Review of Yom Tom Rishon of Passover in the Presence of Rabbi Eliezer Berland

AS THE HOLY AND AWE‑INSPIRING DAYS OF PESACH CAME UPON US, THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY MERITED TO BASK IN THE GREAT SHADOW OF MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT"A, WHO RESEMBLES AN ANGEL OF HASHEM TZEVAKOT. BELOW IS A FASCINATING ACCOUNT OF WHAT WE MERITED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE TZADDIK DURING THE HOLY DAYS OF PESACH.

“LEIL SHEMURIM”

With the conclusion of Minchah for Shabbat Kodesh, precisely at the onset of  “Chag HaCherut (the Holiday of Freedom)”—7:27 pm—Moreinu HaRav shlit"a sang the niggun that he customarily sings before Barchu on every Yom Tov and Moed, and he began the Maariv of Yom Tov with unique vitality. After Maariv came the first recitation of full Hallel on this holy and awesome night. Hallel was sung with niggunim and tremendous fire “bren.” For thirty‑eight minutes of song and gratitude, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, with his holy motions, enlivened the entire congregation with the verses of praise and gratitude for the miracles and wonders.

After Hallel and the Kaddish that follows it, Moreinu HaRav began singing “B’Tzeit Yisrael MiMitzrayim” for about ten more minutes, the crowd repeating the verses again and again, as they carry special meaning on this holy night. The prayer then concluded with Kaddish, Aleinu LeShabe’ach, Adon Olam, and Yigdal, each word and letter articulated with niggunim. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered his home to the song of “Karov Yom” at 8:45—after an hour and forty‑five minutes of the night’s prayer—while each person, charged with holy energy from the extraordinary prayer, headed home to conduct their Passover Seder.

TO THANK AND PRAISE

Throughout the entire Seder night, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a sat with his family conducting the Seder, fulfilling explicitly the dictum “Whoever elaborates in telling…,” with tales of the exodus from Egypt, songs, and insights. At 4:30 am, they came to inform him that the time for Kriat Shema of Shacharit had arrived.

The Rav shlit"a immersed in the mikveh before the prayer and at 4:35 came in for Shacharit of Yom Tov, beginning with the verses said on Shabbot and Yom Tov from Tikkun Chatzot. After Tikkun Chatzot he began Shacharit—the morning zemirot, Odeh La‑Kel, with special vitality, followed by Korbanot and Pesukei d’Zimrah with song and fervor. Then “Nishmat Kol Chai” was sung with arousal, with special emphasis on the niggun for “Ki Chol Peh,” which lasted over five minutes as Moreinu HaRav enlivened everyone with his holy movements.
At 6:25, nearly two hours after beginning Shacharit, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a stood for the Amidah of the Three Festivals. Immediately after the Chazan’s repetition, he blessed over Hallel. The entire congregation sang, danced, and jumped with immense enthusiasm—who could fathom the voices, thunder, and great joy! “B’Tzeit Yisrael” alone was repeated seven times, each time with renewed vitality and exaltedness. Then came the rousing niggun of “Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov” and, if that were not enough, at the close of Hallel came the stirring niggun during “Ana Hashem Hoshiah Na.” The singing of Hallel lasted over half an hour (38 minutes).

After the conclusion of Hallel, the Rav shlit"a recited the order for removing the Sefer Torah for the Three Festivals, with the Thirteen Middot at the Ark’s opening, and he immediately began the Torah reading of Pesach. Although on a Yom Tov that falls on a weekday there are normally four aliyot, as on every Shabbat with Moreinu HaRav, many celebrants and yahrzeit observers were present, so about ten aliyot were called up for the reading of “Vayehi Ba’chatzi Halaylah,” Israel’s Exodus from Egypt, and the Korban Pesach section in Parashat Bo. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a received the fourth aliyah of Rabbeinu HaKadosh—Netzach. The Torah and Haftarah reading together lasted fifteen minutes. Then “Y‑ah E-li VeGoali” was sung to the Rav’s vitalizing melody, as customarily sung on every holiday.

A little after 7:30, the Rav shlit"a stood for Musaf with the “Prayer for Dew” to the Vizhnitz tune “Y‑h Ribbon” during the Chazan’s repetition with special arousal and vitality. During Musaf, all the melodies that revitalize us anew when sung during the Festivals with Moreinu HaRav were sung: “Vekabetz pezureinu…,” “Vahavi’einu L’Tziyon Irecha…,” each niggun chanted by the entire congregation with fire and immense joy. After the repetition, Moreinu HaRav concluded the prayer in order—“Kavei El Hashem,” then Aleinu LeShabeach, Anim Zemirot, concluding with Adon Olam and Yigdal Elokim Chai. Upon finishing the prayers, the Rav shlit"a delivered a three‑minute shiur on the greatness of Seder night.  After the shiur, he recited Kaddish and entered his holy home at 8:33—after nearly four hours (3.58) of the holiday’s morning prayer.

“AND YOU SHALL COUNT FOR YOURSELVES”

At 7:27 pm, we merited and Moreinu HaRav shlit"a emerged for Minchah for the Three Festivals. After the repetition, he sang “Lamnatze’ach BiN’ginot” for five minutes. It is told of earlier Tzaddikim that they yearned so much to bless Sefirat HaOmer that they practically had to restrain themselves, lest it appear as if they wished to flee from the sanctity of Yom Tov. Exactly on time, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a said Barchu of Maariv of Motza’ei Yom Tov with vitality and niggunim. After the Amidah, he began “B’Tzeit Yisrael” for ten minutes, concluding with Aleinu LeShabeach.

On the first night of Sefirat HaOmer, 5785—Chesed shebeChesed—Moreinu HaRav shlit"a began the LeShem Yichud along with the song “Hineni Muchan UM’zuman LeKayeim Mitzvat Asei….” For about ten minutes, we prepared ourselves for the great moment—the first count. The Rav signaled with his holy hand, and only his pure voice pierced the heavens as he blessed “Asher Ked’shanu BeMitzvotav Vitzivanu Al Sefirat HaOmer.” A roar of “Amen!” burst forth from the congregation, followed by absolute silence: “HaYom Yom Echad LaOmer….” Like a thunderstorm, the giant crowd roared, as Rabbeinu teaches: Sefirat HaOmer with “koach” -- power!  Immediately afterwards, they sang “Lamnatze’ach BiN’ginot” for about five minutes, and then “Ana BeKoach…” seven times in the holy Baal Shem Tov’s niggun. Upon finishing the niggunim, Moreinu HaRav recited aloud, word-by-word, “Ribono Shel Olam” with awesome arousal.  At the conclusion, the song “V’Al Yedei Zeh… (and through this, may great bounty be drawn to all the worlds)” lasted about five minutes. After more than an hour and twenty minutes of Minchah, Maariv, and the Omer count, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a made Havdalah over a cup with the single blessing of Borei Pri HaGafen and returned to his home at 8:48 pm.

THUS ENDED THE FIRST YOM TOV OF PESACH IN THE PRESENCE OF MOREINU HARAV SHLIT"A—WITH OVER EIGHT HOURS THAT WE MERITED TO SPEND IN THE TZADDIK’S PURE PRESENCE DURING THE HOLIDAY.