Seeking Good for His People • Extensive Documentation from the Shacharis Prayer

For the first time in history, a Shacharis (morning) prayer took place on the day of Purim de-Mukafin (Purim of walled cities), the "Meshulash" (triple Purim), on the 16th of Adar 5785. Before you is documentation and coverage of the third consecutive Shacharis prayer during the holy days of Purim, along with words from the famous Kiddush (sanctification over wine) held every year.

At 4:35 AM, the Rav went out for the Shacharis prayer of Purim HaMukafin (Purim of walled cities), beginning with the recitation of Chatzos (midnight lamentations) as he does every Shabbos and holiday. Afterward, the morning songs were sung as the dawn rose over Jerusalem, the walled city. The prayer continued in its order on the day of Shushan Purim with the recitation of Korbanos (sacrificial offerings) and Pesukei D'Zimrah (verses of praise) with vitality and spiritual awakening. Before "Hodu," our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) recited the blessing over the Tallis (prayer shawl) and adorned himself with "Vikar" (honor)—referring to the Tefillin (phylacteries) of the head of the Children of Israel.

We merited a lengthy prayer, including the singing of "Lamnatzeach BiNeginos" for over twenty minutes. It is impossible to describe the great excitement that gripped the public throughout the prayer and the immense spiritual awakening. Everyone felt as though they had won the lottery, since on Friday an announcement had been made that there would be no Shacharis prayer on Sunday. Suddenly, during Melaveh Malkah (the post-Shabbos meal), the spiritual combinations changed, and our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a instructed his grandson and holy attendant, Rabbi Naftali Zucker, may Hashem protect him, to inform the public that a Shacharis prayer would indeed take place. Thus, the entire prayer was conducted with great and immense joy. After the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent standing prayer), our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a returned to his home to put on the five pairs of Tefillin he wears every day: Rashi, Rabbeinu Tam, two versions of the Ra'avad, and Shimusha Rabba. After about fifteen minutes, he returned for the Chazzan's repetition of the Amidah. One cannot skip over one of the wondrous things: our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a sang with the congregation for five minutes (!) the verse, "As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says Hashem: My spirit which is upon you and My words which I have placed in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your children, nor from the mouth of your children's children, says Hashem, from now and forever." There is nothing more appropriate than praying for children and descendants on this holy and awesome day, that they may always merit to walk in the path of the Torah and mitzvos (commandments) and that words of Torah should never depart from their mouths. As our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a has mentioned several times in the past, whoever sings this special melody to these words with spiritual awakening will certainly merit righteous children who follow the path of our holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman). And especially when our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a sang with us with such pleasantness, in a literal atmosphere of Gan Eden (Paradise). Ah! A stranger could not describe these sublime moments we merited during this Shacharis prayer.

Although in normal circumstances this is one of the shortest prayers of the year—without Tachanun (supplications) and without the Torah reading or other additions—our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a lengthened the prayer, among other things, by singing "Baruch Hu Elokeinu" (Blessed is He, our G-d) accompanied by music for five minutes, and "Hu Yiftach Libenu" (May He open our hearts) for another ten minutes. Afterward, the rest of the prayer followed in order: the Song of the Day for Sunday, the full Incense Offering (Parshas HaKetores) as is the custom of our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a, with "Ana B'Koach" recited seven times to the melody of the Baal Shem Tov. After "Aleinu L'Shabeach," our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a surprised us by reciting "Anim Zemiros" (Song of Glory)—declaring that a day like "Purim" is for you! At the end of the prayer, the Rav added the ten psalms of the Tikkun HaKlali (the General Rectification) which our holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman) instituted, saying them with a melody and pleasantness, slowly, accompanied by music with mochin ila'in (lofty consciousness).

Upon finishing the Tikkun HaKlali, our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a made "Kiddush" (sanctification over wine) with his own version: "Sunday, and the heavens and all their host were finished... and He gave us this day of Purim—Yom Kippurim—giving us another fifteen hours where we can effect all salvations through dancing and bring back all the hostages... Blessed... Creator of the fruit of the vine." Our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a fulfilled the mitzvah (commandment) of the day by drinking immediately after the prayer. After the prayer, the Rav shlit"a gave another lesson of about two minutes, and at its conclusion, our teacher Rabbi Berland shlit"a gave Mishloach Manos (Purim food gifts) to his student, the Chassid Rabbi Eliyahu Succot, who stood by his side, and then entered his holy home at 7:35 AM. Thus, we merited "something from nothing" on the day of Shushan Purim Meshulash, the 16th of Adar, a prayer of exactly three hours in joy and celebration!!