Reading of the Megilah on Purim night and Ma’ariv prayer – More than 3.5 hours
At 7:43 pm, our Rebbe Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a came out onto his balcony to pray Maariv of the night of Shushan Purim, and immediately began with the song “Ve’Tosef Esther V’Tedaber…” for around a half-hour. Afterwards, the Rav said Kaddish and began with the order of binding oneself to the Tzaddikim, along with the prayer for leaving the Beit Midrash, followed by the Mizmor of Purim, chapter 22 of Tehilim “Lamnatzeach al ayalet hashachar.” The Rav said the Mizmor word-for-word, with the massive crowd of over 2,000 people, reciting it after him word-for-word. Afterwards, Maariv began, followed by a shiur about the level of Purim and the secret of the letters MaNTzePaCh.
After 25 minutes of the fiery shiur, the Rav began reading the Megilah over a course of 45 minutes. Afterwards, he sang “Shoshanat Yaakov” for some ten minutes, and then “Ata Kadosh,” singing “Hu Yiftach” together with the community for some 50 minutes, the entire community jumping and dancing in song and simchah with endless vitality, the Rav himself also jumping and dancing with awesome vitality like King David in his time before the Ark of the Covenant. Afterwards, the Rav said “Shir HaMaalot” and “Aleinu LeShabeach,” finishing the prayer at 10:15, announcing that Shacharit would be at 4:30 in the morning.
The Shacharit prayer and the reading of the Megilah
At 4:47 in the morning, the Rav came out onto his balcony, immediately beginning Tikkun Chatzot. Afterwards, the Rav began Shacharit with niggunim with great vitality and fervor. At 6:10, the Rav stood to pray the Amidah, afterwards entering his home for a number of minutes in order to put on Tefilin of Rabbeinu Tam. He entered for the repetition of the Amidah and the reading of the Torah about the erasing of Amalek, reminding the public to intend to fulfill the Torah commandment of erasing Amalek. After the Torah reading, the Rav gave over words of Torah, mentioning that the main mitzvah of reading the Megilah is during the day. Afterwards, was the reading of the Megilah, which lasted for around a half-hour. Afterwards, the Rav fulfilled the remaining mitzvot of the day – gifts to the poor and Mishloach Manot. The Rav concluded the prayer with singing and niggunim at length with awesome vitality.
Kiddush of Purim
Like every year after Shacharit of Purim, the Rav fulfills the mitzvah of the day of drinking wine, and makes “Kiddush” with words of humor. Afterwards, he gave over a number of words of Torah and entered with the song “Bechah Rabbeinu Nagilah…”
