Fortunate are we, how good is our portion, at the hilula of Bar Yochai; how pleasant is our lot in the merit of our master Bar Yochai

Indescribable excitement of joy and holiness among hundreds of thousands of Jews who, with a holy feeling, took part in the uplifting gathering of the "Hadlaka Rabbasi" on the night of Lag B'Omer. It is no exaggeration to describe the overflow of joy and holiness that was felt during the several hours of the lighting and the holy dancing in the streets of Kiryas Joel, when the city, a stronghold for us, Kiryas Joel, as every year, was transformed into a kind of ingathering of exiles, with, bli ayin hara, "over one hundred thousand souls," men, women and children, may they live - according to police estimates - on the vast grounds around the great beis medrash and the Kollelim fortress building, and in the neighboring areas of the surrounding streets, led by the leader of the community, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a.

The eyes of all Klal Yisroel in the U.S. and Canada have been looking forward for an entire year, awaiting these great moments to rejoice and take part in the "Hadlaka Rabbasi" gathering at the "Meron of America" in honor of the Divine Tanna, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

At about 8:10 in the evening, at the start of the day, the Rebbe shlit"a arrived at the holy gathering and went to the center of the dais of honor, which was filled with the HaGaonim, rabbonim and dayanim shlit"a. He greeted all the rabbonim, the Rebbe sat down, and soulful melodies of inspiration were sung.

After a short time of singing, at 8:35 the Rebbe shlit"a stood up and delivered fiery holy words on the Torah of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the great holiness of the day. The Rebbe based himself on the statement of the holy Bnei Yissaschar in Agra D'Kallah: "Bereishis" is an acronym for "Ohr Toras Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai," and he explained that if, chas v'shalom, one sins, he does not merit to hear the heavenly voice that emerges from Mount Chorev every day and calls to teshuva. But Shabbos Kodesh brings down holiness, through which one does merit to hear the heavenly voice and merits teshuva. The Divine Tanna Rashbi is called "the Shabbos of the entire year" and also has the holiness of Shabbos Kodesh. When Jews gather in his honor and rejoice in his simcha, anywhere, or learn teachings in his name, Rabbi Shimon bestows holiness on each and every one and ignites the heart of each person, both in Meron and throughout the world.
"Just as he came to see, so he came to instill awe." The holy Tanna Rashbi looks at every person, sees what he lacks, and bestows all good. But he also sees our spiritual state, and he can only bestow upon one who conducts himself with modesty in all matters, as explained in the Zohar Hakadosh. At such a time we beg and daven, "Look down from heaven and see," look into every heart. Jewish children are crying and screaming, "Have mercy on us and on our children and our little ones," this one cries and that one cries, the needs of Your people Israel are many. In a voice choked with tears, the prayers were enumerated for those without children, those lacking parenting livelihood, the physically and spiritually ill of Israel, upright generations, proper shidduchim, nachas from children, and all other broken hearts. We believe that the holy Tanna Rabbi Shimon has the power to bestow upon each and every one whatever he lacks, open salvations for each and every one.
"All blessings above and below depend on the seventh day." Rabbi Shimon, who is in the category of Shabbos Kodesh, bestows all blessings above and below. "Above" refers to the residents of our Holy Land and "below" to the residents of the Diaspora; a general blessing and a specific blessing. "Above" means for those of high spiritual stature, and "below" for the simple folk; "above" refers to spiritual matters and "below" to material matters.
The Gemara says of Rabbi Shimon and his colleagues, "They do not interrupt for prayer," meaning that Rabbi Shimon prays for everyone, both for those who daven at his holy resting place and for us, the residents of the Diaspora, both for those of high stature and for the simple folk, both for spiritual and for material needs. Everything can be accomplished in the merit of the Divine Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The Rebbe concluded with abundant blessings in the merit of Rabbi Shimon: children, life and sustenance, cures and salvations, shidduchim and all good things. The Rebbe finished the holy address at about 9:05.

After the spirited address, the soulful, devoted melodies continued for several more minutes. The Rebbe sang along with great inspiration and shed streams of tears, as young and old stood and sang with tremendous inspiration of mercy.
After the address, the Rebbe warmly greeted the Spinka Beis Yitzchak Rebbe shlit"a.

