A powerful lesson from our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, 26th of Sivan 5777, June 20, 2017, for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.

(Photo credit: "Acharei HaTzaddik Online")

"On the 1st of Tammuz is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Yosef HaTzaddik (Joseph the Righteous), and it is the secret of the Gulgolta (the skull/crown). For then the Gulgolta shines, in the aspect of 'and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers' (Genesis 49:26), and then every single person merits the secret of the Gulgolta.

On the 1st of Tammuz, it is possible to revive all the dead in the world; therefore, everyone needs to travel to Yosef HaTzaddik or to Rebbe Nachman—because Rebbe Nachman is the aspect of Yosef HaTzaddik."

"And by traveling to the Tzaddik, we atone for the blemish of the [wasted] drops (spiritual impurity), for we were all impregnated within the Ten Tribes and we were all involved in the persecution of Yosef HaTzaddik. Yosef HaTzaddik was literally inside a pit, without electricity, without candles, in total darkness, and nevertheless, he danced for 24 hours without stopping."

"It is written in Midrash Tanchuma that that wicked woman (Potiphar's wife) would change her clothes three times a day (in order to entice Yosef), for all of this is a tikkun (rectification) for the Sin of the Tree of Knowledge. And whoever did not eat from the Tree of Knowledge can be with the Rav for 24 hours."

"And since the 1st of Tammuz is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Yosef HaTzaddik, it is also [connected to] the yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu (our mother Rachel). The yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu is on the 11th of Cheshvan, while the month of Cheshvan is the month of scorpions. Rechoboam said, 'Thus shall you speak to them: My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. And now, whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions' (I Kings 12:10-11). But in truth, Rechoboam wanted everyone to study Torah. It is written in Eicha (Lamentations) that Jerusalem was only destroyed because they played ball on Shabbat, for back then there were no Gemaras (Talmudic texts); until Ravina and Rav Ashi wrote the Gemara, the Oral Torah was only written in acronyms."

"There are seven Tzaddikim who did not eat from the Tree of Knowledge, and therefore it says, 'and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.' Yosef merited the secret of the Gulgolta (the skull), the crown. In the Gulgolta, there are 13 'Chivarta' (white fields/streaks), 13 white paths, and from this comes all the mercy in the world. Yosef HaTzaddik breaks through all the mercy, and therefore he tests the brothers with the goblet (Gavia), which is the secret of 13 and 72 (Kabbalistic numerical values). Mordechai and Esther knew the secret of the goblet, for they are the children of Rachel, whose yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) is in the month of Cheshvan, which is the month of scorpions."