Powerful: Rabbi Michael Gol shlit"a recounts his visit to Rabbi Eliezer Berland

The head of the Megini Eretz institutions, Rabbi Michael Gol shlit"a, one of the most veteran and well-known students of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, in a strengthening interview after meriting to enter the inner sanctum.

"To my great sorrow, for more than 4 years I did not merit to see our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a," prefaces Rabbi Gol before sharing his experiences from the visit with The Rav, Rabbi Berland shlit"a.

"The excitement was immense. Baruch Hashem, I have now merited to see the shining countenance of the Rav. One really needs to know that the Rav is not in good health to understand this. The Rav is full of vitality and joy. The Rav spoke with me about the virtue of bizyonos (humiliations) and the tikkun (rectification) of Abel and Cain, which deals with rectifying the sin of Adam HaRishon (the first man). The Rav, Rabbi Berland shlit"a, mentioned that there are two opinions on the subject, a dispute between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, regarding the time of the birth of Cain and Abel. As is known, there is a dispute regarding when the world was created, in Tishrei or in Nissan."

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"The Rav shlit"a focused on Rabbi Yehoshua's method that the creation of the world was in Nissan, meaning from the first or second day of the Passover holiday until Sukkot. Afterwards, he spoke about how Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) wanted to draw down only the souls of Abel into the world, which are the souls of the Tzaddikim, and that the souls of Cain—from whom come all the murderers, killing, and destruction in the world—should be nullified. But Moshe Rabbeinu saw that even with the souls of Cain, a wonderful tikkun can be made in the world."

[caption id="attachment_7543" align="alignnone" width="531"] Rabbi Gol with Rabbi Ofer Erez and Rabbi Eliyahu Merav[/caption]

"The Rav said that bizyonos (humiliations) are the main tikkun in the world. There are spiritual levels that are impossible to reach without receiving humiliations. The Rav spoke about those who dispute the Tzaddik, noting that essentially the Torah they learned does not want to remain with them due to their unrefined character traits. By disputing the Tzaddik, the Torah leaves them and passes to the one they are disputing and shaming."

"When I saw the Rav, I recited the blessing of 'Shehecheyanu' (Who has kept us alive) after all the time I hadn't seen him, and every second I was in his presence I felt literally like I was in Gan Eden. When I left the Rav, I was more emotional than when I entered; I felt as if I had grown wings."

"A Jew asked me how Rabbi Berland is doing, and I told him I didn't know what to answer him. This is because the Rav indeed underwent difficult surgeries, yet immediately afterward, he stood for hours in prayer or turned immediately to study with intense depth. That Jew answered me, 'Rabbi Berland is literally an angel.' I pointed in a certain direction where people (those persecuting Rabbi Berland) were staying and suggested he might say his words near them. He told me, 'They are jealous.' That Jew is from one of the important families in Jerusalem."

[caption id="attachment_7546" align="alignnone" width="944"] Rabbi Gol near Rabbi Meir Shlomo and in front is Rabbi Meir Malka[/caption]

"I am not accustomed to making comparisons between Rabbis, but in my life, I have read quite a few books, and with Rabbi Berland shlit"a, I saw unbelievable things. After the Rav stood and spoke words of Torah with me for about 40 minutes while standing, he offered me the comfortable chair with armrests and left a simple chair for himself. You have never seen such a thing: a Jew who on one hand speaks all day in praise of persecution, and on the other hand looks like someone telling you about the most wonderful gifts that ever existed."

"I remember that 35 years ago we walked with Rabbi Berland shlit"a, and suddenly he asked us, 'Why do I even need you?' I answered him, 'Rav, o chavrusa o misusa (either companionship or death).' The Rav told me, 'True, in order not to die I need you, but in order to live, I need those who dispute me.'"

[caption id="attachment_7544" align="alignnone" width="900"] Shuvu Banim Bnei Brak: Rabbi Gol sitting behind Rabbi Tzanani while The Rav, Rabbi Berland, delivers a lesson[/caption]

"I remember in the past when I was the gabbai (attendant) of Rabbi Berland shlit"a, there were times when the Rav, due to his intense service of Hashem, was not in good health. Therefore, there was a dilemma whether to go out with the Rav for prayer with the public, for it is known that the Rav would pray for hours and with power. However, the Rav would always go out in the end, and I naively thought the prayer would be shorter—but no, The Rav, Rabbi Berland, would pray with more strength and at greater length."

"This is no longer the same Rav that was; the Rav has ascended higher. Here is a Jew of Torah, of prayer, of Ahavas Yisrael (love of fellow Jews) and mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice). It is simply not something the intellect can grasp. I wanted in the past to speak with some of the persecutors in an orderly manner, but I understood that this is not the Rav's will; he seeks the suffering. I have a friend who is a member of the Badatz (Rabbinical Court), and he told me from knowledge that everything happening with the Rav stems from pure jealousy; they are simply jealous of the greatness of Rabbi Berland shlit"a."

"In the future to come, we will all be ashamed before the greatness of Rabbi Berland shlit"a," concludes Rabbi Michael regarding his impressions from the visit to The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, in the hotel where he is staying.