And Moses Blessed Them • Shabbat Parshat Pekudei-Chazak in the Shadow of the

In His great mercy, even this Shabbat—Parshat Pekudei-Chazak 5784—despite the health condition of the Rav shlit"a (may he live long and good days), we merited an uplifting Shabbat in the shadow of our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Before you is the full report:

On Friday afternoon, the Rav went out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer at 17:27, about fifteen minutes after candle lighting, and began singing "Or Zarua" (Light is sown for the righteous) for about 20 minutes, followed by the Mincha prayer. We must note that during the singing, the Rav shlit"a, despite his great pain and suffering in his leg, did not take anything into account; he jumped and danced like David in his time before the Ark of the Covenant. It was with a vitality and immense joy that was not of this world! At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer, the Seder HaHishtakrut (order of spiritual connection) was recited according to the version composed by our teacher, the Rav shlit"a. Afterward, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming the Sabbath) with "Lechu Neranena" and all the psalms. "Lecha Dodi" (Come my beloved) lasted a very long time, more than usual—about fifty minutes! Just "Lecha Dodi" together with our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, and the public with a vitality and enthusiasm that is beyond compare. Afterward, the Rav continued the prayer as usual, Arvit (evening prayer) with all the melodies in the Shuvu Banim style. After Ma'ariv (evening prayer), the Rav shlit"a sang the Zemiros (songs) for Friday night before Kiddush. At the end of the songs, he entered his home to the song of "Sabeinu MiTuvecha" (Satisfy us from Your goodness). After two hours and twenty minutes of the Friday night prayer, he returned to his holy home at 20:10, after a total of two hours and forty-three minutes.

On Shabbat morning, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer at 4:47, with the Shacharit (morning) prayer lasting over two hours and ten minutes, starting from Tikkun Chatzos (Midnight Lament), wrapping in the Tallit (prayer shawl), Korbanot (sacrificial readings), and Pesukei D'Zimra (Verses of Praise) with melodies and great vitality. Despite the Rav's medical condition as published here—which was difficult throughout the week—the Rav shlit"a does not give himself rest; he stands and sings along with all the melodies with enthusiasm. Pesukei D'Zimra, as their name implies, are for singing and praising Hashem (the Blessed One). This Shabbat, the songs in which the Rav prolonged more than usual were prominent: the singing of "Legozer Yam Suf Legzarim" (To Him who divided the Red Sea into parts) before Baruch She'amar for about 5 minutes; "Ki Chol Peh Lecha Yodeh" (For every mouth shall thank You) in Nishmat Kol Chai, where he prolonged the thanksgiving in song and joy for about ten minutes with immense vitality. And if that were not enough, then during the verses of "Yotzer Or" (Creator of Light), in the song "Ein Aruch Lecha" (There is none to be compared to You), there was an awakening that the heart could almost not contain; the Rav shlit"a repeated it again and again, and his eyes became a fountain of tears of longing and yearning. Ahhh, it is impossible to describe or estimate. The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (silent prayer) only at 6:40—nearly an hour after sunrise. After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz (cantor's repetition), the Rav shlit"a began the Torah reading, which lasted over forty minutes. One after another, the Ba'alei Simcha (those celebrating) and those observing Yahrtzeits (anniversary of passing) went up—over twenty-five Aliyos (Torah honors). Additionally, the Rav shlit"a called up guests from out of town who merited to spend Shabbat here. With the conclusion of the Book of Exodus, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, instructed everyone to roar "Chazak Chazak VeNisChazek" (Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened) so that they would hear it until Uman... in his words. Indeed, there is no doubt that the roar echoed as far as the walls of Jerusalem. It should be noted that the Haftarah (prophetic reading) was read by the Bar Mitzvah boy, David, may his light shine, son of Rabbi Natan Tifilinsky shlit"a.

After the Torah reading, the Rav sang "Zera Chaya VeKayama" (Living and enduring offspring) for about seven minutes. The Rav shlit"a then stood for the Musaf (additional) prayer at 07:00. He finished the prayer in order, from "Kaveh El Hashem" (Hope to Hashem) until after "Anim Zemirot." Afterward, he added the recitation of the ten psalms that our Holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman) instituted to say—The Tikkun HaKlali—with melody and pleasantness. At the conclusion, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, made Kiddush over the cup and delivered a lesson for about fifteen minutes. At 08:23, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, entered his holy home after three and a half hours of Shacharit, Torah reading, Musaf, and the lesson.

