Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Vayikra — Shabbos HaGadol Early — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a in our holy kehilla of Williamsburg

On Erev Shabbos at candle-lighting time, the Rebbe lit the Shabbos candles in Heichal Tehillos Yehosef.

At around 7:55 the Rebbe entered the beis medrash wrapped in his tallis and approached the amud for Mincha and Kabbalas Shabbos: the Rebbe's grandson Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Horowitz shlit"a, son-in-law of the HaGaon Av Beis Din of Sighet shlit"a.

Throughout Shabbos the Rebbe said Kaddish at all the tefillos in honor of the yahrzeit of the Rebbetzin Chana a"h, wife of the Kedushas Yom Tov zt"l. Davening ended at around 9:30. The congregation went over to wish a gut Shabbos, and the Rebbe went home to his holy residence next to the Beis Medrash HaGadol.

At around 10:20 the Rebbe entered the tish in Heichal Tehillos Yehosef together with the talmidim of Yeshiva L'Tze'irim of Williamsburg, and began, as is his custom, Shalom Aleichem with emotion and sweetness.
Eishes Chayil: the bochur Zalman Leib, son of HaRav R' Sinai Teitelbaum shlit"a, son of the HaGaon, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park shlit"a. Lifting the cup: Rabbi Nachman Brach shlit"a (Beit Shemesh).

The Rebbe shlit"a honored people with leading the zemiros. Kol Mekadesh: HaGaon R' Gavriel Gestetner shlit"a, rebbi in Yeshiva L'Tze'irim. Menucha V'Simcha: HaGaon R' Hershel Teller shlit"a, rebbi in Yeshiva L'Tze'irim.

The Rebbe shlit"a said Torah on the verse "Im olah korbano," and explained in the manner of a derush the sugya of "shelo k'derech achilaso."

Kah Echsof: HaGaon R' Yechiel Michel Sekula shlit"a, director of the Yeshiva Ketana Ahavas HaTorah branch. Birkas HaMazon: the HaGaon Av Beis Din of Williamsburg shlit"a.

Stories and anecdotes: This week the Rebbe shlit"a related an incident from the shidduch of his grandfather, the Kedushas Yom Tov zt"l, with the Rebbetzin Chana a"h, whose yahrzeit was on Shabbos, and continued with stories of his ancestor the Hagaon HaKadosh R' Moshe David Ashkenazi zy"a of Tolchava.

Kah Ribon Olam: HaGaon R' Meir Halberstam shlit"a, Rav of the Kshanov beis medrash and a moreh tzedek in our holy kehilla. The newly married chasanim went over to take fruit.

A Shalom Zachor took place for a newborn son at the home of:
- R' Wolf Meir Weiss.
- R' Berel Heimann.
- R' Levi Bash.
- R' Avrohom Berachyahu Levinger.
On the eighth day: Rabbi Nachman Brach shlit"a. The tish ended at around 1:05.

On Shabbos Kodesh

On Shabbos morning the Rebbe entered the beis medrash at around 9:45. Brachos and Pesukei D'Zimra: HaGaon R' Naftali Hirtzka Zwibel shlit"a, Rosh Kehilla of Williamsburg. The Rebbe approached the amud for Shacharis and Yotzer. They sang at Mimkomcha, and after the chazzan's repetition, before Kaddish Titkabel, the Yotzros for Shabbos HaGadol were recited, as is customary.

Hotzaah and Hachnasah: R' Yitzchak Eizik Silberstein (Kiryas Joel). Pesukei Shema Yisroel: HaGaon R' Mordechai Yosef Weissmandl shlit"a.

Aliyos:
- Kohen: R' Yaakov Glick.
- Levi: the baal bris R' Avrohom Berachyahu Levinger.
- Shlishi: the HaGaon Av Beis Din of Williamsburg shlit"a.
- Revi'i: the chasan Yehoshua, son of R' Yoel Moshe Reiss.
- Chamishi: the chasan Hershel, son of R' Chaim Avish Lax.
- Shishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.

After his aliyah the Rebbe gave a name for the birth of a daughter to R' Yaakov Hillel Weinberger.

- Shevi'i: R' Yaakov Hersh Neustadt.
- Acharon: R' Yechezkel Dovid Berkowitz.
- Maftir: R' Avigdor Frankel.
- Hagbah: R' Dovid Yermiash (Kiryas Joel).
- Gelilah: R' Chaim Avish Lax (Kiryas Joel).

Musaf: HaGaon R' Avrohom Shalom Friedman shlit"a, Rosh Kehilla of Kiryas Joel. Opening of Ane'im Zemiros: R' Shmuel Yitzchak Lax. Afterwards the Nasi was read, as is customary.

After davening a bris took place for the newborn son of R' Avrohom Berachyahu Levinger, at which the Rebbe was sandek. Davening ended at around 12:55.

At Kiddush in his holy residence, children were brought in and close, as is customary on Shabbos HaGadol.

At around 5:55 the Rebbe entered the Beis Medrash HaGadol for the Shabbos HaGadol derasha. The Rebbe wrapped himself in his tallis with a bracha, went up to the Aron Kodesh and prayed a silent prayer, and began the derasha on the verse "Vayikra el Moshe." He delivered a lengthy pilpul on the sugya of "mitoch," which the Rebbe had learned in yeshiva, continued with a derush on the sugya of "shenayim she'asuhu," and then moved on to words of aggadah and mussar. He spoke out about matters needing correction, especially regarding learning Torah and the avodah of tefilla properly from beginning to end, and likewise that on Shabbos each person should prepare for davening according to his level. He also spoke about mezuzah, about which much has already been said and urged, that now everyone should have his mezuzos checked, since aside from the halacha, it is protection from all trouble and distress.

Now we also need tefillos regarding the chinuch decrees here and the draft decrees in Eretz Yisroel, which are very serious. He continued that matzah nullifies the yetzer of arayos. In the city there are many tests of guarding the eyes, especially in the summer and especially for bochurim. He praised the two yeshivas established by his son, the HaGaon Av Beis Din of Williamsburg shlit"a, which have the advantage of being outside the city, and said, "Fortunate is he who can send his son to learn outside the city." He said that we must fight against all the American customs that creep into the city and the country areas, especially the matter of intoxicating drink at Kiddushim and simchas. He urged preparing for Pesach and recounting the miracles and kindnesses of Hashem, and concluded with many brachos. It ended at 7:30, and the Rebbe went into his private room.

Ra'avah D'Ra'avin

For Mincha and Seudah Shlishis the Rebbe entered the beis medrash at around 8:00.
- Mincha: R' Yitzchak Shimi Friedlander.
- Hotzaah and Hachnasah: HaGaon R' Yuda Ber Teller shlit"a.
- Kohen: HaGaon R' Eliyahu Mordechai Katz shlit"a (Boro Park).
- Levi: R' Chaim Heller.
- Shlishi: R' Menachem Gershon Lebovitch.
- Hagbah: the Rebbe shlit"a.
- Gelilah: R' Yisroel Yaakov Hirsch.

At Seudah Shlishis the Rebbe honored people with the zemiros. Odeh: R' Yudel Wertzberger. Shir HaMaalos: R' Avrohom Yehoshua Gross.

The Rebbe shlit"a said Torah on the verse "Vayikra el Moshe" and explained that by conducting oneself with humility and lowliness of spirit, one merits Hashem's providence. Matzah imparts humility; this we must bring into ourselves, and by preparing for Yom Tov properly we will merit blessings in both material and spiritual matters.

Yedid Nefesh: R' Menachem Gershon Lebovitch. Kel Mistater: R' Yisroel Yaakov Hirsch. The Rebbe recited the blessing over the cup and said Sheva Brachos.

Maariv for Motzei Shabbos: R' Avigdor Frankel. After Havdalah the congregation went over to wish a gutte voch. It ended at around 10:30.

At around 12:00 the Rebbe traveled to Boro Park, where he went up to the home of R' Shaul Friedman, where a signing of documents took place, in which R' Shaul purchased the merit of the heichal of the beis medrash in our beis medrash Divrei Yoel HaChadash, which is now being built in Boro Park. A pleasant conversation ensued, and HaGaon R' Yisroel Shlomo Lichtenstein shlit"a, moreh tzedek, spoke.
The Rebbe signed the documents together with the donor, drank lechayim, and bestowed from his holy blessing upon R' Shaul and his entire family. At around 12:50 the Rebbe traveled home to his holy residence in Kiryas Yoel.

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