We merited and our Rebbe Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a took part in the yahrzeit celebration of Rabbeinu HaKadosh Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Below is a short summary of events which began on the evening of the yahrzeit and continued until the conclusion of the morning prayers of Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the Succot holiday) – together with our Rebbe Rav Berland shlit”a.
At the beginning, we merited to Maariv prayers of an hour and a half with a fiery shiur, and afterwards the saying of Tehilim for the Simchat Beit HaShoeva and songs of Rabbeinu, as is customary every evening. After Maariv, everyone went together to the festive meal in honor of the yahrzeit at the giant Succah on HaAyin-Het St. in the Musrara neighborhood. At around 11:00 pm, our Rebbe Rav Berland shlit”a arrived at the Succah, greeted by the song “Or Zarua” by the thousands who filled the giant Succah. The Rav shlit”a, during the hilulah which lasted until 5 in the morning – more than six hours, gave over a number of fiery shiurim about the greatness of Rebbe Nachman and other subjects. The rest of the time was dancing with great vitality and awesome arousal.
At 5:00 am, the Rav left the Succah on HaAyin-Het St. and arrived at his home, saying at his departure that the Shacharit prayer is in another half-hour. And so at 5:30 the Rav shlit”a came out for the morning prayers, Hallel, Hoshanot, the reading of the Torah, and Musaf. After Musaf, he gave over another shiur, said the Tikkun HaKlali, and then entered his home with more words about the greatness of Rabbeinu HaKadosh, singing the song “Becha Rabbeinu Nagilah – In you Rabbeinu, we will rejoice.”
So we merited to some 15 hours above time and place, with prayers, dancing, simchah, and fiery shiurim, beginning from 7:40 in the evening until 8:40 the following morning, after the Chol HaMoed prayers which alone went on for over three hours.
Fortunate are we that we merited to draw close to Rabbeinu!
