"We Learn Only the Holy Tongue" — Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a’s Daily Chizuk

The Daily Chizuk of our teacher, the holy Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, “We learn from Mordechai that one must study only the Holy Tongue”

Thursday, 14th of Adar II, 5782 – These are his holy words:

For a certain maskil (intellectual) came to Rav Chaim of Brisk and said to him: I have proof that one must learn languages, English, French... one must know Arabic – we learn this from Mordechai, who knew 70 languages.

Rav Chaim of Brisk answered him: From Mordechai, we learn the exact opposite, because the conspirators, Bigthan and Teresh, spoke in a loud voice. They knew that Mordechai did not understand anything.

We see that one who studies in the cheder (the holy children of the house of the Rabbi) does not need to know anything – no language at all.

For they were certain that Mordechai did not know their language, but one of the Sanhedrin did know...

Always, out of 70, there is one who knows a little something, either French or English, he knows something.