Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shoftim – Yahrzeit of Maran HaGaon HaKadosh the Yitav Lev zy"a – "Shabbos HaKehel" among a congregation of hundreds of Anash from Monsey at the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut – "B'tzeil HaKodesh" with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

The members of our holy kehilla in Monsey offer praise and thanks to the Creator after an exceptionally uplifting Shabbos Kodesh, when they fulfilled "prepare for yourself the way" and traveled a long distance to take shelter in the shadow of holiness, to receive abundant holy influences and firm foundations in all areas of life. They merited that our father, shepherd, and teacher, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a, revealed his thoughts and light fell, with powerful holy words, guidance, and inspiration, many times throughout Shabbos, following the path of the baal hilula, Maran the Yitav Lev zy"a, bringing an elevation and uplift to the members of our kehilla, now and for generations. With a prayer to the living G-d for the Rebbe shlit"a, that he may lead us for many years with good health, until Moshiach Tzidkeinu speedily.

Friday afternoon at around 3:00 the Rebbe arrived at the hotel to spend Shabbos, greeted the heads and administration of our holy kehilla, and looked around the hotel.

A few minutes before candle-lighting time, around 7:10, the Rebbe entered the beis medrash and lit the candles at the amud in honor of the holy yahrzeit.
The Rebbe then put the shtreimel on the grooms.
- The chosson Tuvia, son of Binyomin Weinberger.
- The chosson Shaul Moshe, son of Zalman Leib Malach.

The Rebbe then entered the dining hall and, with a blessing, lit the Shabbos Kodesh candles.

In the evening around 7:55 the Rebbe entered the beis medrash wrapped in his tallis and approached Mincha.
After Mincha, HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Meir Zwibel shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our holy kehilla, delivered the opening Shabbos address.
Kabbolas Shabbos: HaRav HaGaon R' Dovid Shlomo Laub shlit"a.
After all the tefillos throughout Shabbos Kodesh, the Rebbe recited Kaddish in honor of the yahrzeit. They finished around 9:40. The congregation went over to wish a good Shabbos, and the Rebbe went into his private room.

Around 10:10 the Rebbe entered the holy table in the dining hall together with all the members of our holy kehilla, and began, in his holy way, Shalom Aleichem with feeling and sweetness.
Eishes Chayil: the bochur Chaim Hersh, son of HaRav HaTzaddik R' Aharon Teitelbaum shlit"a, Rav of the Sigheter beis medrash in Monsey. Raising the cup: HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a.

After Kiddush the bochurim left to eat the Shabbos seudah in a separate hall and returned for the zemiros and divrei Torah.

After the fish, the Rebbe delivered longer holy words on the verse "Prepare for yourself the way and divide…" and said that, as we stand on the yahrzeit of the Yitav Lev zy"a, who established the new approach of Chassidus that continues to this very day, we must reflect on what his path is and by what a Chassidic Jew is known. In detail, the Rebbe discussed three principles: personal conduct, conduct of the home, and a pure outlook on the coming of Moshiach. Especially since we live in such a large city as Monsey, where besides many upright Jews there also live light and empty people, one must be separate and despise all modernism, and hold strongly by davening in our own batei medrash even if one has to walk a long way, and hold with all one's strength to the path of the holy Yitav Lev zy"a, "and by his light let us go."

After the soup, the Rebbe again delivered holy words on the verse "Prepare for yourself the way and divide…" with words of guidance on conduct of the home, especially regarding chinuch of sons and daughters: to accustom the children to speak a refined language and, chas v'shalom, not to lie or use foul language; that another's penny should be like treif to us; to maintain a higher level of conduct on Shabbos and during the week; to keep a watchful eye on all matters; to honor and strengthen the melamdim both with money and with words. In this way, b'ezras Hashem, we will raise upright and Chassidic generations until the coming of the Redeemer.

With the zemiros the Rebbe honored:
- Kol Mekadesh: R' Moshe Gross shlit"a of Kerestir.
- Menucha V'Simcha: R' Shmuel Gross shlit"a of Kerestir.

