If a Person Listens to the Tzaddik, He has Livelihood for a Billion Years – Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit”a on Chag Sukkot

“The Jewish people came into the world to sit in one sukkah. The whole Jewish people is worthy of sitting in one sukkah -- in all their varieties. Rabbeinu taught us that all of Am Yisrael is worthy of sitting in one sukkah. Therefore, we say, ‘Ana Hashem Hoshiah Na, Ana Hashem Hatzlicha Na – Please Hashem save us, please Hashem make us succeed.’ ‘Hoshiah’ has the same letters as ‘Yehoshua’—for all the festivals are opened through the power of Yehoshua bin Nun.”

At the amazing and awe-inspiring event of 5779 (2018) for the great hillula in honor of the “Butzina Kadisha -- Holy Lamp” -- Rabbeinu Nachman of Breslov -- held in Holon, Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a gave over the following words:

We came into the world only to recognize Yosef HaTzaddik. The world was created only to obey this one—to form a team with the Tzaddik. A person comes into the world only to reveal the true Tzaddik. Therefore, one must learn Talmud—all in order to reveal the true Tzaddik. We are calling to a person’s soul: all of a person’s work from the moment he is born is to reveal the true Tzaddik. All the generations are drawn from the true Tzaddik. All the generations and souls are all sparks of the true Tzaddik.

On Simchat Torah, we begin the book of Bereishit, and after this comes Shabbat Bereishit.  Bereishit is the “head of the house” upon which the entire world and all generations stand. “I could bite wood because of the suffering I have.” The Rebbe said that he could cut through wood with his teeth because of the suffering that he took onto himself until the end of all generations. The Rebbe took onto himself all the suffering of the Holocaust. The Rebbe took everything onto himself. Therefore, it’s a good idea to make use of the merit of the Rebbe. The Rebbe came into the world to sweeten all judgments. This is the secret of the sukkah. Today [the second day of Chod HaMoed Sukkot], we are in “Chesed shebeTiferet,” and tomorrow we are in Chesed shebeNetzach.  From tomorrow, everything is already sweetened. From tomorrow, it’s possible to eat everything, for everything is sweetened from tomorrow.  The moment that we reach Chesed shebeNetzach, everything is sweetened. All our work is to reach Chesed shebeNetzach. But how is it possible to reach Chesed shebeNetzach? From where do we get the strength? Therefore, we travel to Uman. Leah was cut apart from Zeir Anpin. The Rebbe said, “From now on, everyone must come for Erev Rosh Hashanah, without exceptions.” From now on, everyone should prepare so as to be in Uman on Friday, so that they will be there on Erev Rosh Hashanah. Rabbeinu does all the Tikkunim (rectifications) on Erev Rosh Hashanah, all generations, even “Sheloshim U’Meah Mishkala (130 in weight).” Anyone who screamed “130 in weight” rectified everything -- all the sins, all the blemishes from the time of the sin of Adam HaRishon. There is no sin that isn’t rectified when screaming together “130 in weight.” This is the sukkah made from the Leviathan’s skin. This is the secret of the Leviathan that Yonah the prophet entered.  Yonah didn’t want to speak rebuke. He preferred to be swallowed up in the stomach of the Leviathan rather than to speak rebuke. Through Yonah the prophet, it’s possible to reach any place in the world. If people listen to the Tzaddik, they have livelihood for a billion years.

To hear the shiur in Hebrew, click here

[caption id="attachment_55245" align="aligncenter" width="510"] The Gaon and Tzaddik, Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, with the Four Species during prayers of Sukkot 5779[/caption]