But the question of the zeide zt"l zy"a in Kedushas Yom Tov is a difficult one: how can one do teshuvah, teshuvah m'ahavah, when committing aveiros creates a barrier between Yidden and Hashem? The zeide zt"l zy"a in Eitz Chaim answers that when one does teshuvah out of fear, an abundance flows so that one will be able to do teshuvah out of love. The father zt"l zy"a in Berach Moshe says that when one learns the holy Torah, the Torah bestows love, and one can merit teshuvah m'ahavah.

Through the mitzvah of milah, a covenant of peace is made between Yidden and Hashem. Through the merit of the mitzvah of milah, one can merit to do teshuvah out of love, "from all your sins before Hashem you shall be purified," and one does not need to come to cleansing suffering.

And he continued, in a weeping voice and with great arousal: In the Selichos we say "To You, Hashem, is the righteousness, and to us the shame of face." A year has passed, and the year before it as well. 'Such a difficult situation in the world; a difficult illness spread, truly a plague; it cost so many Jewish lives.' Thank the Holy Creator, 'Who placed our souls in life.' Everyone who lived through it should have brought a korban todah, resolving to improve in teshuvah and good deeds. But instead of this, people did not improve at all; on the contrary, unfortunately we have gotten worse. "We need Heavenly mercy; the illness is getting stronger and spreading again." Who knows whether it is not a punishment for not having been aroused the first time. "Hashem is demanding of us, Hashem is requiring of us." It has been a year with very difficult events in Eretz Yisroel, in the holy place Meron, and outside Eretz Yisroel. And, crying out with weeping, he said: The uncle zt"l once said, when such difficult times passed: "Gentlemen, a fire is burning, and with hot tears it can be extinguished; a fire is burning, and with tears it can be extinguished." "To You, Hashem, is the righteousness," that we lived through these difficult times, "but to us the shame of face," that we gave nothing back, no korban of Torah.

After the derashah, at the time of the entrance of the day, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a recited Vidui together with the congregation. The Rebbe shlit"a said, "Now we will all together recite Vidui at the entrance of this holy day." He began in a still, small voice, "Ana tavo lefanecha tefilaseinu," and recited before the Aron Kodesh together with the congregation the Vidui with a melody, "Ashamnu, bagadnu..." But not before he broke out in a terrible weeping that pulled the entire congregation along in awesome weeping, and shook the hearts of the thousands of mispallelim for several minutes.

After Vidui, R' Naftali Hirtzka Stein took the Sefer Torah out of the Aron Kodesh and handed it to the Rebbe shlit"a. The Rebbe shlit"a took the Torah and began words of arousal, quoting what the father zt"l zy"a used to mention, what the Eitz Chaim zy"a said: "Woe to the creatures because of the insult to the Torah," that all of a person's pains come from the insult to the Torah. He also quoted from the uncle zt"l zy"a in Divrei Yoel that there are two ways in which Hashem arouses Yidden to do teshuvah: either through a harsh king like Haman, or by sending a spirit of purity from above. At Matan Torah there was a spirit of purity for Jewish children, meaning, "If you accept the Torah, good," Hashem will arouse through a spirit of purity. And this is how Moshe Rabbeinu calmed the Jewish children: "You have greatly angered the Omnipresent, and He did not destroy you." Unfortunately, when we do not merit it and do not learn enough Torah, the arousal to teshuvah comes through a harsh king like Haman. And, crying out with weeping: "Holy Torah! In the name of all that is holy, I beg your forgiveness. Holy Torah, forgive us. From today onward we resolve to learn more Torah and to strengthen the Torah." The holy Torah will surely be a proper advocate for all of Klal Yisroel. Jewish children are exerting themselves and striving to guard the Torah." He concluded with many brachos.

Afterward, the Rebbe shlit"a recited "Or Zarua" and "Palgei Mayim" three times on the spot, and then walked around the beis medrash despite the heavy crowding, saying it as he walked three times, once on each side of the beis medrash.

After "Kam Rabi Shimon," the Rebbe shlit"a began "Kol Nidrei." Honored to hold the Sifrei Torah were HaRav HaTzaddik R' Yirmi Teitelbaum shlit"a, a member of the Rebbe's family, and HaGaon R' Zusha Gelb shlit"a, one of the dayanim of our kehilla.

▫️ Satmar'e Niyes 🌴 ▫️