"U'vechen Tzaddikim Yirau V'yismachu, V'yesharim Yaalozu" - The Night of Simchas Torah 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

At his holy home, the Rebbe went to the mikvah.

At around 12:30, the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash for Maariv, amid hundreds of chassidim and men of deeds. Baal tefillah: R' Yisroel Mordechai son of R' Philipp.

At 1:40 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash wrapped in a borrowed tallis for Atah Horaisa. Opening the Aron: R' Wolf Perl.

At 1:50 the Rebbe shlit"a began the holy service by dancing the elevated Hakafos.
The Rebbe shlit"a said four Torah thoughts in the middle of the introduction.
- First Torah thought: on the verse 'Yedid Nefesh Av HaRachaman', with the strength of Yaakov Avinu and the dancing on the days of Simchas Torah, one can strengthen oneself against the power of the Satan and fulfill Hashem's will completely.
- Second Torah thought: on the verse 'Hadur Naeh', through the four species and the mitzvah of sukkah, complete cures are bestowed. On Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, when the four species are not present, through the holy Torah, with which one dances with the 248 limbs, complete cures are also bestowed. He related a story about the holy R' Yeshaya'le of Tchehov zy"a, who was unwell, and the holy Divrei Chaim zy"a brought him a fruit from Gan Eden to smell, and he immediately felt better. It states in the holy Zohar that the holy Avos come down to rejoice and bring down a fruit, and the whole community can benefit from it and merit a complete recovery.
- Third Torah thought: on the verse 'HaGaleh Na', one must use both the trait of humility and the trait of pride for the service of Hashem, but only with proper judgment does one know how to use them. Through the mitzvah of sukkah, which bestows judgment, one can use them in the proper way. On Simchas Torah, when one dances and rejoices with the Torah, a person should not think, "Who am I to rejoice on Simchas Torah?" Rather, every Jew has a connection to the Torah and a right and an obligation to rejoice with the Torah, and this will give him strengthening for the whole year.
- Fourth Torah thought: on the verse 'Bereishis Torasecha HaKedumah', there are four types of atonement, or for teshuva to be effective it must be accompanied by prayer. Through engaging in Torah one regains the tzelem Elokim on his face, and one can already pray properly. One must therefore resolve to engage in Torah every day in order to receive the tzelem Elokim on the face.

The introduction ended at around 4 o'clock.
Because of the late hour, the Rebbe danced the seventh Hakafah only on the bimah and conducted the dancing with even greater intensity and tremendous enthusiasm.
The Hakafos concluded at around 5:15.

After the Hakafos, the Rebbe shlit"a recited Shema Yisroel, Hashem Melech, and the other verses.
- Verses of Shema Yisroel and baal korei: R' Yitzchak Noach Perlmutter (Montreal)
Aliyos.
- Kohen: Rabbi Berish Kleinman shlit"a (Monsey).
- Levi: R' Chaim Levy (Vienna).
- Shlishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.
- Hagbah: HaGaon Rabbi Hillel Rabinowitz shlit"a.
- Gelilah: R' Gavriel Zagil (Argentina).
It ended at 5:40, and the Rebbe wished the entire community a good Yom Tov.

The Rebbe shlit"a went home to his holy residence, immediately made Kiddush, and ate the Yom Tov seudah privately with a few grandchildren and members of his household. During the seudah, a conversation developed about the service of the Hakafos by our holy Rebbes.
For the zemiros and Birkas Hamazon, the Rebbe honored his grandson Rabbi Asher Anshil Ashkenazi shlit"a (Manchester).

Simchas Torah Day

On Simchas Torah morning, Erev Shabbos, at around 11:35 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash.
Pesukei Dezimra and Shacharis were davened quickly as is customary. Baal tefillah: R' Yaakov Yosef Philipp. At Nishmas they said "Hakel," "Hamelech," and "Shochen Ad" in the Yom Tov, Yamim Noraim, and Shabbos nusach, as is customary. The kohanim duchened.
The Rebbe proceeded to the recital of Hallel with fiery enthusiasm. It ended at around 1:15, and the Rebbe went into his private room.

At around 1:55 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash for Atah Horaisa. Opening the Aron: R' Yoel son of R' Zalman Friedman.

At around 2:05 the Rebbe shlit"a began dancing the holy Hakafos. The introduction ended at approximately 3:40.

