Tuesday, June 30, 2015

A close talmid of Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv ztz"l talking about Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a

Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv


Rav Eliyashiv Rav Berland



During Yanki Tzuker’s forty-minute interview on “Kav HaMeidah,” he told a special story. He once met a close student of Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv at a family celebration, someone who has studied with Rav Eliyashiv for 40 years. Although Rav Yosef Shalom was one of the generation’s most brilliant scholars, this man was also drawing close to the Rav. He made some surprising statements. ‘You should know that your Rav has a sharper mind than Rav Eliyashiv. And usually, people with such sharp minds do not pray for too long. They cannot stay focused on what they see as repetitive at best, but Rav Berland is different. Despite his superior intellectual sharpness, he prays patiently for long periods, saying the prayers with profound sweetness. You should appreciate his unique greatness. The longer I spend with him, the more impressive I find him!”

Now in Holland: Rav Eliezer Berland blessing a family which flew to him today from Israel and Los Angeles

Even as they told the Rav what was publicized in the media about his "extradition", nothing for him changes, everything continues as normal

Boruch Hashem everything continues as always. The Tzaddik will continue to come out for davening and shobbasim in Holland

​This is not the first time that it was said "The Rabbi is arrested", as of now everything continues as normal. There will not be a change in the near future. ​


Sunday, June 28, 2015

Rav Eldad Shmueli in Holland

הרב אלדד שמואלי שהה בשבת האחרונה במחיצתו של הגה"צ רבי אליעזר ברלנד שליט"א בהולנד

> תמונה ליד נהר הטבליה בכפר הנופש בהולנד

Rav Ofer Erez giving a shiur now in Holland


> הרב עופר ארז ששהה בשבת האחרונה עם רבו הרב אליעזר ברלנד שליט"א מוסר שיעור כעת לתלמידי הרב בהולנד.
>
> נציין בשבת האחרונה הגיע כמה רבנים חשובים להיות עם הרב ברלנד בהולנד, מתוכם ראש ישיבת נחלי נצח הרב שמואל שטרן, המשפיע בברסלב הרב יהושע דב רובינשטיין, המשפיע הרב מאיר מלכה, הרב אברהם חנניא, והרב אלדד שמואלי.
>
> מספרים שהיתה שבת מיוחדת עם הרב, מלא אור ושמחה. ניתן לשמוע את הראיון עם הרב עופר ארז שבו הוא מספר על השבת עם הרב ועל עוד נושאים חשובים, בקו המידע 0583287777 תיבה 41

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Prayer rally for the health and success of Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a begins now at the Western Wall. Jews from all around the world are asked to join us with the recital of 3 times Tikun Haklali.


Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a released from the hospital in Amsterdam


> ברוך ה' יש שיפור גדול במצבו של מורנו הרב שליט"א והוא יצא מהבדיקות בביה"ח. וכעת הוא במנוחה במקום אחר.  עדיין צריך תפילות שיחזור לאיתנו לגמרי וימשיך לבוא לתפילות עם תלמידיו בכפר ולמסור שיעורים בהולנד ובעולם. תמשיכו להתפלל.

Emergency call for Tikun Haklali on the Rav. He was rushed to the hospital a short while ago! דחוף! שכל אחד יגיד לפחות 3 פעמים תיקון הכללי על הרב. הרב עדיין בבית החולים והמצב לא פשוט!


