The Terrible Back Pain – Miracles of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

B"SD B"RH (With the help of Heaven, at the head of the year)

"I mention my sins today," N. begins his story with a bashful smile on his face. "Several years ago, I was struck by severe back pain. At first, I hoped that perhaps my back was just 'caught' and the pain would soon pass, but unfortunately, the suffering continued and persisted." N. is a regular student in the holy Yeshiva of the Rav shlit"a, and as he tells his story, it is evident that he is discharging an old debt. "After trying all sorts of home treatments and realizing that nothing was helping, I turned to an expert orthopedic doctor. After a thorough examination, the doctor indeed identified a 'herniated disc' in my back and even showed it to me on his computer screen." We will not elaborate too much, but we will note that from that day on, N. underwent various and tedious treatments to try and reduce the level of pain, which was unbearable, as he did not want to undergo surgery.

"It was on the day of my son's chalakah (first haircut ceremony). As is the custom of the Chassidim, we entered with honor into the residence of the Rav shlit"a, who was staying at that time in the city of Beitar, in order to merit that the holy Tzaddik would cut our son's hair. Indeed, we were privileged, and the moving ceremony went as planned. Then, just a moment before we were about to leave, I mentioned to the Rav shlit"a, as if in passing, that about a year ago I had stood during the Amidah (the standing prayer) for a long time, and suddenly I was struck by intense pains that have refused to stop until today. Truthfully, I was ashamed that I, who consider myself a student of the Rav and who hears about so many miracles and wonders occurring in the Rav's vicinity, had not turned to the Rav shlit"a until now. However, I gathered my courage; after all, it is better to admit my mistake than to continue erring further."

From observing N.'s face, it is clear that it is difficult for him to share his story and that the conversation is for him a kind of Vidui (confession) and the closing of a circle. He continues: "Immediately when I told the Rav about my pain, his face took on an expression of compassion. The Rav took a cup with a little water and sprinkled into it a few drops from a small bottle he had with him. He told me to say a berachah (blessing) and drink, and he also gave it to me while instructing me to continue taking it for three additional weeks.

I left the holy residence of the Rav shlit"a with a feeling of great joy, and indeed, for the next day or two, I was careful to take the drops according to the Rav's words. But, unfortunately, even this simple action did not go easily for me. At that time, I was learning in the Yeshiva with a chavrusa (study partner), one of the prominent students, and when I told him about my meeting with the Rav shlit"a, we strengthened each other in the power of the Tzaddik. We looked together at the way the Rav hides his greatness and clothes it in small things like natural drops. We added that Rebbe Nachman brings in Likutey Moharan (Torah 57) that from every word of Hashem an angel is created (Chagigah 14), and every angel is appointed over something else in creation, even over trees and herbs. This angel receives its vitality from the word—that is, from the Torah—and then influences the herbs. It follows that one who blemishes his Emunas Chachamim (faith in the Sages) and breaks a fence, then there is no healing for his wound, because the angel has no power to receive or influence, and consequently, the herb upon which his healing depends has no power to heal. At 그 moment, 'wisdom' entered my heart and I reasoned to myself: 'Behold, I believe that the Rav shlit"a performs the healing and he does not need anything physical at all; if so, certainly the Rav can heal me even without the drops.' Thus, I took the law into my own hands and stopped taking the drops. Just like the 'Wise Man' in the story of 'The Wise Man and the Simple Man' from the Rebbe's stories," N. adds sarcastically about himself.

"Time passed and the pains continued, until one day my wife, may she live, who saw that I was continuing to suffer, asked me if I was taking the drops. I answered her according to my 'great wisdom...', and she, of course, rebuked me to stop with the 'wisdom' and act with peshitus (simplicity) just as the Rav said. But, I argued, the three weeks have already passed, continuing to be 'smart,' and she became truly angry while shouting at me to start again immediately. From that moment, I took it upon myself to take the drops for three weeks, with simplicity and exactly as the Rav said—and see what a wonder! Not even a week passed and the pain vanished as if it had never been."

"In fact, from the continuation of that same Torah (Likutey Moharan 57), the exact opposite of my initial 'understanding' is clear," N. concludes what became clear to him. "Just like the language of Rebbe Nachman himself: 'For the things that were not written in the Torah were handed over to the Sages, and we are commanded to listen to them. And there is one who belittles their words and does not believe their words, because it seems to him that according to the Torah it is not so, and through this, he becomes ill with a wound that has no healing and...'"

N. adds an interesting detail before concluding his fascinating story. "After some time, I arrived for an examination with the specialist doctor that had been scheduled back when I was suffering from intense pain. The doctor took X-rays again, only this time no 'herniated disc' was found. I was not surprised by this, as I felt a significant change in my health; however, for the sake of publicizing the miracle, I entered into a conversation with the doctor and asked him his opinion regarding the reason for this. After all, the disappearance of a 'herniated disc' is no small matter. The doctor thought for a moment and, as if pulling it out of a hat, said that it could be that the disc returned on its own. I smiled at him and said decisively, 'On its own?! Certainly not. There were miracles here from Hashem and His faithful messenger, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.'"