A Lesson for the Worshippers of Mori Salem Synagogue in Rishon LeZion

Mori Salem Synagogue in Rishon LeZion ○ The Mikveh ○ An Excerpted Summary from the Lesson

In Shikun HaMizrach in Rishon LeZion, at 7 Zerubavel Street, there is a beautiful, meticulously built mikveh. The mikveh was built by Grandfather Rabbi Shalom Sharabi (the Mari Salem) zt"l many years ago. And according to the grandfather’s will, the mikveh should be open 24 hours a day free of charge. What is special about this mikveh is that in recent years The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, also immersed there a number of times.

In addition to the mikveh, in recent years a synagogue was opened adjacent to it. The worshippers of the synagogue are among the students of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, and prayers are held there with the melodies of The Rav shlit"a throughout the week, and especially on Shabbos Kodesh.

The worshippers of the synagogue merited to enter into the inner sanctum for a lesson from The Rav shlit"a on Monday night, the 28th of Adar, before the Ma’ariv prayer. The Rav shlit"a began the lesson with the topic of Parshas Vayikra—that Moshe Rabbeinu did not want to write “Vayikra,” as brought in the Baal HaTurim there, and he said, “I will not be greater than Bilaam.” And The Rav said that the point is that Bilaam always thinks he is Moshe, and Moshe thinks he is Bilaam.

After that, he spoke in Aggadah and from Tanach about Eliyahu, who stopped the rain in the time of Achav, as brought in Melachim, and he expanded on this matter. He also brought the Midrash Shocher Tov, which speaks about Yonah, who merited to enter Gan Eden with his body because he was in the belly of the fish.

Later in the lesson, he spoke about the Shunamite woman—that because she merited to give over her life for the sake of the Tzaddik, she merited the blessing, “The jug of oil did not run out…” And he said: “Whoever believes in the Tzaddik brings all the shefa!”

Toward the end of the lesson, he spoke about the matter of Rachel’s burial, and he concluded the lesson with this point: Yosef did not meet with his father except twice, because if Yaakov had truly known that the brothers sold him, he would have died on the spot.