Amazing Story: The Tzaddik Stopped His Singing and Waited Until the Young Man Finished Crying / Wondrous Story: The Broken Flashlight That Lit Up in the Merit of the Tzaddik

A Chassidic young man who experienced a crisis and doubts burst into bitter tears in his home. At that exact moment, our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a stopped his singing on the telephone line and waited in silence until the young man calmed down.

Amazing Story: The Tzaddik Stopped His Singing and Waited Until the Young Man Finished Crying

A wondrous story was told by an important young man belonging to a large Chassidic court, who recently drew close to our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a along with a large group of his friends. One week, the young man participated from afar in the evening schedule with Rabbi Berland shlit"a through the Breslov information line. Thank God, many Chassidim have recently merited to connect to the tzaddik through the telephone, and to hear his voice with holiness and immense vitality.

Supernal Pleasantness Through the Suffering

Whoever merits to listen hears the voice of the tzaddik singing melodies with unimaginable pleasantness, especially during the days of Sefiras HaOmer (Counting of the Omer). The awakening melody of "Ana B'Koach," in which every word is repeated seven times, pierces the heavens. It is a wonder to see how Rabbi Berland shlit"a, amidst the intensity of his terrible suffering, is completely attached to the Living and Enduring King. He does not feel this world and its vanities at all; rather, he sits and sings to the Creator of all worlds.

This brings to mind what our teacher Rabbi Nosson zy"a wrote in Likutey Halachos, that a person was created solely to feel the sweetness, pleasantness, delight, and friendship of nullification to the Infinite. One hears the voice of the tzaddik crying out, "Ana, Ana, B'Koach, B'Koach," and whoever has not experienced this event, where the students of the tzaddik sing with him in deveikus (attachment to God) and immense joy, has never seen true goodness in his days. In those moments, one feels how all the lies of this world and its illusions melt away in the face of the supernal pleasantness that the tzaddik bestows upon those attached to him.

A Sudden Crisis and Tears of Brokenness

In any case, that young man was participating from afar via the telephone, and suddenly, in the middle of Sefiras HaOmer, he was flooded with confusions and questions about the tzaddik. As is known, the Baal Davar (the Evil Inclination) fights with all his might whenever a person wants to draw close to Hashem and to true tzaddikim. Out of great distress and bitterness of soul, the young man began to cry bitter, heartbreaking tears.

He remembered what the holy Rebbe Nachman zy"a wrote, that when questions come to a person, he must cry out to Hashem. Rebbe Nachman revealed that the word "Kashya" (question) is an acronym for the verse "Shma Koli Ekra" (Hear my voice when I call). The young man cried out and wept to Hashem from the depths of his heart, until he slowly calmed down, felt that Hashem had heard his voice, and merited to be strengthened anew.

The Tzaddik Hears the Sighs

But here, a true wonder of wonders occurred. It turns out that the entire time the young man was crying before Hashem, Rabbi Berland shlit"a stopped his singing and waited for him. Everyone who was connected to the line that night heard how, in the middle of the psalm "Lamnatzeach Binginos," which is sung after Sefiras HaOmer, the Rav suddenly stopped his singing for several minutes. None of the attendees or listeners understood why silence had fallen.

Only after the young man stopped crying did Rabbi Berland shlit"a continue his singing from that exact point. When that young man later recounted what he had gone through during those exact minutes, everything became clear. Certainly, Rabbi Berland shlit"a participated with him in his terrible sorrow and pain from afar. As the holy Rebbe Nachman wrote: "The tzaddik hears the sighs of all those attached to him," and waits for them with love until they return to the light.

Wondrous Story: The Broken Flashlight That Lit Up in the Merit of the Tzaddik

An avreich (young Torah scholar) among the students of Rabbi Berland shlit"a told of a high-quality flashlight he owned. The flashlight, which emitted a particularly strong light, was bought to serve him on journeys, so he could continue learning on the road even during the night hours. Since it was a rechargeable flashlight, it needed to be connected to a special charger each time. One day, the avreich tried to turn on the flashlight but without success. Every time he turned it on, the flashlight turned off after just one minute. After several attempts, he concluded that the device had simply broken.

Thirst for Torah in the Darkness

That evening, after the Maariv prayer and Sefiras HaOmer in the presence of Rabbi Berland shlit"a, which were conducted with immense vitality and enthusiasm, many remained in the Beis Midrash (study hall). As is their holy custom, many avreichim and young men stayed to learn and complete their study sessions. One could tangibly see the immense thirst for words of Torah that Rabbi Berland shlit"a constantly instills in his students. Everyone just wanted to grab another page of Gemara, another chapter in Likutey Halachos, and the like.

However, during those days, a problem arose in the Beis Midrash. The lighting in the place was very weak, and the dim light made it very difficult to read the small letters in the books. The learners made an effort to continue their studies, but the lack of light made it very hard for them. Suddenly, the avreich remembered that he had that broken flashlight from that morning in his pocket.

He Who Told the Oil to Burn

A thought of pure emunah (faith) arose in the heart of the avreich. He said to himself: "Perhaps in the merit of the tzaddik and his precious students a miracle will occur, and the flashlight will light up properly." He took out the flashlight, turned it on, and placed it up on the ceiling so it would illuminate everyone sitting beneath it.

To his great amazement, a wonder of wonders occurred before his eyes. Ten minutes pass, twenty minutes go by, half an hour, and even a full hour - and the flashlight does not turn off! In complete contrast to what happened earlier in his home, the flashlight continued to shine with a precious light, to the great joy of the learners.

This wondrous story perfectly illustrates how a tzaddik rules through the fear of God. As our Sages said, "He who commanded the oil to burn will command the vinegar to burn." All of nature is subjugated to Hashem, may He be blessed, and to His faithful servants, and in the merit of the yearning to study Torah, even a broken device can illuminate the darkness.

From Issue 80 — Parashat Emor

From the series "A Tzaddik Rules Through the Fear of God" — "Shapir Amar Nachmani" publications