The Daily Strengthening from The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a — The Satan Showed Them Moshe’s Bed

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moshe ascended to the Heavens, he found Hashem tying crowns onto the letters. Moshe said to Him, “Is there no peace in Your city?” Hashem said to him, “Is it the way of a servant to greet his Master?” He replied, “You should have helped Me.” Immediately Moshe said, “And now, please, let the power of Hashem be magnified, as You have spoken” (Bamidbar 14:17). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi also said: What is the meaning of the verse, “And the people saw that Moshe delayed” (Shemos 32:1)? Do not read it as “delayed” (boshesh), but as “the sixth hour came” (ba’u shesh). When Moshe ascended to the Heavens, he told Israel: “At the end of forty days, at the beginning of the sixth hour, I will return.” At the end of forty days, the Satan came and threw the world into confusion. He said to them: “Where is Moshe, your teacher?” They said to him: “He ascended to the Heavens.” He said to them: “The sixth hour has come,” and they paid him no attention. He said to them: “He has died,” and they paid him no attention. He showed them an image of his bed. And this is what they said to Aharon: “For this Moshe, the man…” (Shabbos 89a)

Wednesday, 15 Teves 5785 — Breslov Chassidim are the Chassidim who are with a Rebbe who is truly alive.

These are his holy words:

People are talking now as if the Tzaddik does everything. You must know: it is all illusions. There are no wars and nothing at all—this is all only the Evil One, trying to make sure people don’t reach the Tzaddik.

Just like with Moshe Rabbeinu—when the Satan showed them Moshe Rabbeinu’s bed. The Gemara in Shabbos (89a) says that he showed them Moshe Rabbeinu’s bed.

Moshe had brought them to such a level that they could already have lived forever—so the Evil One showed them Moshe’s bed, Moshe’s funeral.

A. Moshe was alive—this was a lie.

B. And even if it were true—Moshe is alive. Even if it is true that Moshe passed away at age 120—still, Moshe is alive.

The Tzaddik is alive. Moshe is alive. Rebbe Nachman is alive. They call Breslov Chassidim “the toyte chassidim” (the “dead” chassidim, because their Rebbe passed away)—but they are the “dead” ones, for in their lifetime they are called dead. We go with a living Rebbe—a living Rebbe who rules over the entire world.

We are saying now that the Satan can do anything—he can show Moshe Rabbeinu’s bed. He showed a bed, a funeral, with angels walking along holding black candles. He showed them an image of his bed—what they then said to Aharon (Shabbos 89a): “For this Moshe, the man…” (Shemos 32:1). They literally saw him on the bed. The Satan can stage a million performances—sets and scenery.

The Jewish people argued with the Satan and said, “Moshe is alive.” The Satan says: “No—here is his bed.” The Satan debated with them.

The Jewish people made a mistake in the calculation of the day, because the day Moshe went up to Heaven was not counted in the forty-day count. That is why it says, “G-d ascended with a blast; Hashem with the sound of a shofar” (Tehillim 47:6). The shofar blast was so they would know that Moshe was coming down—so they would not repeat the same mistake.

So from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur they blew the shofar every day, to announce that Moshe is alive—Moshe is coming down.

Because when Moshe is gone for forty days—people get confused. How long can you wait? For “They turned quickly from the way that I commanded them” (Shemos 32:8). It says, “They turned quickly”—in an instant: “Come, let’s make a calf. Moshe went up—finished. If Moshe went up, he’s not coming down anymore.”

Why should he come down? Why should Moshe come down? (They thought Moshe would never come down, because) why do people come into the world? What are we doing here in this world? We have to eat three meals a day—food is the greatest affliction. So for forty days Hashem freed Moshe from eating, and then another forty days, and another forty days.

We read in Parshas Eikev three times, “They turned quickly from the way,” “They turned quickly.” What does “quickly” mean? In a second! In a second—Moshe only turned his back and they said, “Finished—come, let’s make a calf.”

Every day there are harsh judgments still lingering from the sin of Adam HaRishon, from the generation of Enosh, from the generation of the Flood. The Satan can make wars and all kinds of things—anything, as long as people don’t reach the Tzaddik.

When you reach the Tzaddik, then you live to 120. Whoever reaches the Tzaddik has no illnesses and no weakness.