The Final and Emotional Part

After having presented on our website all parts of the words of Rabbi Yosef Asulin, who was the legendary gabbai of the Tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, we are happy to conclude the series with the final and moving part of revelations from within the home of Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

"We took the Rav and the Rabbanit to Ashkelon to a hotel intended for the Charedi public; the entire van was filled with hundreds of books," continues Rabbi Asulin in his story. "The Rav said to us, 'I cannot, without books I have no life.' We worked for several hours to organize the books. This was all on Thursday, and the very next morning I received a phone call and was told, 'Return immediately and take us from here.' It turned out there was a Shabbat of teshuvah (repentance) with Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak, and many new seekers arrived in immodest attire. The Rabbanit left the room and, after seeing this, immediately asked to return home. Afterward, our teacher Rav Eliezer Berland praised Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and said, 'One more like him and it would be good for the people of Israel.'"

"The Rav once spoke about Rabbi Akiva and said, 'Everyone sees the honor that this holy Tanna received with all the tens of thousands of students he had, but no one remembers all the slaps and humiliations he received when he was in the room learning with the children. It is the same regarding all the tzaddikim; everyone from the outside sees their greatness, but they do not see what they go through.'"

"The absolute truth is that our teacher Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a wants to speak with everyone, to give the same attention to every Jew, whether small or great. There is no such thing as the Rav treating an immensely wealthy person better than the lowliest Jew. However, the reality is that the Rav is physically limited in his ability to meet and speak with everyone at all times; nevertheless, it is a great merit to reach the tzaddik even if one does not merit speaking with him."

"Between the years 1985-1988, every ticket to Uman cost $2,500, and even though they invested all this great wealth, there were people who were turned back and did not reach Uman. And our teacher Rav Eliezer Berland said, 'Whoever made all this self-sacrifice and did not end up reaching Uman, Rebbe Nachman will pay him more than if he had actually arrived, because in truth he was with Rebbe Nachman even though physically he did not arrive.'"

"The face of the Rav is like an angel. I was with the Rav for 11 years and I am still very afraid of him; he is the person I have the most awe of in the world. When the Rav would enter my car, people had to tell me; I was afraid to lift my eyes to him."