A Lesson for the “Afuyim B’Libo” Chaburah at the Home of the Gaon HaTzaddik

Exams of the “Afuyim B’Libo” Chaburah ○ A Summary from the Lesson for the Bochurim

As part of the learning program of the current Torah in the order of the “Afuyim B’Libo” Chaburah, the bochurim of the group—who were tested on Torah 55—merited to enter further inward, into the holy inner chamber, for a lesson from The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, on Monday night, the eve of the 14th of Av, Parshas Eikev.

The Rav shlit"a delivered a very long lesson of about an hour and a half to these precious bochurim. Below is only a drop from the sea—a brief summary of some of the topics The Rav shlit"a spoke about during the lesson:

The Rav shlit"a began the lesson with the matter of the sin of Adam HaRishon, and with the greatness of the day of Tu B’Av. After that, he continued with the greatness of—and encouragement for—learning during Bein HaZmanim. He said that during Bein HaZmanim there is time to learn double, as the Chazon Ish says, and at the same time also to go and prostrate oneself at the graves of Tzaddikim and bring about salvations for the people of Israel. The Rav continued to strengthen, with even greater force, the importance of learning Torah at all times. He said that when a person does not learn, that is where all the problems of shalom bayis come from. Later he spoke about Eliyahu HaNavi in the cleft of the rock, and about how Eliyahu HaNavi said to Hashem: I want the mouth of Moshe—“Mouth to mouth I speak with him, in a vision and not in riddles.” Hashem told him: If you want to be like Moshe, then go to all the brisos. As the lesson went on, The Rav spoke about many subjects from the hidden treasures of the Torah. Toward the end of the lesson, he spoke at length about the greatness of accepting ביזיונות (humiliation and disgrace) with love, as brought in Torah 12: the more they disgrace the Tzaddik, the more he rises—higher and higher.