Rav Shalom Arush spoke to Kol Berama Radio on Tuesday morning 25 Nissan regarding the imprisonment and what appears to be the imminent honoring of an extradition request pertaining to Rabbi Eliezer Berland.
Rabbi Berland, who is deemed a flight risk, remains imprisoned in South Africa and it appears authorities are planning to hand him over to Israel Police in honor of an Israeli extradition request.
Following is a summary of the interview with Rav Arush.
Kol Berama
The rav has been fleeing for three years but in actuality, no one is doing anything here on his behalf.
R’ Arush
I understand Rabbi Grossman flew there to assist and I know I and others have been working, davening and giving shiurim. To my sorrow people today believe the media and in this case I merited being a shamesh of the rav, as well as a driver. I can tell you what I saw with my eyes. This is not a story from someone else but I saw it. The man is a ‘Malach Hashem’, one who understands what another thinks, who can stand 16 hours without moving for Shmona Esrei and much more which I am not going to speak about.
Gedolei Tzaddikim, many, believe that Rav Berland’s situation is simply the Rav is atoning for the entire generation. He is literally in a life threatening situation at present.
One must understand he almost does not sleep or eat. His entire being is davening and learning, serving HKBH. I saw this as his first shamesh, even erev Shabbos. I can tell you for a fact that he does not sleep on Shabbos.
Kol Berama
What can or should be done that has not been done?
R’ Arush
There was a protest outside the [S. African] Embassy. The problem is people believe the rumors and untruths without even checking out the facts. The Torah tells us we cannot believe such loshon hora but people believe. Are there two witnesses anywhere? They just believe and halacha is thrust aside.
Kol Berama
The rav has been imprisoned under harsh conditions in S. Africa under harsh conditions. Perhaps the system there is corrupt? Perhaps there is something or someone here who can or will act? The lone response is Rav Grossman who headed there to assist.
R’ Arush
Look at the terror attacks. who can say what kitrug is on Am Yisrael. I cannot but I know these are serious matters. I am disappointed by the politicians, those who could do something but don’t act.
We must cry out to HKBH, each and every one of us over the disgrace to this outstanding Jew, talmid chacham and Malach H’. We must act with derech eretz.
Kol Berama
It appears the rabbi will be extradited to Israel. What will you tell your chassidim to do when he is brought for questioning by authorities?
R’ Arush
As I explained, we believe only acting with derech eretz, with tefilos and Yiras Shomayim. This is the only response to anything – with derech eretz. We must always act properly even if others do not. We must cry to Hashem.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Hashem Yerachem!!!
It’s so scary to watch so many of acheinu destroy another Yid on rumors!!!
Even if he had done the stuff where are the yiddisher rachmunis?
Even if someone murders someone bes din used to ask, who has any zechusim for this person, who 2 witnesses said they saw him kill someone and he was warned (Hasroah).
What they did and are doing to this Rabbi is straight out of the Nazi book.
Clearly it wasn’t your wife
The truth prevails in the end.
It seems to be the end of the line for him, time has come to face the music.
@y2r Yea – that was to avoid a death sentence this is a matter of getting the man before a judge…
Every person mentioned in this article needs to examine their yichus, from Berland down to y2r.
The nemanus of multiple Jewish women trumps his day long shmone esrais and weekend fasts.None of these public displays of piety are consistent with the public flight from justice that we have witnessed over the last few years.
His mafia threatened the life of south africas chief rabbi,a Jew whose reputation goes before him.
Chillul Hashem has only one rectification; I will shed no tears when we will be zoche to see this resolved in the way that arush is fearful of.
You should be ashamed to play the “Nazi” card in defense of someone who proclaims his innocence but refuses to comply with dina malchusa and provide sworn testimony in a legal investigation. The testimony of multiple witnesses against him deserves equal weighting with his assertions of innocence. Let him come back to EY, confront his accusers and demonstrate his innocence.
I am disappointed that my comment wasn’t posted
Mr Y2R, I understand your concerns. But we, as a society have to also be sensitive to the alleged victims, who, if everything they say is true, will suffer for years to come.
This is not guilty until proven innocent. There are courts that decide innocence. We do not have enough information to decide, and by leaving the country, R Berland removed the possibility (for now) of getting any clarity through the legal process.
I am not defending or accusing anyone, and would never chas vshalom want to hurt any party involved through this comment.