Youth Group in Gathering with Rav Berland Shlit”a

ON FRIDAY NIGHT, THE EVE OF 27 TAMMUZ, PARASHAT MATTOT-MASEI, A GATHERING FOR THE BACHURIM OF THE YESHIVAH KETANAH OF OUR HOLY COMMUNITY WAS HELD AT THE HOLY HOME OF MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A.

As every week, the youth group gathered, but this time the bachurim were in for a surprise.  Just as two weeks earlier, there was a gathering for the “Pe’er Bnei HaNe’urim” youth group of the Yeshiva Gedolah (ages 17-19) with Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, so too this week, a gathering was held for the bachurim of the Yeshiva Ketanah (ages 14-16) in the holy shadow.

The event began with the boys singing niggunei regesh (emotional melodies) for about twenty minutes.  Following this, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a entered and participated in the niggunim for an additional half-hour.  The powerful singing of the pure bachurim could even be heard outside the Rav’s holy home.

After the singing, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a gave over a shiur for around 27 minutes in which he touched on a number of topics.  Here is a summary of the shiur:

The Rav began discussing the extensive renovations being done in our Beit Midrash, and especially the new space created by the renovations, which will allow the bachurim to take part in the Shabbat morning prayers up close.  Moreinu HaRav Shlit”a praised the many bachurim who answered his call and came.  He spoke about the importance of niggunim in prayers.  The Rav shlit”a mentioned that since prayers began in our Beit Midrash “Shuvu Banim” in the Old City, there were not so many bachurim who made it to the Shabbat prayers.  The Rav added that all the niggunim in prayer are in order to join together Rachel and Leah, and from this, he branched out to matters of Kabbalah, in which he explained how Rachel and Leah are joined together.  The Rav said that everyone from the age of thirteen needs to study simple Kabbalah for fifteen minutes a day.

He then spoke about Parashat Pinchas on the subject of Tzelafchad’s daughters, whose names allude to their virtues, such as Machlah, who in the merit of her dancing (machol) all day merited to forgiveness (mechilah) for sins.  Afterwards, he strengthened the bachurim on Shemirat HaEynayim (guarding one’s eyes), especially during the coming vacations days in which the tests increase.  The Rav shlit”a said that the true advice against the evil inclination is only to learn Gemara in depth, and to put one’s mind into the sugya of Gemara.

He began to delve into the sugya that they had been learning for the Daf Yomi in recent days – the sugya of the mustard and the bees – and he went deeply into the opinions brought throughout the sugya.  While elucidating the sugya, he strengthened the matter of guarding one’s speech, and said that whoever speaks Lashon HaRa (evil gossip) is reincarnated in bees.

Toward the end of the shiur, the Rav shlit”a strongly encouraged studying specifically during the vacation period, and added what the Chazon Ish said, that during the vacation period, there is enough time to learn twice as much because one is not bound by the Yeshiva’s schedule and it’s possible to learn at night.  The Rav shlit”a added that it’s possible to learn the Aggadah in the Gemara, as brought in Kiddushin 29b in the story of Bibi bar Abaye in the incident of the serpent with seven heads.  The Rav shlit”a concluded the shiur with the story of the Baal Shem Tov and how the Baal Shem Tov, Odel the prophetess, and his attendant, Rav Hirsch, were saved in the merit of the Alef-Bet.  After the shiur, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a blessed all the bachurim that they should merit to finish Shas already this year, Amen, may it be His will.