Splitting the Sea Before Moshe ◇ Coverage and Documentation of the Seventh Day of Pesach in the Shadow of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

AND ALL THIS IS FAITHFUL

On the night the festival was sanctified, Morinu HaRav (our teacher, the Rav) shlit"a came out to us on the balcony of his home at 18:48. After about 10 minutes of singing "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" (Light is sown for the tzaddik), Morinu HaRav shlit"a began the Minchah (afternoon) prayer for the eve of the festival. After the prayer, Morinu HaRav recited the order of Hiskashrus (binding oneself to the tzaddikim) together with the congregation. Upon concluding the Hiskashrus, the Rav shlit"a began the "Barchu" melody of the Maariv (evening) prayer for the night of the festival, which was infused with special vitality. A unique excitement was felt during the singing of "Ve'Emunah Kol Zos" (And all this is faithful), particularly at the words "HaMa'avir banav bein gizrei Yam Suf" (Who led His children through the split parts of the Reed Sea). It is impossible to describe the immense power present there as thousands of people sang together about the miracles of the splitting of the Reed Sea from the prayer of "Ve'Emunah Kol Zos"!

After the Shemoneh Esrei (silent devotion), the Rav sang the melody of "Betzeis Yisrael MiMitzrayim" (When Israel went out of Egypt) with the congregation for many long minutes. At the conclusion of Aleinu Leshabeach, the Rav began Sefiras HaOmer (the counting of the Omer), counting the lofty sefirah of 'Yesod sheb'Chesed' (Foundation within Kindness) - six days of the Omer. The counting of the Omer lasted about twenty minutes, all sung with melodies, word by word, letter by letter.

At 20:38, after an hour and 50 minutes of prayer, he returned to his holy home.

AND HIS CHILDREN SAW HIS MIGHT

In the early morning watches of Shabbos, the Seventh Day of Pesach, Morinu HaRav shlit"a entered at 4:34 AM.

Great weakness was evident on the Rav's face. Members of his household related that even before the prayer, the Rav felt such profound weakness that they thought he would not come out to pray at all.

However, the Rav shlit"a constantly acts with mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) for the sake of the large congregation that arrived to take shelter in his shadow on the Seventh Day of Pesach, and he came out, as mentioned, for the Shacharis (morning) prayer.

Nevertheless, due to his medical condition, the Rav shlit"a recited the Morning Blessings and immediately continued to the passage of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac). While on regular days the Shacharis prayer lasts over two hours, here the Shacharis prayer lasted only an hour and three minutes from the time the Rav entered until the Shemoneh Esrei prayer.

Yet, despite the great weakness, when they reached the singing of "Az Yashir" (Then Moshe sang), a massive awakening was felt among the congregation with roaring renditions of the Song of the Sea, sung with the lofty Torah cantillation. Standing above everyone was Morinu HaRav shlit"a, and as if a new spirit of life had been poured into him, he began to sway with a flaming fire, igniting the congregation with his movements. From that point onward, it seemed that the very awakening during the Song of the Sea strengthened the Rav shlit"a. The Rav returned to drawing out the melodies, and immediately afterward, he extended the melody of "Yishtabach" for about 5 minutes.

They stood for the Shemoneh Esrei prayer at 05:37. Immediately after the Chazzan's repetition, the Rav recited the blessing over the Hallel, while the entire congregation played, sang, and jumped with tremendous enthusiasm during the singing of Hallel. Who can fathom the voices, the lightning, and the immense joy during Hallel, when for the melody of "Betzeis Yisrael" alone, he repeated it seven times over and over again, with a vitality that soared and elevated anew each time. The soul-reviving melody of "Hodu L'Hashem Ki Tov" (Give thanks to Hashem for He is good) and the deeply stirring melody of "Ana Hashem Hoshia Na" (Please Hashem, save us now)... Thus, the singing of Hallel with immense vitality lasted about 45 minutes.

After concluding Hallel, he began the Torah reading for the Seventh Day of Pesach: "Vayehi Beshalach Paroh" (And it came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go), the splitting of the Reed Sea, and the Song of the Sea. Naturally, Morinu HaRav shlit"a received the aliyah (Torah honor) for the Song of the Sea.

