The Connection of Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach zt"l to the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi

B"H

On the 12th of Adar, four years will have passed since the passing of the great Gaon, Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach zt"l. We will note a few of his connections with Breslov Chassidut and with our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

The depth of Rabbi Auerbach's study of Torah topics was immense. He studied every matter with deep scrutiny and thoroughness, leaving no corner or angle of the Torah unexamined. This applied to both the revealed and the hidden, as he was a tremendous expert in the wisdom of Kabbalah. He knew the books of Chassidut by heart, and when Chassidim from various sects would enter his presence, they saw that he knew their Chassidic texts even better than they did.

Rabbi Auerbach would visit all the great leaders of Israel, Sephardic, Chassidic, and Lithuanian alike. Whether it was the holy Rebbe of Belz, the holy Gaon Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi, or other great Kabbalists. It is told that once, Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach arrived at the man of G-d, the Baba Sali, and the Baba Sali, recognizing his stature, expressed his admiration for his great holiness, as one of his students recounts in an interview on the information line. He also practiced many customs that are not so common among everyone, the roots of which are in the books of Kabbalah.

He had a special connection to the holy gravesite of Rashbi in Meron, and he would arrive at his gravesite on Lag B'Omer and at other times. In his Yeshiva, too, they allowed the students to travel to Meron for Lag B'Omer.

THE LIGHT OF OUR REBBE

We will note a few facts about his connection to the teachings of our holy Rebbe, and to our teacher, Rav Berland shlit"a.

Being a great 'seeker,' he drew close in his youth to the light of our holy Rebbe. In the Sha'arei Chesed neighborhood where he resided, there is a Breslov synagogue that was established many years ago by the Chassid Rabbi Yom Tov Zlotnik and other members of our community. Rabbi Shmuel felt a tremendous truth there and began to draw close to the Rebbe, even growing his peyot (sidelocks). He spent much time in the shadow of the Tzaddik Rabbi Shmuel Shapiro, and some recounted that he would regularly participate in the class of the Chassid Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Rosen zt"l, together with the Gaon Rabbi Aryeh Finkel z"l, who later became the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Brachfeld, as Rabbi Finkel himself recounted.

Of course, this did not remain without a reaction. They knew he would grow to be a great man, and they simply fought against it with all their might. It is told that his peyot were cut off while he slept at night by someone... Although Rabbi Shmuel eventually remained a Litvak, his connection to the Rebbe and his teachings remained all his days.

He knew all the Rebbe's books by heart, and as his close associates testified, he knew all the various Sichot (conversations) and stories in their details. Indeed, our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a praised him for being an expert in the Rebbe's books by heart. In his own talks, one could hear many foundations taken from the teachings of our holy Rebbe, though he could not always cite them...

When someone who came from the Lithuanian world and began to draw close to the Rebbe asked him if he should study the Rebbe's books, Rabbi Shmuel answered that he should study them, and added: "Along with other books..." These words were of great help to the young man against the Yeshiva administration that was placing difficulties in his way.

From his acquaintance with the elders of An"sh (Anshei Shlomeinu) in his youth, he once told his study partner (who recounted it to HaGaon Rabbi Yosef Chaim Asulin) that today there are no longer the Breslov Chassidim he once knew. And he added: "The only Breslov Chassid that exists today is Rabbi Eliezer Berland"...

GUARDING THE HOLY

Perhaps it can be said that from Heaven, his steps were directed to Breslov so that these things would influence his public leadership when the time came. For every issue related to modesty, Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach was the first to sign. His battle against wigs (sheitels) and other matters is famous. Likewise, he signed to forbid any smartphone that is not approved by the Rabbinical Committee for Communications, not even for the needs of parnassah, just as our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a also signed.

In his battle against all the improper behaviors spreading in the public that come from the public that does not yet keep Torah and Mitzvot, he would not allow them to publish in any way in his newspaper, 'HaPeles', neither hotels nor secular studies, against which our holy Rebbe warned us.

When in recent years the wicked Zionists began their war against everything holy and dear, attempting to secularize the Haredi public in various ways, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel was the spearhead in the war for Hashem against Amalek. It is not for nothing that he passed away on the Shabbat when we wipe out the seed of Amalek, as he dealt with this much. One can say that many in the public, even those not counted among his close associates, relied on him to 'do the job' against the authorities.

