"The Jews Had Light and Joy" • Shabbat Parshat Vayikra-Zachor, Erev Purim

Also on this Shabbat - Parshat Vayikra-Zachor, Erev Purim 5784. We merited an uplifting Shabbat, filled with prayers and lessons in the shadow of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days). Here is the full report:

On Erev Shabbat Kodesh (the eve of the Holy Sabbath), the Rav came out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer at 17:18, at the time of candle lighting, and began singing "Or Zarua" (Light is sown for the righteous) for about half an hour! This was followed by the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of Mincha, the order of Hiskashrus (spiritual connection) was recited according to the version composed by our teacher, the Rav shlit"a. Afterward, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (the service welcoming the Sabbath) with "Lechu Neranena" and all the psalms. "Lecha Dodi" lasted about forty minutes. Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, and the public sang and played with vitality and enthusiasm in a Sabbath pleasantness that is beyond compare. Afterward, the Rav continued the prayer in its order, Maariv (evening prayer) with all the melodies in the Shuvu Banim style. After Maariv, the Rav shlit"a sang the Zemiros (songs) for Friday night before the Kiddush. At the conclusion of the songs, he entered his home to the singing of "Sabeinu MiTuvecha" (Satisfy us from Your goodness). After a special duration of two hours and forty-five minutes of the Friday night prayer, he returned to his holy home at 20:05.

On the morning of the Shabbat day, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer at 4:52, with the Shacharit (morning) prayer lasting about two hours, starting from Tikkun Chatzos (the Midnight Lamentation), wrapping in the Tallit (prayer shawl), Korbanos (sacrificial readings), and Pesukei D'Zimra (Verses of Praise) with melodies and great vitality. The Rav stood on the platform with great energy and sang the melodies together with the entire congregation with enthusiasm—Pesukei D'Zimra, true to their name, are for singing and praising Hashem, may He be blessed. On this Shabbat, the songs in which the Rav extended longer than usual were prominent; "Ki Chol Peh Lecha Yodeh" (For every mouth shall thank You) in Nishmat Kol Chai was extended with thanksgiving and joyful singing for about 7 minutes with immense vitality. And if that were not enough, then during the verses of "Yotzer Or" (Creator of Light), in the singing of "Ein Aruch Lecha" (There is none to be compared to You), there was an awakening that the heart could almost not contain; the Rav shlit"a repeated it again and again, and his eyes became a fountain of tears of longing and yearning. Ahhh, it is impossible to describe or estimate, for about 10 minutes. The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent prayer) only at 6:35—about an hour after sunrise. After the conclusion of the Cantor's repetition, the Rav shlit"a delivered a lesson for about fifteen minutes, and afterward began the Torah reading, which lasted over forty minutes. As the celebrants and those observing a yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) went up one after another, there were over twenty-five aliyos (Torah honors). Likewise, the Rav shlit"a called guests from out of town who merited to spend the Shabbat here to the Torah. When the reading of Parshat Zachor arrived, the Rav shlit"a was honored with the aliya, and an absolute silence fell over the Beis Medrash (study hall). The Rav shlit"a announced, as he does every year, that this reading is Mi'd'Oraisa (a Torah-mandated obligation), and our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, read the passage of "Remember what Amalek did to you" with a special pleasantness. After our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, his grandson and attendant, R' Dov Zucker, repeated the reading in a loud voice so that the public could also fulfill their obligation (yitzei yidei chovah) through this reading. Although our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, recited the blessings for the Haftarah, the Rav honored the Bar Mitzvah boy, the charming youth Naftali Hertz n"y, son of Rabbi Abraham Mashiah shlit"a, with the reading itself.

After the Torah reading, the Rav sang "Zera Chaya V'Kayama" (viable offspring) for several minutes. Then the Rav shlit"a stood for the Musaf (additional) prayer at 08:05 and finished the prayer in its order. At the conclusion of the prayer, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, made Kiddush over the cup and delivered a lesson for about two minutes. At 08:15, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, entered his holy home after nearly three and a half hours (3:23) of Shacharit, Torah reading, Musaf, and the lesson.

At 17:50, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, entered for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat on the balcony of his home, and immediately said Kaddish. Afterward, he began the singing of "Yehei Ra'ava" (May it be the Will) for several minutes. Following this, he read from the Torah—Parshat Tzav—for three people called to the Torah. Immediately after, he stood for the Shemoneh Esrei of the Shabbat afternoon. At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer of Shabbat, at his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the three meals (Seudah Shlishit) and immediately began conducting the Tish (holy table) of the third meal. As is his holy custom, he immediately began the Zemiros of the third meal for about twenty minutes. Afterward, he sang "Yah Ribon" (G-d, Master of the world) for about 22 minutes, repeatedly returning to the stirring passage "Your works are great and powerful... He humbles the haughty and straightens the bent"!! Afterward, he continued with the singing of "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem, he found grace in the wilderness) for about ten minutes. The innovation this Shabbat was that the Rav returned to singing, after a long time, the song "Koh Amar Hashem Zacharti Lach Chesed Neurayich" (Thus says Hashem, I remembered for you the kindness of your youth) for about twenty minutes! At the conclusion of the singing, the Rav shlit"a led the Grace After Meals over a cup of wine at 19:30. After the Grace After Meals, he began the singing of "Lamnatzeach BiNeginos" for 12 minutes. At the end, the Rav began the Maariv prayer for the departure of the Shabbat with melodies. After Maariv, during the recitation of "Vihi Noam," our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, extended the singing of "Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo" (Blessed is our G-d who created us for His glory) for many long minutes.

After Maariv, the Rav performed Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) with the singing of "Layehudim Hayta Ora..." (The Jews had light...) in honor of the joy of the night of Purim de-Prazim (Purim in unwalled cities), extending this song slightly with great vitality and joy. After Havdalah, the Rav immediately washed his hands for Melaveh Malkah—this is the meal of David, the King Mashiach. Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, sang all the Zemiros with special vitality and pleasantness. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a lesson from the holy book "Chayei Moharan" (The Life of Rebbe Nachman) and spoke mainly about the holy days of Purim, warning against the matter of frivolity that can be reached through the Basumi (obligation to drink) that deteriorates into drunkenness. He spoke of the greatness of the day of Purim, that it is greater than Yom Kippur. After the songs, he led the Grace After Meals over the cup. He entered his holy home at 20:58, after three hours and eight minutes that we merited to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer until the end of Melaveh Malkah. In total, for the entire Shabbat, over nine hours and twenty minutes were spent in the shadow of holiness on Shabbat Vayikra, Parshat Zachor, 13th of Adar II, Erev Purim 5784.

A good week and a Happy Purim to all the House of Israel!

At Mincha on the eve of the Holy Shabbat:

At Havdalah:

At the Fourth Meal (Melaveh Malkah):