The Rebbe shlit"a said Torah on the verse "If a matter is hidden from you" and explained it in a homiletic way in the sugya of a mitzvah that comes through a transgression.

- Kah Echsof: HaRav HaTzaddik R' Aharon Teitelbaum shlit"a of Sigheter Monsey.
- Birkas Hamazon: HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a.

This week the Rebbe shlit"a told stories of the baal hilula zy"a for an extended time.

- Kah Ribon Olam: HaRav HaGaon R' Nosson Dovid Ashkenazi shlit"a of Stanislov.
The bochurim went over to take fruit while the Rebbe sat with a radiant countenance and looked at each bochur as the house bochur distributed the fruit on his behalf. A shalom zachor also took place for the newborn son of R' Shlomo Elazar Lichtenstein.
- Az B'Yom HaShevi'i: R' Lipa Halberstam shlit"a.
They finished around 1:50.

Shabbos Day

On Shabbos Kodesh morning the Rebbe entered for davening around 9:55.
Berachos: R' Shlomo Zalman Weinberger shlit"a (Kiryas Joel). Pesukei D'zimra: R' Alter Weberman shlit"a. The Rebbe then approached Shacharis.

- Hotzaah and Hachnasah: HaRav HaChassid R' Yisroel Yoshe Kalish.
- Pesukei Shema Yisroel: HaRav HaTzaddik R' Aharon Teitelbaum shlit"a, Rav of the Sigheter beis medrash in Monsey.
- Carrying the Sefer Torah to the bimah: HaRav HaChassid R' Binyomin Weinberger.
- Baal Korei: HaRav HaChassid R' Avrohom Moshe Gottesman.

At the aliyos, the donors and patrons of the Shabbos were called up, and they also pledged large sums and purchased merits in the new building of Yeshiva Ketana, Snif Kinyan Torah.

Aliyos.
- Kohen: HaRav HaGaon R' Aharon Israel shlit"a, Rosh Hakahal.
- Levi: The chosson Tuvia, son of Binyomin Weinberger – bombarded with candy.
- Shlishi: HaRav HaChassid R' Hershel Wertheimer.
- Revi'i: The chosson Shaul Moshe, son of Zalman Leib Malach – bombarded with candy.
- Chamishi: HaRav HaChassid R' Refael Perlmutter.
- Shishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.

After his aliyah, the Rebbe instructed that a Mi Sheberach be made for the patrons of the Shabbos, and an additional Mi Sheberach for the ill for the bochur Yosef Yoshe, son of Frumet Bila, for a speedy recovery – one of the members of Anash from Monsey.

- Shevi'i: the Shabbos organizer, HaRav HaChassid R' Chaim Shlomo Fisher.
- Hosafos: HaRav HaChassid R' Yechezkel Shraga Landau.
- HaRav HaChassid R' Moshe Yitzchak Landau.
- Acharon: HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a.
- Maftir: HaRav HaChassid R' Shmuel Sanwil Wertheimer.
- Hagbah: R' Naftali Hirtzka, son of R' Berger.
- Gelilah: R' Leibush Frankel.

For Mussaf the Rebbe sent HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a, grandson of the baal hilula zy"a.
- Opening of Anim Zemiros: HaRav HaChassid R' Moshe Tabak.
They finished around 12:45.

A few minutes later the Rebbe entered for Kiddush in one of the side rooms, which had been specially set aside for the donors and patrons of the Shabbos. The Rebbe made Kiddush and tasted mezonos and fish. HaRav HaGaon R' Dovid Shlomo Laub shlit"a spoke and announced that among all the pledges at the aliyos, the enormous sum of two and a half million dollars was raised for the new building of Yeshiva Ketana, Snif Kinyan Torah, which is in the middle of its construction phases! He also announced on behalf of the Shabbos organizer that the Rebbe shlit"a himself is contributing one million dollars toward the new yeshiva building.

Several niggunim were sung and the Rebbe told holy stories relating to Sigheter, and bestowed from his holy blessing upon all the donors.