> תיקון הכללי
>
> הֲרֵינִי מְקַשֵׁר עַצְמִי בַּאֲמִירַת הָעֲשָׂרָה מִזְמוֹרִים אֵלּוּ לְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁבְּדוֹרֵנוּ. וּלְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּים שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר. קְדוֹשִׁים אָשֵׁר בָּאָרֶץ הֵמָּה. וּבִפְרָט לְרַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם נַחַל נוֹבֵעַ מְקוֹר חָכְמָה רַבֵּנוּ נַחְמָן בֶּן פֵיגֶא שגילה תיקון זה. זְכוּתָם יָגֵן עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמֵן
>
> לְכוּ נְרַנְּנָה לַיהֹוָה, נָרִיעָה לְצוּר יִשְׁעֵנוּ: נְקַדְּמָה פָּנָיו בְּתוֹדָה, בִּזְמִרוֹת נָרִיעַ לוֹ: כִּי אֵל גָּדוֹל יְהֹוָה, וּמֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל עַל כָּל אֱלֹהִים:
>
> הֲרֵינִי מְזַמֵּן אֶת פִּי לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל וּלְשַׁבֵּחַ אֶת בּוֹרְאִי לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּה בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ עַל יְדֵי הַהוּא טָמִיר וְנֶעְלָם בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
>
> טז
>
> (א) מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד שָׁמְרֵנִי אֵל כִּי חָסִיתִי בָךְ:
> (ב) אָמַרְתְּ לַיהֹוָה אֲדֹנָי אָתָּה טוֹבָתִי בַּל עָלֶיךָ:
> (ג) לִקְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ הֵמָּה וְאַדִּירֵי כָּל חֶפְצִי בָם:
> (ד) יִרְבּוּ עַצְּבוֹתָם אַחֵר מָהָרוּ בַּל אַסִּיךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶם מִדָּם וּבַל אֶשָּׂא אֶת שְׁמוֹתָם עַל שְׂפָתָי:
> (ה) יְהֹוָה מְנָת חֶלְקִי וְכוֹסִי אַתָּה תּוֹמִיךְ גּוֹרָלִי:
> (ו) חֲבָלִים נָפְלוּ לִי בַּנְּעִמִים אַף נַחֲלָת שָׁפְרָה עָלָי:
> (ז) אֲבָרֵךְ אֶת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר יְעָצָנִי אַף לֵילוֹת יִסְּרוּנִי כִלְיוֹתָי:
> (ח) שִׁוִּיתִי יְהֹוָה לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד כִּי מִימִינִי בַּל אֶמּוֹט:
> (ט) לָכֵן שָׂמַח לִבִּי וַיָּגֶל כְּבוֹדִי אַף בְּשָׂרִי יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶטַח:
> (י) כִּי לֹא תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל לֹא תִתֵּן חֲסִידְךָ לִרְאוֹת שָׁחַת:
> (יא) תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת פָּנֶיךָ נְעִמוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח:
>
> לב
>
> (א) לְדָוִד מַשְׂכִּיל אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי פֶּשַׁע כְּסוּי חֲטָאָה:
> (ב) אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחְשֹׁב יְהֹוָה לוֹ עָוֹן וְאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה:
> (ג) כִּי הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי בָּלוּ עֲצָמָי בְּשַׁאֲגָתִי כָּל הַיּוֹם:
> (ד) כִּי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה תִּכְבַּד עָלַי יָדֶךָ נֶהְפַּךְ לְשַׁדִּי בְּחַרְבֹנֵי קַיִץ סֶלָה:
> (ה) חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ וַעֲוֹנִי לֹא כִסִּיתִי אָמַרְתִּי אוֹדֶה עֲלֵי פְשָׁעַי לַיהֹוָה וְאַתָּה נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן חַטָּאתִי סֶלָה:
> (ו) עַל זֹאת יִתְפַּלֵּל כָּל חָסִיד אֵלֶיךָ לְעֵת מְצֹא רַק לְשֵׁטֶף מַיִם רַבִּים אֵלָיו לֹא יַגִּיעוּ:
> (ז) אַתָּה סֵתֶר לִי מִצַּר תִּצְּרֵנִי רָנֵּי פַלֵּט תְּסוֹבְבֵנִי סֶלָה:
> (ח) אַשְׂכִּילְךָ וְאוֹרְךָ בְּדֶרֶךְ זוּ תֵלֵךְ אִיעֲצָה עָלֶיךָ עֵינִי:
> (ט) אַל תִּהְיוּ כְּסוּס כְּפֶרֶד אֵין הָבִין בְּמֶתֶג וָרֶסֶן עֶדְיוֹ לִבְלוֹם בַּל קְרֹב אֵלֶיךָ:
> (י) רַבִּים מַכְאוֹבִים לָרָשָׁע וְהַבּוֹטֵחַ בַּיהֹוָה חֶסֶד יְסוֹבְבֶנּוּ:
> (יא) שִׂמְחוּ בַיהֹוָה וְגִילוּ צַדִּיקִים וְהַרְנִינוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי לֵב:
>
> מא
>
> (א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד:
> (ב) אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל בְּיוֹם רָעָה יְמַלְּטֵהוּ יְהֹוָה:
> (ג) יְהֹוָה יִשְׁמְרֵהוּ וִיחַיֵּהוּ יאשר \{וְאֻשַּׁר\} בָּאָרֶץ וְאַל תִּתְּנֵהוּ בְּנֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבָיו:
> (ד) יְהֹוָה יִסְעָדֶנּוּ עַל עֶרֶשׂ דְּוָי כָּל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ הָפַכְתָּ בְחָלְיוֹ:
> (ה) אַנִי אָמַרְתִּי יְהֹוָה חָנֵּנִי רְפָאָה נַפְשִׁי כִּי חָטָאתִי לָךְ:
> (ו) אוֹיְבַי יֹאמְרוּ רַע לִי מָתַי יָמוּת וְאָבַד שְׁמוֹ:
> (ז) וְאִם בָּא לִרְאוֹת שָׁוְא יְדַבֵּר לִבּוֹ יִקְבָּץ אָוֶן לוֹ יֵצֵא לַחוּץ יְדַבֵּר:
> (ח) יַחַד עָלַי יִתְלַחֲשׁוּ כָּל שׂנְאָי עָלַי יַחְשְׁבוּ רָעָה לִי:
> (ט) דְּבַר בְּלִיַּעַל יָצוּק בּוֹ וַאֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב לֹא יוֹסִיף לָקוּם:
> (י) גַּם אִישׁ שְׁלוֹמִי אֲשֶׁר בָּטַחְתִּי בוֹ אוֹכֵל לַחְמִי הִגְדִּיל עָלַי עָקֵב:
> (יא) וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה חָנֵּנִי וַהֲקִימֵנִי וַאֲשַׁלְּמָה לָהֶם:
> (יב) בְּזֹאת יָדַעְתִּי כִּי חָפַצְתָּ בִּי כִּי לֹא יָרִיעַ אֹיְבִי עָלָי:
> (יג) וַאֲנִי בְּתֻמִּי תָּמַכְתָּ בִּי וַתַּצִּיבֵנִי לְפָנֶיךָ לְעוֹלָם:
> (יד) בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵהָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
>
> מב
>
> (א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מַשְׂכִּיל לִבְנֵי קֹרַח:
> (ב) כְּאַיָּל תַּעֲרֹג עַל אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם כֵּן נַפְשִׁי תַעֲרֹג אֵלֶיךָ אֱלֹהִים:
> (ג) צָמְאָה נַפְשִׁי לֵאלֹהִים לְאֵל חָי מָתַי אָבוֹא וְאֵרָאֶה פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים:
> (ד) הָיְתָה לִּי דִמְעָתִי לֶחֶם יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה בֶּאֱמֹר אֵלַי כָּל הַיּוֹם אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ:
> (ה) אֵלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה וְאֶשְׁפְּכָה עָלַי נַפְשִׁי כִּי אֶעֱבֹר בַּסָּךְ אֶדַּדֵּם עַד בֵּית אֱלֹהִים בְּקוֹל רִנָּה וְתוֹדָה הָמוֹן חוֹגֵג:
> (ו) מַה תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי נַפְשִׁי וַתֶּהֱמִי עָלָי הוֹחִלִי לֵאלֹהִים כִּי עוֹד אוֹדֶנּוּ יְשׁוּעוֹת פָּנָיו:
