"They Are Holy" ◇ Shabbat Chanukah Gathering in the Presence of Our Teacher the Rav shlit"a
Twelve Hours of Shabbat Prayers ○ Lengthy Singing of Hallel ○ Lighting the Chanukah Candles with a Large Gathering
The light of Chanukah teaches us, our holy Rebbe, is the light of the tzaddik. One of the three gatherings of Breslov chassidim is Shabbat Chanukah, and whoever truly wants to merit joining the gathering of all of Israel with the head of the generation knows that they must ascend to Jerusalem, to be in the presence of our teacher the Rav shlit"a during Shabbat Chanukah, as Mohara"sh zy"a taught us that on Shabbat Chanukah one must be with the tzaddik of the generation.
As in previous years, this year as well, Shabbat Chanukah of Parshat Miketz 5785, the Shabbat Chanukah gathering took place with our teacher the Rav shlit"a. This uplifting Shabbat, with such special length, Anash do not recall for years! Thousands of the people of Israel came to be in the presence of the true sun, the tzaddik of the generation, our teacher the Rav shlit"a.
Here is a brief coverage of what we merited at the Shabbat Chanukah gathering of Parshat Miketz, 30th of Kislev, Rosh Chodesh Tevet 5786:
Friday Night
The Shabbat Chanukah gathering began with the lighting of the sixth Chanukah candle. At the time of candle lighting, 16:03, our teacher the Rav shlit"a went out to the balcony, adorned in white Shabbat garments with a white kippah and tallit like an angel of Hashem, and with his pure voice, our teacher the Rav blessed the blessings and lit the candle in the silver menorah of the synagogue, standing near the place of prayer of Mohara"sh shlit"a.
Our teacher the Rav sang 'Hanerot Halalu' and 'Maoz Tzur'. Afterwards, the Rav shlit"a entered his home for five minutes to light the Shabbat candles together with the Rebbetzin tichye, meanwhile, the congregation continued to sing 'Yevanim Nikbetzu Alai' and even after his return, continued singing until 16:20 when the Mincha prayer of Erev Shabbat Kodesh began with a large gathering.
The singing of 'Lecha Dodi' lasted forty-five minutes, as our teacher the Rav shlit"a welcomed the Shabbat with melodies and dances, as the extra neshamah (soul) enters each and every one during the moving singing of 'Lecha Dodi'. After 'Lecha Dodi', our teacher the Rav began the Maariv prayer of Friday night, followed by the Shabbat night songs said before Kiddush.
At 18:45, after two hours and forty minutes in his presence, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy abode, singing 'Sabeinu Mituvcha'.
Shacharit Prayer
Even before the first light of dawn rises over Jerusalem, the holy city, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his balcony at 04:55 for the Shacharit prayer of Shabbat Chanukah. The prayer proceeded as every Shabbat with great vitality, starting from the morning songs and offerings. At 05:40, he began the Pesukei D'Zimra of Shabbat Kodesh with immense vitality. In the singing of 'Nafsheinu Chiktah LaHashem Azreinu Umagenenu Hu', he extended for about 5 minutes, and in 'Nishmat Kol Chai' with the melody 'Ki Kol Peh Lecha Yodeh' for about 7 minutes of singing with great power and joy. Afterwards, the blessings of the Shema reading, and in a great wonder after a long time that we did not merit, he extended in the singing of 'Ein Aroch Lecha' for 12 minutes. The Amidah prayer stood at 07:15.
"Song and Rejoicing" – Hallel
After the repetition of the Shatz, our teacher the Rav began the singing of the complete Hallel for the days of Chanukah, which lasted for a long hour! Our teacher the Rav shlit"a stood with vitality, his face towards the congregation, and with his holy movements, he enlivened the entire congregation, inflamed with fiery enthusiasm, truly a taste of Gan Eden. The truth is that with the tzaddik, we are above place and above time, yet we counted the minutes 'so that generations may know' what occurred 'in those days at this time': In the melody 'B'tzeit Yisrael', our teacher the Rav extended for 22 minutes. In the spirit of increasing and continuing, he extended in singing and dancing with the melody of 'Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov' for 19 minutes. The joy, happiness, and feelings of gratitude to Hashem for the miracles done in those days at this time are indescribable.
A great awakening was also noted in the melody 'Adir Ayom V'norah', which our teacher the Rav sings in the section 'Ana Hashem Hoshia Na', 'Ana Hashem Hatzlicha Na'. Our teacher the Rav extended in this melody for about 12 additional minutes of the special and wonderful Hallel with great length!
