Report of the Holy Journey of the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a to the Ancestral City of Sighet

Sunday, Parshas Terumah

In the early morning hours, the Rebbe shlit"a studied Torah privately for several hours in the sefarim room in his holy home. The Rebbe shlit"a also reviewed the pamphlet of chiddushim that was published by the talmidim of our holy yeshiva in Yerushalayim, in which the bochurim innovated and commented on the Rebbe's chiddushim in Lev Aharon on the sugya of "Rabbi Akiva Tlas," and which the Rebbe later praised before the yeshiva's menahel.

Already from 8:00 in the morning, the upper yeshiva was packed with hundreds of bochurim for a two-hour seder, per the holy directive of the Rosh Yeshiva, the Rebbe shlit"a, despite the fact that on Motzei Shabbos they had finished very late.

At about 10:20 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash for Shacharis. Before davening, the Rebbe put tefillin on a bar mitzvah bochur.

After davening, a light breakfast was set up in the beis medrash for the bochurim.

After a few minutes the Rebbe shlit"a entered the completely packed beis medrash and delivered another shiur on the sugya. The Rebbe began with a question that a talmid of the yeshiva ketana in Bnei Brak had sent him in writing regarding the Friday shiur. The Rebbe repeated the question and offered a beautiful answer based on an Ohr Chadash, and instructed all the bochurim to look into the Ohr Chadash in the kovtzim on the sugya.
The Rebbe then continued with a longer pilpul on the sugya, and at the end delivered words of farewell to the bochurim, expressing how much spiritual pleasure and nachas ruach they had in spending the last three days and nights with the bochurim. "One sees 'a seed blessed by Hashem'; this is what the talmidim of the Yeitev Lev look like. This is the yeshiva that the Yeitev Lev founded, and one must take care to continue to conduct oneself in a manner fitting for a talmid of this yeshiva. The Yeitev Lev said that he would not be ashamed of his talmidim 'in this world and in the next.'" The Rebbe explained that "in this world" means when the Yeitev Lev was in this world, and "in the next" means those who come here to learn in the Yeitev Lev's yeshiva when the Yeitev Lev is already in the World to Come. The Rebbe urged the bochurim not to talk while wearing tefillin, and to learn with added vigor for long, uninterrupted hours from Rosh Chodesh until Purim. He concluded with abundant blessings, that they should travel home in peace, see each other in joy, and hear only good tidings.

Afterwards the bochurim went up to the holy ziyun of the Kedushas Yom Tov zy"a, on the eve of his yahrzeit. Then a generous breakfast was prepared. At about 2:15 the bochurim boarded the buses and left the ancestral city of Sighet, the talmidim from Eretz Yisroel to Baia Mare, and the talmidim from Europe to Satmar, from where they took chartered flights on the way home, taking with them abundant influence, hands full of Torah and yiras Shamayim, chizuk and guidance in all areas of life, which will accompany them for a lifetime.

In the afternoon the Rebbe received the city officials, the governor and the mayor of the area, who stand ready to help in all matters, particularly regarding the areas belonging to the shul courtyard, in the past and in the future, so that the new buildings can be built. The Rebbe thanked them and presented a gift, and they brought a gift in return for the Rebbe's home.

Afterwards the Rebbe shlit"a davened Mincha in his holy home with a small minyan.

After Mincha, a foundation ceremony for the new Heichal HaTorah of our holy kehilla in Manchester took place in his holy home, where the distinguished philanthropist R' Chaim Yosef Greenfeld, together with his son-in-law R' Shmuel Benedikt, undertook to build a magnificent Heichal HaTorah.
Besides the first major donation for the new Heichal from the distinguished philanthropist R' Asher Zelig Lev, builder and founder of the Heichal HaTorah in London, several other philanthropists have now pledged fresh, large donations in honor of the great building.

The Rebbe signed the documents and warmly bestowed his holy blessings, and said in Lashon Kodesh: "A Heichal HaTorah in our beis medrash will, IY"H, change Manchester."
Afterwards an appointment ceremony took place, in which the Rebbe shlit"a appointed 3 new morei tzedek in our holy kehilla in Yerushalayim.

The distinguished talmidei chachamim, outstanding and God-fearing, among the select of our holy kehilla: HaGaon Rabbi Shmuel Eckstein shlit"a, moreh tzedek of the Eida HaChareidis and one of the rabbanim of our kollel; HaGaon Rabbi Shlomo Bennett shlit"a, one of the heads of our kollel; and HaGaon Rabbi Moshe Yosef Spielman shlit"a, one of the heads of our kollel.

The Rebbe explained the verse "These are the laws that you shall place before them," that "these" adds to the earlier ones: the kehilla has, Baruch Hashem, grown and there is a need to add strength to the kehilla. Besides the fact that the kehilla has a very distinguished dayan shlit"a, there is a need, Baruch Hashem, to add more morei tzedek who will engage with the distinguished young men and give shiurim on all parts of Shulchan Aruch. In this connection the Rebbe urged the establishment of a beis hora'ah, "from which Torah and halachic ruling will go forth," and concluded with his holy blessings.

The Rebbe drank a lechayim and warmly wished the new morei hora'ah "that no stumbling block should come from under their hands, and to rule the word of Hashem, this is the halacha," as well as the members of the kehilla's administration: R' Yissachar Jacob, R' Nosson Binyomin Roth, R' Aharon Hersh Heilbrunn, and especially the distinguished philanthropist R' Avrohom Yehoshua Heshel HaKohen Glantz, the "Ish Yerushalayim" of New York.
Afterwards the entire crowd left, and the Rebbe remained privately with the morei hora'ah and gave various directives to the new morei hora'ah.

Afterwards there was entry time for the hundreds of Yidden, new guests from around the world, for an extended period until 10:15 at night.

At about 10:15 the Rebbe shlit"a davened Maariv, and then continued to bless the crowd until 11:00. The Rebbe then learned privately from the sefer Kedushas Yom Tov.

Afterwards the Rebbe shlit"a entered the shulchan arba'ah in honor of the hilula kadisha of his ancestor, our master and teacher, the holy Kedushas Yom Tov zy"a. The Rebbe washed for the seudah and wished lechayim, and several nigunim composed and sung in Sighet were sung, the Eishes Chayil nigun, the Nenuim nigun, and more.

With a "Michtam L'Dovid," the Rebbe honored the grandson of the baal hahilula, HaGaon Rabbi Lipa Teitelbaum shlit"a, dayan of our kehilla in Antwerp.

The Rebbe shlit"a said a longer, warm Torah and said that he is certain that the Kedushas Yom Tov blesses all Yidden, and that the Kedushas Yom Tov said that his blessing is not a wasted blessing, not only now but for the future as well, and concluded with warm blessings for Jewish children. Afterwards the Rebbe shlit"a recited the blessing over the cup.

After the shulchan arba'ah the Rebbe shlit"a continued with entry time until the late night hours.

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