The Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a Hospitalized

Our teacher, the holy Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) was evacuated yesterday, Tuesday of Parshas Shelach 5779, to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. As we published last night, the condition of our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a had already deteriorated yesterday, but after the Rav experienced a respiratory attack this morning, it was decided to evacuate him to the hospital.

In light of the Rav's health condition, and after he explicitly requested that the Book of Tehillim (Psalms) be recited for him every day, a prayer rally was held tonight at the Kotel (Western Wall) for the healing of the Tzaddik.

In fact, our teacher the Rav shlit"a already requested two months ago that 200 avreichim (married Torah students) recite the entire Book of Tehillim for him every day, so that he may live until Rosh Hashanah.

Rabbi Moshe Tzanani shlit"a, one of the veteran and well-known students of our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a, offered great encouragement on this matter, saying: "It is written in Midrash Rabbah (homiletic teachings) that Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) told the People of Israel that there was a decree against them. Moshe Rabbeinu prayed and pierced through all the heavens, and in this way, he annulled the decree."

"Moshe said: 'One man saved six hundred thousand, yet six hundred thousand could not save one man? When Hashem decreed against me, you did not save me; you did not pray for me!'"

"We must truly strengthen ourselves in prayer for our teacher the Rav shlit"a. The situation is truly not simple; the Rav is in the hospital and his condition is a matter of pikuach nefesh (a life-threatening situation). Everyone knows what the Rav is to us—the Rav is the father who leads us with such mercy, with such love."

"Our teacher the Rav brings us closer to Hashem (the Holy One, Blessed be He); he brings all of Israel closer, and all of Israel depends on him. The Rav shlit"a annulled all the decrees and took everything upon himself. There is hardly a whole limb in his body."

"He is entirely covered in wounds and bruises—truly the aspect of the 'suffering of Mashiach' who literally suffers for the sake of all of Israel."

"We must truly pray with all our strength that the Rav remains with us to bring the Geulah (Redemption) to the People of Israel. Who knows what depends on the Mashiach being with us. The Rav requested that 200 people take it upon themselves to read the entire Tehillim every day."

"Everyone should see to strengthen themselves in this matter. One must pray even for a Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar), how much more so for the Rav, upon whom everything depends—the whole world depends on him, all of Israel depends on him."

"We must strengthen ourselves greatly in prayer; the situation is truly not simple. May the Rav continue to be with us. And may Hashem help that in the merit of the prayers, we should merit good news."

Thus far are the words of Rabbi Moshe Tzanani shlit"a.