Friday, Erev Shabbos Parshas Toldos – Rosh Chodesh Kislev – 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

In the morning at around 7:20, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a entered the cave of the Tanna HaElokei Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and lit five candles at the holy tziyun.
Afterwards the Rebbe shlit"a began the derasha with trembling awe, on the verse "V'yiten lecha Elokim mital hashamayim," and explained that with the power of Shabbos a tzaddik can bring about salvations for Jewish children through speech alone, without any other segulos. By the Tanna Rabbi Shimon, who is "Shabbos of the entire week," one can always bring about salvations. Likewise, through being in the precincts of Rabbi Shimon, a level of yirah comes upon a person and it awakens the heart to complete teshuvah. Especially now, Rosh Chodesh Kislev, which is like a Yom Kippur, everything can be rectified. He spoke at length with awesome weeping, on behalf of the entire congregation standing there: "Today may You hear our cries, today may You accept our prayers with mercy and favor," for all kinds of salvations, material and spiritual, and concluded with abundant blessings for the entire tzibur.

The Rebbe finished the derasha at 7:45 and began the recitation of the entire Sefer Tehillim. The baal tefillah was HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Naftali Hirtzka Zwibel shlit"a, Rosh Av Beis Din of Williamsburg. The Rebbe recited verse by verse Chapter 20, "Yancha Hashem b'yom tzarah," and Chapter 130, "Shir HaMaalos mima'amakim," with the Yamim Noraim nusach.
After Tehillim the Rebbe read kvitelach for an extended time and placed at the holy tziyun the kvitelach of the talmidim of the Mesivta, of the supporters of the Yesod Lev institutions, and of the Rebbe's emissaries who brought in larger sums for the Rebbe's fund for the poor of Eretz Yisroel, as well as all the kvitelach of those who came in from Chamishah Asar B'Av and onward. They finished at 10:00 and the Rebbe returned to his lodging.

Around 10:20 the Rebbe entered the cave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and put on Tosefes Tefillin. Afterwards the Rebbe put on tefillin for his dear grandson the bochur Yosef Rokeach ni"v, son of HaRav HaGaon R' Chaim Yaakov shlit"a, Rav of Beis Medrash Kol Eliyahu, son-in-law of the Rosh Av Beis Din HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of Beis Medrash Yismach Moshe shlit"a.

The Rebbe also put on tefillin for the bar mitzvah bochurim:
- the bochur Shlomo Yaakov Neustadt (Kiryas Joel).
- the bochur Shlomo Goldstein (Williamsburg).

Baal tefillah: R' Yaakov Jozsef (Bnei Brak).
The Rebbe approached Hallel with fiery enthusiasm.

- Hotza'ah and hachnasah: R' Shlomo Yaakov Neustadt.
- Baal koreh: R' Shlomo Zalman Stein, a Shabbos guest.
The aliyos during the leining:
- Shlishi: the Rebbe's grandson, the bar mitzvah bochur Yosef Rokeach ni"v.
- Revi'i: the bar mitzvah bochur Shlomo Yaakov Neustadt.
- Hagbah: the Rebbe shlit"a.
- Gelilah: R' Shalom Baruch Rothbard (Manchester).
After the leining R' Eliezer Gefen (Kiryas Joel) bentched Gomel, and he was motzi the entire tzibur.
They finished Mussaf around 12:15 and the Rebbe returned to his lodging.

At the lodging a lechayim was held for the bar mitzvah bochurim, and the Rebbe bestowed from his holy blessing.

Before candle-lighting time the Rebbe put the shtreimel on the chassan Yoel, son of Gavriel Chaim Tzvi Feuerstein (Yerushalayim), and then lit the Shabbos candles at the lodging.
Afterwards the Rebbe traveled up to the Heichal HaTefillos in the courtyard of the cave, and the Rebbe entered a small room above the cave.

In the evening around 5:10 the Rebbe entered the large tent of the Heichal HaTefillos, "Binyan Brach," in the courtyard of the cave, wrapped in his tallis, and approached Mincha with holy fire.

After Mincha, HaGaon Rabbi Yoshe Hersh Jozsef shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our kehilla in Bnei Brak, spoke words of preparation for Shabbos.