> (ז) אֶלֹהַי עָלַי נַפְשִׁי תִשְׁתּוֹחָח עַל כֵּן אֶזְכָּרְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ יַרְדֵּן וְחֶרְמוֹנִים מֵהַר מִצְעָר:
> (ח) תְּהוֹם אֶל תְּהוֹם קוֹרֵא לְקוֹל צִנּוֹרֶיךָ כָּל מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ וְגַלֶּיךָ עָלַי עָבָרוּ:
> (ט) יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה יְהֹוָה חַסְדּוֹ וּבַלַּיְלָה שִׁירֹה עִמִּי תְּפִלָּה לְאֵל חַיָּי:
> (י) אוֹמְרָה לְאֵל סַלְעִי לָמָה שְׁכַחְתָּנִי לָמָּה קֹדֵר אֵלֵךְ בְּלַחַץ אוֹיֵב:
> (יא) בְּרֶצַח בְּעַצְמוֹתַי חֵרְפוּנִי צוֹרְרָי בְּאָמְרָם אֵלַי כָּל הַיּוֹם אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ:
> (יב) מַה תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי נַפְשִׁי וּמַה תֶּהֱמִי עָלָי הוֹחִילִי לֵאלֹהִים כִּי עוֹד אוֹדֶנּוּ יְשׁוּעֹת פָּנַי וֵאלֹהָי:
>
> נט
>
> (א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ אַל תַּשְׁחֵת לְדָוִד מִכְתָּם בִּשְׁלֹחַ שָׁאוּל וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת הַבַּיִת לַהֲמִיתוֹ:
> (ב) הַצִּילֵנִי מֵאֹיְבַי אֱלֹהָי מִמִּתְקוֹמְמַי תְּשַׂגְּבֵנִי:
> (ג) הַצִּילֵנִי מִפֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן וּמֵאַנְשֵׁי דָמִים הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי:
> (ד) כִּי הִנֵּה אָרְבוּ לְנַפְשִׁי יָגוּרוּ עָלַי עַזִּים לֹא פִשְׁעִי וְלֹא חַטָּאתִי יְהֹוָה:
> (ה) בְּלִי עָוֹן יְרֻצוּן וְיִכּוֹנָנוּ עוּרָה לִקְרָאתִי וּרְאֵה:
> (ו) וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָקִיצָה לִפְקֹד כָּל הַגּוֹיִם אַל תָּחֹן כָּל בֹּגְדֵי אָוֶן סֶלָה:
> (ז) יָשׁוּבוּ לָעֶרֶב יֶהֱמוּ כַכָּלֶב וִיסוֹבְבוּ עִיר:
> (ח) הִנֵּה יַבִּיעוּן בְּפִיהֶם חֲרָבוֹת בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶם כִּי מִי שֹׁמֵעַ:
> (ט) וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה תִּשְׂחַק לָמוֹ תִּלְעַג לְכָל גּוֹיִם:
> (י) עֻזּוֹ אֵלֶיךָ אֶשְׁמֹרָה כִּי אֱלֹהִים מִשְׂגַּבִּי:
> (יא) אֱלֹהֵי חסדו \{חַסְדִּי\} יְקַדְּמֵנִי אֱלֹהִים יַרְאֵנִי בְשֹׁרְרָי:
> (יב) אַל תַּהַרְגֵם פֶּן יִשְׁכְּחוּ עַמִּי הֲנִיעֵמוֹ בְחֵילְךָ וְהוֹרִידֵמוֹ מָגִנֵּנוּ אֲדֹנָי:
> (יג) חַטַּאת פִּימוֹ דְּבַר שְׂפָתֵימוֹ וְיִלָּכְדוּ בִגְאוֹנָם וּמֵאָלָה וּמִכַּחַשׁ יְסַפֵּרוּ:
> (יד) כַּלֵּה בְחֵמָה כַּלֵּה וְאֵינֵמוֹ וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי אֱלֹהִים מֹשֵׁל בְּיַעֲקֹב לְאַפְסֵי הָאָרֶץ סֶלָה:
> (טו) וְיָשֻׁבוּ לָעֶרֶב יֶהֱמוּ כַכָּלֶב וִיסוֹבְבוּ עִיר:
> (טז) הֵמָּה ינועון \{יְנִיעוּן\} לֶאֱכֹל אִם לֹא יִשְׂבְּעוּ וַיָּלִינוּ:
> (יז) וַאֲנִי אָשִׁיר עֻזֶּךָ וַאֲרַנֵּן לַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ כִּי הָיִיתָ מִשְׂגָּב לִי וּמָנוֹס בְּיוֹם צַר לִי:
> (יח) עֻזִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּרָה כִּי אֱלֹהִים מִשְׂגַּבִּי אֱלֹהֵי חַסְדִּי:
>
> עז
>
> (א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל יְדוּתוּן לְאָסָף מִזְמוֹר:
> (ב) קוֹלִי אֶל אֱלֹהִים וְאֶצְעָקָה קוֹלִי אֶל אֱלֹהִים וְהַאֲזִין אֵלָי:
> (ג) בְּיוֹם צָרָתִי אֲדֹנָי דָּרָשְׁתִּי יָדִי לַיְלָה נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תָפוּג מֵאֲנָה הִנָּחֵם נַפְשִׁי:
> (ד) אֶזְכְּרָה אֱלֹהִים וְאֶהֱמָיָה אָשִׂיחָה וְתִתְעַטֵּף רוּחִי סֶלָה:
> (ה) אָחַזְתָּ שְׁמֻרוֹת עֵינָי נִפְעַמְתִּי וְלֹא אֲדַבֵּר:
> (ו) חִשַּׁבְתִּי יָמִים מִקֶּדֶם שְׁנוֹת עוֹלָמִים:
> (ז) אֶזְכְּרָה נְגִינָתִי בַּלָּיְלָה עִם לְבָבִי אָשִׂיחָה וַיְחַפֵּשׂ רוּחִי:
> (ח) הַלְעוֹלָמִים יִזְנַח אֲדֹנָי וְלֹא יֹסִיף לִרְצוֹת עוֹד:
> (ט) הֶאָפֵס לָנֶצַח חַסְדּוֹ גָּמַר אֹמֶר לְדֹר וָדֹר:
> (י) הֲשָׁכַח חַנּוֹת אֵל אִם קָפַץ בְּאַף רַחֲמָיו סֶלָה:
> (יא) וָאֹמַר חַלּוֹתִי הִיא שְׁנוֹת יְמִין עֶלְיוֹן:
> (יב) אֶזְכּוֹר מַעַלְלֵי יָהּ כִּי אֶזְכְּרָה מִקֶּדֶם פִּלְאֶךָ:
> (יג) וְהָגִיתִי בְכָל פָּעֳלֶךָ וּבַעֲלִילוֹתֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה:
> (יד) אֱלֹהִים בַּקֹּדֶשׁ דַּרְכֶּךָ מִי אֵל גָּדוֹל כֵּאלֹהִים:
> (טו) אַתָּה הָאֵל עֹשֵׂה פֶלֶא הוֹדַעְתָּ בָעַמִּים עֻזֶּךָ:
> (טז) גָּאַלְתָּ בִּזְרוֹעַ עַמֶּךָ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹסֵף סֶלָה:
> (יז) רָאוּךָ מַּיִם אֶלֹהִים רָאוּךָ מַּיִם יָחִילוּ אַף יִרְגְּזוּ תְהֹמוֹת:
> (יח) זֹרְמוּ מַיִם עָבוֹת קוֹל נָתְנוּ שְׁחָקִים אַף חֲצָצֶיךָ יִתְהַלָּכוּ:
> (יט) קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל הֵאִירוּ בְרָקִים תֵּבֵל רָגְזָה וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ:
> (כ) בַּיָּם דַּרְכֶּךָ ושביליך \{וּשְׁבִילְךָ\} בְּמַיִם רַבִּים וְעִקְּבוֹתֶיךָ לֹא נֹדָעוּ:
> (כא) נָחִיתָ כַצֹּאן עַמֶּךָ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן:
>
> צ
>
> (א) תְּפִלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אַדֹנָי מָעוֹן אַתָּה הָיִיתָ לָּנוּ בְּדֹר וָדֹר:
> (ב) בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים יֻלָּדוּ וַתְּחוֹלֵל אֶרֶץ וְתֵבֵל וּמֵעוֹלָם עַד עוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל:
> (ג) תָּשֵׁב אֱנוֹשׁ עַד דַּכָּא וַתֹּאמֶר שׁוּבוּ בְנֵי אָדָם:
> (ד) כִּי אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל כִּי יַעֲבֹר וְאַשְׁמוּרָה בַלָּיְלָה:
> (ה) זְרַמְתָּם שֵׁנָה יִהְיוּ בַּבֹּקֶר כֶּחָצִיר יַחֲלֹף:
> (ו) בַּבֹּקֶר יָצִיץ וְחָלָף לָעֶרֶב יְמוֹלֵל וְיָבֵשׁ:
> (ז) כִּי כָלִינוּ בְאַפֶּךָ וּבַחֲמָתְךָ נִבְהָלְנוּ:
> (ח) שַׁתָּ עֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ לְנֶגְדֶּךָ עֲלֻמֵנוּ לִמְאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ:
> (ט) כִּי כָל יָמֵינוּ פָּנוּ בְעֶבְרָתֶךָ כִּלִּינוּ שָׁנֵינוּ כְמוֹ הֶגֶה:
> (י) יְמֵי שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן כִּי גָז חִישׁ וַנָּעֻפָה:
> (יא) מִי יוֹדֵעַ עֹז אַפֶּךָ וּכְיִרְאָתְךָ עֶבְרָתֶךָ:
> (יב) לִמְנוֹת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֹדַע וְנָבִיא לְבַב חָכְמָה:
> (יג) שׁוּבָה יְהֹוָה עַד מָתָי וְהִנָּחֵם עַל עֲבָדֶיךָ:
> (יד) שַׂבְּעֵנוּ בַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ וּנְרַנְּנָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בְּכָל יָמֵינוּ:
