"We Must Be the Entire People of Israel—All Its Groups and Factions; It Makes No

Before you are the full words of the tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a ahead of the assembly this coming Thursday - Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul in the City of the Patriarchs, Hebron:

"The most effective prayer is at the Cave of the Patriarchs, especially on Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul. When the entire nation of Israel gathers on Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul, the prayer is accepted more than ever; it is truly like Rosh Hashanah."

As Rebbe Nachman said, whoever comes to him already for Selichot, it is as if he is at Rosh Hashanah - 'di velt volt gevintschen aza Rosh Hashanah, azoy vi bay aykh Erev Rosh Hashanah' (Chayei Moharan 305). He says this is the true Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Chodesh Elul is already here; we are privileged to welcome Elul, which the elders used to faint from. R' Yitzchak Breiter would faint; when he would bless the month, he would say 'Elul,' and when he said 'Elul,' he would faint.

And it was like this among all the Lithuanians; all the heads of the yeshivot would faint when they said 'Elul,' and their students would hide under the tables and under the benches out of great fear. When they say 'Elul!' then the whole body trembles! The whole body trembles!

Therefore, Elul is not 'lo' (no) - twice 'lo', because in Elul we see 'He prepares plots for Him' (Tehillim 66:5), that Hashem creates plots, every day new plots. Every second is completely new; every second is newer than the previous second. Because the world goes 'schoener und schoener' (more and more beautiful) [Sichot HaRan 207]. Even though the generations are descending, the souls are lower, for if we were not close to breaking, we would be good. Because the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is the tzaddik, and the tzaddik renews himself. [A person], if he is close to the true tzaddik, he is renewed every second. He is already a completely new person; it is already a new sun. Because it is not as people think, that it is the same sun and the same moon; every second it is already a [new] sun, 'He who renews in His goodness every day constantly the work of Creation.'

Therefore, when the month of Elul arrives - the Virgin (Virgo), which is truly a completely new birth, it is a new creation; Elul is a new creation. Because on the 25th of Elul, the world was created. The fifteenth - says the Bnei Yissaschar - is forty days before. Just as Tu B'Shvat is forty days before the 25th of Adar. All this is explained by Rabbi Eliezer the Great, that the world was created on the 25th of Elul; the 1st of Tishrei is Adam HaRishon, then man came.

Therefore, in Hebron, everyone must be in Hebron, no one should be missing! It should not happen that a person did not arrive for Elul. The entire nation of Israel must be there on Thursday night! With all its sects and factions, it does not matter, everyone is one person! As one man with one heart, as one person!

'One portion above your brothers' (Bereishit 48:22) - it is written regarding Yosef HaTzaddik, because Yosef is found where everyone is found. The Yerushalmi says Rav Huna entered the house of R' Chiya, he saw Yosef HaTzaddik. Wherever the tzaddikim are, there Yosef HaTzaddik is found; it is like traveling to Shechem.

Now that we are traveling to Hebron for the assembly, which is an assembly of Rosh Hashanah, we draw down all the tikkunim (rectifications) of Rosh Hashanah, and all sins are atoned for - for whoever does complete teshuvah (repentance) in truth.

It is a great merit to donate towards funding the buses for this important assembly: 0583246148

To listen to the full words of Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a ahead of the assembly at the Cave of the Patriarchs on Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul:

Courtesy of the Breslov Chassidim information line 9148*