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Dramatic Announcement by Rabbi Koenig shlit"a from Safed - They included my signature against the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a against my will

עורך ראשי

Rabbi Elazar Mordechai Koenig shlit"a, leader of the Breslov communities in Safed and abroad and one of the most prominent Breslov rabbis, in a dramatic announcement.

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Rabbi Shmuel Horovinsky from Kiryat Sefer, the editor of the series of holy books 'Lehavot Esh' and the son-in-law of the venerable Chassid Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Karp shlit"a from Kiryat Sefer, came to visit Rabbi Koenig shlit"a in Safed. In a personal conversation he held with him, Rabbi Shmuel asked him for the reason why, supposedly, he added his signature to the letter against the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Here is the dramatic response of Rabbi Koenig shlit"a.

Rabbi Elazar Mordechai Koenig shlit"a: "It is clear to everyone that I never spoke, expressed myself, or signed anything against the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, nor against his community, 'Shuvu Banim.' Chas v'Shalom (Heaven forbid), I have nothing against them," Rabbi Koenig repeated and emphasized, "Everyone knows this."

Rabbi Koenig shlit"a further added: "I never signed anything against Rabbi Berland shlit"a and his community. Everything I signed was regarding the harm done to my brother-in-law, Rabbi Kramer (just as Rabbi Berland shlit"a and the rabbis of 'Shuvu Banim' were the first to condemn)."

"Everyone knows that everything I signed was only about that," Rabbi Koenig repeated and emphasized. He added: "Everyone is personally invited to come to me, and I will strengthen him, and he will hear the words explicitly—to stay with Rabbi Berland shlit"a, to be strong in the community, and not to fear anything. After all, all the lies they wrote will disappear within a few days; therefore, there is no need to fear all the lies that they (the persecutors of Rabbi Berland shlit"a) are distorting."
"I request to publicize my words to the masses," said Rabbi Koenig shlit"a. "I myself do not want to express these things publicly or issue a clearer signature because they will subject me to terror and great pressure, and the matter will cause a much, much greater machlokes (dispute)."

Thus far are the words of Rabbi Elazar Koenig shlit"a from Safed, as they were delivered to Rabbi Shmuel Horovinsky so that he would publicize them, and they were broadcast on the World Breslov Line (02-800-8800, from the USA 1-845-640-0007, from England 44-203-807-3333).

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