Following is a detailed report of the largest Hadlaka gathering in honor of the Heavenly Tanna on Lag B'Omer in Kiryas Joel.

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 kind of "ingathering of the exiles," as many tens of thousands of Jews, men, women and children, gathered to rejoice and to take part in the largest Hadlaka gathering, in the "Meron of America," in honor of the Heavenly Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. It was held on the vast area between the Beis Medrash HaGadol in the Fortress of the Kollelim and the adjacent areas of Garfield and Heyes Streets, under the leadership of the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a.

The final preparations for the great gathering continued on Erev Lag B'Omer, up until the very last hours, when the bitter news came from the holy site of Meron. But after a while, hearing the da'as kodesh of the Rebbe that the gathering would be held as planned, and with mixed feelings, in the manner of "removing one form and donning another," they prepared for the glorious and exalted gathering.

At the appointed time the Rebbe arrived at the Beis Medrash HaGadol, which was filled from wall to wall, for Maariv. Before davening, the Rebbe lit 5 candles in honor of the holy hilula. R' Shlomo Zalman Stein, a Motzei Shabbos davener, davened before the amud. After davening the Rebbe went to Sefiras HaOmer with holy emotion and fervor. Right after Maariv, around 9:30, the Rebbe arrived at the holy gathering and went to the center of the dais of honor, which was filled with rabbonim, HaGaonim and dayanim shlit"a. They began singing stirring niggunim, and after a short time of singing the Rebbe stood up and began delivering heart-rending holy words about the terrible tragedy at the holy site of Meron. He based himself on the verse "And to the apple orchard you went up to gather spices," saying that many explanations by way of drush and allusion had already been said about it, but this year, sadly, it was fulfilled in its simple meaning. He wept bitterly over the dreadful tragedy. There was not a dry eye as the Rebbe pleaded and begged the King to hear prayer, with fervent weeping, that Hashem should already protect Jewish children from all trouble and suffering, and that "destruction and devastation be heard no more in the homes of the Jewish people." Rivers of tears flowed from the many thousands of Jews. At that point the Rebbe honored the Av Beis Din of Cieszanów, Kiryas Joel shlit"a, to recite chapters of Tehillim for the recovery of the hundreds injured in the terrible tragedy. The Cieszanów Rav began chapter 20 verse by verse in a voice of supplication and prayer. The arousal was especially great at chapter 130, when the Cieszanów Rav recited it in the melody of the Days of Awe, with strong weeping. After the Tehillim the Rebbe continued with holy words, expressing the obligation of the hour that rests upon everyone: to exert themselves, to conceal the mourning, and to fulfill the wish of the holy Tanna R' Shimon, to rejoice in his joy. In this connection the Rebbe cited an account brought by the Magen Avraham about a great man who said "Nachem" on Lag B'Omer over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and was punished. He said that the Magen Avraham is a posek who writes with extreme brevity and does not bring stories; rather, here the Magen Avraham wants to teach us halacha l'maaseh that when such a tragedy occurs, it is nevertheless the holy wish of the holy Tanna that we set aside the mourning because of his joy, a form of "removing the deceased from before the bride." This is carried out as "I am a servant of the Holy One, blessed be He": we are servants of the Master of the Universe and we do not ask questions. A servant does what the master says, and one must exert oneself in the manner of "mourning in his heart and cheerful in his face," and rejoice in the joy of the holy Tanna, which is a joy in all the worlds. After this fiery introduction the Rebbe continued with fiery holy words and words of inspiration, basing himself on the verse "Bereishis bara Elokim," which is an acronym for "Ohr Toras Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai." He explained it in honor of the day, regarding the ancient custom of making a medurah on Lag B'Omer. He continued with lengthier words of arousal about the salvations and cures that Klal Yisroel needs, and he beseeched the holy Tanna, "Ana barchem," to bless Jewish children, enumerating requests for Jewish children.
After the fiery words, they continued with stirring niggunim. After several more minutes of singing one niggun after another, the Rebbe arrived at the special platform by the bonfire and continued with stirring niggunim, especially "Veyehu rachamecha misgolelin" ("Master of the Universe, have mercy already on Your little children"), which was sung dozens of times and tore at hearts, particularly standing after the horrific tragedy at the holy site of Meron. Then the Av Beis Din of Chmielnik shlit"a, whose merit of the lighting was purchased by his son, the distinguished philanthropist R' Yuda Weiss of Kiryas Joel, handed the large torch to the Rebbe. For several minutes the Rebbe stood holding the torch while the old-time stirring niggun in honor of the Heavenly Tanna was sung. At around 11:00 the Rebbe lit the bonfire with a flaming fire and set out in a fiery holy dance by the bonfire in honor of the Heavenly Tanna. He drew in tens of thousands in fiery dancing, especially when "B'zechus HaTanna Elokai Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai" and "Ana avda" were sung dozens of times. After a longer time the Rebbe returned to the dais of honor, where they sang the niggunim of the day, "Bar Yochai," "V'amartem" and "Amar Rabbi Akiva." Afterwards dozens of circles formed among the many thousands of Jews, and they danced for several hours in honor of the Heavenly Tanna. During the dancing the Rebbe cut the hair of over 50 three-year-old boys (chalakos), who were passed along like sheep, and put on them a yarmulke and tzitzis, and gave warm blessings to the parents and grandfathers.

Fortunate is the eye that saw all this

▫️ Satmar Niyes 🌴 ▫️