Friday, Erev Shabbos Parshas Emor – Lag B'Omer, 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

This morning, before Shacharis, a bris took place for a newborn son of R' Yitzchak Aharon Neustadt, at which the Rebbe served as sandek.

The Rebbe davened Shacharis in the Heichal HaMesivta, Kedushas Yoel branch. Before davening, the Rebbe lit candles in honor of the Tanna, the Godly R' Shimon bar Yochai.

After davening, at around 12:00, the Rebbe entered the lechayim gathering, together with a large crowd of talmidim of the yeshivos from all the branches. The Rebbe danced in place for several minutes, and inspiring melodies were sung. The Rebbe drank lechayim, wished the entire community well, and delivered holy words on the verse "U'vnei Yisroel yotzim b'yad ramah," which Targum translates "b'rish galei." It says in the Degel that "brish" stands for Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, and it is explained in the words of derush on the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai that the Jews left Egypt in the merit of R' Shimon, who holds that the sixth [of the "yetzia"] goes to the portion [of the one who brings out]. The Rebbe continued to the holiness of the day, Lag B'Omer, the yahrzeit/hilula of the Godly Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, when Jews rejoice with the simcha of R' Shimon. He related how yesterday hundreds of thousands of Jews gathered, and one sees how the light of R' Shimon bar Yochai still burns today in every Jew; everyone burns and rejoices with the simcha. May Hashem help that we should indeed be able to rejoice along with them. He said that every bochur must make sure to be engaged on this day with the teachings of R' Shimon. There are many teachings in the hidden Torah, but there are also many in the revealed Torah, and everyone should strive to connect to Rabbi Shimon by learning something of R' Shimon's. He concluded with many blessings: "His Torah is a shield for us; may he advocate well on our behalf."

The singing of joyous melodies continued, and the Rebbe stood up and danced for a longer time. For the zemiros of Bar Yochai and "V'amartem," the Rebbe honored HaGaon Rabbi Meir Eliezer Friedman shlit"a, a rebbi in our holy yeshiva, and for "Amar Rabbi Akiva," the bochur Shmuel Meir son of R' Yekusiel Yitzchak Ehrenthal (Yerushalayim). It concluded at around 12:50.

At around 1:10, the Rebbe went over to the halls of Kinor David for the pure shulchan in honor of Lag B'Omer, together with nearly three hundred choice bochurim, members of the group, and talmidim of the yeshivos ketanos from across Greater New York. The Rebbe danced in place for several minutes, then washed for the seudah and cut the challah as is customary on Erev Shabbos.
During the tish, warm melodies were sung in honor of the day. For the lighting of the candles in honor of the Godly Tanna, HaGaon Rabbi Baruch Shlomo Weinberger shlit"a, head administrator of Kiryas Joel, was honored.

After the meat course, the zemiros were sung, Bar Yochai, V'amartem, and Amar Rabbi Akiva, and then joyous melodies continued, and the Rebbe stood up and danced with sparks of holy fire for several minutes.

The Rebbe shlit"a delivered holy words on the verse "Bereishis bara Elokim," which it says in the Agra D'Kallah is an acronym for the light of the Torah of R' Shimon bar Yochai. It is explained in the words of derush on the teachings of the holy Tanna that through teshuva one can repair everything, but one needs siyata d'Shmaya to be able to do teshuva. The holy Rebbe [the Divrei Yoel] took the heter to write down the Oral Torah of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who on the day of his passing revealed the hidden Torah and commanded that it be written down so that it should not be forgotten. R' Shimon said this out of concern that, Heaven forbid, the Torah would be forgotten from Israel. The Rebbe brought out the great joy of Lag B'Omer, that because of this day we have the Oral Torah. He also praised the bochurim who learn and review the Oral Torah, encouraged them to continue learning and reviewing, and concluded with his holy blessings.

For bentching, the Rebbe honored HaGaon Rabbi Yosef Friedman shlit"a (Williamsburg). It concluded at around 2:45.
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