Review of Yom Kippur Kibbutz with Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit”a

PRAYERS OF THE HOLY DAY WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF MOREINU HARAV SHLIT"A ○
THOUSANDS GATHER AT OUR BEIT MIDRASH IN THE SHADOW OF HOLINESS ○ “MAREI KOHEN”

ALSO THIS YEAR, 5786, WE MERITED TO THE “KIBBUTZ” ON THE HOLIEST DAY OF THE YEAR. IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE COMMUNITY WOULD RENT THE COURTYARD OF THE SUKKAH COMPLEX OF CHASSIDUT “TOLDOT AVRAHAM YITZCHAK,” WHICH OVER THE YEARS HAD BECOME THE TEMPORARY CENTER OF THE CHASSIDUT DUE TO RENOVATIONS IN THEIR OWN BEIT MIDRASH. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE CHASSIDUT RETURNED TO ITS PERMANENT BEIT MIDRASH, AND THEREFORE THE AFOREMENTIONED STRUCTURE WAS DISMANTLED AND REVERTED TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE AS A PARKING LOT.

BECAUSE OF THIS, THE DEVOTED ORGANIZERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO FIND A SUITABLE PLACE LARGE ENOUGH TO CONTAIN THE VAST CROWD ARRIVING FROM ALL OVER ISRAEL AND THE WORLD TO SEEK THE FACE OF THE KING ON THIS PURE DAY. WITH HASHEM’S KINDNESS, LITERALLY ON THE EVE OF YOM KIPPUR, A LOCATION WAS DESIGNATED BY THE MUNICIPALITY—ON NEVI’IM STREET AT THE CORNER OF DAMASCUS GATE—AND THERE IT WAS PLANNED TO HOLD THE PRAYERS IN A GIANT TENT THAT WAS HASTILY ERECTED, WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY BE SPENT TO ENABLE THE HOLY GATHERING OF YOM KIPPUR TO TAKE PLACE PROPERLY WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF MOREINU HARAV SHLIT"A.

BUT ALAS—“MANY ARE THE THOUGHTS IN A MAN’S HEART, BUT THE COUNSEL OF HASHEM IS WHAT ENDURES.” MOREINU HARAV SHLIT"A DID NOT FEEL WELL IN HIS LEGS AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL ON THE EVE OF YOM KIPPUR. AFTER EXAMINATION, THE DOCTORS WARNED HIM NOT TO STAND EVEN FOR A SHORT MOMENT AND FURTHERMORE INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO FAST.

YET FOR MOREINU HARAV SHLIT"A, WHO GIVES HIS LIFE FOR EVERY MITZVAH GREAT AND SMALL, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NOT STANDING DURING THE PRAYERS, ESPECIALLY ON THE DAYS OF AWE. HE PAID NO HEED TO THE DOCTORS’ RECOMMENDATIONS AND TOLD HIS ATTENDANTS THAT THE PRAYERS WOULD BE HELD AS USUAL, OF COURSE WHILE FASTING—WITH NO DOUBT AT ALL.

NEVERTHELESS, IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE CONCERN OF WORSENING HIS LEG CONDITION, IT WAS DECIDED THAT DESPITE THE GREAT EXPENSE INVESTED IN THE TENT, THE RAV SHLIT"A WOULD REMAIN ON HIS BALCONY SO THAT HE COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE PRAYERS ACCORDING TO HIS STRENGTH DURING THE FAST OF YOM KIPPUR.

WITH HEAVENLY ASSISTANCE, DESPITE ALL OBSTACLES, WE MERITED THIS YOM KIPPUR TO COMPLETE PRAYERS, IN MOST OF WHICH MOREINU HARAV SHLIT"A PARTICIPATED WITH SELF-SACRIFICE, STANDING ON HIS PAINFUL LEGS IN FASTING, DESPITE HIS ADVANCED AGE AND MEDICAL CONDITION. THOUGH THE TREMENDOUS AWE AND MOST EXALTED FEELINGS OF HOLINESS CANNOT BE CAPTURED IN INK AND PARCHMENT, WE WILL ATTEMPT TO RELATE A BIT -- “SO THAT YOUR GENERATIONS MAY KNOW” -- FROM YOM KIPPUR 5786 IN THE HOLY PRESENCE OF THE KOHEN GADOL AMONG HIS BROTHERS—BEHOLD, HE IS THE TZADDIK WHO SWEETENS AND ATONES THROUGH HIS PRAYERS FOR ALL ISRAEL IN GENERAL AND HIS CLOSE FOLLOWERS IN PARTICULAR, LIKE THE KOHEN GADOL IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!

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“AND IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN FOR THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL”

As the last glimmers of sunlight faded and the holy day entered, thousands already filled the entire courtyard of the Prayer Hall, so packed that one could barely move even a handbreadth. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered the balcony of his home. His appearance caused every mortal to hold their breath—the white kittel and pure white kippah, the leader of the Children of Israel adorned with a new tallit, and the holy countenance radiant with a flame of holy fire, arousing a reverent awe throughout the multitude.