Torah Reading
After Hallel, after the conclusion of the repetition of the Shatz, they began with the opening of the ark, singing 'Yehi Ratzon' for several minutes, and took out three Torah scrolls. Our teacher the Rav shlit"a instructed his grandson, R' Dov Zucker, to read from the Torah. One after another, those celebrating simchas and yahrzeits, who merited standing during the prayer beside our teacher the Rav shlit"a, ascended. After the conclusion of the reading of Parshat Miketz, our teacher the Rav shlit"a ascended for the reading of Rosh Chodesh, and afterwards the reading for Shabbat Chanukah. The Torah reading and the Haftarah together lasted for a long hour.
The Haftarah 'Rani V'simchi' for Shabbat Chanukah was read in a pleasant voice by the Bar Mitzvah boy Yosef n"y, son of the synagogue's gabbai, R' Shmuel Isaac Farkash hy"u.
Mussaf Prayer
After the conclusion of the Haftarah, our teacher the Rav said 'Yekum Purkan' and the song 'Zera Chaya V'kayam', which is conducive for offspring, for about five minutes. Afterwards, the Rav said Ashrei and 'Y'halelu', and after the Torah scroll was returned to the ark, he said Kaddish and announced "Ata Yatzarta" – Mussaf for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. It can be said that this is the longest Mussaf prayer of the year (Ata Yatzarta, Yaaleh V'yavo, and Al Hanisim). At the conclusion of Mussaf, the Rav shlit"a completed the prayer in order. An'im Zemirot, Adon Olam, Yigdal Elokim Chai, Tikkun HaKlali, and our teacher the Rav delivered a lesson of about five minutes – the Torah of the tzaddik on Shabbat Chanukah.
At 10:18, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered his holy abode after five hours and twenty-three minutes.
Mincha and Third Meal
At 16:15, our teacher the Rav shlit"a entered the Mincha prayer of Shabbat Kodesh on his balcony with the singing of 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' for 10 minutes. With the saying of Kaddish, he began with the saying of 'Baruch Shemei' and the singing of 'Yehi Ratzon' for 5 minutes. Afterwards, he read from Parshat Vayigash, and immediately after stood for the Amidah prayer of Mincha.
At the conclusion of the Mincha prayer of Shabbat, which lasted about twenty minutes, at 16:50, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the third meal on his balcony, and as is his holy custom, immediately with the first olive-sized piece, he began the songs of the third meal for about twenty minutes. Afterwards, he sang 'Yah Ribon' for about 35 minutes. Then he sang 'Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen Bamidbar' for 4 minutes, and in the singing of 'Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'urayich' for another minute, and in the singing of 'Ad Henah' he extended for 11 minutes. At the conclusion of the singing, the Rav began 'Tzur Mishelo Achalnu', 'Shir HaMa'alot', and recited the blessing over the cup.
Lighting the Fourth Candle and Maariv of Motzei Shabbat
At 18:10 the Rav shlit"a began the singing of 'Lamnatzeach B'neginos Mizmor Shir' for 20 minutes, in the Maariv prayer of Motzei Shabbat with fiery melodies. After the Amidah, the saying of 'V'yehi Noam', where our teacher the Rav shlit"a extended in the singing of 'Baruch Hu Elokeinu Shebaranu Lichvodo' for 10 minutes and further extended in the singing of 'Hu Yiftach Libeinu B'Torato' for another 10 minutes.
After 'Aleinu L'shabeach', he proceeded to light the seventh candle in the synagogue's menorah. He began with the singing of Chanukah songs as is his holy custom; 'Hanerot Halalu', 'Maoz Tzur'. Before continuing the songs, the Rav made Havdalah over the cup with the singing of 'L'Yehudim' for five minutes.
After Havdalah, he continued with the Chanukah songs with the singing of 'Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit'. Afterwards, in the singing of 'Lamnatzeach B'neginos', he extended for about fifteen minutes. 'Ana B'koach' as customary seven times with the melody of the Baal Shem Tov, and the singing of 'Rannenu Tzaddikim'. He concluded the Chanukah songs with the singing of 'Yevanim Nikbetzu Alai' for 17 minutes with vitality and Chanukah joy. After the conclusion of the singing, the Rav delivered a lesson for a few minutes and entered his holy abode at 20:15 after about four hours.