Redemption of Captives for Our Teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

"There is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives" – The Fund for the Rescue of our teacher, the great tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

"AND CHARITY SAVES FROM DEATH" (Proverbs 10:2)

Words of HaRav 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 fellow, owes him his soul.' How many hearts has our teacher the Rav shlit"a opened to return to teshuvah (repentance) and draw Jews closer to Hashem? He has dedicated his life 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 now, when he is in distress, we are obligated to remember that '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 and glorify Torah, 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 Atiya shlit"a, for whom everyone who has ever traveled or will ever travel to Uman does so in the merit of. 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 of the things I truly saw with my own eyes, self-sacrifice. Therefore, we must help by donating to the redemption of captives, for we are talking about a great tzaddik who has taken upon himself suffering for our sake, and there is also gratitude here for the fact that we reached Uman in his merit. And not only that, but he opened all the matters of Rebbe Nachman 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 with simplicity and self-sacrifice. Even though King David was at spiritual levels where he could ostensibly 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 high place, and that is the truth. 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 on through all this terrible suffering—but our obligation is to help him; there is no question about it.

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

For a direct donation, click here.