"All His Days, Hours, and Moments He Was Engaged in Drawing the Far-Flung Close, to Return All of the People of Israel to Their Father in Heaven" • A Prayer from the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a for the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Binyamin Ze'ev (Velvel) Cheshin zt"l
Today, the 17th of MarCheshvan, marks the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Rabbi Binyamin Velvel Cheshin zt"l (of blessed memory), one of the greatest servants of Hashem in Breslov in the last generation. Before you is a prayer written by the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) regarding his awesome greatness in bringing people back in teshuvah (repentance) and drawing the far-flung close. It was written in recent days in honor of his hillula (celebration of passing) on the 17th of MarCheshvan, 5785:
Master of the World, Almighty, from Whom no purpose can be withheld, merit us on the holy and awesome yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Hirsh Leib zt"l (of blessed memory), to walk in all his ways. He never missed Chatzos (the Midnight Lamentations) from the age of 17 until the day of his death, and he would weep with awesome cries every single night at Chatzos at the Kotel (Western Wall). He never missed a time in his life going to the Kotel at midnight and weeping there with awesome cries. Specifically, he would say every single night the piyut (liturgical poem) of 'Hineni He'ani MiMa'ash' (Behold, I am poor in deeds) [usually said] before the Musaf prayer of Rosh Hashanah. I used to stand near him every single night at Chatzos at the Kotel and hear his awesome weeping. May it be Your will that his soul should be impregnated (intertwined) within us in the blink of an eye at this very moment and second, and may we merit to say the entire Tikkun Chatzos (Midnight Rectification) with awesome weeping like Hirsh Leib zt"l. "Face of God, look from the peak of Amanah, an eye will behold You from the beginning of the year, and the five portions are yours for a share, so is my Beloved blessed among the sons."
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