> (טו) שַׂמְּחֵנוּ כִּימוֹת עִנִּיתָנוּ שְׁנוֹת רָאִינוּ רָעָה:
> (טז) יֵרָאֶה אֶל עֲבָדֶיךָ פָעֳלֶךָ וַהֲדָרְךָ עַל בְּנֵיהֶם:
> (יז) וִיהִי נֹעַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ:
>
> קה
>
> (א) הוֹדוּ לַיהֹוָה קִרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹ הוֹדִיעוּ בָעַמִּים עֲלִילוֹתָיו:
> (ב) שִׁירוּ לוֹ זַמְּרוּ לוֹ שִׂיחוּ בְּכָל נִפְלְאוֹתָיו:
> (ג) הִתְהַלְלוּ בְּשֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ יִשְׂמַח לֵב מְבַקְשֵׁי יְהֹוָה:
> (ד) דִּרְשׁוּ יְהֹוָה וְעֻזּוֹ בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָיו תָּמִיד:
> (ה) זִכְרוּ נִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מֹפְתָיו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי פִיו:
> (ו) זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם עַבְדּוֹ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב בְּחִירָיו:
> (ז) הוּא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ מִשְׁפָּטָיו:
> (ח) זָכַר לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ דָּבָר צִוָּה לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר:
> (ט) אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אֶת אַבְרָהָם וּשְׁבוּעָתוֹ לְיִשְׂחָק:
> (י) וַיַּעֲמִידֶהָ לְיַעֲקֹב לְחֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִית עוֹלָם:
> (יא) לֵאמֹר לְךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן חֶבֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶם:
> (יב) בִּהְיוֹתָם מְתֵי מִסְפָּר כִּמְעַט וְגָרִים בָּהּ:
> (יג) וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ מִגּוֹי אֶל גּוֹי מִמַּמְלָכָה אֶל עַם אַחֵר:
> (יד) לֹא הִנִּיחַ אָדָם לְעָשְׁקָם וַיּוֹכַח עֲלֵיהֶם מְלָכִים:
> (טו) אַל תִּגְּעוּ בִמְשִׁיחָי וְלִנְבִיאַי אַל תָּרֵעוּ:
> (טז) וַיִּקְרָא רָעָב עַל הָאָרֶץ כָּל מַטֵּה לֶחֶם שָׁבָר:
> (יז) שָׁלַח לִפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ לְעֶבֶד נִמְכַּר יוֹסֵף:
> (יח) עִנּוּ בַכֶּבֶל רַגְלוֹ בַּרְזֶל בָּאָה נַפְשׁוֹ:
> (יט) עַד עֵת בֹּא דְבָרוֹ אִמְרַת יְהֹוָה צְרָפָתְהוּ:
> (כ) שָׁלַח מֶלֶךְ וַיַּתִּירֵהוּ מֹשֵׁל עַמִּים וַיְפַתְּחֵהוּ:
> (כא) שָׂמוֹ אָדוֹן לְבֵיתוֹ וּמֹשֵׁל בְּכָל קִנְיָנוֹ:
> (כב) לֶאְסֹר שָׂרָיו בְּנַפְשׁוֹ וּזְקֵנָיו יְחַכֵּם:
> (כג) וַיָּבֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל מִצְרָיִם וְיַעֲקֹב גָּר בְּאֶרֶץ חָם:
> (כד) וַיֶּפֶר אֶת עַמּוֹ מְאֹד וַיַּעֲצִמֵהוּ מִצָּרָיו:
> (כה) הָפַךְ לִבָּם לִשְׂנֹא עַמּוֹ לְהִתְנַכֵּל בַּעֲבָדָיו:
> (כו) שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ אַהֲרֹן אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בּוֹ:
> (כז) שָׂמוּ בָם דִּבְרֵי אֹתוֹתָיו וּמֹפְתִים בְּאֶרֶץ חָם:
> (כח) שָׁלַח חֹשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ וְלֹא מָרוּ אֶת דבריו \{דְּבָרוֹ\}:
> (כט) הָפַךְ אֶת מֵימֵיהֶם לְדָם וַיָּמֶת אֶת דְּגָתָם:
> (ל) שָׁרַץ אַרְצָם צְפַרְדְּעִים בְּחַדְרֵי מַלְכֵיהֶם:
> (לא) אָמַר וַיָּבֹא עָרֹב כִּנִּים בְּכָל גְּבוּלָם:
> (לב) נָתַן גִּשְׁמֵיהֶם בָּרָד אֵשׁ לֶהָבוֹת בְּאַרְצָם:
> (לג) וַיַּךְ גַּפְנָם וּתְאֵנָתָם וַיְשַׁבֵּר עֵץ גְּבוּלָם:
> (לד) אָמַר וַיָּבֹא אַרְבֶּה וְיֶלֶק וְאֵין מִסְפָּר:
> (לה) וַיֹּאכַל כָּל עֵשֶׂב בְּאַרְצָם וַיֹּאכַל פְּרִי אַדְמָתָם:
> (לו) וַיַּךְ כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאַרְצָם רֵאשִׁית לְכָל אוֹנָם:
> (לז) וַיּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶסֶף וְזָהָב וְאֵין בִּשְׁבָטָיו כּוֹשֵׁל:
> (לח) שָׂמַח מִצְרַיִם בְּצֵאתָם כִּי נָפַל פַּחְדָּם עֲלֵיהֶם:
> (לט) פָּרַשׂ עָנָן לְמָסָךְ וְאֵשׁ לְהָאִיר לָיְלָה:
> (מ) שָׁאַל וַיָּבֵא שְׂלָו וְלֶחֶם שָׁמַיִם יַשְׂבִּיעֵם:
> (מא) פָּתַח צוּר וַיָּזוּבוּ מָיִם הָלְכוּ בַּצִּיּוֹת נָהָר:
> (מב) כִּי זָכַר אֶת דְּבַר קָדְשׁוֹ אֶת אַבְרָהָם עַבְדּוֹ:
> (מג) וַיּוֹצִא עַמּוֹ בְשָׂשׂוֹן בְּרִנָּה אֶת בְּחִירָיו:
> (מד) וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם אַרְצוֹת גּוֹיִם וַעֲמַל לְאֻמִּים יִירָשׁוּ:
> (מה) בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמְרוּ חֻקָּיו וְתוֹרֹתָיו יִנְצֹרוּ הַלְלוּ יָהּ:
>
> קלז
>
> (א) עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם בָּכִינוּ בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אֶת צִיּוֹן:
> (ב) עַל עֲרָבִים בְּתוֹכָהּ תָּלִינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵינוּ:
> (ג) כִּי שָׁם שְׁאֵלוּנוּ שׁוֹבֵינוּ דִּבְרֵי שִׁיר וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שִׂמְחָה שִׁירוּ לָנוּ מִשִּׁיר צִיּוֹן:
> (ד) אֵיךְ נָשִׁיר אֶת שִׁיר יְהֹוָה עַל אַדְמַת נֵכָר:
> (ה) אִם אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלָיִם תִּשְׁכַּח יְמִינִי:
> (ו) תִּדְבַּק לְשׁוֹנִי לְחִכִּי אִם לֹא אֶזְכְּרֵכִי אִם לֹא אַעֲלֶה אֶת יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַל רֹאשׁ שִׂמְחָתִי:
> (ז) זְכֹר יְהֹוָה לִבְנֵי אֱדוֹם אֵת יוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָאֹמְרִים עָרוּ עָרוּ עַד הַיְסוֹד בָּהּ:
> (ח) בַּת בָּבֶל הַשְּׁדוּדָה אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ אֶת גְּמוּלֵךְ שֶׁגָּמַלְתָּ לָנוּ:
> (ט) אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחֵז וְנִפֵּץ אֶת עֹלָלַיִךְ אֶל הַסָּלַע:
>
> קן
>
> (א) הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ הַלְלוּהוּ בִּרְקִיעַ עֻזּוֹ:
> (ב) הַלְלוּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָיו הַלְלוּהוּ כְּרֹב גֻּדְלוֹ:
> (ג) הַלְלוּהוּ בְּתֵקַע שׁוֹפָר הַלְלוּהוּ בְּנֵבֶל וְכִנּוֹר:
> (ד) הַלְלוּהוּ בְּתֹף וּמָחוֹל הַלְלוּהוּ בְּמִנִּים וְעֻגָב:
> (ה) הַלְלוּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי תְרוּעָה:
> (ו) כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ הַלְלוּיָהּ:
>
> מִי יִתֵּן מִצִּיּוֹן יְשׁוּעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּב יְיָ שְׁבוּת עַמּוֹ, יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל: וּתְשׁוּעַת צַדִּיקִים מֵיְיָ, מָעוּזָּם בְּעֵת צָרָה: וַיַּעְזְרֵם יְיָ וַיְפַלְּטֵם, יְפַלְּטֵם מֵרְשָׁעִים וְיוֹשִיעֵם כִּי חָסוּ בוֹ:

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Parshas Korach - The “gifted” Leader. By Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit”a

Parshas Korach - The “gifted” Leader

Transcribed and translated from previous recordings of
HaRav Eliezer Berland Shlit”a

“The man Moshe was very humble, more than any other person on the face of the earth”


Korach was given an important task from heaven. Hashem made him a gifted speaker in order to unify and strengthen the nation and restore their belief in Moshe Rabbeinu. Korach knew very well who Moshe Rabbeinu was. He just couldn’t overcome his own jealousy and hatred. Korach was supposed to unify the people so that they would believe in Moshe Rabbeinu and to include each soul in the general soul of Israel. To be included within the general soul of Israel one must consider himself on a lower level than everyone else. When can a person become included in Klal Yisrael? “When I know that I am on a lower level than everyone else. I am on the bottom. There is no one lower than me.” This is the level of humility that Moshe Rabbeinu merited having, as it is said about him, “The man Moshe was very humble, more than any other person on the face of the earth” (Bamidbar 12:3). If Korach had been successful in uniting all of Israel and bringing them to Moshe Rabbeinu, then he would have been able to rise up to lofty levels and he would have brought the entire nation of Israel to these lofty levels.

For the nation already had lost their connection with Moshe Rabbeinu who was going around with his face covered, hiding himself. Slowly, the nation began to forget: “far from the eyes—far from the heart”. Whatever a person doesn’t see, he forgets about. When a person is in the physical world, inside a body, he doesn’t see things. Reb Natan says that Korach’s job was to bring the nation back to their faith in Moshe Rabbeinu and to bring them out of their state of forgetfulness. But Korach didn’t accomplish this mission because of his arrogance and conceit and his desire to rule. The holy book “Asara Maamaros” explains that Korach was fitting to be the leader of the nation of Israel. As Chazal state everyone saw Korach flying in the air. Korach, with all his family and with all his brothers, flew through the air because they were the ones who carried the ark, and “the ark lifted up those who carried it.” If Korach was carried in the air, then wouldn’t Moshe also have been carried in the air? Certainly! But Moshe hid his level. Moshe walked on the earth. Moshe was the “exception” and walked with his legs, slowly, using a walking stick. So everyone ran after Korach. Are people running after you? Wonderful—excellent! Use this for good and tell everyone about the greatness of Moshe Rabbeinu—the Moshe Rabbeinu who walks on the earth—he is truly something else. Moshe Rabbeinu hides who he is! If Moshe can cause Korach to fly, then certainly he can fly himself. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to get all Am Yisrael to the level of “flying in the air with the holy ark”, to make it that all of Am Yisrael would travel on “eagle’s wings”.