After the prayer, two Brit Milahs (circumcisions) took place at the residence of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, one after the other. The first Brit was for the son of Rabbi Mordechai Chilo, son-in-law of Rabbi Chanan Vaknin of the Shuvu Banim community in Hadera. His name in Israel was called David. Afterward, the Brit for the son of Rabbi Yaakov Raz; his name in Israel was called Yehuda. May it be His will that just as they merited to enter the covenant on the knees of the Tzaddik, so may they merit to enter into Torah, the wedding canopy, and good deeds.

An interesting event occurred this Shabbat: during the afternoon of Shabbat, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, did not feel well. Upon the recommendation of his personal doctor, the Rav shlit"a intended not to go down to the synagogue, because his great self-sacrifice for the public every Shabbat takes a toll on his health. One of the Gabbaim (attendants) took initiative and suggested to the Rav that he go out to the balcony of his home, where the Arvit prayer is held every day, and there we would merit the time of "Ra'ava D'Ra'avin" (the most auspicious time of Shabbat afternoon). In his great mercy, we merited that our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, agreed to this, and at 17:50, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, entered for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat on his balcony, after singing "Baruch Hu" (Blessed is He) for about 3 minutes. He read from the Torah—Parshat Vayikra—with three people called up. Immediately afterward, the Shemoneh Esrei was recited. At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer, in his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the Three Meals (Seudah Shlishit). He immediately began conducting the pure table of the Third Meal. Of course, when the Rav shlit"a is above, he does not distribute shirayim (leftovers) because the students are not close to him. Therefore, according to his holy custom for many years, he immediately began the Zemiros of the Third Meal for about twenty minutes. After them, he sang "Yah Ribon" (G-d, Master of the world) for thirty-five minutes! Despite his great weakness, the Rav strengthened himself to prolong the singing while standing the entire time. He repeatedly returned to the stirring passage "Ravaverin Ovadach VeTakifin... Machich Ramaya VeZakif Kefifin" (How great and mighty are Your works... He lowers the haughty and straightens the bent)!! Afterward, he continued with the song "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem, he found grace in the wilderness) for about ten minutes. At the end of the singing, the Rav shlit"a made the blessing over the cup (Zimmun) at 19:12. After the Grace After Meals, he began singing "Lamnatzeach Binginot" for 7 minutes. At the conclusion, the Rav started the Arvit prayer for the conclusion of Shabbat with melodies. After Ma'ariv, during the saying of "Vihi Noam," our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, prolonged the singing of "Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo" (Blessed is our G-d who created us for His glory) again for 35 minutes! There was a special vitality and joy that has not been remembered for many Shabbats.

After Ma'ariv, the Rav performed Havdalah (separation ceremony) with the singing of "Layehudim Hayta Ora..." (The Jews had light...). Immediately after Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melaveh Malkah—this is the meal of David, the King Mashiach. Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, sang all the Zemiros with special vitality and pleasantness. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a lesson from the holy book "Chayei Moharan" and spoke mainly about the matter of the 7th of Adar, the Yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher), and the obligation to travel to Meron, where the revelation of Moshe Rabbeinu occurs on the 7th of Adar, as he stated this past Thursday. After the songs, he made the blessing over the cup. He entered his holy home at 21:07 after a long duration of four hours and thirteen minutes that we merited to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer until the end of Melaveh Malkah. In total, throughout the Shabbat, we spent about ten hours and forty minutes in the holy shadow on Shabbat Pekudei, 6th of Adar II, 5784. It should be noted that the Rav shlit"a entered his home in the approaching Purim atmosphere with the singing of "Layehudim, Layehudim Hayta Ora VeSimcha VeSasson ViYkar..."!

A good week to all the house of Israel!

During Mayim Acharonim (final waters) of the Third Meal:

During the Arvit prayer on the conclusion of the Holy Shabbat:

During Havdalah:

During the Fourth Meal (Melaveh Malkah):

In Dveikus (spiritual attachment):

During the lesson on Chayei Moharan at Melaveh Malkah:

Starting the six days of the week for us: