My Machberes,Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum

Late Satmar Rebbe's First Yahrzeit

Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, zt"l (1914-2006) late Satmar Rebbe and author of Berach Moshe, passed away late in the afternoon of Monday, 26 Nisan (April 24) 2006. The first yahrzeit is on Shabbos Parshas Shemini, April 14.

The end of the 11 months of Kaddish recital is on Friday, 26 Adar, March 16. His son and successor, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe, plans to commemorate the yahrzeit in Kiryas Yoel, where his father rests eternally. The Shabbos of the yahrzeit commemoration will draw thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Chassidim from around the globe.

Late Satmar Rebbe, zt"l (Portrait by allartdirect.com)

Kiryas Yoel, the village established by the sage Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, zt"l (1887-1979) founding Satmar Rebbe and author of Divrei Yoel, is the site where the Berach Moshe, a nephew of the Divrei Yoel, was declared Satmar Rebbe at the first yahrzeit of his uncle.

The Satmar calendar now has a third major commemoration date. The first is 21 Kislev December 7 1944, the day that the Divrei Yoel was rescued from the Holocaust, as one of 1,684 Hungarian Jews on the Kastner train. Dr. Rudolph Kastner, a Hungarian Zionist activist, negotiated with and bribed the Nazis to free a select group of Jewish leaders. The group, mostly non-observant, was allowed to leave for Switzerland.

Satmar Rebbe (Photo by Tsemach Glenn)

From there, the Divrei Yoel proceeded to then Palestine, where he remained until 1947. Arriving in Williamsburg in the fall of 1947, he labored to reestablish the glory of Satmar Chassidim on American soil.

The Divrei Yoel passed away on 26 Av (August 19) 1979. More than 120,00 Chassidim converged on the town of Kiryas Yoel for the funeral. That day, 26 Av, is memorialized and observed, by Satmar Chassidim throughout the world. With the loss of the Berach Moshe, a third date (26 Nisan) has been added to the special days on the Satmar calendar and his first yahrzeit will be solemnly observed.

Lakewood: No Cell Phones, No Jokes

On Wednesday evening, February 28, an overflowing assemblage of students reflected on Taanis Esther, to be observed the following day. Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, renowned mashgiach of Beth Medrash Gavoha, explained the importance and necessity of instituting drastic limitations of cellular phone use in all the beis midrash rooms.

A proclamation was posted bearing the signatures of the four roshei yeshiva: Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Kotler; Rabbi Yerucham Olshin; Rabbi Dovid Schustal; and Rabbi Yisroel Neuman, together with the signature of Rabbi Matisyohu Solomon. The proclamation prohibits any cellular phone being brought into any beis midrash room of Beth Medrash Govoha, effective immediately.

More than 4,000 students aggressively pursue their advanced Torah education at Beth Medrash Gavoha today. A great percentage of those students are married and have children. Cellular phone communication has become almost an absolute necessity for them. Nonetheless, compliance was instant and complete.

Those students who must be on immediate call because of family circumstances (hopefully joyous) can use special beepers, which are made available for short-term use, by the yeshiva. Reportedly, during the yeshiva's Megillah readings and Purim events, not a single cellular phone was to be heard or found.

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Mir, And Cell Phones

During the dark days of the Intifada, while world Jewry was recoiling from suicide bombings, every public building posted guards at its doors. The roshei yeshiva at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem discussed whether they too needed guards at the yeshiva's doors. The Mir Yeshiva has a daily attendance of more than 5,000 students.

Seeking guidance from contemporary Torah leaders, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, revered Torah scholar in Bnei Brak was consulted. He emphatically stressed that a holy facility such as the Mir Yeshiva, where Torah is intensely studied, does not need guards.

As the inquiring parties were leaving, Rabbi Kanievsky called them back to consult further. He asked whether students bring cellular phones into the beis midrash. Rabbi Kanievsky was told that many students certainly have cell phones with them so that families could contact them instantly for assurance when hearing news broadcasts of violence and mayhem. Rabbi Kanievsky told the delegation that cell phones, though understandable, represent a fissure in the shield of pure Torah, and stationing guards at the yeshiva's doors was necessary.

Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe Arrives In America

On Thursday, March 8, Rabbi Eliezer Hager, Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe of Haifa, arrived to celebrate the wedding of his granddaughter, daughter of Rabbi Aaron Tovia Spitz, Seret-Vishnitzer Rav in Boro Park. She is a granddaughter of Rabbi Moshe Spitz, zt"l, late Bistritzer Rav. The chassan is the son of Rabbi Yechiel Meir Katz, Zshibo Rav in Montreal, and grandson of Rabbi Asher Shmuel Katz, zt"l, Zshibo Rav.

Greeted at the airport by hundreds of Chassidim, the Rebbe was escorted to his Shabbos Parshas Ki Sisa (March 9-10) headquarters in New Jersey where key American supporters, who remained for Shabbos, joined him. The special Shabbos was a closed event, giving those supporters an opportunity to be close to the Rebbe.

