The Greatest Miracle of Rav Berland is That He Caused the Rabbis to Oppose Him

"We are in the final stage of the birth pangs of Mashiach; only the final months of the birth pangs of Mashiach remain."

Before an audience of G-d-fearing people, in the streets of Jerusalem, the renowned Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit"a delivered his holy words regarding the events currently afflicting the Jewish people during these intense days. It is worthwhile to read and be strengthened by the fragrance of the tzaddikim; these are his holy words.

"The Midrash Rabbah asks in Parshat Vayikra: 'Why do we bring a sacrifice from an ox, a sheep, or from doves?'"

"The Midrash says: 'Hashem seeks the pursued: the ox is pursued by the lion, the sheep is pursued by the wolf, and the dove is pursued by the raven—because they are pursued, we bring a sacrifice from them!'"

"The Midrash says: It is not only when a wicked person pursues a tzaddik, but even when a tzaddik pursues a wicked person, Hashem seeks the pursued! To such an extent—this is the power of the pursued; the pursued has power, he can be an atonement for Israel."

"People tell of many miracles from Rav Berland. I once heard from Rabbi Chaim that if a person gave a large pidyon (redemption) and was healed, that is not such a great miracle—such charity, and he wouldn't be healed afterward?"

"What is called a miracle? If a person prays to be shamed! And a Beit Din comes and, without any reason, issues a letter against him! Without any halachic, non-halachic, moral, or any other reason!"

"'He turns the wise backward and makes their knowledge foolish'—this is the greatest miracle. This is the power of prayer, that Rav Berland can cause, with such simplicity, one person after another to sign against him, as if it were a law given to Moses at Sinai."

"For this thing, there is no natural explanation—this is the greatest miracle."

"Rav Berland wants to be pursued; a person wants to be pursued, seeks to be pursued, for 'Hashem seeks the pursued.'"

"It is accepted from the tzaddikim that we are in the period of the birth pangs of Mashiach—in the final stage—we are in the final nine months of the birth pangs of Mashiach."

"Rav Berland once said that there are three types of atonement: 1. There is the atonement of the early generations through fasting, but the power of endurance has failed! Who can endure all the fasts that the early sages established?"

"2. After that, they established a second tikkun through the redemption of fasts, where the later sages came and said that it is impossible for the generation to fast, so they performed the redemption of fasts. But even this—people do not have the money to redeem all the numerous fasts that the early sages prescribed."

"3. Rav Berland said that there is a third tikkun that does not cost money: the tikkun of shaming—through being shamed, one can remain healthy and whole, and one can keep his money. Shaming is an atonement like all the fasts; so when one speaks of shaming, it is an atonement, it atones, it atones for the birth pangs of Mashiach."

"It is written: What should a person do to be saved from the birth pangs of Mashiach? Engage in Torah and acts of loving-kindness. But who can say about himself that he engages in Torah properly? That he engages in acts of loving-kindness properly? However, one receives shaming properly, and through this, one fulfills the obligation of the birth pangs of Mashiach."

"May Hashem help that with all the shaming we endure, it will be the atonement, and we will be able to pass through the birth pangs of Mashiach with ease, and may the Geulah come soon."

Amen, may it be His will.

Thus far are the holy words of the Kabbalist of our generation, Rabbi Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit"a.