Rabbi Nachman Encourages

Rav Nachman Meoded is one of the veteran students of the 'Chalev' (The Milkman), Rabbi Chaim Cohen-Perachia zt"l, as he testifies himself: "I was close to the Chalev for 25 years."

Rav Meoded continues with first-hand testimony from the inner circle of the Chalev zt"l: "The Chalev was known as a possessor of Ruach HaKodesh at levels not found today. Along with this, Rabbi Chaim did not account for anyone; whoever needed to receive rebuke, he would rebuke, regardless of their status."

At this stage, Rav Meoded continues and brings stories from which one sees that the Chalev had no favoritism for any person and always walked with the attribute of truth and with the will of Hashem. Even if it meant that he had to rebuke people who are considered to be of high status. "Rabbi Chaim Cohen told me himself about a famous Admor from Jerusalem who came to him. He said to the Admor, 'Your Chassidim bring you kvittelach (notes with questions) and you don't know how to read them. I told that same Admor what he had done from the day he was born until that day. I rebuked him for being in a dispute with his brother, and I told him that he wants his deceased father to reveal himself to him, but that will not happen as long as the dispute with his brother continues,' the Chalev told me."

"In another case, I brought before him a kvittel with the name of a famous Rabbi, a mashgiach in one of the well-known yeshivas. The Chalev said to me immediately, 'He is damaging his eyes.' I was astonished; I told him that this was a Rabbi who is a mashgiach in a very famous yeshiva, but he insisted on it. 'Go tell him to stop damaging his eyes, and afterwards he can come to ask for blessings.' After a period of time, I gathered the courage to convey the Chalev's words to that Rabbi, and he indeed admitted to me that he needs to strengthen himself greatly in guarding his eyes."

Rav Nachman Meoded continues and brings a collection of stories about famous Rabbis whom the Chalev rebuked as was fitting. "From here we learn that Rabbi Chaim HaCohen zt"l knew everything, saw everything, and did not show favoritism to any person."

"'Wherever I need to say the truth, I say it,' the Chalev said to me, and he told me that once he had to rebuke Rabbi Ovadia zt"l regarding matters of leadership related to political agreements and Jerusalem, and indeed he traveled and did so."

"Rabbi Chaim HaCohen testified about Rabbi Eliezer Berland that he is one of the only ones in whom the soul of Rebbe Nachman is transmigrated in its entirety. Therefore, in the past, I compared what Rebbe Nachman went through and what Rabbi Berland is going through, that both of them received humiliations for the sake of the collective, etc."

"The Chalev kissed the hand of Rabbi Berland; it is filmed. I saw how R' Chaim looks with admiration at Rabbi Berland, and this is a man who never flattered anyone. If even one percent of what is rumored about Rabbi Berland were true, Rabbi Chaim would not look at him, and certainly would not kiss his hand."

"Furthermore, Rabbi Chaim the Chalev appointed me as a messenger to deliver a pidyon to Rabbi Berland. Rabbi Berland gave me a prayer to pass on to the Chalev and instructions on how to act, and Rabbi Chaim would pray the prayer of Rabbi Berland every day."

So what are all the persecutors and slanderers claiming? "That Rabbi Chaim the Chalev is a simpleton who doesn't know what he is talking about? And the Mekubal Rabbi Dov Kook, he also doesn't understand what he is talking about? The Gaon Rabbi Pinto shlit"a doesn't know? The Mekubal Rabbi David Stern from Bnei Brak doesn't understand what he is talking about? Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, with all the great men of Israel, don't know what they are talking about? The world's greatest tzaddikim, who possess Ruach HaKodesh, testify about Rabbi Berland that he is holy of holies; who can come after these holy ones and cast doubt or act against Rabbi Berland?!"

I have questions regarding the ruling:

1. "It is written in the Shulchan Aruch (Laws of Judges, Chapter 17, Paragraph 5) that it is forbidden for a judge to hear the words of one litigant when the other litigant is not present. It is forbidden for a Beit Din to hear those who oppose Rabbi Berland before they hear the words of the Rabbi in his defense. So how did they issue a ruling while he is in prison?"
2. "Those who testified are famous for their hatred of Rabbi Berland, and it is written that 'all those disqualified from judging are disqualified from testifying.' A hater is indeed disqualified from judging but is fit to testify, but this refers to a hater who is not one of the persecutors who sought to harass the one he is testifying against; hence, all the witnesses against Rabbi Berland are disqualified from testifying."
3. "It is written in the Halacha that it is forbidden to hand over a Jew into the hands of a gentile, and anyone who does so is disqualified from testimony, has no share in the World to Come, descends to Gehenna, and is judged there for generations. Hence, anyone who handed the Rabbi over to the authorities and to prison, and since then has been torturing the Rabbi with unimaginable suffering, is disqualified from testimony."
4. "Why didn't they invite Rabbi Salmanowitz to testify, or Rabbi Sheinfeld, Rabbi Tzanani, Rabbi Stern, Rabbi Gol? Why didn't they inquire with Rabbi David Stern? Why didn't they inquire or invite all these tzaddikim to testify?"

"Let all the persecutors learn a little humility from Rabbi Berland and the holy community of Shuvu Banim, who never retaliate. Rabbi Berland never says a word about all those who oppose him; this alone testifies to his holiness. For years they have persecuted him, slandered his name, handed him over to the authorities; it is superhuman that a person would not react."

"They claim they are Moshe Rabbeinu and Rabbi Berland is Korach. Let us look at the story of the dispute in the Torah. There, the one being persecuted was Moshe Rabbeinu; he acted with humility and lowliness, like Rabbi Berland, in contrast to the persecutors who act with arrogance."

"The damage done by the persecutors is not only to Shuvu Banim and Rabbi Berland or to the Breslov Chassidut, not only to the Charedi world with the Rabbis and famous names within it. The damage is to the Chillul Hashem (desecration of Hashem's name) that has been caused. What has Charedi Judaism done to you that you are dragging its honor into the dust?"