A Lesson at the Home of The Rav

The Breslov Community in Ganei Modi’in – Chashmonaim ○ Summary from the Lesson

The members of the Breslov community in the religious town of Ganei Modi’in – Chashmonaim were privileged to become close to The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. The community, led by the mashpia, the chassidic rabbi R’ Yochanan Natan shlit"a, is privileged each day to gather between Minchah and Ma’ariv for a Torah lesson from the holy books of Rebbe Nachman. During the prayers, the niggunim of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, are also woven in. And because Chashmonaim includes a variety of different groups, many people—especially young people—are drawing close and meriting to taste the great light of Rebbe Nachman.

The Breslov community in Chashmonaim was privileged to enter further inward into holiness for a special lesson from the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, in his holy residence, on Wednesday night, the eve of the 19th of Teves, before the Ma’ariv prayer.

In the lesson, The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, spoke about the weekly parashah, Vayechi—about how Yaakov “crossed” his hands when blessing Ephraim and Menashe, and about the awesome secrets contained in this. He also spoke about the matter of “one silver bowl,” and he strengthened everyone regarding holiness and self-restraint.

After that, he spoke about the sale of Yosef: the brothers thought that Yosef wanted to sell them—along the approach of the Rambam that it is permitted to sell the children of maidservants who were not freed with a document. During the lesson he also told a fascinating story of teshuvah. He also spoke about how David, every day in his Hisbodedus, would battle lions—and how Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa drove away a lion, as brought in Midrash Tanchuma. He also brought the Midrash about Yehudah approaching Yosef: when they came to imprison him, he let out a roar and all the Egyptians turned their heads in fear.

Later in the lesson, he spoke at length about the Aggadah of the story of Rav Kahana, as brought in the Gemara Bava Kamma 117. Then, toward the end of the lesson, he spoke from the Zohar in Vayikra: “All settlement rolls in a circle like a ball”—that the entire world is like a sphere—and he also brought the Midrash that speaks about this.

At the conclusion of the lesson, he spoke from Parashas Shemos and brought the Sforno on the verse, “And He made for them houses”—that Pharaoh built for Miriam and Yocheved birthing-houses so they would manage to arrive and, Heaven forbid, strangle the children at birth; but they answered Pharaoh that by the time the women awaken, the child has already been born. With these words, The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, concluded the lesson and went out to the Ma’ariv prayer with a great crowd, from the balcony of his home as on every evening.