Watch: The Night of Rebbe Nachman's Hilula 5787 – Rabbi Berland shlit"a Gives a Class at His Home and Stands on the Balcony Before Thousands Until Dawn

On the night of 18 Tishrei 5787, the night of the Hilula of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov zy"a, thousands merited to spend the entire night in the presence of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. First, the Rav delivered a private class in his home over the phone, and from there he went out to the thousands of celebrants who filled the streets below his home. All night, until the light of dawn, the Rav stood on the balcony facing the massive crowd: he lit candles, danced with his grandchildren, and sang together with the thousands dancing in the streets below. It was an event that is difficult to describe in words.

"Today is the Greatest Day of the Year": The Class in the Home of the Rav

Even before the main event, the Rav sat in his room, wrapped in a tallis and surrounded by holy books, and delivered a private class over the phone to the students of Rav Ofir of Netivot. He opened the class with words that set the tone for the entire night:

"Today is the greatest day of the year, the [day of the Hilula] of Rebbe Nachman."

Immediately, the Rav described the magnitude of the hour: "Today is the moment of the revelation of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), when Mashiach arrives... Torches of light, of flames, are rising up, they are lifted into the air, and then King David will be revealed, and he will be in the center."

Yavesh Gilad: "They Did Not Give Up Under Any Circumstances"

The Rav spoke about King Saul, "the chosen of Hashem," who was the first to fight the Philistines and save Yavesh Gilad, and about the people of Yavesh Gilad who merited to be the "first for the Geulah (Redemption)," as the Ibn Ezra states. "They took his body down from the wall of Beit She'an," he said. "They did not give up under any circumstances." From there, he transitioned to 18 Tishrei, the day Rebbe Nachman was buried, and to the Ten Commandments upon the Ark of the Covenant, beneath the wings of the Cherubim.

"Today is the Day Mashiach Must Be Revealed"

The Rav brought the prophecy of Micah (Micah 4:8): "And you, O Migdal Eder, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto you it shall come, and the former dominion shall return," and declared:

"Today is the day Mashiach must be revealed, as we are at the yahrzeit."

He described the order of the Geulah (Redemption): Mashiach will first come to Jerusalem, then to Migdal Eder and to Rachel's Tomb, "and he will call Rachel to come out of the grave," and Mashiach ben David will go to the Cave of the Patriarchs (Me'aras HaMachpelah). Then six shofars will be sounded: "Three shofars for the Patriarchs, and a shofar for Moshe Rabbeinu, and for Mashiach ben David, and Mashiach ben Yosef... A great shofar will be sounded, and then the whole world will hear the blast of the shofar!"

The Rav concluded the class with a blessing: "The entire Geulah (Redemption) is now ready, and now the day will be revealed, there will be the complete Geulah in our days, Amen."

Thousands in the Streets, and the Rav on the Balcony Until Dawn

After the class, the Rav went out to the balcony. Below, in the streets, thousands stood closely packed: they danced, sang, and lifted their eyes to the balcony. The men filled Ido HaNavi Street, and the women filled HaChoma HaShlishit Street. In both streets, which were closed to traffic during those hours, giant screens were set up, and the words of Torah and the singing of the tzaddik were heard throughout the holy city of Jerusalem. It was truly like a revelation of Mashiach.

During the night, the Rav lit candles in honor of the Hilula near his table on the balcony, facing the massive crowd.

On the balcony, the Rav's grandchildren danced with him, while thousands danced in the streets below.

At four o'clock in the morning, the Rav took the microphone and sang together with the crowd, and thousands of voices answered him from the street. The gathering continued in this way until the light of dawn.

On the Day of the Hilula

On the day of the Hilula itself, we published here the Rav's class given on the yahrzeit of Rebbe Nachman in Shuvu Banim in the year 5751, regarding the true tzaddik who takes upon himself the sins of the generation, as well as the prayer for the yahrzeit of the holy and awesome Rebbe Nachman composed by the Rav.

May the merit of the holy Rebbe Nachman protect us and all of Israel, and may we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) in our days, Amen.