An Abundance of Revelations with our Teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Today as well, we merited an abundance of revelations from our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a: a lesson in the Daf Yomi (daily page of Talmud), Shacharis (morning prayer), a Bris Milah (circumcision), and a lesson.

At 4:18 AM, the Rav shlit"a entered the prayer hall. After reciting the "Yehi Ratzon" (May it be Your will) and "Hareini Mekasher" (I hereby bind myself) prayers before study according to the Rav's version, and reciting the Birchos HaTorah (Blessings over the Torah), the Rav delivered a 25-minute lesson on the Daf Yomi, Tractate Keritot, page 13. The Rav opened the lesson regarding the matter of Terumos and Ma'asros (tithes), stating that a woman does not sin of her own accord unless others cause her to sin.

Subsequently, the Rav explained at length why King David, a"h (peace be upon him), married two women, Merav and Michal, despite the Rambam (Maimonides) ruling that it is forbidden to marry two sisters. The Rav explained this extensively based on Tractate Bava Metzia, page 83, and also brought a homiletic teaching from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson a"h, the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, as well as quoting at length from the Gemara in Tractate Sanhedrin, page 19.

At 4:45 AM, the lesson concluded. After reciting Chatzos (Midnight Lament) until 5:25 AM, they sang all the songs, the morning hymns, and the Shacharis prayer, with the Rav encouraging and jumping along with the singing.

At the conclusion of the prayer, a Bris Milah was held for the son of Rabbi Yaniv, and his name in Israel was called: Yonatan.

Following the Bris, the Rav delivered a lesson and urged the daily reading of the Ten Commandments. The Rav said that in the past, the Ten Commandments were read daily in public, but after the Karaites claimed that this was the entire Torah, G-d forbid, the public reading of the Ten Commandments was stopped. However, it is still important to read the Ten Commandments every day.

Afterward, the Rav spoke about Parshas Ekev, whose theme is to "make the heels jump" (a play on the word 'Ekev' meaning heel), and then one succeeds in overcoming all transgressions. The main thing is to decide not to commit a sin, especially for the Mohels (circumcisers), that they should be holy and pure.

At 7:15 AM, the prayer with the Rav concluded, after we merited to be in the Rav's presence for three hours.