Kabbalas Shabbos: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Moshe Friedman shlit"a, dayan of our kehilla in Boro Park. At "Bo'i b'shalom" the congregation turned to the right, toward the west, and for the occasion the Rebbe went up onto the bimah, and they sang Shir Bar Yochai according to the local minhag with joy and fervor.
After davening thousands of anash came to wish a good Shabbos. It continued for an hour, and then the Rebbe went home to his lodging.

In the gigantic Heichal HaSeudos the Shabbos seudos were served all at once with great splendor, for over 5,000 guests, of the people of our community from all over the world, with zemiros, songs and praises.

Around 9:55 the Rebbe entered the gigantic tent at the foot of Har Meron to the holy table, and began as is his custom "Shalom Aleichem" with emotion and sweetness.
Eishes Chayil: the Rebbe's grandson the bochur Yissachar Ber, son of the Rosh Av Beis Din HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of Beis Medrash Beirach Moshe shlit"a. Before Kiddush a stirring niggun was sung. Hagbahas hakos: HaGaon R' Yitzchak Aron Israel shlit"a (Bnei Brak).

Right after Hamotzi they sang "L'chvod HaTanna HaElokei," and the Rebbe stood up to dance with holy fire.
After the fish the Rebbe said Torah on the verse "Achas sha'alti me'es Hashem, shivti b'veis Hashem kol y'mei chayai," and explained, according to the view of Rabbi Shimon regarding kinyan hagbahah, that even when the master performs the lifting, one is acquired by a slave. Here in Meron, "the place of the master," they rule in Heaven like Rabbi Shimon, and by Hashem lifting up Klal Yisroel we become a servant to the Creator of all worlds. This is Rabbi Shimon's view, who says "Ana avda d'Kudsha Brich Hu." The Rebbe began to sing the niggun "Ana Avda" and stood up to dance with flames of fire for an extended time, drawing the whole tzibur into fiery dancing in honor of the Tanna HaElokei.

After the soup the Rebbe again said Torah on the verse "Achas sha'alti me'es Hashem." Rabbi Shimon holds that "one who is destined to be redeemed is considered as redeemed," and Jews who are destined to do teshuvah are considered as if they already did teshuvah; we are not rejected but remain connected to Hashem forever. The Rebbe added that regarding what was said earlier, that one becomes a servant, once one becomes a servant he remains so until the master writes a deed of release. Therefore even after Shabbos, when one is no longer in the place of Rabbi Shimon, he remains a servant. This is "shivti b'veis Hashem kol y'mei chayai."

Then the Rebbe honored HaGaon R' Yaakov Mendel Neulander shlit"a (Yerushalayim) to lead the singing of "V'amartem koh lechai."

After the meat course the Rebbe again said Torah on the verse "Achas sha'alti" and explained that according to Rabbi Shimon, who holds "yesh em lamesores," and that only Jews are called "adam" and not the nations of the world, therefore Jews are not nullified by the majority of the nations and conduct themselves on a higher level all the days of their lives.

The Rebbe honored with the zemiros:
- Kol Mekadesh: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Tuvia Stern shlit"a, Rav of Meron.
- Menucha V'simcha: the Seredna Rebbe shlit"a.

The Rebbe said Torah on the verse "Achas sha'alti me'es Hashem," and explained that if, Heaven forbid, a person has a sick one in his home, he goes to the greatest and most expensive doctor and follows what he says. Therefore, when we find ourselves in the holy place Meron, we need to see what the great Healer, the Tanna HaElokei Rabbi Shimon, says in the holy Zohar. The Rebbe learned from memory the holy Zohar in Parshas Vayakhel about the great blessing that comes with saying Ketores and the korbanos every day, which brings health and saves from the burden of the government. He continued that this is found in every siddur, and urged not to skip these parts of davening, but to take it upon oneself and carry it out to say them every day at Shacharis and Mincha.

- Kah Echsof: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Yehuda Deutsch shlit"a (Yerushalayim).
- Birkas Hamazon: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park 15 shlit"a.
- Kah Ribon Olam: HaGaon R' Yitzchak Menachem Hirsch shlit"a (Yerushalayim).

The new chasanim came over to take fruit. A Shalom Zachor was also held at R' Pinchas Aharon Warfman (London) and at R' Shimon, son of R' Refael Perlmutter (Monsey).

