Shiur from after the Maariv prayer of our Rebbe Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a – the evening of 18 Tevet.
“Then tomorrow at 4:30 in the morning, [they’ll] open the shoemaking shops. Everyone will begin to be shoemakers, like Chanoch, who would sew [TOPheR] shoes. 365 years he would sew shoes.
“The son of Chanoch, Metushelach, lived 969 years, and 969 years he would sew shoes. After this came Lemech, the grandson. He would also sew shoes. After this came Noach, who would sew shoes, and through this he saved humanity and there was a continuation for humanity.
“Yosef was the soul of Chanoch; he was a reincarnation of Chanoch, the angel Mem-Tet. Therefore, it’s written about Yosef, ‘He was a lad [na’ar in Hebrew] with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives.’ And regarding Chanoch, it’s said, ‘I was a lad [na’ar], and I also aged.’ Chanoch is alive to this day.
“Therefore, it’s written about Yosef, ‘Yosef is a fruitful [PORaT] son, a fruitful son on the fountain.’ PORaT is TOPheR – PORaT is the same letters as TOPheR – that the Tzaddik, who is the angel Mem-Tet, sews shoes. All day, he sews shoes.
“The meaning of ’shoes’ is that he turns the Keter [Crown] of Rachel into ‘shoes’ for Leah. The entire service is to turn the Keter of Rachel into shoes for Leah. ‘[On] Edom, I’ll toss my shoe.’ What shoe is thrown on Edom? How does it help if we throw the shoe? Rather, the moment that we turn the Keter of Rachel into the shoe of Leah, we bind the Keter of Rachel with the shoes of Leah – ‘Trembling (Ra’Ad=274) gripped the mighty ones of Moav.’ Rachel-Leah is also 274.
“All the work is to bind Rachel and Leah, that the Keter will turn into a shoe. Then ‘[On] Edom I’ll toss my shoe.’ Then we’ll merit to the complete redemption speedily in our days, Amen.”
After the Maariv prayer, the Rav shlit”a continued, saying:
“There are eight hours to sleep. It’s forbidden a second more than this, because the brain atrophies. All the illnesses come from sleeping more than eight hours.
“Now, everyone straight to bed. Anyone who can be awake all night – very good, but anyone who knows that he won’t arise at 5:30, go immediately to bed, and be here on time. For putting on Tefilin, [which is] 5:30.
“Light is sown for the Tzaddik…”