Around 1:30 the Rebbe entered the hall where the bochurim ate the Shabbos seudah. Several niggunim were sung, and the Rebbe delivered holy words and guidance to the bochurim on the verse "Prepare for yourself the way and divide…", which alludes to the word "Vayma'en," the three times "nine" that one must say to the yetzer hara. The advice is learning Torah in purity in the mikvah, davening properly, and not speaking idle talk while wearing tefillin; understanding what one learns and conducting oneself as befits a Chassidic bochur in all matters. He concluded with his holy blessing.
On the way out, he wished the administrator, HaRav HaChassid R' Berel Rosenfeld, well.

Around 1:50 the Rebbe entered the dining hall for the seudah. The Rebbe washed, and HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a, continued with his address. At the conclusion of his words he thanked the Rebbe shlit"a warmly and expressed that the one for whom a miracle is performed does not recognize his miracle, the privilege of taking shelter in the shadow of the holiness of a Rebbe whose words are heard from one end of the world to the other, and wished the Rebbe shlit"a that he continue to give of himself for many long, healthy years until the coming of the Redeemer.

After the fish, the Rebbe delivered holy words on the verse "If a matter is hidden from you" and explained it with the well-known parable that as long as a Jew learns Torah it is like beautiful melodies and Heaven looks away from his deeds, and he encouraged coming to the beis medrash to learn every day.

At the pitzei, the Rebbe distributed shirayim to all the melamdim of our holy mosdos.

With the zemiros the Rebbe honored:
- Baruch Hashem Yom Yom: the students of Yeshiva Ketana, Snif Kinyan Torah.
- Baruch Kel Elyon: the students of Yeshiva Ketana, Snif Darchei HaTorah.

The Rebbe said Torah on the verse "Prepare for yourself the way and divide…" and explained that in order to do teshuva, one need not resort to fasts and self-mortification, but it must be genuine, because Hashem examines hearts.

Birkas Hamazon: HaRav HaTzaddik R' Aharon Teitelbaum shlit"a, Rav of the Sigheter beis medrash in Monsey. They finished around 3:40.

Ra'avah D'Ra'avin

The Rebbe entered the beis medrash for Mincha around 7:50.
- Mincha: R' Avrohom Yoshe Heshel, son of the Av Beis Din, shlit"a.
- Opening: Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Brach shlit"a.
- Baal Korei: R' Shimon Perlmutter.
- Kohen: HaRav HaChassid R' Shalom Yaakov Schwartz.
- Levi: R' Shlomo Zalman Weinberger shlit"a.
- Shlishi: HaRav HaChassid R' Chaim Yaakov Schonfeld (the Shabbos organizer).
- Hagbah: the Rebbe shlit"a.
- Gelilah: the shamash, HaRav HaChassid R' Yoel Friedman.

After Mincha the Rebbe went over to the dining hall for Shalosh Seudos, and honored the dayanim of our holy kehilla with the zemiros.
- Odeh: HaRav HaGaon R' Yoel Friedman shlit"a.
- Shir HaMaalos: HaRav HaGaon R' Yoel Gelb shlit"a.

The Rebbe said Torah on the verse "Prepare for yourself the way and divide…" and explained that when a Jew does teshuva during the month of Elul, there are accusers who say that it should not be accepted, because last year and two years ago he also took upon himself to do teshuva and to correct his deeds, but in the end "and the children returned to their borders." Yet by the power of the faith of the Jewish children in the coming of Moshiach, even after so many years the teshuva is accepted with mercy and favor.

- Yedid Nefesh: HaRav HaGaon R' Efraim Moshe Levi shlit"a.
- Kel Mistateir: HaRav HaGaon R' Chaim Hald shlit"a.
The Rebbe recited the blessing over the cup.
Maariv Motzei Shabbos: the bochur Moshe, son of R' Avrohom Dovid Wagschal z"l. After Havdalah the Rebbe wished the entire congregation together a good week. They finished around 10:30.

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