Satmara Niyes

Fortunate are we, how good is our portion, at the Hilula of Bar Yochai, and how pleasant is our lot, in the merit of our master Bar Yochai

As every year, the city of Kiryas Joel was transformed into a sort of "ingathering of the exiles," as tens of thousands of Jews, men, women and children, gathered to rejoice and to take part in the grand "Hadlaka gathering" at "Meron of America," in honor of the Divine Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. It was held on the vast grounds between the Beis Medrash HaGadol in the Mivtzar HaKollelim and the adjacent areas of the surrounding streets. The elevated gathering was estimated by the State Police at over 65,000 participants, bli ayin hara.

Right after Maariv, at around 9:55, the Rebbe arrived at the holy gathering and went to the center of the dais of honor, which was filled with the Rabbanim, the Gaonim and Tzadikim, Rabbanim and Dayanim shlit"a. Upon arriving at the site, the Rebbe broke into tears and then danced fervently for several minutes. They began singing stirring niggunim, and after a short time of singing the Rebbe stood up and began delivering his holy words, ablaze with fire, on the Torah of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. He explained that Rabbi Shimon is likened to Shabbos, and that the power and segulah of Shabbos is to be guarded from evil desires. The holy Torah begins with "Bereishis bara," and "Bereishis" is an acronym for "Ohr Toras Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai." This was Hashem's answer to the ministering angels, who asked, "Will we come to sin before You?" Hashem said that through the power of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who has the same power as Shabbos Kodesh, one can be saved from all transgressions. And we pray to Hashem, "Be with the mouths of the emissaries of Your people, the House of Israel," that the holy Tanna should help ignite the flame in the heart of every Jew, and that in the merit of the holy Tanna we should be saved from all the trials here in this impure country. The Rebbe then continued with longer words of inspiration, with tears, about the salvations and cures that Klal Yisroel needs, and he pleaded with the holy Tanna to bless Jewish children, enumerating requests on behalf of Jewish children. "Anah Hashem hoshiah na, in the merit of the Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai," that things should change from bad to good and that we should be helped with whatever we need. He concluded with lengthy holy blessings for the entire assembly.

After the fiery words of Torah, they continued with stirring niggunim for several more minutes. The Rebbe sang along with great arousal and tears, and then the Rebbe went up to the special platform at the site of the "bonfire" and continued with stirring niggunim, especially "Vihyu rachamecha misgolelim," "Master of the Universe, have mercy already on Your little children," which was sung dozens of times and tore at hearts. Then the donors of the Hadlaka handed over the silver cruses from which the Rebbe poured oil onto the bonfire, and HaRav HaTzaddik R' Chaim Elazar Weiss shlit"a, Av Beis Din of Humenne, whose son, the distinguished philanthropist R' Yuda Weiss, had purchased the zechus of the Hadlaka, placed the large torch in the hand of the Rebbe shlit"a. For several minutes the Rebbe stood holding the torch while they sang the kabbalistic stirring niggun "Lekavod HaTanna HaElokiy." At about 11:00 the Rebbe lit the bonfire with holy emotion and then burst into a fiery dance at the bonfire in honor of the Divine Tanna, drawing myriads of Jews into fervent dancing.

After a lengthy time the Rebbe returned to the dais of honor, where they sang the songs of the day: "Bar Yochai," "Va'amartem," and "Amar Rabbi Akiva." Then dozens of circles formed among the multitudes of Jews, who danced for several more hours in honor of the holy Tanna.

During the dancing the Rebbe gave the first haircuts to nearly 70 three-year-old boys, talmidim of our holy mosdos from across Greater New York, who passed by like sheep. The Rebbe also put a yarmulke and tzitzis on them and gave warm blessings to the parents and grandfathers.

After the upsherin ceremonies the Rebbe shlit"a continued to encourage the dancing at the site, until about 11:50, when the Rebbe left the site and went home.

Fortunate is the eye that has seen all this! His Torah is a shield for us and enlightens our eyes; may he advocate well on our behalf, our master Bar Yochai

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Wednesday, Parshas Behar — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

This morning, before Shacharis, the bris of the newborn son of R' Shmuel Meir Deutsch took place, with the Rebbe serving as sandek and mohel. The Rebbe shlit"a davened Shacharis in the Heichal HaMesivta, Yoel Moshe branch. Before davening, the Rebbe put tefillin on the bar mitzvah bochur, the bochur Meir Mordechai Glanzer.

