The righteous Rabbi Ofer Erez shlit"a on the importance of continuing to participate in the heavy maintenance expenses of our teacher, the honorable Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Although 1.2 million shekels were donated for the redemption deposited directly to the court, there is still a heavy fine imposed on the Rav shlit"a. Beyond that, every month we need to reach a sum of hundreds of thousands of shekels that go to security expenses, as well as various expenses like medical accompaniment for our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a.

These are the holy words of Rabbi Ofer Erez shlit"a to Breslov Line (*9148)

There Have Never Been Court Stringencies Against a Person Like with Rav Berland

"There was very difficult and complex conduct against the prosecution, the courts. I met with many lawyers just in the last month who said they do not remember such stringencies as the way they behaved with our teacher Rav Berland."

"Yesterday we reached an agreement that the court agreed to release our teacher Rav to house arrest. But, the Supreme and District Courts set very, very difficult conditions for the house arrest. Both in terms of the conditions that restrict the Rav, and in terms of the financial obligations imposed on us. That is, all this in addition to the guarantees we gave them so that the Rav, supposedly, would not escape."

"The court agreed to reduce the cash deposit required, because the claim was to deposit 2.5 million in cash, the court agreed to reduce it to 1.2 million in cash, meaning without this deposit the Rav would not be released. Also, the court obligated us to fund a security company 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we must pay them in advance. It is not that the security company requested it, but the court determined so that there would be no side that the security company would stop working with us. Every two months we have to pay them in advance, and these are very large sums. Efforts were made to find the cheapest company, and still, it is very expensive."

The Rav's Medical Condition Requires Constant Medical Accompaniment

"Baruch Hashem, the prayers help, but the Rav's medical condition requires that there be a nurse with him every day who helps and provides medical assistance. Also, doctors need to come frequently and examine the Rav's entire medical condition, all of which requires a lot of money."

"It's not easy, but from Heaven, we are granted the rare mitzvah of redeeming captives. Currently, we are conducting a whole campaign to ease the Rav's conditions. Beyond the financial matter, the restrictions imposed on the Rav are unprecedented, the lawyers told me it is unprecedented to impose such restrictions on the Rav."

"But, the fact that our teacher Rav is leaving the prison to a residence and we can take care of him medically, he will have his books, his study, and prayer without them sitting on his head like they did in recent months - this is a very great thing."

"We hope we can greatly ease the Rav's arrest conditions, I can't say how the process will progress, but I rely heavily on our prayers, there is divine assistance in all the steps. It is clear to everyone that everything must be done to ease this, but no one can say exactly what will be."

"The money does not go to the court's benefit, either it will eventually return to the Rav, or they will take it for the fine, because in addition to all the steps they also imposed a high fine on the Rav."

"There is a Rare Mitzvah of Redeeming Captives Here"

"Half a shekel can be given for any important mitzvah. I had a conversation with one of the Rav's veteran students who said, I don't know if from Heaven they are not orchestrating all this so that we have the merit to sacrifice ourselves for connection and attachment to the Rav - there is a rare mitzvah of redeeming captives here."

"Literally, the Rav is a captive and also the way they treat him. I don't want to go into details, but the Rav is 83 years old and suffers from so many illnesses. It is inconceivable that the Rav should be in such conditions, but we understand that there is a very complex spiritual battle here."

"We must be very careful about the release conditions, as there are not a few elements looking for how to undermine the alternative and return the Rav to prison. We need to know that the moment the Rav is released, they will follow him with ten eyes, just to see one mistake to return the Rav to prison."

"After all, we must remember that there is a Creator to the world and there is none besides Him, but to know in the land your way, everyone involved in this does so with great self-sacrifice - we must know how to appreciate and respect."

The Campaign for the Rav is Complex and Has Many Fronts

"Sometimes questions and doubts arise, but the questions arise because not all the details are known. There is a campaign here that is extraordinarily complex and very exceptional. It is not a regular legal process, on all fronts it is exceptional."

"The two most covered trials in the last year are those of the Prime Minister and the Rav, it is constantly talked about. We believe that the very fact that we stay together, strive to strengthen in prayers, the matter of the 7 Tikkun HaKlalis - hold yourselves together, draw me to you, as our Rebbe said."

"I have seen clearly that whoever now connects with the Rav, strives to help in whatever way they can, holds together in gatherings..., in all the efforts. Trying to correct things we need to correct within ourselves, we all need to return in teshuvah - the emphasis on love of friends - I believe that Hashem will perform miracles for us. There is none besides Him, there is no hindrance before Hashem."

"We talked that everyone should try to bring at least two thousand shekels, but we know there are truly needy people for whom a thousand shekels would be like two thousand. This is a rare mitzvah of redeeming captives in its importance and virtue, the more one increases, the more praiseworthy it is."

"Twenty years ago there was a financial need in the community, and they said, let's get all the money from one wealthy person, the Rav said, 'I want from everyone'. The Rav had this intention."

"I must say, it's not one million two hundred, we sat and calculated..."

Donation for the Redemption of Captives to Save Rav Berland Click Here

The expenses for our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a amount to more than two hundred thousand every month