The daily chizuk from The Rav, the holy Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a — How can the promise that “the grain will produce for three years” be a curse and not a blessing?!

“A kav within four amos” (Bava Metzia 21a)

Thursday, 22 Shevat 5785 — In the chapter Eilu Metzi’os they don’t speak about “findings” at all, so what are they speaking about?

These are his holy words:

What does it mean: “the grain will produce for three years”?

If you ask questions, you’ll get three years—and if you don’t ask, what will be? Do you need to ask in order to receive three years?!

Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian explained: he said it is written in the Sforno that this is a curse, not a blessing. After all, what do we learn in the chapter “Eilu Metzi’os” (Tractate Bava Metzia)?

People don’t even know how to explain “Eilu Metzi’os.” In cheder we began learning “Eilu Metzi’os,” but the rebbe didn’t explain to us what we are learning in “Eilu Metzi’os.”

The truth is, they are not speaking about “findings” at all. They say “findings,” but what kind of findings? No findings at all!

Rabbi Yitzchak said: “A kav within four amos” (Bava Metzia 21a). So—what is a “kav”? If you drive for an hour from Yesodot, from Beit Chilkiyah, from Komemiyut, in a pickup loaded with watermelons, and the side rail on the pickup breaks open on the way—

the watermelons fall onto the road. So what—are you going to start collecting them now? People have lost so many things: suddenly the side rail of the pickup breaks open and everything flies out. Is he going to drive back from Jerusalem to Komemiyut to look for it? Someone already took the drill!

What does “a kav within four amos” mean? Rami bar Chama said that in “Eilu Metzi’os” they aren’t speaking here about findings at all—they aren’t speaking about finding anything! Who found it? Who decided?

“He is obligated to announce” has the gematria of Rebbe Nachman—“He is obligated to announce” is exactly 292. 292 plus two words is 294—the gematria of Breslov, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. The rebbe is the one who returns the lost things.

“Eilu Metzi’os”—all lost things are with the Tzaddik. We travel to Uman, we come to the Tzaddik, so all lost things are with the Tzaddik—and then there will be abundance!! There will be oranges, there will be wheat, and there will be barley!