Each Man by His Own Camp and Each Man by His Own Standard • Shabbos Bamidbar in

Also on Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar 5784, we merited an uplifting Shabbos in the shadow of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Before you is the full report of the prayers, lessons, and meals in the holy shadow:

On Erev Shabbos Kodesh (Friday afternoon before the holy Sabbath), the Rav came out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer about five minutes before candle lighting at 19:10 and began singing "Or Zarua" for twenty-five minutes with great vitality. After the singing, the Mincha prayer was held. At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer, he recited the Seder HaHisksherus (order of spiritual connection) — "I thank You for setting my portion..." "I hereby hand over..." "I hereby connect..." Our teacher the Rav shlit"a says it word for word, and everyone repeats after him. Afterward, the Rav began Kabbalas Shabbos (the service welcoming the Sabbath) with "Lechu Neranena," psalm after psalm with vitality and all the fire, life, and bren (burning passion). He then began the pleasant singing of "Lecha Dodi," which lasted about forty-two minutes, repeating all the sections again and again with immense vitality. After the conclusion of "Lecha Dodi," the Rav continued the prayer in its order, the Maariv (evening) prayer with all the melodies in the Shuvu Banim style at the peak of vitality and joy. At the end of Maariv, Sefiras HaOmer (the Counting of the Omer) was performed — the awesome count of "Netzach shebeMalchus" (Victory within Sovereignty). After the Counting of the Omer, the Rav shlit"a concluded the prayer with the singing of "Adon Olam" and "Yigdal Elokim Chai." Afterward, the Zemiros (Sabbath songs) for the holy Sabbath were added, which the Rav shlit"a is accustomed to saying together with the public — "Shalom Aleichem," "Ribon Kol HaOlamim," and "Eshet Chayil." He entered his holy home at 22:30 after a Friday night prayer service that lasted over three hours.

On the morning of the Sabbath day, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer at 05:00, about half an hour before Netz HaChamah (sunrise). Our teacher the Rav shlit"a immediately wrapped himself in a Tallis (prayer shawl) and then began the Shacharis (morning) prayer in its order, starting from Tikkun Chatzos (Midnight Lamentation) — Tikkun Leah, the morning Zemiros, Korbanos (sacrificial readings), and Pesukei D'Zimra (Verses of Praise) with melodies and great vitality. A special lengthiness occurred this Shabbos, something that hasn't happened for a long time during Shabbos in the holy shadow, during the singing of "Legozer Yam Suf Ligezarim Ki Le'olam Chasdo" (To Him who divided the Red Sea into parts, for His kindness is eternal); the Rav repeated this melody for 13 minutes. Afterward, the lengthiness continued in "Nishmat Kol Chai" during the singing of "Ki Chol Peh" (For every mouth) for about five minutes, as well as the stirring melody of "Ein Aruch Lecha" (There is none comparable to You) for about ten minutes of immense dveykus (spiritual attachment). Only two and a half hours after the start of the Shacharis prayer, at 07:30, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent Amidah prayer). After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz (cantor's repetition), the Rav shlit"a began the Torah reading for Parshas Bechukosai. On this Shabbos as well, there were many who were called up to the Torah for various celebrations and yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing), and as is his holy custom, the Rav shlit"a himself calls up guests and those close to him for the Torah reading, which lasted about half an hour.

The Rav sang "Zera Chaya VeKayama" (Living and enduring offspring) for about ten minutes. Afterward, the Rav sang "Ki Lekach Tov" and they returned the Torah scroll to the Ark. At 08:00, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Musaf (additional) prayer. After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz for Musaf, he finished the prayer in its order, from "Kaveh el Hashem" until after "Aneim Zemiros" and "Adon Olam." At the conclusion of the prayer, our teacher the Rav shlit"a made Kiddush (sanctification over wine) and delivered a lesson for about a minute. After the lesson, at 08:20, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home after nearly three and a half hours of Shacharis prayer, Torah reading, Musaf, and the lesson.

At 19:40, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the holy Sabbath on the balcony of his home. He immediately said Kaddish and began the recitation of "Berich Shmeih" and the singing of "Yehei Ra'ava" for a few minutes. Afterward, he read from the Torah — Parshas Bamidbar — for three people called to the Torah. Immediately following was the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, and at the conclusion of the Sabbath Mincha prayer, which lasted about twenty minutes, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for Seudah Shlishis (the Third Meal) at his place on the balcony. As is his holy custom, he began with the first Kazayis (olive-sized portion) and started the Seudah Shlishis Zemiros for about twenty minutes. Afterward, he sang "Yah Ribon" for twenty minutes, with the large crowd repeating mainly the verse "Ravrevin Ovdech VeTakifin" (How great and mighty are Your works) dozens of times. He then continued with the singing of "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem: He found grace in the wilderness) for about twelve minutes, and then moved to the singing of "Koh Amar Zacharti Lach Chesed Neurayich" (Thus says Hashem: I remembered for you the kindness of your youth) for eighteen minutes. Before Birkat HaMazon (Grace after Meals), as is the Breslov Chassidic custom on Shabbos Mevarchim (the Sabbath when the new month is blessed), they sang "Yechadeshu" with a Breslov melody, and afterward, the Rav shlit"a led the Zimmun (invitation to Grace) over a cup of wine.

At 20:45, he began the singing of "Lamnatzeach BiNeginos" for 7 minutes. Afterward, he started the Maariv prayer for the conclusion of the Sabbath with melodies. After Maariv, during the recitation of "Vayehi Noam," our teacher the Rav shlit"a extended the singing of "Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo" (Blessed is He, our G-d, who created us for His glory) for about ten minutes with great length. After the conclusion of the prayer, Sefiras HaOmer was performed for the day of "Hod shebeYesod" (Splendor within Foundation), with all the melodies, vitality, singing, and tunes.

At the conclusion, the Rav performed Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of the Sabbath) with the singing of "Layehudim Haysa Ora..." (The Jews had light...) for several minutes. Immediately after Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melaveh Malkah — this is the meal of David the King, the Mashiach. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang all the Zemiros with vitality and a special pleasantness. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a lesson for eighteen minutes! He spoke on the greatness of traveling to the tomb of Yosef HaTzaddik (Joseph the Righteous) in preparation for the day of Yesod shebeYesod, and many other topics. He entered his holy home at 23:25 after a duration of three hours and forty-five minutes that we merited to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer until the end of Melaveh Malkah. In total, we merited about nine and a half hours in the holy shadow over the course of Shabbos Bamidbar, 2nd of Sivan 5784.