely on my merits; you should have stayed and protected me.' Our obligation is simply to help the Rav."