Baruch Dayan HaEmet: On the 13th of Iyar, 5780, the righteous kabbalist Rabbi Elazar Mordechai Mantzur zt"l passed away in Jerusalem. He was among the esteemed chassidim of Belz, a former resident of Antwerp, Belgium, and the son of the chassidic Rabbi Yitzchak Mantzur z"l, one of the prominent chassidim of Belz.

Rabbi Elazar Mordechai, known as a tzaddik and kabbalist, was a unique figure, a simple and upright man who feared Hashem, rejoicing to fulfill the will of his Creator with sincerity and faithfulness. He was a loyal soldier in guarding the three pillars of the world: Torah, service, and acts of kindness. His ways and conduct were aimed at increasing the honor of Heaven. All his life, he was afflicted with suffering, which he accepted with love and emunah (faith).

The deceased especially excelled in the trait of Ahavat Yisrael (love for fellow Jews) in an exalted and sublime manner, and he did much to bring peace, tranquility, brotherhood, and friendship. He greeted everyone with a pleasant countenance and many benefited from his advice and wisdom. His ear was attentive to broken hearts, breathing life into them. His heart and soul were dedicated to bringing joy to the downtrodden and reviving the souls of the needy of Israel.

Many knew and sought the counsel of Rabbi Mantzur zt"l, but few knew that he was one of the great 36 hidden tzaddikim of the generation, a tzaddik whose entire life was in concealment. Rabbi Mantzur served Hashem without publicity, and so too was his passing quiet and without fanfare, as befits tzaddikim who are entrusted with guarding and protecting the generation.

Nevertheless, in matters related to the sanctity of the camp and the trait of truth, Rabbi Mordechai Mantzur zt"l did not hold back or stand by idly. When the controversy and persecution against the esteemed Rav Eliezer Berland and his community began to intensify, Rabbi Mantzur expressed himself strongly against the pursuers, saying: "Anyone who encounters them (the pursuers of Rav Berland) sees that they are not seeking to build anything, only to destroy in a rage filled with vengeance and bloodlust." To read his words, click on the link - Rabbi Mordechai Mantzur protests the persecution of Rav Berland.

Afterwards, when the controversy grew stronger and reached even more difficult proportions, Rabbi Mantzur zt"l conveyed a frightening message to the people. These are the words we wrote then: "A terrifying message from R' Elazar Mordechai Mantzur shlit"a, the holy and miracle-working tzaddik, about whom R' Avraham Chai zt"l (the kabbalist from Pardes Katz) and many other tzaddikim testified that he is one of the great 36 tzaddikim of our generation."

The words of the holy tzaddik, one of the heads of the 36 tzaddikim of our generation, Rabbi Mordechai Mantzur shlit"a, about the terrible persecution against the esteemed Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a:

"Know that all this persecution stems from jealousy. I have no doubt that if these dissenters lived in the time of our holy Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman, they would have opposed him as well." The 'Yismach Moshe' (Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, the father of the Sighet-Satmar dynasty) says that a tree symbolizes a tzaddik and water symbolizes controversy, as it is written in Proverbs (17:14), "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam." Just as a tree cannot grow without water, so too a tzaddik cannot grow without controversy.

I asked him about personal matters, but he replied that at the moment he cannot answer me, as is known to those who frequent his home, he only responds with what Hashem puts in his mouth.

Around 2:00 AM, he told me that he just received a message from Heaven and I must convey it in his name:

"There are no punishments unless there are warnings, and therefore I am warning" –

"The Tosafot in Tractate Sotah (brings Rabbi Yochanan quoting Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: "It is better for a person to throw himself into a fiery furnace than to embarrass his fellow in public") and also Rabbeinu Yonah (in Shaarei Teshuvah, Gate 3, Siman 139, explained that it is considered 'dust' of murder, as the embarrassment causes the redness to leave the face of the embarrassed) wrote that publicly shaming a fellow is like the three severe transgressions for which one must be killed rather than transgress (murder, illicit relations, and idolatry). From now on, anyone who opens his mouth against Rav Berland shlit"a is doing so intentionally and should know he is playing with fire, and the words of the Mishnah in Avot (2:10) will be fulfilled in him, "Be careful with the coals (of Torah scholars) lest you be burned, for their bite is the bite of a fox, their sting is the sting of a scorpion, their hiss is the hiss of a serpent, and all their words are like coals of fire."

"Even one who only thinks bad thoughts against Rav Berland shlit"a should know that this thought is like a thought of idolatry, and he must put all his efforts into banishing these thoughts. And one who has already spoken against Rav Berland shlit"a has no remedy, except to go to two trustworthy Jews and reveal to them that he accepts upon himself that when the Rav shlit"a is released, with Hashem's help, he will go to him to appease him until he hears from him that he forgives him."

Thus far the terrifying words of the holy tzaddik, Rabbi Mordechai Mantzur shlit"a. To read the message and letter from Rabbi Mantzur, click on the link -Message from Rabbi Mantzur.

And behold, on the night of Wednesday of Parshat Matot-Masei 5778, during the holy journey of the esteemed Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a to bring back the people of Israel and hasten the redemption - Rav Berland met with the kabbalist Rabbi Mordechai Mantzur.

May his memory be blessed. T.N.Tz.B.H.

May it be His will that he advocates for us before our Father in Heaven and that mercy be bestowed upon the people of Israel

with the rebuilding of our Holy Temple and the coming of our righteous Mashiach speedily in our days

Amen