The Slonim Rebbe Warns: “Whoever Has a Share in This Will Surely Not Be Cleansed” — The Shocking Persecution of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

The wave of madness and unrestrained persecution against The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, has been strongly condemned by many—among them great Torah leaders of Israel. Now it is the turn of this great man, Rabbi Shmuel Brazovsky, the Rebbe of Slonim Chassidus and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisrael, to express his shock at the terrible filth that is trying to wash away every last trace of goodness.

“This conduct—of disgracing and persecuting a Jew who is sitting in prison, and all the more so someone upon whom the Yiddishkeit of many families depends—is dreadful and terrifying,” the holy Slonim Rebbe begins. “The very fact that this horrific publicity is being spread is a frightening Chillul Hashem upon all of Chareidi Jewry, and whoever has a share in this will surely not be cleansed. I am certain that R’ Yaakov Meir has nothing to do with this—he is a pure and holy Jew and will not take part in such bloodshed. Even the signature does not appear genuine on such a shocking text; this is not his style at all. In any case, it is worthwhile to approach him so that he will use his influence upon his people who are running this campaign, that everyone should stop spreading all this filth—out in the broader world in general, and among us in particular. For there is no benefit and no purpose in it; that he will surely understand.”

As we have brought before you, and as many surely hear, the shock over the campaign of persecution against The Rav shlit"a is shared by anyone with even a drop of sense in his head. Yet, to our sorrow, the war of impurity against every Jew drawing close to the Tzaddik of truth is unbearable—and we must continue to cling to the truth until it is fulfilled in us: “The lip of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment” (Mishlei 12:19).

The Rebbe’s letter shlit"a in Yiddish

“This conduct—of disgracing and persecuting a Jew who is sitting in prison, and all the more so someone upon whom the Yiddishkeit of many families depends—is dreadful and terrifying. The very fact that this horrific publicity is being spread is a tremendous Chillul Hashem upon all of Chareidi Jewry, and whoever has a share in this will surely not be cleansed. I am certain that what they are attaching to Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter is falsehood and lies; he is too pure and holy a Jew to take part in such bloodshed. It appears to me that his signature on this horrific, harshly worded text is most likely a forged signature; it is entirely not his style to write such expressions. He is a very, very refined Jew. I do not know him only from today; nevertheless, it is worthwhile to approach him with a request that he should activate his power of influence upon his people who are leading this campaign, that they should stop circulating all this filth—throughout the entire wide world in general, and among us in particular. For it has no benefit and no purpose; he will surely understand this. Until here are his holy words.”