- "Az b'yom hashvi'i": HaGaon R' Zalman Yehuda Kahana shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our kehilla in Beit Shemesh.
They continued with dancing in honor of the Tanna HaElokei, and finished around 12:40.

U'v'yom HaShabbos Kodesh

On Shabbos morning the Rebbe entered the Heichal HaTefillos for Shacharis around 9:05.
- Brachos: the Leipnik Rebbe shlit"a.
- Pesukei D'zimra: HaGaon R' Shaul Yechezkel Schwartz shlit"a, dayan of Beis Medrash Lev Aharon, Boro Park.
The Rebbe approached Shacharis; they sang at "Mimkomcha," and the kohanim duchened as usual.

- Hotza'ah and hachnasah: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Hersh Elimelech Teitelbaum shlit"a, Rav of Beis Medrash Tefilah L'Moshe, Boro Park.
- Nesinas HaKesser: HaRav HaGaon R' Eliezer Mordechai Sofer shlit"a, Rav of our kehilla in Linden.
- Pesukei Shema Yisroel: HaRav HaGaon R' Avrohom Shmuel Englander shlit"a, dayan of our kehilla in Lakewood.
- Holachas Sefer Torah to the bimah: HaGaon R' Hersh Friedman shlit"a, dayan of Galanta.
- Baal koreh: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of Beis Medrash Beis Baruch shlit"a.
Aliyos.
- Kohen: HaGaon R' Avrohom Shlomo Katz shlit"a, Rav of Beis Medrash Riskeve and one of the rabbonim of our kehilla in Bnei Brak.
- Levi: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a.
- Shlishi: HaGaon HaGadol, dayan of Kiryas Joel shlit"a.
- Revi'i: the chassan Yoel, son of Gavriel Chaim Tzvi Feuerstein (Yerushalayim) – Ufruf.
- Chamishi: HaGaon HaTzaddik, dayan of our kehilla in Yerushalayim shlit"a.
- Shishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.

After his aliyah the Rebbe made a Mi Sheberach in honor of the birth of a daughter for:
- R' Yosef, son of Eliyahu Wolf Lowy (Bnei Brak).
- R' Yisroel Meir Klein (Williamsburg).
- R' Moshe Brandsdorfer Katz (Beit Shemesh).
- R' Yerachmiel Lebovitch (Monsey).

- Shevi'i: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of London shlit"a.
- Hosafah: HaGaon R' Chaim Shalom Klein shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our kehilla in Bnei Brak.
- Acharon: HaGaon R' Shimon Lev shlit"a, dayan and Rosh Av Beis Din of London.
- Maftir: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park 15 shlit"a.
- Hagbah: HaGaon R' Hersh Leib Bernstein shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our holy kehilla in Williamsburg.
- Gelilah: HaGaon R' Moshe Rosenfeld shlit"a, dayan of Beis Medrash Beirach Moshe, Williamsburg.
- Holachas Sefer Torah to the Aron Kodesh: HaGaon R' Menachem Zev Stern shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our holy kehilla in Williamsburg.
- Mussaf: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of Williamsburg shlit"a; the kohanim duchened. Pesicha at Ana'im Zemiros: HaGaon R' Yaakov Weiss shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our kehilla in Monsey.
They finished around 11:40.

At Kiddush at the lodging, the nedivim and askanim of the new magnificent beis medrash building of our holy kehilla in Bnei Brak, IY"H, were honored. R' Yoel, son of Shimshon Schwartz (Williamsburg) and HaGaon R' Yoel Dascal shlit"a (Bnei Brak) spoke.
Afterwards the Rebbe delivered blessings to all the donors and askanim and spoke at length in praise of our kehilla and holy institutions in Bnei Brak.

The Shabbos day seudah the Rebbe ate privately at the lodging with a select few close associates. Birkas Hamazon: R' Chaim Shlomo Fisher, a Shabbos guest.

