Rabbi Shmuel Stern shlit”a, head of “Nachaley Netzach” institutions, in a painful call from the heart to the wider public to open their heart for our Rebbe, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit”a.
“I don’t need to elaborate; everyone understands well the injustices that they’re doing with Rav Berland shlit”a.”
These are his words in full:
“First of all, we have the merit to help with all the expenses of our Rebbe, Rav Berland. This is a merit of a thousand shekels which everyone simply has the merit of.
“For so long [we’re] without the Rav, and we are longing so much for the Rav, each one of us. At least something, which we really can somehow be grateful and thank the Rav for everything that he has done for us all the years, because everyone knows how much Rav Berland did for him.”
To participate in the Emergency Fundraising Appeal for Pidyon Shvuyim of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit”a: click here (donations here are tax deductible)
or donate via The Chesed Fund (donations here are not tax deductible)
“Now, really, after the Rav sits for so much time in prison… It’s unbelievable that this is what’s happening with the Rav. This is something which is incomprehensible, because if it was another person this age, he would have already been out a long time ago. Simply, we see… everyone knows exactly what is happening here. I don’t need to elaborate; everyone understands the terrible, massive injustices which are happening here. Simply there’s nothing to say. These things are known; even the most distant people see this.
“We need to give a helping hand, because the power of the community is something else completely. All of us, baruch Hashem, are truly unified through the tzaddik, and we all want the best for the tzaddik.
“The Rav already for a long time is found in prison. These are things which haven’t been [seen] in history. Now he’s in house arrest already for four and a half months in an unknown location. Previously, the Rav was in house arrest for four and a half months and they brought him back to trial again and reached a plea bargain, because otherwise, who knows how much they would have continued to conspire against the Rav.
“Therefore, baruch Hashem, that we received this plea bargain after we all here deliberated a lot and saw that this was the best thing that was possible to reach, because there is endless evil here, to our grief. The situation is like this: rental for an apartment for the Rav, security which costs more than 100,000 shekels a month — the court requested this, and other costs for attorneys which we haven’t paid.
“There are the medical expenses of the Rav. Understandably, we are taking for him the best doctors, because this is truly what needs to be done; there’s no question, doubt, or dispute about this. You need to know that everything like this costs so much money, without end; the expenses are terrible… Of course, there’s no reception of the public or donations. Everything falls on those involved [called “askanim” in Hebrew] who I know personally, and I say so that the public will know that these are faithful askanim.
“If only every rabbi had such faithful askanim as these, who sacrifice themselves day and night, without exhaustion. From the time that the Rav entered [prison], there’s no day and night. I’m close to them and see that they are simply sacrificing themselves. They’re taking out loans only so that it will be good for the Rav It’s impossible to understand their self-sacrifice. I envy their Olam HaBa… Such self-sacrifice doesn’t exist.
“Twenty-four hours a day, they abandon everything, even their home, even the kids. They’re only involved around the Rav… Right now, since really there are no donations, and according to the court it’s forbidden to raise funds for the fine that the Rav received, which is 2.5 million shekels, and for this we are not raising funds and the askanim are taking out loans for this, because this is what’s possible right now.
“Outside of this, they still have previous debts, so that it’s impossible to digest and understand what kinds of sums of debts they are found in as a result of this situation. Therefore, we’re turning to the public from the depths of the heart. No one is doing this for himself; we’re all doing this only for our Rebbe Rav Berland shlit”a.
“Our Rebbe and Master Rav Berland shlit”a is tzaddik yesod olam — the foundation of the world. Bezras Hashem, we’re requesting from everyone to help with the continuing costs which are more than 200,000 shekels every month. It’s impossible to hold up to this; this accumulates. Every month, another 200,000… this reaches millions.
“The Rabbinical Council pleads and turns to [the public] — that the heart will open up and minimally each family will give 1000 NIS [US $303, at the time of writing], because our soul [is dependent] on the matter. If, G-d forbid, for example, there is no security, then everything goes back to the court, and who wants this? Who has the strength for this? We just want that for the Rav it will be well.
“Our Rebbe and Master Rav Berland, that he should have length of days and years, we all know who is our Rav. Therefore, we are requesting that truly everyone opens up his heart and resources, and to pass on a donation to those same askanim who are very strong, but who are already so weak, so much time already involved in this. This itself is saving their life; how much are they capable of? I see them — how much are they capable of?
“They don’t mix the Rav in their grief, with all the suffering that they are going through. They don’t aggrieve the Rav for even one moment. Everything, as it were, flows on calm waters around the Rav.
“We request from everyone their resources and their heart and to give a donation of 1000 shekels at least, because a pidyon is prohibited… but at least help with all the expenses.
“Bezras Hashem, everyone who contributes should merit to completeness and contentment from their children in the merit of helping the tzaddik.
“Through this, we should merit to the complete redemption speedily in our days, Amen.”
To hear the words of more rabbis regarding the Emergency Fundraising Appeal, click on the the links below:
Rabbis Ofer Erez and Moshe Tzanani shlit”a
Rabbi Meir Malka shlit”a
Hear Rav Shmuel Stern (in Hebrew)
