Save Me, Please, from the Hand of My Brother • Coverage of Shabbat Parshat Vayishlach in the Presence of the Esteemed Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a
Here is an extensive coverage of the prayers and lessons that took place on the holy Shabbat of Parshat Vayishlach, 16th of Kislev 5786, in the presence of the esteemed Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a:
Friday Night
At 16:15, our teacher the Rav shlit"a went out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha prayer of Erev Shabbat, adorned in Shabbat garments. They sang 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' for 15 minutes. Afterwards, our teacher the Rav shlit"a stood for the Mincha prayer. At the conclusion of Mincha for Erev Shabbat, he recited the order of connection word by word, and the entire congregation responded after him. Then, our teacher the Rav began Kabbalat Shabbat with all the psalms from 'L'chu N'ranena' to 'Mizmor L'David'. Afterwards, he began the singing of 'Lecha Dodi' which lasted about 40 minutes. Following that, he recited 'K'Gavna' and the Maariv prayer of Friday night with songs and melodies. At the end of Maariv, our teacher the Rav continued with the Shabbat night songs as is his holy custom every Shabbat. However, something interesting happened with the beginning of the song 'Shalom Aleichem'. As on every Shabbat, he turned to the kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Shinfeld shlit"a to converse with him on words of the living God. But here, the Rav shlit"a extended the conversation with him for more than 25 minutes and then continued with the song 'Shalom Aleichem' for another 5 minutes. At the end of the songs, the Rav concluded the prayer at 19:05 after two hours and fifty minutes.
Shacharit Prayer
For the Shacharit prayer, our teacher the Rav shlit"a went out at 04:18. Initially, they sang 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' for 7 minutes, and then at 04:25 began the morning songs and offerings in their order. At 05:05, he began saying 'Hodu LaHashem Kiru Bishmo' and the Pesukei D'Zimra as every Shabbat with melodies and enthusiasm. In the singing of 'HaNechmadim MiZahav', he extended about 5 minutes. Similarly, in the singing of 'Ki Kol Peh Lecha Yodeh', he extended about 5 minutes. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a stood for the Amidah prayer exactly at sunrise at 06:25, with the morning songs lasting exactly two hours for the Shacharit prayer.
Torah Reading
After the conclusion of the repetition of the Amidah, they began opening the ark, singing 'Yehi Ratzon' for a few minutes, and took out the Torah scroll. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a instructed his grandson, Reb Dov Zucker, to read from the Torah. One after another, those celebrating joyous occasions and yahrzeits ascended, having the merit to stand during the prayer beside our teacher the Rav shlit"a. The Torah reading and the Haftorah together lasted about 45 minutes.
Mussaf Prayer and Kiddush Rabba
At the conclusion of the Haftorah reading, our teacher the Rav shlit"a began singing 'Zera Chaya V'Kayama', extending for 20 minutes (of which 17 minutes the Rav shlit"a entered his chamber for a break – but the congregation continued singing) Close to 08:00, he approached the Mussaf prayer. After the repetition of the Amidah, he concluded the prayer, and after many weeks, we also merited the Tikkun HaKlali. At the conclusion, he made Kiddush over the cup at Kiddush Rabba and delivered a lesson for about 10 minutes.
At 08:40, he entered his holy home after four hours and twenty minutes in which we merited the Shacharit prayer, Torah reading, Mussaf, and a lesson at Kiddush Rabba together with our teacher the Rav shlit"a.
Mincha Prayer
At 16:10, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the holy Shabbat to the balcony of his home and began singing 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' for 15 minutes. Afterwards, he recited Kaddish and opened the ark with the singing of 'Yehi Ratzon' for a few minutes. Then the Rav shlit"a read from the Torah – Vayeshev – three aliyot. After that, the Mincha Amidah prayer of Shabbat.
Re'ua D'Re'uin
At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer of Shabbat at 16:45 on his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the three meals. As is his holy custom, with the first olive-sized piece, he began the songs of the third meal for about 22 minutes. At the end of the songs, he extended greatly! In the singing of 'Yah Ribon' for a long hour. Then he sang 'Thus said Hashem, He found favor in the wilderness' for 5 minutes and also in the singing of 'I remembered the kindness of your youth' for another 5 minutes, and in the singing of 'Until now' he extended for 20 minutes.
And here comes the great novelty of the Shabbat, for the first time in this period that has lasted, with Hashem's help, for nearly four years. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a began to sing many songs at the third meal with great length: immediately after singing "Until now" as mentioned above, the Rav shlit"a began surprisingly to sing 'My soul yearns and also longs' for about 20 minutes, and continued with the singing of 'And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water' for about 8 minutes. From there, the Rav shlit"a moved to the songs of Simchat Torah 'Awake, my glory, awake' for half an hour and also the singing of 'God, a new song I will sing to You' for another half hour. At the end of the extended singing, the Rav shlit"a began 'Tzur Mishelo Achalnu' and blessed over the cup with the seven blessings. In total, the third meal the Rav shlit"a extended for about three hours and eighteen minutes. (318 = Eliezer)
Maariv and Havdalah
Close to 20:05, immediately after the Grace After Meals, the Rav shlit"a began singing 'For the Conductor with stringed instruments' for 10 minutes. After the singing, the Rav shlit"a continued with the Maariv prayer of Motzei Shabbat with melodies in a fiery blaze. After the Amidah, he recited the order of 'V'Yehi Noam', extended in the singing of 'Blessed is He', and also in the singing of 'He will open' for 10 minutes. Afterwards, he concluded the Maariv prayer in its order which lasted an hour and twenty minutes. He made Havdalah over the cup with the singing of 'For the Jews'.
On the Night After the Day of Rest
After Havdalah, close to 20:45, the Rav washed his hands for the Melaveh Malka – this is the meal of David, King Mashiach. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a sang together with the entire congregation all the songs for Melaveh Malka. Before the song 'Elijah the Prophet', he delivered a lesson for about 20 minutes from the holy book Chayei Moharan. After the lesson, the Rav continued the songs 'Elijah the Prophet' and 'Master of the Universe', after the songs, the Rav blessed over the cup with the seven blessings. At the end of the Grace After Meals, the Rav delivered another lesson in which he instructed the order of study for that night, at 21:55 he entered his holy home. After an extension of more than five hours (5.10) in which we merited to be together with him from the Mincha prayer, three meals, Maariv, and Melaveh Malka.
In total, the entire Shabbat about 12 hours and 20 minutes. in which we merited to be under the holy shadow on the holy Shabbat of Parshat Vayishlach, 16th of Kislev 5786.