Around 4:45 the Rebbe davened Mincha at the lodging.
- Baal tefillah: R' Yonason Gold (Kiryas Joel).
- Hotza'ah and hachnasah: R' Yosef Mordechai Kahana (Williamsburg).
- Baal koreh: R' Shmuel HaKohen Friedman, a Shabbos guest.
- Kohen: the Rebbe's grandson HaGaon R' Yoel HaKohen Glantz shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our holy kehilla in Williamsburg.
- Levi: HaRav Yaakov Menachem, son of R' Chaim Hersh Rottenberg.
- Shlishi: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of Williamsburg shlit"a.
- Hagbah: the Rebbe shlit"a.
- Gelilah: R' Yehuda Weiss (Kiryas Joel).

Ra'avah D'Ra'avin

Around 5:20 the Rebbe entered the Heichal HaShulchanos for Seudah Shlishis. After the fish they began stirring niggunim during Ra'avah D'Ra'avin.
The Rebbe began "Asqinu Seudasa" and said Torah on the verse "Achas sha'alti me'es Hashem" and explained that in the holy Zohar it is explained that on the day of Shabbos the chitzonim have no power. Therefore now, in the place of the master, on Shabbos which is "Shabbos of the entire week," where there are two merits, one can daven and the prayers will be accepted without any hindrance.

They sang "Vihi zari v'zera zari talmidei chachamim" with great fervor.
- Odeh: HaGaon R' Zalman Leib Meisels shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our holy kehilla in Boro Park.
- Shir HaMaalos: HaGaon R' Hershel Meisels shlit"a, Rav of Beis Medrash Beis Nachum Dov, Williamsburg.

The Satmar Rebbe shlit"a said Torah on the verse "Achas sha'alti me'es Hashem" and explained that we pray to merit a home, a house that is kosher and modest, which should have the Shechinah resting in it. He strongly urged regarding the matter of "se'ar b'isha ervah" and learned from memory the holy Zohar in Parshas Naso on this subject. Although Yisroel are holy, there is a minority that is not careful as is proper. Now, in the precincts of Rabbi Shimon, we take it upon ourselves to have a proper "house of Hashem all the days of my life." He concluded with his holy blessing.

- Yedid Nefesh the Rebbe honored HaGaon R' Avrohom Meir Halberstam shlit"a, dayan of Beis Medrash 18, Boro Park.
- Kel Mistater: HaGaon R' Shalom Teitelbaum shlit"a, dayan of Beis Medrash Vayoel Moshe, Williamsburg.

Then the Rebbe said Torah. On Motzei Shabbos in the zemiros we say "Yizkor lecha atah esmol asher dibarta," which refers to Erev Shabbos, when Jews said Tehillim with great fervor at the holy tziyun of the holy Tanna, with thoughts of teshuvah and good resolutions for the future. As we travel home, everyone should remember and take home all the good resolutions and bring them from potential to action, so that "shivti b'veis Hashem" should have an effect on "kol y'mei chayai."

They continued with stirring niggunim and concluded with joyous niggunim in honor of the Tanna HaElokei and "Ana Avda D'Kudsha Brich Hu." The Rebbe stood up and danced for an extended time.

The Rebbe bentched on the cup. Hagbahas hakos: HaGaon R' Eizik Friedman shlit"a (Beit Shemesh).
Maariv Motzei Shabbos: R' Aharon Hersh Weber (Williamsburg).
After Maariv the Rebbe went home to his lodging, where the Rebbe made Havdalah.
The Rebbe also honored HaGaon R' Meir Halberstam shlit"a, Av Beis Din of Kshanov, Williamsburg, to make Havdalah in the Heichal HaShulchanos for the entire tzibur.

Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu b'hilula d'Bar Yochai, u'mah naim goralenu b'zechus adoneinu Bar Yochai

Indescribable emotion of joy and holiness among tens of thousands of anash who, with holy feeling, took part in the uplifting event, the "Hadlaka Rabbasi." It is impossible to describe and convey the overflowing feeling of joy and holiness that was felt throughout the several hours of the lighting and holy dancing in the holy place Meron, adjacent to the holy cave.

Around 10:15 the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a arrived at the holy gathering and went to the center of the dais of honor, which was filled with the Gaonim, Tzaddikim, rabbonim and dayanim shlit"a, and they sang stirring niggunim at length with great fervor.

