"The angel who redeems me from all evil shall bless the lads" • Coverage of

Before you is an extensive report of the prayers and lessons that took place on the Holy Shabbat of Parshas Vayechi - 11th of Teves 5785, the third day of liberation - in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a:

On this Shabbat, Parshas Vayechi, the 11th of Teves 5785, exactly three years are marked since the return of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, to his holy home after a three-year exile and imprisonment, starting from the bitter day of the 14th of Shevat 5780 and until the day of release, the Festival of Redemption, on the 11th of Teves 5782, the day after the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Moharnat (Rabbi Nosson of Breslov) zt"l.

And for all this, Hashem our G-d, we thank You and bless You; may Your Name be blessed by the mouth of every living thing continually!

How fortunate are we that we have merited this!!

Friday Night

At 16:00, about half an hour before the start of Shabbat, our teacher the Rav shlit"a came out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer of Erev Shabbat and the fast of the Tenth of Teves, including the Torah reading. After about 5 minutes of singing 'Yehei Ra'ava' (May it be the Will) with great vitality before the opening of the Ark, our teacher the Rav shlit"a read the 'Vayechal' (prayer of Moses); the Haftarah (prophetic reading) was read by the Bar Mitzvah boy Shmuel Isaac, son of Rabbi Yechezkel Rosenthal. Afterward, our teacher the Rav shlit"a stood for the Mincha prayer. At 16:35 - about twenty minutes before sunset - our teacher the Rav shlit"a already began saying the Seder HaHisksherus (order of spiritual connection) word for word, with the entire congregation repeating after him. Following this, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming the Shabbat) with all the psalms from 'Lechu Neranena' to 'Mizmor L'David'. He then began the singing of 'Lecha Dodi' which lasted 30 minutes; although slightly shorter than usual Shabbatot in his holy presence, everyone accustomed to this knows that even the 'short' version is very long, especially on this Shabbat which followed the fast of the Tenth of Teves, when most synagogues hurry to finish the prayer. After the conclusion of Kabbalat Shabbat, he said 'Kigavna' and they began the Maariv (evening) prayer for Shabbat night. After Maariv, the Rav continued with the conclusion of the prayer and the zemiros (songs) usually said before Kiddush. It should be noted that even for 'Shalom Aleichem' he extended for about 8 minutes. At 18:16, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home to the singing of 'Savanu MiTuvecha' (Satiate us with Your goodness) after a prayer service of about two hours and fifteen minutes (2:15).

Shacharis Prayer

For the Shacharis (morning) prayer, our teacher the Rav shlit"a came out at 05:04, much earlier than usual. The Rav began with some of the verses of Tikkun Chatzos (Midnight Lamentation) that are said, specifically the sections customary to recite on Shabbatot and festivals. Afterward, he continued with the morning zemiros and Korbanos (sacrificial readings). After a 10-minute break, he went down to the hall of our Beis Medrash (study hall); before entering the Beis Medrash, he spoke in the adjacent transition room with the young men for about 5 minutes. When he ascended to his platform, he began saying 'Hodu' and Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) as on every Shabbat with melodies and enthusiasm. The Rav extended the singing of 'Hoshia Es Amecha' (Save Your people) for 5 minutes. At 'Hashem Melech,' the Rav continued to 'Baruch She'amar.' During the singing of 'Ki Chol Peh Lecha Yodeh' (For every mouth shall thank You), he extended for about 15 minutes. In the melody after 'Yishtabach,' he extended for 5 minutes, and similarly in the blessings of 'Yotzer Or' at 'HaManchil Menucha,' he extended for about 3 additional minutes. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a stood for the Shmoneh Esrei (silent prayer) at 07:05. During the Chazzan's repetition, unexpectedly and extraordinarily, he extended the singing of 'V'shamru' for about 5 minutes. Immediately after the repetition - before the Torah reading - our teacher the Rav shlit"a delivered a lesson of about 10 minutes, during the singing of 'Yehei Ra'ava Kodamach' at the opening of the Ark.

