To Preserve the Kedushah of the Holy Tzion, Rav Berland Fights

After our teacher, the holy Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, worked to open the path to Uman and bring hundreds of thousands of people to the holy gathering, throughout all the years from then until today, Rav Berland has repeatedly spoken about the obligation to preserve the holiness of the holy Tziyun in Uman. The Rav shlit"a has mentioned this in dozens of lessons and has even composed many prayers, the most comprehensive of which is the 'Prayer for the Poor at the Tziyun of our Holy Rebbe in Uman.'

As is known, our teacher Rav Berland truly fought so that those staying at the holy Tziyun would not bring chairs to the Tziyun and would not eat there. The Rav repeatedly explained that the place of the Tziyun is truly the 'Holy of Holies and the Foundation Stone.'

And now, everything that Breslov Chassidim, who know the virtue of the holiness of the Tziyun, should have implemented long ago, the Ukrainian government is now demanding.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Parshat Ki Tavo 5780, a government delegation headed by Ukraine's Coronavirus project manager and the deputy commander of the Ukrainian police visited Uman. The delegation arrived with an entourage of senior officials to check if the area is suitable for receiving thousands of people according to the criteria of legal health conditions.

The delegation was favorably impressed by the proper arrangements at Rabbi Sheiner's dining complex, but was unfavorably impressed by the situation at the Tziyun. According to them, it is mandatory to cancel any possibility of sitting in the Tziyun complex, except for a limited number of seats for the disabled. The delegation further recommended creating a path where people will pass one after the other from the entrance to the exit, at a distance of a meter and a half between each person.

In order to allow the maximum number of people to enter at once, and so that each of them can stay as long as possible near the Tziyun, they agreed to the creation of a winding, snake-like path, so that each person can stay along the path while moving for about 15 minutes.

Likewise, the delegation demanded that no minyanim take place at the Tziyun, and also, not to bring personal or public holy books wrapped in lamination. The delegation further demanded not to eat at the place at all.