Special Shiur for “Shuvu Banim Beer Sheva” at Home of Rabbi Eliezer Berland

A striking sign greets visitors to Bloch St. in Beer Sheva: “Synagogue  of the Community of Chasidei Breslov Beer Sheeva for the Salvation and Success of Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a.”  Yes, also in the capital of the south there is a special minyan every Shabbat of Chasidei Breslov which lights up the whole area.  Although on weekdays there are no regular activities outside of occasional shiurim by the important students of Rav Berland shlit”a, however, on Shabbat the place comes to life.  Forty people (may they increase) come every Shabbat to the Breslov synagogue and pray with vitality and niggunim (melodies), a combination of the prayer niggun of Rav Berland shlit”a and the traditional melodies which are customary in the place.  On Shabbat morning after prayers, there is Kiddush and a shiur in Sippurey Maasiot (Rabbi Nachman’s Stories) given over by Rabbi Avraham Levi, one of the local rabbis.  The Third Shabbat Meal is also held every Shabbat with the niggunim of Rav Berland shlit”a, and singing and dancing.

The place doesn’t stay still.  The amazing phenomenon in every branch of Shuvu Banim in Israel repeats itself also in the synagogue in Beer Sheva – there are always new people drawing closer and taking interest, especially when sometimes Rav Berland’s students come, such as Rav Shalom Arush, Rav Moshe Tzanani, Rav Ofer Erez and others come to deliver shiurim here.

Members of the Shuvu Banim Beer Sheva community merited to come to Rav Berland’s home for a special shiur. In the shiur, the Rav shlit”a spoke about the matter of Rachel’s burial, that she was buried on a main road.  Therefore, Yosef HaTzaddik asked his father why he buried her in the middle of the road.  You couldn’t bury her inside a city?  Rather, Yaakov Avinu told him: Don’t think that I couldn’t have buried her in a city.  I could have, but I buried her at that place at G-d’s command mamash.  The Rav shlit”a explained that today we see that if Yaakov Avinu had buried her inside Beit Lechem and not on the road, the Jewish people would have been unable to come in their masses like we see today.