Reading of Mishneh Torah in the Torah Scroll that Freed the Hostages ○ Shacharit and Hallel ○ Hoshanot and Beating of the Aravah ○ Mussaf Prayer for the Day of the Final Seal ○ “A Gut Kvitel”
On the holy day of Hoshana Rabbah, the "Day of the Final Seal," the fourth, as in previous years, this year too we merited to participate in Shacharit – Hallel – Hoshanot and Mussaf together with the Gaon and Tzaddik Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit”a. Below is the full report from this holy day:
"This Torah Scroll – It Will Free the Hostages"
On this holy night, after Maariv, the family of Moreinu HaRav shlit"a gathered for the traditional reading of Mishneh Torah (Sefer Devarim), as is customary on this holy night. This year, this reading became the talk of the day, as the Torah scroll used for the reading before Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was the Torah scroll whose writing began nearly two years ago on the day of “Ginusia d’Malka [the Rav’s birthday],” about three months after the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" war. At that time, when its writing began, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a made a shocking statement to those present: "When the writing of this Torah scroll is completed, all the hostages will be freed, and the war will end." Back then, three months after the horrific massacre, this seemed detached from reality. The army was deep in the Gaza Strip, and the chances of returning "all" the hostages seemed beyond a distant dream. Yet, the Tzaddik shlit"a saw with his pure eyes what would transpire upon the completion of the writing of "the Torah scroll of all Am Israel," as he described it.
And indeed, the unbelievable happened. Although the writing of the scroll was supposed to have been completed long ago, it was finalized precisely half an hour before it was officially announced that the agreement for the release of the hostages had been approved by all parties. There is no doubt that the Ruach HaKodesh (Divine inspiration) of the Tzaddik once again proved the faith in the true Tzaddik and his Ruach HaKodesh that sees far into the future! Indeed, the Torah scroll brought about the release of all the hostages!!!
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Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a on the night of Hoshana Rabbah at the writing of the Torah scroll which freed the hostages[/caption]
Hoshana – Gather Us to the House of Prayer
At 5:17 AM, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered for the Hoshana Rabbah prayer on the balcony of his home, as hundreds, perhaps close to a thousand people, gathered to pray on this "Day of Judgment" together with Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, standing in the courtyard of our Beit Midrash – the Prayer Hall, all wrapped in white with their tallit and kittel, singing "Or Zarua LaTzaddik" for about 22 minutes before the prayer. Afterward, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a began Shacharit, starting with the recitation of Tikkun Chatzot with the verses customarily said on Shabbat, holidays, and festivals. The morning Zemirot and the Korbanot were said with vitality and fervor. At 5:50, at the time for putting on the tallit, he blessed and donned his tallit. At 6:35, he began reciting "Hodu" – Pesukei D’Zimra, along with the additions for Hoshana Rabbah (the order of prayer similar to Shacharit of Yom Tov), and he extended the singing and melodies, such as "Hoshia Et Amecha" for about 5 minutes and "HaNechmadim MiZahav" for 8 minutes. Parenthetically, it should be noted that it is a great joy to hear Moreinu HaRav shlit"a sing these niggunim through the loudspeaker, as this is the only time of the year when the Rav shlit"a recites Pesukei D’Zimra, said on Shabbat and festivals, through a loudspeaker, his pure voice resonating even far away. At 7:20, he said "Baruch She’amar," and about fifteen minutes later, they reached the end of "Yishtabach." Here, at the instruction of the Rav shlit"a, the prayer leader, R’ Dov Zucker, sang loudly "Berachot VeHodaot LeShimcha HaGadol" in the tune of the High Holy Days, as is customary on Hoshana Rabbah. And, of course, after "Yishtabach," Moreinu HaRav shlit"a recited "Shir HaMa’alot" verse by verse, with the vast congregation responding after him. The Amidah prayer for Shacharit of the Day of the Seal began only at 7:54 – about three hours for Shacharit.
Hoshanot
At 8:06, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a blessed "Al Netilat Lulav" under the holy sukkah above him. Immediately afterward, while waving the lulav, he blessed and began singing Hallel – holding the Four Species in his hands throughout the entire Hallel, and, as is his holy custom, he shook them many times to sweeten the judgments and the difficult hours through the waving, which contains hidden and lofty secrets. The entire Hallel was sung with niggunim and tremendous vitality. Particularly striking was the singing of "B’tzeit Yisrael MiMitzrayim" for about 25 minutes, followed by "Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov" for another 25 minutes, with Moreinu HaRav shlit"a pausing while waving the lulav, as is customary. He concluded the extended Hallel with the stirring melody of "Ana Hashem Hoshia Na," which he extended for about 8 minutes.
Upon completing the Hallel, which lasted over an hour (1:06), they reached the climax of the Day of Sealing – the holy Hoshanot. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a, with the Four Species in hand, circled the bimah on the balcony. At the end of each circuit, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a recited the special verse for the Hoshana Rabbah circuits. The fervor grew and intensified, "Your children roar, Hosha Na!" and above all, at the peak of the sealing moments, "Kol Mevaser Mevaser VeOmer…" – his pure voice roared the verses, and the entire congregation joined him in fiery passion! The circuits of Hoshana Rabbah on the Day of Sealing lasted a full forty minutes.
At the conclusion of the Hoshanot, before the beating of the aravah (willow branch), Moreinu HaRav shlit"a sang "Hoshia Et Amecha" for several minutes. After Kaddish Titkabal, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a beat the special large aravot.
Hoshana – Your Holy Torah
Moreinu HaRav shlit"a instructed to open the Ark with the recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. The Torah reading for Hoshana Rabbah, "And on the seventh day," included four aliyot, with the third aliyah given to Rabbi Moshe Tzenani shlit”a. Moreinu HaRav shlit"a was, of course, honored with the fourth aliyah – the aliyah of Rabbeinu HaKadosh. At 9:20, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a began the Mussaf prayer, and during the repetition of the Amidah, he extended the melodies further, with "VeKarev P’zureinu" for about 10 minutes and "VeHavi’einu LeTzion Ircha" for an additional 14 minutes. After Mussaf, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a said Kavei El Hashem, Aleinu, Ane’im Zemirot, and the Tikkun HaKlali. At the conclusion of the Tikkun HaKlali, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a delivered a shiur for about 6 minutes on the significance of the day and its utilization for studying the holy Gemara, specifically on this holy Day of the Final Seal. At 11:06, he entered his holy home after nearly six hours (5:49) during which we merited to be sealed with a “Pitka Tava” in the fourth seal by the Tzaddik!
