Eliyahu, the Angel of the Covenant • Brit for the Great-Great-Grandson of Rabbi

Brit for the Fifth Generation of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a ○ A Torah Talk and L’chaim at the Brit

On Wednesday, 26 Iyar, the joyous Brit of the fifth generation took place—the great-great-grandson of The Rav shlit"a. He is the son of The Rav’s great-grandson, R’ Shmuel Aizik Zucker, son-in-law of the beloved “Mesame’ach HaLevavos” from the city of Ashdod, Rabbi Yanki Zucker shlit"a; and he is also the son of The Rav’s firstborn grandson, Rabbi Nachman Zucker shlit"a, son-in-law of the chassidic elder R’ Yehoshua Dov Rubinstein shlit"a.

The Brit took place in the home of The Rav shlit"a and began at 10:00 in the morning. For the Chair of Eliyahu, the grandfather Rabbi Nachman Zucker was honored; and from the chair, the second grandfather—the beloved “Mesame’ach HaLevavos,” Rabbi Yaakov Zucker shlit"a—was honored. The Rav shlit"a was honored with serving as sandak and with the blessings, and the child was named in Israel: Natan, son of R’ Shmuel Aizik. May it be Hashem’s will that he merit to grow to Torah, to the chuppah, and to good deeds.

After the Brit, The Rav sat down and began singing “Shirah Chadashah, praise the redeemed…,” and a l’chaim was held at the Brit. After that, he delivered a Torah talk for about twenty-five minutes.

The Rav opened the talk with the theme of the day—Yesod sheb’Yesod—and the connection between the sefirah of Yesod and the exalted level of the Brit on that day. He then spoke about the mikveh of Shavuos, through which one merits the Fifth Gate. He also said that the Brit is a preparation for receiving the Torah—because aside from the Torah, there is nothing. He explained that a person is created for guarding the Yesod, and that all of one’s lifelong avodah is the avodah of the Brit: removing the “foreskin of the heart” and the “foreskin of the ear.” He spoke about the verse, “From the womb, for Your Name, they are circumcised,” teaching that in truth babies are already “circumcised” from the womb; we only need to reveal this in this world.

The Rav shlit"a also spoke about the great-grandfather who recently passed away, the chassidic elder R’ Natan Zucker zt"l, after whom the baby was named. He said that he merited to know the entire Shas and not to let his mind be distracted from Hashem for even a second.

Later in the talk, The Rav spoke about the Gemara in Ta’anis 22: Abba Umna would receive greetings from Heaven every day because he looked at everyone with a good eye and judged them favorably. Even when they took away his entire home and provoked him, he still judged them favorably.

The Rav concluded the talk by saying that when a person merits a fifth generation, he is certainly assured of the World to Come, may it be so.

After the talk, he continued for a few minutes with the song “Shirah Chadashah, praise the redeemed,” and then entered his room.

At this occasion, we bless The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, that just as he has merited to see a fifth generation in his lifetime, so too should he merit abundant nachas from all his descendants, with a covenant itself and radiant light, until the coming of Moshiach our righteous one—and our King at our head—speedily, amen!

Below is documentation from the Brit held in the home of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, courtesy of the “Keren HaTzaddik” Institute:

At the Brit:

At the l’chaim and during the delivery of the Torah talk: