Leil Shemini Atzeres, Z'man Simchaseinu — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

At around 8:50 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash wrapped in a borrowed tallis. Maariv: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Moshe Friedman shlit"a, dayan and moreh tzedek of our kehilla in Boro Park.

At 9:30 the Rebbe shlit"a began "Atah Hareisa" with a holy fiery fervor, which was followed by a heavenly outcry from tens of thousands of Jews, elders and youths alike. Opening of the Aron: HaRav HaChassid R' Yitzchak Schwartz (Williamsburg).

The sifrei Torah were brought in, the Rebbe went up to the bima and said the Leshem Yichud, and the singers began to sing "Lamnatze'ach."

"Migdal Oz Shem Hashem, Bo Yarutz Tzaddik V'nisgav"
At about 9:45 the Rebbe shlit"a began his holy service with the dancing of the elevated Hakafos, "running like a ram, bowing toward the way," with fiery holy enthusiasm and joy of a mitzvah, at the head of a holy, stirring congregation, of over ten thousand talmidim and chassidim, for hour upon hour in the joy of the Torah. Fortunate is the eye that saw our tent in the joy of our kehilla.

At 11:15 the introductory verses concluded and the first Hakafa began.
Due to the late hour, the Rebbe danced the sixth and seventh Hakafos only on the bima.
Throughout Yom Tov, during all the Hakafos that the Rebbe danced on the bima, HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, 15th Avenue, shlit"a, and the sons of the Rebbe shlit"a came up onto the bima as the Rebbe circled the bima while the Hakafos were recited.

At the seventh Hakafa, all the guests from Eretz Yisroel were honored with a sefer Torah.

After the Hakafos and after Aleinu, the Rebbe, with a radiant countenance, wished a good Shabbos and a good Yom Tov to the entire congregation, on all sides of the beis medrash. It concluded at 1:05.

At around 2:15 the Rebbe came to the pure table in the hall of his holy abode.
Upon entering, the Rebbe sat down and for a longer time related recollections of the tefillos and tishen of the holy Rebbe, the Divrei Yoel zy"a, on Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim, and recollections of Yom Tov Hoshana Rabbah and Simchas Torah.

At around 2:40 the Rebbe began, in his holy manner, "Shalom Aleichem" with feeling and melody, until "Melech Tamim Darko."
- Eishes Chayil: the Rebbe's grandson, the chassan Yechezkel Shraga Teitelbaum, son of HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of the beis medrash, Yisroel Shalom shlit"a.
- Raising the cup: HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Moshe Horowitz shlit"a (Boro Park), son-in-law of HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of the beis medrash on 15th Avenue shlit"a.
Torah melodies were sung with great joy.

- Kol Mekadesh: R' Yoel, son of HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Shmuel Binyamin Krausz shlit"a (London).
- Menucha V'simcha: R' Yoel Stern (Williamsburg).

The Rebbe said Torah on the verse "U'vayom Hashemini Atzeres Tihiye Lachem" and explained that on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the blemish of the aveiros is atoned for, and through dancing in joy on Shemini Atzeres, the blemish of the time during which one committed an aveira is atoned for, and one regains the mitzvos that the external forces had taken away.

- Kah Echsof: R' Yosef Meir Schmidman shlit"a (Monsey).
- Birkas Hamazon: the baal simcha, his grandson Rabbi Dovid Teitelbaum shlit"a.
The new chassanim went over to take fruit. Afterwards the Shalom Zachar took place for the newborn son of the Rebbe's grandson Rabbi Dovid Teitelbaum shlit"a. The Rebbe tasted from the baked goods and beer, joyous melodies were sung, and warm wishes were extended to the baal simcha and to the entire assembly.
Also held was a Shalom Zachar for the newborn son of R' Yekusiel Menashe, son of R' Yoel Friedman.
- Az B'yom HaShevi'i: R' Yisroel Yaakov (Yerushalayim).
It concluded at around 4:00.

Yom Shemini Atzeres

On Shemini Atzeres morning, at around 11:15, the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash.

