Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Listen to the words of Rav Aaron Boymil “All the Gedolim are praying for Rav Berland”
For a long time people have been praying fervently for the healing and success of HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Berland, Shlita. Particularly in this past era, people have convened in prayer rallies and sacred gatherings to awaken and arouse Divine Mercy through tears and pleas. The holy attachment that exists between our leader HaGaon Hatsadik HaRav Eliezer Berland with the leaders of Israel and their love for him is well known. Currently, HaRav Aharon Boymil the famed community activist and gabai of gedolei hador opens up with news and updates in response to the concerns from the Gedolim of Israel about our leader HaGaon HatsadikRav Eliezer Berland, Shlita. Things we thought in our hearts are now unfolding before us in all its glory.
“Don’t think that only Anshei Shlomeinu in Breslov are praying for Rav Eliezer Berland, Shlita. All of the bigAdmorim, Rabonim, and Tsadikim from the whole world are praying for the Rav, Shlita! From Rav Shteinman to the Belz Admor, to the Gur Rebbe until Rav Kanievsky, everyone is praying for Rav Berland, Shlita, and are always interested in what is happening with him. The gabbai of Rebbe David Abuchatzera, Shlita, called me personally last week and told me that the Rebbe wanted to know what’s happening with Rav Eliezer Berland,Shlita. The house of Rav Shteinman called and wants to know what’s happening with HaRav. The son of the Belz Rebbe himself called me to find out what’s going on with the Rav and said that his father wants to know. It’s not that Rav Eliezer Berland, Shlita, is alone in the world and only his chassidim are the ones that care about him. All the Gedolim of Israel from the whole world care about the Rav and are praying for him.
A minyan of us chassidim from Anshei Shlomeinu went to the gravesite of Rebbe Yossi HaGalili in order to read the letter by Rebbe Shimshon of Ostropoli for the success of the Rav, Shlita. On the way home, we stopped in Tiberias by the Rav Hatsadik Dov Kook, Shlita, but it was very hard to reach him because of all the students surrounding him. I banged on the booth pulpit and said, “HaRav Kook, HaRav Kook, HaRav Eliezer Berland is in exile and is suffering so much. If you had been in this situation like the Rav, Rav Berland, Shlita, would turn the world upside down for you. Why don’t you overturn the world for him? The whole synagogue stood silent, only three members came up to me and told me- leave here immediately. But HaRav Kook came up to me, hugged me, and told me...
Click here for full article and recording on the Shuvu Banim International website
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Historical Mass Prayer Rally this Wednesday night in Chevron!
All Jews and non-Jews who care about truth and justice are invited to join us at the Cave of the Patriarchs this Wednesday night April 27th, the 4th day of Chol Hamoed, starting at 10:00pm Israel time (9pm SA time, 3pm EST) and lasting through the night. The entire book of tehillim/psalms will be read and 7 times Tikun Haklali, for the redemption of mankind, for the redemption of the Tzadik, to raise the holy Shechina from the ashes...
A live broadcast will be provided.
For more info check out RavBerland.com
A live broadcast will be provided.
For more info check out RavBerland.com
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| Hebrew Poster - Prayer Rally for Rav Berland |
Monday, April 25, 2016
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Replay of live Broadcast of Prayer Rally in Chevron Taanis Esther night 5776
Abridged version in HD Uncut version
Monday, March 21, 2016
"Go and gather all the Jews" huge prayer rally this Tuesday night erev taanis esther at ma'aras hamachpela in Chevron
HUGE PRAYER RALLY!
Tuesday night Taanis
Esther March 22
At Ma’aras Hamachpeila
in Chevron
Starting at midnight
and lasting till the morning
Refreshments will be
served
Women section will be
open
Subsidized buses from
all across the country
Tens of thousands are
expected
Find out about buses
in your area
Call 077-229-2222
Thursday, March 17, 2016
The correct mindset going into Purim by Rabbi Eliezer Berland
Tzama Nafshi in English - Purim 5775 פורים תשע"ה
Transcribed
and translated from previous recordings of
HaRav
Eliezer Berland Shlit”a
Preparation for Purim
On Purim we must make a great effort to ‘keep our
wits together’ more than on Yom HaKippurim, because on Yom HaKippurim we sit in
shul 24 hours, glued to our chairs but on Purim we have to drink wine, be
happy, sing and dance while maintaining Yishuv hadaas (peace of mind) and
clinging to Hashem.
Everyone knows that we must strike Amalek,
annihilate them, kill them, etc. Yet, who is Amalek? Amalek is us! Each and
every person has Amalek in their hearts. So long as Amalek is inside of us,
nothing will help. Even if we physically kill Haman, Sisra will come in his
stead, or Titus, Asfinus, Hitler and so on. As long as the person is flawed
with “p’gam Habris” (not guarding the covenant), and with arrogance, then Haman
is still alive. That Satan will simply reincarnate into another person. When
Haman was killed, that specific generation was saved, but with every generation
that follows, a new “Haman” is born.
Haman is created out of sins! From every sin
“Haman” is created, a terrorist is born, a Nazi is born with every sin we
commit. When a Nazi comes to kill a Jew – I created that Nazi! I’m the one who
created that terrorist! However, if I repent, that terrorist will burn. He’ll
be wiped out. So, who is Haman? Who is Amalek? Amalek is me. As long as I am
in the world, as long as I am living, the Redemption will never come – until I
reverse my deeds, until I change myself for the better. Nothing else will
help. That is Purim – “venahafoch hu” [“and the situation was reversed” (Esther
9)], that every person must reverse and change his ways completely.
