Review of Shabbat Parashat Ki Tisa

THIS SHABBAT, THE SHABBAT OF SHUSHAN PURIM HAMESHULASH, WE HAD THE MERIT OF BEING IN THE HOLY PRESENCE OF MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND, SHLIT"A. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THIS WAS A SPECIAL SHABBAT WHERE THE 15TH OF ADAR—SHUSHAN PURIM—FALLS ON SHABBAT.   THIS WILL OCCUR AGAIN ONLY IN ANOTHER TWENTY YEARS, WITH THE NEXT OCCURRENCE IN THE YEAR 5805 (2045). THIS WAS A SHABBAT FILLED WITH JOY AND DANCING, A VERY HOLY AND EXALTED SHABBAT.

BELOW IS AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PRAYERS AND SHIURIM THAT TOOK PLACE ON THIS HOLY SHABBAT OF PARASHAT KI TISA—SHUSHAN PURIM HAMESHULASH, 15 ADAR 5785, IN THE PRESENCE OF MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND, SHLIT"A:

 THE NIGHT OF SHABBAT KODESH

At 5:18 p.m., Moreinu HaRav shlit”a came out to his balcony for the Mincha prayer of Erev Shabbat, donned in his majestic Shabbat garments. He began this holy Shabbat with the singing of Or Zarua LaTzaddik for half an hour before standing for the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of Mincha, he recited the Seder HaHiskashrut word-by-word, with the entire congregation responding after him.

Following this, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began Kabbalat Shabbat, singing all the Psalms from L'chu Neranena to Mizmor L'David. The singing of Lecha Dodi lasted 33 minutes, filled with “mochin” (mind) and exceptional vitality. Afterward, he recited K'Gavna, followed by the Maariv prayer, with songs and melodies. During the Amidah prayer, the Rav recited Al HaNissim out loud.

It’s worth noting that thousands gathered to spend Shabbat Kodesh in the presence of Moreinu HaRav shlit"a. The entire courtyard was packed, even without the presence of the "Children of the Tzaddik" group led by Rabbi Naftali Bik, which alone fills the entire prayer hall.

Following the conclusion of the prayer, as on every Shabbat, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a sang the Zemirot of Shabbat night.  The Rav sang Shalom Aleichem facing the congregation, extending the singing for 10 minutes. The Shabbat evening prayers concluded at 7:52 p.m., lasting a total of 2 hours and 34 minutes.

SHACHARIT

On Shabbat morning, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a came out for Shacharit at 4:50 a.m. He began with the sections of Tikkun Chatzot that are traditionally recited on Shabbat and holidays, followed by Korbanot. After completing Korbanot, he proceeded with Hodu L'Hashem Kiru Bishmo and Pesukei D’Zimra, sung with great enthusiasm. He recited Baruch She’amar at 6:05, extending the singing of Ki Kol Peh Lecha Yodeh for about five minutes. Moreinu HaRav shlit”a stood up for the Amidah prayer at 6:50, exactly one hour after sunrise.

THE TORAH READING

After the repetition of the Amidah, the Song of the Day was recited, followed by singing Yehei Ra’ava for 5 minutes.  Then two Torah scrolls were taken out.  After returning, the Rav shlit”a began the Torah reading for Parashat Ki Tisa, with individuals with celebrations and yahrzeits being called up for Aliyot. This week, we merited to four grooms being called up to the Torah, as they will soon be building new Jewish homes during the week right after Purim.

It’s worth pointing out that although this is a special Torah portion where the Kohen and Levi sections contain most of the Parashah, including the story of the Golden Calf and the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, and the rest of the aliyot are very short, the Rav still managed to call up an additional 32 (!) individuals for Aliyot.

After finishing Parashat Ki Tisa, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a read the Torah portion for Purim, Vayavo Amalek.  Like every year, the Rav shlit”a announced that everyone should intend to fulfill the mitzvah of Amalek. Surprisingly, he requested that his grandson and attendant, Rabbi Dov Zucker, read it again to ensure that everyone heard it clearly.

The special Haftarah, from Shmuel, recounting King Shaul’s battle against Amalek and Shmuel’s beheading of Aggag, was read by a Bar Mitzvah boy. Notably, this Haftarah is read on two consecutive weeks only in Jerusalem and only during a Shushan Purim HaMeshulash, which, as mentioned, will next occur in twenty years. The reading of the Parashah, along with the special Purim reading and Haftarah, lasted an hour and five minutes.

