Coverage and documentation of Shabbat Parshat Shirah - Beshalach 5784 in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

It is difficult to describe Shabbat Shirah (the Sabbath of Song) in the presence of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Despite the stormy weather, the burning heart of the world ignites and warms every soul that merits to take refuge under the wings of the Tzaddik (holy man) of the generation. Indeed, for the sake of future generations, it is necessary to cover and document these hours and prayers, "so that your generations shall know," regarding the immense merit we had to spend Shabbat Beshalach in the presence of the Tzaddik!

On Erev Shabbat Kodesh (the eve of the holy Sabbath), the Rav went out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer shortly before candle lighting (16:20). This was followed by Kabbalat Shabbat (the service welcoming the Sabbath), where 'Lecha Dodi' lasted over forty minutes with incomparable sweetness. We must note that for an hour and a half throughout Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat, and 'Lecha Dodi,' nearly a thousand people—men, women, and children—stood under the floodgates of heaven, which opened with rains of blessing that descend on Friday nights. Despite the stormy rain that did not stop for a moment, they stood with supreme mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) in the cold and the driving rain, only dancing and singing the prayer! In the heart of any outside observer, a great wonder arises: is such a thing even possible?! Hours of torrential rain, soaked to the bone, yet no one budged or even thought of going to pray elsewhere. Not only that, but they were jubilant and happy, dancing and singing the prayer. The obvious question arises—where else in the world can such a community be found?! And where can such a faithful shepherd be found! For although he stands under a roof that barely covers the rain, the fierce winds from the heights of the balcony where the Rav shlit"a stands throughout the prayer surely penetrate and freeze the bones. This is nothing other than the true fire burning within the pure heart of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, who is cleaved to Hashem Yitbarach, influencing all those praying together with him. After Kabbalat Shabbat, which lasted about an hour, followed of course by the Maariv (evening) prayer and Friday night songs, and after two and a half hours, he returned to his holy home at 18:50.

On Shabbat morning, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer early, about two hours before sunrise, at 4:30 AM. The Shacharit (morning) prayer lasted over two and a half hours, starting from Tikkun Chatzos (Midnight Lament) and the morning songs, Korbanot (sacrificial readings), and Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) with great vitality. The immense power of Shabbat Beshalach was felt strongly during 'Az Yashir Moshe'—the Song of the Sea—with the special melody of the 'upper notes' (Ta'amim Elyonim), accompanied by mighty roars and a flaming fire! The large crowd crowded around the platform of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, inside the Beit Midrash (study hall), and like one man with one heart, as if on the seashore, Moshe and the Children of Israel played and sang to Hashem Yitbarach! The prayer continued with the verses of 'Yotzer Or' (Creator of Light) with stirring melodies such as 'Ein Aruch Lecha'... while the Rav shlit"a only reached the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent prayer) at 07:00. After the conclusion of the Chazzan's repetition, the Rav shlit"a delivered a shiur (Torah lesson) in which he praised the status of the honor of the Torah that took place on Thursday of that week, where the young men were tested on hundreds of pages of Gemara (Talmud). He also discussed the Song of Deborah and the hillula (anniversary of passing) of the Moharosh (Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo Schick zt"l) which fell on this holy Shabbat. The Rav shlit"a said that they would travel on Saturday night to visit his grave.

The Torah reading for Parshat Beshalach lasted about forty minutes with approximately twenty aliyahs (calls to the Torah) for grooms and Bar Mitzvahs. For the exalted aliyah of Shabbat 'Beshalach'—the Song of the Sea—our teacher was honored to ascend to the Torah. Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, in his pure voice, read the Song of the Sea with pleasantness, joy, and a flaming fire. Fortunate is the eye that saw this awesome and majestic scene, like the handmaid at the sea in her time. The Torah reading was concluded by the Bar Mitzvah boy, the great-grandson of our teacher the Rav shlit"a, Natan n"y, son of the Chassid Rabbi Nachman Goldblum shlit"a, the Mashgiach (spiritual supervisor) of the 'Breslov - Chachma U'Da'at' Yeshiva, with the Haftarah (prophetic reading) of the Song of Deborah in a loud, clear, and lucid voice.

Shortly after 8:30, they stood for the Musaf (additional) prayer. After Musaf, the Rav shlit"a continued the prayer in its order, from 'Kaveh el Hashem' until 'Adon Olam.' After the conclusion of the prayer, our teacher the Rav shlit"a made Kiddush (sanctification over wine) and delivered words of the Living G-d, in which he spoke about the name of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) given by Bitya, the daughter of Pharaoh. This was the only name that was preserved even though his father and mother gave him other names, and this was in the merit of her self-sacrifice to save him against her father's decree. At 09:00, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home after four and a half hours of prayer.

At the time of sunset, the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the holy Shabbat, which lasted about forty minutes. Afterward, the Tish (holy table) was held with the conducting of the Seudah Shlishit (third meal). For many long minutes, the Rav shlit"a distributed shirayim (remnants of the Tzaddik's meal). Then he began the songs of the third meal according to his holy custom. Even before Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals), he delivered a shiur on the weekly Torah portion and on many topics. Afterward, he led the Zimmun (invitation to grace) over a cup of wine along with the Sheva Brachot (seven blessings) for the groom, Rabbi Daniel Lubiv, may his light shine. Then he delivered the weekly shiur on the book 'Pele Yoetz' (classic ethical work) regarding the topic of awakening one's personal holiness. The Maariv prayer of Saturday night and Havdalah (ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) lasted about fifteen minutes, followed by Melave Malka (the post-Shabbat meal). At the conclusion of Melave Malka, he again conducted a Zimmun with Sheva Brachot for the aforementioned groom and entered his holy home after eight o'clock in the evening, after more than three hours that we merited to be together with him on Shabbat Shirah - Parshat Beshalach 5784.

Before you is a photo gallery from Saturday night: (Photos courtesy of the WhatsApp group: "The Rav Berland Tzaddik of the Generation")