Korach made a mistake: he thought that Moshe was just extremely talented. Everyone saw that Moshe had been gifted with a lot of abilities. So, Korach figured he would work on attaining all of these talents and then he would also have all of these abilities. Apart from his mistakenly thinking that it was possible to achieve these abilities by learning them, he also made another mistake: he thought that Moshe got his power from Am Yisrael. He didn’t understand that it was Moshe’s own power that was influencing Am Yisrael, that Moshe himself was equal to all of Am Yisrael, and as Chazal say, he was the root of all of the souls of Israel. He thought that the leader got his power from the nation, so the more chassidim a person had, the more followers he had, the more revered he was, the more power he would receive from the people. He thought that a leader’s energy and power to influence and speak was a product of how many followers he had. So he thought that Moshe got his power from the people and not that Moshe was the source of all the souls and that each and every soul was a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu. Korach said, “I’ll take the whole nation to my side. If Moshe’s power comes from the nation, then I will assemble the nation and I will gather the entire nation for myself, I will receive the power myself, and with this power I will lead the nation. I will do miracles and wonders and will rise up to Heaven.

Reb Natan says that Moshe was not someone who had worked on himself, developed his abilities and traits; rather, he was handicapped and unable to speak well heavy mouth and heavy tongue. He wasn’t a talented speaker and didn’t have the power of persuasion, it was even hard to understand him when he spoke. So what was Moshe’s outstanding trait? It was that he humble to the extent that he was absolutely nothing! Moshe was completely encompassed in the light of Ain Sof. He had totally merged with Hashem. He was not a part of existence. He didn’t have any existence. He didn’t have any concealment. He didn’t have any personal feelings. He did everything for Heaven’s sake—only for Hashem Yisborach. So this is why Hashem chose him to be the leader of Am Yisrael who would take Am Yisrael out of Egypt, who would bring the ten plagues on Pharaoh in Egypt, who would bring the Clouds of Glory, and who would bring down the Torah from heaven. It was because he was completely nothing in and of himself, and he didn’t have any talents or abilities of his own. He didn’t get his power from Am Yisrael, but rather, Moshe’s power came only from Hashem Yisborach Himself—because he was nothing. A person cannot imitate ayin “nothingness”. You can imitate an orator. You can imitate a preacher. You can imitate being some kind of leader

Reb Natan says that this level of ayin—nothingness can come only through cancelling oneself to Moshe: believing that Moshe is something altogether different, the likes of which we cannot conceive. It is above our understanding, and above our grasp. It is not a matter of abilities or being a gifted speaker or anything else. Moshe didn’t bring down the Clouds of Glory through his oratory skills, and he didn’t bring Israel out of Egypt with verbal eloquence. He did not have a talent for leadership, he was not a gifted leader. He was a leader because he was “nothing”. He considered himself a complete non-entity. His own will did not exist. This is what Rab Natan says: this is where Korach went wrong: because of his jealousy and his desire for honor, Hashem covered his eyes from seeing who Moshe was, because Moshe was completely nothing and no one could be on this level of being nothing other than Moshe, “humble, more than any other person on the face of the earth”. In all generations, to be nothing a person needs to cancel himself to Moshe and receive it from Moshe himself. 

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A note to our readers: We are sitting on a spiritual goldmine! There are hundreds of stories and articles written about Rabbi Eliezer Berland which haven't yet been available to the English speaking public, plus there are thousands of transcribed torah lectures of the Rabbi including torah ideas and original prayers written by him which are waiting to be translated. As is known, the costs of professional translation are astronomical. If you would like to help us in the endeavor of making these works available to the public in a new English website which is in development please click here, donate generously and click "make this recurring monthly" so we can keep on going. For more info email us at knishtachada@gmail.com  

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Rav Yisrael Ber Odesser speaking about Rav Eliezer Berland

Rav Yisrael Ber Odesser on Rav Eliezer Berland



Although the venerable Rav Yisrael Ber Odesser  (1888 – 1994) - known as the Sabba Yisrael - was about fifty years older than the Rav, they had a very close rapport. The Rav would stay at the Sabba’s house when he was in Jerusalem, and Rav Odesser would stay by the Rav when he was in Bnei Brak. 

Rabbi Aharon Berlin recounted what he had heard from the Sabba about the Rav. “I used to go with the Rav when he would come to Jerusalem to pray at the Kotel and (Wailing Wall) we would pay the Sabba a visit at his home in Givat Shaul. He would tell us unknown stories, especially about his teacher, Rav Yisrael Karduner. One visit of my own to the Sabba really sticks out in my mind. We began to discuss the many recent baalei teshuvah (newly observant Jews), a movement which has just then began. 

“The Sabba was very enthusiastic. ‘Rav Berland has a wondrous way of reaching out to baalei teshuvah!’ he exclaimed. ‘He has the power to inspire the entire world to teshuvah, (repentance)!’

“I told him Rav Berland’s astounding prescience before the outbreak of the Six Day War. It was before anyone knew anything. He told everyone that there were harsh judgments in heaven and danced all day to sweeten the decrees. He also sang the anthem of an enemy nation. All this in fulfillment of Rebbe Nachman’s teaching in Likutei Moharan that if one wants to sweeten judgments he should dance. In another place the Rebbe says that one who sings the anthem of the nation he wants to overcome with the right kavanah (spiritual intent) breaks their power.”

 “But Rav Odesser was unsurprised, ‘I already told you, he has eyes that can see.’”

