The Daily Strengthening from our Teacher, the Holy Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Wednesday, 28th of Iyar, 5784

Moses our Teacher only seeks to flee (from leading the people, out of humility); he doesn’t ask what the role is, he immediately says: "Please send by the hand of whomever You will send."

He is not ready; he says to Hashem, "Send Elijah the Prophet, send Aaron, send Miriam, or Hur." (Hashem says to him) - No! Only you (shall go).

(Moses continues to wonder), is there no one else? Suddenly (Moses) sees that there is someone else; Moses managed to prove that there is someone else. Why (Hashem) do You say there is no one else? Look, I discovered someone in Heaven!

A minute before Moses receives the Tablets—just one minute before he receives the Tablets. Moses received the Tablets on the 17th (of Tammuz); a minute before receiving the Tablets, he meets Rabbi Akiva.

Moses meets Rabbi Akiva, what joy: "Shalom Aleichem." Moses says to Rabbi Akiva, "I do not understand what you are saying" (as it is said of Rabbi Akiva that he would expound upon every crown of the letters heaps and heaps of laws, Menachot 29b). Then a Heavenly Voice (Bat Kol) goes out and says: "Moses, go back 98 rows, be more humble." Moses needs to go back 98 rows. He then heard Rabbi Akiva say, "It is a law given to Moses from Sinai."

Moses said, "Master of the Universe, I want to see the reward of Rabbi Akiva." So they showed him his flesh being weighed in the butcher shop (market). But Moses wanted to see the reward of Rabbi Akiva, not the suffering, not the punishment—they literally roasted Rabbi Akiva, they combed his flesh with iron combs.

To such a man You give the Torah through him?

The Master of the Universe said to Moses, "Yes, this is the reward!"

This is what Rabbi Akiva said (his students said to him: "Our teacher, even this far?!" He said to them:) "All my days I was pained (over this verse 'with all your soul'—meaning even if He takes your soul) when will it come to my hand that I may fulfill it?" (Berachot 61b). All my life I was pained, when will it come to my hand that I may fulfill it. I waited for this verse from the day I was born; from the age of 40, I have been waiting for this moment when they would comb my flesh with iron combs.

Moses recoiled, (Hashem) said to him: "Be silent, for so it arose in the Primordial Thought"—because those who go for Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God's Name), today, every day they go for Kiddush Hashem, then, "No eye has seen, O God, besides You" (Isaiah 64:3).

It is written that for one who goes for Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God's Name), no creature can stand within his reward, within his light; for he enjoys the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), he learns Torah from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Even if he was secular his whole life, the moment he went for Kiddush Hashem, even if he was completely wicked, everything is forgiven him, and he learns Torah from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He.

So, "Is this the Torah and this its reward?"

The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses—"Be silent!" All of this is brought in Torah 64 (of Likutey Moharan); the entire lesson of Torah 64 revolves around—"Be silent!" Anyone who goes for Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God's Name), his reward is such a reward that "No eye has seen, O God, besides You." No eye has seen it, no eye can see it.

All those who are being killed now for Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God's Name), every day we hear about more and more soldiers who are being killed now for Kiddush Hashem, so we must say—"No eye has seen, O God, besides You!"

They merit such a level that no creature will merit even at the Techiyas HaMeisim (Resurrection of the Dead)!