On Purim, the sweetness of the river of Eden is
revealed. Everyone goes up to Gan Eden on Purim. Everything you eat and drink
on Purim is the “preserved wine, the wild ox and the whale”; it is the poultry
of Gan Eden, the whale of Gan Eden, the wild ox from Gan Eden, etc. The
“Kedushas Yom Tov” says that the light of Purim reveals the ‘real me’. This is
revealed specifically on Purim, since that is the time that the person is able
to see his life with clarity. He merits finding all of his flaws, all of his sins;
he discovers that he himself is Haman.
The “Kedushas Levi” says that as soon as a person
realizes his lowliness, he can fall to such despair. On Purim more than any
other time, he is in danger because everything becomes revealed to him! He sees
his flaws, the flaw of not guarding his eyes properly, of not having enough
emunah, etc., and this realization can cause him great despair. That is why we
are told to drink wine on Purim, as it says, “give ale to the worker and wine
to the embittered”, in order to elevate the person’s spirit and cause him to
sing and dance. Once a person discovers that “I myself am Haman”, I am the
biggest criminal - he can fall into such a terrible depression. That is the
reason that Chazal declared that “the men must become ‘merry’ (intoxicated) on
Purim…”, since by “becoming merry” the person will come to “venahafoch hu” -
“and the situation was reversed.” The person will discover that, on the
contrary, even a wicked Haman such as myself is doing good things; I’m praying,
I heard the Megilla reading on Purim, I even went to the mikveh, I donned
Tefillin… I merited doing such wonderful mitzvos! There is no greater Kiddush
Hashem (Sanctification of Hashem’s name) than that, because the farther the
person is (from serving Hashem) the greater the Kiddush Hashem, the greater
will be his joy. “Arur Haman” (Cursed is Haman) turns into “Baruch Mordechai”
(blessed is Mordechai). Specifically one who knows he is “Haman” has a chance
to merit becoming “Baruch Mordechai” [meaning, he can turn from a sinner such
as Haman into a righteous man such as Mordechai].
The saintly Arizal said that the light of “Yesod
Abba” enlightens us every Purim, it does not shed its light at any other time.
This enlightenment called “Yesod Abba” is always covered up, it is always
hidden. Then, when we read the Megilla, the enlightenment of “Yesod Abba”
becomes revealed. Such a luminous light comes down upon us that every person
can come to complete teshuva. Mordechai, who is “Yesod Abba” is revealed in all
his glory on Purim, since the enlightenment of Mordechai – the enlightenment of
“Yesod Abba” draws upon us wonders and miracles. This enlightenment is the
emunah (faith) that “there is none other than Him”, that there is nothing
besides Hashem. There can be an Achashverosh, there can be a Haman and they can
make all the decrees they want. However, they do not really exist, they are
just fog, and the purpose of everything they say and do is in order to arouse
us to repent. Purim is all about repentance. It is not about going wild or
popping loud explosives and breaking things or throwing up or hurting others.
Purim is all about doing real and complete teshuva, just as the Breslovers did
throughout the years. Rivers upon rivers of tears they shed, while reading the
Megilla and in the midst of dancing. That is the aspect of “chayav inish
levesumei” - “the men must become intoxicated (merry) on Purim.” The (Aramaic)
word “Livesumei” does not refer to total drunkenness but rather like “tipsy”;
it means having a red face full of hislahavus (enthusiasm) which comes from
[the fire of] d’veikus (completely clinging to Hashem).
Reb Nosson said that on Purim we must make a great
effort to ‘keep our wits together’ more than on Yom HaKippurim because on Yom
HaKippurim we sit in shul 24 hours, glued to our chairs, but on Purim we have
to drink wine, be happy, sing and dance while maintaining Yishuv hadaas (peace
of mind) and dveikus - clinging to Hashem. The essential purpose of drinking wine
(on Purim) is to come to dveikus, to see Hashem face to face. It says in
Shulchan Aruch that, chas veshalom, that a man should think that just because
he drank he does not need to bentch, or daven Maariv, or that he doesn’t need
to daven with kavanah (intention). “Livesumei” does not mean to become light
headed. It means you should drink on condition that you do not make light of
any bracha or any minhag (custom). The essence of this mitzvah is that the
person must be happy, as it says, “wine makes the heart merry”. Wine makes the
blood rush and when a person’s blood rushes, it’s easier for him to dance and
be happy and it’s easier for the person to sing. It helps the person to truly
feel happy and elevates his level of happiness.
The day of Purim is a day of thanksgiving for the
whole year because a person must be happy all year round. Yet, throughout the
rest of the year, the person cannot become unusually happy; he must remain sane
and keep his wits together. He must pay attention to the barriers of his sechel
(mind) because the sechel limits and protects the person, whereas the wine
numbs the wisdom and barriers of the sechel, rachmana litzlan. That’s why
Rabbenu warned us not to drink wine or alcoholic beverages throughout the year.