Hear the interview with Rabbi Aharon Berlin and the words of Rav Berland about Rav Odesser:



A note to our readers: We are sitting on a spiritual goldmine! There are hundreds of stories and articles written about Rabbi Eliezer Berland which haven't yet been available to the English speaking public, plus there are thousands of transcribed torah lectures of the Rabbi including torah ideas and original prayers written by him which are waiting to be translated. As is known, the costs of professional translation are astronomical. If you would like to help us in the endeavor of making these works available to the public in a new English website which is in development please click here, donate generously and click "make this recurring monthly" so we can keep on going. For more info email us at knishtachada@gmail.com  

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Watch: Tikun Chatzos - Tikun Leah today with the Rav


9 hours straight with Rav Berland today

One of those present related:
We were there with the Rav from mincha on shabbos, seudas shlishis, maariv, melave malka, tikun chatzos, zmiros haboker, shachris and a bris, 9 hours the Rav did not move from that spot not for a second. And everything with tremendous enthusiasm and spiritual energy, uplifting all who were present!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Previous generations Breslov leader Rav Shmuel Horowitz ztz"l on Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a and the secret letter that he recieved

Rav Shmuel Horowitz ztz”l on Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a 

translated from the "Knishta Chada" newsletter issue 41 


Rabbi Aharon Berlin who was one of the first students of the Rav, shlit”a, and currently serves as the leader of the Breslov synagogue in Flatbush, recounted an impressive story on kav hameida (the information hotline in hebrew +972583287777 - a recording of the interview is provided at the end of this article):

“When I was a young man I would travel virtually every Shabbat to Meron with Rav Berland, shlit”a. During one of our trips, I noticed that while the Rav prayed his usual intense and lengthy Amidah, the saintly Rav Shmuel Horowitz (1903–1973) watched him with great interest. Since Rav Shmuel had seemed so engrossed, I waited for a good opportunity to ask him what he was thinking about Rav Berland.

"When I was finally able to ask, Rav Shmuel’s voice was filled with awe, and he said: ‘You should know that I have seen many people pray, but I have never seen anything like him. His prayers are so fiery, with so much mo’ach (intellectual force).’

"I was utterly astounded. ‘What do you mean that you haven’t seen anything like this? You were among the circle of the greatest ovdim (people involved in Divine service) in Breslov from the previous generation! How can it be that you did not see the like of Rav Berland?'

“Rav Shmuel explained, ‘You are correct that I saw many lofty ovdim in Poland and Uman. They were tzaddikim (righteous), but they were men. Here we are talking about a G-dly angel. There is no comparison!’ And he added, ‘I have also never seen anyone with such a mind.’”    

Rav Berlin continues: "Those who knew Rav Shmuel are aware that he never exaggerated. He was careful to say exactly what he meant. Clearly, this was the truth as he saw it."

The wondrous life of Rav Shmuel Horowitz, filled with endless self-sacrifice is on record in the three volumes of “Yimei Shmuel.” He became a Breslover Chassid at a very young age and yearned to visit Rebbe Nachman’s gravesite in Uman but the pathway was sealed after the Communist revolution. Finally, in the year 5690 (1930) after many years of yearning he made it there by risking his life to break through the frontier between Poland and the USSR, eventually making his way to Uman. For three years, he collected important writings and stories, including the important teachings of Rav Avraham Chazan (1849 – 1917), known as “Reb Avraham ben Reb Nachman”. After a series of miracles and an intervention by the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, he finally made it back to Israel and published what he had collected. It is only due to his self-sacrificing work that we are in possession of the deep and wondrous works of Rav Avraham ben Reb Nachman.

Rav Eliezer Shlomo Schick, zt”l, once wrote in a letter, “It is only due to Rav Shmuel Horowitz’s efforts that we still have the works of Rav Avraham ben Rav Nachman. Rav Shmuel once told me that after he printed Rav Avraham’s “Biur Halikutim” Rav Avraham came to him in a dream, kissed him on the forehead and thanked him for printing his book with such great self-sacrifice.’”

There are many letters written by the great people of Rav Avraham’s time which have remained unpublished. One such letter was recently shown to us, written by Rav Getzel, a close student of Rav Avraham. It was from the summer of 1872 and records an important revelation. This is what is written: “Midday Friday 8 Tamuz 5632, Rav Avraham emerged from the mikveh (ritual bath,) and dressed in his Shabbat finery. Filled with holy enthusiasm and powerful dveikut (connection to G-d), he said, ‘After about fifty years a young and charismatic man will renew Rebbe Nachman’s pathway in a wondrous manner, never before seen in the world. This will create a great revolution in regards to the redemption and will bring much good to the entire world. Speedily in our days, Amen.”

Rabbi Avraham Ben Chaim shlit”a, the man who showed us this letter is a well-known elderly lecturer and the head of a Breslov synagogue in the Tel Aviv area. He said that from the moment he saw this letter, he immediately thought of Rav Berland, who seems to perfectly fit all of its conditions. "Rav Berland was the charismatic and dynamic person that Rav Avraham ben Rav Nachman must have been referring to and he has certainly breathed much new life into Rebbe Nachman’s path."

Besides Rav Avraham ben Rav Nachmans own towering spiritual stature—he was known to have a level of insight that bordered on prophetic—Rav Avraham was also entrusted with Rebbe Nachman’s hidden manuscript (Megillat Setarim) that included information about events that would unfold prior to the final redemption. When Rebbe Nachman revealed these teachings, he made clear that they should be kept secret until the proper time. Rav Natan encoded this chronicle to ensure that it remains hidden. The person entrusted with the key to this code transmitted it to only one person in each generation. Sometimes, when Rav Avraham spoke cryptically, he was actually hinting to something in this code. It seems probable that this was one of those times. (read about megillat setarim in hebrew)

Now we can better understand why Rav Shmuel Horowitz showed such interest in Rav Berland as a young man. Having gathered the letters, including the letter quoted above, he was well familiar with Rav Avraham’s words, knew the depth from which they breed, and likely applied them to the Rav.

Postscript: After the first publication of the above newsletter in Hebrew, a man contacted us with a similar quote which he heard from Rav Shmuel Horowitz. The words of Rav Shmuel translated from Yiddish: “I’ve seen men who reached the level of angels, but literally an angel like Rav Eliezer Berland I have yet to see, and who knows what lofty levels he has yet ahead of him…”

Hear the interview of Rabbi Aharon Berlin:
A note to our readers: We are sitting on a spiritual goldmine! There are hundreds of stories and articles written about Rabbi Eliezer Berland which haven't yet been available to the English speaking public, plus there are thousands of transcribed torah lectures of the Rabbi including torah ideas and original prayers written by him which are waiting to be translated. As is known, the costs of professional translation are astronomical. If you would like to help us in the endeavor of making these works available to the public in a new English website which is in development please click here, donate generously and click "make this recurring monthly" so we can keep on going. For more info email us at knishtachada@gmail.com  

Shachris now in the village

Live broadcast of the shiur after shachris +972583287777 ext 11

Friday, June 5, 2015

There are no evildoers among the Jewish People – Everyone is searching for the way – Waiting for someone to awaken them

"There are no evildoers among the Jewish People 
Everyone is searching for the way
Waiting for someone to awaken them"
Transcribed and translated from previous recordings of
HaRav Eliezer Berland Shlit”a

And as the Ark set out on the journey...” (Bamidbar 10:35)


"And as the Ark set out on the journey”—this phrase is a parsha in and of itself. It is its own book, as it says in the Gemara (Shabbas 116a), “Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars, (Proverbs 9:1), these represent the seven books of the Torah.”  Really, there are seven books in the Torah and not just five. The book of Bamidbar is divided into three separate books. The two pesukim, “And as the Ark set out on the journey” (10:35), “And when it rested, he would say, ‘Reside tranquilly…’” (10:36) are a book in and of themselves, found in the middle of the book of Bamidbar. Truly this is an awesome wonder that such a small section of only two lines can be a book on its own.

