"And Moses Ascended to G-d" • Coverage of Shabbat Parshat Yitro

Presented before you is an extensive report of the prayers and lessons (shiurim) that took place on the Holy Shabbat of Parshat Yitro - the Receiving of the Torah, 17th of Shevat 5785, in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days):

Friday Night

At 5:00 PM, the Rav shlit"a went out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha (afternoon prayer) of the Eve of Shabbat, dressed in majestic Shabbat garments. They sang "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" (Light is sown for the righteous) for 20 minutes. Afterward, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Mincha prayer. Following this, he recited the Seder HaHisksherus (the order of spiritual connection to the Tzaddik) word for word, with the entire congregation repeating after him. Then, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (the service welcoming the Shabbat) with all the psalms, from "Lechu Neranena" to "Mizmor L'David." Afterward, he began the singing of "Lecha Dodi," which lasted exactly 35 minutes. At the conclusion of Kabbalat Shabbat, he recited "K'gavna" (a Kabbalistic prayer) and the Maariv (evening) prayer of Friday night with singing and melodies. After the prayer, the Rav continued with the conclusion of the service as he does every Shabbat, with the Zemirot (songs) customarily recited before Kiddush. Close to 7:25 PM, the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home to the singing of "Savanu MiTuvecha" (Satiate us from Your goodness) after a prayer service lasting nearly two and a half hours (2.25).

Shacharit Prayer

The Rav shlit"a came out for the Shacharit (morning) prayer at 4:58 AM. The Rav began with some of the verses of Tikkun Chatzot (the Midnight Lamentation) that are recited, specifically the sections customarily said on Shabbat and Festivals. This was followed by the morning Zemirot and Korbanot (readings regarding the sacrifices). After a 5-minute break, he went down to the hall of our Beit Midrash (study hall). While passing to his podium, the Rav paused and delivered a shiur (Torah lesson) to the young men for about 5 minutes. Afterward, he entered and ascended the podium, immediately beginning another shiur for several minutes. Following the shiur, he began reciting "Hodu L'Hashem Kir'u ViShmo" and Pseukei D'Zimra (Verses of Praise) as he does every Shabbat, with melodies and great enthusiasm. The Rav extended the singing of "Hoshia Et Amecha" (Save Your people) for about 5 minutes, as well as "HaNechemadim MiZahav" (More desirable than gold) for about 5 minutes, and similarly "L'Gozer Yam Suf L'Gezarim" (To Him who split the Reed Sea into parts) for 5 minutes—all with pleasantness and melodies. He sang "Ki Chol Peh L'cha Yoda" (For every mouth shall thank You) for 20 minutes. The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (silent prayer) exactly at 7:30 AM. Immediately after the Chazarat HaShatz (cantor's repetition)—before the Torah reading—the Rav shlit"a spoke with those around him for about 5 minutes, while the singing of "Yehei Ra'ava Kodamach" (May it be the will before You) took place during the opening of the Ark.

Torah Reading

After the Hagbah (lifting of the Torah), the Rav began the Torah reading for Parshat Yitro—the Receiving of the Torah—during which many people celebrating joyous occasions and those observing yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing) were called up. Additionally, as is his holy custom, the Rav shlit"a called up guests from out of town and veteran students. For the reading of the Ten Commandments (Aseret HaDibrot), the Rav shlit"a himself was honored with the Aliyah, and a silence fell over the room as if it were the moment the Torah was given at Sinai. Furthermore, the Haftarah (reading from the Prophets) was read by the Bar Mitzvah boy, Nachman Porat, the son of Rabbi Natan Nach Porat. The Torah reading along with the Haftarah lasted nearly forty minutes.

Musaf Prayer and Kiddusha Rabba

At the conclusion of the Haftarah reading, the Rav shlit"a began singing "Zera Chaya V'Kayama" (Living and enduring offspring) for about 2 minutes. At the end, he recited Kaddish and approached the Musaf prayer at 8:15 AM. After the Chazarat HaShatz, he performed Kiddush immediately over a cup of wine for Kiddusha Rabba (the Shabbat morning Kiddush) and delivered a shiur for about a minute. At 8:36 AM, he entered his holy home after three hours and 38 minutes, during which we merited the Shacharit prayer, Torah reading, Musaf, and Kiddusha Rabba together with the Rav shlit"a.

Mincha Prayer

At 5:35 PM, the Rav shlit"a entered the balcony of his home for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat, reciting Kaddish and beginning the recitation of "Berich Shmeih" and the singing of "Yehei Ra'ava" for 5 minutes. Afterward, the Torah was read—Parshat Mishpatim—with three people called up. Immediately following this, he stood for the Shemoneh Esrei of the Shabbat Mincha.

Ra'ava D'Ra'avin

At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer, which lasted about twenty minutes, the Rav shlit"a performed Netilat Yadayim (ritual hand washing) at his place on the balcony for the Three Meals (Seudah Shlishit) at 6:00 PM. As is his holy custom, he began with the first Kezayit (required amount of bread) and started the Zemirot of the Third Meal for about 20 minutes. At the conclusion of the Zemirot, he extended the singing of "Yah Ribbon" (G-d, Master of the world) for 33 minutes. Afterward, he continued with the singing of "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem, he found grace in the wilderness) for 2 minutes, as well as the singing of "Koh Amar Hashem Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'uraich" (Thus says Hashem, I remember for you the kindness of your youth). Then, he extended the singing of "Ad Heina Azarunu Rachamecha" (Until now Your mercies have helped us) for another 5 minutes. At the end of the singing, the Rav began "Tzur Mishelo Achalnu," "Shir HaMa'alot," and performed the Zimmun (invitation to Grace after Meals) over a cup of wine.

Maariv and Havdalah

At 7:10 PM, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Lamnatzeach BiNginot" for 25 minutes. Afterward, he continued with the Maariv prayer for the conclusion of Shabbat with melodies and a fiery passion. After the Shemoneh Esrei and the recitation of "Vihi Noam," the Rav shlit"a sang "Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo" (Blessed is He, our G-d, who created us for His glory) for 5 minutes, and similarly extended the singing of "Hu Yiftach Libenu BeTorato" (May He open our hearts to His Torah) for about fifteen minutes. At the conclusion of the prayer, he performed Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) over a cup of wine with the singing of "LaYehudim" (For the Jews there was light...) with a special length of about six minutes.

At the Conclusion of the Day of Rest

After Havdalah, the Rav performed Netilat Yadayim for Melaveh Malkah (the meal escorting the Shabbat Queen)—this is the meal of David Malka Meshicha (David the King Messiah). The Rav shlit"a sang all the Zemirot for Melaveh Malkah together with the entire public, which Rebbe Nachman so strongly encouraged singing. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a shiur for about 7 minutes from Chayei Moharan (The Life of Rebbe Nachman). After the shiur, he continued the Zemirot "Eliyahu HaNavi" and "Ribon Kol HaOlamim." After the Zemirot, the Rav performed the Zimmun over the cup with Sheva Brachot (seven blessings for a wedding celebration) and delivered another shiur for about a minute. He entered his holy home at 9:08 PM. This followed a duration of nearly three and a half hours (3.35) during which we merited to be with him continuously from the Mincha prayer, through the Three Meals, Maariv, and Melaveh Malkah.

In total for the entire Shabbat—about nine and a half hours (9.36) during which we merited to take shelter in his holy shadow on the Holy Shabbat of Parshat Yitro - the Receiving of the Torah, 17th of Shevat 5785.