“And they blessed the people

Also on Shabbat Shemini, Parshas HaChodesh – Blessing the month of Nissan 5784, we merited an uplifting Shabbat in the presence of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Here is the full report of the prayers, lessons, and meals in the holy presence:

On Friday afternoon, the Rav came out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer about an hour before sunset, at 18:06. He began with the song "Or Zarua" (Light is sown for the righteous) for about twenty-five minutes with great vitality. This was followed by the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of Mincha, he recited the order of *hiskashrus* (spiritual connection to the Tzaddik): "I thank You for setting my portion...", "I hereby hand over...", "I hereby connect...". Our teacher the Rav shlit"a said it word for word with everyone repeating after him. Afterward, the Rav began Kabbalas Shabbat (the service welcoming the Sabbath) with "Lechu Neranena," psalm after psalm with all the fire and *bren* (passion). Then he began the pleasant singing of "Lecha Dodi," which lasted about thirty-two minutes. The Rav then continued the prayer as usual, Maariv (evening prayer) with all the melodies in the Shuvu Banim style. After Maariv, the Rav shlit"a sang the Shabbat night *zemiros* (songs) before Kiddush. At the end of the songs, he returned to his holy home at 20:40 to the tune of "Savianu MiTuvecha" (Satisfy us from Your goodness), after two and a half hours of Mincha, Kabbalas Shabbat, Maariv, and Shabbat songs.

On Shabbat morning, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer at 4:40. The Rav said the Torah blessings and began the Shacharis (morning) prayer in order, starting from Tikkun Chatzos (midnight lamentations) – Tikkun Leah, the *Korbanos* (sacrificial readings), and *Pesukei D'Zimra* (verses of praise) with melodies and great vitality; there was no special lengthiness in the psalms this Shabbat. Exactly before "Baruch She'amar," the time for *Tallis* (prayer shawl) arrived, and the Rav shlit"a blessed over the Tallis. They brought him a new Tallis, and he recited three blessings: *Malbish Arumim* (Who clothes the naked), *L'hisatef BaTallis* (to wrap oneself in the Tallis), and of course, the *Shehecheyanu* blessing (Who has kept us alive). It should be noted that the Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (silent prayer) exactly at *Netz HaChama* (sunrise). After the conclusion of the Cantor's repetition, the Rav shlit"a began the Torah reading from two scrolls: Parshas Shemini and Parshas HaChodesh. This lasted over fifty minutes, as the *ba'alei simcha* (celebrants) and those observing *yahrtzeits* (anniversaries of passing) went up one after another—over thirty people received an *aliya* (call to the Torah). The Rav shlit"a also called up guests and those close to the inner circle. Upon finishing the reading of the first portion, they brought the second Torah scroll for Parshas HaChodesh. It should be noted that our teacher the Rav shlit"a read the *Haftarah* (prophetic reading) this week. After the Torah reading, the Rav sang "Zera Chaya V'Kayama" (viable offspring) for about ten minutes and performed the *Birkat HaChodesh* (Blessing of the New Month). The Rav shlit"a announced that at the *Molad* (birth of the new moon), which will take place on Monday at 23:36 and 7 parts, everyone should recite the Tikkun HaKlali (The General Rectification). An interesting innovation this *Shabbat Mevarchim* (Shabbat of blessing the month) was that the Rav did not sing the melody for the blessing of the month in his usual holy way with the wedding melody, but rather with the "Yechadeshu" melody sung in Breslov during the Third Meal of Shabbat Mevarchim. At the conclusion of the blessing of the month, he sang "Ki Lekach Tov." The Rav shlit"a stood for the Musaf prayer around 07:30 and finished the prayer in order, from "Kaveh El Hashem" until after "Anim Zemiros." Afterward, he added the ten psalms established by our holy Rebbe to be said—the Tikkun HaKlali—in a pleasant melody. At the conclusion, our teacher the Rav shlit"a made Kiddush over a cup of wine and delivered a lesson for about twenty-three minutes. As remembered, last Shabbat as well, the lengthiness was mainly after the Torah reading. Only at 08:25 did our teacher the Rav shlit"a enter his holy home after nearly four hours (3:45) of Shacharis, Torah reading, Musaf, and the lesson.

At 19:25, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the holy Shabbat on his balcony. He immediately said Kaddish and began saying "Berich Shmeih" and singing "Yehei Ra'ava" (May it be the will) for about 5 minutes. Afterward, he read from the Torah—Parshas Tazria—for three people called up. An interesting anecdote occurred during the Torah reading: for the *Kohen* aliya, R' Avraham Zeevi went up; a daughter had been born to him that Shabbat morning in a good and auspicious hour, and he managed to arrive from the hospital (in Jerusalem) for Mincha with the Rav to name her just a few hours after the birth. The Rav shlit"a gave the name and began singing "Tlay Ay Lay..." for five minutes over and over... with such vitality that it is impossible to describe! Immediately after, the Shemoneh Esrei prayer took place. At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer, while still on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the three meals and immediately began conducting the *Shulchan Tahor* (pure table) of the Third Meal. In his holy way, he began with the first *kezayit* (olive-sized piece of bread) during the Third Meal songs for about twenty minutes. Afterward, he sang "Yah Ribon" (Master of the World) for half an hour, repeating all the awesome stanzas of this hidden song dozens of times. He then continued with the song "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem, he found grace in the wilderness) for about two minutes, followed by the song "Koh Amar Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'urayich" (Thus says Hashem, I remember for you the kindness of your youth) for about fifteen minutes. At the conclusion of the singing at 21:05, the Rav shlit"a led the *Zimun* (invitation to grace) over a cup of wine with *Sheva Brachos* (Seven Blessings) for the groom R' Natan, son of R' Aharon Brand, and the groom R' Yitzchak Kaufman. After the Grace After Meals, he began singing "Lamnatzeach Binginos" for fifteen minutes with great vitality. Then the Rav began the Maariv prayer for the conclusion of Shabbat with melodies. After Maariv, during the saying of "Vihi Noam," our teacher the Rav shlit"a lengthened the singing of "Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo" (Blessed is our G-d who created us for His glory) for 10 minutes.

After Maariv, the Rav performed *Havdalah* (ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) with the song "Layehudim Hayesa Ora..." (The Jews had light...). Immediately after Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for *Melaveh Malkah* (the meal accompanying the departing Queen)—this is the meal of David the King, Mashiach. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang all the songs with special vitality and pleasantness. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a fifteen-minute lesson from the holy book *Chayei Moharan* (The Life of Our Teacher Rebbe Nachman); he spoke mainly about the conversation where Rebbe Nachman, on his wedding day, grabbed R' Shimon and ran with him to the field. After the songs, he led the *Zimun* over a cup of wine with *Sheva Brachos* for the aforementioned grooms. He entered his holy home at 22:50 after a duration of three hours and twenty-five minutes that we merited to be with him continuously from the Mincha prayer until the end of Melaveh Malkah. In total, throughout the Shabbat, we merited about nine hours and forty minutes in the holy presence on Shabbat Shemini, 27th of Adar II, 5784.

A good week and a good month to all the House of Israel!

Photos courtesy of the Hitchadshus Bulletin: