The Merit of Yehuda is the Merit of Admission • The Hiloula of Yehuda ben Yaakov
Today, the 15th of Sivan, is the Hiloula (anniversary of passing) of Yehuda ben Yaakov Avinu (our forefather Judah). He is buried in Yehud. Before you is a prayer from the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) to be said at his holy tziyun (gravesite):
Master of the World, Almighty One, from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here by the awesome and holy tziyun (gravesite) of Yehuda ben Yaakov, who merited that King David, peace be upon him, descended from him, and King Solomon who built the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), and he is the one who will merit that Mashiach ben David (the Messiah, son of David) will emerge from his loins, in the merit of the humility and lowliness which he merited more than the rest of the brothers, and he admitted to all his sins, and therefore merited that from him would come Mashiach ben David, who atones for all sins, iniquities, and transgressions; so too, merit me to admit to all my sins and transgressions every moment and second, and to merit teshuvah (repentance) from love, and through this, all my sins, iniquities, and transgressions will be atoned for, and everything will be transformed into merits, by the power of the teshuvah (repentance) from love that I merit to do now here at the holy and awesome tziyun (gravesite) of Yehuda ben Yaakov, who is named after hoda'ah (gratitude/admission) and Vidui (confession prayer), and so too, merit me from now on to only engage in songs and praises, and to confess before You with a whole heart, until all my iniquities are transformed into merits, and I shall not return to folly again.
"Judah, you—your brothers shall acknowledge you; your hand shall be on the nape of your enemies; your father's sons shall prostrate themselves to you" (Genesis 49:8). Master of the World, Almighty One, merit us to reach the level of Yehuda, that the halacha (Jewish law) follows him in every place, and he merited to aim for the truth of the Torah, and always aimed for the truth of the Torah, and from him came David, that the halacha (Jewish law) follows him in every place and location, as it is said, "His hands fought for him, and You shall be a help against his adversaries" (Deuteronomy 33:7), for the merit of Yehuda is the merit of hoda'ah (admission/gratitude), just as he admitted regarding Tamar, and he admitted regarding the sale of Yosef (Joseph) when he testified about himself that he was to blame for everything, and besides this, Yehuda gave thanks (hoda'ah) for every single miracle, and for every single breath without end and without limit, and may we also merit to give thanks for every single breath, and for every miracle, and to see Hashgacha Pratis (Divine Providence) for the good in every single step, and may that which was said regarding Yehuda be fulfilled in me: "Judah, you—your brothers shall acknowledge you; your hand shall be on the nape of your enemies," to do teshuvah (repentance) for all my sins and to merit the level of "one who speaks truth in his heart," that we shall never change from what we decide in our hearts, and through this, we shall merit the level of Yechida d'Yechida (the highest level of the soul).
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