The Rebbe shlit"a said six Torah thoughts, four during the introduction and before the fourth and sixth Hakafos.
- First Torah thought: on the verse 'Yedid Nefesh', even if one's soul was exchanged for the soul of a gentile through sleeping in the sukkah, one gets back one's own soul. Likewise, through the dancing of mitzvah on Simchas Torah, one gets back one's own soul, so that it remains a holy, pure, shining soul just as it was received from Hashem.
- Second Torah thought: on the verse of 'HaGaleh Na', there is a fresh giving of the Torah every day, but only if one has not exchanged one's soul for the soul of a gentile. On Simchas Torah one thanks Hashem and dances for a longer time with the new giving of each day, which is a segulah for the soul of a Jew to remain within him.
- Third Torah thought: on the verse of 'Bereishis Torasecha', how can a mortal fight the yetzer hara, only by performing mitzvos with blazing fire, and this is accomplished through dancing with blazing fire on Simchas Torah to burn away the power of the outside forces, and on this day one can pray and request all good things.
- Fourth Torah thought: after the first Hakafah, on the verse of 'HaKel HaGadol', when accusers come against Jewish children, through the shaking of the lulav on Sukkos the power of Avraham Avinu is awakened and all claims and questions are nullified.
- The Torah thought before the fourth Hakafah - the Hakafah of Moshe Rabbeinu, on the verse 'Bereishis Bara Elokim': tzaddikim have the power, through combinations of letters, to transform the attributes of judgment into mercy by engaging in Torah. On Simchas Torah it is enough, through a good resolution, to transform all combinations of letters for the good, and one can now rejoice. Now, at the Hakafah of Moshe Rabbeinu, is the time to take upon oneself a true commitment, each according to his level, whether baalei batim, avreichim, bochurim, or talmud torah children, to engage in Torah, which IY"H will be carried out.
The Torah thought before the sixth Hakafah - the Hakafah of Yosef HaTzaddik: the introduction to Torah is fear of Heaven, so the Torah is sustained, the foundation of Torah learning depends on fear of Heaven. Therefore, if one accepts upon himself guarding the eyes and guarding thoughts, one will have fear of Heaven and one's wisdom will endure.

Between the Hakafos they sang the piyutim of the Chareidim with great awakening, and many tears were shed with emotions of longing and awakening among tens of thousands of our chassidim.

At the sixth Hakafah the Rebbe shlit"a performed the shaking with the Sefer Torah with elevation and devotion, as is the custom of our holy Rebbes.
At the seventh Hakafah, already only on the bimah because of the late hour, the Rebbe took his own Sefer Torah and danced with great endearment and elevation in lofty joy.

At the conclusion, at approximately 6:15, the Rebbe said Vayesayu and recited Ledavid Mizmor verse by verse.

The Torah was read and the tefillos were davened quickly due to the lack of time.

- Baal korei: R' Yitzchak Noach Perlmutter.
Aliyos.
- Kohen: the Shabbos bochur R' Shmuel HaKohen Friedman.
- Levi: R' Chaim Levy.
- Shlishi: HaGaon HaTzaddik, rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, shlit"a.
- Revii: the Shabbos bochur R' Yehoshua Mendlowitz.
- Chamishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.

The reading of V'Zos HaBerachah was read again.
- Kohen: R' Yitzchak Friedman.
- Levi: R' Chaim Heller.
- Shlishi: the bochur Shneur Zalman Eckstein.
- Revii: R' Avrohom Weissman (Boro Park).
- Chamishi: the Shabbos bochur R' Chaim Shlomo Fischer.

The shamash R' Yoel Kaufman, together with another reader, announced the permission for the Chasan Torah, and the Rebbe shlit"a was called up and read with great awakening the reading of "Me'onah."
Hagbah on the first Sefer: R' Moshe Aharon Steinberg. Gelilah: R' Tuvia Leipa Gross (Williamsburg).

- Chasan Bereishis: R' Eliezer Low (London). A tallis was spread like a chuppah, as is customary, and he pledged generous sums to the Rebbe's tzedakah, specifically for the poor of Eretz Yisroel.
Hagbah on the second Sefer: R' Yoel Weltz (Williamsburg). Gelilah: the bochur Shimon Meir son of Yitzchak Bernath.
- Chasan Maftir: R' Naftali Hirtzka Stein.
Hagbah: R' Yoel Wertheimer.
Gelilah: the bochur Chananya Yom Tov Lipa son of Shlomo Mark (Yerushalayim).

