“And There We Shall Ascend and Appear” – Rav Berland Shlit”a in Mitzvat Aliyah L’Regel - Passover 5784

ON SUNDAY MORNING, THE SIXTH DAY OF CHOL HAMOED PASSOVER (THE DAY BEFORE YOM TOV SHEVI’I SHEL PESACH), MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A ARRIVED AT THE KOTEL PLAZA TO FULFILL THE MITZVAH OF ALIYAH L’REGEL (TO ASCEND TO THE TEMPLE DURING THE THREE FESTIVALS), TOGETHER WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND FOLLOWERS. Moreinu HaRav shlit”a arrived at around 3:00 AM before the break of dawn and said the Tikkun HaKlali seven times with great fire and vitality.  The Rav shlit”a was seen a number of times kissing the remnant of our Temple with longing for when “we will ascend and prostrate ourselves before You.”  After finishing the Tikkun HaKlali’s, he left amongst singing and dancing in the Kotel Plaza, accompanied by thousands of students. Because of past events in which thousands of Chasidim longing to get close to the Tzaddik resulting in a potentially dangerous situation, the assistants of the Rav brought a special electric cart to transport the Rav from the wall of the Kotel to his car. Moreinu HaRav shlit”a returned a little before 4:00 in the morning, accompanied by a royal caravan of cars until his holy home, where he was welcomed by hundreds of his followers with the song “Or Zarua La’Tzaddik”!