The Rebbe of Lelov USA

From the editorial staff of the "Zichru Torat Moshe" publication: The Lelover Rebbe shlit"a admires our teacher, the holy Gaon Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a with every fiber of his soul, and he speaks of him with boundless admiration. From time to time, the Rebbe shlit"a asks his attendants to tell him what is happening with our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a. Thus, when several years ago they tried to restrict the movements of the Rav shlit"a, the Rebbe traveled to pray at the Western Wall, where he met the Rav's students, and the Rebbe said to them with fervor and enthusiasm:

In his youth, the Rebbe was educated by his grandfather, the Admor Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Biderman of Lelov, and that was the beginning of his connection to Breslov. In the court of his grandfather, the ReM"M zt"l, resided the great Chassid of Breslov from the previous generation, the holy Rabbi Bentzion Apter zt"l, and the Rebbe shlit"a drank from his waters. To this day, the Rebbe encourages his students to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah and to increase their hitbodedut (seclusion) and prayer.

After becoming the son-in-law of the Admor of Toldos Aharon, he moved to live in Jerusalem, where he met the students of the Rav shlit"a, such as R' Chaim Shlomo Rotenberg and R' Yaakov Moshe Salmanowitz, with whom he spent many hours in the Breslov 'shul' in Mea Shearim, which is adjacent to the study hall of his father-in-law, the Admor of Toldos Aharon. He would also frequent the presence of the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zt"l, and he would observe him often when he would practice hitbodedut daily at the Western Wall.

The connection of the Lelover Rebbe shlit"a to Rav Berland shlit"a

From the editorial staff of the "Zichru Torat Moshe" publication: The Lelover Rebbe shlit"a admires our teacher, the holy Gaon Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a with every fiber of his soul, and he speaks of him with boundless admiration. From time to time, the Rebbe shlit"a asks his attendants to tell him what is happening with our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a. Thus, when several years ago they tried to restrict the movements of the Rav shlit"a, the Rebbe traveled to pray at the Western Wall, where he met the Rav's students, and the Rebbe said to them with fervor and enthusiasm:

"He has brought thousands to teshuvah (repentance), he does so much for Klal Yisrael, everyone is obligated to stand at his right hand so that he can do what he wishes."

They further relate that when the terrible attack on Rav Berland shlit"a was publicized, the Rebbe shlit"a reacted with unusual severity, and said in a sermon to his Chassidim with great heat and pain, and these are his holy words, words that carve out flames of fire:

"Rav Berland shlit"a has always gone through difficult passages, and he is very important, a tremendous Torah scholar. We remember him from ancient years, how he managed a yeshiva with a high hand and brought tens of thousands to teshuvah (repentance), and therefore it is no wonder that the Sitra Achra (the Other Side) fights him and fabricates false accusations against him."

"He raised boys from the lowest depths, 'He raises the poor from the dust, from the trash heaps he lifts the needy. To seat them with nobles; with the nobles of His people' (Psalms 113), and made them elevated Jews, separated from this world, full of Torah, fear of Heaven, and acts of kindness."

"I remember in years past, I saw Rav Berland shlit"a at the Western Wall, how he approached with deveikut (cleaving to Hashem) and elevation and kissed the stones of the Wall; his Mincha prayer on a regular day appeared to be with holy fire and a vitality in holiness that cannot be described."

The Lelover Rebbe: It is forbidden to remain silent regarding what is being done to Rav Berland shlit"a

"This is the act of the Yetzer (evil inclination) which is spreading itself to fight with him, and we are forbidden to overlook this and remain silent. We must cause an uproar and turn worlds upside down; a friend has a friend, and we must speak with the activists so that they turn worlds upside down to save him, and see to speak with everyone possible."

"I ask of the honorable activists to act and work for the sake of Rav Berland with whatever is possible with all their strength, and to proceed in the way of our forefather Jacob in three ways: gift, prayer, and war. That is, through prayer—that Jews should pray for him and for all of Israel—gift, and war: to try with kindness, and if that does not help, to proceed with protests and demonstrations."

The Rebbe shlit"a concluded his enthusiastic words with prayer and hope: "May Hashem help that he returns in peace to the Holy Land with joy and peace of mind, so that he can continue to influence the raising of the horn of Torah."