The Chuppah Ceremony ○ Joy in the House of the Tzaddikim ○ The Cossack Dance ○ Resurrection of the Dead Dance ○ The Seven Beggars Dance ○ Melodies of Awakening ○ Cantorial Music for the High Holidays ○ The First-Fruits Gift of Hundreds of Pages of Gemara by Heart ○ Grace After Meals and the Seven Blessings ○ And the Upright Shall Exult

Photos courtesy of "Hitchadshus" Magazine

Last night, Tuesday, the eve of the 1st of Elul, the wedding celebration took place for the great-granddaughter of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days). She is the daughter of his eldest and beloved grandson, Rabbi Nachman Zucker shlit"a, and the groom is Nachman Galinsky, may his light shine, son of Rabbi Moshe Galinsky shlit"a, who is the son-in-law of the Mashpia (spiritual mentor) the Chassid Rabbi Yehoshua Ber Rubinstein shlit"a.

He Sanctifies His People Israel

Shortly after sunset, crowds of Chassidim, students of the Rav shlit"a, flocked to the Chuppah (wedding canopy) ceremony held at the 'Nof Illit' halls at the entrance to the Torah city of Modi'in Illit. Soulful melodies of emotion, awakening, and preparation played in the background. Emotions surged as the royal vehicle of the Rav shlit"a appeared, arriving close to the Chuppah ceremony which began at 8:15 PM.
The bride's uncle, the Rav's attendant and grandson, R' Dov Zucker, known for his pleasant voice, sang 'Mi Adir' and honored the Rav shlit"a with officiating the Chuppah and Kiddushin (betrothal). The Rav shlit"a recited the betrothal blessings in his holy voice, and immediately after the breaking of the glass and the blessing of Mazel Tov, he read the Kesubah (marriage contract) with sweetness and holy fire, while initiating the Kinyan (legal acquisition) via a gartel (prayer sash).
In the first two blessings, the grandfather, the Mashpia Rabbi Yehoshua Ber Rubinstein shlit"a, was honored. The third blessing was given to the groom's grandfather, the legendary cantor of our community in the Breslov Kloiz (synagogue) in Uman, Rabbi Shraga Levy shlit"a. The fourth blessing went to the groom's uncle, Rabbi Natan Galinsky shlit"a. The fifth blessing went to the bride's uncle, Rabbi Chaim Reicher shlit"a. The sixth blessing went to the groom's uncle, Rabbi David Stern shlit"a.
For the final blessing, the Rav shlit"a was honored. After the conclusion of the Sheva Brachos (seven blessings), he wished Mazel Tov to the groom, the bride, and all the dignitaries. He showered his holy blessings upon his flock as he descended from the Chuppah, blessing them with success in marriage matches, being blessed with children, and all good things. The vast crowd answered "Amen" with a moved and echoing voice, and to the singing of 'Samach Tesamach,' the Rav shlit"a left the Chuppah for an apartment in the 'Green Park' neighborhood of the city. There he prayed Maariv (evening prayer) and occupied himself with his Torah studies until close to midnight.

The Voice of Joy and Salvation in the Tents of the Tzaddikim

The masses of Chassidim were invited to participate in the joy of the Tzaddik's house with a royal feast starting from 9:30 PM, accompanied by dances of joy and celebration to gladden the groom and bride.
Near midnight, at 12:15 AM, the Rav shlit"a appeared in his holy majesty together with the groom at the wedding celebration. At this point, the joy intensified sevenfold. The orchestra broke into the melody of 'The voice of joy and salvation in the tents of the Tzaddikim,' and hundreds of Chassidim standing on the bleachers in a semi-circle facing the dance floor cheered with a voice of jubilation and hearts full of upliftment in the joy of their teacher and light.
The Rav shlit"a began to dance with the groom, the parents, and the family members for about forty minutes, leaping and dancing with all his might and with supernatural strength, while an expression of intense dveikus (spiritual attachment) rested on his face. It is impossible to describe the joy and happiness in the house of the Tzaddik; one after another, the family members were privileged to dance with the groom.

Dancing and Rejoicing Before the Groom

At the conclusion of the dancing, the Rav shlit"a sat at the holy table for the wedding feast, with the groom and the grandfathers shlit"a and other dignitaries at his side. The "Cossacks" group entered before the Rav and began the Cossack dance with a respectful bow toward his holy countenance. At the end of this special and joyous dance, they approached to receive his holy blessing and were privileged to see his special radiant countenance.

