Yom Kippur 5787 — "B'tzeil HaKodesh" with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a in the midst of our holy kehilla in Williamsburg

On Sunday, Erev Yom Kippur, at around 6:00 in the morning, the Rebbe shlit"a entered the Beis Medrash HaGadol in Kiryas Joel for the recital of Selichos. Baal tefillah: R' Yehoshua Teller. They finished at around 6:20. After Selichos, a large crowd of the residents of Kiryas Joel came forward to bless and be blessed on Erev Yom Kippur, and the Rebbe went home to his holy residence.

In his holy residence, the Rebbe shlit"a fulfilled the minhag of kapparos and burned the tail feathers.
Afterwards, at around 6:40, the Rebbe shlit"a went to the mehudar shechita house, where Rabbi Yoel Wertzberger shlit"a slaughtered the chicken. The Rebbe examined the knife, and after the shechita recited the Leshem Yichud and the berachah and fulfilled the mitzvah of covering the blood. The Rebbe also examined the knives of all the shochtim and wished them a gmar chasimah tovah. Then he visited the shechita house's plant and went through it in detail, as is his holy way, accompanied by HaGaon Rabbi Yoel Hersh Moskowitz shlit"a, dayan of Kiryas Tosh.

From there the Rebbe went to the kapparos location at the butcher shop on 208 in the Zera Kodesh neighborhood. The Rebbe looked over the order of the shechita, examined the shochtim's knives, gave his blessing of Birchas Kodsho to the shochtim and the employees, and went home to his holy residence.


At around 8:00 the Rebbe entered the Beis Medrash HaGadol for Shacharis.
Before davening, a bris took place for the newborn son of R' Yoel Perl, at which the Rebbe was the sandek.

The Rebbe laid tefillin for the bar mitzvah bochurim:
- The bochur Yoel, son of R' Meir Michael Saal.
- The bochur Menachem Brauner.
Baal tefillah: R' Simcha Yisroel Appel.

After davening, a lechayim gathering took place in his private room, where the meshamesh, R' Yoel Kaufman, came in, and the Rebbe took lekach and gave the meshamesh a blessing as is customary. Then he blessed the bar mitzvah bochurim.

At around 10:20 the Rebbe shlit"a traveled to Williamsburg to spend Yom Kippur there. The Rebbe arrived at around 11:30 and went to his holy residence adjoining the Beis Medrash HaGadol.

On the way, the Rebbe telephoned several of the leaders of our holy kehilla in Eretz Yisroel, where it was already close to the onset of the day, and bestowed upon them his holy blessing for the awesome Yom Kippur.

In the afternoon at around 2:00 the Rebbe shlit"a came to the pure tish of Erev Yom Kippur in Heichal Tehillos Yehosef in the Beis Medrash HaGadol.

Before washing for the seudah of the mitzvah of the day, the Rebbe quietly recited a longer Leshem Yichud. At the lechayim after the fish, the Rebbe wished "a good, blessed year." The soup had kreplach, and at the lechayim after the soup the Rebbe wished "a good and blessed year." The meat was from the chicken with which the Rebbe fulfilled the minhag of kapparos as is customary.
During the tish, several stirring melodies of the Yamim Noraim were sung, while the Rebbe shed streams of tears in his holy chamber in awe and fear of the Day of Judgment, especially when the Rebbe sang the piyut "Yirtzeh Tzum Amcha" to the Ahavah Rabbah tune handed down from the holy Rebbe R' Hersh of Rimanov zy"a.

The Rebbe shlit"a delivered a Torah thought on the piyut "Bameh Akadem," on "But now, when I mention the Name of the Kingship, the unique Name," and explained that the Name Havayah means "was, is, and will be." For Hashem, the past, present, and future are all one, so Hashem joins in the good of the future. Since a Jew will arise in the resurrection of the dead, he is judged as a living being, he is not rejected, and teshuvah helps. Hashem counts our mitzvos of the future as well, and therefore we will emerge innocent in judgment. He concluded with abundant blessings for the entire congregation.

- Birchas Hamazon: the Rebbe's grandson Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Heshel Rokeach shlit"a, son-in-law of HaGaon Rabbi Yisroel Shalom shlit"a, rav of the beis medrash.
They finished at around 3:15.

"And Aharon raised his hands toward the people and blessed them"
After the tish, the Rebbe shlit"a went into his holy residence adjoining the Beis Medrash HaGadol, where thousands of men came to be blessed for the holy day, in a special, rapid order because of the multitude of people.

After blessing the public, at 4:10 the Rebbe shlit"a went to the private mikvah in the home of R' Wolf Landau, and at around 4:50 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the Beis Medrash HaGadol for Mincha. The Rebbe lit the wax candles at the amud. The baal tefillah was R' Yaakov Hersh Heiman. During the Vidui Gadol the Rebbe wept at length. They finished at around 5:20.