On Purim, however, we want the opposite. We want to burn all the barriers of
the sechel through the wine we drink. Purim has a special power that even
though we drink and become intoxicated, the wine we drink does us no harm, so
long as the person drinks properly. It is said about Purim that “wine goes in
and secrets came out”, which means that the person discovers the love he has
for Hashem and the Yiras Shamayim (Fear of Heaven), because if throughout the
year the person fills himself up with love for Hashem and dveikus to Hashem,
then, when Purim comes, all of those feelings explode! The person then merits
dancing out of his tremendous love for Hashem and dveikus. Contrarily, if a
person is far from dveikus and instead he ‘clings’ to bad middos such as
mocking others, speaking lashon hara, etc., then on Purim his bad middos
explode outwardly and he becomes lightheaded and foolish and mocks others
[mercilessly], because on Purim, the barriers of our sechel wear away and burn
down by the wine. On Purim, we want to bring down the barriers of the sechel
through drinking wine so that our love for Hashem will surface, and nothing
else. A person, in whom the love for Hashem burns all year round, but he has no
chance to express his love, when Purim comes around he can spend 24 hours straight
expressing that love of Hashem.
To advertise, dedicate
an issue, or to receive a blessing from the Rav please call:
Purim Torah by Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a
Purim
- פורים
"Remember
what Amalek did to you”
On Purim a person needs to
restrain himself more than on Yom Kippur, because on Yom Kippur we are in shul
for 24 hours, stuck to our seats, but on Purim we have to drink wine and to be
happy and to sing and dance, and yet all the while retain our senses and cling
to Hashem.
Everyone
knows that we are obliged to wipe out Amalek—we have to kill Amalek and
annihilate him—but who is Amalek? Amalek is us. Amalek is to be found inside
each and every person. As long as Amalek is inside us, nothing will help. Even
if we kill Haman, then we’ll get a Sisera, a Titus, a Vespasian, or a Hitler.
As long as a person doesn’t pull himself out of p’gam habris and from
arrogance, then Haman is still alive. The Satan will just take another form and
appear in another person. When Haman was killed, that generation was saved, but
with each new generation new Hamans arise.
Haman is created
from sins. Every sin gives birth to a Haman, a terrorist, a Nazi. When a Nazi
comes to kill a Jew, a person should say, “I created that Nazi!” “I created
that terrorist!” If I will do teshuva that terrorist will be burned up—he’ll
disappear. So who is Haman? Who is Amalek? I am Amalek. As long as I am still
in this world, as long as I am still alive, there will be no geula until I turn
myself around, until I change. Nothing else will help. This is the “na’afoch
hu” of Purim—that each person needs to turn himself around from one extreme to
the other.
On Purim, the
sweetness of the river that flows out of Eden is revealed. On Purim, everyone
goes up to Gan Eden. Everything that a person eats or drinks is the aspect of
“the guarded wine,” “the wild ox,” and the Leviathan. They are all birds from
Gan Eden. The Leviathan is from Gan Eden. The “wild ox” is from Gan Eden. The
Kedushas Yom Tov says that through the light of Purim it is revealed who a
person truly is. It is revealed specifically on Purim when a person sees where
he is truly holding. He merits seeing all his flaws, all his sins, and he sees
that, really, he is Haman.
The Kedushas
Levi says that the moment that a person sees his own lowliness—where he is
really holding—he can fall into utter despair. And specifically on Purim, he is
in terrible danger because it is all revealed to him. He sees all his flaws,
his forbidden gazing, how far he is from true faith, and he can fall into utter
despair because of this. So, a person must drink wine on Purim, as it is
written, “Give strong drink to the woebegone and wine to those of embittered
soul” (Mishlei 31:6) to lift up his mind so that he can sing and be happy.
After a person comes to the realization that he is Haman, that he is the biggest
sinner there is, then he can become very distressed. Therefore, Chazal made it
an obligation to drink wine on Purim, because through wine he will be able to
“na’afoch hu”—turn everything around. Then he sees that really it’s exactly the
opposite: even a Haman like me, a rasha like me, can pray, can go and hear the
Megillah read. I even went to the mikveh. I even put on tefillin. I merited to
such wondrous mitzvos—there’s no greater kiddush Hashem than this. The farther
away a person is, the greater the kiddush Hashem and the happiness, because
“Cursed is Haman” becomes “Blessed is Mordechai.” Only someone who knows he is
Haman can merit becoming “Blessed is Mordechai.”
The holy Arizal
said that every Purim we are enlightened with the Yesod of Abba, which does not
occur at any other time. The Yesod of Abba is always concealed, always hidden.
When we read the Megillah, a revelation takes place and the Yesod of Abba is
revealed. Such great lights descend that at that time anyone can return in real
teshuva. Mordechai, who is the Yesod of Abba, is revealed in all his glory on
Purim, because the revelation of Mordechai—the revelation of the Yesod of
Abba—draws down miracles and wonders for us. This revelation is the faith that
“there is nothing but Hashem”—“Ain Od Milvado.” There can be an Achashverosh
and a Haman, and they can make terrible decrees, but they really don’t exist.
They are only an illusion. And all of these things are only to awaken us to
teshuva. The main point of Purim is to make teshuva. Purim is not for messing
around. It’s not for setting of firecrackers. It’s not about breaking
things—not about throwing up—not about doing damage to anyone. Purim is about
making real teshuva. Just as we saw on Purim over the generations, that
Breslovers would cry rivers of tears during the Megillah reading. They would
shed rivers of tears during the dancing. This is “a person is obligated to
drink wine on Purim” (Megillah 7b). This drinking doesn’t mean becoming
completely drunk—it is a red face from excitement. It is deveikus.
