Protesting for the Honor of the Tzaddik and Sanctifying Hashem's Name by Showing

The writer of these lines is no different from the multitudes of students and loyal followers of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. I did nothing different this morning than what our teacher, the Rav, has taught us throughout all the years I have been privileged to crowd under his shadow, just like the rest of my friends. We rose early, thank Hashem, immersed in the mikvah, went to pray with the Rav's melody, continued to the Tikkun HaKlali, and followed the order of the day, each student according to his own path.

I was already on my way to the kollel, but a strong voice told me that I must protest for the honor of the tzaddik and highlight on this important day what we have received all these years. As is known, before every election cycle, the Rav would say that it is the duty of the day and would quote the words of the Chazon Ish regarding the obligation to participate in the elections, but that is not the point that bothers me and my friends.

Yesterday, as another despicable step to weaken the honor of our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a, and the name of the holy light, Rebbe Nachman, "lovers of the tzaddik" began to spread the word that the electoral power of the holy community of Shuvu Banim is no more than 500 people.

At the first moment, this caused me to smile; after all, we all know that just here in Jerusalem there are several thousands, and tens of thousands more who simply love our teacher, the Rav, despite all the efforts to smear his name. But then, it dawned on me that this is another attempt, not at all innocent, to diminish the importance of the tzaddik, the foundation of the world, and to turn his entire, most magnificent enterprise of bringing people to teshuvah (repentance) into something minor and peripheral.

Just as an example, from my own personal testimony: before every election, my father-in-law and mother-in-law (my parents already know) call me and inquire about who Rav Berland said to vote for, and that is how they choose. They are not at all among those who are counted as part of the Torah world or the Haredi public, but they are people who know the greatness and power of the tzaddik. And this is just a small example of the small things; as a public that comes from all walks of life in Israel and the world, our teacher, the Rav, and his students have an influence on tens of thousands in the Jewish people—and I am certain that I am not exaggerating.

Let us rise for the honor of the tzaddik and show how many souls follow the authority of the tzaddik, the foundation of the world, our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, just as the divine kabbalist Rabbi Amos Gueta shlit"a, the tzaddik from Netanya, prayed for him this week: "May it be Your will, our Father in Heaven, that You have mercy, compassion, and pity on our teacher and rabbi and the crown of our head, Maran Rabbi Eliezer Berland, son of Atia. May Hashem protect him and keep him alive, save him from all sorrow and harm, and with Hashem's help, may He lengthen his days in goodness and his years in pleasantness."

Watch: 15,000 people, students of Rav Berland, made the effort and arrived in the dead of night to pray for him at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Is it not certain to you that all these, and an even larger number of his believers, will go to the ballot boxes near their homes to cast tens of thousands of votes for the party that their Rav supports?

The votes of Shuvu Banim will undoubtedly add a mandate to the Shas party

The holy community of Shuvu Banim votes unanimously for Shas

Representative testimonies from all segments of the public about people who were blessed through the blessing and the pidyon nefesh (redemption of the soul) of Rav Berland shlit"a