Shocking: The Sorceress Returns in Teshuvah (Repentance) After Seeing Rabbi

"Hello, my name is Mani Yolzari," says an actor who appeared, among other things, in the series 'Shemesh.' "My good friends are Nachman Pinchas and Moshe Poltov. Twenty years ago, we were dancers, models, and actors; we appeared in several programs in the past, and then we returned in teshuvah (repentance) in the merit of Rabbi Berland shlit"a. The Rav sent us for zikuy harabbim (bringing merit to the masses), to strengthen the people of Israel in their homes—we are now telling a crazy story that happened to us 15 years ago."

[caption id="attachment_17346" align="alignnone" width="482"] Mani Yolzari - actor in the series 'Shemesh' and former model[/caption]

A Seemingly Ordinary Entry for Kiruv Rechokim and Zikuy HaRabbim

"We were called to come to a house in Herzliya. We knocked on the door, and a woman named Orly opened it for us. Even before we entered the house, we felt something strange. When we looked inside the house, it felt as if we were entering the 'Valley of Ghosts.' A friend joined the woman, and she began to tell us about her life. She told us that in her childhood she received 'powers,' and we tried to understand what she was talking about."

[caption id="attachment_17347" align="alignnone" width="482"] Mani Yolzari, Nachman Pinchas, and Moshe Poltov telling the story about Rabbi Berland shlit"a[/caption]

"She points at me," Mani recounts, "and says, 'Your wife is in her third month of pregnancy.' She told us that rabbis had entered her home to perform tikkunim (spiritual rectifications), and since then, both her children and the rabbis have been ill. She gave names of well-known rabbis, and in general, how did she know that we were in show business, that we were dancers and models?"

[caption id="attachment_17348" align="alignnone" width="482"] Mani Yolzari, Nachman Pinchas, and Moshe Poltov telling the story about Rabbi Berland shlit"a in the holy group at Yeshivat Nachali Netzach[/caption]

"Nachman wanted to flee; he didn't want to become ill like those rabbis. But as for me," Mani says, "I was curious and wanted to continue hearing her. She told us something very surreal about the way she received her powers. It was in an abandoned house when she was 12 years old, but I don't want to elaborate on that."

"Suddenly, the words of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, began to echo in my head. He had said, 'I am with you in every house you reach for kiruv rechokim (bringing those far closer to Torah).' I asked her, 'If you really have powers, who is actually here with us?' There was a silence for a few seconds. She looked at her friend, at me, and at Pinchas, while between us there was a chair with an empty space."

[caption id="attachment_17349" align="alignnone" width="482"] Mani Yolzari, Nachman Pinchas, and our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a[/caption]

"Suddenly she began to get excited, saying, 'Between you, there is a great light, oh, I can't take it.' Then she simply began to describe our teacher, Rabbi Berland: 'There is someone here with high cheekbones, peyos (sidelocks), beautiful in appearance—wow, what a light is coming out of him!'"

[caption id="attachment_17350" align="alignnone" width="482"] The Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a[/caption]

As She Sees the Rav, Something Amazing Happens in the Room

"At that very moment she was describing the Rav, something amazing happened. There was an embroidered picture hanging in the room, very heavy; at that moment, the picture began to move, and all four of us looked at it together. I said to Mani, 'Let's get out of here quickly.' As I said this, I felt a loose grip on my hand. I felt something holding me; I didn't know if it was a shed (demon), a spirit, or if it was the Rav."

"I asked her who it was, and she answered, 'Rebbe Nachman.' I took out a folder of pictures and showed them to her. I asked, 'Is it this one with the Tefillin?' She said no. 'Is it this one with the scattered peyos?' No! 'Is it this one with the kittel (white robe) and the shtreimel (fur hat)?' She answered, 'Yes, that's him, that is the one I see!' It was our teacher, Rabbi Berland shlit"a."

A Donation to the Rav's Yeshiva Brings Her to a Great Thought of Teshuvah

"As soon as she saw the picture of the Rav, she became enthusiastic and was inspired to set up a monthly donation to the Yeshiva's institutions. Immediately after her, her friend was also inspired to donate to the Yeshiva. Apparently, the awakening to perform a mitzvah caused her to have a thought of teshuvah (repentance), and she said, 'I want to leave all the cards and this entire path.' We told her, 'Instead of opening cards, open and read Tehillim (Psalms); why do you need all this nonsense?'"

[caption id="attachment_17351" align="alignnone" width="482"] I showed her a picture of Rabbi Berland shlit"a[/caption]

"She answered, 'I take it upon myself to only open Tehillim, only to help people, and I promise to leave the cards and all those things—I want my children to be healthy.' We entered the children's room; she asked that we bless the children. She probably thought we were important rabbis, but we came only with the power of our teacher, Rabbi Berland shlit"a."

Just as We Left the House, Something Even More Startling Happened

"It was startling. We blessed her in the name of the Rav, and as we stepped over the threshold of the door, all the lights in her house went out. She began to speak with excitement, 'Oh, what is accompanying you? You are angels, I don't believe it. I will organize a large gathering with all the women I treat, and you will come to speak there and set up monthly donations for all the women, to bring them closer to Torah.'"

"And so it was. Two or three weeks later, we held the strengthening gathering. Everyone took upon themselves resolutions in kedushah (holiness) and taharah (purity), and committed to keeping the Shabbat. It is impossible to understand the power of the Tzaddik—'He raises the needy from the dunghills' (Psalm 113:7)."

"This is just one story out of many that we have experienced over the last twenty years. The Rav pulled us out of the dunghills."