Before davening, a bris took place for the newborn son of R' Moshe Yosef Pollak, at which the Rebbe served as sandek.

- Birchos Hashachar: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Naftali Horowitz shlit"a of Rachov, London.
- Pesukei D'zimra: HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Meir Zwiebel shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our holy kehilla in Williamsburg.
The Rebbe then proceeded to Shacharis and Hallel.

- Hotza'ah and Hachnasah: Rabbi Chaim Hersh, son of HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Sinai Teitelbaum shlit"a (Boro Park), and Rabbi Zalman Leib, son of HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum shlit"a (Williamsburg), grandsons of HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, 15th Avenue shlit"a.
- Pesukei Shema Yisroel: HaRav HaGaon R' Shalom Teitelbaum shlit"a, dayan and moreh tzedek of Kiryas Yoel Moshe.
- Carrying the Sefer Torah to the bima: R' Yosef Binyamin Stern shlit"a (Boro Park) and R' Yisroel Yaakov Pollak (Williamsburg).

- Kohen: R' Yoel Shimon Rubin (Williamsburg).
- Levi: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a.
- Shlishi: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, 15th Avenue shlit"a.
- Revi'i: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of Williamsburg shlit"a.
- Chamishi: R' Yoel Epstein.
- Shishi: the Rebbe shlit"a.

After his aliyah, the Rebbe recited a Mi Shebeirach for the birth of a daughter for:
- R' Shmuel, son of R' Aharon Hersh Mittelman (Boro Park).
- R' Mendel, son of R' Yoel Weiss.
- R' Yoel, son of R' Yitzchak Teitelbaum.
- R' Yisroel Dovid Kappel.
- R' Yaakov, son of R' Avrohom Moshe Landau.
- R' Yechiel Alter, son of R' Avrohom Moshe Taub.

- Shevi'i: R' Nachum Mordechai Weinberger (London).
- Hagbah on the first sefer: R' Moshe Aryeh Freund of Eretz Yisroel, in London.
- Gelilah: R' Menachem Yuda Schlesinger (Williamsburg).
- Maftir: R' Avrohom Yoel Loeffler shlit"a (Williamsburg).
- Hagbah on the second sefer: R' Mordechai Weiss (Sighet).
- Gelilah: R' Yosef Leib Kahana (Williamsburg).

Yizkor was recited. Due to the great crush of the many thousands of men entering after Yizkor, special barriers were set up on all wings and on the south and north sides of the beis medrash, to prevent dangers to life when so many thousands of Jews go out and come in at once.

After a few minutes the Rebbe returned, wearing his kittel and white stockings and bekitshe, and at around 2:45 he approached the amud and recited the Tefilas Geshem, followed by Ledavid Mizmor and Kaddish. The attendant, R' Yoel Kaufman, called out "Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hagashem."
The Rebbe shlit"a blessed for rain with great arousal.

Opening of Geshem: R' Yehoshua Wertzberger; at Kavei: R' Yitzchak Ehrenfeld; opening of Ane'im Zemiros: R' Yaakov Wiesel (Williamsburg). It concluded at around 3:40.

After a few minutes the Rebbe shlit"a entered the great sukka for Kiddush as is customary. The Rebbe made Kiddush and tasted from the mezonos, fish and kinder, and Yom Tov melodies were sung.

The Rebbe said Torah on "Chag HaSukkos Ta'aseh Lecha" and explained that through the dancing of joy, when one dances and rectifies all 248 limbs and 365 sinews, Hashem must bestow parnassa, and he concluded with abundant blessings for generous parnassa for the entire congregation.
It concluded at around 4:00.

The Rebbe held the afternoon meal together with his family, and his brother, HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, 15th Avenue shlit"a, and his family, in the sukka in his holy abode, with the sukka's roof open.
The Rebbe honored various people with the zemiros.
- The piyut: his son HaRav HaGaon R' Yoel Teitelbaum shlit"a (Boro Park).
- Baruch Hashem Yom Yom: his son-in-law HaRav HaGaon R' Moshe Horowitz shlit"a.
- Baruch Kel Elyon: his grandson Rabbi Zalman Leib, son of HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum shlit"a.

The Rebbe said Torah on the verse "Higaleh Na U'furos Chavivi Alai Es Sukkas Shlomecha" and explained that the minimum size of a sukka is two walls of seven tefachim and a third of even one tefach. The Shulchan Aruch states that there are seven names that may not be erased, and the Gemara says there are seven books in the Torah; Klal Yisroel is "one nation in the land." Thus the three walls of the sukka correspond to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the Torah, and Yisroel. This is what we pray: "U'furos Chavivi Alai Es Sukkas Shlomecha" — without the third wall the sukka is not kosher; therefore "Ta'ir Eretz Mikvodecha" must come to be, and Hashem must connect Himself to Klal Yisroel.
- Birkas Hamazon: HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, 15th Avenue shlit"a.

In the afternoon, at around 6:45, the Rebbe entered the great beis medrash for Mincha.
- Baal tefilla: R' Meir Margaliot shlit"a (Monsey).
- Pesicha: R' Yeshaya Gross shlit"a (Williamsburg).
- Baal koreh: R' Yaakov Stern (Williamsburg).
- Kohen: R' Yoel Glick (Williamsburg).
- Levi: R' Yisroel Yuda Wertzberger shlit"a.
- Shlishi: R' Avigdor Frankel (Williamsburg).
- Hagbah: the Rebbe shlit"a.
- Gelilah: R' Avrohom Weisman (Boro Park).

After Mincha the Rebbe shlit"a entered the great sukka for the third meal and took leave of the sukka.
The Rebbe washed, and after the fish the Rebbe tasted from the apples. The attendant R' Yoel Kaufman poured the cups for the Rebbe, and the Rebbe wished the chevra kadisha and the entire assembly of thousands of men a lechayim.

- Odeh: R' Mordechai Landau.
- Shir Hamaalos: R' Moshe Goldstein.

The Rebbe said Torah on "Higaleh Na U'furos Chavivi Alai" and explained that the mitzva of sukka is called a "light mitzva." We see with Titus HaRasha that Hashem said, "I have a light creature," because it enters and does not leave. The same is true of the mitzva of sukka: one enters the sukka but does not leave; the kedusha of the mitzva of sukka remains with a person and he carries it with him for the entire year. "Higaleh Na U'furos Chavivi Alai Es Sukkas Shlomecha" — one spreads the mitzva of sukka over himself, and "Ta'ir Eretz Mikvodecha" remains for the entire year. He concluded with abundant blessings that everyone be able to take along the mitzva of sukka and its influences for the whole year.

- Yedid Nefesh: R' Yudel Wertzberger (Williamsburg).
- Kel Mistateir: HaRav HaGaon R' Naftali Hirtzka Zwiebel shlit"a, Rosh Av Beis Din of Williamsburg.
The Rebbe made a bracha on the cup.


The singing of "Higaleh Na" continued with great arousal.
The Rebbe shlit"a began throwing apples, following the minhag of the Beirach Moshe zy"a and, earlier, of the Divrei Chaim zy"a, and then asked the attendant to finish throwing whatever remained. Then he recited with feeling the prayer upon leaving the sukka and the Yehi Ratzon. The Rebbe stood up and declared "L'shana Haba'a B'Yerushalayim" with holy fire, and set out in a fiery dance in the joy of a mitzva, to take leave of Yom Tov Sukkos.

The Rebbe left the sukka in holy dance and entered the beis medrash and danced around the beis medrash several times, leaning on his brother, HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav of our kehilla in Boro Park, 15th Avenue shlit"a, and HaGaon HaTzaddik, Av Beis Din of Monsey shlit"a. Afterwards the Rebbe sat down in his place and the singing continued for several minutes. It concluded at around 8:25. The Rebbe wished a good Yom Tov and went home to his holy abode.

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