After the seudas hamafsekes in his holy residence, the Rebbe shlit"a went once more to the mikvah in the Beis Medrash HaGadol at the onset of the day. At the time, the Rebbe lit in his holy residence the Yom Tov candles, the yahrzeit candles, and a healthy candle.

Afterwards the Rebbe blessed all those inscribed in the Sefer HaZikaron, and all the kvitlach from the Kollelim of our community in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, and Europe.

The Rebbe shlit"a recited the berachah of "l'his'atef" on his own tallis, and then put on the tallis, kittel, vest, and cap of the holy Rebbe, the Divrei Yoel zy"a.

During all the tefillos the sanctuary of the Beis Medrash HaGadol, with all its galleries and halls, was filled to overflowing from end to end, unable to accommodate the enormous crowd of thousands who came to be in the shadow of holiness on this holy day.

"With this shall Aharon come into the holy place"
At around 7:25 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash for Kol Nidrei. The Rebbe went up to the Aron Kodesh, davened a silent prayer, and began the holy Kol Nidrei derashah with great arousal and a voice of weeping, on the verse "For on this day He shall atone for you... from all your sins before Hashem." He explained that with every sin a person commits, Heaven forbid, damage is caused in the Beis HaMikdash, and this gives power to the nations of the world to rule over the Temple Mount despite the great holiness of the place. Continuing with tears, he recalled that on the elevated trip on Shabbos Parshas Toldos in Eretz Yisroel this past winter, it was seen how, on the place of the Kodesh HaKodashim, there is unfortunately a house of impurity — "Woe to the eyes that see this" — and "Any generation in which the Beis HaMikdash is not rebuilt, it is as if it was destroyed in its days." Since we keep adding fresh sins, which gives even more strength to impurity and the kelipos, had we done teshuvah properly, the damage and the kelipos would have departed from the Temple site and the Beis HaMikdash would have been rebuilt. He repeated what the Divrei Yoel zy"a said in the year 5726, that every sixty years the "year of reckoning" repeats itself, as the holy Shinover Rav zy"a said in 5666 that that year was a time of reckoning for the coming of Moshiach, and the Rebbe zy"a strongly urged that we merit the redemption in 5726 and not, Heaven forbid, have to wait another sixty years. The Rebbe said with tears that unfortunately another sixty years have passed; we had hoped that in 5786 Moshiach would come, but sadly we stand on Erev Yom Kippur 5787 and still have not been redeemed. He added that until Yom Kippur all the previous years are still counted, and if we do teshuvah properly this Yom Kippur, we can still merit the complete redemption

.

After the derashah, at the onset of the day, the Rebbe shlit"a mentioned the minhag of our holy Rebbes to recite Vidui at the onset of the day, and began with tremendous weeping, without pause, "Ana Tavo Lefanecha Tefilaseinu," and recited at the Aron Kodesh together with the congregation, with the motions, "Ashamnu, Bagadnu..." as between each word the Rebbe burst out in a terrible cry that carried the entire congregation along with awesome weeping and shook the hearts of the thousands of worshippers for several minutes.

After Vidui, the meshamesh, R' Chaim Shlomo Fischer, took the Sefer Torah out of the Aron Kodesh and handed it to the Rebbe shlit"a. The Rebbe took the Sefer Torah affectionately and began with words of arousal, saying that we must appease the holy Torah. Every time a person commits a sin, it is written into the Sefer Torah; he sins doubly, for besides having to do teshuvah for the sin itself, he must also do teshuvah for its having been written into the Sefer Torah. He urged us to do teshuvah and appease the Torah to erase the sins. The Sefer Torah stands here on high and looks to see who is appeasing it and who is not... Everyone must make a cheshbon hanefesh about where he stands in this world. If we truly appease the Sefer Torah, the Torah will be a faithful advocate for all of Klal Yisroel, and we will have a gmar chasimah tovah.

At the end, the Rebbe recited on the spot three times "Ohr Zarua" and "Palgei Mayim," and then with mesirus nefesh walked around the beis medrash, all the way into the newly added extension — despite the heavy crowding — and recited it three more times, once at each side of the beis medrash.

All the tefillos the Rebbe shlit"a davened from a Machzor Tefillah Yesharah.
After "Kam Rabbi Shimon" the Rebbe shlit"a stood up and began "Kol Nidrei." Honored to hold the Sifrei Torah were the elderly Rav, R' Yirmi Teitelbaum shlit"a of Uhel, and Rabbi Avrohom Wolf Schnebalg shlit"a, dayan of Beis Medrash Ohr Yisroel Elimelech.

Then the Rebbe shlit"a began Maariv with great arousal.
Honored with the pesichos at Maariv:
- R' Avrohom Dovid Karzag.
- R' Anshel Lichtenstein.
- Rabbi Chaim Reuven Schoenbrun shlit"a.
- R' Shlomo Eliezer Spielman.
- R' Chaim Friedman.

