משנתו של רבי נחמן מברסלב - אין רשעים בישראל - הגה"צ הרב ברלנד שליט"א

## The Foundation of Foundations: There Are No Wicked People in Israel
In a powerful class delivered by HaGaon HaTzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, he unfolds the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, which constitute the "foundation of foundations" of Chassidut: the assertion that there are no wicked people in Israel. The Rav explains that even those who appear distant carry within themselves points of holiness and mitzvot.

## Every Jew and Their Connection to Holiness
The Rav emphasizes that there is no Jew who has never done good in their life. "We have all kept Shabbat once, we have all fasted once on Yom Kippur," he says. Even if it seems that a Jew mocks the Torah, it is merely an external covering. The Rav mentions the words of Rabbi Akiva before he returned in teshuvah (repentance), who used to say, "Who will give me a Torah scholar so that I may bite him like a donkey," to show that even from the lowest place, the greatest Tanna can grow.

## The Transformation of Rabbi Akiva
Rabbi Akiva, who was the "most wicked of the wicked" in his hatred for Torah scholars for 40 years, underwent a transformation in the merit of Rachel, the daughter of Kalba Savua. She saw the modesty and virtues within him, the "good point" that was hidden beneath shells of hatred and ignorance. This is the teaching for all generations – to always look for the good in others.

## A Generation of Survivors and the Search for Godliness
The Rav refers with pain to the generation that went through the Holocaust. He explains that the terrible suffering caused people to lose their faith externally, but the entire Nation of Israel is waiting for the revelation of Godliness. "The Nation of Israel is not to blame," cries out the Rav, "they went through a Holocaust, people lost their faith out of suffering, but inside, everyone is holy."

## Conclusion
The central message of the class is unconditional love for a fellow Jew. We must look beyond the external covering and see the pure Jewish soul that exists within each and every one, just as Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught us.