Shiur for Beer Sheva Residents at Home of Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit"a

ON WEDNESDAY, PARASHAT BALAK, THE NIGHT OF 12 TAMMUZ 5784, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE CITY OF BEER SHEVA CAME TO A SHIUR AT THE HOME OF MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A.  MOREINU HARAV SHLIT”A GAVE OVER A SHIUR OF SOME FORTY MINUTES.  HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE SHIUR:

The Rav shlit”a began the shiur with the topic of the Haftarah of Parashat Chukat, expanding on the story of how Yiftach HaGiladi’s daughter greatly desired to be slaughtered and brought as a burnt offering.  Moving from topic to topic, he spoke about nullification to the Tzaddik, mentioning the tribe of Binyamin, who were the first, after Nachshon ben Aminadav, to jump into the sea.  The Rav brought the Gemara on the verse, “There Binyamin, the youngest, rules them (RoDeM)” – “ReD yaM – descend to the sea,” that the tribe of Binyamin were the first to descend to the sea.  About the continuation of the verse, “the princes of Yehuda stoned them,” he explained that the tribe of Yehuda stoned them because they entered the sea out of order.  He expanded on the subject of nullification to the Tzaddik and added that the tribe of Binyamin said that if the Tzaddik says to go, then there is no sea.  He brought what is written in Divrei HaYamim about the tribe of Zevulun, that it says “without a heart and a heart [without double-heartedness],” because they followed David into battle with wholeheartedness.

Later in the shiur, he discussed the greatness of Korach and referenced Likutey Halachot, that Korach was above place and time, and that he flew with the Ark of the Covenant.  It was specifically because of his tremendous greatness that he was tested in the matter of nullification to the Tzaddik.  From this topic, he returned to the matter of Yiftach’s daughter, who desired to be sacrificed.  He brought the Abudarham, who says that a Heavenly voice called out, as it was with Avraham Avinu, “Do not stretch your hand out against the lad.”  Although she was not slaughtered, three drops dripped from Yiftach’s knife.  Therefore, during the Tekufat Tammuz [the summer solstice], when the incident with Yiftach’s daughter occurred, we don’t drink water from the faucet.  The Rav shlit”a added that also from Avraham Avinu’s knife three drops dripped when he came to slaughter Yitzchak.  Therefore, also during the Tekufat Tishrei [the fall equinox], which is the time of the binding of Yitzchak, we don’t drink faucet water.  He also brought the incident of the daughter of Nechunia the well-digger, who fell into a pit, and in the merit of his acts of kindness, he merited for Avraham Avinu to raise her out of the pit.  It is worth noting that during the shiur, the Rav shlit”a mentioned the immense greatness in Torah of the Gaon Rabbi Yehuda Deri ztvk”l, Chief Rabbi of Beer Sheva.