Seret-Vishnitzer Rebbe (Photo by Heshy Rubinstein)

In addition, a panorama of Seret-Vishnitz history was on display, showing the ongoing chronicle of events since 1947 when Rabbi Boruch Hager, zt"l (1895-1963) Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Mekor Boruch, re-established Seret Vishnitzer institutions in Haifa, Israel.

The Rebbe came to Boro Park late Sunday afternoon. He was hosted by Boruch Halpern. On Sunday evening, the traditional "orema chasunah" (poor wedding) was held at Paradise Manor on New Utrecht Avenue and 58th Street. Special accommodations were put into place for the thousands who came to participate and witness the event.

On Monday, the day of the wedding, the Rebbe became the guest of Dovid Roth and Chassidim en masse gathered to receive a blessing from the Rebbe on the day of his great joy.

The wedding took place Monday evening at the Rose Castle in Williamsburg. The large banquet facility was rearranged in order to separate the men and women. Rose Castle's lower level, with its entrance on Franklin Avenue, was the site of the kabbalas panim for the chassan, and the Rose Garden, with its entrance at 380 Flushing Avenue, served as the kabbalas panim for the kallah.

The police redirected the traffic flow around the Rose Castle during the chuppah, which took place on a specially erected two-story high platform, enabling observers to view the entire event. The wedding dinner was served for men on the huge upper level of the banquet hall, and for women on the lower level. The Rebbe entered the hall in middle of the meal, giving every individual an opportunity to personally wish him a mazel tov and, in turn, to be blessed by him.

For Shabbos Parshas Vayakheil-Pekudei, Shabbos Sheva Berachos, March 16-17, the Rebbe will be the guest of Avrohom Schonberger. Tefillos and tisch, including Sheva Berachos, will be conducted at the Niveh Aperion Hall in Boro Park.

On Sunday, March 18, a grand jubilee celebration will take place at the Niveh Aperion hall celebrating the 60th anniversary of the post-Holocaust establishment of Seret Vishnitz in Haifa. In addition, the panorama display of Seret-Vishnitz history, will be on view.

Intensifying Kashrus Supervision

In a continuing response to the kosher meat scandal of this past summer in Monsey, rabbis issuing kosher certifications are notifying the public about their intensification of kashrus administration. Rabbi Amram Roth, Hamarader Rav in Boro Park and a rav ha'machshir, has released a notice advising the kosher public of his application of more exacting supervision of certifications under his trust.

Only filtered water may be used. Vegetables requiring inspection must either be purchased from certified kosher suppliers or must be examined by Rabbi Roth's designated mashgiach. Meat products can only be purchased from: Alle Processing, Meal Mart, G&G, Kiryas Yoel, Matisyohu Kohn, or Vineland. An appointed mashgiach makes rounds and inspects each establishment every day. The establishments do not have permanent fulltime mashgichim.

In addition, Shabbos catering taking place in Boro Park must be coordinated with Boro Park's Vaad L'Mishmeres Shabbos (committee to guard the Shabbos) to comply with Shabbos law supervision under the general direction of Rabbi Moshe Dovid Schwartz. All of these adaptations, attests Rabbi Roth, are exactingly enforced.

Eastern European Side Trips

This year, 21 Adar, the Noam Elimelech's yahrzeit was on Sunday, March 11. More than 20,000 Chassidim are estimated to have visited the Ohel (burial ground) on that day. The names of nearby cities, also visited during the Lijensker trip, such as Lanzut, Pshervorsk, Sokolov, Reisha, and others, recall the great tzaddikim and pious Chassidim who lived there.

During the week preceding the yahrzeit, announcements were made regarding the gravesite of Rabbi Uri Shraga Feivel, zt"l (d. 1806), Dubienka Rebbe and author of Ohr HaChochmah. Considered one of the earlier important chassidishe rebbes, he was a disciple of Rabbi Kehas of Varish, zt"l, a disciple of Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, zt"l (1698-1760), founder of the Chassidic movement.

The Ohr HaChochmah was also a disciple of Reb Leib Sarah's, zt"l (1720-1791) disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach, zt"l (1825-1894), Belzer Rebbe, annually made sure that he was personally represented at the gravesite.

Before the Holocaust, thousands of Chassidim visited regularly. Presently, a marker notes the site of the gravesite indicating that it was identified by elderly survivors immediately after the Holocaust.

The gravesite is approximately 90 minuets from Lublin and 45 minutes from Chelm. The key to the cemetery is with its immediate neighbor. The notice requests that the site be visited, showing the neighborhood's residents that it is of value and that there is considerable outside interest. In addition, courtesy must be shown to the area's residents because negotiations are currently underway to have the cemetery returned to Jewish administration.

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