On Thursday night, the 22nd of Tammuz—the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of the elder of our community, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zy"a (may his merit protect us)—a gathering of strengthening and spiritual elevation was held in his memory, with the participation of his prominent student, our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days).

The gathering took place in our Beis Medrash (study hall) with the participation of hundreds of precious young men from the Bnei HaNeurim youth group. About an hour after the conclusion of the Maariv (evening) prayer, the gathering opened with emotional songs of awakening for over half an hour. Afterward, our teacher the Rav shlit"a began his holy discourse, in which he described through many stories the wondrous Avodas Hashem (service of God) of his primary teacher, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender zy"a, along with many other topics. Below is a summary of the lesson:

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was a literal Seraph (fiery angel); he was entirely a blazing fire. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak would complete the entire Shas (Talmud) every two weeks. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was considered a "counter-revolutionary" [by the Soviets] and was arrested along with Rabbi Elah Chaim. That prison was a one-way street—it was impossible to leave—but Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was miraculously released on the eve of Shabbat Zachor. He was supposed to receive a bullet [be executed], but instead, he received a passport. Are people spitting on you? Be happy. Every spit a person receives is more gifts. Yuval was reincarnated in Iyov (Job); they are the same letters, and in the first and last, it is an exchange of Aleph-Lamed and Bet-Mem. The first to be redeemed will be the tribe of Benjamin, because they practiced mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) in Yavesh Gilead to bury the body of Saul. Samuel's anointing of David—he was "ruddy" but with beautiful eyes. David called Goliath a "dog," because Orpah [Goliath's mother] had a union with a dog. The entire Gemara (Talmud) is just stories; one must learn all of Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer, and by Rosh Hashanah, finish four tractates.