After davening, the Rebbe delivered the daily Tehillim shiur, in which the Rebbe spoke about the topics of Lag B'Omer, and in the course of it posed a question on the sugya that the bochurim are learning and asked them to look for answers to the question. Afterward, a lechayim was held with the bar mitzvah bochur in the Rebbe's private room.

In the evening, at around 8:50, the Rebbe shlit"a davened Mincha in the Beis Medrash HaGadol. After Mincha, the Rebbe shlit"a went into his private room and engaged in the Torah of the Tanna, the divine Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

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Tuesday, Parshas Behar — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

The Rebbe shlit"a davened Shacharis in Beis Medrash Rav Tuv together with the talmidim of Yeshiva Gedolah Esek HaTorah, Monsey branch. Before davening, the Rebbe put tefillin on the bar mitzvah bochur, son of R' Yoel Yakobovitz (of Williamsburg).

After davening, the Rebbe delivered a short dvar Torah, spoke about the minhag of not saying Tachanun during the days of Hod, and told a story about the Divrei Yechezkel zt"l. Afterward a lechayim took place, during which they discussed the question the Rebbe had left for the bochurim at the end of last winter at the siyum hazman with the talmidim of the yeshiva. The Rebbe drank lechayim and blessed the bar mitzvah bochur and all the talmidim.

Afterward the Rebbe went up to the upper floors of the building, 'Binyan Kapitch', where he walked around accompanied by the builder, R' Moshe Nosson, son of R' Avigdor Rosenberg, and looked over the mikvah and the ezras nashim being built for the beis medrash, and then the higher floors of the building where a simcha hall for the area is being built, and the top floor where the yeshiva ketana, Zera Kodesh branch, is being built and set up, which, IY"H, will be in use in the middle of the summer. The Rebbe walked around all the rooms and looked around for an extended time.

Afterward the Rebbe comforted the mourner R' Tuvia Abeles on the passing of his sister a"h.

In the afternoon around 6:30 the Rebbe davened Mincha in his beautiful home on Route 306. The Rebbe then traveled to Williamsburg for the weekly yechidus times. Upon arrival, the Rebbe comforted the Kossov and Barnov Rebbes shlit"a on the passing of their mother, the Kossov Rebbetzin a"h.

Afterward there were yechidus times in the inner chamber from 8:40 until 12:30 in his beautiful home. The Rebbe davened Maariv around 10:15, and after Maariv went to the amud for the counting of the Omer, and then continued receiving the public.

Finally, the askanim of the upcoming special Shabbos Malkesa for the widows of our kehilla entered and presented a detailed report to the Rebbe shlit"a on all the plans for the coming Shabbos, along with a list of the donors in honor of the Shabbos, and the Rebbe sent them off with his holy blessing.

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Monday, Parshas Behar — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

The Rebbe shlit"a davened Shacharis in the main beis medrash. During the Torah reading the Rebbe was called up for shlishi, and after davening the Rebbe walked home. On the way, a pleasant conversation developed about Jewish history in the old country.

Late in the afternoon the Rebbe shlit"a paid a return visit to HaGaon Rabbi Yisroel Yitzchak Mendelsohn shlit"a, Av Beis Din of Kommemiyus Yerushalayim, at the home of the distinguished philanthropist R' Akiva Hirsch Klein, where a splendid Torah conversation developed on various areas of Torah. The Kommemiyus Rav shlit"a honored the Rebbe shlit"a with a lechayim, and the Rebbe bestowed his holy blessings.

In the evening at around 8:30, the Rebbe davened Mincha in his holy home at the Ohel Kat. Afterwards a lechayim celebration took place in honor of the kiddushin of the bochur, a grandson of our holy Rebbes, Yoel Moshe, son of the distinguished R' Asher Yeshaya Horowitz. The Rebbe drank a lechayim, spoke at length about the family lineage and the great forebears of the mechutanim, and bestowed his holy blessings on the chasan and the mechutanim.

Afterwards there were yechidus hours in the inner sanctum until 12:45 at night, when Maariv was davened and the Rebbe went to the amud for Sefiras HaOmer.

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