The Comforter of Zion and Builder of Jerusalem • Coverage and Documentation from

"In truth, every Motzaei Tisha B'Av (the night following the fast), a Holy Temple of fire should descend!" Before you is documentation and coverage of the Mincha (afternoon) prayer with Tallit (prayer shawl) and Tefillin (phylacteries) and the Maariv (evening) prayer at the conclusion of the day of Tisha B'Av, with the participation of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days).

Towards sunset at 6:50 PM, our teacher the Rav shlit"a (Rabbi Berland) came out for the Mincha prayer wrapped in a Tallit and Tefillin. He began with 'Brich Shmeih' (a prayer recited when the Ark is opened) with the melody of 'Yehei Ra'ava Kodamach' (May it be the will before You) at the opening of the Aron Kodesh (Holy Ark) for about ten minutes. Afterward, he recited the entire liturgy for taking out the Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) aloud and called the Kohen (priest) to ascend. He then began the Torah reading for Tisha B'Av, 'Vayechal Moshe' (And Moses pleaded) - including the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. It should be noted that throughout the entire prayer, the Rav was in an unusually fiery state of spiritual intensity. The Haftarah (reading from the Prophets), 'Dirshu Hashem Behimatzo' (Seek Hashem when He is found), was read by the Bar Mitzvah boy Nachman, son of R' Elisha Toledano, may Hashem protect him, as today, Tisha B'Av, is the day he enters the yoke of Torah and Mitzvos (commandments).

Afterward, they returned the Torah scroll to the Ark, and the Rav shlit"a began the Shemoneh Esrei (the standing prayer) for Mincha, including 'Nachem' (the prayer for the consolation of Zion) and 'Anenu' (the prayer for fast days). At the conclusion of the Chazzan's repetition, the Rav completed the order of the Shir Shel Yom (Daily Psalm), 'Kavei el Hashem' (Hope in Hashem), and the Korbanos (offerings). He even continued to the recitation of 'Ana B'Koach' (a mystical prayer). Veteran members of the Anash (the Breslov community) remarked that they do not remember such an occurrence—reciting the entire order of Korbanos after Mincha on Tisha B'Av—and that this is a very interesting innovation. After the conclusion of 'Aleinu L'shabeach', the Rav shlit"a requested Tractate Bava Batra and began delivering a class with fiery passion regarding the significance of the conclusion of Tisha B'Av for about twelve minutes. At exactly eight o'clock, the Rav began the Maariv prayer with melodies as he does every day. After the Maariv prayer, the Rav shlit"a delivered his regular daily lesson. Following the lesson, he sang songs of Rebbe Nachman for about ten minutes and then entered his holy home.

May it be His will that just as we merited to mourn together with the Rav shlit"a, we shall merit to see the rebuilding of our Holy Temple speedily in our days, Amen!