Light in Their Dwellings • Coverage of Parshat Bo with the Gaon and Tzaddik

Coverage and Documentation of Shabbat Parshat Bo 5784 in the Presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

On Erev Shabbat Kodesh (the eve of the Holy Sabbath), the Rav went out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer at the time of candle lighting (4:07 PM). This was followed by Kabbalat Shabbat (the service welcoming the Sabbath), during which 'Lecha Dodi' lasted forty minutes with an incomparable sweetness. This was followed, of course, by Maariv (the evening prayer) and the Shabbat night Zemiros (songs). After two hours and twenty-five minutes, he returned to his holy home.

On Shabbat morning, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer close to 5:00 AM. The Shacharit (morning) prayer lasted over two and a quarter hours, beginning with Chatzos (the Midnight Rectification) and the morning Zemiros, Korbanot (sacrificial readings), and Pesukei D'Zimrah (verses of praise) with great vitality. The prayer continued with the 'Yotzer Or' (Creator of Light) blessings, with the Rav shlit"a reaching the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent standing prayer) at 7:15 AM. The Torah reading for Parshat Bo lasted about forty minutes with approximately twenty aliyos (people called to the Torah). About an hour after the conclusion of Shacharit, the Musaf (additional) prayer was recited. After Musaf, the entire conclusion of the service was performed, from 'Kaveh el Hashem' until the Tikkun HaKlali (the General Rectification). After reciting the ten psalms, the Rav shlit"a held a Kiddusha Rabba (Shabbat morning reception) with a lesson of about five minutes, in which he discussed the matter of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh and the spiritual virtue of immersing in the Dead Sea.

At the time of sunset, the Rav shlit"a entered for the Shabbat Mincha prayer, which lasted about half an hour. This was followed by the "Pure Table" (Tisch) and the conducting of the Three Meals. The innovation this Shabbat was that before the Zemiros, the Rav delivered a lesson on the weekly Torah portion. Afterward, he began the Zemiros of the Seudah Shlishit (the Third Meal) as is his holy custom. After about forty minutes, he led the Zimun (invitation to Grace After Meals) over a cup of wine, along with the Sheva Brachos (seven wedding blessings) for the groom, Rabbi Elad Gantz, may his light shine. Following this, he delivered the weekly lesson from the book 'Pele Yoetz' on the topic of awakening human holiness. The Motzaei Shabbat (Saturday night) Maariv prayer and Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) lasted about fifteen minutes, followed by Melaveh Malka (the post-Shabbat meal). At the conclusion of Melaveh Malka, he again led the Zimun with Sheva Brachos for the aforementioned groom and returned to his holy home after 8:00 PM, following more than three hours that we merited to be together with him on this Holy Shabbat of Parshat Bo, 5784.

Before you is a photo gallery from Motzaei Shabbat: (Photos courtesy of: "Shachar Eliyahu - Spreading the Light of the Tzaddik")