Rav Nosson says
that on Purim a person needs to restrain himself even more than on Yom Kippur,
because on Yom Kippur we are in shul 24 hours, stuck to our seats, but on Purim
we need to drink wine and to sing and dance and be happy and at the same time
to retain our senses and cling to Hashem. The whole reason for drinking wine is
to come to deveikus and to see Hashem face to face. The Shulchan Aruch says
that a person must not think that he can get so drunk that he can’t say Birkas
HaMazon or pray Ma’ariv or not pray with kavannah. The drinking is not in order
to become light-headed. The drinking is only on the condition that he not take
even a single bracha or minhag lightly. The essence of the mitzvah is to be
happy: “Wine gladdens a person’s heart.” Wine has the power to incite the
blood, and when a person’s blood is flowing, then it is easier for him to
dance, to be happy, and to sing. It makes it easier to be happy and elevates
the joy.
Purim is an
indicator for the whole year, because a person needs to be happy all year long.
But a person cannot be happy all the time in a way that deviates from the norm,
because he needs to remain rational with his senses intact, not going out of
his mind in any way, because the mind defines reality and keeps the person in
line, whereas wine breaks down one’s mental controls. That is why Rabbeinu
warned us that that all year long we should not drink any wine or intoxicating
beverages, but on Purim we want to do the opposite, and burn all our mental
barriers. And this is the special power of Purim. On Purim the wine does not
damage a person if he drinks properly. We say on Purim, “The wine goes in and
the secrets come out.” And then a person’s love for Hashem and his fear of
Hashem is revealed, because if a person is filled with love of Hashem deveikus
all year long, then on Purim it all comes out and he merits dancing from love
of Hashem and deveikus. But if the opposite is true, if he is far from deveikus
and he is stuck in his bad middos, in cutting down other people, in speaking
lashon hara, then on Purim, he is light-headed and he attacks other people,
because on Purim his mental barriers are removed by the wine. On Purim, we want
to burn the mental barriers of the mind through wine, and to truly reveal our
love of Hashem and not love for other things, because a person who all year
long is burning with love for Hashem has no other time to show it, so when
Purim comes, he can fully express his love for Hashem for 24 hours.
Prayer
Please,
compassionate and merciful G-d, help us to merit through the joy, the meal and
the drinking of Purim, to reach the mochin of Arich which is drawn from the
50th gate, from the “Reisha d’lo Isyada, ” (the Head that is Unknown), until we
merit to achieve the Upper Will, to know nothing at all, which is the aspect of
“mah.” And we should be included in the upper surrounding lights of “What did
you see, what did you understand?” (Zohar I:Ib, see Likutei Moharan II, 7:6)
until we don’t know the difference between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is
Mordechai” Through the power of the light of “Blessed is Mordechai” may we be
worthy of repairing the sin of Shaul who was supposed to illuminate all the
sparks from the depths of the klippot, and specifically the klippa of
Haman-Amalek.”
(taken
with permission from Tzama'a Nafshi)
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Parshas Hashavua is up on the Shuvu Banim International website
The Essential Point Between Kindness and Saintliness from which G-ds True Voice is Heard
When Hashem Yisborach chose to create the world for the purpose of showering His creations with goodness and so that all will recognize His greatness and merit clinging to Him, blessed He be – before any of that took place, before creation, He delegated a certain point, a point which is both light and vitality! All of the souls were drawn down from that point, and then each and every person was created from that point. “And I will speak to you from between the two Cherubs.” Man was created from ‘between the two Cherubs’. That point was drawn down from between the two Cherubs. Every person must find his way back to that point. Every person must return to his root and include himself within that point. The whole purpose of our current lifetime as well as our past lifetimes is to elevate us to that wondrous point, which is the letter “Yud”. That is why we are called, “Yehudim” (Jews); we were named after that “Yud”. The essence of a Jew – a Yid, is that little point. Every person must see to it that his entire being, his very essence – will turn back into that little point, that simple point; into the letter “Yud”. Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz said, “What is the purpose of the point on a crown? The word crown means “non-existent”. Who can merit attaining a crown? Who can merit attaining that point? Only one who is humble.” (click here to continue reading on the Shuvu Banim International website)
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
RABBI BERLAND SPEAKS OUT! listen to the important message
After more than a week of not hearing from the Rav, today (tuesday) we recieved the following voice recording of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a relating to the recent false publication in his name.
Listen on the Shuvu Banim International website - click here
Here is a transcription of the Rav's words:
"I’ve come to make it known to everyone that Chief Rabbi Goldstein is my most faithful friend, he is with me in heart and soul. He is, thank G-d, taking care of me and our kehilla here is Johannesburg, physically and spiritually. I have never had a friend like Rav Goldstein my whole life, a friend so faithful. The kehilla feels the best under his patronage, he takes care of all of the affairs of our kehilla. I only respect him and pray to G-d that he should prolong his days and years. G-d forbid that things which were never said and have no foundation or basis be publicized in my name - to say that I, G-d forbid, want to take his life. I only pray for his well-being.
G-d should prolong his days and years and establish his Kingdom forever and ever, him and his family and children for all generations until the coming of our righteous Messiah."
After hearing these words. We, at Shuvu Banim International, Yeshivat Shuvu Bonim in Jerusalem and all of Rav Berlands students want to pronounce that we stand behind the words of our Rabbi and we take back any harsh words that may have been spoken in the past and were completely taken out of context, misunderstood and have caused unintentional insult and pain to innocent individuals.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Exclusive interview! Hear about the early days of Shuvu Banim and how Rabbi Berland created the leading Rabonim of what later became the pillars of the generation
Here how Rav Arush and other leading Rabbi's became religious in Shuvu Banim through Rabbi Berland. On the Shuvu Banim International website click here
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Kikar Hashabbat: Two years after being deported: Zimbabwe apologizes to Rav Berland "the drought is due to the way we treated him"
Two years after being arrested and sent out of the country, a special delegation from the Government of Zimbabwe was sent to Rabbi Berland: "From the time he was sent away there is a terrible drought in the country" said the niece of Robert Mugabe the president of Zimbabwe. See and hear about the meeting here:
http://www.kikar.co.il/191635.html
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Listen - Head of police investigation admits "they asked me to forge a false case on Rabbi Berland"
Published on Jan 14, 2016
Rabbi Chaim Barzilai the assistant of Rabbi Shalom Arush and former assistant of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef reveals in an interview what the head of police investigation admitted to Rabbi Arush about the case of Rabbi Eliezer Berland.
