Return to Kever Yosef. The Viznitzer Rebbe in Nablus

The Viznitzer Rebbe arrived yesterday in the Shomron at the head of a group of Rabbonim, VIP's and Chassidim.

This is the first visit of its kind for 45 years, when the Rebbe the Imrei Chaim of Viznitz came for a visit with his son the Rebbe zt"l (who was niftar about 6 months ago) to the area where the Elon More settlement, Tirtza stream and Kever Yosef are found today.

This special visit, accompanied by security forces of the IDF, was organized by the strategic unit in the local council of the Shomron, which has brought to Kever Yosef over the last year and a half more than ten ministers, as well as Admorim and Rabbonim, but the council sees this historic and moving visit as the climax of visits to Kever Yosef, ever since the place was renovated and the tomb was rebuilt by the Shomron council as well as IDF soldiers and officers about a year and a half ago.
Before the main part of the visit, hundreds of Chassidim awaited the Rebbe at the Elon More settlement, after a guided ride in the Shomron. In the central shull of the settlement, the Rabbonim of the chassidus gave words of preparation towards the uplifting experience of entering Kever Yosef with the Rebbe.

As the Rebbe entered the settlement, he was received warmly at the home of the Rav of the Shomron, Harav Eliyakim Levanon, by Harav Levanon, the Rav of the settlement Harav David Dudkewitz, the renovator of the settlement in the Shomron Beni Katzover and the head of the local district council Gershon Messika.

The Viznitzer Rebbe shook the hands of the hosts and wished them "Lechaim". Harav Levanon and Gershon Messika gave the Rebbe a review of the settlement in the Shomron, the population growth, the building and founding of more and more Yeshivos and Talmudei Torah in the Shomron. Harav Dudkewitz emphasized the issue of chassidus in the Shomron, while Benny Katzover told the Rebbe about the meetings he had with his father, the Rebbe zt"l.

Afterwards, the convoy headed by the Rebbe, went out to Shchem (Nablus), to Kever Yosef. The Rebbe. escorted by his sons and the Rosh Yeshiva of Viznitz, Harav Menachem Ernster, went down the steps leading to the demarcated area of the holy Tziun, and was a Shatz in saying Tehillim and chassidishe Nigunim.

Great excitement overtook the hundreds of participants during the saying of the Tehillim and singing of parts of Tefilla in the tunes of Rosh Hashona, while the Rebbe served as Chazan with joyous Nigunim.

Thereafter, the Rebbe davened on the grave of Yosef Hatzadik.

At the peak of the historical visit, the Viznitzer Rebbe fixed a mezuzah at the entrance to the building of the Tziun, and the large crowd burst out singing Nigunim.
Towards the end, the participants passed in front of the Rebbe to receive brochos. An especially moving moment was when the Rebbe gave a special brocha to Avraham Ilai, the son of Ben Yosef Livnat hy"d, who was murdered about a year and a half ago at the place by the terrorists of the Palestinian police.

"This is an historical visit, moving and strengthening," said the head of the local council of the Shomron, Gershon Messika. "Since we had the merit of renovating and rebuilding the tomb of Yosef Hatzadik about two years ago, we have hosted in this holy place more than ten ministers, but no doubt that this is the most important and moving visit. This is an uplifting event, to see the masses reading chapters of Tehillim. Everyone connects to Yosef Hatzadik. I hope and believe that the visit and tefillos tonight will have their influence in Heaven for Am Yisrael, the Toras Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael".

The Rav of the Shomron, Harav Eliyakim Levanon, tied the Segula of Yosef Hatzadik to the visit: "Yosef Hatzadik is the "mashbir" (supplier of food) and he is the one who unites every one. We all cleave to the segulos of Yosef Hatzadik, the mashbir and unifier".

The Rav of the Yitzhar settlement, Harav David Dudkewitz explained: "When such a holy gathering comes and joins together in tefilla in such a place, this is an important matter".

The deputy Minister of Education, MK Menachem Moses, a Viznitzer chossid, said with apparent excitement: "It was not in vain that the Rebbe arrived here with such a large crowd, this is the time for great influence in ruchnius and gashmius. I am very excited to be here, because I had the merit to be here in Kever Yosef Hatzadik with the grandfather of the Rebbe, the Imrei Chaim zt"l, right after the freeing of the place in the Six Day War".

After the Rebbe and Chassidim went out, the masses continued to enter Kever Yosef by buses for rounds of tefilla until daylight.

At the end of the visit, the head of the council Gershon Messika thanked the IDF soldiers, brigadier general Chagai Mordechai, and Coloner Yoav Yarom brigadier commander of the Shomron, as well as officer Maki Siboni and officer Elizur Trabelsi and the Shomron police for ensuring the security of the masses.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!