The Wonders of Prayer - With Prayer, Everything is Possible

The path of prayer has always been the path that our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, has taken for himself and instilled in many. The many stories about the wonders of the prayer of our teacher, Rav Berland, told at length and with sweetness, are only a drop in the ocean of the great light that is still hidden. Where else do people pray with such melody and joy as in the house of prayer of the Rav shlit"a?

We bring a collection of the wonderful words of our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a, on the virtue of prayer—words that were published in the past and now receive new vitality.

"When speech emerges, it emerges with the soul, a living soul, a speaking spirit, and it is heard by one's own ears, just as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'Make your ears hear what you are saying,' and pray slowly—the Amidah (18 blessings) slowly."

"And this is what the tzaddik wants—that we pray every letter with intention, every letter with intention, and to feel that Hashem is speaking with me, that Hashem is placing His ear next to our mouth—to feel how Hashem places His ear next to our mouth."

"And so a person goes and goes, and thus the tzaddik leads him within the Amidah, leads him: 'Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu v'Elokei Avoteinu.' After that, 'Elokei Avraham, Elokei Yitzchak, Elokei Yaakov.' When he says 'Baruch,' in this 'Bet' there is already all the abundance for 2,000 years. Just by saying the 'Bet,' he no longer needs to go to any charity funds, to any place; he has only said the 'Bet.'"

"In 'Baruch' there are already all the blessings, all the salvations, all the healings. He needs healing for his wife, healing for the children, his wife needs to be blessed with children—in the word 'Baruch' alone, there are already all the salvations and all the miracles and all the wonders."

"We stand before a faithful and merciful King who does everything to give to us, and it only depends on the Amidah with intention. Say 'Baruch' slowly, slowly; you will receive an apartment, you will receive everything you need, healing, salvation, you will receive everything. Say 'Baruch' slowly, slowly. Why are you running away? After all, I love you! The letter says, 'I want you to say me slowly; I will give you everything.'"

"So every letter, the entire word 'Baruch' asks, 'Stand here for a few more seconds.' You said 'Baruch,' so stand for a few more seconds; do not hurry, do not run. Have patience, stand by Me. 'Baruch Atah Hashem'—one says Hashem, Havayah, Havayah—it is possible to clarify all the shells (kelipot)."

"And everything is arranged through prayer; he can accomplish everything."

"Hashem is everything. Hashem—there is nothing besides Hashem, there is nothing. There is nothing, it is only Hashem; only Hashem does everything."