“My superiors threatened me that if I don’t forge a false case on Rabbi Berland I will lose my position”.
“In reality the case of Rabbi Berland is completely void of any evidence, all of the things that is being spoken about Rabbi Berland is rubbish and nonsense.”
“From the moment I began trying to create a case against the Rabbi, I am suffering, I had a major car accident, got divorced etc.”
Rabbi Barzilai says that this police officer who was a completely irreligious man recently began doing teshuva and becoming religious, he feels terrible about his deeds. So he sat with Rabbi Arush and was crying bitter tears, “how do I fix what I did?”
So Rabbi Arush told him that the only way to fix what he did is to admit his deeds in public. However, in doing so he will lose his job and get arrested, libels, forging false cases, is a serious crime.
“Look at all the heads of police who were involved in the case, all of them fell into the very same things that they tried saying about the Rabbi. One after the other, around 10 of them already were forced to leave their jobs due to sexual harassment. These are people of Sodom and Gomorrah!”
“My superiors threatened me that if I don’t forge a false case on Rabbi Berland I will lose my position”.
“In reality the case of Rabbi Berland is completely void of any evidence, all of the things that is being spoken about Rabbi Berland is rubbish and nonsense.”
“From the moment I began trying to create a case against the Rabbi, I am suffering, I had a major car accident, got divorced etc.”
Rabbi Barzilai says that this police officer who was a completely irreligious man recently began doing teshuva and becoming religious, he feels terrible about his deeds. So he sat with Rabbi Arush and was crying bitter tears, “how do I fix what I did?”
So Rabbi Arush told him that the only way to fix what he did is to admit his deeds in public. However, in doing so he will lose his job and get arrested, libels, forging false cases, is a serious crime.
“Look at all the heads of police who were involved in the case, all of them fell into the very same things that they tried saying about the Rabbi. One after the other, around 10 of them already were forced to leave their jobs due to sexual harassment. These are people of Sodom and Gomorrah!”
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Following Rabbi Eliezer Berlands deportation: El Niño – the worst Drought in Zimbabwe for more than a generation
Interesting article on the Shuvu Banim International website
Friday, January 8, 2016
Rav Arush to head of police investigation of Rav Berlands case "You can only fix your deeds if you admit your mistakes in public"
The head of police investigation who had a big part in chasing the Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a is begging for teshuva, he's been suffering ever since. He came to Rav Shalom Arush yesterday and admitted that the police file on Rav Berland is empty, there is no mention of any of the accusations that appear in the media. Rav Arush told him that his teshuva is in admitting this in public.
He said, if I publicize classified information not only with I lose my job, I will get arrested...
(Heard by Rav Ofer Erez and eyewitnesses. Listen to it here http://goo.gl/oz23Ii)
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Thursday, December 24, 2015
"Tranquility that is good to bend ones shoulders and bear" Rabbi Eliezer Berland on Parshas Veyechi
"He saw tranquility that it was good…yet he bent his shoulder to bear…" (49:15)
Yissaschar was the only one of all the tribes that had no connection to this world! The only bond that Yissaschar had to this world was the study of Torah. This is the tribe that everyone has to make the effort to assist, with each tribe contributing something. Zevulun does business—"Zevulun rejoiced in his going out"—Yehudah wages war, Levi serves in the Beis HaMikdash. But Yissaschar takes nothing from this world…only the study of Torah. Yissaschar was only interested in learning Torah, because the study of Torah is greater even than serving in theBeis HaMikdash, as it is written, "It is more precious than pearls" (Mishlei 3:15). It is greater than the Kohen Gadol going into the Kodesh Kodoshim. A talmid chachamwho is a mamzer is greater than a Kohen Gadol who is an am ha'aretz—even though he is a mamzer who came from a forbidden relationship and has such a terrible blemish. If he learns Torah day and night, he is greater than the Kohen Gadol.
The only way a person can escape from his yetzer hara is through studying Torah in depth—by learning until he feels that he is about to die, until he feels like he wants to die—"regarding a man who would die in the tent," (Numbers 19:14).He needs to toil in Torah, to kill himself for it—not to study slackly, casually. Torah study is not done in a relaxed manner! A person has all kinds of desires, and he also has a desire for nachas—serenity. All of a person's desires were hinted at in the generals of Eisav and one of them is the "general of serenity, [aluf nachas]." A person loves to walk at a leisurely pace, to be stress-free, to learn with peace and tranquility. But truthfully, the real nachas, the true serenity is only Torah study. "He saw tranquility that it was good…yet he bent his shoulder to bear"—this is the yolk of Torah (Rashi). The only genuine form of relaxation is the calmness which emanates from the soul. By learning Torah the soul is polished, cleaned, and all the filth is scraped off—all of the dirt is removed, and only then can one achieve this menuchas hanefesh.
