Beis HaKnesses Shalom in Bat Yam ○ Summary from the Lesson

The synagogue, under the leadership of Rabbi Guy Aberg’el shlit"a at the Leonardo Hotel in Bat Yam, is privileged throughout the entire year to draw close and strengthen the young people of our nation. Each day it inspires them through its captivating classes from the Torah of Rebbe Nachman zy"a, and the dewdrops of light from The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, are mentioned time and again in these strengthening lessons.

A group from the synagogue merited to enter a lesson at the home of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a this past Wednesday night, the eve of the 23rd of Marcheshvan, before the Ma’ariv prayer. At the beginning of the lesson, The Rav shlit"a spoke about aggadic teachings from Maseches Kallah, regarding the story of Rabbi Tarfon who entered his field, as brought there. After that, he spoke about those who merited to enter Gan Eden while still in their bodies—such as Eliezer, the servant of Avraham—and he also spoke about matters connected to the weekly Torah portions. He then delved into Torah study from the Yerushalmi, from the chapter HaKones in Bava Kamma, about the beam and the litra of gold, as brought there. After that, he returned again to the subject of the weekly parashah, Chayei Sarah—how Eliezer nullified himself to Avraham, and how, even though it appears as if Avraham is doing everything contrary to what Hashem told him—“Lech lecha…”—he nevertheless tells Eliezer specifically, “To my land you shall go,” and so on. From there he spoke about how someone “asked improperly, yet was answered properly,” as brought in Ta’anis. He then returned to the first point, explaining that in truth Avraham did not intend, Heaven forbid, to refer to Terach, or to Besuel and Lavan; rather, he meant that she was a great-granddaughter of Haran, and so on… After that, he spoke about the greatness of Rebbe Nachman zy"a, as reflected in his name, “Nachman.” He also told stories of tzaddikim, such as the account of Rashi, who told Godfrey the First, when he set out on the Crusade, that he would return with only three men and two horses. At the conclusion of the lesson, he spoke about the greatness of traveling for Rosh Hashanah, and about the “sealings” that take place on the night of “Zechor Bris,” and on Rosh Hashanah, on Yom Kippur, on Hosha’ana Rabbah, and at the Second Hakafos—through the dancing, the unfavorable notes are torn up. And in the end there is Zos Chanukah, which will be in about thirty days, when the jug of oil is sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, and then everyone will be sealed for a good life. With this blessing he concluded the lesson, which lasted close to a full hour—rich and overflowing with words of Torah and aggadah, drawing from all the hidden treasures of the holy Torah.