Whoever Mourns for Jerusalem • An Extensive Report from Tisha B’Av in the

The Night of Tisha B’Av ○ Nearly six hours of prayer and Kinnos on the morning of Tisha B’Av ○ “To place glory instead of ashes”—Minchah and Ma’ariv at the close of the fast ○ “Over the shattering of the daughter of my people”...

With Hashem’s help, we merited this year as well to pass the fast of Tisha B’Av in the presence of The Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. We present to you a review of The Rav shlit"a’s day:

On the night of Tisha B’Av, The Rav shlit"a entered for Ma’ariv wearing his hat and without a tallis, and immediately began with “Barchu.” The Ma’ariv prayer itself lasted about a quarter of an hour in the usual nusach. After Shemoneh Esrei, The Rav shlit"a delivered a five-minute talk in which he spoke about the greatness of the day of Tisha B’Av, and brought the Midrash that at the very moment the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, Moshiach was also born, as stated there.

After the talk, The Rav shlit"a sat down to read Megillas Eichah with tremendous awakening. It was impossible not to feel the pain of the Churban in his pure voice, which broke again and again.

After completing the reading of the Megillah, which lasted about twenty-five minutes, The Rav shlit"a began reciting the five Kinnos customarily said on the night of Tisha B’Av. After that he said Kaddish, “U’Va L’Tzion,” and after “Aleinu L’Shabe’ach,” he entered his home, saying that Shacharis would begin at 5:00 a.m.

On that day when insolent enemies entered His Sanctuary, The Rav shlit"a came in for Shacharis without tallis and tefillin at 5:35, and immediately began reciting the verses from Chatzos that are customarily said on a day when Tachanun is not said—such as Tisha B’Av—when we say, “Kara Alai Mo’ed.” After Chatzos, The Rav shlit"a began Shacharis in the usual nusach: starting from the morning songs, Korbanos, Pesukei D’Zimrah, and the blessings of Krias Shema. After Shemoneh Esrei, The Rav shlit"a read from the Torah, “Ki Solid Banim,” and afterward the Haftarah, “Asof Asifem.” Immediately after the Haftarah, The Rav shlit"a announced that he was going down to the prayer hall for the recitation of Kinnos.

And indeed, within a few minutes The Rav shlit"a descended to the prayer hall and began saying the Kinnos together with close to a thousand people, who sat packed tightly in the hall and even filled the area outside it. Because of the terrible heat that prevailed in Eretz HaKodesh on Tisha B’Av, the gabbaim of the Beis Midrash opened special canopies for the great crowd that came to mourn for Jerusalem together with The Rav shlit"a, and due to the crush of people, some unfortunately were unable to enter inside.

Before the Kinnah “Arzei HaLevanon,” The Rav shlit"a stood up—and from then on, for an hour and a half throughout the entire recitation of Kinnos, he remained standing. During the Kinnos, The Rav shlit"a delivered several brief talks, including: as mentioned, before the Kinnah of the Ten Martyrs—“Arzei HaLevanon”—in which he mentioned the killing of Rabbi Akiva; before the three Kinnos that speak of the decrees of 4856 (תתנ"ו)—especially before the Kinnah “Sha’ali Serufah BaEish,” composed by the Maharam of Rothenburg—where he spoke at length about “how many have been lost and cannot be replaced,” referring to those thousands of commentaries whose very letters went up in flames, never to return; and also before the Kinnah of Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi—“Tzion Halo Tish’ali.” The Kinnos were said with tremendous awakening. Especially moving was the final Kinnah, “E-li Tzion V’Areha,” which The Rav shlit"a reads every year with a special melody—The Rav literally choked with tears.

After completing the Kinnos, The Rav shlit"a sat down to read Megillas Eichah. In the middle of the reading, The Rav shlit"a departed from the usual cantillation of Megillas Eichah and read it in the nusach of the Kinnos. At the conclusion of Megillas Eichah, The Rav ended the prayers, saying that everyone should now go to the Kosel HaMa’aravi until midday. The Rav shlit"a then went up to his holy dwelling.

Toward sunset at 19:15, The Rav shlit"a went out for Minchah, adorned with tallis and tefillin, and began with the singing of “Yehei Ra’ava Kadamach” at the opening of the Aron Kodesh. Afterward came the Torah reading, “Vayechal Moshe,” and the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, and the Haftarah, “Dirshu Hashem B’Himatzo.” After Minchah, The Rav shlit"a began Ma’ariv immediately, and afterward delivered a class. After the class, he sang songs of Rebbe Nachman for a few minutes and entered his holy dwelling.

May it be Hashem’s will that just as we merited to mourn together with The Rav shlit"a, so too we should merit to see the rebuilding of our Beis HaMikdash speedily in our days, amen!

Below is extensive documentation from the fast of Tisha B’Av in the presence of The Rav shlit"a (Photos: Shuvu Banim website, Breslov Netzach Netzachim):

[caption id="attachment_57667" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Delivering a class before Megillas Eichah, the night of Tisha B’Av[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57666" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Reading Megillas Eichah, the night of Tisha B’Av[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57665" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Reading Megillas Eichah, the night of Tisha B’Av[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57664" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Saying Kaddish after the Kinnos, the night of Tisha B’Av[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57668" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] The Haftarah, Tisha B’Av Shacharis[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57669" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Torah reading, Tisha B’Av Shacharis[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57663" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Reciting the Kinnos on Tisha B’Av day in our Beis Midrash[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57662" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Reciting the Kinnos on Tisha B’Av day in our Beis Midrash[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57661" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Reciting the Kinnos on Tisha B’Av day in our Beis Midrash[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57660" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Torah reading at Minchah on Tisha B’Av, wearing tallis and tefillin[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57659" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Torah reading at Minchah on Tisha B’Av, wearing tallis and tefillin[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57658" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Reading the Haftarah at Minchah on Tisha B’Av, wearing tallis and tefillin[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57657" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Minchah on Tisha B’Av, wearing tallis and tefillin[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57656" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Torah reading at Minchah on Tisha B’Av, wearing tallis and tefillin[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_57655" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Torah reading at Minchah on Tisha B’Av, wearing tallis and tefillin[/caption]