A person needs to know that he is responsible for the work of creation. Each day he needs to create the world anew. The world runs according to those who learn Torah—the world is created through Torah learning. "Because all the innovations of the work of creation that Hashem renews each day come through Torah study…One day there is rain the next is dry, one day the air is cool and moist, etc. etc." (Likutei Halachos, Yibum3). Rebbe Nosson explains that you are building the world. You slept, and a tragedy happened. You were dreaming, or spoke with someone when you were supposed to be studying, and there was a disaster. A person needs to know that there's no reason to read the newspaper or to know what is happening in the world. Even if just for a second you take an interest in what is happening in the world, then this will cause a tragedy to happen. A person should know that if he wastes time when he should be studying Torah, then a disaster will occur! You need to realize that all the changes that are going on in the world are according to your Torah study. When a person learns, then the whole world starts to love us, because all the nations sometimes love us and sometimes hate us. Whoever learns history knows that one year they love us and another year they hate us and want to exterminate all the Jews, because everything is dependent on our Torah study—not on the politicians or anything else. When a person learns Torah in depth, he plugs his intelligence into the Torah, and so he creates the world anew. He creates a new reality. He lives a new reality! Suddenly he has enough money to go to Uman! All of a sudden, he feels an influx of spirituality, an influx of material bounty! This is because he created a new world. He had previously been in a world where he didn't have money, but now he is in a world where he has money, because he is now in a completely new world, because each moment a person creates new worlds. If a person learnsb'iyun, then each moment he is creating new worlds.
The Rebbe brings in Torah 101, "When a person does a sin, chas v'shalom, then the sin and the crime are engraved on his bones", as it is written (Yechezkel 32), "And their sins will be on their bones." The Rebbe said, "Do you want to be forgiven for your sins? You want to erase your sins? It's difficult, since your sins are engraved on your bones." The sin breaks your bones. All of a person's bones are broken—this one hurts, that one hurts—but it's only because of the sins. Each and every sin is etched on to the bone. "And your sins will be engraved on your bones." The bones are hollow. They have been engraved on, and now they break from so many engravings. If a person wants to reconnect his bones, to build his bones anew, to escape from "and your sins will be on your bones," it is only through learning b'iyun, taking the exams, being examined, and learning b'iyun. Doingteshuva doesn't help for damage already done since the bones are already broken and engraved upon. How can doingteshuva help after that? The answer is one needs to draw new mentalities into the bone, to renew the bone, and this can only be done through Torah study b'iyun. Through Torah study you activate all the cells that were already damaged, weakened, and had started to wither away. Studying renews them, activates them and gives them new life. The Torah rebuilds you and makes you a new person. A person is always looking for advice on how to break his bad character traits. So there is hisbodedus and chatzos. Everything is fine and dandy, but if he is not learning Torah b'iyun nothing will help him. If a person is not learning Torahb'iyun, then he is missing the essential factor—he has no brain, because a brain only comes from learning Torah b'iyun. This is like a person who does hisbodeduswithout using his intellect. There is no way for him to receive—Hashem wants to give him! Tomorrow, he will pray withkavannah, and after praying he runs out to eat. He is ready to run out of there—he runs out to talk with his friend. As they are saying Aleinu he is already taking off his tefillin and talking to his friend. Then Hashem says to him, "I want to give you. After praying, you should say some pasukor learn two or three halachos, or you should learn a few lines of Gemara, and then you will have a wonderful brain and will understand everything. When praying we request that "you should put in our hearts binah to understand and become intelligent, to hear, to study, and to teach, to guard and to do." Hashem wants to give him now all the mochin, but here, he is already starting to talk with his friend, or he runs out before Aleinu, and he is already taking off the tefillin, and he is already outside, talking, fighting, hitting, eating, and Hashem says, "I wanted to give you wonderful mochin. Why did you bolt out of here?"
The Rebbe says that without learning Torah b'iyun, a person has no brain, and anything that a person does is lacking in essence, because the most important thing is learning b'iyun. Therefore, the Rebbe said that discipline in learning is more important than keeping the mitzvos. The Rebbe brings in Sefer HaMidos 33, that "learning is the basis of all the mitzvos." A person needs to become accustomed to studying, as we request every morning, "make us study Your Torah regularly"—that we should get used to studying Torah. And the Rebbe says that getting accustomed is not enough! Reciting Gemara the same way one recites Tehillimis not good enough. Only studying b'iyun is called "study Your Torah regularly"! Take a Rashba, Rambam, Ritba, and the Shita Mekubetzes, and the Rosh and the Rif and the Ran, and the Nimukei Yosef, all the commentaries. The Maharam Shif, and theMaharsha, and the Bach, all that there is. And if the Maharsha is difficult for you, then use a commentator who is easier to understand, but this is the way your head must be working, all the time b'iyun—your basis should always be b'iyun. So the Rebbe says that if a person always learnsb'iyun, "when one plumbs the depths of and understands the wisdom of the Torah, then he will have the burden of government and making a living removed from him." But this is only for learning which reaches the depths of understanding of the wisdom of the Torah. Then he merits anpin nehirin—a glowing face. And then when all of a person's thoughts are only in learning Torah b'iyun, understanding the Gemara well, knowing the sugyah well, understanding all therishonim, all the achronim, and summarizing it, and writing it down, and in the meantime making a few newchidushim. Then, at that moment, he merits to such an anpin nehirin, a glowing face, that the whole world makes teshuva. He receives such anpin nehirin that the whole world makes teshuva just from the light of his face alone. "The wisdom of a person enlightens his face," and though this, the burden of government and making a living is taken from him. Then, there is no burden of making a living in the world. There are no Russians, no Arabs, no goyim, nothing—there is no burden of government. For one person who will put his head into Torah b'iyun, Hashem is ready to remove the burden of government from the world, and all the kingdoms—to cancel the kingdoms—so that only Israel rules—only the Torah rules.
