"And Your Offspring Shall Possess the Gate of Their Enemies" • Extensive

Before you is an extensive report of the prayers and lessons that took place on the Holy Shabbat of Parshat Vayeira, 18th of MarCheshvan 5786, in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a:

The Holy Shabbat Night

At 16:15, the Rav shlit"a went out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha prayer of Erev Shabbat (Friday afternoon), resplendent in his Shabbat garments. They sang "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" (Light is sown for the righteous) for 18 minutes. Afterward, the Rav shlit"a recited Ashrei and stood for the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of the Erev Shabbat Mincha, he recited the Seder HaHisksherus (the order of connecting to the Tzaddik) word for word, with the entire congregation repeating after him. Following this, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (the Welcoming of Shabbat) with all the psalms, from "Lechu Neranena" to "Mizmor L'David." Afterward, he began the singing of "L'cha Dodi," which lasted about 26 minutes. He then recited "K'gavna" (a Kabbalistic prayer) and the Maariv prayer of Shabbat night with singing and melodies. At the end of Maariv, the Rav continued with the Zemiros (songs) for Shabbat night; the prayer concluded at 18:25 after two hours and ten minutes.

The Shacharit Prayer

The Rav shlit"a came out for the Shacharit (morning) prayer at 04:17, beginning with sections of the verses of Chatzos (midnight lamentations) that are customarily recited on Shabbat and holidays. The morning Zemiros and Korbanos (sacrificial readings) followed their usual order. At 05:10, he began reciting "Hodu L'Hashem Kir'u ViShmo" and the Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) as he does every Shabbat, with melodies and enthusiasm; during the singing of "Ki Chol Peh Lecha Yodeh" (For every mouth shall thank You), he prolonged the melody for about 5 minutes. The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei prayer at 06:20, after more than two hours of the Shacharit prayer. After the silent prayer, the Rav shlit"a entered his chamber for a break of about eleven minutes and then returned for the Chazarat HaShatz (the cantor's repetition of the Amidah).

The Torah Reading

After the conclusion of Chazarat HaShatz, they began the opening of the Ark, sang "Yehei Ra'ava" (May it be the Will), and took out the Torah scroll. The Rav shlit"a began the Torah reading for Parshat "Lech-Lecha." One after another, those celebrating special occasions and those observing Yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing) were called up, having merited to stand beside the Rav shlit"a during the prayer. During the Torah reading, one could observe the self-sacrifice of the Tzaddik; although he had been under medical supervision all week, he returned to spend Shabbat with Anash (our community of followers). However, his great weakness was evident time and again, most notably in the middle of the Torah reading in Chapter 20 of Parshat "Lech-Lecha." The Rav instructed Rabbi Moshe Galinsky, who was called to the Torah in honor of the birth of his grandson—the son of Rabbi Nachman Galinsky and a great-grandson of the Rav shlit"a. After the conclusion of the Torah reading, a Bar Mitzvah boy read the Haftarah (prophetic portion); the Torah reading and the Haftarah together lasted about an hour.

The Musaf Prayer and Kiddusha Rabba

At the conclusion of the Haftarah reading, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Zera Chaya VeKayama" (Living and enduring offspring); the Rav did not prolong it. Afterward, he stood for the Musaf prayer and at 07:50 approached the Musaf service. After the Chazarat HaShatz, he concluded the prayer immediately after Barechu due to his weakness. He recited Kiddush over the cup for Kiddusha Rabba (the daytime Shabbat meal) and delivered a lesson (shiur) for about 2 minutes.

At 08:10, he entered his holy home after nearly four hours (3:53) that we merited to experience Shacharit, the Torah reading, Musaf, and the lesson at Kiddusha Rabba together with the Rav shlit"a.

The Mincha Prayer

At 16:36, the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat on the balcony of his home and began the singing of "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" for 7 minutes. Afterward, he recited Kaddish, and they opened the Ark with the singing of "Yehei Ra'ava" for about 5 minutes. Then the Rav shlit"a read from the Torah—Parshat Chayei Sarah—for three people called to the Torah. This was followed by the Shemoneh Esrei prayer for the Shabbat Mincha.

Re'ua D'Re'uin

At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer at 17:07, while in his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the Third Meal (Shalosh Seudos). As is his holy custom, with the first Kezayit (olive-sized portion of bread), he began the Third Meal Zemiros for about 22 minutes. At the conclusion of the Zemiros, he prolonged the singing of "Yah Ribbon" (G-d, Master of the world) for a very long time—about 57 minutes! Afterward, there was the singing of "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem, they found grace in the wilderness) for 4 minutes, as well as the singing of "Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'uraich" (I remember the kindness of your youth) for one minute, and he prolonged the singing of "Ad Heina" (Until now) for 10 minutes. After the singing, the Rav shlit"a began "Tzur Mishelo Achalnu" and led the Zimun (invitation to Grace After Meals) over a cup of wine.

Maariv and Havdalah

Close to 19:00, immediately after the Grace After Meals, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Lamnatzeach Binginos" for 10 minutes. After the singing concluded, the Rav shlit"a continued with the Maariv prayer of the conclusion of Shabbat with melodies and a blazing fire. After the Shemoneh Esrei, he recited the order of "Vayehi Noam," prolonging the singing of "Baruch Hu" (Blessed is He) for 10 minutes, and the singing of "Hu Yiftach" (He will open) for an additional 7 minutes, after which he concluded the Maariv prayer in its order. Before Havdalah, the Rav shlit"a's great weakness was again evident as he entered for an additional break of about fifteen minutes, after which, to the joy of the holy congregation, he returned and performed Havdalah over the cup with the singing of "Layehudim" (For the Jews there was light).

At the Conclusion of the Day of Rest

After Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melaveh Malkah—this is the meal of David, the King Mashiach. The Rav shlit"a sang all the Zemiros for Melaveh Malkah together with the entire congregation. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a lesson for about 17 minutes from the holy book Chayei Moharan (The Life of Rebbe Nachman). After the lesson, the Rav continued the Zemiros of "Eliyahu HaNavi" and "Ribbon Kol HaOlamim," and afterward, the Rav led the Zimun over the cup. At the conclusion of the Grace After Meals, the Rav delivered another lesson in which he instructed the order of study for this night. At 20:50, he entered his holy home. This followed a duration of over four hours (4:14) that we merited to be together with him from the Mincha prayer, the Third Meal, Maariv, and Melaveh Malkah.

In total, the entire Shabbat lasted about 10 hours and 17 minutes during which we merited to take shelter in the holy shadow of the Tzaddik on the Holy Shabbat of Parshat Vayeira, 17th of MarCheshvan 5786.