Why do we fast after the holiday? • The daily lesson from Rabbi Eliezer Berland

Below is a summary of the topics from the daily lesson as delivered by our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) – yesterday after the Maariv (evening) prayer, Sunday night, the 5th of MarCheshvan 5786, Parshas Lech-Lecha:

1. Jephthah's daughter was an only child.
2. Adah and Zillah, the wives of Lamech, wanted a divorce. Everyone needs to study the Rashi (commentary) regarding Adah and Zillah.
3. Yaakov Avinu (Jacob our Forefather) "hid" in the house of Shem and Eber. The meaning is that he hid there, and since he had no books, he only prayed for 14 years; he recited Likutey Tefillos (Collected Prayers) all day long.
4. Now that the nights are long, everyone should go to perform Hisbodedus (secluded prayer) at Chatzos (midnight).
5. Every girl and woman needs to know how to study Likutey Halachos (Collected Laws).
6. Rabbi Nathan asks: How can the Mishnah Berurah write "perhaps they rejoiced with excessive joy," and therefore we fast Behab (the Monday-Thursday-Monday fasts after a festival)? Can one sin from joy? In truth, one must fast because they did not rejoice enough.
7. Eliphaz took Jacob's clothes. Naphtali, the "hind let loose," arrived and brought Jacob new clothes, but Eliphaz took those as well. Jacob was left with nothing on the banks of the Jordan; eventually, a horseman arrived and left his clothes on the bank of the Jordan, and from there he received his clothes.
8. Jacob heard that Esau was pursuing him because he had left his hiding place in the house of Shem and Eber, so he traveled to Laban. This was because Laban was looking for Esau to kill him in order to make Teraphim (idolatrous oracular statues) out of him, because he was a firstborn.
9. Because Jacob bowed to Esau seven times, Esau has lived until today. If he had not bowed, he would have died.
10. Rav Aha bar Yaakov, who brought down the head of the seven-headed snake, rectified the seven bowings of Jacob to Esau.
11. All the men should study for another two hours at Chatzos (midnight); everyone should study Likutey Halachos (Collected Laws) with their wives.