Festival-night prayer • Shacharis, Hallel, and Mussaf • Minchah, Ma’ariv, and Sefiras HaOmer at the close of Pesach

This year as well, we were privileged. Even though The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, underwent medical treatment on the eve of the festival, with open miracles—through the merit of the prayers—The Rav shlit"a returned to his holy home on Erev Yom Tov to celebrate the first day of Pesach together with our community.

Below is an expanded report from the prayers and the shiurim on the first day of Pesach:

On Erev Yom Tov, at 19:10, The Rav shlit"a went out to the balcony of his home for Minchah, radiant in his festive attire—wearing a kittel, tallis, and white kippah. He began by singing “Or Zarua LaTzaddik…” for about ten minutes, and then led Minchah. The Rav shlit"a served as the shaliach tzibbur for all the festival prayers, and his pure voice could be heard clearly even though he was on the third floor while the congregation stood in the courtyard of our Beis Midrash. After the repetition of the Amidah, The Rav recited the psalm “Hashem Malach” and Aleinu. At the conclusion of Minchah, he said the Seder HaHiskashrus, and the entire large crowd repeated after him word for word—with vitality and great awakening! After that came Ma’ariv of the Seder night—“a night of guarding for Hashem.” The Rav began with the well-known niggun before Barchu, and then a deep silence fell; only The Rav’s voice was heard as he proclaimed, “Barchu es Hashem hamevorach!!” The Ma’ariv prayer lasted about twenty minutes, filled with niggunim, vitality, and enthusiasm. After Shemoneh Esrei, The Rav shlit"a recited the blessing over the complete Hallel—the only night of the year when Hallel is said at night. The Hallel lasted more than half an hour, with niggunim and passionate singing. Who can compare, and who can describe, the immense joy that filled the air as we said Hallel together with The Rav shlit"a on this holy night. After Hallel, The Rav shlit"a sang the psalm “B’tzeis Yisrael MiMitzrayim” for about five minutes. Then, after Aleinu, he announced that Shacharis would begin at 4:30, and he entered his holy home at 20:45, after a prayer service of about one hour and thirty-five minutes.

The Seder itself, in the inner sanctity of his home, The Rav shlit"a conducted with his family from 21:30 until 2:35 in the morning—five hours of the Seder table and the story of Yetzi’as Mitzrayim. Despite his great weakness, he extended it with tremendous vitality.

[caption id="attachment_55611" align="aligncenter" width="608"] The Seder table in the home of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a[/caption]

Indeed, just as he said at the end of the festival-night prayer, at exactly 4:30 The Rav shlit"a went out to the balcony of his home for Shacharis of the first day. He began with “Sifich Avneh” from Chatzos, and then the morning zemiros and the Korbanos section. After that, at 5:20, he entered the prayer hall—our Beis Midrash—to continue with Pesukei D’Zimrah, all in song and niggunim. When he reached “Ki chol peh lecha yodeh…,” he lingered the most, singing for close to half an hour. Again and again, the community danced, and The Rav signaled with his hands with endless vitality—fortunate are we that we merited this! After that came the blessings of Krias Shema and the Shemoneh Esrei, all with niggunim and wondrous vitality.

After Shacharis, The Rav shlit"a—again in the spirit of the festival—recited the blessing over Hallel aloud, and all of our community began to sing and chant Hallel. This time as well, Hallel lasted about half an hour, especially the singing of “B’tzeis Yisrael MiMitzrayim,” which lasted about ten minutes, followed by all the niggunim in “Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov…” and “Ana Hashem Hoshi’ah Na…”. After Hallel came the Torah reading, with about ten aliyos, and The Rav shlit"a was honored with the fourth aliyah, and Maftir regarding the Korbanos. After the reading, he began singing “Kah E-li V’Go’ali…” with the stirring niggun of Breslov Chassidim, as is customary.

Mussaf began at 8:45. At the start of the chazzan’s repetition—Tefillas HaTal—The Rav shlit"a sang to the niggun of “Kah Ribon” from Vizhnitz Chassidus, with great vitality and awakening. Then, in the middle of the repetition, The Rav shlit"a began the niggun of “V’karev P’zureinu” for about twenty-five minutes! Despite his weakness, The Rav motioned with his hands for everyone to jump and dance—what vitality… fortunate is the eye that saw all this!! After twenty-five minutes of mighty singing, he signaled with his hands and they began singing “V’havi’einu l’Tziyon ircha…” for about three minutes. After the repetition, he concluded with “Kaveh el Hashem,” “An’im Zemiros,” The Tikkun HaKlali, and finally with the singing of “Adon Olam.” After the prayer, he delivered a shiur of about five minutes on the greatness of singing and dancing, and new insights about Pesach. He entered his holy home at 9:25, saying that Minchah would be at 19:00 in the prayer hall. At 19:18, he entered our Beis Midrash singing “Baruch Hu Elokeinu” and “Hu yiftach libeinu b’Soraso,” and he extended the singing for about half an hour. After that came Shemoneh Esrei with the chazzan’s repetition for the Three Festivals. After Minchah, as is his custom on the festival, he began singing “LaMenatze’ach b’Neginos…” for about ten minutes, and then Aleinu.

[caption id="attachment_55601" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] During the counting of Sefiras HaOmer at the close of the festival[/caption]

At the close of the festival, it is well known among our community that the custom is to gather together to say the first Sefiras HaOmer as a kibbutz. And indeed, because The Rav shlit"a began Ma’ariv relatively late—20:15—our community members who were outside the city were able to arrive from across the country, especially from the central region, and merit being included in the kibbutz of the first counting of the Omer in the presence of The Rav shlit"a. As mentioned, Ma’ariv began at 20:15 with the singing of “LaMenatze’ach b’Neginos,” followed by the blessings of Krias Shema and Emunah—all with very great vitality and awakening. After Aleinu, The Rav shlit"a delivered a short shiur before Sefiras HaOmer. He began with “L’shem Yichud” and with the singing of “Hineni Muchan U’mezuman” for about five minutes. Then a hush fell over the prayer hall; only The Rav’s pure voice was heard as he recited the blessing, “Al Sefiras HaOmer—Hayom yom echad la’Omer.” Immediately, all of our community recited the blessing and counted the Omer with powerful cries, in the custom of Breslov Chassidim. After the counting, The Rav shlit"a began singing “LaMenatze’ach b’Neginos…” for about half an hour, and “Ana B’Koach” seven times, as well as the song “Al yedei zeh yushpa shefa rav…”. After Sefiras HaOmer, The Rav shlit"a made Havdalah over the cup and delivered a shiur of about ten minutes. At the conclusion of the shiur, The Rav shlit"a entered his holy home at 21:40.

Blessed is Hashem—we were privileged on the first day of Pesach to nine hours of singing and niggunim, prayers and shiurim, in the presence of The Rav shlit"a. May it be Hashem’s will: just as we merited to “arrange” it, so may we merit to “do” it—next year in rebuilt Jerusalem, with our King at our head, Amen!!