“And Moses Sent Them” • Shabbat Shelach-Lecha in the Shadow of the Gaon and

Also on Shabbat Parshat Shelach-Lecha 5784 (2024), we merited an uplifting Shabbat in the shadow of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days). Before you is the full coverage of the prayers, lessons, and meals in the holy shadow:

On Erev Shabbat Kodesh (the eve of the holy Sabbath), the Rav came out for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer about forty minutes before sunset at 7:15 PM and began singing "Ohr Zarua" (Light is sown for the righteous) for twelve minutes. After the singing, they stood for the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer, he recited the Seder HaHisksherus (the order of connecting to the Tzaddik) – "I thank You for setting my portion...", "I hereby hand over...", "I hereby connect..." – our teacher the Rav shlit"a says every word individually and everyone repeats after him. Afterward, the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat (the service welcoming the Sabbath) with "Lechu Neranena," psalm after psalm with vitality and all the fire, life, and bren (burning enthusiasm). Then he began the pleasant singing of "Lecha Dodi," which lasted about forty minutes, repeating all the sections again and again with immense vitality. After the conclusion of "Lecha Dodi," the Rav continued the prayer as usual, Arvit (the evening prayer) with all the melodies in the Shuvu Banim style at the peak of vitality and joy. Afterward, the Rav shlit"a concluded the prayer with the singing of "Adon Olam" and "Yigdal Elokim Chai." Then, the Zemiros (songs) for the holy Shabbat were added, which the Rav shlit"a is accustomed to saying together with the public – "Shalom Aleichem," "Ribon Kol HaOlamim," and "Eshet Chayil." He entered his holy home at 9:30 PM after a Friday night prayer service that lasted two and a quarter hours..

On the morning of the holy Shabbat, the Rav shlit"a entered for prayer at 4:35 AM, about an hour before sunrise. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a immediately said the Birchos HaTorah (blessings over the Torah) and then began the Shacharit (morning) prayer in its order, starting from Tikkun Chatzot (the midnight lamentation) – Tikkun Leah, and the morning songs. During the morning songs, the Rav shlit"a wrapped himself in his Tallit (prayer shawl). He recited the Korbanos (sacrificial readings) and Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) with melodies and great vitality. It should be noted that the Rav shlit"a moved with motions of holy flames of fire in a very special way this Shabbat. A unique kind of vitality, such that it is impossible to describe these awesome intensities or put them into writing. This Shabbat, the Rav lengthened the melodies: "Hoshia es Amecha" (Save Your people) – five minutes; "Ki Chol Peh Lecha Yodeh" (For every mouth shall thank You) – five minutes; the "Yishtabach" melody – five minutes.

Only about two hours and ten minutes after the start of the Shacharit prayer, at 6:45 AM, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (the standing prayer). After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz (the cantor's repetition), the Rav shlit"a delivered a lesson on the fruits of the Land of Israel for about five minutes. Afterward, he began the Kriat HaTorah (Torah reading) for Parshat Shelach-Lecha. In addition to those celebrating life events and those observing yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing), as is his custom, the Rav shlit"a called up additional guests and invitees. The Torah reading, including both readings, lasted a full hour.

After the Haftarah (prophetic reading), the Rav sang "Zara Chaya V'Kayama" (Living and enduring offspring) for about thirteen minutes. Afterward, the Rav performed Birkat HaChodesh (the blessing of the new month) and sang "Ki Lekach Tov" (For I have given you a good teaching) as they returned the Torah scroll to the Ark. Then the Rav shlit"a stood for the Musaf (additional) prayer. After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz for Musaf, the Rav finished the prayer until the end of "Anim Zemiros" and even recited the Tikkun HaKlali (the General Rectification). At the conclusion, our teacher the Rav shlit"a made Kiddush (sanctification over wine) on the cup and delivered a lesson for about two minutes in which he spoke about the matters of the spies and the goodness of the fruits of the Land. After the lesson, at 9:00 AM, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home after nearly four hours and twenty-five minutes of Shacharit prayer, Torah reading, Musaf, Kiddusha Rabba (the morning Kiddush), and the lesson we were privileged to hear.

At exactly 7:26 PM, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the holy Shabbat on the balcony of his home with the saying of Kaddish, and began saying "Brich Shmeih" and singing "Yehei Ra'ava" (May it be the will) for ten minutes. Afterward, he read from the Torah – Parshat Korach – for three people called to the Torah. Immediately after, the Shemoneh Esrei prayer took place, and at the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer, which lasted about twenty minutes, on his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for Shalosh Seudos (the third meal). As is his holy custom, starting with the first Ke-zayit (olive-sized portion of bread), he began the songs of the third meal for about twenty minutes. After them, he sang "Yah Ribon" (Lord of the World) for half an hour, with the entire public repeating mainly the verse "Ravrevin Ovdech V'Takifin" (Great and mighty are Your works) dozens of times. Afterward, he continued with the song "Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar" (Thus says Hashem: He found favor in the desert) for about eight minutes, and then moved to the song "Koh Amar Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'uraich" (Thus says Hashem: I remembered for you the kindness of your youth) for another six minutes. Then the Rav shlit"a led the Grace After Meals over a cup of wine with Sheva Brachos (seven blessings) for the groom Natan Belati, may his light shine.

At 9:00 PM, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Lamnatzeach BiNginos" (To the Chief Musician with stringed instruments) for about ten minutes. Afterward, he continued with the Arvit prayer of Motzaei Shabbat (the conclusion of Shabbat) with melodies. During the saying of "Vayehi Noam," our teacher the Rav shlit"a lengthened the singing of "Baruch Hu Elokeinu SheBeranu Lichvodo" (Blessed is He, our G-d, Who created us for His glory) for fifteen minutes, and similarly, the next song "Hu Yiftach" (He will open), the Rav lengthened for about fifteen minutes.

Only after nearly an hour of lengthening the aforementioned singing, the Rav performed Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) with the singing of "Layehudim Haysa Ora..." (The Jews had light...) for about a minute. After Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melaveh Malkah (the post-Shabbat meal) – "This is the meal of David the King Mashiach (Messiah)." Our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang all the Zemiros with vitality and a special pleasantness. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi" (Elijah the Prophet), he delivered a lesson for twelve minutes on Chayei Moharan (The Life of Rebbe Nachman) section 249. Afterward, he continued the Zemiros until the end. After Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals), the Rav shlit"a of course performed Sheva Brachos again for the groom Natan Belati and for the groom Naftali Hertz Sieya. At the conclusion, he entered his holy home at 10:50 PM after a duration of three hours and forty minutes that we were privileged to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer until the end of Melaveh Malkah. In total, throughout the entire Shabbat, we were privileged to spend about ten and a quarter hours in the holy shadow on Shabbat Shelach-Lecha, 23rd of Sivan, 5784 (2024).