Siyach Sarfei Kodesh: Rav Berland Shlit”a Speaks with Breslov Elders on the

OUR REBBE, THE GAON AND TZADDIK, RAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A MEETS WITH BRESLOV ELDERS AT HIS HOME IN HONOR OF THE YAHRZEIT OF RAV LEVI YITZCHAK BENDER ZT”L, THE BRESLOV LEADER OF THE PREVIOUS GENERATION AND TRANSMITTER OF THE TRADITION.

The meeting took place in the home of the one who was the greatest of the talmidim of Rav Levi Yitzchak – our Rebbe Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a.  Taking part in the meeting were receivers of the tradition and influential Breslov Rabbis, the Gaonim Rav Yehoshua Dov Rubenstein shlit”a, Rav Gavriel Grossman shlit”a, and Rav Yitzchak Weisshandler shlit”a.

In the meeting memories, traditions, stories, and chizzukim were recalled, as well as conversations which have yet to be publicized, from the mouth of the one who passed on and revitalized Breslov Chasidut after the Holocaust according to what he received from his Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Nachman zy”a – our teacher, Rav Levi Yitzchak Bender ztvk”l.

HOLY CONVERSATIONS FROM THE MOMENTOUS MEETING:

Rav Dov Rubenstein shlit”a: “I have a very nice personal story about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zt”l.  After my wedding, I lived in Sanhedria.  Rav Berland shlit”a would come every Friday before dawn.

“You would come from the Kotel,” Rav Rubinstein says, turning to Rav Berland.  “I had a neighbor by the name of Eli Berger.  We learned chavruta every evening.  It seems to me that it was tractate Kiddushin.  We were both after our weddings, and we learned together tractate Kiddushin.

“When we finished tractate Kiddushin, we began to debate between us what to learn tomorrow.  We didn’t reach an agreement.  The following day before dawn, I came to the Shul [the main synagogue of Chasidut Breslov in Jerusalem].  I was ascending the stairs and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zt”l was ascending ahead of me.  I approached him and told him about our debate.”

Rav Berland shlit”a: “You asked him what tractate to learn.”

Rav Rubinstein: “Rabbi Levi Yitzchak opened up both eyes to me and asked, ‘Why don’t our people follow the teaching of Rabbeinu?’

“I didn’t understand what he wants from us.”

Rav Berland: “Rav Bender meant to say that one needs to learn in order!”

Rav Rubinstein: “’What, you don’t understand?  Tell me, you don’t know what comes after tractate Berachot?  We learn in order.  That is the thing of Rabbeinu – in order.’

“’If you learn in order, I promise you two things,’ he said.  ‘I promise you that you will finish Shas, because if you don’t learn in order, you’ll never finish Shas.  And secondly, chaval for every single word, that after every tractate you’re going to debate what to learn tomorrow.’”

Rav Yitzchak Weisshandler shlit”a:  “Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender had several dreams which he would relate.  One of the dreams was about Rav Leib Lipta.  Rav Leib Lipta was learned, but he didn’t learn in order.  He was a great Torah scholar, but would learn once this book, and once this book.

“Rabbi Levi Yitzchak saw him in a dream and asked him, ‘Why don’t you learn in order?’”

Rav Berland: “Amazing chiddushim.”

Rav Rubinstein: “Once Rabbi Levi Yitzchak said that the evil inclination always says to a person: ‘You’re on a low level.  You have no chance or hope.’  The advice of the Tzaddik is to say to each person, ‘Don’t stop speaking [continue learning and praying and don’t close your mouth].’

Rav Yitzchak Weisshandler asks Rav Berland: “Were you at Rav Bender’s passing?”

Rav Berland answers: “I was [there] until 6 in the evening.   I wasn’t at the funeral.  I was at his passing.”

Rav Dov Rubinstein: “At Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s funeral there was one woman who cried a great deal.  The people there didn’t recognize her.  They wondered – a new face.

“They asked her afterwards, ‘Why did you cry so much?  From where did you know Rabbi Levi Yitzchak?’

“He related that she was a young lady from a broken family, and she worked by Rabbi Levi Yitzchak in cleaning.  One day, she opened a drawer and saw a sum of money.  She took a portion for herself.  After a few days, she came to work, but whichever room she entered to clean, she saw at the entrance to the room Rabbi Levi Yitzchak standing with his back to her, continuing to learn.

“She thought that he was deep in learning, but she would finish the room and go on to another room and once again the same thing happened.  She understood that he knew what happened but didn’t want to tell her.

“She related, ‘I approached him and said to him that I understand why he’s behaving like this. “I ask for forgiveness.  I’m from a very poor family.  I saw a large sum [this was apparently before Passover, when relatively large sums of money would come his way].  So I took a bit of it out.  I understand that I’m fired and that I don’t have work to come to tomorrow.  I will try to return it if I will have it.”’

“Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender answered: ‘You’re not fired, chas v’chalila!  Come to work.  More than that, in the future I will add to your salary.’

“She says, ‘I changed completely.’”

RAV BERLAND CONCLUDES: “THAT’S HOW SHE BEGAN TO BE MODEST AND HOLY.  SHE CHANGED ALL HER BEHAVIOR.”