Rav Shalom Arush in an Interview with Radio Kol Berama

Rav Shalom Arush shlit"a — one of the most prominent students of HaGaon HaTzaddik Rav Eliezer Berland — was interviewed live on Israeli national radio Kol Berama, where he spoke unequivocally about the spiritual stature of his Rebbe, the suffering Rav Berland was undergoing in South African prison, and the urgent need for Am Yisrael to act on his behalf.

Full interview (audio, Hebrew)

English transcription

Kol Berama:

Rav Berland has been out of Israel for three years but in actuality, no one is doing anything here on his behalf.

Rav Arush:

I understand Rabbi Grossman flew there to assist, and I know I and others have been working, davening and giving shiurim. I am also doing a lot to help — he has around 30-40 thousand people here who are his students, and I am very involved with them in many ways.

To my sorrow, today people believe the media… if only they would believe the Torah as much as they believe the media! I merited being the first shamesh of the Rav, and his first driver, in the year 1975 — more than 40 years ago. I can tell you what I saw with my own eyes. This is not a story that someone told me, it's what I saw with my own eyes all these 40+ years! The man is not a man — he is an angel! He is a "Malach Hashem", who can stand 16 hours without moving for Shmoneh Esrei. Who knows what people are thinking — I always ask him questions in my mind and he turns around and answers me! And many more miracles which I promised the Rav I will never speak about. You need to understand it will take 10 hours straight for me to relate stories that I saw with my own eyes.

He is almost 80 and they say about him these things?! (laughs) — it's funny! A person paid money to women to speak about him!

And the Rav said even before this happened that there are terrible heavenly decrees against the Jewish Nation, and if there is a Tzaddik who takes upon himself the disgrace of a libel about adultery, he will cancel the decree! He took upon himself the disgrace! And this terrible exile!

Gedolei Tzaddikim — many that I am connected with — say about him that the Rav is atoning for the entire generation.

So what could we do — there are people who believe the media that an 80-year-old person… (laughs) it's insane!

Kol Berama:

He is atoning for the sins of the generation, but people need to know that he is literally in a life-threatening situation at present.

Rav Arush:

Mamash! Certainly! Literally! We must get up and do! He is in a life-threatening situation right now!

He is in prison. Even the prisoners are saying that he is an angel of G-d. He only studies Torah and prays all day! He barely eats!

As far as sleep is concerned, I was his shamash so I know — he never sleeps. I used to be with him every Thursday night, we would be together the whole night, he would give a shiur until the morning. In the morning we would daven, then he would beg me to come to him for Shabbos. The entire Shabbos I saw he didn't sleep a drop. This is an angel of G-d! What I saw with my own eyes, we can write books…

Kol Berama:

What can or should be done that has not been done?

Rav Arush:

We must get up and demonstrate!!! To stand in front of the South African Consulate, to bring politicians and public figures who will stand and declare: "What's going on here!? What are you holding him for?! What are you doing to him?!"

Kol Berama:

Is the problem with the South African Government, or is it a problem here in the Israeli Government?

Rav Arush:

Also here in Israel — they believe the rumors without checking, without checking the depths of it. Maybe here they received bribes, they should investigate! The Torah says that it is forbidden to believe a lone witness — it's forbidden!