The daily strengthening from The Rav, the holy Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a — “To feel the light of Shabbos through joy and dancing”

The Rav shlit"a began his words with the special story behind the well-known melody: “Strength and splendor are her clothing, and she laughs toward the final day” (Mishlei 31:25).

On the eve of her wedding, the daughter of one of the great students of Moharnat of Breslov, Rabbi Meir Leib Belcher, approached her father and asked him for money for a garment. Her father—poor and destitute, yet a great composer and musician—told her: “Money I don’t have to give you; a melody I can give you.” And he composed this tune to the words (from “Eishes Chayil”): “Strength and splendor are her clothing, and she laughs toward the final day.”

Thursday, 5 Nissan 5785 — “We illuminate Shabbos and sweeten the judgments,” these are his holy words:

Rabbi Meir Leib Belcher (who composed the melody “Oz VeHadar”) did not have a dress for his daughter’s wedding. On the last day—literally a few hours before the chuppah—someone brought him a bridal gown.

The song we sing—“Oz VeHadar”—Rabbi Leib Belcher composed. The custom is to sing it before Kiddush. Sing it for 5 minutes, 10 minutes with the children; dance with them; give them experiences—so they will feel the light of Shabbos, the light of the melodies, of “Eishes Chayil.”

A child waits for his father to sing with him, to dance with him. It isn’t enough that you “keep Shabbos.” Shabbos can be terribly boring (for a child who doesn’t feel the joy of song and dance).

(Without singing and melodies) Shabbos is the most boring thing: he’s not allowed a phone, not allowed iPhones, not allowed the internet. Simply put—they crucified him; they put him in prison.

For a person (who doesn’t feel the joy), Shabbos is a prison. He doesn’t know that we dance and sing, that we daven Ma’ariv for three hours. We start Ma’ariv at 6:30 and finish at 9:30—three hours.

After that comes Sefiras HaOmer. Rabbi Nosson says that Sefiras HaOmer—each day—is greater than the day before.

Today there are decrees every moment. This is a government of wicked people—of Amalek, of Amalekites. It is the seed of Amalek; they are Nazis—and we must sweeten this.