On Thursday, Parashat Matot-Masei, the 28th of Tammuz, on the afternoon before Erev Rosh Chodesh Av, a historic Tikkun Chatzot gathering was held, the likes of which has not been seen for over twenty years, with the participation of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

Following the phenomenal success of recent gatherings, the “Hitachadut HaAvreichim (Kollel Students Organization)” of "Shuvu Banim Nechamat Tzion" institutions -- under the direction of the important avreich Rabbi Shmuel Izik Rubinstein and the director of the institutions Rabbi Natan Chananya -- decided this time to organize a Tikkun Chatzot gathering of a scale unseen in recent years in our holy community. The gathering took place, as mentioned, on the afternoon before Erev Rosh Chodesh Av, with the participation of more than a thousand avreichim of our holy community. The time was set for "chatzot hayom" (midday), the time when Breslov Chasidim and Jews in all communities traditionally recite Tikkun Rachel during the Three Weeks. At chatzot, the singing began — emotional and rousing niggunim that brought the large crowd into the atmosphere of the Three Weeks, singing “Have mercy in Your kindness upon Your nation, our Rock…” During the moving songs, about half an hour after chatzot, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered the packed Beit Midrash, filled with, as mentioned, more than a thousand avreichim, whose holy faces were graced with purity and depth.

After the singing concluded, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a began reciting Tikkun Chatzot in order, with niggunim that arouse and shake every heart — starting with vidui (confession), and then continuing to “Mizmor Le’Asaf…” How is it possible to describe what transpired when they reached the words “Yivada bagoyim...nikmat dam… (Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, revenge for Your servants' spilled blood…)"? Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was entirely gripped by a spirit of fire; his holy face flushed red, his hands raised high for a full fifty minutes straight! He repeated the words “nikmat dam, nikmat dam, oy nikmat dam avadecha hashafuch!!! (revenge for the blood, revenge for the blood, oy, revenge for Your servants' spilled blood!!!)." It is impossible to describe the intensity — how could the page contain the storming emotions? The cries could be heard from far away: “Nikmat dddaaammm…” “Oyyy, nikmat daaaammm…”

At that moment, the Rav's appearance was like a shaliach tzibbur (prayer leader) on high, crying out and pleading, raising his hands toward Heaven, clapping his hands to sweeten the harsh decrees, begging and beseeching with tears over the suffering of Am Yisrael — over the horrific murders taking place every day, over the terrible and cruel killings that Am Yisrael has suffered in every generation, as all the nations of the world pounce on Am Yisrael like a lamb between seventy wolves seeking to devour her and leave no remnant or survivor, may Hashem have mercy!

Only after nearly an hour did Moreinu HaRav shlit"a motion with his holy hands and continue Tikkun Chatzot in order, with his well-known stirring niggun that causes anyone who hears it to shed more than a tear or two over the destruction of the Holy Temple, over the exile of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), over the concealment of the Tzaddik in this world. After more than an hour and a half, they concluded the daytime Tikkun Chatzot of the Three Weeks with the song “Ki MiTzion Tetze Torah (For from Tzion shall go forth Torah)," which is recited at the end of the fifth kinah in Tikkun Rachel. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a continued singing this song for about twenty minutes, and then gave a sign with his hand, and the entire crowd fell silent. A hush settled as he opened his pure mouth with words of the Living God — fiery words from the mouth of the Almighty. Here is a summary of the topics the Rav shlit"a mentioned during the shiur: There is Torah 85 in Likutey Moharan — everyone needs to learn Likutey Moharan. I was against Breslov; the Rabbanit forced me to learn Sippurei Ma’asiyot (Rabbi Nachman's Stories). King David fought with lions. Yaakov too fought with lions for twenty years. "Whether it was stolen by day or stolen by night." All the war was to bring down Bibi. They took away everyone’s weapons. So what is Rabbeinu coming to teach us here? How to conquer countries? Through Luz they entered Beit El. When a person learns Likutey Moharan, it’s an atom bomb; if a person wants to understand one Torah, he needs to know all of Shas. So the secret of Luz is the resurrection of the dead, because in the city of Luz people never died, and it was impossible to enter the city — until one person went out and with a twist of his mouth showed where the entrance was. All the work is to unite Rachel and Leah. Mashiach will come from Migdal Eder - Rachel and Leah. "On Edom I will cast My shoe" — this is to unite the shoe of Leah with the Keter (Crown) of Rachel. This entire Torah includes all Etz Chaim and all Shas. During the Three Weeks, it's possible to accomplish everything, that there will be the unification of Rachel and Leah, that there will be the complete redemption, speedily in our days, Amen. After about half an hour of holy words, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a said Kaddish and ascended to his holy home, while all the avreichim left deeply moved, understanding well the significance of these days when “all her pursuers overtook her.” We are already pleading "when will You return to Tzion with mercy?” The participants spoke among themselves with tremendous excitement about this historic and powerful gathering — an event the likes of which had not been seen for over twenty years.