Immediately upon his entrance at 6:30 PM, the chazzan, Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Richter shlit"a, stood at the prayer stand near the holy place. A wave of trembling and fear of Heaven passed through the crowd at these exalted moments. “Kol Nidrei…” From the fourth-floor balcony, the chazzanim this year needed special self-sacrifice to project their voices so that the tefillah could be heard across the crowded courtyard below.

After “Kol Nidrei,” Moreinu HaRav motioned to the chazzan to begin the Maariv prayer of the holy night, and the Rav shlit"a continued throughout with fiery movements of passion. After the Selichot of Maariv, Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Richter continued with the “Shir HaYichud” of all the days of the week, as is customary on Yom Kippur night. Maariv ended only at 9:30 PM after three hours of inspired and elevated prayer. Before entering, the Rav shlit"a said to recite Tehillim, and whoever feared falling asleep the next day should go to sleep, and that Shacharit would begin at 4:30 AM.

It is noteworthy that this early prayer time is very rare on Yom Kippur. The reason for the early prayer time is because the sun beats strongly on the prayer hall courtyard already by midday, and so they begin early to reach the break before the intense heat falls upon the immense praying crowd in the courtyard.

“THE ESSENCE OF THE DAY”

Through Hashem’s abundant mercy, we merited that also on the morning of Yom Kippur, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a came out to participate in the prayers. At 4:30 AM, Shacharit began, and up until “HaMelech” it resembled a joyous Shabbat Shacharit, filled with melody, vitality, and arousal – rejoicing with trembling. The song “Har’einu Hashem Chasdecha” was sung for about seven minutes, and “HaNechmadim MiZahav” for five.

At 6:17 AM, upon reaching “HaMelech,” Moreinu HaRav shlit"a signaled with his holy hand to the chazzan, his grandson and attendant Rabbi Dov Zucker shlit"a, to approach the prayer stand. With his sweet and stirring voice, well-versed in the nusach, he began with a thunderous “HaMelech!” and the thousands, together with Moreinu HaRav, burst into clapping. Whose heart would not tremble?

It was a wondrous miracle that although the prayers were held from the balcony and not inside the Beit Midrash, Hashem placed in the chazzanim’s throats a remarkable strength—their arousing voices being well heard even at a distance and in nearby streets. The rousing and exalted feeling continued throughout Shacharit, in the Breslov nusach filled with the soulful outpouring of great Breslov Chasidim through the generations, soaked in longing and tears. Throughout the repetition of the Amidah, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a followed every word in his prayer book with great arousal, participating in all the piyyutim despite his weakness. Shacharit lasted nearly five hours.

Then came the Torah reading with the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy at the opening of the Ark, read again by Rabbi Dov Zucker. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was called up for the fourth aliyah. Before the Haftarah, he entered his home to perform a brit milah for his grandson, the son of Rabbi Nachman Dan Shapira. After the brit, having stood almost five hours on his painful legs in fasting, and now the sun blazing directly above onto the balcony, the Rav—weak but steadfast—sent word to begin Musaf without him. A few minutes later, the gabbai Rabbi Yosef Assoulin announced “Yizkor,” and the crowd understood that the Rav had instructed to begin without him.

“HEARTS POUR OUT BEFORE YOU LIKE WATER”

It is impossible to describe the intensity and emotion as they prepared with awe and trembling for Musaf and the Avodah service. Rabbi Dov Zucker again stood before the prayer stand, his voice clear like purifying waters, and recited “Hineni He’ani Mima’as” with tremendous arousal, stirring the entire assembly. It’s worth noting the tremendous self-sacrifice of the congregation, that despite the blazing sun, the crowd continued to pray with devukut and arousal, as though the very heat inflamed their holy service. After eight consecutive hours of prayer, Musaf concluded at 12:30 PM, and a break was announced until 4:00 PM.

“AND IN THE MERIT OF THE SIMPLE ONE, MAY THE DAY BRING FORTH OUR JUDGMENT IN RIGHTEOUSNESS”

As evening descended, when the body no longer felt of this world, not a single eye remained dry during the sublime pouring out of the soul. Oy tata! “For everything, God of Forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, atone for us…”

At 4:00 PM, Rabbi Yosef Shor shlit"a began the Mincha prayer. The Torah reading was by Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Richter shlit"a, whose strong voice still rang out clearly even toward the day’s end. Afterwards, Minchah continued, when despite the pressing hour as the day ended, no piyyutim or selichot were left out. Ah, whose heart didn’t tremble with the cry of, “We have sinned our Rock, forgive us our Creator”?

“OPEN FOR US THE GATES OF HEAVEN, AND OPEN FOR US YOUR GOOD TREASURE”

The peak moments of Yom Kippur came during the heartfelt plea, “Open for us the gate at the time of the closing of the gate.” The Ne’ilah prayer — when all the good treasures are poured forth, when the entire Jewish people are sealed for good life and for peace, at the moment of the sealing of judgment — while the Kohen Gadol is concealed in the Holy of Holies, praying for the entire congregation of Israel at these sublime moments. It is impossible not to shed tears like water, pleading and begging to merit: “And seal for good life all the children of Your covenant.”

