'Tichal Shana U'virkhoseha'

Yom Tov Rosh Hashana B'tzeil HaKodesh with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a in the midst of our holy kehilla in Kiryas Joel.

On Erev Yom Tov, at around 5:20 in the early morning, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a entered our great beis medrash in Kiryas Joel, wrapped in the tallis and kappel of the holy Rebbe, the Divrei Yoel zy"a, and descended before the amud to recite Selichos, "Zechor Bris." R' Akiva Weinstock and R' Yaakov Forges were honored with the Pesichos. The davening concluded at around 7:45.

Before davening, the Rebbe shlit"a went over to the home of R' Amram Cohen shlit"a, where the bris of the newborn son of Rabbi Yoel Spitzer shlit"a took place; a bris also took place in the beis medrash for the bochur Wolf Berger.

At around 10:15 the Rebbe shlit"a entered for Shacharis. After Tehillim the Yehi Ratzon was recited; afterward the Rebbe shlit"a removed his tefillin, conducted Hatoras Nedarim before a minyan, and recited the Moser Modaa.

On the night of Yom Tov, at around 8:00, the Rebbe shlit"a entered the beis medrash and approached the amud for Mincha, and afterward the piyut "Achos Ketana" was recited as is customary.

After Mincha the annual appeal took place for the "Mivtzar HaKollelim in Kiryas Joel," with its more than 800 kollel learners. The director of the kollelim, HaGaon Rabbi Wolf Aharon Teller shlit"a, addressed the gathering, and in the course of his remarks announced that, per the directive of the Rebbe shlit"a at the historic Shabbos "Amalei HaTorah," the kollel will increase the stipend for the learners.

At the proper time the Rebbe shlit"a approached the amud for Maariv.

After davening the Rebbe shlit"a went up to the Aron Kodesh and delivered a Torah thought on the verse "Tik'u bachodesh shofar, bakeseh leyom chageinu." The teruah is genuchei ganach, yilulei yalil. The first Belzer Rebbe zy"a says that "Yimaleh s'chok pinu u'leshoneinu rina" forms the initials of "shofar," showing that the shofar is with joy. The shofar is blown twice, the tekiah while sitting and the tekiah while standing. The first time it is blown to arouse to teshuva, and the second time it is blown for the joy that one has fulfilled the mitzvah of teshuva. The Chasam Sofer z"l says that "Vayehi" is an expression of sorrow and "Vehaya" is an expression of joy. "Vayehi" is the past, "Vehaya" is the future. When one looks at how the year went by, it is an expression of sorrow. "A very difficult year has passed, very difficult events for Klal Yisroel." But one looks at "Vehaya," the future, at what will be, and that is an expression of joy. "A good year will come for Klal Yisroel, a bright year, a joyous year." Therefore it is blown twice: the first time, genuchei ganach, yilulei yalil, for the year that has passed, "Tichleh shana vekilloseha." The second time is to show joy, "U'vyom simchaschem u'vemoadeichem," for the year that is coming, "Tichal shana u'virkhoseha." This is "Tik'u bachodesh shofar bakeseh leyom chageinu," a chag being a Yom Tov of joy.

The Rebbe shlit"a bestowed a general blessing and a personal blessing upon the members of the kehilla and upon all of Klal Yisroel, and a blessing for each individual, "Leshana tova tikasev vesichasem le'altar l'chaim tovim ul'shalom." He said that Tashpa"b (5782) has the gematria of "Kabel rinas," that Hakadosh Baruch Hu will listen to the prayers of Klal Yisroel, "Tichal shana u'virkhoseha," a good year is coming for Klal Yisroel. He continued to bestow abundant blessings and concluded with a good Yom Tov and a good year. In response, the thousands of Yidden wished the Rebbe "Leshana tova" in return, and he too answered "Amen" to those who blessed him.

After descending, the Rebbe shlit"a extended a special "Leshana tova" to HaGaon HaTzaddik the Dayan shlit"a, and then went home to his residence.

At around 11:45 the Rebbe shlit"a entered for the Yom Tov seudah in the Heichal HaShulchanos. After Kiddush, the Rebbe shlit"a cut the challah with a new knife and dipped it in honey, raw honey, and then made the bracha of Ha'etz on an apple dipped in honey and recited the Yehi Ratzon "that a good and sweet year be renewed for us," and distributed shirayim from the apple to the entire tzibbur.

The head of a lamb was brought in from the lambs of mitzvah with which the Rebbe shlit"a fulfilled the mitzvah of Reishis HaGez this past Yom Tov of Pesach. The Rebbe tasted it and recited the Yehi Ratzon "that we be the head and not the tail." At the lechayim the Rebbe shlit"a wished a good kesiva and chasima.

R' Eli Shaul Katz (Boro Park) was honored with the Zemiros and "L'Dovid Mizmor."

The Rebbe shlit"a delivered a Torah thought on "L'Dovid Mizmor" and explained that there is a dispute among the tzaddikim as to which comes first, gashmiyus or ruchniyus. The shofar is blown with two tekios, one for gashmiyus and one for ruchniyus, and gashmiyus comes first. He concluded with blessings.

Birkas Hamazon: R' Eliezer Lev (London). The seudah concluded at 1:00.

▫️ Satmara Niyes 🌴 ▫️