"In the Merit of the Torah and Its Students" • A Ceremony Honoring the Torah and

On Thursday, the 22nd of MarCheshvan, Parshas Chayei Sarah, a ceremony honoring the Torah took place at the 'Nachalei HaTorah' Yeshiva for young men, part of the 'Nachalei Netzach' institutions under the leadership of the Chassidic Rabbi Shmuel Stern shlit"a (may he live long and good days) and under the presidency of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

During the recent months, the precious students of the 'Breslov - Nachalei HaTorah' Yeshiva for young men merited to review and know everything they learned until they reached the state of "if a person asks you, do not stutter, but tell him immediately!" (a Talmudic expression of mastery). They merited to know and be tested on dozens of pages of Gemara (Talmud) from Tractate Kiddushin.

In honor of the Torah, a ceremony was held in the sanctuary of the Beis Medrash (study hall) to honor the Torah and distribute certificates to the outstanding students by our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, who arrived with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) to honor the event with his presence. During the ceremony, the Yeshiva's Mashgiach (spiritual supervisor) delivered words of encouragement, and one of the students completed the tractate upon which the students had labored, and our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, was himself honored with reciting the Kaddish for the completion.

As a first-fruit offering, a royal fruit platter decorated with the names of all the students who merited to know the tractate thoroughly was presented before the holy Rav. Immediately afterward, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, began his holy discourse for about half an hour, discussing many topics, primarily strengthening the commitment to study. After concluding his holy discourse, our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, distributed the certificates to the precious students, bearing the seal of a Kohen Gadol (High Priest)—the Tzaddik of the generation!

Before you is a summary of the topics from the holy discourse:

Why do we no longer observe Megillat Taanit (an ancient scroll listing days when fasting was forbidden)? Because every day there are new decrees against yeshiva students. However, Rashi writes that we should actually make every day a Yom Tov (holiday), because despite the decrees, yeshiva students sit and learn.

By Tu B'Shvat, one should finish the entire Shas (the complete Talmud). It is all stories about a seven-headed snake. And the tiger—the lion of the upper world that roared and knocked the Emperor off his throne.

Every day one must do Hisbodedus (secluded prayer). One can walk to Sanhedria on foot and complete the hour of Hisbodedus on the way.

Balaam said, "for he is mightier than me," referring to the fact that from him would come David, who would cut off Moab. So he hid a barrel with a thousand snakes in the place of the Holy Temple; therefore, David dug a thousand cubits in the place of the Temple until he removed the barrel.

It is written in Tractate Beitzah that the Jews are the most intense nation, capable of conquering the entire world. David said, "Who will lead me to the fortified city?" for he wanted to conquer Rome.

Deborah said, "Has Hashem not commanded?" Did she receive a prophecy? Rather, she knew they would not listen to her, because for four hundred years they did not know the law of pri'ah (a specific part of the circumcision).

If one guards the bris kodesh (holy covenant/purity), they can go out to war.

"Zebulun was a people that jeopardized its life"—all the tribes did not want to come with Deborah except for the tribe of Zebulun. In the end, only Yael defeated Sisera.

Elijah the Prophet told the woman of Zarephath, "bring to me first." In the merit of her nullifying herself to the Tzaddik, she merited that the jar of flour and the jug of oil did not fail.

Once, everyone believed in the idolatry of the 'fly' which was the size of a lentil. Elijah would tell everyone to leave this idolatry.

Ben Gurion handed over the Old City to the Jordanians with his own hands because he wanted all the religious people to be killed.

The spies said, "If Moses dies, we are not entering the Land!"

How could Eldad and Medad prophesy falsely that Moses would die and Joshua would lead them in, when Moses lived another forty years? Rather, he truly had to die for one second, and immediately there was a resurrection of the dead. In truth, Moses did not die; Moses is alive and well. Our Rebbe (Nachman) is alive and well! Our Rebbe is here! Our Rebbe walks with us!

Whatever the Tzaddik says, we do, no matter what happens! Otherwise, you lose the war, like Barak who did not listen to Deborah and in the end did not kill Sisera.

Rabbi (Yehuda HaNasi) said to prepare his bed for him. Whoever goes with the Tzaddik will merit to live one hundred and twenty years, for a good life and for peace!