MUSSAF AND KIDDUSHA RABBAH

Following the Haftarah, the Rav led the congregation in singing Zera Chaya V’Kayama for five minutes before proceeding to the Mussaf prayer. After the repetition of the Amidah, he concluded the service as usual.

Immediately afterwards, he recited Kiddush over a cup of wine and delivered a ten-minute shiur. At 9:00, he returned to his home after four hours and ten minutes that we merited to be together with Moreinu HaRav shlit”a during Shacharit, the Torah reading, Purim reading, Mussaf, and Kiddush.

Following the prayer, a Kiddush was held at the Rav’s residence in honor of the birth of a daughter to Rabbi David Rubinstein, grandson of the Rav shlit"a, and son of Rabbi Natan Rubinstein shlit"a, himself the son of Rabbi Yehoshua Dov Rubinstein. The Rav participated in the Kiddush celebration for his great-granddaughter and delivered a 27-minute shiur.

MINCHA

At 5:45 p.m., the Rav came out onto his balcony for Mincha, opening with Kaddish and Berich Shmei, and the singing of Yehei Ra’ava for 25 minutes at unusual length. He read the Torah from Parashat Vayakhel, with three individuals called up. The Rav then led the congregation in the Amidah for Mincha.

RA’AVA D’RA’AVIN

After Mincha, at approximately 6:30, the Rav washed his hands for the Third Meal. As is his holy custom, he began with the first kezayit and then led the congregation in the Zemirot of the Third Meal for 23 minutes. At the conclusion of the Zemirot, he extended the singing of Y-ah Ribbon for an additional 23 minutes, followed by Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen Bamidbar for five minutes, Koh Amar Hashem Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne’urayich for three minutes, and Ad Heina for 12 minutes. After more than an hour of singing, he recited Tzur Mishelo Achalnu and led Birkat Hamazon on a cup.

MAARIV AND HAVDALAH

At 7:40, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began singing Lamnatze’ach Binginot. At this point, the joy of Purim was already palpable, as Moreinu HaRav shlit”a sang Lamnatze’ach Binginot at tremendous length, accompanied by music, repeating it again and again for a full 50 minutes!!

At 8:25, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began the Maariv prayer of Motza’ei Shabbat, the conclusion of Shabbat Purim HaMeshulash. Although Al HaNissim is no longer recited at this point, this did nothing to diminish the intensity of the melodies of prayer, which were sung with fiery fervor.

Following the Amidah, during the recitation of V’yehi Noam, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a extended the singing of Baruch Hu, Elokeinu, Shebera’anu L’chvodo for approximately five minutes. He then continued with Hu Yiftach Libeinu B’Torato, extending it for an additional ten minutes.

At the conclusion of the prayer, the Rav recited Havdalah over a cup of wine, singing L’Yehudim for five minutes. Of course, this was all with exuberant dancing with the joy of Purim.

MOTZA’EI YOM MENUCHA

After Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands in preparation for Melaveh Malka—“this is the meal of David, Malka Meshicha.” Together with the entire congregation, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a sang all the traditional Zemirot for Melaveh Malka.

Before singing Eliyahu HaNavi, the Rav delivered a shiur of approximately ten minutes from Chayei Moharan, discussing how Rabbi Natan of Breslov remarked that for him, the days of Purim were even more difficult than the spiritual work of Yom Kippur.

After the shiur, the Rav continued singing Eliyahu HaNavi and Ribbon Kol HaOlamim, and then led Birchat HaMazon on a cup. At the end of the prayer, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a gave another brief shiur of about one minute.

Just seconds before entering his home, as he stepped down from his platform, the Rav instructed the gabbai to announce that Shacharit for the following morning—Purim D’Mukafin of Purim HaMeshulash—would take place at 4:30 a.m. The entire Shuvu Banim community erupted in excitement and joy upon hearing this uplifting news.

The prayers concluded at 10:00 p.m., marking an incredible stretch of four and a quarter hours in which we merited to remain continuously in the holy presence of Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, from Mincha, through Seudah Shlishit, Maariv, and Melaveh Malka.

In total, during the whole Shabbat, we merited to be in the holy presence for about ten hours (10.20) for Shabbat Shushan Purim HaMeshulash, Parashat Ki Tisa, 15 Adar 5785.

 “THE JEWS HAD LIGHT, JOY, GLADNESS, AND HONOR!”