If You Walk In My Statutes • Shabbat Bechukosai in the Shadow of the Gaon and

Also on Shabbat Parshas Bechukosai - Chazak (the conclusion of the book of Leviticus) - Blessing the month of Sivan 5784, we merited an uplifting Shabbat 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 Friday afternoon, the Rav went out for the Mincha prayer about five minutes before candle lighting at 19:10 and began singing "Ohr Zarua" (Light is sown for the righteous) 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 order of connection (prayers to connect one's soul to the Tzaddikim): "I thank You for setting my portion..." "I hereby hand over," "I hereby connect." Our teacher the Rav shlit"a says every word, and everyone repeats after him. Afterward, the Rav began Kabbalas Shabbos (the service welcoming the Sabbath) with "Lechu Neranena," psalm after psalm with all the fire, vitality, and bren (burning enthusiasm). 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 as usual, Maariv (evening prayer) with all the melodies in the Shuvu Banim nusach (prayer style) at the peak of vitality and joy. At the end of Maariv, Sefiras HaOmer (the counting of the Omer) was performed—the awesome counting of "Netzach shebeYesod" (Endurance within Foundation). After the counting of the Omer, the Rav shlit"a concluded the prayer with the singing of "Adon Olam" and "Yigdal Elokim Chai." Afterward, Sabbath songs were added which the Rav shlit"a customarily recites together with the public—"Shalom Aleichem," "Ribon Kol HaOlamim," and "Eshes Chayil." He entered his holy home at 22:05 after a Friday night prayer service that lasted nearly three hours (2:55)..

On Shabbat morning, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer at 05:00, about half an hour before sunrise. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a immediately wrapped himself in a Tallit and then began the Shacharis (morning) prayer in order, starting from Tikkun Chatzos (midnight lamentations)—Tikkun Leah, the morning songs, Korbanos (sacrificial readings), and Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) with melodies and great vitality. A special lengthiness occurred this Shabbat, something not seen for a long time during Sabbaths in the holy shadow, during the singing of "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 "Nishmas Kol Chai" during the singing of "For every mouth" for about five minutes, as well as the stirring melody of "There is none like You" for about ten minutes of immense d'veikus (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 prayer. After the conclusion of the Cantor's repetition, the Rav shlit"a began the Torah reading for Parshas Bechukosai. On this Shabbat as well, there were many who were called up for the reading due to various celebrations and yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing), and as is his holy custom, the Rav shlit"a personally calls up guests and those close to him for the Torah reading, which lasted about half an hour. For the final Aliya—the "Chazak" Aliya—our teacher the Rav shlit"a went up to the Torah, and the roar of "Chazak Chazak VeNisChazek" (Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened) was heard from afar..

The Rav sang "Zera Chaya VeKayama" (Living and enduring offspring) for about ten minutes. At the conclusion of the song, the Rav shlit"a recited the blessing for the new month, announcing that the time of the Molad (new moon) would be on Thursday night—the eve of Rosh Chodesh Sivan—at 1:04 and nine parts. The Rav shlit"a requested that at this hour, everyone should travel to the tomb of the Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) in Meron. Afterward, the blessing of the month continued with the stirring melody used for weddings; our teacher the Rav shlit"a says "Oy oy, for good and for blessing..." and everyone repeats after him with vitality and very great awakening.

Afterward, the Rav sang "Ki Lekach Tov" (For I have given you a good teaching) and they returned the Torah scroll to the Ark. At 08:45, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Musaf prayer. After the conclusion of the Cantor's repetition of Musaf, he finished the prayer in order, from "Kaveh El Hashem" until after "Anim Zemiros" and "Adon Olam." At the end of the prayer, our teacher the Rav shlit"a made Kiddush (sanctification over wine) and delivered a shiur (lesson) for about a minute. After the shiur, at 09:05, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home after nearly four hours (3:55) of Shacharis, Torah reading, Musaf, and the shiur.

At 19:40, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the holy Shabbat on the balcony of his home, and immediately said Kaddish and began saying "Berich Shmeih" and singing "Yehei Ra'ava" for a few minutes. Afterward, he read from the Torah—Parshas Bamidbar—with three people called up. Immediately following was the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, and at the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer, which lasted about twenty minutes, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the Third Meal (Seudah Shlishis) at his place on the balcony. As is his holy custom, he began with the first "kezayit" (olive-sized portion of bread) and started the Third Meal songs for about twenty minutes. After them, he sang "Yah Ribbon" for twenty minutes, with the large crowd repeating mainly the verse "Ravrevin Ovadach VeTakifin" (Great and mighty are Your works) dozens of times. He then continued with the song "Thus says Hashem: The people... found grace in the wilderness" for about twelve minutes, then moved to the song "Thus says Hashem: I remember for you the kindness of your youth" for eighteen minutes. Before the Grace After Meals, as is the custom of Breslov Chassidim on the Shabbat when the new month is blessed, they sang "Yechadeshu" (May He renew it) with a Breslov melody, and afterward the Rav shlit"a led the Zimmun (invitation to Grace) over a cup of wine.

At 21:10, he began the singing of "Lamnatzeach Binginos" for 7 minutes. Afterward, he began the Maariv prayer for the conclusion of Shabbat with melodies. After Maariv, during the recitation of "Vayehi Noam," our teacher the Rav shlit"a lengthened the singing of "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—"Hod shebeYesod" (Splendor within Foundation)—with all the melodies, vitality, singing, and tunes.

At the conclusion, the Rav performed Havdalah (the separation ceremony) with the singing of "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, Mashiach. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang all the songs with vitality and a special pleasantness. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a shiur (lesson) for eighteen minutes! He spoke about 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 during which 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 during Shabbat Bechukosai, 24th of Iyar, 5784.

Photos courtesy of the Hischadshus Bulletin: