Chapter 122

We recited Kiddush together beside the holy tomb and sat down to eat. Joyfully and with glad hearts we ate our simple meal of bread and vegetables, sang, and danced. We also studied Rabbainu’s words and recited Birkas HaMazon with a minyan and over a cup of wine.

I recited some Tehillim and engaged in hisbodedus beside the holy tomb, may his merit protect us, and we continued occupying ourselves in the service of Hashem. The entire congregation then assembled beside the holy tomb for the Rosh Hashanah Minchah service. We all prayed Minchah with intent and awakening. First we recited the Ketores with intent, followed by Ashrei, Uva LeTzion, and so forth; then the silent Shemoneh Esrei with intent, awakening, clapping, and so forth.

One member of our fellowship served as the emissary of the congregation and repeated the Shemoneh Esrei. We recited Kedushah, “Remember us,” “Inscribe,” and so forth. We said Avinu Malkeinu with awakening, followed by “By David: Hashem is my light” with great awakening, and then Aleinu, and so forth. We danced afterward, and a debate arose concerning where Tashlich should be recited.

In sum, those who wished to recite Tashlich at the Magido spring prevailed. All of us went together to the source of the Magido, which is called the mikveh of Devorah the Prophetess, and so forth. The walk there was difficult because of the steep descent, and so forth. Along the way R. Avraham Baruch voiced his displeasure with the members of our fellowship and their prayer service. When we reached the Magido, Arab women were drawing water there. We waited until they departed, then recited Tashlich with intent, followed by the lengthy prayer of the Chida. Kaddish was recited and we danced. Some of the young men proceeded to Beis Shammai.

We returned to the holy tomb amid melody and song. In the chamber of the holy tomb, R. Avraham, may his light shine, sat down with all the members of our fellowship to deliver a Torah lesson. He studied one of Rabbainu’s lessons concerning Rosh Hashanah together with the related passages from Likutay Halachos, and so forth, and this continued for some time into the night. Our established custom, whether in Uman, in Poland, or in the holy city of Jerusalem, was to study a lesson of Rabbainu at length on the first day of Rosh Hashanah after Tashlich, continuing for several hours into the second night of Rosh Hashanah, and afterward to sing for several hours until close to midnight.

We wished to follow this custom in Meron as well—to study and dance. After we had studied for approximately an hour into the night, R. Avraham Baruch and the others entered to pray Maariv. A dispute arose between us. The members of our fellowship said, “We desire to continue for a time with song and dancing, as is our custom. You may pray by yourselves, and we shall afterward conduct our own service. If you lack a minyan, pray individually or wait. An overwhelming majority is not drawn after a minority of two men,” and so forth.

In sum, since they were unwilling to pray individually, they were compelled to wait and withdrew to their room. We continued studying for approximately another hour, though we greatly shortened the study because they were waiting. We afterward danced for about an hour and sang “Bar Yochai,” “And you shall say: So may you live,” “R. Akiva said,” “And therefore the righteous,” and so forth and so forth.

Because these few individuals opposed us and were waiting, we did not prolong the proceedings as much as was our custom. We then prayed Maariv beside the holy tomb. R. Avraham, may his light shine, led with sweetness, melody, and awakening. Kaddish and Barchu were chanted in the joyful Yom Tov melody, as customary. The entire congregation prayed Maariv with the awakening and fervor appropriate to Rosh Hashanah, while the leader chanted sweetly in a joyful Yom Tov melody.

The congregation then prayed the silent Shemoneh Esrei with intense awakening, clapping, and loud sounds, and it continued for a long time. Afterward they recited “By David, a psalm” verse by verse with the prayer leader, with a resounding voice, immense and powerful awakening, clapping, and cries, lingering over it at length while he chanted in its distinctive and deeply stirring sweetness and melody.

This was followed by the psalm “Sound the shofar on the new moon,” and then Aleinu. We wished one another “Gut Yom Tov”—“Yoma tava”—and danced extensively while singing “Bar Yochai,” and so forth. We sat down together beside the holy tomb for our meal. We recited Kiddush with a sweet voice and melody, dipped an apple in honey, and said the Yehi Ratzon, as well as the Yehi Ratzon formulas over several other foods, such as dates.

Our meal consisted of bread with tomatoes and cucumbers. We recited Shehecheyanu over oranges, for I possessed sweet ones. We had no fish, meat, or challah, because we had relied upon R. Avraham Baruch, who had promised to prepare food for us, as stated above. In the end he had failed us completely, preparing food only for himself. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah we had therefore been compelled to auction the aliyos and send to Tzefas to purchase at least plain bread and vegetables, as stated above. Nevertheless, we possessed greater joy and gladness than all the delicacies eaten by other people, and so forth. During the meal we studied and discussed Rabbainu’s works and danced to melodies, and so forth. We recited Birkas HaMazon with a minyan and over a cup of wine, and afterward spent much more time dancing and singing, and so forth.

I recited Kreyas Shima before retiring and lay down to sleep in my place beside the holy tomb. I gazed upon the holy tomb with hisbodedus, love, and affection, and slept a little until midnight. We arose at midnight, went to the cold mikveh in the courtyard, and immersed there. We recited Tikkun Leah, followed by Tehillim, hisbodedus, and so forth, as well as dancing and melodies until the day dawned.