Celebrating ten years since the mass teshuva gathering at Ramat Gan’s Winter Stadium through the instruction of our Rebbe, the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit”a, under the title “There are no evildoers amongst the Jewish people.” Full coverage from the event:
The same saying which caused endless Jews at Yad Eliyahu Stadium to light the Jewish sparks hidden in their souls and to return them in teshuva (repentance)… Before the gathering, Rav Berland shlit”a said: “This is the goal of the gathering – to return all the Jewish people and the entire world – both Jews and non-Jews – to return all of them to their Father in heaven. In the image of G-d, [G-d] created man – every person has a spark from Hashem – both Jew and non-Jew have the G-dly spark; and the whole goal of the gathering is to bring the light of Hashem and the light of Rabbeinu HaKadosh [Rebbe Nachman] to the entire world – Jews and non-Jews.”
The gathering began at the beginning of Thursday night – the evening of 9 Tammuz 5772 – almost exactly a decade ago, with the stadium full of thousands of Jews from all spectrums – Chareidim, secular, those wearing knitted kepas to those closer to Neturei Karta – a true ingathering of exiles, that only a teshuva gathering such as this could unite everyone.
Our Rebbe, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a, entered with the song, “Yamim al yemei hamelech tosif (May days be added to the days of the king),” and he began with the song, “Nikhsefa v’gam kal’ta nafshi (my soul longs and pines)…” Afterwards, he began a shiur of over fifty minutes in which he screamed about the quality of mercifulness that is in every Jew. “We must end the terrible slaughter in Syria,” the Rav said. Later on, he spoke about the good point that is in every Jew, and that every Jew really wants to return in teshuva, and there’s no such thing as a secular person amongst the Jewish people.
After the shiur, the Rav began with the niggun “The wilderness and the wasteland will rejoice over them; the desert will be glad…” Afterwards the Rav gave over another shiur and once again began to sing “The wilderness and the wasteland…,” each time with greater force, becoming stronger and stronger.
After the shiur, the Rav began the saying of the Tikkun HaKlali, with the famous niggun that later accompanied the community throughout all the harsh years of exile, and so too in the mass prayer gatherings in Hebron and throughout Israel – slowly with melody and pleasantness “as if King David a”h had said them himself…”
[Video courtesy of “Shachar Eliyahu Hafatzat Or HaTzaddik”]
When the song ended, the order of hitkashrut (binding) before the prayer began, followed by the song “Hoshea et amecha (save Your people).” After four minutes of song, another shiur followed, in which the Rav thanked all of those who helped and gave assistance with the gathering. He once again sang “The wilderness” and afterwards began the Ma’ariv prayer with niggun, vitality, and fervor.
At the end of the prayer, and saying four chapters of Tehilim which the Rav is accustomed to say after prayer, the Rav gave over another shiur in which he called for everyone to strengthen themselves and disconnect from all impure electronic devices, and through this everyone would merit to do teshuva and we would merit to the complete redemption speedily in our days, amen. After two hours and twenty-five minutes Rav Berland shlit”a left the gathering with the song “Bach Rabbeinu negilah,” traveling to the city of our forefathers, Hebron, in which he said the Tikkun HaKlali with members of the community who merited.
Below is the complete film from the Teshuva gathering at Winter Stadium:
[Video courtesy of “Or Zarua L’Tzaddik”]