After Maariv, R' Yudel Wertzberger sang Adon Olam and recited the four chapters of Tehillim.
Shir HaYichud was recited by:
- Rabbi Michel Neiman shlit"a.
- R' Chaim Hersh Gold.
- Rabbi Shneur Zalman Perlmutter shlit"a.
- Rabbi Moshe Ephraim Herskovits shlit"a.
- Rabbi Yoel son of R' Binyomin Stern shlit"a.
- Rabbi Yeshaya Yitzchak son of R' Aharon Rubin shlit"a.
- Shir LeYom HaShabbos — "on the seventh day" — was sung by HaGaon Rabbi Yeshaya Lichtenstein shlit"a, moreh tzedek.

They finished at around 11:30. The Rebbe shlit"a went up to the Aron Kodesh and with a radiant face wished "a gut Yom Tov" to the entire holy congregation and to all the people standing in the courtyard, on all sides of the beis medrash.

"And the power of the holiness of the day"

On Yom Kippur morning, at the time of donning the tallis, the tallis of the holy Rebbe, the Divrei Yoel zy"a, which the Rebbe wears at Mussaf, lay on the table.

The Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash at around 8:10.
The Rebbe shlit"a poured out his holy tefillos with an outpouring of the soul and awesome weeping; the sound of crying was heard throughout the beis medrash.

- Opening the Aron Kodesh: R' Moshe Yuda Goldberger.
- Anim Zemiros: R' Nachman Dov Heller.
- Pesukei D'Zimra: HaGaon Rabbi Naftali Hirtzka Zwibel shlit"a, Rosh HaKahal.
"Vechuras" the Rebbe recited verse by verse.
- Shacharis: the Rebbe's grandson HaGaon Rabbi Yoel Ashkenazi shlit"a, rebbi in our holy yeshiva Ahavas HaTorah in Williamsburg, son of HaGaon Rabbi Yisroel Shalom shlit"a, rav of Beis Medrash Avnei Tzedek.
Honored with the pesichos:
- Rabbi Yom Tov Jozsef shlit"a (Kiryas Joel).
- R' Yitzchak Singer.
- Rabbi Yoel Stern shlit"a.
- R' Shimshon Dovid Greenfeld.
- R' Chaim Yuda Lefkowitz.
They finished Shacharis at around 12:15.

- Hotzaah and Hachnasah: Rabbi Eli Gross shlit"a of Bucharest, and HaGaon Rabbi Meir Zwibel shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our holy kehilla.
The Rebbe shlit"a was the baal koreh and read with great arousal.
Aliyos:
- Kohen: R' Zalman Leib Glick.
- Levi: R' Akiva Hirsch.
- Shlishi: R' Chaim Yuda Lefkowitz (Boro Park).
- Revii: the meshamesh R' Chaim Shlomo Fischer.
- Chamishi: R' Shlomo Yaakov Mertz.
- Shishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.

After his aliyah, the Rebbe recited a name for the birth of a daughter to R' Moshe son of R' Dovid Yoel Reich.

- Hagbah of the first Sefer: R' Moshe Dovid Goldstein.
- Gelilah: R' Isaac Hersh Berkowitz.
- Maftir: R' Chaim Friedman.
- Hagbah of the second Sefer: R' Yitzchak Schwartz.
- Gelilah: R' Fishel Shaffer.

They finished at around 12:50; there was a pause.

After the Torah reading, on his way down from the bimah, the Rebbe called over Rabbi Avrohom Yosef Friedman shlit"a, one of the heads of the Vaad HaChinuch of our holy mosdos in Williamsburg, and inquired about the strong awakening regarding the immodest wigs and about the mosdos' regulations regarding head coverings. The Rebbe inquired in great detail about the "Rashi" applications and urged that we stand guard with full strength and vigor.

At around 1:30 the Rebbe returned to the beis medrash and Yizkor was held.

At 1:45 the Rebbe shlit"a approached the Mussaf tefillah and recited "Hineni He'ani MiMa'as" and "Mizmor LeDovid Havu LaHashem." Kaddish was at 1:50.

"Pure of heart, he stepped forward with his face toward the Holy and prayed"; the recital of the Seder HaAvodah with a flaming fire; "the congregation of our witnesses shall rely upon you, and through you shall be our forgiveness"
Fortunate is the eye that saw the Avodah service at Mussaf, with the awesome weeping of the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a.
"Aharon, holy one of Hashem, to serve You in holiness" — especially during the Avodah service, in an outpouring of the soul.
"And so the righteous shall see and rejoice" — the holy dancing, beyond our comprehension, at the pieces and at the Kaddishim after the tefillos.

Honored with the pesichos at Mussaf:
- R' Dovid Aryeh Jacob.
- Rabbi Moshe Gedaliah Palachek shlit"a
R' Eliyahu Leib Rosenberg.
R' Pinchas Moshe Landau (Boro Park).
R' Aharon Hersh Mittelman.
R' Yisroel Menachem Klepfner.
The meshamesh R' Shmuel HaKohen Friedman.

Those honored with serving as meshamesh at the Hagbah of the kneeling, for the holy tune of the Rebbe shlit"a:
- The first kneeling: R' Refael Perlmutter (Monsey) and R' Dovid Steinberg.
- The second kneeling: R' Yekusiel Dovid Aharon Weiss and R' Aharon Hersh Mittelman (Boro Park).
- The third kneeling: R' Yoel Jacobowitz and R' Avrohom Meir Wertzberger (Montreal).
- The fourth kneeling: R' Moshe Avrohom Lefkowitz and R' Yaakov Landau (Boro Park).

They finished Mussaf at around 5:45.

- Mincha was led by R' Yudel Wertzberger.
- Hotzaah and Hachnasah: HaGaon Rabbi Asher Chaim Weiser shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our holy kehilla in Boro Park.
- Kohen: R' Pesach Kohn.
- Levi: R' Dovid Steinberg.
- Shlishi and Maftir: the Rebbe shlit"a. The Rebbe's aliyah was purchased by R' Yechezkel Dovid Berkowitz together with R' Avrohom Brach.
- Hagbah: R' Avrohom Brach.
- Gelilah: R' Tuvia Lipa Gross.
- Opening the Aron at Mincha: R' Chaim Yuda Goldberger.
They davened quickly, as is customary. After Mincha they recited "LeDovid Hashem Ori VeYishi." They finished at around 6:45.

Immediately after Mincha the Rebbe shlit"a began Ashrei of "Tefillas Ne'ilah" with holy fire and tremendous weeping. The Thirteen Attributes were recited at all the pieces, following the custom of the holy Rebbe, the Beirach Moshe zy"a. Pesichah for Ne'ilah: R' Yitzchak Klein.

After Kaddish Titkabal at around 8:15, R' Naftali Hirtzka Stein blew the Tekiah Gedolah and the Rebbe shlit"a cried out in a mighty, powerful voice "Next year in Yerushalayim!"

The Rebbe shlit"a waited until the large minyan finished and then stood to daven Maariv. The baal tefillah was R' Yoel Weinberger. They finished at 8:35.

After Maariv the Rebbe shlit"a put on his shoes, then went to Heichal Tehillas Yehosef, made Havdalah and the berachah of Al HaGefen, and broke the fast. Yom Tov melodies were sung, the Rebbe wished a gut Yom Tov to the entire congregation, and the Rebbe shlit"a was escorted out with song and music to the tune of "Ashrei HaAm." They finished at around 8:45.

"And he would make Yom Tov when he departed in peace from the Holy"

At around 11:20 the Rebbe shlit"a came to the seudah of Motzei Yom Kippur, with drums and dancing, in our great beis medrash in Williamsburg, in the presence of thousands upon thousands of Jews. Upon arrival, the Rebbe went out and danced a fiery dance on the spot for several minutes.

The Rebbe washed for the seudah and the courses were brought in as on Yom Tov. During the tish, they extended the singing with Yom Tov melodies, melodies of joy, and melodies of arousal from the day's tefillos.
At the lechayim after the fish, the Rebbe wished and said, "A good, blessed year is coming."

They continued singing joyous melodies with great strength for an extended time. For the Zemer HaMavdil, the Rebbe honored HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Meisels shlit"a, rav of Beis Medrash Beirach Moshe in Boro Park, son of the Gaon Av Beis Din of Montreal shlit"a.

The Rebbe shlit"a delivered a Torah thought on the piyut of HaMavdil, "May Hashem command His kindness for the sake of Yaakov His servant," and explained that the fact that Yom Kippur atones at its end and not from its beginning is proof that we accept the view of Rabbeinu Tam, as the holy Rebbe zy"a used to say that the view of Rabbeinu Tam is that as long as there is still a bit of light, it is still day. Every Jew must know that if there is still a bit of light, then it is still day; if one has even a little bit of mitzvos, he is still in the category of a tzaddik. If one kept Yom Kippur until it was already certainly fully night, he surely accomplished something. He concluded with abundant blessings that it be entirely bright for Jewish children and that we be helped in all good things, and said that "and you shall rejoice on your festival" is numerically 5787, and wished that we have a kosher and joyous Yom Tov.

They continued with joyous melodies, and the Rebbe stood up and danced.
The Rebbe blessed over the cup, and at the end wished a gut Yom Tov.

They finished at around 12:50, when the Rebbe shlit"a was escorted out with song and music.

"Fortunate is the people for whom this is so; fortunate is the people whose God is Hashem"

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