Last night, Monday, the eve of the 13th of Shevat, Parshas Beshalach, our community members from the city of Ramat Gan entered for a lesson in the residence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Before you is a summary of the lesson:

The Rav began the lesson regarding the matter of Deborah the wife of Lappidoth and how the stars fought from the heavens with her against Sisera. He also cited the Gemara (Talmud) in Chullin, mentioning that the Tannaim and Amoraim (Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud) were surrounded by fire. Furthermore, he spoke about how Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) did not understand why the Torah was not given through Rabbi Akiva, expanding on this matter as brought in the Gemara in Menachos. He did not understand why Hashem (God) did not send Rabbi Akiva to receive the Torah.

Afterward, he spoke about the great day of the fifteenth of Shevat (Tu B'Shevat) and said that on this day, every judgment in the world is sweetened. Moving from one topic to another, he dealt with the greatness of the period of Shovavim TAT (a period of repentance during the winter weeks), stating that one needs to fast or at least observe a taanis dibur (a fast of speech), and in this way, all the judgments are sweetened. Toward the end of the lesson, he returned to the matter of Rabbi Akiva, whose flesh was combed with iron combs, and said that all his days he waited to die for Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God's name). From there, he spoke about the greatness of those who pass away for Kiddush Hashem and said that for anyone killed for Kiddush Hashem, their reward is "No eye has seen, O God, besides You" (a reference to the hidden reward in the World to Come).