Chapter 20

During the days of Shovavim, as stated above, we greatly increased prayer and the recitation of Psalms during the morning watch. A new development then occurred: two men from Shaarei Chesed came to our bais midrash. They told us that, for the welfare of the community, they were working to arouse all our brethren, the Jewish people, to implore mercy on behalf of the community. They wished to establish watches, so that not a single moment would pass without entreaty and the recitation of Psalms. For example, during certain hours one group would recite; they would then be replaced by other people, then by still others, and afterward the first group would return, and so on continually. This, however, was difficult. At any rate, they wished at least that Psalms should be recited for three consecutive twenty-four-hour periods without a break in the recitation. Even the Yehi Ratzon was not to be recited during those periods, but only at the end of the three full days. They had already arranged this on several occasions in Tel Aviv and Petach Tikvah, and also several times in the neighborhoods of Jerusalem outside the Old City.

Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlap, may he live, however, urged them that the principal place to do this was in the Old City, where prayer would be more readily accepted (as stated in the Midrash, whoever prays in Jerusalem is regarded as though he prayed before the Throne of Glory). He also instructed them to approach the members of our fellowship so that they too would take part. They therefore came to speak with us. They arranged that each group would recite for four hours during the twenty-four-hour cycle - four consecutive hours without a moment’s interruption. They asked which hours we desired, and we told them that most of our people wished to take the period from midnight onward. Those men said they would arrange a place in which Psalms would be recited throughout the entire period.

We told them that perhaps we could recite at the Western Wall. They agreed and entered this in their register. They likewise went to the other synagogues and enrolled people for the remaining hours of the twenty-four-hour cycle, until they had people for every hour. They then came and informed us that the undertaking would begin on Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh; our allotted time, as we had chosen, would begin at midnight; and the location would be the Sephardic Yeshivas Porat Yosef. We were therefore to make ourselves ready.

Although we had initially thought it would take place at the Western Wall, they decided upon Yeshivas Porat Yosef, because not everyone could walk there and it was also forbidden to keep lamps there for the recitation. We acted accordingly: a minyan and more from among us came after midnight to recite Psalms. We found that the preceding group was still there. Among them were also many members of our fellowship who were unable to recite after midnight and had therefore come earlier. The preceding group then left, and we began our recitation. We recited throughout the four hours with concentration.

The Sephardic shamash distributed cups of coffee, but I did not drink. I also had an incident when I went outside for a need, and it was dark there. On returning I severely injured my finger (this finger was weak from an earlier ailment - may such a thing not befall us). Much of the skin was torn away, and a great deal of blood began to flow without my noticing it. When I entered the bais midrash where there was light and saw it, I was horrified by the sight and greatly afraid that, Heaven forbid, some complication might develop. I asked the shamash whether he perhaps had a little iodine or alcohol to apply to it, but he did not. I therefore took only a rag, dipped it in cold water, and placed it upon the wound.

In sum, I suffered greatly and was in pain from this, yet I completed our allotted recitation of Psalms. Meanwhile the next group arrived to recite during its appointed time, and we went home. In the morning the recitation began in the synagogue of Batei Machaseh, for it could not continue in the yeshivah, where people needed to pray and study. Psalms were recited there throughout the day. Toward evening, the melamdim [teachers] recited together with the children, and there was great spiritual arousal. On the second night the original groups began the cycle anew; our turn therefore came once again at midnight, and we recited aloud, with concentration and spiritual arousal. On the third day as well, we recited during our appointed hours.

This continued until late afternoon on the third day, when a large congregation had assembled together, including melamdim and children, and the spiritual arousal was so great that it brought people to tears. Everyone recited together the Yehi Ratzon that follows Psalms. May it be His will that Hashem hear our cries and outcries and bring us complete salvation speedily in our days. Amen.

During that period - that is, during the aforementioned weeks of Shovavim (an acronym for Shemos, Va’eira, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, and Mishpatim) - a very large congregation of Sephardim as well as Ashkenazim also recited Psalms for one entire day, from morning to evening, without a moment’s interruption or any other speech. This is called a taanis dibbur [fast from speech]: throughout the entire day no word whatever is spoken apart from Psalms, prayers, and Torah. They are also meticulous then to recite the entire Book of Psalms three times in succession, without any interruption and without reciting the Yehi Ratzon.

There is a large society that gathers congregations numbering in the hundreds, and they recite together as stated above. They do this many times during the year, particularly during the days of Shovavim, Elul, and the Ten Days of Repentance, when they conduct such a day almost every week. They rotate the locations: sometimes they recite for one day in the synagogue in the Bais Yisrael neighborhood; sometimes in the synagogue of Misgav Ladach Hospital; and sometimes in a synagogue in the city. I had not known of this and therefore did not join them. I was grieved that I had not joined in so great a mitzvah.

As Erev Rosh Chodesh Shevat approached, other people from the city and other chasidim grew envious of us because we had already been at Rachel our Mother’s grave many times, whereas they had not yet merited this since the pogroms. They therefore began speaking with the shamash as well, so that he would obtain government permission and police protection for Erev Rosh Chodesh. He succeeded, however, only in obtaining permission for the day before Erev Rosh Chodesh, not for Erev Rosh Chodesh itself: only a few people were to travel, rather than the large crowd that would come on Erev Rosh Chodesh. Several of their people traveled then for a certain period. I knew nothing of all this, and therefore neither I nor the members of our fellowship traveled then. Later, however, on Erev Rosh Chodesh itself, we took the shamash with us and one person paid on our behalf. We were there toward evening and throughout the entire night.