The Torah reading and the Haftarah lasted about 20 minutes. After the Torah reading, they announced Yizkor (the memorial prayer), and all of Anash (our people, the Breslov community) wrapped themselves in their talisos as is customary. Following this was Av HaRachamim (Father of Mercy) - singing "Harninu Goyim Amo" (Sing aloud, O nations, of His people) for several minutes, and "Nikmas Dam" (The vengeance of the blood) for a few minutes.

Upon concluding Yizkor, the Rav shlit"a began singing "Kah Eli V'Goali" (God, my God and my Redeemer) with the reviving melody that Morinu HaRav customarily sings on every Yom Tov (festival) of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals.

The Mussaf (additional) prayer was also not spared from this special awakening and vitality. All the reviving melodies were sung anew, as they are on every festival together with Morinu HaRav: "Vekabetz pezureinu..." (And gather our scattered ones) and "Vahavieinu l'Tziyon ircha..." (And bring us to Zion, Your city). The congregation sang every melody with a fiery passion (bren) and immense joy. After the Chazzan's repetition, Morinu HaRav recited "Ein K'Elokeinu" (There is none like our God), and then made Kiddush over a cup of wine and delivered a Torah class for about 10 minutes. After the class, he recited Kaddish and returned to his holy home at 07:26, following two hours and 52 minutes of the morning prayer for Shabbos, the Seventh Day of Pesach. We merited this in the shadow of Morinu HaRav shlit"a, as mentioned, through his supreme mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice), given his medical condition and terrible weakness.

TO HIM WHO ALONE DOES GREAT WONDERS

At 19:03, the Rav came out to the balcony. After singing "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" for over 10 minutes, the Rav shlit"a recited Ashrei and stood for the Shemoneh Esrei of the Minchah prayer for the Three Pilgrimage Festivals.

After concluding the Chazzan's repetition, he began singing "Betzeis Yisrael MiMitzrayim" with singing, dancing, and immense joy, repeating it over and over for more than 20 minutes with awesome vitality.

After the singing ended, the Rav shlit"a concluded the Minchah prayer, and three stars were already visible in the canopy of the sky covering the courtyard of the prayer hall.

While saying "Baruch HaMavdil bein kodesh l'chol" (Blessed is He Who distinguishes between the holy and the mundane) prior to the story of the Baal Shem Tov, the Rav shlit"a began recounting the story of the holy Baal Shem Tov's journey to the Holy Land in meticulous detail, in a reviving and fascinating manner. The Rav recounted every single detail, expanding upon it with vivid, captivating, and moving colors, making it feel brand new every time. It should be noted that the Rav shlit"a told the story for about twenty minutes, while simultaneously singing "L'Oseh niflaos gedolos levado ki l'olam chasdo..." (To Him Who alone does great wonders, for His loving-kindness is eternal).

The full class can be viewed here.

Indeed, due to his weakness, the Rav shlit"a did not extend the story of the Baal Shem Tov as much as he does every year. However, it is worth noting that the Rav shlit"a did not omit a single detail from the true version of the tale, exactly as it was received from Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Bender zy"a through the transmitted tradition. When the Rav shlit"a finished the complete story, he declared that this version will bring the complete Geulah (Redemption), and he began to sing "L'Oseh niflaos gedolos levado" for several more minutes.

Upon concluding the singing, the Rav recited Kaddish and began the "Barchu" melody and the Maariv prayer for the departure of the festival, filled with vitality and melodies. At the end of Maariv, they began Sefiras HaOmer, which was drawn out for about 45 minutes. After the counting, the Rav performed Havdalah and delivered a Torah class for about 10 minutes. At its conclusion, at 21:41, he returned to his holy home after two hours and 38 minutes.

In total, we merited on the festival of the Seventh Day of Pesach to have 7 hours and 20 minutes of prayers and Torah classes in the holy presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, who came out to the congregation despite his weakness and fragile health. Fortunate are we to have merited this!