The night of the first night of Chanukah — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

At the time of Rabbeinu Tam, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a davened Maariv in his holy home. Before Maariv, HaGaon R' Berel Stein lit the menorah.

At around 8:00 the Rebbe shlit"a traveled into Williamsburg.

At around 9:30 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the main beis medrash in Williamsburg for the Chanukah candle lighting, amid a great crowd, in the majesty of a king. The Rebbe poured in the oil and recited the berachos with holy fire.
Afterward the Rebbe said the zemiros, and stirring nigunim were sung; the choir sang the piyutim as customary.

Then the Rebbe shlit"a delivered a Torah discourse of drush and pilpul on the sugya in Maseches Shabbos of "kevsa zakuk lah," and then continued with an aggadic thought, "to tell the praise of Aharon, that he did not change": when Aharon HaKohen lit the menorah, he shone a radiance into the heart of every Jew, so that it did not allow them to sleep and they got up before dawn to learn. The Chanukah lights have the same power, and the Rebbe urged strengthening oneself in Torah learning before dawn, and concluded with his holy blessing.

After the discourse, nigunim continued to be sung. The Rebbe drank a lechayim and wished holy blessings. It ended at around 10:45.

Friday, Parshas Vayeishev, first day of Chanukah

The Rebbe shlit"a davened Shacharis in the main beis medrash in Williamsburg together with the students of grades 7, 8 and 9. Before davening, the Rebbe put tefillin on the bar mitzvah bochur the bochur Yitzchak Yoel Lichtenstein.
The Rebbe approached Hallel with great stirring of heart, and during the Torah reading went to hagbah.
After davening a lechayim was held with the bar mitzvah bochur in his private room.

▫️ Satmara Niyes 🌴 ▫️