Rabbi Berland shlit"a Delivers a Shiur to the Yeshiva Students of Rabbi Yaakov Amzaleg
**"Rabbi Berland shlit"a delivered a moving and special shiur last night in his home to the yeshiva students of Rabbi Yaakov Amzaleg, who came especially to receive his blessing and hear words of Torah from him. The shiur focused primarily on topics of emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust in Hashem), and included a chilling story about a guide in Auschwitz who was asked, 'Where was Hashem in the Holocaust?' — and he answered: 'I am the testimony that Hashem exists in the world.'"**
Last night, the eve of 18 Sivan 5786, the yeshiva students of Rabbi Yaakov Amzaleg arrived at the home of Rabbi Berland shlit"a in Jerusalem. The yeshiva students filled the house, listening eagerly to every word emerging from the mouth of Rabbi Berland shlit"a. Rabbi Yaakov Amzaleg, who has merited a special closeness to the Rav over the years, sat near the head of the table, listening along with his students.
The shiur lasted about an hour and dealt with a variety of topics. Among the subjects mentioned by Rabbi Berland shlit"a were: the words of Rashi on the Gemara in Tractate Yevamos, Pythagorean calculations in the Holy Scriptures, stories of tzaddikim, prayers for the days of Bein HaZmanim (yeshiva vacation), words of Torah on the Book of Ruth and the holiday of Shavuos, and stories from the early days of the establishment of the Shuvu Banim community.
The central topic that evoked deep emotion among all the listeners was a chilling story told by Rabbi Berland shlit"a about a Jewish tour guide who appears secular, but is religious in his heart. Every day, about two hundred secular tourists join him for a tour of the Auschwitz extermination camp. He leads them through the entire camp, showing them the barracks, the shoes, the glasses — and finally arrives at the most difficult place of all: the crematorium.
The story of Rabbi Berland shlit"a about the guide in Auschwitz — "I am the testimony that Hashem exists in the world"
"These two hundred secular people ask him: 'Tell us, where is Hashem? Here they burned six million Jews! Where is \"You have chosen us\"?'" related Rabbi Berland shlit"a. "And what does he answer them? '\"You have chosen us\" — that is me. I was born here, in Auschwitz. My mother was pregnant, and the Germans didn't see it. She gave birth in the women's barracks. The women hid me in rags. For a whole year they raised me inside Auschwitz, from age zero to one year old. I grew up inside Auschwitz. Here is Hashem right here — Hashem raised me. I am the testimony that Hashem exists in the world. Everyone who remained alive is the testimony that Hashem exists.'"
Rabbi Berland shlit"a added and explained: "People say, 'We didn't see Hashem.' What didn't you see? How are you alive? If you didn't see — how are you alive?" The Rav shlit"a mentioned the six million holy martyrs, the eight hundred thousand who were brought from Hungary and burned in just forty days, the Bergen-Belsen camp, and the children of the terrible war — and connected this to an emunah (faith) that was never broken.
At the conclusion of the shiur, Rabbi Berland shlit"a warmly blessed Rabbi Yaakov Amzaleg and the yeshiva students, encouraging them to continue growing in Torah and Avodah (Divine service). May the merit of Rabbi Berland shlit"a protect them and all of Israel, with the help of Hashem.
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