Eight Days Old • The Bris of the Great-Great-Grandson of the Gaon and Tzaddik

On Monday, the 17th of MarCheshvan, Parshas Chayei Sarah, a holy Bris (circumcision) ceremony was held for the great-great-grandson of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days). The baby is the son of Rabbi Naftali Hertz, son of Rabbi Nachman Goldschmidt shlit"a, who is the son-in-law of the Rav's eldest grandson — Rabbi Nachman Zucker shlit"a, the son-in-law of the Mashpia (spiritual mentor), the Chassid Rabbi Yehoshua Ber Rubinstein shlit"a.

The Bris ceremony took place in the holy residence of the Alter Zeide (great-great-grandfather), our teacher the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. At 10:48 AM, the Rav entered the ceremony. The honor of the Chair of Eliyahu was given to the great-grandfather — the Chassid Rabbi Yehoshua Ber Rubinstein shlit"a. The fifth-generation grandfather — our teacher the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, was honored with the Sandekaos (serving as the Sandek, the one who holds the baby during the circumcision). The work of the Milah (circumcision) was skillfully performed by the Mohel (ritual circumciser) Rabbi Chaim Elazar Brandsdorfer shlit"a. Standing for the blessings, the grandfather Rabbi Nachman Zucker shlit"a was honored. The blessings themselves were recited by the Rav shlit"a, and the baby was named in Israel: Natan, son of Rabbi Naftali Hertz, may his light shine. After the Bris, the Rav shlit"a sat on his holy chair in his residence for the Seudah (festive meal). Immediately following, he delivered a long Shiur (Torah lesson) lasting about fifty minutes. Here is a summary of the topics he spoke about during the Shiur: Eliyahu, the Angel of the Covenant — he said "They have forsaken Your covenant," and Hashem (God) asked him, "What are you doing here (poh), Eliyahu?" because he wanted to achieve the "mouth to mouth" (peh el peh) level that Moshe (Moses) merited. Hashem told him to go to all the circumcisions — whoever wants to merit the "mouth" of Moshe must be like a baby. The secrets of the Bris (covenant) are connected to the world of Akudim (a Kabbalistic realm of "bound" lights), as brought in the holy book Kerem Shlomo. "I was by day consumed by heat (chorev) and frost (kerach) by night" — a person must be like a flaming fire in the service of Hashem, and like ice (kerach) regarding physical desires. Shaul (Saul) ran sixty kilometers to bring the Ark of the Covenant, but lost the eternal kingship because he did not wait for Shmuel (Samuel) to offer the burnt offering before the war with Amalek. Yerovam (Jeroboam) asked "Who is at the head?" because a person is not ready to hear that he does Teshuvah (repentance) in the merit of the Tzaddik.

"Every thought of Teshuvah (repentance) that a person has is in the merit of the Tzaddik; everything a person has is all in the merit of the Tzaddik."

Avraham (Abraham) sent Eliezer even though he was against the Shidduch (marriage match) because he wanted to give his daughter to Yitzchak (Isaac) instead of Rivka (Rebecca), who came from a family of crime in the most impure city in the world. Eliezer did not understand how this could be the match, for he saw upon her — "v-kadah a-l sh-khemah" (and her pitcher was on her shoulder), an acronym hinting that Esav (Esau) would descend from her. In the merit of crying out to Hashem about the questions he had regarding the Tzaddik — Avraham Avinu (our forefather Abraham) — he merited to see that in addition to Esav, there is Yaakov (Jacob), which is hinted at in the Gematria (numerical value) of "macharish" (silent) — "Yaakov Esav." After he became "Blessed of Hashem," he thought to return to his home and now offer his daughter to Yitzchak because he had left the category of "cursed" — but Avraham told him, "You are 'blessed,' but your daughter is not 'blessed.'" "I did not laugh, for I was afraid" — the Heichel HaBracha (a Chassidic commentary) explains that she didn't actually laugh, but rather cried over the rejuvenation she received in her old age, because Sarah wanted to bring Yitzchak into the world without any physical desire. But truly, the main purpose of a person in his world is to fight against desires, because everything a person does affects the entire world.

"When a person closes his eyes [to forbidden sights], another ten thousand close their eyes; when a person does Teshuvah (repentance), another million do Teshuvah."

After the conclusion of the Shiur, which lasted about 50 minutes, the Rav shlit"a began singing 'Yom LeYabasha' (a song of redemption) 12 times, which lasted 23 minutes. Then he sang 'V'ra'eh Banim L'vanecha' (May you see children born to your children) for 34 minutes. It is worth noting the last ten minutes of the singing, during which the Rav was in a state of special chayus (vitality), lifting his holy hands in joy and clapping many times. At 12:45 PM, he instructed the grandfather, Rabbi Nachman Goldschmidt shlit"a, to lead the 'Nodeh L'shimcha' (we thank Your Name) and Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals) for the Bris Milah. For the 'HaRachaman' prayers, the Chassid Rabbi Shmuel Stern shlit"a, who participated in the Bris ceremony, was honored. At the conclusion of Birkat HaMazon, the Rav shlit"a blessed the participants of the ceremony and the Seudah (festive meal). At 12:55 PM, the ceremony and Seudah concluded after two hours and seven minutes, and the Rav shlit"a entered his inner sanctum.