The Reasons for the Coronavirus - "Whoever Disparages a Torah Scholar" - The Kabbalist Rabbi Menashe Amon on the Persecution of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

"What happens (when people speak about Rav Berland)? The coronavirus, dear Jews, there is a very severe decree, that it should not come upon the people of Israel, God forbid."

About a week ago, the words of the Kabbalist, Rabbi Menashe Amon shlit"a, were published regarding the severity of the danger of speaking against Rav Berland shlit"a. The words were harsh and sharp, leaving no room for doubt regarding the Torah's view on the prohibition of speaking lashon hara about the tzaddik Rav Berland. Due to the intensity of the words, it was somewhat difficult to discern Rabbi Amon's statements, as he defines the coronavirus as an incurable disease, and that speaking about the righteous Rav Berland shlit"a might be the cause. These are his very clear words.

"What happens (when people speak about Rav Berland)? The coronavirus, dear Jews, there is a very severe decree, that it should not come upon the people of Israel, God forbid - whoever disparages a Torah scholar has no cure for his wound."

"Dear Jews, it is not simple, the people of Israel are suffering greatly. It is forbidden to speak about any Jew in the people of Israel, all the more so it is forbidden to speak about rabbis and Torah scholars, all the more so about tzaddikim. Anyone who disparages a righteous and holy Torah scholar has no cure for his wound - he will go to all the doctors and will not find a cure. I do not need to tell you, you see what is happening in the world."

"Dear Jews, there is a great injustice that people do not know, we do not see far, we do not have spiritual eyes to understand, there is a rabbi and there is a tzaddik, there are 36 tzaddikim - and there is the head of the 36 tzaddikim."

"Do you know what a holy Jew Rabbi Eliezer Berland is? He is holy of holies!"

"Rabbi Eliezer Berland received (from Heaven) an unbearable task, he received the task to atone for all of Israel, for each one of us."

"This tzaddik receives humiliations, receives shames to sweeten the judgments so that harsh things do not come here - not plagues and not diseases."

"Gentlemen, he atones for us, the tzaddik Rav Berland sits in prison, and we do not care - my teachers and rabbis, this is a disgrace to a Torah scholar, do you know how difficult it is?"

"We hear about such a tzaddik who atones for us, receives the harshest humiliations and we sit with folded arms? And we still believe the media? And we fail and write about him that he is a thief and a swindler, God forbid, we do not know who we are dealing with - he is holy of holies."

"God forbid anyone who would think such a thing, that he touched girls, he is an angel of Hashem Tzevaot - he is greater than an angel."

"He sits in prison for giving someone Mentos? If they truly knew with clear knowledge and took his Mentos with emunah, they would be healed. For 16 hours he stands to pray for me and for you and for her that there should be no judgments and no plagues! What happens (when people speak about Rav Berland)? The coronavirus. What we see happening in the nations of the world is so that we examine our deeds. A righteous Torah scholar who is disparaged and we do not protest? Woe to us and woe to our neshamah. -Gentlemen, it is not simple."