The parsha of “And as the Ark set out on the journey” is enclosed by two upside-down [letter] nuns. The letter nun hints at the 50th gate of holiness which is the most hidden. This gate can be achieved only though “And as the Ark set out on the journey”—only through traveling. So says the Zohar in parshas Behaaloscha (151a), “Go and see, there is no nun in the psalm of Ashrei.” Everyone knows that in the psalm of “Ashrei yoshvei beisecha” there is no verse that starts with the letter nun. So when do we get the nun? When do we merit to the letter nun? It is davka when a person is traveling! It is such a high level of holiness, it is such an awesome gate, that it is impossible to reach other than by traveling for the sake of heaven—to bring people back in teshuva. The Rebbe says—go, go, start traveling. All over the land of Israel there are people living by themselves in moshavim and kibbutzim who don’t see Rabanim and don’t listen to Torah classes and don’t know anything about Judaism. And the yetzer hara is burning! How could it be that their children won’t sin? When a person travels on the road and brings people back in teshuva, he doesn’t know how many people are actually being influenced to return in teshuva just from having seen him. They see a man with pa'os and with a light on his face and their hearts open up. Their hearts start burning and they wake up. Maybe, amongst all the people, there is one who laughs and makes fun, but 10,000 are awakened to teshuva. People look out of their windows and say, “If only that we should be like him, with a beard and pa'os.”
  
When they see a religious person, a holy person, their neshama springs to life! It comes alive and it wants to attach itself to this Jew. A person sets out with a shining face, and he goes and knocks on some darkened door, and people see such an angel and immediately everyone gets up and runs to the door. There was such a story in Gush Katif in a Meretz moshav where avrechim went to spread Torah and when they finished and wanted to go home, everyone started running towards them—all the children in their shorts and undershirts, and they shouted, “Why are you abandoning us? Help us! We don’t know what to do!” Whoever does such an important mitzvah as this and travels from city to city and from moshav to moshav—all the time learning, of course. Before a person learns for eight hours, there is no reason to go out!  You need to learn for eight hours and then spread Torah for eight hours, and you can also learn on the way while you are traveling. Then a person arrives full of Torah and he has a shining face, and when people see his shining face then they immediately make teshuva, because everyone else is walking around with sour or broken expressions on their faces. And when someone who learns Torah shows up, they see him like a G-dly angel with pa'os and a beard, with a shining face, and everyone makes teshuva!
  
The Gemara Baba Metziah 85b relates how Rav Chavivah Bar Surmaki wanted to see the heavenly chariot of Rebbe Chiya. He asked Eliyahu HaNavi, pleading with him, crying, “I want to see Rebbe Chiya! I want to see Rebbe Chiya! Eliyahu HaNavi said, “Beware! Your eyes will burn out if you see it. You will be burned up by his fire!” Eliyahu HaNavi told him, “Me you can look at, but Rebbe Chiya is completely fire: chariot of fire, fiery angels. Be careful! You are making too dangerous a request.” But Rebbe Chavivah couldn’t control himself. He didn’t stand up in the test, and he looked at Rebbe Chiya’s chariot. Immediately his eyes were burned up—one spark of Rebbe Chiya scorched his eyes and he was blinded. He was almost completely burnt up. The next day, he went to the cave of Rebbe Chiya and cried and cried, “Rebbe Chiya, return to me the light of my eyes.” And Rebbe Chiya gave him back his sight. The Ari HaKadosh asks: Who is Rebbe Chiya? What is Rebbe Chiya? This is a tzaddik that we simply have no conception of. Why? Because he went from town to town, from moshav to moshav, day and night, to spread Torah in Israel. He didn’t sleep and he didn’t rest for a second. The Ari says that it is not for nothing that a person merits such levels. All the Tana'im and  Amoraim are raised up by angels in heaven, but Rebbe Chiya rises up on his own. No angel or seraph can lift him up because they can’t go up that high! Rebbe Chiya rises up and up and up to a place that cannot be described, to Atika D’Atika.
  
The Zohar says, “Worthy is the person who brings others back in teshuva.” (Shemos 128b). A person who brings others back in teshuva will have no gate in heaven closed before him. Everything is open to him. They give him everything—all the Kings treasures. Hashem draws him close, hugs him and dedicates time to spend with him more than all the other tzaddikim, because he dedicated himself to bring people back in teshuva. And they give him all the keys and open all the gates for him and reveal all the Torah’s secrets to him.
  
Reb Nosson says that if a person doesn’t bring people back in teshuva, it is said about him: “an offering of the wicked and an abomination” (Proverbs 21:27). Hashem has no pleasure from his Torah. Even if a person will be the wisest and the most righteous, if he doesn’t travel and bring people back in teshuva, and he doesn’t connect with people on a lower level than he is, then his prayers are not accepted. There are no evildoers in the nation of Israel—even if you see a totally wicked person, you must know that it is only the klippos that are surrounding him that you see. The Arizal says that the many klippos that pile up around the wicked are only a reflection of the great light that is hidden within them. Even the generations’ most chutzapidik and brazen faced people are only covered in a millimeter of klippos—just a millimeter of a millimeter—which can be shed in one second, and then their internal light will be revealed. They have the greatest light inside, so the klippos are attracted to them and fight hard to hide their great light. The moment that we are able to bring them back in teshuva, a ray of light will shine which will enlighten the whole world and then all of Israel will return in teshuva.
  
A person is obligated to bring people back in teshuva, as Yehuda exclaimed, “How can I go up to my father if the youth is not with me!” (Bereishis 44:34). How can I go up to my father? How can I go up to Heaven and the youth is not with me? Who is this youth? This is all of Am Yisrael—all of the unfortunate young people who are lost and far from Hashem. How will we dare go up to Heaven and admit that we didn’t at least attempt to bring them back in teshuva?

art by: Joshua Wiseman 054-844-1133