The Shabbos parnassim were called up to take a flask of oil from the Rebbe shlit"a to pour onto the bonfire in honor of the Tanna HaElokei Rashbi, and the Rebbe personally bestowed on them from his holy blessing in the merit of the Tanna HaElokei.

The Rebbe stood up and delivered fiery holy words on the Torah of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, on the verse "V'yiten lecha Elokim mital hashamayim." The Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is on the level of Shabbos, which elevates all the prayers of the entire week. By the Tanna HaElokei all prayers are elevated, and likewise it elevates the prayers one says when departing, and one merits an inheritance without boundaries. Whoever crosses the threshold is elevated so that he becomes "a different man," with greater heights of Torah, yiras shamayim and love of Hashem, and it helps withstand the tests of this generation. The holy Tanna together with Eliyahu HaNavi stand and bless everyone who comes to his tziyun with Birkas Kohanim. "Just as he came to see, so he came to be seen": the Tanna sees every broken heart and bestows holy abundance, material and spiritual, "on those who are here and on those who are not here." "Ana HaTanna HaElokei," we beg the Tanna not to cease praying for us, and we light a light at the tziyun, for here a light descends into Jewish homes in all matters, until we merit the new light, "Or chadash al Tzion ta'ir." The Rebbe concluded with abundant blessings in all matters for the entire tzibur.


After the fiery divrei Torah they continued with stirring and devoted niggunim for several more minutes. The Rebbe sang along with great fervor and shed streams of tears, while young and old stood and sang with tremendous arousal of mercy.

Then the Rebbe went up to the platform at the place of the bonfire and burst into stormy weeping while they sang stirring niggunim of an auspicious time. The eyes of tens of thousands of Jews were turned to the center, where the leader of the congregation, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a, stood with devotion and pouring out of the soul, praying from the depths of the heart for the needs of Klal Yisroel.

R' Moshe Goldstein was honored by the Vaad HaShabbos to hand the Rebbe shlit"a the flask of oil. The Rebbe poured the oil and immediately approached the place of the bonfire with the torch in hand, while they sang the traditional stirring niggun "L'chvod HaTanna HaElokei."
Then the Rebbe lit the bonfire with holy emotion until the flame rose up on its own, and began fiery dancing at the bonfire in honor of the Tanna HaElokei, in holy dancing, and the entire holy congregation joined him with supernatural joy, in fiery dancing with burning enthusiasm and immense joy that pierced the heavens.

After a while the Rebbe returned to the dais of honor. They sang "Bar Yochai," "V'amartem" and more Meron niggunim. Then the chalake children came over; the Rebbe cut their hair, put on them a kippah and tzitzis, and wished blessings to the children, parents and grandfathers. The dancing continued, and the Rebbe left the hadlaka around 1:10 and went home to his lodging.

At the lodging, HaGaon R' Moshe Bransdorfer shlit"a, Av Beis Din of Heichal Hora'ah in Yerushalayim, came in to receive a blessing on the occasion of his son's wedding, mazel tov, and the Rebbe bestowed on him from his holy blessing.

The host of the lodging, HaGaon R' Menachem Mendel Pomerantz shlit"a, Rosh Mesivta of Oz V'Hadar, also came in. A pleasant conversation ensued and the Rebbe thanked him greatly for giving over the apartment in Meron with all its needs, and bestowed on him from his holy blessing.

The heads of the Hatzalah askanim, R' Asher Slamovitz and R' Yaakov Jozsef of Bnei Brak, also came in together with the many Hatzalah volunteers who were present over Shabbos, "al kol tzarah shelo sivo," Heaven forbid any trouble. The Rebbe thanked the askanim and the many volunteers, and afterwards the volunteers came over to receive his holy blessing.

The Rebbe also bestowed from his holy blessing on the heads of the askanim who gave entire days and nights over the last weeks to arrange the thousands of lodgings in the holy place Meron: R' Yoel Yakobovitz, R' Yoel HaKohen Friedman and R' Naftali Hirtzka Honig.

"Achas sha'alti me'es Hashem" – our request of Hashem is that "shivti b'veis Hashem," our hours in the house of Hashem, should accompany everyone "kol y'mei chayai," "to behold the pleasantness of Hashem and to visit His Sanctuary," from now and forever.

▫️ Satmara Niyes 🌴 ▫️