Art by: yehoshuawiseman.com
Monday, December 21, 2015
Live video shiur from South Africa by Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit"a
In honor of the yartzeit of Reb Nosson of Breslov, Rav Eliezer Berland will be giving a live video shiur right here on Shuvu Banim International.
The shiur will begin at around 6:00pm Israel time (11:00am EST) Monday December 21st (asara b'teves).
STAY TUNED AND SPREAD THE WORD!
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Thursday, December 17, 2015
Friday, December 11, 2015
Parshas Mikeitz - Bringing about miracles through prayer by Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a
Parshas Mikeitz - Bringing about miracles through prayer
Transcribed and translated from recordings of the Tzaddik
Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a
"Elokim has made me forget (all my hardship and) all my father's household" (41:51)
Every Jew comes into the world in order to do miracles and wonders. The only reason the Hashem created the world was so that there should be miracles and wonders. Miracles and wonders are not just for when there is no choice or other way to do it.
Rabbeinu HaKadosh says in Torah 97, "Before the creation of the world, HashemYisborach refined and adorned Himself with the prayers of the tzaddikim." Hashem saw that there would betzaddikim who would be able to do whatever they wished, who could change the systems and laws of nature with their prayers. And this is the impetus forHaKadosh Baruch Hu's creating the world: for the pleasure that He would get from the tzaddikim who would be engaged in prayer and would change the laws of nature. Even before the creation of the world, Hashem delighted in all the miracles and wonders that each person would bring about with his prayers, and this was His pleasure and delight, and this is the reason that He created the world. And this, Rabbeinu continues, "is the explanation of 'for me is Gilad': that the pleasure that Hashem had before the creation of the world should be revealed." "Gilad" refers to the revelation of his refinement ("gilui ha-eidon"), the revelation of his pleasure, because there is no pleasure as great for Hashem Yisborachas when he sees how a person is using prayer to achieve his desires and draw miracles and kindness into the world.
If a person wants to change nature and do miracles, he needs to pray with humility and a sense of his own lowliness. He needs to have focused intention and to feel that "I am a small person, smaller than every other Jew in the world." Then, he can do anything he wants to through prayer. This is the secret of why Yosef called his son "Menashe," because "Elokimhas made me forget all my hardship and all my father's household." How can we seemingly understand Yosef? How could he give a name like Menashe to his son, a name whose meaning is, "I forgot about my father. I forgot about my brothers, from all the mothers. I forgot everyone—the entire house of my father?" Could Yosef give a name in order to forget his father? Only according to that which Rabbeinu explains in Torah 97, can we understand this secret: Yosef merited reaching the level of "Menashe," which is humility and a sense of lowliness. And this is the explanation of the verse, "Elokimhas made me forget all my father's household" meaning his yichus, "and all my hardship," that he worked hard to serve the Creator. A person strengthens himself in prayer, in avodas Hashem, because he has an important father, an important mother, and important grandfather, but Yosef HaTzaddik said, "I serve Hashem." I am not praying because I have an important father or grandfather. I am praying for Hashem's sake! My strength comes from the fact that Hashem created me, from the fact that there is a G-d in the world. Hashem Yisborach is alive and exists! I see Him alive and existing and so I serve Hashem. Yosef drew his life force from Hashem, and this is how he achieved all of his levels. And this is why he called his son "Menashe," in the language of forgetting. "I forgot all my hardship and all my father's household." To merit powerful prayer which can create miracles in the world, a person needs to forget his yichus and all his work in avodas Hashem.
Rabbeinu revealed that there is such a power in the world, which is the power of prayer, and with this power a person can get whatever he wants, everything. And every single Jew can reach this level, of control through his prayer. "Your nation is all tzaddikim." This applies to each and every Jew, because every Jew can achieve through prayer, because every good thing that a Jew wants he can achieve. Every Jew can bring about miracles and wonders through prayer. This is the purpose of creation. This is Hashem's will, that each and every person will bring about miracles ad wonders. Hashem is the Master of Miracles. Hashem is the Master of Wonders. He intended this even before the creation of the world. All of the miracles and salvations Hashem prepared before the creation of the world, but in order to reveal them, to activate them, to bring them out of hiding and into the open, we need prayer. If we don't pray the miracles won't happen. Hashem prepared for everyone unlimited miracles and wonders. Prayer is the strongest thing in the world. There is nothing stronger than prayer. No gate is sealed closed before prayer. There is no force that can stop prayer. Prayer is like knives and swords which can rip apart the heavenly firmament and all the barriers. All your salvations are prepared and waiting. Everything is ready. Just ask, pray, and Hashem will hear you! Every Jew should have an unlimited number of miracles. You just need to pray and request.
Hashem stipulated with each act of creation, before the actual creation of the world, that when a Jew would stand and pray, he would be given everything he asked for. Hashem stipulated with the sea, even before the creation of the world, that it would split for the Bnei Yisrael. Hashem stipulated with the fire, and said, "Know that there will be Chanania, Michael and Azariah, and you do not have permission to burn them." When Hashem created the lions on the sixth day, he said to them, "I am creating you on the condition that you do not swallow up Daniel, and you shouldn't swallow up any tzaddik." He made this condition for every lion in the world, for all the generations, that if a Jew would stand and pray then no lion has permission to touch him. So, Hashem made conditions before the creation of the world that everything that a person would ask for, everything that he would pray for, Hashem would give him. You want an apartment, wealth, health, children? Hashem will give you everything, if you just pray. Open your mouth: everything is promised to you. Even before Hashem created you, he already prepared everything for you, all the miracles, all the salvations. Just know that the channel is prayer; the vessel is prayer.
