"Simeon and Levi Did Not Agree to Any Deal

Before you is a summary of topics from the daily lesson as delivered by our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) – yesterday after the Maariv (evening) prayer, Monday night, the 16th of Kislev, Parshas Vayishev:

On Saturday night, there was a gathering to break the Xiaomi [smartphones]; the Rav had not been present for thirty days, and everyone had bought smartphones and Xiaomis—everyone is breaking them before going home. Instead of throwing stones, they should say ninety Amens, four Kedushas (sanctification prayers), ten Kaddishim (memorial prayers), and one hundred Berachos (blessings). Each person should ensure that his son says this. Just as the Sheikh did in the time of Rabbi Chaim Farhi, putting the children in a closed institution; then Rabbi Chaim Farhi sent ninety-eight [diamonds] to the Pasha instead of ninety-nine, and it was worth nothing. So he said, "No, I have the final diamond in Mecca." They asked, "Who can jump to Mecca?" The Sheikh of Damascus would perform Kfitzas HaDerech (miraculous travel) and would actually smoke a hookah in the cellar and emerge at ten o'clock. The Pasha called the Sheikh and told him, "Bring me this and that diamond." Then he realized the trap they had set for him; he ran and asked for forgiveness, saying, "You will never touch a Jewish child again." Just like with Dinah, for whom they killed an entire city because of one girl. The Ramban (Nachmanides) says that one does not kill an entire city, but Simeon and Levi did not agree to any deal. They slaughtered the entire city—two young boys. The Chiddushei HaRim (the first Rebbe of Ger) says that this was their Bar Mitzvah speech. Just as they did with Benjamin, where they abused a Jewish woman and killed the entire tribe; this is "Ben-Oni" [the name Rachel gave Benjamin], who saw that the entire tribe was being killed. Six hundred fled, including Saul. And therefore, on Tu B'Av and Yom Kippur, they dance. Why do they dance? Who invented this [movement], Shuvu Banim? Rather, all the women put on red scarves until the morning; they wear the scarves until morning and they turn white. Whoever is of Shuvu Banim turns white immediately, so everyone went out in dances. Because the intellect of daughters is a million times greater than that of a man; for one who has a daughter born to him receives two hundred [spiritual reward], while for a son, one hundred. A son is half of a daughter. The Shelah HaKadosh (Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz) explains that after the Sin of the Golden Calf, everything changed; the sons received the zohama (impurity) of the Serpent. The boys throw stones. There was the Emperor Diocletian; they threw stones at him. He called the leader, Rabbi Yehuda Nesiah. He received a letter: "Immediately after Havdalah (the ceremony ending Shabbat), you must be with me." The demon Antigris arrived; he jumped into the Mikvah (ritual bath). Do not go to Safsofa, for that is where they snatched Rabbi Ami. He [the demon] said, "Why are you panicking?" He said, "I have come to take you on Saturday night immediately to Banias." Everyone is traveling to Banias and to Rabbi Yehuda Nesiah tonight. It was two hundred kilometers, but the demon took them. The guards said, "Look, the Rabbis have arrived," just five minutes after Havdalah. He [the Emperor] said, "Heat the furnace for seven days; the walls became red-hot." They were put into the furnace, but the demon jumped in and cooled the furnace until they felt cold. They emerged alive. He said to them, "I know you can emerge from the furnace. But do not throw stones." Each person should say ninety Amens, four Kedushas, ten Kaddishim, and one hundred Berachos. And everyone at eleven o'clock—there are two hours and twenty minutes to rest—and then everyone gets up for Chatzos (the Midnight Lamentation). In this merit, may there be the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen!