Simchat Torah in the Shadow of Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit”a

The New Prayer Tent ○ Shiurim and Holiday Prayers with Wondrous Length ○ Hakafot with the Rav Until the Late Night Hours and, for the First Time in Years, Hakafot Also in the Morning ○ Prayers and Shiurim

As is known, anyone who wishes to rejoice in Simchat Torah until "the roof bursts open" should come to Shuvu Banim and together with Moreinu HaRav shlit"a dance and leap in honor of the Torah. Especially since, on the eve of the Yom Tov, everyone was informed that "the redeemed of Hashem shall return and come to Zion with singing," and that the hostages, who until now languished in the tunnels of the accursed, bloodthirsty Ishmaelites, have now, exactly two years after the horrific massacre, merited to emerge from darkness to light.

There is no doubt that in the piyut of the Middle Eastern Jewish communities, which sings "A day of joy for Israel" on Simchat Torah, we felt this deeply, and the joy was complete all the more so, as this year on Simchat Torah, we merited, through Hashem’s great mercy and kindness, to rejoice, dance, and complete the Torah together with Moreinu HaRav shlit"a.

The Shuvu Banim website presents a detailed report and moving documentation of the Simchat Torah holiday in the shadow of the “Chatan HaTorah,” Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a:

In My Heart, I Will Build a Sanctuary

As is well known, in the past two years, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was accustomed to going to the Kotel on the night of Simchat Torah to hold the holiday prayers and hakafot there. This year, due to the medical condition of the Rav shlit”a, whose leg, for about a month, has been suffering and atoning for the sins of Am Yisrael, the holiday prayers were designated to take place near his holy home. On the eve of Yom Kippur, a prayer tent was erected in an area specially allocated for the Shuvu Banim community. However, due to the Rav’s health condition, the prayers were ultimately held from his balcony. During the Sukkot holiday, all prayers and activities held in our Beit Midrash were transferred to the "Prayer Tent." Now, on the eve of Simchat Torah, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a expressed his desire to come, for the first time, to the "Prayer Tent" to hold the prayers and hakafot for Shemini Atzeret. For this purpose, bleachers were set up along the entire tent, and for the women’s section, the adjacent road segment at the Nevi’im-Damascus Gate intersection was closed. In honor of Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, a raised platform was prepared so that he could be seen even from the other side of the aforementioned intersection. [caption id="attachment_55322" align="aligncenter" width="595"] The New "Prayer Tent" from a Bird’s-Eye View Overlooking the Walls of the Old City and the Site of our Holy Temple[/caption]

For from Zion, Torah Shall Emerge

At 6:10 PM, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a appeared in his majestic splendor on the holy platform of the "Prayer Tent," his appearance like that of an angel of the Lord of Hosts, amidst the singing of "Or Zarua LaTzaddik," which lasted about half an hour. At 6:40 PM, he began the Mincha prayer for the eve of Shemini Atzeret. After the Mincha prayer, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a recited "Hashem Malach Ge’ut Lavesh" and "Aleinu Leshabe’ach." At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a opened with a fiery shiur, primarily emphasizing the teaching of Rabbeinu HaKadosh that by reciting "Ve’Emunah Kol Zot," one brings all his livelihood for the entire year. It should be noted that during the Maariv prayer, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was filled with fiery passion and full of holy movements. [caption id="attachment_55323" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a during the Mincha Prayer on the Eve of Simchat Torah 5786 in the New "Prayer Tent"[/caption] After the Maariv prayer at 7:35 PM, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a began with "Atah Horeita Lada’at" and the hakafot for the night of Simchat Torah with the singing of "Torat Hashem Temimah." Initially, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a took a fifteen-minute break, as the hall filled with circles upon circles, feet lifted in song and melody in honor of the Torah, with each circle holding one of the many Torah scrolls belonging to our holy community. When Moreinu HaRav shlit"a returned to his holy platform, the joy only doubled. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a did not cease dancing, leaping, clapping hands, and skipping, like King David in his time before the Holy Ark. The intensity of the joy cannot be described or imagined! The echoes of the dancing were clearly heard across the walls of the nearby Old City. An hour passed, and while most synagogues had long finished their hakafot, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was still holding the fourth hakafah, singing the songs of Rabbeinu HaKadosh. It was impossible to miss the tears streaming from his pure eyes as everyone sang in unison, "Uman, Uman, Rosh Hashanah…" followed by "You brought us this far, bring the Rav to Uman."

Awaken, My Glory, Awaken

After four hours of uninterrupted dancing, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a concluded the seventh hakafah with the singing of "Ki MiTzion Tetze Torah." Moreinu HaRav shlit"a instructed the prayer leader, his grandson and attendant, R’ Dov Zucker, to read the Torah. This is, of course, the only Torah reading of the year that takes place at night. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was honored with the aliyah of "Kol HaNe’arim" for the night of Simchat Torah, and the singing of "HaMalach HaGoel Oti…" Upon concluding the Torah reading, he continued with the Maariv prayer, reciting "Shir HaMa’alot Samachti B’Omrim Li…" as well as "Aleinu LeShabe’ach" and, at the end, "Adon Olam" – "Yigdal Elokim Chai." At 11:53 PM, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a concluded the Maariv prayer and hakafot for the night of Simchat Torah after six hours, announcing that at 5:00 AM, the Vatikin (sunrise) prayer would be held from the balcony of his home. As he left the "Prayer Tent," Moreinu HaRav shlit"a returned to his holy home on HaHomah HaShlishit Street, amidst the singing of "Urah Kevodi Urah – Awaken, my glory, awaken," with the feeling that the hakafot had not yet ended and were now continuing in the streets of the city, in the spirit of "Circle Zion and surround her." At 12:02 AM, after nearly six hours, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a ascended to his holy dwelling.

And There was a King in Yeshurun

On the morning of the holiday, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a went out to the balcony of his home at 5:02 AM. Ahh! After a packed night, the time for the Shacharit prayer of Shemini Atzeret arrived. The order of the prayer was as customary for every Shabbat and holiday, with melodies and great fervor. It began with the recitation of Tikkun Chatzot, including "Urah Na" and "Sha’arei Tzion," as is customary on Shabbatot and holidays, followed by the morning Zemirot with immense vitality and fervor, and then Korbanot and Pesukei D’Zimra. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a extended the singing and melodies, as is his custom every Shabbat, with the singing of "Ki Kol Peh Lecha Yodeh…" lasting about six minutes, followed by the blessings of Shema and the Amidah for the Three Festivals, which began at 7:18 AM. After the repetition of the Amidah, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a said the blessing for Hallel and began singing the Hallel with immense fervor and the known melodies for a full hour, extending each melody endlessly. First, with the singing of "B’Tzeit Yisrael MiMitzrayim" for 14 minutes, then with the melody of "Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov" for 18 minutes, and with the cry of "Ana Hashem Hoshia Na" for an additional 14 minutes. Of course, all this was after a long and packed night of prayers and dancing, with minimal sleep, yet Moreinu HaRav shlit"a stood like a young man, encouraging everyone to leap and dance in the song of thanksgiving of the full Hallel. After concluding the Hallel, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a recited "L’David Hashem Ori V’Yishi" and the Song of the Day, "Elokim Nitzav B’Adat E-l."

HaShir V’HaShevach, Tzu Vemen!

At 8:32 AM, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a began the opening of the Ark for the hakafot with the recitation of "Atah Horeita Lada’at" and opened with the singing of "Torat Hashem Temimah" for the first hakafah. Here, a wondrous event occurred, on a historic scale, destined to be remembered and etched for generations: Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered his home, and everyone thought, as is customary, that he would return for the seventh hakafah around 12:00 PM. But how great was the surprise, and how immense the astonishment, when after nine minutes, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a returned and stood in his holy place on the balcony. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a participated, danced, and sang in all the hakafot. We say this event is historic because, as the elders told us, since the year 5758 (almost thirty years ago), such a thing had not occurred where Moreinu HaRav shlit"a continued the hakafot immediately after Hallel and remained continuously until the end of the prayer (except for the short break when he entered his home for a few minutes). However, it should be noted that in the years 5778–5779, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered his home and returned after two hours for hakafot in the streets of Jerusalem, but hakafot immediately following Shacharit are not comparable to hakafot after a break. Of course, it’s impossible to describe the joy and delight in the immense salvation that in His great mercy we merited to dance with him in the morning hakafot. Of course, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a did not skip any niggun. It should be noted that before the conclusion of each hakafah, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a descended from his holy place and circled with the Torah scroll on the balcony together with his grandchildren and those who merited to acquire the hakafot in honor of the Torah and in honor of the Chatan Torah – the Tzaddik of the generation shlit"a.

Before the Eyes of All Israel

At 11:50 AM, after three and a quarter hours of hakafot with the greatest joy and vitality, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a concluded the seventh hakafah to the sound of the singing of "Seu Shearim Rasheichem..." Immediately afterward, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a instructed to open the Ark for the Torah reading, which was also the opening of the Ark for the Three Festivals with the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy and the recitation of the customary supplications. The Torah reading – "V’Zot HaBracha," with one after another, those who merited to purchase the z’chut for a considerable sum, known as a segulah for opening the gates of Torah and wisdom for the entire year. At the instruction of Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, the Torah reading was performed by his attendant, R’ Dov Zucker, in a loud voice so that the portion concluding the Torah could be heard from afar. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, of course, ascended as the Chatan Torah, as per the custom of Rabbeinu HaKadosh, with R’ Dov Zucker, in his pleasant voice, chanting the invitation for the Chatan Torah: "Stand, stand, stand, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, Chatan Torah! By the permission of this entire congregation to complete the Torah!" The very walls of Jerusalem, trembling from the intensity of the roar, testify to this after the conclusion of the holy Torah’s words, "Before the eyes of all Israel…" – "Chazak, Chazak, V’Nitchazek!!!" As it concluded, so it began: the Chatan Bereishit ascended together with the reading customary for "Kol HaNe’arim." Truly, how splendid it was to see, without exaggeration, nearly a thousand charming children, with sublime purity glowing on their cheeks, from infancy to bar mitzvah age, all gathered under the giant tallit created by the supervisor of the "Yeldei HaTzaddik" society, the devoted R’ Naftali Bick, who sacrifices himself for the children of our holy community. Immediately after concluding the Torah reading, R’ Dov Zucker read the Haftarah, beginning the books of prophets -- the first chapter of Sefer Yehoshua. The entire Torah reading and Haftarah lasted nearly fifty minutes.

B’Tzidkam Chon Chashrat Mayim

Immediately following the Haftarah, the Rav announced "Yizkor," with the entire vast congregation, those who don’t have to mention the souls of their parents, may they live for a good and long life, placing the tallit over their heads, as has been customary for a number of years. After "Yizkor," they began singing "Y-ah E-li V’Goali," and immediately afterward, at 12:38 PM, well before the “sof zman,” Moreinu HaRav shlit"a stood for the Mussaf prayer of Shemini Atzeret, having previously announced "Mashiv HaRuach U’Morid HaGeshem." Of course, at the start of the repetition of the Amidah, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a said the prayer for rain with great fervor, "For blessing and not for curse!" with the prayer for rain accompanied by the melody of "Y-ah Ribon" (Vizhnitz). At the conclusion of the Mussaf prayer, he completed the rest of the prayer in order, and after "Barechu," Moreinu HaRav shlit"a said Kiddush and delivered a brief shiur for a few minutes. At 1:02 PM, after exactly six hours, he returned to his holy dwelling after we merited, in addition to the prayers and the completion of the Torah as mentioned, to the morning hakafot with his participation and under his pure shadow. Ah, blessed are the eyes that saw, blessed are the feet that merited to skip and dance in honor of the Torah!

There Is No Segulah Like the Torah

At 6:20 PM, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer for the Three Festivals, with the singing of "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" lasting about twenty minutes. Afterward, he recited Kaddish and Ashrei and stood for the Amidah. After the repetition of the Amidah, he recited for the last time "L’David Hashem Ori V’Yishi" and "Aleinu LeShabe’ach." Immediately afterward, as is his holy custom in recent years, at the conclusion of the holiday, he began the Maariv prayer for the conclusion of the holiday with the well-known melody of "Barechu." At the end of Maariv, he said Havdalah and then gave a brief shiur and entered his holy home at 7:15 PM, stating that the hakafot shniot would take place from the balcony of his home in the coming hours.

In summary, all the prayers and hakafot of Simchat Torah amounted to nearly thirteen hours of prayers, hakafot, and dancing. Indeed, how fortunate are we to have merited completing the Torah and dancing together with Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, the Chatan Torah in the literal sense -- one in his generation -- who studies and toils over his Torah day and night, giving no slumber to his eyes. For all this, we can only say:

"Blessed is our God who separated us from those who err and gave us the Torah of truth and planted eternal life within us!!"