A Lesson for the Kollel of Newcomers from the City of Petach Tikva

The Activities of the Newcomers in the City of Petach Tikva ○ A Summary from the Lesson

In the city of Petach Tikva as well, a group has formed of Lithuanian avreichim who have drawn close to the great light. Most of the group merited to come close specifically after the years of intense persecution—over the past two years. Each week, and also on the yahrtzeits of Tzaddikim, they gather—each time in a different location—and strengthen one another together. This group merited, this past Monday night, the night of the 24th of Teves, to enter “further within the holy”—for a special lesson from The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, before the Maariv prayer, in the living room of his home.

The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, opened the lesson with the great significance and lofty value of a birthday, in honor of the “day of the king’s birth” that fell on that day—the 23rd of Teves. He spoke at length about how much a person can accomplish on that day, bringing sources for his words from the Midrashim and from the teachings of Chazal. Later in the lesson, he spoke about Yehoshua’s humility, and about the day of the passing of the spies, which was established as a fast day.

Afterward, he spoke with fiery passion about the obligation to learn Gemara: even when one is drawing close to Breslov, one must know not to abandon in-depth Gemara study. In the course of this, he began speaking at length about the sugya of mustard and bees, together with all the commentators. Along the way, he also spoke about Shimshon, who took a wife from the Pelishtim, and about the war of David and Golyas. He discussed the sugya in Ketzos HaChoshen regarding how David betrothed Meirav—since by killing Golyas he could not betroth her, because it is not worth a perutah. He also spoke about David, from the Gemara in Sanhedrin 19b. Toward the end of the lesson, he addressed the weekly parashah, Shemos, about Yocheved, who is called “Shifrah” because she elevates all the prayers of the Jewish people like a shofar.

After more than fifty minutes of the lesson, The Rav shlit"a recited Kaddish and went out to the balcony of his home for the Maariv prayer with a great crowd, as every evening.