At 5:20 PM, in a long-standing tradition, Rabbi Yitzchak Halperin shlit”a, Reish Metivta at Yeshivat Chokhmah Vada’at, approached the prayer stand. Possessed of a stirring, heart-rending voice, he awakened the trembling of every heart, especially at these exalted moments. Before the Amidah of Ne’ilah, emotion swept through the congregation as, with self-sacrifice beyond all imagination, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, entered the hall in person — despite the fast, despite his medical condition — to seal at these holy moments all who came, for long good life and for peace.

At 5:30 PM, the Amidah of Ne’ilah began. During the repetition, the fervor was intense, especially in the Selichot and the recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy — “E-l Rachum Ve-Chanun, Erech Apayim, Ve-Rav Chesed Ve-Emet…” — said thirteen times. The power and the lofty feeling of those moments are beyond description, as the congregation pleaded, “You desire the repentance of the wicked and do not wish for their death.” Whose heart would not tremble, whose eyes would not shed tears, at the hour when the decrees are sealed?

Just before the closing of the gates and the final blast of the shofar, during “Avinu Malkeinu…”, as every year, the Rav shlit”a began to sing “Avinu Malkeinu cḥanenu va’anenu ki ein banu ma’asim – Our Father, our King, be gracious to us and answer us, for we have no deeds…” Moreinu HaRav shlit”a repeated it again and again, together with the vast congregation, all roaring as one: “Oy, Tatte!” Even though “we have no deeds,” still “deal with us with charity and kindness and save us!” Grant us a good year, decree upon us good decrees, and quickly bring redemption and salvation to Your flock who await Your salvation! Out of the waves of bleeding pain, all cried out with their whole hearts: “Please! Redeem us with compassion!!!”

After many long minutes of spiritual elevation indescribable in words, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a signaled with his holy hand, and the cḥazzan Rabbi Yitzchak Halperin shlit”a, with all the emotion of his heart, roared the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven in tears upon tears: “Shema Yisrael…!” “Hashem Hu HaElokim!” “Hashem Melekh, Hashem Malakh, Hashem Yimlokh le-olam va’ed!” And as sheep led by their shepherd, at their head Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, they all roared with all their souls and might the verses of accepting the yoke of Heaven — a roar that was heard clearly even in the distant streets.

After the Kaddish and the shofar blast by Rabbi Yosef Shor shlit”a, joy burst forth with “Ki kvar ratzah haElokim et ma’asekha -- For God has already accepted your deeds”. The conclusion of Kaddish Titkabal was accompanied by song flowing from genuine joy — joy of holiness — joy that surely, through the merit of the faithful shepherd, we were all sealed for a good and sweet year!

“WHEN HE CAME OUT FROM THE SANCTUARY”

With the conclusion of the Kaddish, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began the recitation of “VeHu Rachum” in the Maariv prayer of the close of the holy day, with joy and vitality. The Rav himself approached as prayer leader, singing all the melodies of the prayer in the usual style. Maariv lasted over twenty minutes, and afterward Moreinu HaRav shlit”a made havdalah over a cup, together with a havdalah candle.

“THEY GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH”

Immediately after havdalah, while the large congregation had not yet broken the fast — still in holiness and elevation — Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began Kiddush Levanah in the custom of Israel, “They go from strength to strength,” to seize another mitzvah while everyone was still pure and cleansed of sin, like the scarlet wool that turns white. It could be said that this was a longer-than-usual Kiddush Levanah; even though the fast had already extended according to Rabbeinu Tam’s time, the Rav shlit”a continued to sing the melodies of Kiddush Levanah at length and with special vitality. After half an hour of Kiddush Levanah, the Rav delivered a ten-minute shiur.

Moreinu HaRav shlit”a aroused the congregation that now is the time to seize these holy moments and begin to learn — that now, as bein hazmanim begins, instead of rushing to eat after the fast, one should rush to the Gemara at least until chatzot. Especially moving was when the Rav shlit”a told one of his grandsons standing beside him to learn Gemara eight hours every day, and then he would “permit” him to play with whatever he wished. Immediately the Rav added that one who learns Gemara eight hours a day feels such delight that he no longer wants anything of this world at all!

During the shiur, the Rav revealed a glimpse of his self-sacrifice in fasting on the holy day: the doctor had warned him on the eve of Yom Kippur that he had to drink, and even said to him that if the Rav would eat as required because of his medical condition, the doctor himself would commit to fasting the entire fast instead. The Rav shlit”a smiled and said, “He did not stand up to the test of fasting…”, and quoted Rabbeinu’s saying that one must “grab fasts like cake.”

At 7:50 PM, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a concluded the holy day with Kaddish, after more than twenty-six hours of fasting, prayers, and supplications — surely bringing about a good year through the sealing of the Tzaddik for the thousands who came to participate in the holy gathering on the holy day, in the shadow of the holy Rav.

AND INDEED, HOW SPLENDID WAS THE SIGHT OF THE KOHEN GADOL AS HE CAME FORTH FROM THE SANCTUARY!
FORTUNATE IS THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM THIS IS SO; FORTUNATE IS THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM HASHEM IS THEIR GOD!!!