As is known, for our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a, the army with all its offshoots is a total prohibition. For those who do not know, for our teacher the Rav shlit"a, this is perhaps the only place where people who returned in teshuvah in the middle of military service received an exemption in the middle of service, which is something that almost never happens. In a letter published a few months ago, our teacher the Rav shlit"a wrote in his holy language: "It is a total prohibition to join the army of the heretics, may their names be erased, and as the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Shteinman zt"l instructed, one must literally sacrifice one's life for this."

So too regarding the subject of education, about which Moharnat (Rabbi Natan of Breslov) prayed extensively in Likutey Tefillot, and as is known, the words of our holy Rebbe regarding this in Torah 282, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel did not rest regarding any attempt at a breach, and thanks to his activity and his awakening on the subject, he influenced all educational institutions.

WITH OUR TEACHER RAV BERLAND SHLIT"A

A special affection was reserved by the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel for Breslov Chassidim, and he agreed many times to come and strengthen the institutions of the Chassidut.

However, if his acquaintance with the institutions of Breslov was mainly in recent years, he had valued the holy institutions of our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a for many years, and he participated in the graduation ceremonies in the Yeshivot and Kollelim several times. Not once did he express his great appreciation for our teacher the Rav shlit"a, who stands like a lion at his post. The Gaon Rabbi Shmuel would arrive at the events, speak, and listen with great attention to the words of our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a, which emerged from his mouth in holiness and purity with holy fire.

Rabbi Gutdiener, from the gabbaim of the Breslov synagogue in Sha'arei Chesed, recounted that someone who started to draw close to Breslov asked Rabbi Shmuel about it. The Gaon Rabbi Shmuel answered him in the affirmative, adding: "In Breslov, there is a great Tzaddik named Rabbi Eliezer Berland," as if to say that therefore it is worth drawing close to Breslov, and to know to whom to draw close...

One of his students in the Ma'alot HaTorah Yeshiva recounted in an interview with the information line after his passing that the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach defined our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a as the greatest diligent student (matmid) there is. He added that he knew many great men, but the diligence of the Rav is something special.

Seven months ago, when his sister passed away, the Rav sent him a letter of condolence. Rabbi Auerbach read the letter with precision and attention and was comforted in his mourning.

When the foxes, the saboteurs in the vineyard of Hashem Tzevaot, those wicked mice, known for their hatred of our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a for decades, decided to go out on their campaign of evil, those evildoers also turned to the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel, not refraining from using many lies against the angel of G-d.

When the extent of their fabrications was clarified to the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel by the close associates of our teacher the Rav shlit"a, he refused their words and their campaign of crime, and expressed that regarding Rav Berland, it is said: "Princes have persecuted me without a cause." In an interview with the information line from Motzaei Shabbat Vayishlach, one of An"sh who mentioned the Rav's name to him recounted that the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel asked him about the Rav's condition, and said that what they are doing to Rav Berland is truly a great tragedy, and he said about him the verse "Princes have persecuted me without a cause"—it is truly without a cause that they persecute him. He said that when David said this verse, he added, "but my heart stands in awe of Your word," meaning that he did not fear those who disagreed, but only Hashem. The Gaon Rabbi Shmuel told him that he remembers Rav Berland shlit"a in his youth when he was studying in Sha'arei Chesed and was literally immersed in Torah all day. He also told him that he remembers the Rav from Bnei Brak as well, and even there he was entirely immersed in the holy Torah. The Gaon Rabbi Shmuel added: "This is truly a great tragedy, what they are doing to him, we must pray. A great tragedy, a great tragedy..."

One of his students brought before him the pamphlet they published against the Rav. Immediately, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel said to him: "Fulfill 'And you shall purge the evil from your midst,' tear up this pamphlet..."

THE DEPARTURE OF A TZADDIK

On Motzaei Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Tetzaveh, a preparation gathering for Purim was supposed to take place in the city of Brachfeld with our teacher Rav Berland shlit"a. However, the difficult news of his passing led the city's Rabbi, the Gaon Rabbi Meir Kessler, to call our teacher the Rav shlit"a and speak about the matter. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a and Rabbi Kessler spoke about the great loss and it was decided to postpone the gathering in the city until further notice.

After the news of his passing arrived, our teacher the Rav shlit"a eulogized him, noting that he heard that when he would pray the first blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei, it would take him fourteen minutes. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a said: "He was entirely awe and fear of Hashem, he felt Hashem. His mouth did not cease from studying Torah all day." The Rav also praised him for knowing the entire great book of our Rebbe, Likutey Moharan, by heart, as is known what An"sh said about the stature of one who merits this, after his long life.

May his soul be bound in the bond of life.