Reviving the Dead with His Word

Afterward, the 'Resurrection of the Dead' dance took place. As is well known, the Rav shlit"a has spoken many times over the years about the greatness of this dance at a wedding celebration, explaining that this custom is performed to show that at a wedding, one can literally revive the dead. The holy task was undertaken by the grandson and attendant R' Dov Zucker, who donned different garments for the sake of gladdening the groom and bride, along with R' Shmuel Isaac Zucker. The act of 'resurrection' itself was performed by R' Dov upon the Rav's instruction to place the streimel (fur hat) that adorns the Rav's head onto the 'dead' person; the 'dead' man then rose to life, and the two broke into a dance for the joy of the groom, the bride, and the house of the Tzaddik.

"And the Beggar Said: Behold, I Have Come to Your Wedding"

With the conclusion of the 'Resurrection of the Dead,' the students of the Shuvu Banim Kollel (study hall for married men) entered one after another, dressed in white kitels (robes), for the 'Seven Beggars' dance (based on the stories of Rebbe Nachman), with each student representing the unique trait of one of the beggars from the seven days of the wedding feast. After the dance, which lasted many minutes, they passed before the Rav shlit"a and were privileged to be blessed by him.

"Today is the Birth of the World"

Because the wedding took place on the first day of the month of mercy and forgiveness, Rosh Chodesh Elul, R' Nachman Haas, head of the 'Bnei HaNeurim' group, began songs of emotion and awakening for the High Holidays. Together with the massive crowd, they sang 'Our greatness and our beauty will be revealed by our righteous Mashiach.' Afterward, they sang 'Makhnisei Rachamim' (Angels of Mercy) and 'Hayom Harat Olam' (Today is the Birth of the World). The great climax occurred when the legendary cantor of our community in the Uman Kloiz, the groom's grandfather Rabbi Shraga Levy shlit"a, was asked to stir the hearts of the holy public with 'Ashrei HaAm Yodei Teruah' (Fortunate is the nation that knows the shofar blast). Great satisfaction was visible on the face of the Rav shlit"a as he heard the cantor of the Kloiz performing the precise Breslov melody, preparing everyone for the holy Kibbutz (gathering) in Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

The First-Fruits Gift with Hundreds of Pages of Gemara by Heart

In the spirit of "Whoever brings a gift to a Torah scholar, it is as if he brought the first-fruits (Bikkurim)." In honor of the joy in the house of the Tzaddikim, the students of the 'Chachma V'Daat' Breslov Yeshiva joined together to present a gift to the Torah scholar. Knowing the holy guidance of the Rav shlit"a regarding the greatness of diligent and continuous study, the students decided there was no more fitting gift than to present many hours of continuous study and pages of Gemara (Talmud) learned diligently in honor of the celebration. Indeed, along with a respectable gift of first-fruits brought before the Rav shlit"a, a letter was attached detailing the hundreds of hours of continuous study and hundreds of pages of Gemara learned by the students in honor of the Rav's joy.

"Who Created Joy and Gladness"

Close to 1:40 AM, the Rav shlit"a honored the bride's father, his eldest and beloved grandson Rabbi Nachman Zucker shlit"a, to lead the Grace After Meals over a cup of wine, and the Rav shlit"a was honored with reciting all of the Sheva Brachos (seven blessings). Just before the blessings, he placed the holy streimel (fur hat) upon his head in honor of the blessings, and in his holy voice, he recited all seven blessings with melody and sweetness.

Surprisingly, after the Sheva Brachos, instead of leaving the wedding, he took the groom's hands and began to dance with him for many minutes before the holy table. Shortly after 1:45 AM, the Rav shlit"a left the wedding celebration to the singing of 'Ki Orech Yamim' (For length of days). The large crowd accompanied the Rav on his way back to his holy residence in the Holy City of Jerusalem with the singing of 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' (Light is sown for the righteous), with uplifted souls over the great merit to rejoice in the joy of the Tzaddikim.

Our blessing is one for our crown and glory,
Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a,
That he may merit to rejoice many more times at the weddings of his great-grandchildren and descendants in good health and great light, and lead us in his kingdom, and may we merit to see the coming of Mashiach and our King at our head, speedily in our days, Amen!