Torah Reading

After the lifting of the Torah, the Rav began the Torah reading for Parshas Vayechi, during which many people celebrating special occasions and those observing yahrtzeits were called up. Additionally, as is his holy custom, the Rav shlit"a calls up guests from out of town and veteran students. It is worth noting that this Shabbat was the Aufruf (pre-wedding celebration) of Naftali Ernesti; for the seventh Aliyah (Torah honor), our teacher the Rav shlit"a was honored, and with the conclusion of Parshas Vayechi, which marks the end of the Book of Bereishis (Genesis), the entire congregation roared as one: 'Chazak Chazak V'Nischazek' (Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened). The Haftarah of 'Vayikrevu Yemei David' (The days of David drew near) in the Book of Kings was read by the great-grandson of our teacher the Rav shlit"a, the young man Mordechai Meir, son of Rabbi Shmuel Isaac Zucker shlit"a. The Torah reading together with the Haftarah lasted about 40 minutes.

Musaf Prayer and Kiddusha Rabba

At the conclusion of the Haftarah reading, our teacher the Rav shlit"a began the singing of 'Zera Chaya V'Kayama' (Living and enduring offspring) for 5 minutes. Afterward, the Rav delivered a lesson of about a minute, at the end of which he said 'Ki Lekach Tov' and approached the Musaf (additional) prayer at 08:10. After the Chazzan's repetition, he finished the prayer until after 'Adon Olam.' He then recited Kiddush over the cup for Kiddusha Rabba (the morning Shabbat meal) and delivered a lesson of about a minute of words of the Living G-d on Parshas Vayechi. At 08:44, he entered his holy home after exactly three hours and forty minutes during which we merited Shacharis, the Torah reading, Musaf, and Kiddusha Rabba together with our teacher the Rav shlit"a.

Mincha Prayer

At 17:10, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat on the balcony of his home with the saying of Kaddish, and began saying 'Berich Shmeih' and the singing of 'Yehei Ra'ava' for 2 minutes. Afterward, he read from the Torah - Parshas Shemos - for three people called to the Torah. Immediately following this, he stood for the Shmoneh Esrei of the Shabbat Mincha.

Ra'ava D'Ra'avin

At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer, which lasted about twenty minutes, while in his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the Third Meal (Seudah Shlishis) at 17:30. As is his holy custom, he began with the first 'kezayis' (olive-sized piece of bread) and started the zemiros of the Third Meal for about twenty minutes. Afterward, he sang 'Yah Ribon' (G-d, Master of the world) for about 33 minutes. Following this, he continued with the singing of 'Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar' (Thus says Hashem: He found grace in the wilderness) for one minute, and immediately moved to the singing of 'Koh Amar Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'uraich' (Thus says Hashem: I remember for you the kindness of your youth) for 2 minutes. Afterward, he extended the singing of 'Ad Heina Azarunu Rachamecha' (Until now Your mercies have helped us) for about 26 minutes. At the end of the singing, the Rav began 'Tzur Mishelo Achalnu,' 'Shir HaMa'alos,' and led the Zimun (invitation to grace) over a cup of wine.

Maariv and Havdalah

At 18:50, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of 'Lamnatzeiach Binginos' for about 8 minutes. Afterward, he continued with the Maariv prayer of Motzaei Shabbat (Saturday night) with melodies like a flaming fire. After the Shmoneh Esrei, during the saying of 'Vayehi Noam,' our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang 'Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo' (Blessed is our G-d who created us for His glory) and 'Hu Yiftach Libenu BeTorato' (May He open our hearts to His Torah) for about 14 minutes. At the conclusion of the prayer, he performed Havdalah (separation ceremony) over the cup with the singing of 'Layehudim' (For the Jews there was light).

On the Night Following the Day of Rest

After Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melaveh Malkah - this is the meal of David the King, the Mashiach. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang together with the entire public all the zemiros for Melaveh Malkah that our Holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman) so strongly encouraged to sing. Before the song 'Eliyahu HaNavi,' he delivered a lesson for about 20 minutes from Chayei Moharan on the subject of 'I have triumphed and I will triumph, I have finished and I will finish.' After the lesson, he continued the zemiros of 'Eliyahu HaNavi' and 'Ribon Kol HaOlamim'; after the songs, the Rav led the Zimun over the cup. He entered his holy home at 20:35, after a duration of exactly three hours and twenty-five minutes that we merited to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer, through the Third Meal, Maariv, and Melaveh Malkah. Total for the entire Shabbat - close to nine and a half hours (9:20) that we merited to take refuge in his holy presence on the Holy Shabbat of Parshas Vayechi, 11th of Teves 5785 - the third day of liberation in his holy presence.