Tisha B'Av Day in the Shadow of Holiness (B'tzeil HaKodesh) with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a at the Resort in Bethlehem, New Hampshire

"She weeps bitterly in the night"
Motzei Shabbos, the night of Tisha B'Av, at around 10:30, the Rebbe shlit"a entered for Maariv in the hall of the Chandler (Arlington) Hotel. R' Aharon Hersh Berkowitz davened before the amud. After Maariv, the Rebbe shlit"a recited the blessing of Borei Me'orei HaEish.

"For these I weep, my eye, my eye runs down with water"
After Maariv, the Rebbe shlit"a recited Megillas Eichah and the Kinos, lamenting with intense weeping over the destruction of our House of Splendor and the anguish of the Shechinah. The Rebbe's gabbai, R' Yushe Mendlowitz, read Eichah and the Kinos aloud. They concluded at around 11:45.

On Tisha B'Av morning at around 9:45, the Rebbe shlit"a entered for Shacharis in the hall of the Chandler (Arlington) Hotel. During the Birchos HaShachar, the Rebbe shlit"a also recited the blessing of "who has provided me all my needs." R' Aharon Hersh Berkowitz davened before the amud. Hotzaah and Hachnasah: R' Yosef Mordechai Silberstein. Kohen: R' Dovid Yuda Kohn. Levi: R' Moshe Ari Friedman. Shlishi and Maftir: the Rebbe shlit"a. Hagbah: R' Dovid Parkash. Gelilah: the bochur, son of R' Berel Stein.

"Have mercy on Zion, for it is the home of our life"
After the aliyah, the Rebbe shlit"a recited the Haftorah and its blessings for an extended time, while shedding rivers of tears.

"Who will give my head waters and my eye a fountain of tears, that I may weep day and night"
Afterwards the Kinos were recited. As at night, the Rebbe shlit"a recited the Kinos with intense weeping, lamenting over the destruction of our House of Splendor and the anguish of the Shechinah. The Rebbe's gabbai, R' Yushe Mendlowitz, read the Kinos aloud. Afterwards, Ashrei, U'va L'Tzion and Aleinu were recited. They concluded at around 1:20.

On leaving, the Rebbe shlit"a thanked the non-Jewish owners of the hotel for granting permission to use the hall and for allowing the eruv to be made.

At around 7:05 the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash for Mincha. The Rebbe shlit"a wrapped himself in tallis and tefillin, kissed the tzitzis during Krias Shema, and completed the day and Kavei. R' Fishel Parkash davened before the amud. Hotzaah and Hachnasah: R' Reuven Glanz. Kohen: R' Yaakov, son of R' Yisroel Friedman. Levi: R' Yaakov Eliezer Wertzberger. Shlishi and Maftir: the Rebbe shlit"a. Hagbah: R' Dovid Weiss. Gelilah: R' Shlomo Heimlich.

After Mincha, the Rebbe shlit"a put on the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam and recited the four parshiyos, and then the 5 daily chapters of Tehillim. They concluded at around 8:20.

A few minutes before Rabbeinu Tam, the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash, and at the proper time stood to daven Maariv. The chassan, the bochur Naftali Moshe Weiss, davened before the amud.

After Maariv, the Rebbe put on his shoes, and then made Havdalah in the beis medrash and tasted some mezonos. Songs of consolation and redemption were sung.
They concluded at 10:20.

On leaving, a group of talmidim from the Yeshiva Gedolah of Boro Park, who had spent Shabbos in the Rebbe's presence, took their leave. The Rebbe shlit"a wished them, "May you have a safe journey and travel in good health; may they go in good fortune." A conversation ensued about the travel arrangements for the night, on the topic of "a person should go in good fortune." The Rebbe told the bochurim to leave, differently than planned, the following morning.

May it be His will that the Beis HaMikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days, and may these days be transformed to joy and gladness

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