Chapter 55

Everyone recited ‘Shalom Aleichem’ and ‘Ribbon Kol HaOlamim’ with spiritual awakening and fervor. Afterward they sang ‘Eishes Chayil’ to the melody of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, with joy and awakening, as is customary there, and then recited the Zohar passage for Friday night. One person then recited Kiddush over wine on behalf of several people, who thereby discharged their obligation; many others recited Kiddush for themselves. I too took wine from my wife, recited Kiddush, and sat there in my place. We washed our hands for the meal and recited the blessing of Hamotzi over lechem mishneh [two whole loaves], one person borrowing the requisite loaf from another in turn, and so forth. We immediately sang ‘Azamer Bishvachin’ to our melody with great joy and awakening, and afterward ate fish, and so forth.

Afterward we further sang, with joy, exultation, and great spiritual awakening, the songs ‘Kol Mekadesh Shevii’ and ‘Menuchah Vesimchah,’ and so forth. We sang ‘Mah Yedidus’ with still greater awakening, and repeated its final refrain, ‘Meein Olam Haba,’ many times to the well-known melody of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, with immense awakening. We then went out to dance with melodies and dances, everything being conducted with joy, awe, and reverential trembling before the holy place in which we were.

Blessed be Hashem, we were filled with satisfaction, contentment, and complete joy, and so forth. They brought the remaining foods, and between one course and another the people rejoiced, sang, and danced. The aforementioned organizers who served us saw this and rejoiced, joined us in the singing and dancing, and were filled with satisfaction and contentment from this holy service of theirs.

We likewise spoke about the matter of Rabbainu, of blessed memory. We lingered and remained at the table for several hours, all amid joy, exultation, glad song, and melody. Meanwhile additional people arrived—both members of our fellowship and others—watched our meal and our conduct, and joined us in joy and song. Afterward we recited Birkas HaMazon over a cup of wine with a minyan of ten; my friend Rabbi Yaakov Zev HaKohen led the blessing. We recited it with spiritual awakening and drank the cup of blessing in accordance with custom.

Afterward all of us went out together in a circle to dance. We all danced to the songs ‘Bar Yochai,’ ‘Amar Rabbi Akiva,’ and ‘Vaamartem Koh Lechai,’ and so forth, and to yet more and more songs. Thus we rejoiced and spent several hours in dancing and melodies, until midnight.

I also went outside several times. The children were already asleep, but the small child was still awake; he rejoiced and played with those seated beside my wife, may she live, and laughed with them (for he was a delightful child, without the evil eye). He sat with his little hat upon his head, full of charm, while they gave him pieces of grapefruit to eat, and so forth. When I saw this, I rejoiced in my heart that, blessed be Hashem, he was in bodily health. He remained awake with them until midnight, for a great light filled the entire bais midrash and there was rejoicing in every corner, and so forth.

In general, the rejoicing was great, and especially so in our inner chamber beside the holy and awesome tziyun. Afterward we recited Tikun Chatzos—that is, Tikun Leah alone, which is recited even on Shabbos, with the exception of the psalm ‘Yaancha’ and the psalm ‘Bevo Eilav Nasan HaNavi,’ and so forth. We then recited Tehillim and engaged in other forms of the service of Hashem, everything with joy. We lay down to sleep for a short while. Many people from the other rooms, who had already slept and risen, came to recite Tehillim and recited all of Tehillim in its entirety with spiritual awakening.

Early in the morning, before dawn, we went to the mikveh in the courtyard. At the first light of morning we then began to pray the Shabbos Shacharis service. The aforementioned inner chamber was already filled with members of our fellowship and other people who prayed at vasikin. Members of our fellowship led the prayers at the amud until ‘Shochen Ad,’ after which Rabbi Avraham, may his light shine, led. In sum, we prayed with fitting fervor and spiritual awakening.

We completed the Shacharis prayer with intention, and the Torah reading began. Everyone stood. (The women stood at the entrance, watching, looking, and listening to the Torah reading.) Chacham Aharon, who remained there continually, was honored with opening the Aron Kodesh. They took out the Sefer Torah and performed hagbah, and afterward read Parashas Bechukosai—the Tochachah that is read before Shavuos. My friend Yaakov Zev was the Kohen. I longed intensely to be called to the Torah as well in this holy place, but the opportunity did not arise.

During the reading of the Haftarah, when they concluded the verse, ‘Heal me, Hashem, and I shall be healed, and so forth, for You are my praise,’ the verse entered my heart like thunder. I pleaded intensely through this verse, though I did not know why; but my heart told me, and so forth, as stated above. They then completed the Torah reading, recited ‘Yekum Purkan,’ and so forth, prayed Musaf with spiritual awakening, and danced.

When they finished, another minyan entered to pray. The members of our fellowship went out to another room, made Kiddush there together, ate some mezonos, and studied Sipuray Maasiyos together. I remained beside the holy tziyun, reciting the Tikun Haklali, other prayers, and practicing hitbodedus; my heart was filled with brokenheartedness. Meanwhile the other minyan prayed. Elsewhere in the outer bais midrash, the Sephardim had likewise prayed early in the morning, followed by other minyanim. In the inner chamber where I sat, I remained until all the minyanim had completed their prayers, and performed my service beside the holy tziyun with a broken spirit and a broken heart—for my heart told me, and so forth.