Passover 5784 with Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit”a

WITH THE COMING OF THE HOLY DAYS OF PASSOVER, WE MERITED TO GATHER IN THE GREAT SHADOW OF THE RABBI WHO RESEMBLES AN ANGEL OF HASHEM TZEVAKOT.  HERE IS A REVIEW, LIKE A DROP IN THE SEA, OF WHAT WE MERITED TO, WHILE BEING IN THE PARTITION OF THE TZADDIK DURING THE HOLY DAYS OF PASSOVER:

LEIL SHEMURIM:

On the night of the holiday of freedom, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a entered his balcony at 6:57, about twenty minutes before sundown, crowned in his pure white garments, and his face like an angel of Hashem.  The Rav’s assistant related to us that on Erev Pesach, the Rav shlit”a learned for over seven hours straight with phenomenal concentration that has no equal, right up to just before Mincha!  After a quarter-hour of the song “Or Zarua LaTzaddik,” the Rav began the Mincha prayer of Erev Pesach.  After the prayer, the Rav said together with the community the order of Hitkashrut, followed by the Ma’ariv prayer with unique vitality.  After Ma’ariv, we said for the first time during this awesome and holy night full Hallel.  Hallel was said with niggunim and great fervor.  Moreinu HaRav shlit”a with his holy movements vitalizes the entire community for a period of 45 minutes of song and gratitude to Hashem for all the miracles and wonders, expressed in the verses of Hallel and thanksgiving.  Standing out from all was the great length in which the song “BeTzeit Yisrael – When Israel left Egypt…” was sung, for a period of some 25 minutes, taking up most of the length of Hallel.

After Hallel and Kaddish, the Rav began the song “BeTzeit Yisrael” for some 17 minutes, with the entire community repeating over and over the verses which took on special significance on this holy night.

After this, he concluded the prayer with Kaddish and Aleinu Leshabeach, Adon Olam, Yigdal, all in niggunim, word-by-word, letter-by-letter, and Moreinu HaRav shlit”a entered his home with the song “Karav Yom” at 8:50, after an hour and 53 minutes of prayer on this holy night, with each person heading home for the Passover Seder charged with the energy of holiness from the unique prayer.

TO THANK AND TO PRAISE:

The Rav spent almost the entire Seder night (until 3:20 AM) sitting with his family, performing the Seder, and fulfilling what is said, “All the more that one relates the exodus from Egypt, this is praiseworthy,” the Rav relating the exodus from Egypt with songs and new insights.

The Rav shlit”a entered at 4:55 in the morning to pray Shacharit of the Chag, beginning with the verses of Tikkun Chatzot said on Shabbat and holidays.  Afterwards, he began Shacharit – the morning Zemirot, “Odeh L’Kel” with special vitality.  Afterwards, the Korbanot and Pesukei D’Zimra with niggunim and vitality.  After this, “Nishmat Kol Chai” with great arousal and at length, especially the niggun “Ki Kol Peh,” which we merited to sing for over ten minutes.

At 6:40, after an hour and forty-five minutes from the beginning of Shacharit, the Rav shlit”a stood up for the Amidah.  Immediately after the Amidah’s repetition, the Rav said the blessing for Hallel, with the entire congregation singing with awesome arousal and jumping during the singing of Hallel.  Who could describe the voices and lightning, and phenomenal joy in Hallel, with “BeTzeit Yisrael” alone being repeated seven times over and over, with vitality, and exaltedness, at every moment anew!  The niggun that vitalizes every soul in “Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov…”  And if this wasn’t enough, the rousing niggun at the end of Hallel of “Ana Hashem Hoshea Na.”  And so was the singing of Hallel with awesome vitality for over a half-hour.

After finishing Hallel, the Rav shlit”a gave over a brief shiur about the prayer for dew which is said on the first day of Passover.  After the shiur, he began the order of removing the Torah scroll from the ark, saying the 13 Attributes of Mercy.  This year, the Rav shlit”a didn’t recite Shir HaShirim, beginning immediately with the Torah reading of Passover.  The Rav shlit”a went up for the fourth Aliyah, which is related to Rebbe Nachman, opposite Netzach.  Afterwards, Rabbi Eliyahu Succot came up to read the Haftarah.  After this, the Rav sang the song “Y-ah E-li V’Go’ali” with the lively niggun the Rav customarily says every Chag.

Afterwards was Musaf along with the prayer for dew during the repetition with arousal and special vitality, and all the niggunim with new vitality during every holiday that we sing them with the Rav: “VeKabetz Pezureinu,” “Vehaviainu L’Tzion Eirecha,” sung with such joy and fire by the entire congregation.  After the repetition the Rav finished the prayer with “Kavei el Hashem,” “Aleinu Leshabeach,” “Aneim Zemirot,” “Adon Olam,” and “Yigdal Elokim Chai.”  After the prayer, we merited to say with him the Tikkun HaKlali with melody and pleasantness.  Afterwards, the Rav gave over a shiur of three minutes about the greatness of Seder night, in which it’s possible to revive the dead.  Likewise, he again mentioned the greatness of the holiday, in which we begin to say the awesome prayer for dew.  After the shiur, he said Kaddish, and returned to his holy home at 8:35 AM, after almost four hours of prayer.

“AND YOU SHALL COUNT FOR YOURSELVES”:

At 7:15, about three minutes before sundown, the Rav came down to us for Mincha, beginning with the song “Baruch Hu Elokeinu…” in the verses of Uva L’Tzion for a period of ten minutes.  At 7:25, the Rav shlit”a stood for the Amidah, and after the repetition, the Rav said “Halleluyah, Odeh Hashem…” despite the fact that it didn’t fall on Shabbat.  It’s reasonable to say that this is the first time that Yom Tov fell on a weekday and the Rav shlit”a said this psalm in Mincha.  It’s told about the early Tzaddikim, that they so much longed to bless already on Sefirat HaOmer, that they would mamash have to stop themselves so that it wouldn’t appear as if they were, as it were, wishing to flee from the holiness of Yom Tov.  And so exactly 18 minutes after sunset, the Rav said Barchu of Ma’ariv with vitality and melody.  After the Amidah of Ma’ariv, he began with the song “BeTzeit Yisrael” for some 12 minutes, and concluded the prayer with “Aleinu Leshabeach.”

Today was the first day of Sefirat HaOmer 5784 – “Chesed SheBeChesed.”  At 8:02, the Rav shlit”a began the “Leshem Yichud” together with the song “Hineni Muchan U’Mzuman L’kayem Mitzvat Aseh…” for seven minutes, preparing ourselves for the great occasion, the first counting.  Behold, the Rav signals with his holy hand and only his pure voice pierces the firmaments, blessing “Asher Kidshanu…”  “Amen” the congregation breaks out with a roar, and once again complete silence.  “Today is one day of the Omer…,” and like a thunder storm, the entire giant congregation roars Sefirat HaOmer with strength.  Immediately afterwards, “Lamnatzeach Binginot” for a quarter-hour, and “Ana BeKoach” seven times with the niggun of the holy Baal Shem Tov.  Afterwards, the Rav said in a loud voice, word-for-word, “Ribono Shel Olam…” with awesome arousal.

After over an hour of Ma’ariv and Sefirat HaOmer, the Rav shlit”a said Havdalah and returned to his home at 8:40 with the song “Uman, Uman, Halo Tishali,” and with this, ended the Chag in which we merited to spend over seven and a half hours with the Tzaddik.