At nightfall, at the time of Maariv, the music was started and the soulful melodies continued, and after some time, at 9:20, everyone stood to daven Maariv together with the large crowd. Before Maariv the Rebbe lit five oil lights as is customary. The honor of handing the candles to the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a was given to the distinguished philanthropist R' Shlomo Feder, purchased through the Vaad HaChasunah Takanos.
R' Yoel Ber'e Hirsch shlit"a led the davening at the amud. After Maariv the Rebbe went over and counted Sefiras HaOmer with holy fire, which was heard on all the surrounding streets through the microphone.

After Maariv the soulful melodies continued.

Then at about 9:50 the Rebbe shlit"a ascended the special lighting platform at the site of the bonfire, and the soulful melodies continued, especially "Veyihyu rachamecha misgolelim" - "Master of the Universe, have mercy already on Your children" - which was sung dozens of times and tore at hearts. The eyes of tens of thousands of Jews were turned to the center, where the leader of the community, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a, stood with devotion and outpouring of the soul, praying from the depths of his heart for the needs of Klal Yisroel.

The merit of the lighting was purchased by the distinguished philanthropist R' Yuda Weiss, who honored his father R' Chaim Elazar Weiss shlit"a of Chmelnik to hand the torch to the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a.

Cans of oil were purchased by:
- The administration of the Yotev Lev institutions in Eretz Yisroel, who honored the distinguished philanthropist R' Meir Hirsch.
- Our holy kehilla of Kiryas Joel, who honored the distinguished philanthropist R' Akiva Hersh Klein.
- Our holy institutions of Williamsburg, who honored the distinguished philanthropist R' Fishel Rispler.
- Our holy institutions of Monsey, who honored the distinguished philanthropist R' Moshe Goldstein and the distinguished philanthropist R' Dovid Neustadt.
- One of the prominent members of the city of Torah, Lakewood, who honored the distinguished philanthropist R' Avrohom Brach.
- The Chomas Ha'Ir project of Kiryas Joel, who honored R' Gedalya Segedin.
- The Wertheimer family, who honored their father R' Meir Wertheimer.
- R' Yoel Epstein, who honored R' Avrohom Yoshe Glantz.
- R' Yosef Mordechai Kahana, who honored his friend R' Daniel Aryeh Tzvi Greif.

The donors of the lighting handed over the silver pitchers from which the Rebbe poured the oil onto the bonfire.
Afterward the Rebbe gave R' Meir Hirsch a large sum of money for the Yotev Lev institutions, in memory of the Tanna Rashbi.

Then the Rebbe took the torch from R' Chaim Elazar Weiss shlit"a of Chmelnik, with which the Rebbe lit the fire, and suddenly approached the site of the bonfire with the torch in hand, as the mekubal melody of inspiration "L'chavod HaTanna HaElokim" was sung.
Then the Rebbe lit the fire with holy emotion and broke into a fiery dance at the bonfire in honor of the Divine Tanna, kindling a holy fire in the hearts of tens of thousands of Jews, who broke into fiery dances with holy fire and tremendous joy that pierced the heavens.

After a longer time the Rebbe returned to the dais of honor, and the songs of the day were sung: "Bar Yochai," "V'amartem," and "Amar Rabbi Akiva." Dozens of circles formed among the tens of thousands of Jews, who danced for several hours in honor of the holy Tanna, as the Rebbe encouraged the dancing on the grounds.

Then the chalakah haircuts took place for nearly 100 boys, bli ayin hara, students of our holy mosdos from throughout Greater New York, who passed through like the children of heaven. The Rebbe also put a yarmulke and a tzitzis on them, gave sweets and a gift as is customary, and blessed the parents and grandfathers with warm blessings.

After the chalakah the Rebbe stood up and danced for a longer time with joy and devotion.

At about 11:50 the Rebbe left the gathering and indicated to the assembled tens of thousands to continue dancing, and they could not part from the great joy of the hilula of the Divine Tanna.

Fortunate is the eye that saw all this, and fortunate is the eye that sees our joy and the delight of our kehilla, as a bucketful of joy and holiness was drawn for an entire year!

His Torah is a shield for us and enlightens our eyes; may he advocate well on our behalf, our master Bar Yochai

▫️ Satmara Niyes 🌴 ▫️