“As a Nursing Father Carries the Suckling Child” • In the Shadow of the Missiles

Presented before you is an extensive coverage of the prayers and lessons that took place on the Holy Shabbat of Parshat Behaalotecha - the 18th of Sivan, 5785, in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a:

The Night of the Holy Shabbat

At 19:12, the Rav shlit"a came out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha (afternoon prayer) of the Eve of the Holy Shabbat, dressed in his Shabbat finery. They sang "Or Zarua L'Tzaddik" (Light is sown for the righteous) for 23 minutes. Afterward, the Rav shlit"a stood for the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of the Mincha of the Eve of Shabbat, he recited the Seder HaHisksherus (order of spiritual connection to the Tzaddikim) 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 "L'chu Neranena" to "Mizmor L'David." He then began the singing of "Lecha Dodi," which lasted for an extended period of 41 minutes. Afterward, he recited "Kigavna" (a Kabbalistic prayer) and the Maariv (evening) prayer of Shabbat night with singing and melodies. It should be noted what occurred before the Shmoneh Esrei: during the singing of "V'shamru Bnei Yisrael," the missile attack began. As previously detailed, the Rav shlit"a continued to dance and clap his hands in order to sweeten the judgments (hamtasat hadinim). After ten minutes of singing and sweetening all the judgments, the Rav continued with the Maariv prayer for Shabbat night. Later, during the Zemiros (Shabbat songs) for Shabbat night, when the missile attack began again, the Rav held fast to the singing of "Oz V'hadar Levusha..." (Strength and dignity are her clothing). The prayer concluded at 21:45 after more than two and a half hours (2:33) of the Shabbat night service in the shadow of sirens and missiles.

The Shacharit Prayer

For the Shacharit (morning) prayer, the Rav shlit"a came out at 05:15, later than usual. Immediately upon exiting, he began singing "Or Zarua L'Tzaddik" for twenty minutes. Afterward, at 5:35, two minutes after sunrise, the Rav began reciting some of the verses of Tikkun Chatzot (the Midnight Rectification prayer) that are customarily said on Shabbat and Festivals. Following this were the morning Zemiros and the Korbanot (sacrificial readings) in their proper order. At 06:20, he began the recitation of "Hodu L'Hashem Kir'u Vi'shmo" and the Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) as on every Shabbat, with melodies and great enthusiasm. Baruch She'amar was at 06:50. During the singing of "Ki Chol Peh L'cha Yodeh" (For every mouth shall thank You), he extended the singing for about 9 minutes. During the singing of "Ein Aruch Lecha" (There is none to be compared to You), he extended it for about 8 minutes. The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shmoneh Esrei prayer at 07:45.

The Torah Reading

After the conclusion of the Chazarat HaShatz (cantor's repetition), the Song of the Day, and the singing of "Y'hei Ra'ava" (May it be the Will) for several minutes, as well as the singing of "Torat Hashem Temima" (The Torah of Hashem is perfect), the Torah scroll was removed from the Ark. The Rav shlit"a began the Torah reading for Parshat Behaalotecha. One after another, those celebrating life events and those observing Yahrtzeits (anniversaries of passing) were called up, having merited to stand by the Rav shlit"a's side during the prayer. After the conclusion of the Torah reading, the Rav shlit"a read the Haftarah (prophetic portion). The Torah reading and the Haftarah together lasted about 40 minutes.

The 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) for about 13 minutes, followed by Av HaRachamim. Afterward, close to 09:20, he approached the Musaf prayer. After the Chazarat HaShatz, he concluded the prayer in its order, ending with the Tikkun HaKlali (The General Rectification). He recited Kiddush over the cup for Kiddusha Rabba (the Great Kiddush) and delivered a lesson for about 5 minutes. During the lesson, the Rav spoke about the day the decrees were annulled, the 23rd of Sivan, on which everything is overturned and the head of the Iranian snake—the descendant of Haman the Wicked and Ahasuerus the Persian—is subdued. During the lesson, the Rav began to sing "Vatosif Esther Vatidaber Lifnei HaMelech..." (And Esther spoke again before the King) for an additional five minutes. Afterward, he recited Kaddish and gave another brief lesson for about a minute.

At 09:43, he entered his holy home after nearly four and a half hours (4:27) during which we merited the Shacharit prayer, the Torah reading, Musaf, and the lesson at Kiddusha Rabba together with the Rav shlit"a.

The Mincha Prayer

At 19:21, the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat on his balcony and began the singing of "Or Zarua L'Tzaddik" for 15 minutes. Afterward, he recited Kaddish, and the Ark was opened with the singing of "Y'hei Ra'ava" for about 8 minutes. At the conclusion, he read from the Torah—Parshat Shelach—for the three called-up individuals. Immediately following, he stood for the Shmoneh Esrei of the Shabbat Mincha, in the minutes close to sunset.

Rava D'Ravin (The Third Meal)

At the conclusion of the Shabbat Mincha prayer at the time of sunset, while in his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a performed Netilat Yadayim (ritual hand washing) for the Third Meal at 20:00. As is his holy custom, with the first Kazayit (olive-sized piece of bread), he began the Zemiros of the Third Meal for about 22 minutes. At the conclusion of the Zemiros, he extended the singing of "Yah Ribbon" for half an hour. 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'urayich" (Thus says Hashem: I remember for you the kindness of your youth) for 3 minutes, and the singing of "Ad Heina" (Until now) for 3 minutes. At the conclusion of the singing, the Rav began "Tzur Mishelo Achalnu" and led the Zimun (invitation to grace) over the cup.

The Maariv Prayer

At 21:05, immediately after the Birkat HaMazon (Grace after Meals) and the Sheva Brachot (seven wedding blessings), the Rav shlit"a began the singing of "Lamnatzeach Binginot" with a wonderful length of 35 minutes. Afterward, he continued with the Maariv prayer for the conclusion of Shabbat with melodies like a flaming fire. After the Shmoneh Esrei, the Rav shlit"a began the recitation of "Vayehi Noam" and extended the singing of "Hu Yiftach" and "Baruch Hu" for 11 minutes, concluding the Maariv prayer in its order. At the end of the Maariv prayer, the Rav shlit"a performed Havdalah over the cup with the singing of "Layehudim" (For the Jews there was light...) for about three minutes.

At the Conclusion of the Day of Rest

After Havdalah, the Rav performed Netilat Yadayim for Melaveh Malkah—this is the feast of David the King Mashiach. The Rav shlit"a sang all the Zemiros for Melaveh Malkah together with the entire public. Before the song "Eliyahu HaNavi," he delivered a lesson for about 13 minutes from Chayei Moharan (The Life of Rebbe Nachman). After the lesson, he continued the Zemiros of "Eliyahu HaNavi" and "Ribon Kol HaOlamim." After the Zemiros, the Rav led the Zimun over the cup with Sheva Brachot. At the conclusion of Birkat HaMazon, the Rav recited the blessing "Al HaGefen." It should be noted that exactly with the conclusion of the blessing of Al HaGefen, another missile attack began. The Rav shlit"a took the opportunity to deliver another lesson for about a minute, in which he said that now every page of Gemara (Talmud) repels a thousand missiles. At 23:15, he entered his holy home. This was after an extension of nearly four hours (3:55) that we merited to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer, the Three Meals, Maariv, and Melaveh Malkah.

In total, for the entire Shabbat, we merited to take shelter in the shadow of holiness for 10 hours and 55 minutes during the Holy Shabbat of Parshat Behaalotecha, the 18th of Sivan, 5785.