Lesson for the "Shuvu Banim" Synagogue Kollel at the Residence of the Gaon and

During the week of Parshas Yitro, on the night of the 22nd of Shevat 5784, our teacher, the holy Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days), delivered his lesson in his holy residence to our community members—approximately forty avreichim (married Torah students) who diligently study in our Beis Medrash (study hall) "Shuvu Banim" on Iddo HaNavi Street.

Before you is a summary of the lesson that the Rav shlit"a delivered to the avreichim of the Kollel:

The Rav began the lesson regarding the weekly Torah portion—the receiving of the Torah. Afterward, he discussed the matter of the blasphemer and the inner dimension of these things: that he actually made a puncture, a hole, from the world of Asiyah (Action) to Atzilus (Emanation). His intention was that they should see Atzilus through Asiyah, which is out of the proper order.

Afterward, he dealt with the matter of the Generation of the Desert, who were on the level of Leah, which is higher than Rachel. Therefore, they did not enter the Land of Israel, which is in the aspect of Rachel. In truth, they needed to descend from their level like Yehoshua (Joshua) and Kalev (Caleb), who acted with humility and merited to enter the Land of Israel. Moving from one topic to another, he brought the novel insight of the Baal HaTurim: when Pharaoh asked Moses, "Who and who are going?" he was saying to him, "Behold, I see that only Yehoshua bin Nun and Kalev ben Yefuneh are the only ones who will enter the Land of Israel," and he hinted at this to him through Gematria (numerical value), as "Mi u'mi haholchim" (Who and who are going) has the same numerical value as "Kalev u'Ben Nun."

Then he discussed the matter of Korach, who, despite being a righteous and perfect man, disagreed with Moses. He spoke about the verse "The wisdom of women builds her house," which is said regarding On ben Peles, and said that women possess temimus (earnestness/simplicity), and therefore they did not sin with the Golden Calf, nor with the Spies, nor in the dispute of Korach. Likewise, he spoke of the mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) of the frogs, who are considered alive to this day in the merit of jumping into the ovens of the Egyptians. The Rav shlit"a said that whoever jumps into the ovens lives forever. The Rav also said that prayer with melodies is prophecy, and he spoke about the importance of prayer with melodies.

Toward the end of the lesson, he dealt with Sugyos (Talmudic topics) of the Shas (Talmud), which were the disputes between the brothers and Joseph. Initially, he dealt with the matter of "Ever Min HaChai" (a limb from a living animal) regarding the law of whether one violates "Lifnei Iver" (placing a stumbling block before the blind) when it comes before a Ben Noach (Noahide) and one does not tell him it is a limb from a living animal. During these words, the Rav encouraged traveling to Kerestir and told of the many yeshuos (salvations) that Reb Shayala of Kerestir brought about, both during his life and after his death. Afterward, he returned to the dispute of the Kereti U'Peleti and the Radbaz regarding the opinion of the Rambam (Maimonides) as to whether poultry is considered meat or not. At the conclusion of the lesson, he dealt with the "topic of the day" regarding Emunah (faith) in the Tzaddik, and said that in the merit of Rebbe Nachman, the war will end very soon, Amen, may it be His will!.