We Grew Up Among the Greatest of the Generation

"I was privileged to know the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, back when he was in Bnei Brak. And as one who has been privileged to follow his service throughout all these years—his learning, his service of Hashem, and his asceticism—who could fathom this in their mind, and who could recount his mighty deeds?" begins the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Plavni, a Moreh Tzedek (halachic authority) in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood, author of the Responsa Chemdat Yosef and Darchei HaIyun, and one of the close students of Chacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul zt"l and Maran HaGaon Rav Ovadia Yosef zt"l.

"The Jerusalem Talmud states that many disasters befell the Jewish people because they did not protest the humiliation of a Torah scholar. Who does not know the greatness of Rav Berland shlit"a? All the chambers of Torah are at his fingertips. Dozens of times when we would speak with him and he would want to open and prove his words from the sources, the book would open exactly to the right place in an instant."

"His guarding of the eyes and his awesome service of Hashem—for many days he would go to seclude himself in prayer and service of Hashem. We saw him pray for 12 consecutive hours without leaving his four cubits. Anyone who publicizes this and protests the humiliation of the Torah scholar prevents harsh decrees from upon the Jewish people."

"I was privileged to grow up with the greatest of Sephardic Jewry, Rabbi Zion Abba Shaul, who was a giant in Torah, and of course Rav Ovadia Yosef, who was the paragon of the generation, but we did not see service of Hashem like that of Rav Berland shlit"a. Beyond his long and powerful prayer and his guarding of the eyes, there were also the good deeds he performed. I know facts according to which he would distribute endless funds for charity; his own money and the redemption money that people would bring him, he would immediately distribute. I remember how he sold his apartment in Bnei Brak and distributed all the money to charity (anonymously). One could see that this was an angel of Hashem Tzevaot. I did not see such things among the greatest of the world; while they possessed Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration), to draw it out and see it from moment to moment like Rav Berland shlit"a, we have not seen anywhere else."

"It is not the way of Torah to dispute and speak against the Rav shlit"a. Have mercy, so that those who speak against the Rav shlit"a are not harmed. I have facts regarding people, even simple ones, who harmed others and were severely punished. Some of them were not blessed with children, contracted illnesses, etc. The Rav raised tens of thousands and brought them closer to Judaism, and even those who speak against him were strengthened by him. Have mercy on your wives and children so that no disaster befalls you."

"The Jerusalem Talmud says that the more suffering a person receives, the more his greatness rises, and we must pray that the troubles end and we witness the greatness and splendor of the Rav shlit"a. May Hashem remove the shell and impurity from those who dispute him and bring them back in teshuvah (repentance)."