Every day Hashem makes a new prevention for a person—a new problem, a child who is sick, a sick wife, lack of income. It is all in order that a person should pray. The result will be a miracle followed by another miracle, etc. This is why Hashem created the world, so that there should be miracles and wonders. The work of every Jew is to feel as if he is non-existent, to be completely cancelled to Hashem. It is hard for a person to pray, because it is hard for him to be cancelled to Hashem. It is hard for him to humiliate himself before Hashem. A person thinks, "How will Hashem help me? Will he give me an income? I'll manage on my own. I have brains. I have two hands. I have two legs. Do I need Hashem?" This is terrible! The curse, "the snake will eat dust," refers to such an attitude, because the snake doesn't need to pray and doesn't need to request. And this is essentially the punishment of the snake, that wherever he goes he finds food. The food is ready for him like dust, and he doesn't' need to pray. All the animals cry to Hashem, "like a deer yearning for rivers of water." The deer cries to Hashem. The deer asks for rivers of water, and he cries to Hashem. "Like a horse amassed, so I will neigh." The horse neighs to Hashem. All the animals cry to Hashem. The only animal that doesn't cry to Hashem is the snake. If a person doesn't cry to Hashem, doesn't pray the way he should, knows how to manage on his own, doesn't need Hashem's help, then Hashem have mercy: this is the curse of the snake.
A person prays three prayers a day, prays mincha for two minutes, ma'ariv for five minutes, and that's it. He goes home and discovers that his child is sick. His wife is sick. There is no money. So he asks, "Why is my wife sick? Why don't I have money?" I have paos and a beard, etc. But, in truth, everything is dependent on prayer. What about praying? Where is the prayer? Did you ask Hashem for healing? Did you say barech aleinu very slowly? Start opening your mouth and say the words very slowly. Don't rush—don't run. All the miracles and wonders are prepared already for every Jew. Just start asking. Don't just look for the quickestminyan so that you can run home. "My wife is waiting for me; I have to run." In the end, when he arrives home his wife is sick. Pray the shmonei esrei very slowly, and when you get home your wife will be healthy, your children will be healthy—you will see miracles and wonders.
True humility is: "There is nothing but Hashem." Only Hashem—humility is knowing that only Hashem can help me. If a person would know how great Hashem is, how infinite Hashem is, how much He can help me, he would pray to Hashem and get everything in the world. During the three prayers, one can get everything. One needs to ask for all his wishes, everything that he needs. Pray. Request! Don't have mercy on HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Don't have mercy on Him. Hashem wants that you should ask for everything in the world, and you have mercy on Him? Should a person ask, "Give me another month to live?" "Give me a little bit of money." No! Ask for everything. Ask for everything you need. For you, for your wife, your children, shiduchim, money, long life—ask for everything. Pray and create wonders because Hashem created the world only so that you should have wonders and miracles.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Monday, December 7, 2015
The holiness of Chanukah - by Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit"a
The Holiness of Chanukah
By Rav Eliezer Berland Shlit"a
On Hanukkah, a fire is burning, a flaming fire of love for Hashem which cannot be stopped. It is a fiery blaze that comes down from Heaven through the Hanukah lights. Rabbeinu brings in Torah 249, "Suddenly a person is enclothed in the spirit of gevurah" and then he can do acts of strength because, "the essence ofgevurah is in the heart." A person whose heart is strong is not afraid of anyone in the world—he has no fear. Nothing exists for him at all except "Ein Od Milvado – Nothing exists but Him"—only Hashem. This spirit can be accessed on Hanukkah just like Chana merited this "Hanukkah"חנוכה , which has the letters of "כו חנה" (gematria 26, which is the gematria of theShem Havayeh). The meaning is that Chana was completely dedicated to Hashem. And this is as it is written, that "Chana prayed על Hashem." She saw only Hashem. She was attached completely to Hashem. Therefore, all of Hanukkah is drawn from Chana. Rebbe Nosson writes in Likutei Halachos, Choshen Mishpat, that all of Hanukkah comes from the light of Chana, from the neshama of Chana. She never stopped praying or fell from her level of emunah. She didn't let go of her faith for anything in the world. From the age of ten, she started praying that she would merit having a son who was atzaddik, and at the age 130 she received her reward. For 120 years she prayed constantly to Hashem and succeeded in bringing down the soul of Shmuel, who was on par with Moshe and Aharon.Shmuel anointed both Shaul and David. The most important was David who isMoshiach, as it is written, "I set up acandle for my savior," which is the light of Hanukkah. When a person decides to havemesirus nefesh for Hashem Yisborach, he receives the spirit of might and strength, and through this spirit, he can wage great wars and achieve victory over all the evildoers, over all those who have adopted Greek culture, and bring the Geulah, just as Chana merited through the light of Hanukkah to bring down the soul ofMoshiach. חנוכה is "כו חנה" because Chana had mesirus nefesh for Hashem Yisborachand did everything only for Hashem. She begged for a son only so that he would serve Hashem. And today, to have mesirus nefesh means to sit and learn! It is not waging war with anyone. It is simply to sit and learn and to put one's head in the holy Torah, in the holy Gemara.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
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