Musaf was led by R' Avrohom Moshe Lebovits, and the customary rejoicing took place. Mincha was davened immediately afterward. It ended at 7:15.

The Rebbe shlit"a immediately made Kiddush in his private room and washed for the seudah. The Rebbe made hamotzi on a long raisin challah, as is customary, and went home to his holy residence.

The Pure Table of Neilas HaChag - Gathering for Blessings of the Holy

At around 9:30 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the great beis medrash for the Neilas HaChag tish, in the presence of thousands upon thousands of Jews.
Upon entering, the Rebbe went out in a festive dance on the floor for a few minutes and continued the seudah, extending it with Yom Tov melodies.
After the soup, the Rebbe wished lechayim to the entire community and said that on Hoshana Rabbah they said "Hoshana Lemaan Dosecha" for our brothers in Eretz Yisroel who are now suffering from the decrees of drafting yeshiva students. The chareidi community will go out on a mighty protest in the streets of the city against the impure government, and he called on every individual to participate personally. They sang "Hashem Hu Malkeinu" and "Utzu Eitzah VeSufar."

They sang Yom Tov melodies, and afterward melodies of the holy Kedushas Levi, whose yahrzeit falls the day after Isru Chag, led by Rabbi Hershel Kohn shlit"a.

Cabbage was brought in, as is customary.
For the zemiros the Rebbe honored: HaGaon Rabbi Yaakov Weiss shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our kehilla in Monsey.

The Rebbe shlit"a recited the blessing over the cup and said Baruch HaMavdil, and had Divrei Kibbud Kodesh broadcast over a microphone.

The Rebbe said a Torah thought on the verse 'Vayedaber Moshe Es Moadei Hashem El Bnei Yisroel' and explained that it alludes both to the praise of Hashem and the praise of Israel, who cling to the Torah and mitzvos. The Rebbe elaborated on the praise of this holy kehilla, which observed the holy Yamim Tovim with elevation, especially the second days of Yom Tov, with an uplifted spirit and devotion to Torah, which will bring all kinds of blessings for the entire year.

After the Torah thought they sang U'vechen Tzaddikim, and the Rebbe stood up and danced with holy fire for a longer time, "V'chassidim B'rina Yagilu," lifting the entire community to thousands and fiery dancing.

Afterward the Rebbe learned from the Bavli and Yerushalmi in Maseches Berachos and explained beautiful allusions and matters interwoven with stories of tzaddikim.

After the tish the Rebbe shlit"a stood up and said "L'shana Haba'ah B'Yerushalayim" three times.

Maariv for Motzei Yom Tov: the bochur Moshe Wagschal, son of HaGaon R' Avrohom Dovid z"l (Monsey).

After Maariv the Rebbe made Havdalah, and after a few minutes came out to the courtyard of the great beis medrash for the gathering of blessings of the holy in the presence of thousands upon thousands of Jews, to all the assembled people, both in the Ezras Yisroel and the Ezras Nashim.

They sang Yom Tov melodies and melodies of Meron in anticipation of Shabbos Parshas Toldos at the holy site of Meron, may it be rebuilt. The Rebbe wished the blessings of the holy, a good week and a healthy winter, and encouraged everyone to carry out all the good resolutions they accepted during Yom Tov, "Yizkor lecha atah etmol asher dibarta," each according to his level, the small with the great, and concluded with abundant blessings. It ended at around 11:30, and the Rebbe went home to his holy residence.

At his holy home, hundreds of guests from our community from Eretz Yisroel, Europe, and Montreal, who had stayed for Yom Tov B'tzeil HaKodesh and had not had the opportunity to enter on the night of Hoshana Rabbah, entered to take leave for an extended time.
In addition, a group of our bochurim from Montreal handed over larger sums for the benefit of the Kiryas Joel fund, and the Rebbe distributed to each his sefer Lev Aharon and bestowed from his holy blessing.
Likewise, a group of our bochurim from London handed over larger sums for the Rebbe's fund for the poor of Eretz Yisroel, and the Rebbe bestowed from his holy blessing.

May it be Hashem's will that everything good has been accomplished, with all blessings and salvations for each and every one, with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, our king at our head.

Fortunate is the people for whom this is so, fortunate is the people whose G-d is Hashem.

▫️ Satmara Niyes 🌴 ▫️