Different ideas and different personalities

B"H

Last Shabbat I made a brief speech at the Shabbat lunch at Rabbi Machlise' s house in Jerusalem. Among other things I spoke about the tragedies of split - offs within chassidic groups. In my opinion, it is always a tragedy when two sons of a rebbe fight about leadership. Just look at the present cases at Vishnitz in Bnei Brak or Satmar in New York.

When brothers fight about leadership, the group is falling apart. Suddenly family members, relatives or friends become enemies, as they might follow another brother who wants to be the new rebbe. People do not speak to each other any more and even burn certain books which they claim are not suitable any more (see Vishnitz in Bnei Brak).

Rabbi Mordechai Machlis, however, suggested a different aspect. He said that sometimes a split of a group might be much better than suffering inside on group.

I thought about his idea and came to the conclusion that in some cases he could be right. So far, I have just mostly been inquiring about Toldot Aharon and Avraham Yitzchak and do not necessarily have the greatest experience. But from what I see at those two groups is that their rebbes and members have different personalities.
Generally, this could be the reason why different chassidim follow different rebbes. One likes a more simple rebbe, another one wants a charismatic rebbe. One prefers a rebbe ruling like a king and another wants to be more free and lead his own life inside the chassidut. If someone wants to be more free, then why suffering in a group where the rebbe wants to be worshipped or creates a kind of kingdom ?