A repeated requested of a young man who met with the Kabbalist Rav Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit”a at the door of Rav Dov Kook shlit”a, brings him to ask Rav Kook what he really thinks about Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a.
“The Gaon Rav Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit”a, one of the great kabbalists of our generation, relates in a shiur which he gave over two weeks ago how he spent Shabbat in Tiveria by Rav Dov Kook, and Erev Shabbat went in to Rav Kook.
“There was a young man there who said to Rav Sheinfeld that recently the same lowly people who were speaking against great Torah sages of Israel were saying that Rav Kook is speaking against Rav Berland. He asked Rav Sheinfeld to relate this to Rav Kook.
“Rav Sheinfeld says in the following recording: ‘Why do [we] need to check this by Rav Kook? Those same people inform on people, and a person who is an informer also lies, because if he has no problem with informing, then he has no problem with lying. So what is there to check?’
“But the young man pressed Rav Sheinfeld to ask in any case, and Rav Sheinfeld approached Rav Kook and said to him that they’re publicizing that you are speaking against Rav Berland.
“Rav Kook answered, ‘What nonsense. What do I have to speak against Rav Berland?’
“Rav Kook continued saying, ‘I pray for him every day a thousand times. I bless him. Also now I bless him and pray for him.’
“Before you is the recording which Rav Sheinfeld gave over in Givat Olga. Afterwards, with amazing providence, the same young man also left on the Kav HaMeda Breslov (02-587-5777) the recording, in which he explains what happened with Rav Sheinfeld and Rav Kook. This is the same young man who spoke to Rav Sheinfeld…
“Unfortunately, in certain parts the recording isn’t so clear, but we clearly hear Rav Sheinfeld tell Rav Kook that they’re speaking in his name, and the response of Rav Kook. Afterwards, it’s possible to hear Rav Kook say, ‘Every day I pray for Rav Berland a thousand times… every day a thousand times I bless him and pray for him, and also now I bless him.’”
The recording of the Kabbalist Rav Yehuda Sheinfeld shlit”a in his shiur in Givat Olga:
“There was… by Rav Kook someone… who whispered to me next to Rav Kook’s room, saying, ‘[They] spread a rumor that Rav Kook is against Rav Berland.’
“I answered, ‘Someone who is suspected of informing is also suspected of falsehood…’ I said to him, ‘Why ask him?’ Well, I went in to Rav Kook and said to him that they’re publicizing that he spoke against the Rav.
“Rav Kook answered me, ‘Why would I have something to speak against Rav Berland?’ Afterwards he added, ‘And I pray for him every day a thousands times.’”
Recording of the young man who asked Rav Sheinfeld to ask Rav Kook to reconcile the evil rumors:
“Shalom to everyone. Last Shabbat I was by Rav Kook. As one may know, Rav Sheinfeld was also there for Shabbat. On Friday I was with Rav Kook and Rav Sheinfeld in the room. I said to Rav Sheinfeld that they put out evil slander as if Rav Kook spoke against Rav Berland.
“I added, ‘Perhaps Rav Sheinfeld would ask what Rav Kook says about Rav Berland?’
“Rav Sheinfeld asked how this would help. We know what the truth is. I said, ‘However, this is what you should ask him and it will be publicized to everyone.’ Rav Sheinfeld agreed and said to Rav Kook that they’re publicizing that he is speaking against Rav Berland.
“At first, Rav Kook laughed. Afterwards, he said, ‘Nonsense, nonsense.’ There was an exchange of words between them, and I didn’t manage to understand what they said… this will be heard in the recording afterwards.
“Rav Kook suddenly knocked on the table and said, ‘The opposite. I pray for him every day. Every day, I pray for him a thousand times a day.’ He repeated this again. After this, he said, ‘I bless Rav Berland.’
“I waited with this until now, because I made an effort that the words should be as clear as possible. I hope that now the words will be clear, bezrat Hashem.”
In the recording, Rav Kook and Rav Sheinfeld are not heard clearly, but the main words which we wrote above are heard clearly:
Rav Kook answers Rav Sheinfeld, “I bless Rav Berland regularly.
“I bless him and pray for him every day a thousand times, a thousand times every day.”
