Story: The Chassid from Williamsburg Who Discovered the Secret of Standing in the Beis Medrash / An Amazing Story

A Satmar Chassid from Williamsburg was amazed to hear how thousands of Chassidim stand on their feet for long hours in the Beis Medrash of Rabbi Berland shlit"a, out of a fire of deveikus (attachment to Hashem) and joy.

Story: The Chassid from Williamsburg Who Discovered the Secret of Standing in the Beis Medrash

A Jew from among the prominent Satmar Chassidim, residing in Williamsburg, USA, is deeply connected in his soul to Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Every week, he makes sure to listen to the information line to hear and be updated on how the holy Shabbos passed in the presence of the tzaddik.

A Seudah Shlishis of Long Hours

On one occasion, this Chassid called one of Anash (our followers) and spoke with him with great excitement. He shared how he was awestruck to hear about a Seudah Shlishis (the third Shabbos meal) that lasts for three full hours, and about the singing of the piyut (liturgical poem) "Yah Ribbon Olam" which alone takes about two hours.

Out of curiosity, the Chassid asked the person he was speaking with: "Is there a place to sit in the Beis Medrash of the Rav shlit"a during these long hours?"

To his astonishment, he was answered that in the Beis Medrash there are no tables and no benches. "It is completely impossible to bring anything in there," the Chassid explained to him. "The massive crowd simply stands on their feet for hours upon hours."

A Blazing Fire in the Service of Hashem

When the Chassid from Williamsburg heard this, he was deeply moved. He noted that he had never heard of such a wondrous phenomenon, and that it is a tremendous revelation and an awesome Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God's Name). In our generation, where the "Baal Davar" (the Evil Inclination) overpowers in a terrible way and tries to inject coldness into the service of Hashem, such a reality is nothing short of a miracle.

The Tzaddik Yesod Olam, who is entirely a blazing fire for Hashem Yitbarach, succeeds in infusing tremendous joy and vitality into the service of the Creator. He elevates the massive crowd to such high spiritual levels that people do not feel any physical difficulty whatsoever.

They are able to stand on their feet for long hours, out of tremendous deveikus, exactly as it is written: "To behold the pleasantness of Hashem and to visit in His Sanctuary."

An Amazing Story: Who is the Jew Pacing All Night in the Hospital Courtyard?

One of the veteran students of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a told an awesome and moving story this week. The story reveals, if only a little, the tremendous deveikus of the Rav shlit"a to Rebbe Nachman zy"a and to his holy students.

His Teacher Lying on His Deathbed

At the end of the days of the holy tzaddik, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zy"a (may his merit protect us all, Amen), he was hospitalized. As is known, during that period he underwent a difficult surgery and lay in Hadassah Hospital. Morinu HaRav shlit"a, out of his tremendous deveikus that knew no bounds for his holy teacher, could not find rest for his soul.

There are many stories about the way the Rav shlit"a was attached to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak with an unparalleled deveikus. But this incident illustrated it in an extraordinary way. Every single night, the Rav shlit"a would arrive at the hospital courtyard and pace there for long hours.

Who is this Jew Pacing Here?

During those long nights, the Rav would engage in Hisbodedus (personal prayer) between himself and his Creator for hours upon hours, right beneath the window of his teacher's room. This became a real phenomenon, until the medical staff began to notice it. The doctors and nurses asked in wonder: "Who is this Jew pacing down here all night?"

Eventually, it became clear to the medical staff that this was a devoted student of the hospitalized rabbi, who simply could not bear to separate from his teacher. Just as we find with Yehoshua bin Nun, the student of Moshe Rabbeinu, about whom it is said that "he would not depart from the tent." So too, Morinu HaRav shlit"a, in his love and deveikus, remained close to his teacher even in his most difficult hours.

From Issue 79 — Parashas Shmini
From the series "Tzaddik Moshel Yiras Elokim" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" publications