“And Behold, Hashem Stood Over Him” • Coverage of Shabbat Parshat Vayetzei in

Before you is an extensive report of the prayers and lessons that took place on Shabbat Kodesh (the Holy Shabbat) Parshat Vayetzei, 9 Kislev 5786, in the shadow of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days):

Friday Night (Leil Shabbat Kodesh)

At 16:33, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, went out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer of Erev Shabbat (Friday afternoon), looking majestic in his Shabbat garments. They sang "Or Zarua L'Tzaddik" (Light is sown for the righteous) for 10 minutes. Afterward, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of Mincha, he recited the Seder HaHishtashrut (the order of connecting to the Tzaddik) word-for-word, with the entire congregation repeating after him. Following this, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (the service welcoming the Shabbat) with all the psalms, from "Lechu Neranena" to "Mizmor L'David." He then began the singing of "Lecha Dodi," which lasted approximately 33 minutes. Afterward, he recited "K'gavna" (a Kabbalistic prayer from the Zohar) and the Maariv (evening) prayer of Shabbat night with singing and melodies. At the end of Maariv, the Rav continued with the Zemirot (Shabbat songs) for Friday night; during "Shalom Aleichem," the Rav extended the singing for about 12 minutes. At the conclusion of the Zemirot, the Rav finished the prayer service at 18:45, after two hours and twelve minutes.

Shacharit (Morning Prayer)

For the Shacharit prayer, the Rav shlit"a came out at 04:54, beginning with part of the verses of Chatzos (the Midnight Lamentation) that are customarily said on Shabbat and festivals. The morning Zemirot and Korbanot (sacrificial readings) followed their usual order. At 05:50, he began saying "Hodu L'Hashem Kir'u Vi'shmo" and the Pseukei D'Zimra (Verses of Praise) as he does every Shabbat, with melodies and great enthusiasm. At 06:23, he said "Baruch She'amar." During the singing of "Ki Chol Peh L'cha Yodeh," he extended the prayer for about 9 minutes; in the melody following "Yishtabach," he extended it for another 6 minutes, while during "Ein Aruch" in the blessing of "Yotzer Or," he extended it for about 3 minutes. The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent standing prayer) at 07:17, after more than two and a half hours of the Shacharit service.

Kriat HaTorah (Torah Reading)

After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz (the Cantor’s repetition of the Amidah), they began the opening of the Ark, singing "Yehei Ra'ava" (May it be the Will) for several minutes, and brought out the Sefer Torah. The Rav shlit"a instructed his grandson, R' Dov Zucker, to read from the Torah. One after another, the Baalei Simcha (those celebrating milestones) and those observing Yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing) were called up, having merited to stand beside the Rav shlit"a during the prayer. The Haftarah (prophetic reading) was read by the Chassid R' Shlomo Chaim Richter shlit"a for the elevation of his mother's soul on her Yahrtzeit. The Torah reading and the Haftarah together lasted about 45 minutes.

Musaf Prayer and Kiddusha Rabba

At the conclusion of the Haftarah reading, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Zera Chaya V'Kayama" (Living and enduring offspring), and here began the unique length of this Shabbat. Immediately upon starting the song, he entered his home, and after 13 minutes, he returned and continued the singing for another 17 minutes—thus, the singing of "Zera Chaya V'Kayama" lasted exactly half an hour! As if that weren't enough, afterward, during the recitation of "Av HaRachamim," he extended the singing of "Nikmat Dam" (Vengeance for the blood of His servants) for 10 minutes. At 09:05, he approached the Musaf prayer. After the Chazarat HaShatz, he finished the prayer, and immediately after "Barchu," he recited Kiddush over the cup for Kiddusha Rabba (the daytime Shabbat Kiddush) and delivered a shiur (Torah lesson) for about 7 minutes.

At 09:24, he entered his holy home after exactly four and a half hours in which we merited the Shacharit prayer, Torah reading, Musaf, and a shiur at Kiddusha Rabba together with the Rav shlit"a.

Mincha Prayer

At 16:34, the Rav shlit"a came out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha prayer of Shabbat Kodesh and began the singing of "Or Zarua L'Tzaddik" for 17 minutes. Afterward, he said Kaddish, and they opened the Ark to the singing of "Yehei Ra'ava" for about 7 minutes. Then the Rav shlit"a read from the Torah—Parshat Vayishlach—for the three called-up portions. This was followed by the Shemoneh Esrei of the Shabbat Mincha.

Re'u d'Re'uin (The Third Meal)

At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer at 17:15, while at his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the third meal (Seudah Shlishit). As is his holy custom, with the first Kezayit (measure of bread), he began the Zemirot of the third meal for about 22 minutes. At the end of the Zemirot, he extended the singing greatly! He sang "Yah Ribbon" for about 50 minutes. Afterward, he sang "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem, he found grace in the wilderness) for 3 minutes, as well as "Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'uraich" (I remembered for you the kindness of your youth) for 10 minutes, and the song "Ad Heina" (Until now) for 20 minutes. After about two hours of the third meal, the Rav shlit"a began "Tzur Mishelo Achalnu" and led the Zimun (Grace After Meals) over a cup of wine with Sheva Brachot (seven blessings for a wedding).

Maariv and Havdalah

Close to 19:15, immediately after the Grace After Meals, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Lamnatzeach Binginot" for 22 minutes. After the conclusion of the singing, the Rav shlit"a continued with the Maariv prayer of Motzaei Shabbat (Saturday night) with melodies like a flaming fire. After the Shemoneh Esrei, he said the order of "Vayehi Noam," extending the singing of "Baruch Hu" (Blessed is He) for 15 minutes, and the singing of "Hu Yiftach" (May He open our hearts) for an additional 20 minutes. Afterward, he finished the Maariv prayer in its order, which lasted an hour and twenty minutes. He then performed Havdalah (the separation ceremony) over the cup with the singing of "Layehudim" (The Jews had light and joy) for 2 minutes.

Motzaei Yom Menucha (Saturday Night)

After Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melave Malka (the meal escorting the Shabbat Queen)—which is the meal of David the King Mashiach. The Rav shlit"a sang all the Zemirot for Melave Malka together with the entire public. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a shiur for about 19 minutes from the holy book Chayei Moharan (The Life of Rebbe Nachman). After the shiur, the Rav continued the Zemirot of "Eliyahu HaNavi" and "Ribbon Kol HaOlamim." Following the songs, the Rav led the Zimun over the cup with Sheva Brachot. At the conclusion of the Grace After Meals, the Rav delivered another shiur in which he instructed the order of study for this night. At 21:35, he entered his holy home. This followed a duration of over five hours (5:01) that we merited to be together with him from the Mincha prayer, through the three meals, Maariv, and Melave Malka.

In total, the entire Shabbat consisted of approximately 11 hours that we merited to take shelter in his holy shadow on Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayetzei, 9 Kislev 5786.