He is our Rebbe, the Source of Wisdom • The Hiloula of Tens of Thousands for the

The Shuvu Banim website continues its coverage of the Sukkot holiday in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days):

Song and dancing at the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah (water-drawing celebration) in honor of our Holy Rebbe ○ Words of the Living G-d regarding the virtue and greatness of our Holy Rebbe ○ Tens of thousands at the Hiloula (anniversary of passing) ceremony ○ 214 years since his histalkus (passing away)

18 Tishrei 5785, the Hiloula of the Light of Lights, our Holy Rebbe, the "Flowing Stream, Source of Wisdom," Rebbe Nachman of Breslov zy"a (may his merit protect us). As in every year, this year too the great Hiloula took place across the world with the participation of thousands from all over the country and the world at the Hiloula ceremony led by the Rav (Rabbi Berland) shlit"a.

Like last year, this year the Hiloula took place on the streets of Shivtei Yisrael/HaChoma HaShlishit by the "Union of Breslov Chassidim" in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality and the office of Rabbi Chaim Brim of "Agudat Yisrael." Starting from 11:00 PM on Motzaei Shabbat Kodesh (Saturday night), thousands of people from all over the country began filling and crowding all the streets. Alongside the Hiloula seudah (festive meal) held by the "Shuvu Banim - Nechamat Zion" institutions together with the man of kindness Rabbi Binyamin Dapan, the masses began singing and dancing in honor of our Holy Rebbe.

The joy intensified even more with the arrival of the Rav shlit"a slightly after 1:00 AM. At first, they sang soulful songs, and afterwards, the Rav shlit"a delivered the Hiloula address—a holy fire discourse for over twenty minutes on the power and virtue of our Holy Rebbe zy"a and his actions in the world even after his passing, and on the importance of studying Gemara (Talmud) which is the essence of our Holy Rebbe. Here is a segment from the class (courtesy of the 'Shavivei Or' system):

For the Rebbe says: I can take away a person's choice (free will) entirely; when a person comes to me, I take away his choice. And this is what is brought in Sichos HaRan (Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom), that when we come to Rebbe Nachman, we see that our choice disappears. It is written in Sichos HaRan 124, that whoever truly and simply believes in every word of Rebbe Nachman, then he truly sees that the Rebbe takes away his choice completely—there is no choice. The first thing is the study of Gemara (Talmud)!

After the class, the Rav shlit"a began the "Song of Friendship" by the holy Chassid Rabbi Yitzchak Breiter hy"d (may Hashem avenge his blood), and at the conclusion of the singing, the dancing continued with even greater strength, as joy burst from the hearts of the thousands. The joy is indescribable, especially when the Rav shlit"a himself stood up to dance and rejoice in honor of our Holy Rebbe. Over two hours of dancing with vitality and enthusiasm, as the massive crowd—elders alongside children—broke into stormy circles with infinite joy. Indeed, regarding this joy it is said: "One who has not seen this joy has never seen joy in his life."

A few minutes after 4:00 AM, the Rav shlit"a recited Kaddish for Israel for the elevation of the soul of his father, Reb Chaim son of Reb Eliezer z"l (of blessed memory), whose yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) falls on this day, and he departed to the sound of the thousands singing "Light is sown for the Tzaddik, and for the upright of heart, joy," returning to his holy home.

It should be noted that even after the Rav shlit"a returned home, the dancing continued with even more vigor, both at the Hiloula site and afterwards in our Beit Midrash (study hall) until the first light of dawn, at which point they began the Shacharit (morning) prayer of Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival) in our Beit Midrash.

Here is a magnificent photo gallery (Shuvu Banim website, Itchadshut bulletin):