About a month ago, Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a set out on a rare and special journey to Poland. Here is special documentation of the holy journey by his grandson and attendant, R’ Naftali Zucker.

Contrary to the common concept of a “vacation” in the public mind, for the Rav shlit"a even days of rest mean days of nonstop Torah study. His devoted attendant, R’ Yosef Assoulin, related that in all the times they had gone in the past for a few days of rest in Israel, the Rav shortened the stay and quickly returned home, saying: “People are waiting for me.” Therefore, the pictures published last month, showing the Rav shlit"a at the old cemetery in Krakow, stirred a unique reverberation.

In an interview conducted on the Breslov Information Line (*9148) with his grandson, R’ Naftali Zucker, he told of the background to this special journey—from his hospitalization on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Av, to his extraordinary self-sacrifice in the prayers of Shabbat and on the fast of Tisha B’Av, which led the doctors to order a short trip for recovery in Poland.

His Medical Condition

For nine days, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a stayed in rest abroad—something extremely unusual. We wanted to hear where the Rav shlit"a stayed during those days, and how the trip actually came about? “As everyone knows, about a week before Tisha B’Av, the Rav was hospitalized for an entire week. It began on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Av, when in the middle of the Torah reading, the Rav collapsed and was forced to stop the prayer and enter his home. On Motzaei Shabbat, the Rav immediately went to the hospital, where he had to remain for an entire week. On Friday, Erev Shabbat Chazon—Erev Tisha B’Av—the Rav was supposed to remain in the hospital according to the doctors’ orders. But after he requested that by every possible means to be released in order to be at home on Shabbat and on Tisha B’Av, they succeeded in discharging him on condition that he return immediately on Motzaei Tisha B’Av for further tests.”

Shabbat Chazon and Tisha B’Av with Self-Sacrifice

“And indeed, as everyone knows, we merited that the Rav shlit"a participated in all the Shabbat prayers, and even extended them greatly, exerting himself beyond the usual—despite the fact that during his hospitalization the doctors had said that all the deterioration in his health had come about due to overexertion… Also on Tisha B’Av, even though the doctors permitted him not to fast, the Rav with self-sacrifice refused to forgo it and fasted the entire Tisha B’Av. A great wonder—after a week in the hospital, when he was in need of fluids, and still he fasted.”

The Window of Opportunity

“During the day, a doctor and male nurse came to the Rav shlit"a for a house visit… On Motzaei Tisha B’Av, the Rav returned to the hospital for further tests. The next morning, after consultation, it was decided that the Rav must go out for rest… On Monday morning, the Rav left for the airport and flew to Poland, where he stayed in a rest apartment for a number of days—rest that, of course, means Torah study, but with relative quiet from the burden of the public.” As an aside—this is a period when almost all the Rebbes are abroad, correct? “Very true. Almost all the Rebbes go out in the summer…” And why can’t they rest in Israel? “Apparently, because if the Rebbe remains in Israel, the public continues to turn to him…”

Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin

“After a few days of rest in Poland, again a problem arose in the Rav’s right hand… In Lublin, we passed by Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin of Maharam Shapira, where in the past the Rosh Hashanah gatherings of Breslov Chassidim in Poland were held. From the car on the nearby road, the Rav saw the building and became very excited…”

Gur

“After that, we passed by the holy graves of the holy ‘Chozeh’ of Lublin zy”a and the Maharshal zy”a… We also passed by the Beit Midrash of Gur, built by the Chiddushei HaRim—one of the lone synagogues in Poland that remained standing even after the Holocaust.”

Lizhensk

“The town of Lizhensk is in the Podkarpackie region… After treatment, the Rav entered the town of Lizhensk and went to the holy tomb of the holy Rebbe, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk zy”a, author of Noam Elimelech. The Rav recited the Tikkun HaKlali there and prayed that we should merit to make it to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.”

Krakow – the Rema, Tosefot Yom Tov, and Rabbi Heschel of Krakow

“At each of the holy graves—the Rema, and the Tosefot Yom Tov—the Rav recited the Tikkun HaKlali, and especially lingered at the grave of Rabbi Heschel… There he told a famous story about the release of an agunah… One can say that there the Rav spoke the most.”

Megaleh Amukot

“After that, the Rav continued to the grave of the Bach… and in the end, reached the grave of the Megaleh Amukot, whose yahrzeit was the day before (13 Av). Immediately upon arriving at the grave, the Rav said that now it is Parashat VaEtchanan, and it is well known that the Megaleh Amukot authored a special book with 252 awesome interpretations solely on VaEtchanan.”

Returning to the Holy Land

“We had planned to return to the Holy Land from Budapest in Hungary… For this purpose, we ordered a special van with comfortable seats… In practice, the Rav did not have the strength for the long drive and we did not stop there, continuing straight to the airport in Budapest, and from there the Rav returned in peace to our Holy Land.”

Changes Along the Way

At first it was announced that the Rav would already return on Thursday, but in the end it was postponed to Monday. Why? “At first the Rav said we would be until Thursday… With the Rav it is always like that—things become clarified along the way.” And what about the hand? “As we said, in Poland they treated it immediately, and indeed we saw an improvement…”

Uman

Some said that perhaps the Rav would remain abroad until Rosh Hashanah? “Yes, there are always those who are concerned, but it was explicitly announced that this was not for a long period…” There was also a rumor that the journey was connected to Uman? “No. The goal this time was not Uman… Of course, all the prayers are that the Rav will merit to reach Uman for Rosh Hashanah, bezrat Hashem.”