A Lesson for our Followers from the City of Netivot at the Residence of the Gaon

On Monday, the 22nd of Kislev, Parshas Miketz, a lesson was held at the residence of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days), for the students of Rabbi Ophir Orr shlit"a from the city of Netivot. Below is a summary of the topics discussed by the Rav shlit"a during the lesson:

All the disputes between the brothers and Joseph, and between the brothers and Jacob, are like the disputes between the Rambam (Maimonides), the Ramban (Nachmanides), and the Rishonim (early Torah authorities). The Zohar discusses how Elijah the Prophet saved Rav Hamnuna from prison. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah mentions the capture of Rabbi Elazar ben Parta and Rabbi Hanina ben Teradion. If a person does not influence others with kindness and does not bring them back in teshuvah (repentance), he eventually dies. Moab said, "He is too mighty for me" (Numbers 22:6)—from "me" (Moab) came Ruth, who would bring forth King David, who would eventually destroy Moab. Elisha the Prophet was afflicted with three illnesses because of three things: because he incited the bears against the youths—he should have brought them back in teshuvah (repentance) and bought them sweets and ice cream; because he pushed Gehazi away with both hands; and because of the children who fell ill. Rabbi Nathan says in Choshen Mishpat (the section of Jewish law dealing with civil matters) that even into the greatest rasha (wicked person), one can instill good so that he will perform teshuvah (repentance). Even regarding Rabbi Elazar, who used to hand over thieves to the government, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha called him "Vinegar son of Wine" (an inferior son of a great father) because he should have brought them back in teshuvah (repentance). Rabbi Elazar handed over a laundryman who also called him "Vinegar son of Wine" to be executed, and he later regretted it; in the end, it was revealed that the man had committed a terrible transgression on Yom Kippur. Elisha created both the bears and the forest—a male and female together, which are very dangerous. Even Gehazi, who suspended the golden calf in the air and caused others to sin with idolatry, Elisha should have brought back to the good path rather than pushing him away with both hands. Even Jeroboam ben Nebat—Hashem (God) Himself grabbed him by his garment so that he would perform teshuvah (repentance). Inwardly, Jeroboam was the "coat of many colors" of Joseph the Tzaddik. Jeroboam ben Nebat asked, "Who will be at the head?" because the one who provides the thoughts of teshuvah (repentance) is the Tzaddik—that is Rebbe Nachman! The Torah does not explicitly write the word "Tefillin," only "Totafos," because the gentiles copy everything written in the Torah. Korah claimed that the splitting of the Red Sea never happened; he said it was just a "Fata Morgana" (mirage), like the Sheikh in the time of Rabbi Chaim Farhi. Every Friday, that Sheikh would tell everyone he was flying to Mecca. In reality, he was smoking a narghile (hookah), and the Jewish children were bothering him by blowing into the chimney, so he imprisoned them. Rabbi Chaim Farhi brought the governor a matching necklace and said there was one last diamond in Mecca, suggesting they ask the Sheikh, who "flies there every Friday," to bring it. The Sheikh realized Rabbi Chaim Farhi had discovered what he was really doing, so he released the children and asked for forgiveness, and Rabbi Chaim Farhi gave him the missing diamond. The Arabs in prayer are just playing with their beads; they steal from the Arab bowing in front of them and do not pray at all. We used to travel to the tomb of Nathan the Prophet and Gad the Seer, which is located inside a mosque in Halhul. We would walk on foot every day to Shechem (Nablus) to perform Hisbodedus (secluded prayer) and recite the Tikkun HaKlali (the General Rectification) at the Tomb of Joseph. Serach bat Asher lives forever because she agreed to sacrifice her life, even though she knew Jacob might be strictly demanding (makpid) the moment they revealed that they hadn't told him Joseph was sold, which could have caused all the brothers to die. The brothers did not want to leave Egypt without Benjamin. Benjamin did not have children for 22 years until Joseph returned; when Joseph was revealed to them, ten children were born to Benjamin at once. To Oved-Edom the Gittite, six children were born in three months because the gestation period was only one week. Merav, the daughter of Saul, gave birth to five children within a month. Since Oved had eight daughters-in-law, it turns out that 62 children were born to him in a single week. One who is close to the Tzaddik—his wife can give birth to sextuplets. Michal passed away when her children were born because she could not bear to see King David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant; she was accustomed to the modesty of her father Saul's house, where not even the tip of a finger was seen. The "Ma'ayanah Shel Torah" asks: What was the innovation in Joseph's interpretation of the dreams? It is obvious that stalks of grain represent abundance and fat cows represent plenty. However, it was actually Rosh Hashanah, involving the secret of the "U'Nesaneh Tokef" prayer, in which it is decreed for the nations which shall face famine and which shall have plenty. A person is born with 120 years; for every sin he commits, a year is taken away. If he reaches the Tzaddik, he can surpass a hundred years. Joseph told Pharaoh that on Rosh Hashanah, aside from the grain being judged, it is also decided "who will be humbled and who will be exalted," for all the grain Pharaoh had stored for himself without Joseph's supervision had rotted. If a person reaches the Tzaddik, he merits that there will be a lasting existence for everything he does.