Lag BaOmer 5777 at the Shuvu Banim Compound in Meron: Rabbi Berland shlit"a's Lesson, Video, and Photo Gallery

As every year, the masses responded to the call of our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, and ascended to Meron to participate in the holy Hilula (celebration of the anniversary of passing) of the Butzina Kadisha (The Holy Lamp), the Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. At the holy site of Meron, in the Shuvu Banim compound overlooking the holy Tzion (gravesite), the musician Avrahami Moskowitz sang and ignited the crowd with an awakening of hearts until the morning hours.

[caption id="attachment_7557" align="alignnone" width="2816"] The musician Avrahami Moskowitz at the Hilula of Rashbi with Shuvu Banim in Meron, 5777[/caption]

Many of the great students of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, arrived for the Hilula. As is customary in Breslov Chassidus, they crowded together with the rest of the Hilula attendees in dibuk chaverim (bonding of friends).

[caption id="attachment_7558" align="alignnone" width="2816"] Rabbi Moshe Tzanani at the Hilula of Rashbi in Meron[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7611" align="alignnone" width="2816"] Rabbi Eliyahu Sukkot at the holy site of Meron[/caption]

Just before dawn, the masses participating in the Hilula of Bar Yochai merited to hear the holy voice of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. In a special and sweeping lesson, the Rav shlit"a said: "Esau cried a very great cry, more than Mordechai, more than all the exiles. If a person blemishes [their soul], they must scream and wail endlessly, because two tears fell from Esau, and thus the two Holy Temples were destroyed. And had the third tear on Esau’s cheek not dried up, not a remnant or survivor would have remained of the enemies of Israel [a euphemism for the Jewish people], because of the evil thoughts, the evil reflections, and certainly the evil deeds."

[caption id="attachment_7622" align="alignnone" width="933"] Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a delivering a lesson in Meron - Archive[/caption]

"Therefore, the Third Temple will be built, and this is the concept of Rashbi, who saw the Third Temple; Rabbi Shimon is the Third Temple. When one arrives in Meron, one arrives at the Third Temple, in the secret of the letter Yud—Primordial Wisdom (Chochmah Kedumah). The Yud of the Tetragrammaton (Hashem's name) that only Rashbi merited."

[audio mp3="https://www.shuvubanimint.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/הרב-במירון-תשעז.mp3" autoplay="true"][/audio] [caption id="attachment_7619" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Shuvu Banim compound in Meron - Lag BaOmer 5777[/caption]

"The attribute of Gevurah (Severity/Strength) descended into the Klipot (husks of impurity); a person runs after lusts instead of running after holiness. Jump into the fire like Abraham Avinu, like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—this is the rectification of the attribute of Gevurah. Therefore, Cain needed to rectify the attribute of Gevurah. Adam HaRishon said to Cain, 'Rectify the attribute of Gevurah; you are Gevuros, you are five parts Gevuros and the Hey of Chesed (Kindness).'"

"One must use the Gevuros to pierce through the screens [separating us from God], not to win wars. But Cain was jealous of Abel and therefore lost the entire attribute of Gevurah. Then Abel decided that he would rectify the world, but Hashem told Moses—who is actually the soul of Rabbi Akiva—that he would return in a generation of persecution, and then his flesh would be combed with iron combs. And Rabbi Akiva, who was in the dungeon, revealed the secret of the two letter Shins of the Tefillin."

[caption id="attachment_7581" align="alignnone" width="2816"] Masses arrived at the Breslov Shuvu Banim compound in Meron[/caption]

"All those who travel seven hours to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, half a million people traveling with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) with all the babies—this is like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah jumping into the fire. This person begs Cain, 'Come, rectify the attribute of Gevurah.' But Cain was full of jealousy, and therefore he brought the flax which darkens the ground for seven years."

"Cain, instead of rectifying the worlds, only increased the attribute of Gevurah. Adam HaRishon had a terrible question: 'Is it not enough that I sinned? Now Cain has also increased the sin?' He used the attribute of Gevurah for jealousy, for destruction and ruin. Then Hashem revealed to Adam HaRishon 'A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath Day' (Psalm 92)—that no person can attain the level of those who went up to the stake and died as holy martyrs for Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God's Name). How many died for Kiddush Hashem? They are the ones who ascended to Adam Kadmon, which corresponds to [the verse], 'When the wicked spring up like grass.'"

"Rashbi, like David, is not [just] a man; he is Adam Kadmon. Anyone who comes to Rashbi receives the power to resurrect the dead."

Immediately upon the conclusion of the holy lesson, the auction for the privilege of lighting the bonfire concluded. Encouraged by the words of our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a, who blessed the donors to the event and especially the winner of the lighting, the auction reached the sum of 26,000 shekels, corresponding to the numerical value of the Tetragrammaton (Hashem's name).

[caption id="attachment_7569" align="alignnone" width="2816"] The winner of the lighting - Meron 5777[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7575" align="alignnone" width="2816"] The Shuvu Banim bonfire in Meron[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7588" align="alignnone" width="2816"] The holy crowd dancing by the light of Rashbi's bonfire[/caption] Photo gallery from the holy event of the lighting at the Breslov Shuvu Banim compound in Meron - Lag BaOmer 5777 [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" size="large" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="7618,7617,7616,7615,7613,7612,7606,7607,7608,7609,7610,7602,7601,7596,7597,7598,7599,7600,7595,7594,7593,7592,7591,7590,7589,7587,7586,7585,7584,7583,7582,7580,7579,7578,7577,7576,7574,7573,7572,7571,7566,7567,7568,7570,7565,7564,7563,7562,7561,7560,7559"]

The photos and clips are courtesy of the young man Aharon Solomonovich n"y, for the success of our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. With the help of Hashem, may we merit that next year he himself will light the bonfire in the presence of the multitude.

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