Even a Billion-Dollar Deal is Not Closed During Prayer • The Daily Lesson from

Before you is a summary of the daily lesson as delivered by our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a – yesterday after the Maariv (evening) prayer, Thursday night, the 15th of Tammuz, Parshas Balak:

Bilaam spoke the most important blessings: "A star shall step forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel" – this refers to Mashiach ben David (the Messiah from the Davidic line). With Hashem's help, this Saturday night, everyone will see Mashiach ben David. Now, all the girls are being transferred to Rabbi Stern’s seminar (girls' school); 30 girls are still needed, otherwise, they will close the seminar. The boys must say every day 90 "Amens," 4 Kedushas (sanctification prayers), 10 Kaddishes, and 100 "Amens" – the acronym of which is Tzaddik (90=צ, 4=ד, 10=י, 100=ק). One must not speak during Kaddish or Kedusha; even if there is a billion-dollar deal on the line, if you forgo it [for the sake of prayer], two billion will come your way.

They speak of "peace," but their intention is that it is permissible for them to shoot at us while we are forbidden to retaliate. It is like how the U.S. made peace with Yemen, yet they fire five missiles at us every day. Haman knew that [the decree] would turn into a holiday, so he wanted it to be only one day, whereas Pharaoh gave 16 days of holiday [Passover], and Antiochus gave eight [Hanukkah]. But in the end, the students of Shuvu Banim are wise and celebrate Purim for seven days, because the Megillah (Scroll of Esther) can be read starting from the 11th [of Adar], and during a "Triple Purim," the seudah (festive meal) ends on the night of the 17th. One must not get [excessively] drunk on Purim.

The girls should finish the entire Book of Psalms and study the Trei Asar (Twelve Prophets), Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel in Lashon HaKodesh (the Holy Tongue). The boys should recite "Orchos Tzaddikim" (Ways of the Righteous). Anyone who stays awake at night must sleep for 8 hours. Korach prepared Mezuzahs made of silver and gold, but Moses disqualified them because they must be written on parchment (animal skin) according to the Halacha (Jewish law), and not on silver or gold. Today marks the final weddings [before the mourning period]; however, anyone whose wedding was canceled due to the war may get married during the "Three Weeks" (the period of mourning between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av). Sunrise (Netz) is at 5:45 AM; one should study all night, and then on Shabbat, one can make up the hours of sleep. One must study the Talmudic tractate Bava Batra. There was a story during the Beilis trial where Reuven Chinkis said to a priest—who claimed to know the entire Shas (Talmud)—"Tell me, do you know what 'Bava Batra' is?" Since "Bobe" in German/Yiddish means "grandmother," the priest began to think it referred to one of the Holy Matriarchs. Just as they said that the acronym for the ten plagues (Detzach, Adash, Beachav) stands for: "Blood (Dam) is required (Tzrichim) from all of us (Kulanu) for (Al) the matter (Devar) of what the Sages (Chachamim) in Jerusalem (B'Yerushalayim) did to that man [Jesus]." Everyone should study the portion of the daughters of Zelophehad. Reb Noson asks: How is it possible that Moses did not know that a daughter inherits? The answer is that Moses wanted to know if Zelophehad had died because of Korach’s assembly. This is why the daughters of Zelophehad told him, "He died for his own sin," because anyone who opposes the Tzaddik does not receive a portion in the Land [of Israel].