Thousands at the First Selichos with Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Over 1,000 people gathered for the "First Selichos (penitential prayers)," marking the beginning of the great Kibbutz (gathering) in preparation for Rosh Hashanah in Uman with Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, which were recited with great spiritual awakening.

This morning, our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, went out for the Shacharis (morning) prayer at 4:10 AM. The Rav began by delivering a lesson on the Daf Yomi (daily page of Talmud), page 2 in Tractate Me'ilah until the end of side B, for 22 minutes.

Upon its conclusion, the Rav began reciting Selichos (penitential prayers) with great spiritual awakening, with the participation of over 1,000 people who gathered for the "First Selichos," which are the start of the great Kibbutz (gathering) leading up to Rosh Hashanah in Uman.

At the end of the Shacharis (morning) prayer, the Rav shlit"a gave a lesson and spoke about the Muslim bodyguards who protected him during the nine months he spent in Johannesburg, one of whom would even perform Kiddush (sanctification over wine) every Shabbat and would pray five times a day. He also spoke about his time in Amsterdam and mentioned that Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto zt"l, the "Ramchal," was also forced to wander to Amsterdam after being persecuted.

At the end of the lesson, a Siyum (completion ceremony) for Tractate Me'ilah was held. The Rav shlit"a recited the Tikkun HaKlali (The General Rectification), and the Shofar (ram's horn) was blown. The Rav mentioned that the Maariv (evening) prayer would be at 6:45 PM and that until then, one could finish Tractate Keritot... Additionally, the Rav mentioned the Breslov custom to fast until 1:00 PM.

Rabbi Berland shlit"a on the ban against the Ramchal and Rabbi Yonatan Eybeschutz